Photo by: Heather Bejar

Amanda Jade is a Ceremonial Hairstylist. You can find her at KEEP YOUR CROWN RIGHT SALON & WELLNESS CENTER in San Bernardino Ca.

A family member actually shared Keep Your Crown Right and the amazing person merging wellness and hairdressing that is Amanda Jade. Visiting her website and seeing ideas and concepts I had dreamed about actually alive and being done filled me with so much inspiration. From specializing in curly hair, holistic approaches, and service booking requirements, to duration of appointments Amanda has brought to life a space that is stationary and also lives with her where ever she goes. Her mindfulness of environment and honoring the crown seems to be granting one permission to pause and reconnect with oneself and community. In the first half of the episode Amanda Jade talks about her origins in discovering the Hair Industry, what her early years were like, and the experiences that shaped her wellness direction.

In the second part of this episode, she goes deeper into her experiences over the years as a hairstylist and also working at different places before creating her own space. She talks about neurodivergence, something that has greatly affected both of our paths and how she navigates through it. Amanda opens up about a recent loss and how she was moving through it.

 "HAIR CEREMONY: A sacred time of self care, an offering, a release, a time of both stillness and movement. It is my purpose and gift, to offer this service for BIPOC, to see all who it calls to be healed. Hair is so sacred and can be worked with to help us on our self healing journey.” - Amanda Jade, founder of Keep Your Crown Right™

DETAILS:

• Please follow Amanda Jade: @keepyourcrownright

• To find out more and all that Amanda offers: Keep Your Crown Right

• Listen to Amanda’s Podcast: Keep Your Crown Right PODCAST

• Mentions: Empires Barber Shop

Transcript:

Chantel: Awesome. I wanna just dive in. 

Amanda Jade: Okay. 

Chantel: Maybe pulling us out of like the technical part of this and into 

Amanda Jade: Sure. 

Chantel: Into our lives. When did you know, you wanted to go to school? What was happening in that prompted that decision? 

Amanda Jade: So I think I always wanted to do hair.You know, I loved exploring through hair in high school, even in kindergarten, cutting my own bangs but in high school is when they had a, like a SCROC program. I was between like two worlds. I was doing sports and didn't have a lot of guidance of like, what do you wanna do out of high school, you know, and hair is what I was really drawn to. But I didn't attend the, the SCROC program and I was kind of like sad about that. I had some friends that were attending and it was like really exciting. Then I graduated and I went to college for like two days and I was like, nah, this is not it for me. So I was like, what do I really wanna do? Hair was what came forward for me. So I looked for school and I got, I got to it. 

Chantel: Awesome. Do you remember, getting your certificate and what the next steps were for you? I mean, we're going back 15 years 

Amanda Jade: Yeah. About that. Mm-hmm. 

Chantel: Yeah. 

Amanda Jade: 2009, some time ago.

Chantel: So how was it coming outta school? Did you go straight into a salon? Did you start Working, at home? What did it look like

Amanda Jade: Yeah, so school was interesting. I feel like it was a lot of, preparation, which I think all schools are, but the main focus was passing state board. I think too, being so young, you know, like 18, 19, just not really being present in the lessons like I should have been and learning what I had to learn, but was still moving through it like it was school and like, oh, it's homework. As opposed to like, oh, I'm really excited to learn this and that. There was a lot of fear in it as well. I think a lot of shadows and things that came up from my own personal childhood and development and like how I came into things with confidence.

So I feel like I was building a lot of confidence throughout my early Career. So when I graduated I was super excited. I did a lot of things in school, aside from hair, like I did do like haircuts and single process color. So I didn't do a lot of highlights. So I, I still don't do a lot of color just because I feel like there's a lot of education that I would like to dive into before offering that. Although I do. Do a couple of clients like myself, my mother, family, a couple of friends that I've been doing like the same type of color on their hair for many years. But, I was doing like a lot of facial waxing and a lot of eyebrow waxing and manicures and full sets and just exploring in that. So once I graduated I was just like floating around. I worked, my first job was at JC Penney's in Victoria Gardens, and I just sat there really, and I wanted to take in. What it looked like to be a hair stylist, what it looked like to work with, with clients. I was just sitting there and observing different stylists and, you know, their energy and how they carry themselves and what would I do and what would I do different. I was really just kind of sitting there like a fly on the wall in the beginning until I found a new location and then I saw what I didn't like in that space. So in the beginning I was just, I was observing, but still getting paid as a stylist when I got, when I got clients.

