Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Tucker.
Hi Jennifer, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Hi, my name is Jennifer Tucker I am the proud owner of The Mad Hatter Hair Salon in Hinesville, Ga. originally from Duncan, Oklahoma. I’m married going on 17years now and we have 4kids. So how my hair journey started is I always wanted to do hair I can remember being 12 years old and pulling my mom’s hair through a highlighting cap, that’s back when it was called “Getting your hair frosted.” It was something I always had a passion for. Being from a very small town in Oklahoma where growing up we had little means. I remember the cottonwood tree behind our very small 2-bedroom trailer way out in the boonies where we would spend most of our days on that tire swing. I shared a very tiny room with 2 other siblings.
Opportunity didn’t seem like it was in my future although I always dreamed of it and somehow, I was going to make it out of this small town to make something of myself. At 13, I started car hopping at the Cruisers in town to save tip money for school clothes and eventually a car. I always had a hustle work ethic, if I wanted something, I worked hard for it. I never asked for a hand out maybe it was that I knew my family didn’t have money, maybe it was pride, or that I needed to be deserving of it.
Fast forward to being in my mid-20s married, kids, and moving around with my husband who’s serving in the military didn’t leave much time for following my dreams until I decided I wanted more for my kids and I wanted them to be proud of their mom. I wanted to give them everything I never had. I wanted to be the example that if I can do it you can too. No dream is ever too big!
Determined and hell-bent on making something of myself I enrolled in hair school full time which wasn’t easy with small children and a husband who was never home but nonetheless I did it! My husband always said I was a country girl trying to live a city girls’ life. He’s right! The first salon I worked at right out of hair school was beautiful and awful at the same time. It was a very hi-end salon but also very high school basically a real-life version of mean girls 2.0. I stuck it out for about a year, leaving most days feeling defeated.
I knew if I opened my own salon, I wanted to be more than a typical boss I wanted to be a friend, a mentor, a Co-worker. I wanted to inspire passion art and confidence. So, on a leap of faith, I took everything out of our savings and put it into opening my dream, my salon, my everything I ever wanted. I felt validated and also a sense of I did it for everyone who said I’d never be anything but small town well here I am! I built a name and a reputation. Two years into the business my husband gets PCS orders back to Oklahoma.
We made the tough decision that I would stay in Georgia I had a business to run my daughter in high school truth be told I didn’t want to go back to Oklahoma. They say hindsight is always 20/20. I have watched my kids suffer without their dad, my self-feeling drained and alone and almost selfish at times for staying for my business. So here we are almost 4 years of living separately me traveling every other month to Oklahoma to visit because I knew he needed me all while juggling a business 4 kids 4 dogs because I’ll be dammed to make it this far and lose everything.
I remember being told I couldn’t be a friend and a boss, maybe there’s truth in that but if I’ve learned anything it’s that people can only take from you as much as you give them. As much as I’ve lost, I’ve also gained. I’ll never stop being a friend or giving in times of need. I used to think that my clients needed me, honestly, the truth is I needed them. They give me a feeling of worthiness and purpose in life. I’ve made lifelong friends that feel like family. I’ve been with them at their lowest and at their highest times in life and they have been with me in mine.
So here I am currently in the midst of a Salon re-model ecstatic for all the new changes coming to the salon. My husband is about to retire from his 20-year Army career and finally come home. I finally have this sense of peace like I’ve never felt before. And to that, I say cheers to this next chapter of life.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
It has absolutely not been a smooth road, to say the least.
Running a business and managing a household with 4 kids alone is stressful enough but throw in trying to make sure your stylist has what they need and some were needier than others and then there’s the day to day drama that seems to come along with having so many personalities working together.
I’ve been blessed to have worked along with some amazing talented stylists and because of those few, it makes it all worth it. I do love having a smaller location now it’s a very intimate setting. With all the everyday stress going on around us in life I’m more focused on offering a relaxing atmosphere.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a Master Cosmetologist and an Extension Specialist.
I am licensed in hair skin and nails. My latest obsession besides hair of course is Chemical Peels literally obsessed! What I’m known for is definitely hair color. What I’m most proud of is that through the lows and highs and more lows I’ve stayed true to myself I’ve stayed humble always honest and I’m so proud to say I have the best clients!
What sets me apart from others I’d say my honesty, reliability and one thing I always hear is how comfortable my clients feel with me and how they don’t feel judged or intimidated they feel welcomed.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
My advice is definitely to look for a stylist who wants to put in the work to make you the best stylist you can be.
When you go to interviews ask them what they have to offer you. Take every class you can soak up every little bit. It’s true what they say you never stop learning because styles are always changing.
Something I wish I knew starting out that’s it’s ok to mess up, it’s ok to fail at something because you’re going to and that it’s going to be the best learning experience and you’ll be a better person for it.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://jennifertucker.glossgenius.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mad_hattersalon/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/madhattersalon/
