Today we’d like to introduce you to Anna Jackson.
Anna, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I really accidentally stumbled into the beauty industry. Both of my parents were academics, and when it came time to graduate from high school they both told me not to waste my money going to college if it’s not where I wanted to be. So there I was, out of high school with no plan. I had a friend who had been through cosmetology school and was making money doing hair. So I decided to give a go. I went to the Aveda Institute in Minneapolis and graduated in 1999. It was a great experience, and I believe coming up in a company that is environmentally conscious did some foreshadowing for me in present day. After graduation I focused on learning everything I could about the new industry I was in.
A couple years later Chicago was calling my name and in 2002 me and my best friend who I met in beauty school, moved there. We worked in the same salon, it was very exciting. I went back into assisting at a top salon downtown learning the classic Vidal Sassoon style of cutting. I got promoted to hairdresser a couple years later and just dug in. I was obsessed with fashion and everything about the beauty industry. When I had moved to Chicago and started working for the big name salons the idea of being environmentally friendly/cruelty free/natural/organic etc had gone out the door and it wasn’t a priority for me anymore. I loved making people feel special and I love cutting and styling hair. I quickly became interested in hair extensions and makeup. I myself have thin fine hair, and hair extensions were an amazing way to bulk up my hair and add length. It was an immediate confidence boost. So I started specializing in it, and next thing you know my business was booming and I was becoming known for my work. I was seeing multiple women a week who had thinning hair and medical conditions and needed answers. I was there to help them with their hair problems. When women have thinning hair it can be catastrophic to the ego. And even though I was helping them feel good for the time being…I wasn’t able to get to the root cause of the thin hair, and that was frustrating for me. So I started looking for answers on the internet, I found some supplements that worked but no real answers.
A couple years later I moved out to LA for 6 months to take a course in Makeup. When I moved back to Chicago, in addition to seeing clients at the salon, I started doing photo shoots and working for myself on the side. I was very busy and very in demand. As my career was taking off I became more and more imbalanced in my own health and personal life. I gained weight, had horrible acne, depression and anxiety and lots of unexplained body aches. Coincidentally I was also experiencing extreme hair loss. So for 5 years I went on a million yoyo diets, took antidepressants and other meds, paid for expensive skin treatments that didn’t work and wore hair extensions. Soon after, I had 2 very close people to me pass away, my mother and my best friend. And I knew I had to make some changes. I moved to a salon where I could create boundaries for myself, and work less hours. I got interested in yoga to help my body aches, and slowly I began feeling better. I changed my lifestyle and my diet and experienced some very drastic changes to my body and mind state. As I was slowly changing for the better I decided to enroll myself in yoga teacher training. That year I learned so much, more than I could have ever imagined, and it really showed me that I wanted to be doing something a little bigger and more meaningful than doing hair behind the chair. I just wasn’t sure what. So as a lifelong seeker of new information I enrolled myself in an online health coaching course. I wanted to learn the why behind my own transformation and how to help others feel good about themselves from the inside out. Because that’s really what beauty is about right?
In the meantime, my best friend who I had moved to Chicago with and who I had built up a loyal clientele with over the last 15 years decided it was time for him to open up his own salon. We talked a lot about things that were important to us. Things that were not being implemented in most salons. One was cruelty free, testing on animals is an ancient practice that is not needed anymore and we didn’t want to support that. We also wanted to go back to our roots and use clean beauty products. The wave of the future for beauty is “Clean Beauty”. We ow it to ourselves to understand what we are putting on our bodies. We also didn’t want to be a part in the tremendous waste that salons are
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I struggled quite a bit actually. I was unable to create boundaries in my business and I got so busy and I worked so hard that I developed what is commonly known as Adrenal Fatigue. It turned into a thyroid problem and now I am dealing with hypothyroid. Even though I wish I had done things differently, I now can recognize when I’m becoming over worked and depleted very quickly and I can remedy it.
Other struggles I had were in the beginning. I had to go back through training when I moved to Chicago, even though I had already been working for 2 years in Minneapolis. Also no salons were interested in extension work. I had to work hard to get through the assisting programs that paid next to nothing. I worked a second job at a steak house at night. I had 2 painful years of going back and relearning haircutting to what seemed like unreachable standards. Lots of tears and not a lot of $ in my bank account builds character. Eventually I proved myself and my bosses were open to hearing about bringing extensions into their salon.
During the beginning of my career I also got hit by a car and was out of work for 2 months and was terrified my clients wouldn’t come back to see me. They did.
I also hit a rough patch about 10 years ago when my mom was sick and I had a lot of people die that were close to me.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the BOSS Hair Group story. Tell us more about the business.
The business I work for is called BOSS HAIR GROUP. I am a hairstylist. I do NOT do hair color. I cut hair, I style hair and I specialize in hair extensions of all kinds. I also dabble in human hair wigs. I am a certified yoga teacher and a certified health coach. I am known for my precision haircuts and my seamless invisible extension work. I’m also known for my friendly demeanor and passion for my craft. I love helping woman (and men) feel great about themselves.
As a company, It’s important to us — and the environment — to use cleaner, naturally derived, biodynamic products containing organic ingredients and that are 100 percent cruelty-free. These products are not only better for our hair and skin, but for the planet.
The vibe of the salon sets us apart as does the sustainability. Did you know salons produce difficult to manage waste often contaminated with bleach, hair color chemicals, and other toxins? A typical salon has high water consumption, high energy usage, and releases chemical by-product down the drain. As they create beauty, they make waste.
BOSS HAIR GROUP is part of the green movement. We strive to be eco-friendly wherever possible and attract green-minded clients that want to reduce their footprint.
Above everything else I believe our experience in the hair industry sets us far apart also. Each of the talented guys and gals at our salon has at least 16 years of experience behind the chair.
What sets me apart from other hairdressers is my knowledge of health. Not only can I talk to my clients about their hair and how to style it, but I can help them find solutions with their food and lifestyle to help them feel better.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I’m not a huge believer in luck. Maybe because I don’t think I’ve had much in my life. I believe in synchronicity, being in the right place at the right time. When you are in balance, you are where you should be, even if it doesn’t feel like it. When I live out of balance I tend to have “bad luck”. But when I am living my life in balance I seem to be synced up, I meet fabulous, likeminded people, and have great experiences. I also think starting my day/week/month/year with clear intentions and acting towards them can help create that synchronicity.
Pricing:
- Haircut $105
Contact Info:
- Address: BOSS HAIR GROUP
842 N Orleans
Chicago, IL 60611 - Website: www.bosshairgroup.com
- Phone: 312-374-1345
- Email: annaleejackson@mac.com
- Instagram: @mane.land
- Facebook: annaleejackson
Image Credit:
photo of girl with pony tail by Billy Pissios photo of blond girl with bangs by Billy Pissios
Getting in touch: VoyageChicago is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