Chantel: So was that, an hourly pay back then? I think. 

Amanda Jade: I think I was getting commissions I think, I think I was getting both. And it depend on like, if I had reached, you know, whatever the quota was, then I would get commission. If not, then I was getting paid hourly. And so I saw it as like, okay, I'm still getting paid and I'm still getting some experience from in here. But it was a connection. I knew somebody, I used to work at a gym. And I knew somebody's daughter who had worked there and were leaving that location. And so they were like, "oh, there's gonna be opening. You should apply". So I went there and I just was like, okay, cool. I'm still getting paid and I'm getting some education around it.

So this is a cool job for what it is. Then from there I had went to another corporation type job, which was kind of a Super Cuts. It was called the, The Haircuters . I didn't really like that, that was like a comission based and I didn't really care for the environment and a lot of the strict rules that there were.

I think I just didn't work too good with authoritative. You know, like guidance I guess, or structure. And a lot of the rules. So that space wasn't really for me. It also, they didn't have a lot of good business skills. They were, bouncing checks and things like that at the end. Mm-hmm. So it was a little discouraging.

But just realizing again, this is okay, this is what I want, this is what's happening and this is what I don't want. So where am I gonna move from here? And I think that's how things have always been in my career is like, okay, I can be an appreciation, but also see that this is not necessarily my ideal view of how I want to, you know, walk my walk in in the hair industry.

Chantel: When, do you feel like you made the pivot to be offering, healing. I was just curious when the turning point was for that, where you're like, " this needs to be part of like what I'm offering." 

Amanda Jade: Yeah. So I think it was something that I was doing within my own world and in my own life, in my own healing, and that I could see being a supportive outlet for other people as well. Mm-hmm. And so when I left that job at that last corporate salon, I wanted to stop doing hair. Like I wanted to stop doing long hair. I wanted to focus on barbering. And in fact, in the beginning of my hair career, when I decided I wanted to go to school, I wanted to take barbering. But because, um, the people who were paying for my school. Like my, my mother was paying for half of it my parents, and then I was gifted the other half.

It was like, if I'm giving you this money, then you need to go to school for, you know, cosmetology. And so I felt like I was like doing what somebody else wanted me to do. And I think that's always been a lot of my journey is just like, how do I decide what I want to do? I know that this is other people's advice, this is their guidance and you know, how am I going to advocate for myself and do what I want, because that had been such a challenging thing for myself. So I stopped doing hair. I was like, I'm, I'm done with this. I'm going to, stop this job. So I quit that job and I was like, I'm gonna save up money and I'm gonna go to barbering school.

Cause I wanted to do the crossover program and I felt like it was a challenge. Like, oh, this is gonna be a challenge in itself to be like a female or, you know, identify as, uh, a female in this quote unquote male dominant, industry at that time. And I think that I was always a part of it.

Like, if they can do it, I can do it. Or if anybody can do it, I can do it. So I wanted to do that and be good at it. So at the time I was watching my nephew and I was getting paid like $5 an hour and I saved up my money and I was like, yes, I'm gonna go into this school and I'm gonna finally do a crossover program.

I'm super excited. And when I went to the school and I saved the money, it was like, it was like not the spot it was, it was actually that school got closed down because they were. Having high passing rates and it was a horrible school because when I went, I had her heard things about it a couple years before.

So I, um, I went to the school and I signed up And then it was just like, oh, the main instructor's not here for 80 of the 200 hours that we're gonna be, you know, giving you your education. I was just like, what? Like, what does that mean? And so like, you know, you had shared with me before about neurodivergency, right?

