Sherri’s Steps to Style

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How Cool! Sherri Jessee Listed Among “Women of Style”

Thursday, November 3rd, 2011

Wow! I just recently had the honor of being listed among “Women of Style” by MODERN SALON Magazine. One of my mission’s is to empower women in this industry… see the exclusive interview featured in the magazine and online below:

Woman of Style: Sherri Jessee

Owner/Artistic Director of Sherri’s Hair Salon, Bristol, VA | Rusk Creative Team

Licensed: 1983 from Virginia Academy of Cosmetology; also have Bachelor’s in Education from Emory & Henry College

First job: The Hair Zoo in 1983. Opened Sherri’s Hair Salon in 1985

Clients per week: 60

Price point: Cut: $50; color: $150
sherrijessee.com, sherrishairsalon.com

Why did you choose beauty? I began cutting hair when I was a child and have always loved fashion. With a background in theater and education, working as a platform artist was a perfect fit. What else on earth would I do?

Milestones: Owning a salon with my daughter Amy Lauren assisting me; traveling as an international educator and celebrity stylist; having my hair and makeup work published worldwide

Big break: MODERN SALON’s Artist Session program was instrumental in igniting my passion for doing hair and makeup for photo shoots.

Career advice you’ve received: “If you are going to be a name in the beauty industry, you are going to have to learn to be more assertive.” —Dr. Brooke Carlson

Career advice you’ve given: Get a job you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.

Your mentors: Privileged to train under industry icon Irvine Rusk. Privileged to for photo shoots under MODERN SALON Beauty and Fashion Director Maggie Mulhern

You mentor: A lot of people as a “cyber mentor” via. Facebook, networking sites and my blogs (www.sherrisstepstostyle.blogspot.com)

Are there benefits to being a woman in beauty? I deeply believe that women stylists are more empathetic. We know what it feels like to have a bad hair cut. We know what it feels like to have a great hair cut that turns heads and gets us attention. We know how a sexy style makes us feel better about ourselves. Bottom line: a woman understands a woman’s needs best.

Are there challenges for women in beauty? The majority of our clients are women getting cuts and colors. The majority of stylists are women. However, when you look at it, most of the platform artists and famous stylists are men. Don’t get me wrong, I love men, but why is that the power and fame seem to go to mostly men in a woman’s industry? I am on a mission to share with other women and empower them with knowledge that will make them more confident and successful in the industry both personally and professionally.

Sacrifice and lesson: Traveling doing hair shows and education worldwide, I missed many special events, birthdays and anniversaries. The upside is that I passed on a great work ethic evident in my (now adult) children. And my daughter recently became a hair stylist!

Risk and reward: Financing a series of photo shoots was a big investment, however, working with top NY photographer Roberto Ligresti and training under makeup artist David Maderich has helped me create the most amazing images that have been published worldwide.

To follow in your footsteps, a woman would have to: Get ready to work hard and love every minute of it.

Famous woman you would like to style: January Jones is stunning. I love Mad Men and the ‘60s era styling, and she has some fun red carpet looks.

Next change to my personal style: Just cut 10 inches off my hair yesterday. My hair has been very long to super short, and all lengths in between. Always blonde, though. I have a blonde heart.

Reading: A tower of fashion and beauty magazines, several novels and audio books

Playlist: We listen to the Adele station on Pandora all day—great music to work by!

Every day, just for you: It’s very important to me to have my makeup looking good every day.

Working on: My own education system, “Sherri’s Steps to Style,” to create celebrity-inspired results for real people.

Tags: honor, Modern Salon, Sherri Jessee, style, Women
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Sherri and the Rusk Creative Team Travel to India

Tuesday, October 4th, 2011

Struggling to get over jet lag after a wonderful two-week journey to India, I look back at the changes I saw. Amazingly visible to me since my last trip there in 2008 was the new airports, new bridges, new trains, new roads, and the Indian people beginning to embrace changes in their hair.

With over half of the population under the age of 30, the younger generation is anxious to adapt to worldwide style. Although I missed the beautiful fabrics of the saris and traditional dress, working on the modernized models made my job of adapting the Rush method easy. For the most part, we were able to cut multiple layers and give rich glazes of chocolates, violets and flashes of caramel to their gorgeous dark hair.

An internationally renowned leader in the professional hair industry, RUSK now comes to India courtesy of Headstart International Pvt. Ltd. RUSK stands as inspiration for many stylists and hair care professionals all around the world and is one of the most professional hair care brands available that provides elegant and edgy products from hair care to styling and finishing. RUSK introduced a full range of products and tools for salons and their clients in India – for professional and consumers and for salon retail.

