Today we’d like to introduce you to Jaime Bigheart
Hi Jaime, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My husband and I moved from Austin to the smaller town of Bastrop in the summer of 2021. I was still working at a salon in Austin and wanted to find a chair to rent and start building a clientele near our new home. I began researching salons nearby and the first place I drove to, .8 miles from our new home.. When I walked inside The owner let me know that her lease was up and gave me the information to contact her landlord should I be interested in renting the entire space. I was excited but my clientele was in Austin, I was a full time student at UT Austin and was working part time in a marketing position.
Several times I drove by the space contemplating what it would cost, how much time it would take to renovate the space, and if I was ever capable of making all of this happen. I reached out to the leasing company and filled out an application because, “what could it hurt”, right? I sent over my financial information to the leasing agency to get the process started and they were concerned that I did not have enough start-up capital to lease and renovate the space.
After a month of negotiating, they gave me the keys and the first time I walked through the door I started bawling because, “who did I think I was”? The space was 20 years old, the floors were in decay, and it was not anywhere near ready to launch my business. How was I going to make this into something beautiful? Where was I going to find the time or the money? In spite of all of this I was committed and there was no turning back now.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I confided in a friend of mine for whom I have a tremendous amount of respect and admiration. She was very encouraging and gave me some direction on taking the appropriate steps to minimize the risks associated with a lease on a relatively old space. I had the space inspected and my father-in-law helped me draft a letter asking for certain addendums to the lease related to HVAC, electric, and plumbing components of the building”. I went to school during the day, took clients in Austin and continued my marketing job, while waking up at 4 am to go work on the space.
Just one week into the lease the HVAC system stopped cooling entirely. If it weren’t for my friend suggesting I get an inspection in the beginning, I would have been responsible for replacing this commercial ac unit that I didn’t yet have the means to cover. Because it was summer of 2021 and we were all still recovering from covid, finding someone who had the time or could find a unit in a timely manner seemed impossible. But through literal sweat, and tears we got the AC fixed, the space renovated, and at the beginning of October I was scheduling clients in my brand new salon in Bastrop.
It has been anything but easy. In January of 2022 I got in a car accident that almost took my life and was unable to work for about 6 weeks due to a pelvis fracture. My clients were nothing but supportive, the stylist I had working with me at the time took great care of the salon, and a friend even started a fund to help with salon bills. Never at any point did I want to throw in the towel. I continued to pick myself up and threw everything I had into this. I am overwhelmed with gratitude at what this has grown into.
At one point, I worked alone and I now have three stylists who booth rent and an assistant/junior stylist who is a year into her training. I wouldn’t have it any other way. These women motivate me, inspire me and we have so much fun. Clients have told us that they notice how much we enjoy each other and that energy is contagious.
We have a space where women want to work. Where women feel safe, supported, and their passion ignited. A space where clients feel comfortable and often hang around to visit even where their appointment is done. A space where we get to watch them go through some of the best and worst times of their lives, and they can truly come in and be their authentic selves. What a gift.
As you know, we’re big fans of Spill the Tea Salon . For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
We are a boutique hair salon specializing in custom color, cuts, and sew-in extensions. Appointments can be requested online but must be reviewed and confirmed by the stylist to ensure there is enough time and that we have all the information we need.
Clients can book or may be asked to come in for a complimentary consultation so they can meet their stylist, bring inspiration photos and get an estimate of cost up front.
We do this because we know coming into a new salon can be intimidating. We want our clients to feel comfortable, to have the time to effectively communicate their goals, and to be paired with a stylist in whom they are confident.
We believe in price transparency and a consultation gives us an opportunity to discuss their budget and to create a plan that will achieve their goals and not stretch them financially. This also ensures that the client understands what is possible while keeping their hair healthy and how many sessions it will take to achieve their goal.
I am so proud of this brand we have created. I have clients that have been following me since the first salon I worked at in 2016. I believe the time that we invest in our clients is what truly sets us apart. Many stylists can do their job well enough to get paid, we go above and beyond to give them an entire experience. If you need a confidence boost, come and see us. Some of my clients call me their hype girl, and there is no greater compliment.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Many people think success is being booked out for months, having a ton of stylists working for them, and bringing in loads of money. I vividly remember being less than two years into my career and moving from a commission salon to booth rent, I was terrified. I didn’t have a huge clientele, my expenses outweighed my income, and I had no idea how to run my own business. What I did know was that I believed in the quality of my work and my ability to build meaningful relationships with my clients.
I knew if I focused on achieving these two things with every client I would be successful. This was my foundation and still is today.
Our job as hairstylists can be so much bigger than just creating beautiful hair. We can create a space where people want to come because they know they will feel better when they leave. I am sober and have been in recovery since 2012 and one of the biggest gifts I have been given is the ability to be vulnerable with people. When you share parts of yourself it creates safety for a person to share things with you. This is what builds meaningful relationships and truly connects us.
Success is the experience we give our clients and support we show each other. We love what we do, we lift each other up, and we make people feel beautiful. This energy we breathe into each other and our clients. They come in tired, saying their hair is a mess and their energy changes as they sit in our chairs. They leave walking differently, with confidence. This makes us successful.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://spilltheteasalon.square.site
- Instagram: @spilltheteasalon
- Facebook: please use our google page we have 156 reviews and get most of our traffic from here
Image Credits
Kaila MacMillan
@rockink_photography