And so for me, I'm also like a kinesthetic learner. I think that's the right word. It's like I have to see somebody physically in the flesh. Turning the page or holding the clipper or the shear. Mm-hmm. In order for me to like fully grasp it. So just watching a video is not gonna be enough. Just reading a book is not gonna be enough.

It's like I'll get lost in the words and I was just like starting to have a meltdown. Like, what am I gonna do? Like, all right, I came here and this is a self-taught school and that made me go into a whole breakdown of emotions. What now? I saved all this money. I was excited to get like these lessons and now the main educator isn't gonna be here.

And so I was just going through my process and I think that's all of what my process looks like in order to lead to where I'm at now is what did my spirit need? What did I need at that time? How was I attending to my own needs? To what my emotional state was? My mental state, you know, where I was physically and at that time I was working at a warehouse. I had worked at UPS for 14 years. I was just like, this life is no longer for me. How can I maneuver myself? And so I left school that day and I went home. And I remember taking a shower or a bath, just being deep in thought You know what, I'm gonna go into that school the next day and I'm gonna ask them if I can come back and I, if I can come back in two weeks when that main instructor, like trying to find a solution and also didn't want to be disrespectful to the one instructor that was there who clearly didn't have the capacity to help me in the way in which I needed to be helped.

And so because I was already license. And I'm sorry for getting all off, all going through my whole spiel, I went in because I was already licensed in doing the crossover program. I basically can come in whenever I wanted, and that's what the school was. It was like a fly-by school, you know, just come check in, get your hours, but you're really not there.

People would just be leaving in and out. And so I asked her could I come back? I don't mean to be offensive, but would I be able to come back in two weeks? And she said, And in the middle of her speech when I had came in she was just saying if there's something in your life that you don't like, you have the ability to change it.

And so I felt like that was my cue and I feel like that's how I've moved throughout my whole, adult life is reading the cues and seeing what comes up and listening To what's being said between the lines for me, spiritually. Right? And so when I heard her say that, I said, okay, this is the sign I need to say this.

So I asked her, she said, yes, of course she can come back. And so I went back to my station and there was a gentleman who came in and was Asking the young lady next to me if she wanted to go see the shop he was working at. And I thought he was a student, but he had already graduated. And so she said no.

And I was just like, I'll go. So I walked with him around the way and there was a barbershop, like one like parking, not parking, but like, yeah. Parking structure over. And I sat in there and I sat in the barbershop and I was just listening again. I seen some tools that I had had and I saw an attachment piece I had never seen for that same clipper set that I had.

And so I was just like, wow, like I'm learning so much just in this like 20 minutes that I'm sitting in here. And then I heard the owner of the barbershop say he was a licensed cosmetologist, not a barber. So I was like, what? Like I already have that license and I wanna do hair, so you mean to tell me I can still cut, you know, these clipper cuts and have to do the whole crossover program. They're all, there will be some things I won't be able to do, but there's a lot that I'm able to do. So I just changed my whole view in that moment and I went and got all my money back and I asked them if I asked the barbershop if I could, sit in there and watch them cut. And they were like, at first like, oh, I don't know about not being able to pay you. And, and I was just like, you didn't have to pay me at all. I'm, you're saving me money. I was gonna go pay these people money to not teach me anything. And I feel like what I wanna learn, I'm learning right here. I wanted to learn like fades, tapers, afros, I wanted to learn, you know, all texture cuts. I wanted to learn, Just all of it. Beard work, lineups, razor. I wanted to see the visual and just watch. And so they said they'll let, they'll get back to me in a couple days and I said, let me know. I have five days, but I took my money out that school. Right. Then I walked back to that school and she happened to have my money.