To give first-hand experience to salons and consumers, the RUSK International Creative Team headed to India to introduce RUSK products that personify pride, passion, creativity and energy. RUSK Look & Learn Seminars are taking place in Delhi, Chandigarh, Mumbai and Bangalore to showcase the latest RUSK cuts, colors and styles.

In India for the launch, Ms. Hedwige Sluss Thuer, Managing Director of RUSK, said that “Our products are highly characteristic and have a wide range that caters to the needs of every individual. We are excited to launch RUSK with Headstart and look forward to reaching the target group in India using their strong distribution network and focused business approach.”

RUSK has been widely used for runway looks for international celebrities like Paris Hilton, Heidi Montag, Ed Hardy, Cyndia Rowley, Nancy O’Dell, Shannon Elizabeth, Tiffany Miranda, Jason White, top New York models and is also seen at the New York and Miami Fashion Weeks. RUSK empowers consumers and stylists to use innovative and imaginative styling techniques to provide everything from the latest avant-garde runway look to the next “must-have” hairstyle.

It is my great pleasure to be sharing insider industry information in Sherri’s Steps to Style” PBA blogs! I invite you to follow me on Twitter, Facebook and visit my website www.sherrijessee.com to check out the plethora of articles found there. I will be covering such topics as tips on hair and makeup, working with celebrities, salon ownership, marketing tools, business building, and advanced education. Also, feel free to contact me at sherrijessee@me.com with topic suggestions

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Pay it Forward: KIVA.org

Wednesday, September 7th, 2011

My dear friends in the beauty biz, you will be inspired by this great story from my mother, Charlotte Duncan. Trust me, after reading this article, you will want to learn more about KIVA and also visit my mother’s site to see the beautiful success stories.

My mother, Charlotte Duncan, shares her story of kindness.

“I have been loaning money through KIVA.ORG since June 2007. I started with a total of $300, which is handled through PayPal. As money is repaid, it is added back to my account. As soon as I have enough money to re-loan, kiva.org notifies me. I have now loaned $950. The least amount of money you can loan to one person is $25, and kiva.org, a non-profit, asks for a 15% administrative fee, which I always donate.

Rosemary from Kenya received a loan from Charlotte to purchase supplies. She has repaid that loan 100%.

Of my 38 loans, 92% have been to women in need and include 15 loans to Mexico; three each to Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, and Cambodia; two to Lebanon; and one each to Armenia, Bolivia, Ghana, Guatemala Honduras, Kenya, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Tanzania, Togo, and the United States.

The types of loans I have made include 18 for services (47.37%); six for housing (15.79%); four for retail (10.53%); three for construction (7.89%); three for food (7.89%); two for clothing (5.26%); one for personal use (2.63%); and one for arts (2.63%). Of the 18 service loans, 12 have been for beauty salons and two for cosmetic sales.

My 38 loans include only three defaults — for a total loss of $32.39. I feel sure that I spend more than that each week on sodas, coffee, wine, and cocktails.”

To learn more about Kiva, go to www.kiva.org. You can also see my loans at kiva.org/lender/charlotte2144. Go ahead! It is very simple to register, as a matter of fact, you can even sign in through Facebook! Loans for as small as $25 have the power to change lives!

Tags: charity, KIVA.org
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Power of the Media: Part 3-Reaching Out

Thursday, August 18th, 2011

There are an unlimited amount of ways you can network and advertise your message using the Power of the Media… it is mind boggling! In Parts 2 and 3 of this series, I mentioned creating a Website, Facebook and Twitter accounts to advertise all the standard information about you and your salon. Now, it is time to take it a step further by creating content to keep those pages new, fresh and interesting.

Blogging is best.

Blogs are so easy to do. For mine, I went to Blogger and created a free account. At the “dashboard” I can customize the template to create my own personalized blog page. It is very simple to add new blogs. Remember to “KISS” (keep it short and simple, sweetie) your blog and always include photos to keep the attention of your readers. Even if your are not a natural born writer, it’s okay. Blogs can be casual: Write like you talk. Be sure to have a second set of eyes proof read to catch any typos or glaring grammatical errors.

Keep it going.

Post new blog entries on your Facebook and have a link to your blog on your website. Clients can also subscribe to your blog and receive your new blog articles directly via email. To encourage clients to keep in touch, host a monthly contest: for example, draw a name from clients that subscribe to your blog to “like” your Facebook page each month. Prizes could be as simple as a bonus conditioning treatment. Are you beginning to see how all of these media outlets can link together?

