Faith is taking the first step, even when you can’t take see the whole staircase.  Salons by JC Valrico’s Alanna Nicole stepped out of her comfort zone and took a leap of faith in furthering her entrepreneurial career with Salons by JC.

Entrepreneur, Leader, and Mentor

Alanna Nicole has been in the hair industry for 15 years and has become a woman of many talents. She shifted gears in her career by joining Salons by JC after working in a 5-star salon for 10 years.  She began as an assistant while she was still in school and quickly worked her way up.

“Before I decided to start my own business, I trained and mentored new stylists.  I became L’OREAL professional expert certified, held in-salon classes, worked runway shows, traveled for weddings, and even lead a team of stylists when the IIFA awards (International Indian Film Academy Awards) came to Tampa.” Alanna shares. “I was living my dream! Doing all these amazing things gave me such fulfillment and truly made me feel like a valuable asset to my salon team!”

As time went on, her vision for her future changed. Her path took another direction when she got married and started her family. “My main purpose at this point was to be a mom and be home with them as much as I could while they were babies.”

Alanna walked away from her prestigious salon career to start her own business at Salons by JC.  She was determined to build a business that afforded her the flexibility to be at home with her kids and continue having the successful career that she had created for herself.  “I wanted to give myself the best of both worlds,” exclaims Alanna.

The Start of a New Era

In taking on a new journey, Alanna had to start from scratch at Salons by JC Valrico.  “Once I got into my salon suite, I still needed to build my clientele around my new schedule.  I went from working minimally to having rent that needed to be paid.”

She saw the way the hair industry was moving and decided to teach herself the art of balayage. In order for her to stay at the top of her game, she needed to specialize in something that was in demand. She furthered her training by taking online classes, practiced on mannequins and models. Her skill and ability to learn and execute quickly increased her clientele.

“After a year I was booking out about a month in advance. I now specialize in balayage, color melting, and dimensional color.  I can truly say that I am more in love with what I do than I’ve ever been before!”

Friends come and go, but a good hair stylist is forever

Alanna aims to make her clients feel comfortable from the moment they walk in her door. Everyone who takes a seat in her salon, she considers to be her friends.

“I take the time before their appointment to casually chat with them and grasp what their goal is for their appointment. I have them send me pictures so we can discuss their options and expectations. I feel this helps to create a level of trust and comfort prior to the appointment. Once we meet, we discuss many things that it makes our time in the salon more efficient. After consultation and finalize the steps for our session, I begin to build our bond…our friendship.”

Choosing Salons by JC as a place to grow her business has been one of the most amazing decisions, she feels she has ever made. “Working alongside all of the amazing business owners is a breath of fresh air. Everyone is always happy and supportive of each other which creates this incredible energy throughout the entire salon,” she says.

Salons by JC has changed her career, family life, and her passion for the industry. It provides Alanna the ability to be a mom, wife, and a salon owner, which was one of her dreams.

“I am living my best life! Watching my kids grow and making an incredible living by doing what I love and doing it my way!”

Thank you for joining the Salons by JC family, Alanna. We wish you the best in your career, family, and all your future endeavors to come!

ABOUT Salons by JC

In 1997, Jack Griffey and Cecil Miller began their journey to transform the beauty industry one salon suite at a time. Like most young entrepreneurs, they started out with a big idea but had to learn how to start and run a business from scratch. After much perseverance and hard work, one year later, they opened Salons by JC in Dallas, Texas in 1998, welcoming beauty and wellness specialists who were ready to break free from the traditional salon model. The company has since moved its headquarters from Dallas to San Antonio, where it continues to grow through franchising. Today, Salons by JC has nearly 100 locations in 26 states and Canada and are looking to develop of 200 over the next several years. For more information, visit salonsbyjc.com or salonsbyjc.com/franchise.