She was supposed to take it to the bank today before, and she's like, for whatever reason, I didn't. So she gave me all my money back, and I ended up in that shop for a couple of months. And then when I felt like my time had came, I was like, all right, there was no empty chairs there. So I was like, it's my time to go. And then I left. And about a week later they were like, Hey, we had a chair open up and uh, we wanna know if you want to come in. And so in that space, I, I, again, everything is led into like what spirit led me to, and so in that space and shout out to Empires Barbershop and Marino Valley. They gave me a lot of my foundation of what a salon setting should feel like in the sense of, aside from corporate, it was very, community, family based, all generations. We had elders in like their sixties, eighties coming to getting haircuts alongside four year olds, you know, five year olds and people who've been bringing their, their, their children and now they're bringing their grandchildren into, you know, get their haircuts here. So it was a feeling that made me. Look at the industry a lot differently. It made it like, oh, you, you know, you don't have to wear all black. You don't have to, agree to any client because that's what's on the books. You have a choice, you have a say and you can incorporate, community.

They would do a lot of community give backs. We would go and do like free haircuts. We would, do career day, we would do give backs for people who were in, um, like halfway homes or like people just getting themselves together. So we would do things like that. They would do, blood pressure checkings in there for the community, for free. So there was a lot of community things that I really, really, really appreciated about it. It just allowed me to see things different. So coming back in full circle to like what helped me, what do humans need and what is it that I need and what is it that I can have be reflected in my work?

And what I saw was that a barbershop, right? For, the demographic in which I saw and who I worked with were, black and brown heterosexual men and the type of care that they can, benefit from. And so I thought about my father and when I grew up, you know, I grew up in the, in an empire.

Partially in LA County and then the Inland Empire as I, came into like my young adult life in teenage years, and my dad always worked in, Downtown LA and in the Los Angeles area, and kids just don't understand that. You know, their parents wake up early, they drive in two hour traffic to work eight hours at a job, just sit in two hours to come back home and may not have the coping skills or the ability to learn how to regulate themselves.

So when they come in, they're like, On edge and children have to walk on eggshells and it's neither one of their fault. It's just what happens when we don't have those skills in our community sometimes, because it wasn't taught to us. Cuz we were taught to survive, we were taught to, you know, work and to push that aside and, you know, get it together and there's no time for rest and there's no, there's no ability to learn how to take a deep breath because that wasn't granted to us.

And so we're reconnecting to those, to those. Ways and to that which is divinely ours by, birth, which is to have ease and rest and pleasure and joy. So what I saw with myself, what I saw were other fathers like my father who didn't know how to you know, give me 30 minutes and I'll come down, or I'm so excited and, you know, they just.

It was just like, walk on eggshells, dad's home. Go to your room. Like, don't say anything. Don't make a noise. Don't ask a question. And so I was just like, what if I can be a middle ground? And that's what it was. Most people stopped by the barbershop before they go home to their families. And so I was like, if I could give a warm towel, if I could have my medicine, who I am, what is my medicine, and to offer some of my viewpoints being, you know, not optimistic to be.

What is the word? Like there's a, there's a particular word, like where it's like, oh, rainbows and butterflies. Like, no, just, I respect the struggle and all the stuff, but there's also a light at the end of the tunnel, and how do we find that? How do we have the balance and how can we still be in gratitude?

And so I. I was just like, what is it I'm supposed to offer? So at that time, I was having my own emergence from all of my healing and things that have happened and occurred in my life that I feel like I have been seeking since 25 and 29 was the year that I started to really hone in on, you know, my walk and uh, and yeah, so it just revealed itself in its own time and I started to see like, what can I offer?

How healing. Touch and, intentional touch and safe touch and, you know, non-sexual touch and how can I hold these boundaries? How can I offer this work? It just started to unfold in that way and then it just bloomed into what it is today. Thank you so much for you were listening because that was a lot.