Television can be terrific.

To really get the word out in your community, try getting a seasonal spot on your local TV station. For example, I have done segments on such topics as Romantic Hair for Valentine’s Day, How to Protect Your Hair from the Summer Sun, and Quick and Easy Tricks for Holiday Hair. I present the idea to the producer along with before and after photos and then demonstrate the look quickly on air (usually 3-4 minutes is all you get).

Newspaper is noteworthy.

Whenever something exciting and newsworthy is going on in your salon, send out a press release to the local papers. Keep your press releases short and to the point with all the key information in the first 10 words. Next include all of your contact info including address, phone, email, and Website. Participating in charity events are great press and also good for the heart! It took five press releases before my local paper wrote an article, however, it was a beautiful spread when we finally got in! So, don’t give up… persistence always pays off. Keep at it. One-by-one you will see that the Power of the Media can help you get new clients. It is up to your excellent service to retain them.

I must say, I am no marketing specialist; however, doing the things in my “Power of the Media” series have brought in a consistent stream of new clients. If you have further questions, consult a markting specialist like the Salon Guru who has helped hundreds of salons fine tune their marketing messages via the media.

Tags: blog, Media, newspaper, Sherri Jessee, TV, website
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Power of the Media: Part 2-Internet

Wednesday, August 10th, 2011

Using the Power of the Media to spread the good word about your business can be your best form of advertising. Using the Internet can be a great way to begin your FREE media networking plan… the only price you have to invest is your time.

In Part 1 of this “Sherri’s Steps to Style” blog series, I shared tips on using Facebook to advertise your salon. In Part 2, I share three more internet marketing tools available including:

Your Website
Twitter
Industry-Specific Social Networking

Create your own Website.

I can say from personal experience, it is possible to create, publish, and maintain a website with minimal technical skills. The Sherri’s Hair Salon website was easily created on my MacBook computer using the iLife-iWeb template and published free through my MobileMe account. For PC users, there are programs available for you, too. Be sure to include the pertinent contact information, salon hours, and services available. You can create separate pages for photos and bios of your staff, listing of services offered with corresponding pricing, as well as links to other pages like your Facebook and Twitter. We get new clients each week from our website. New people moving to our area do a Google search, and POW! up pops our salon’s website.

Speaking of Twitter, now is also a great time to start a Twitter account. Social Media is the #1 activity on the Internet. Twitter allows for instant updates with small bits of info. Twitter and Facebook can complement one another. Twitter gives an immediate pulse on news and events while Facebook allows for a more visual space for you to stay connected. Encourage your clients to follow the salon on Twitter. “Tweet” out if you have a cancellation that can be filled, new product information, salon retail specials, etc.

The circle be unbroken.

One interested phenomena is how easily each of these networking devices can link to one another. A QR code on your business card can link to your Website, which links to your Facebook, which links to your Twitter which Tweets a new blog entry, which is read by other industry insiders on a industry-specific media site which links back to your website, etc… The circle of information can go on and on. Social Media isn’t a fad, it’s a fundamental shift in the way we communicate. Now is the time for you to join in and take advantage of how your salon business can benefit.

Industry-specific networking.

There are numerous media networking sites available that are beauty industry specific such as SalonGalaxy, Hairbrained, Hairku, Glamour Tool, and Cozzme. Here, you can advertise your salon and all pertinent info just like you would on your website and these sites are absolutely free! These listings allow your salon to come up first on Search Engines, thus provide excellent advertisement when someone is searching for a salon in your area. In addition, these sites have blogs, articles, and videos that are educational to both stylist and consumer. As an added benefit, stylists can also set up individual accounts to advertise their own personal portfolios, network with other salon professionals, and learn from other industry professionals without ever leaving home.

The time is now.

Go ahead and begin creating your website, Twitter account, and choose an industry site that suits your needs. If you are afraid, or have little experience with using your computer, these services can be hired out by a PR specialist or it may be possible to trade services with a tech savvy client… Think about it, you could delegate the work out. Trade your excellent haircare skills with someone’s creative computer skills and you both will be richer for it!

Tags: Sherri Jessee, social media, twitter, website
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Power of the Media: Part 1 – Facebook

Friday, August 5th, 2011

“Happy, satisfied clients” will always be your best advertisement. Word-of-mouth advertising is more influential than any other form of advertising.

Think of using the Power of the Media to spread the good word about your business. Using the Internet can be a great way to begin your FREE media marketing plan… the only price you have to invest is your time.

