Check Out Jessica Bynum’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessica Bynum.

Hi Jessica, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I started my career as a cosmetologist in 2003 in New Hampshire. I worked at a beautiful luxury salon right out of hair school for over 13 years. I really honed in on my craft in this beautiful space and was surrounded by an amazingly talented team.

In 2018, I moved to Chandler. I had been away from AZ for 17 years but it has always felt like home to me. I accepted a position at a lovely salon and began to rebuild my clientele. While working at this salon, I went through a health coaching program and became a certified Integrative Health Practitioner. Along the journey of becoming a health coach, I had an idea. What if I create a salon that specializes in clean products and wellness education? The first iteration of my salon was born. I opened Detox Organic Beauty and Wellness in the spring of 2019. I quickly became known for my knowledge and passion for clean beauty and wellness.

In February of 2020, I was introduced to Reiki. Reiki is a Japanese technique for relaxation and stress reduction that also promotes healing. I instantly fell in love with this practice and couldn’t wait to start the educational journey. Then well, you know March happened. As soon as businesses were allowed to reopen I signed up for the Level I class. Over the last year and a half, I have become a Reiki Master Practitioner.

At the beginning of 2021, I added Reiki to my service menu, changed my salon name, and made my primary goal to have my guests leave my salon feeling lighter and more relaxed than when they came in. My salon name is now Ascension which means to rise to another level. That is my aim. To rise to a higher level and inspire and help my guests do the same.

Looking forward to 2022, I am adding one full Reiki day per week to my schedule. I am also excited to bring in some new ultra-clean colors and products to my salon. I always strive to bring the cleanest, greenest, yet effective products to my guests. It is going to be an exciting year!

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I believe there are no smooth roads when it comes to being an entrepreneur. There are so many things to learn along the way from scheduling software to tax liability to inventory. You must learn to wear a lot of hats. The best thing I did was start to outsource some of those tasks to experts in that field.

That way you can focus on what you are an expert in. I believe this is one of the most important lessons I have learned along this journey.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am an intuitive hair artist. I infuse the art of Reiki in all of my creative endeavors. I specialize in creating lived-in, natural custom couture haircuts and colors that enhance my guest’s inherent beauty.

What I am known for and what I am most proud of is how my guests feel when they leave my space. I strive to make each guest feel seen, heard, understood, and loved. That is my superpower.

Risk-taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
Taking risks is just a part of life. If you never ask a question the answer will always be “no.” If you don’t take a risk then you will not be able to earn the reward. I opened my business without a full clientele just eight months after moving back to Arizona.

On paper, this seemed like a terrible idea. However, I have always followed my intuition and something just told me I had to do this. I believed in myself and I just took the leap. It was the best decision I could have made!

Contact Info:

• Email: ascensionsalonaz@gmail.com
• Website: www.ascensionaz.com
• Instagram: @ascendwithjess and @ascension_salonaz

Image Credits
Chelsea Cassity Photography