Chantel: It was beautiful. Your story is medicine and I can, I can understand exactly what you're saying about you were looking for like a word for what you, you know, could, could share with people on their way home. And it was, I was just feeling this like, 

your light, you know, I even positivity doesn't really encompass what. What I think it was that you were thinking of, you know,. I felt like it was this, this ball of light, you know? Yeah. And it is aspects of positivity and, space and how, even mentioning, non-sexual touch and how hugs or, you know, there's a part of touch that's very healing too, you know? So I love that. That awoke for you, and that you found it and were able to read the cues on, on your path. It's just really exciting to hear. 

Amanda Jade: Thank you. Yeah. And, and in fact, that's what some of my work has led to is going and sharing that insight with people. I'm currently working on a book too, to give a little bit more guidance in what has helped me. But those are some of the things that I share with people, it's just like, you know, like we are so close in contact with folks. we have levels to our energetic aura to ourself, to what we absorb, to what we give out. Like some people get fascinated by this work and they, they're like, oh, I wanna offer this and I wanna do that. But it's just like the work starts with ourselves. And that's what I think the biggest thing is, is like before we can get to what we're offering to community, we can also do it simultaneously. Absolutely. Because we're not perfect. We're imperfect beings and we're looking to find the harmonious, balance in our life and in our walk.

I think just for me, I was going through, you know, ancestral ceremonies. I was reconnecting to my indigeneity through my lineage, our medicine, the teachings and. Doing a lot of healing within my own spirit. And I felt like I had been on that journey for already, many years, six, seven years, and allowing that to merge and then seeing how that could be with someone else.

So that positivity and that ball of light was from my own healing. And sometimes it's beyond, the words we have to try to, you know, help somebody. It's just. The essence of you, it's just your smile is something that's beyond your flesh. It's just like, oh, I don't know what it is about that person. But when I come and sit in their chair, I just feel so light, I feel so safe, I feel so taken care of. I feel so warm, I feel so nurtured. And that's what became, you know, Keep Your Crown Right was just. Who am I? Who is Amanda? What do I have to offer? What did Creator bring me into this, earth for, you know, for how long?

I don't know. It's all of that. It's. It's like I can't be anything for anybody if I'm not there for me first. And so just checking my own shit and, lifting myself up and allowing others to help me when I need that as well. That definitely translate into here, because people come to us at their most vulnerable state, you know, whether we know it or not. It's, it's a very intimate connection and it's one that I think many people. Often take for granted and don't understand the impact in which us, as beauty professionals and grooming professionals, , have on our community and in our community.

Chantel: There's definitely, a breaking free of the toxic side. of the hair industry that you've been able to do. I can hear it, and I think I encountered that after school, this , people demanding like niches and demanding that you do this and a lot of people have like certain attitudes about textured hair and how do we rephrase this rush, you know, this neglect of our body, how to like, get the hair done as quickly as possible onto the next and how in school it's definitely taught like you're supposed to hold on to these things and this is how you make your money.

And I love…You know, you've said where you're at without, you know, saying, well, I left the toxic side and I'm embracing the holistic side, which is really the mindfulness of the person as a whole, you know, and how my, my question is how you make that possible in this society. Like you've built it for yourself, and I'm sure it's like in your community, but how you exist on grid with those, those pressures and that bit of a constraint, you know, society wanting us to be in this one particular box and us saying, you know, no, I wanna be over here. And how it's taken a lot of. Courage, I know. For you to, to, and consistency to, develop that. 

Amanda Jade: Sure, sure. 

Chantel: And I think, my question lies in that, how do you see yourself, choosing that every day and managing, taking care of yourself financially and being business smart as well as honoring, your method.Yeah, your methods and your practices. 

Amanda Jade: I think, again, it comes down to spirit. It doesn't mean it happens without challenge. You know, like there's a lot of things, you know, with C O V I D I. When that hit, I had already purchased my shop, like I loved working in the barbershop, but I saw that I wanted to offer something very specific and there was different medicine.

So in the barbershop I saw elders who would come in this one particular elder every day, and he would come to play Dominos and that was his medicine. Like to slam those dominoes down and feel youthful, like, Ooh, I got you and you better, you know, like all this stuff. And I loved. But I knew that I wanted to have a moment where there would be like, Solitude, an escape for people.