In my next few “Sherri’s Steps to Style” blogs, I will discuss in detail various media marketing methods, which will include:

Facebook
Your Website
Blogs
Industry-Specific Social Networking
Twitter
Guest Blogging
Television
Video
Newspapers
Magazines

The Facebook Frenzy.

With more than 600 million active users, this easy-to-use tool is a great way to begin taking advantage of the free advertisement the Internet can offer your salon. Create a page for your salon and invite your clients to “like” the page. You can add essential info like your hours, location with a map, list of services, website, etc.

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words.

Facebook allows you the opportunity to very simply create photo albums. EVERYONE loves pictures. People spend hours looking at photos on Facebook. Create interesting albums for:

Your Salon
Your Staff
Press Coverage
Your Portfolio
And, Before and After Pics

Professional & Positive Posts.

Always present yourself and your salon in the most professional, positive manner when posting status updates. To increase exposure, actively seek influential friends in your community and make periodic comments on their pages. With this type of networking your salon’s page will come up in the news feed and thus, more people will “like” your page. Make frequent updates to your Facebook page… Use the power of the page to increase recognition and increase salon business.

Tags: Facebook, marketing, Media, Sherri Jessee
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The Best Brush

Tuesday, April 26th, 2011

Finding the perfect brush for your mane can prove to be a “hairy” situation. From paddle to round, vent to boar bristle, the choices are abundant. I recommend buying a brush based on how you want to style your hair. For example:

Paddle Brush

Paddle Brushes are fantastic for detangling and drying long hair. Their wide, flat bases are perfect for creating straight, smooth styles.

Round Brushes by Rusk

Round Brushes (like the RUSK Heat Freak brush) will create volume and body and are available in small, medium, large and jumbo-sized barrels. When used with the heat of a blow dryer, the smaller round brushes act like rollers to create curl and movement. The larger round brushes smooth tresses and add body.

Vent Brush by Denman

Vent Brushes (like the Denman vent) help to quickly dry your hair straight, creating no bend. A vent brush has extra wide spaced teeth, which make it excellent for detangling wet or dry hair. It also speeds up blow-drying time by allowing heat to get to the hair faster. You can find vent brushesin two sizes: small (for short to medium length hair) and large (for those with longer lengths).

Teasing Brush by Monroe

Teasing Brushes (like this one from Monroe) are widely available and can help you to softly back brush your hair to develop desired volume in your crown area. Staggered bristle lengths aids in penetrating and lifting hair.

Boar Bristle Brush by Rusk

BoarBristle Brushes (like the RUSK DaVinci) penetrate and grip hair and help stimulate the scalp to release natural oilswhile you brush. A boar bristle brush will provide a relaxing scalp massage while simultaneously smoothing all lengths of hair.

KEEP IN TOUCH

It is my great pleasure to be sharing insider industry information in Sherri’s Steps to Style” PBA blogs! I invite you to follow me on Twitter, Facebookand visit my website www.sherrijessee.com to check out the plethora of articles found there. I will be covering such topics as tips on hair and makeup, working with celebrities, salon ownership, marketing tools, business building, and advanced education. Also, feel free to contact me at sherrijessee@me.comwith topic suggestions.

Tags: boar bristle brush, brush, paddle brush, round brush, Sherri Jessee, teasing brush, vent brush
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As seen in HOT! Sherri Hits the Road with Nancy O’Dell

Friday, April 15th, 2011

Beauty Whirled

Sherri Jessee Hits the Road with Nancy O’Dell

Sherri Jessee’s upwardly mobile career rose another impressive notch when TV host and Entertainment Tonightpersonality Nancy O’Dell signed on as the official celebrity spokesper-son for Rusk and BaBylissPRO.

Today, between tending to her salon business, headlining at numerous trade shows throughout the world and keeping up with O’Dell’s fre-quent media appearances, Jessee’s schedule is literally bursting at the seams. “I’m a typical stylist. When I’m busy, I’m thrilled; when I’m not, I get restless and bored,” she laughs. “Fortunately, I can’t recall the last time I didn’t have too much to do.”

As for O’Dell, Jessee has perfected her Hollywood hairstyles, includ-ing swift style changes that are frequently needed when her star client does multiple appearances or interviews in a single day. “As a Rusk Creative Team member, I’ve worked with Nancy when she’s done live TV interviews, an infomercial and numer-ous how-to videos, as well as several charity fundraisers, which include the Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Association and the “Nashville Rising” benefit concert,” Jessee relates. “It’s so important to have a plan and remain organized—which hairstyles Nancy will be wearing when, and how to achieve all of them without overworking her hair.

“I usually start preparing Nancy’s hair while it’s still damp,” Jessee continues. “Sometimes I create curls and then restyle the hair into a smooth-and-sleek ’do, before finally switching-it-up to beach-y waves. I always start out by spraying Rusk Amplifier on the base and then blow-drying her hair for lift and volume. And, no matter which style I’m doing, I use Rusk W8less Plus during my initial session and throughout the day. It never builds up and eas-ily brushes out—benefits that pave the way for the next style change.” (Pssst: W8less Plus is O’Dell’s favorite hairspray!)

As seen in HOT by Hair!s How!

Tags: charity, HOT, Hot by Hairs How, MDA, Nancy O'Dell, Sherri Jessee
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White Hot Short Hair

Wednesday, March 16th, 2011

Short hair is hot and really makes a statement when paired with great hair color! In this dynamic duo, the amazing Rusk Deepshine White powdered lightener was used to achieve the most highly sough after color for short hair… the perfect platinum blonde! Allow me to share a few of my latest looks, hot off the New York runways.

Milena’s cut was created with amazing texture in the interior and also has a soft, feminine perimeter featuring several styling options.

Milena’s first style (left) is a 60s inspired shape. To get the look, simply blow dry the hair smooth and play up the shine with a few drops of today’s popular argan oil like RUSK Deepshine Oil.

To achieve the second look (right), sculpt in classic finger waved pattern held in place with a firm holding gel like the new RUSK W8LESS Spray Gel.

The sky is the limit as to the ways you can wear your short hair. Our hair is our finest accessory and having various styling choices will allow you to have a great hair day EVERY day!

Hair and Makeup: Sherri Jesssee; Photography: Roberto Ligresti; Model: Milena

KEEP IN TOUCH

It will be my great pleasure to be sharing insider industry information in future “Sherri’s Steps to Style” PBA blogs! I invite you to frequently visit my website www.sherrijessee.com to check out the plethora of articles found there. I will be covering such topics as tips on hair and makeup, working with celebrities, salon ownership, marketing tools, business building, and advanced education. Also, feel free to contact me at sherrijessee@me.comwith topic suggestions.

Tags: RUSK, Sherri Jessee, short hair
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Pony Up: The Many Personalities of the Pony-tail

Friday, March 11th, 2011

Photo by Randy Taylor, NYC 2011 Spring Fashion Week.

Simply Sophisticated.

The pony-tail is one hairstyle that will always remain in style. The vast majority of women worldwide (75%) wear their hair long enough to pull off this easy style transformation. The pony-tail is favored as an easy option to create stylish “second day” hair. Additionally, the pony-tail is the go-to look for high fashion seen on runways and red carpets alike.

It’s All About Placement and Texture.

The pony takes on different personalities depending upon where you choose to secure it and whether the hair is straight or curly. To prove the point, let’s take a look at several examples.

Soft and Romantic.

This look for Carrie Underwood, with gently cascading curls gathered low and off to the side, is sweet and stylish. To get this look, create the curls by wrapping the hair around a 1 1/4″ curling iron. Always use a heat protector whenever using heat styling tool. Twist the hair to one side and secure with pins.

Simply Elegant.

Jennifer Aniston looks lovely with this midway placed pony. This sleek style is great for those who don’t have bangs. If the hair is fine and thin you can easily make it appear thicker and and more voluminous with a little back brushing. Be sure to smooth away frizzies with a light misting of a shine spray.

High and Mighty.

For a more extravagant version we refer to two ladies known to make style statements: Madonna and Lady Gaga. Here we see Madonna in the 1990s with a high pony-tail wrapped with a braid. Similarly pictured is the look Lady Gaga donned at the recent Grammy Awards. If your pony is short, the secret to the stars is to add hair wefts to create the added thickness and length. First, create your own pony tail, then wind a matching hair weft around it and pin securely. (Theses are widely available at your local beauty supply.) When feeling whimsical, this look can easily be translated into a great style for a night out on the town.

KEEP IN TOUCH

It will be my great pleasure to be sharing insider industry information in future “Sherri’s Steps to Style” PBA blogs! I invite you to frequently visit my website www.sherrijessee.com to check out the plethora of articles found there. I will be covering such topics as tips on hair and makeup, working with celebrities, salon ownership, marketing tools, business building, and advanced education. Also, feel free to contact me at sherrijessee@me.comwith topic suggestions.

Tags: Carrie Underwood, Fashion Week, Jennifer Aniston, Lady Gaga, Madonna, Pony-tail, Sherri Jessee, Sherri's Steps to Style
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