And I could put up my little, like partition, you know, like, and separate the shampoo area from everyone, but the sound wouldn't be the same. And so I was like, oh, maybe I can get headphones. And so I put a little speaker in the shampoo bowl and I would play that while they were there and try to mask.

And a part of it was like the meditation, we cannot avoid the world around us. How do we go internally, right? Mm-hmm. And so I just created with wherever I was, But I seen in spirit was calling me to my spirit. My inner self was like, oh, I can't work at this warehouse anymore. It's driving me insane. I feel mentally unstable. I'm on edge. There's so many benefits to it. I was at a warehouse where I had free insurance. I had, Dental, vision and healthcare, all of that was free. All I had to do was tell 'em what I wanted and they did it. I didn't have to fill out any paperwork. And so somebody who has neurodivergency that's what kept me there for many years because it's the thought of, oh, can I fill out the paperwork myself?

Can I afford it myself? And. I, I couldn't, you know, it was just like I needed help for those things, but it was just like going to therapy for two years. I was like, okay, if I'm at this job and I'm about to lose my wits in, I'm about to use their benefits and I'm gonna go to therapy for free for two years and figure out what is it that creates the challenges for me, how can I take it step by step and calm my mind?

And be able to just approach it one step at a time and be gentle with myself in that. It definitely has been a process, one in which I'm still learning and also in learning what my, what my, rates are to sustain myself because I'm still developing that. That's still something that's coming every day.

You know, I used to charge $20 for a haircut, but the shears that I. You know, I still make payments on and so I learned to value myself more. I'm still undercharge compared to what other curling specialists are. Um, where I've seen haircuts at 2 75 or three 50, or you know, 200 and I'm below that and I work with some of the exact same products that these people do, and I'm under valuing myself and learning to raise that when I feel according.

To what I feel like I match and me, and some of that is again, with the healing. How do I say yes, I'm deserving of this. Yes, my quality of work is more than what any dollar can pay for because it's an energy thing. It's something that I'm giving from my prayers, from my heart, from my energy. Um, and so I just allow that to happen organically, um, because.

A part of me is just like my eth my ethics, right? And so I do do things donation based on certain things, but as far as my hair, this is what my hair is and my cost is increasing, um, time. Every year I increase it and it's just like, um, if I lose some clients, then I lose some. But if I gain some, this is what I'm valued at.

And I just, again, am moving what, what the spirit is asking me to do. And so, um, I. Was appreciative of the shop. I got my own salon. Um, I had never paid rent. Um, like I lived at my parents' house. I'd never paid rent like that. I'd help with bills and help with things, but this was my first time like stepping into adulthood in a whole new way.

Nobody was holding my hand. I didn't have any, um, I didn't have any loans. I didn't have anybody walking with me to go and find out the paperwork. And I just did it step by step. I couldn't tell you how I did it now, because I literally was just like, take a deep breath. Okay, we need this paperwork today.

Okay, what's the next step? Okay, the next step. And so, um, you know, I work alone in my shop. And that was a part of it. Part of it's like, okay, I could make more money if I had other stylists in. I could charge, you know, a booth rent each week. But then what would happen to the dynamic? You know, how would the environment be?

Would it be how it is now? When I work alone and I have a three room studio, like I have the main floor where I have two chairs, one where I do my clipper cuts, one where I do my longer haircuts. I have a shampoo room, which is just like a little room. I tailored it to how I want people to feel when they go into these spaces.

And then I have another room, which is storage, but will be a store. I have plants everywhere. I like that there's solitude. To me that is equally as valuable as the finances. And so, with the faith with my assurance of what I'm doing is for a value. I feel like that value in finances is increasing at an organic rate. One where I have to alleviate the stress in order for me to be in constant gratitude in order for me to leave room for what is still coming. Um, and so again, it works on my spirit.

How do I keep myself afloat? What am I reading? What am I doing for myself? Am I going out in nature? Am I in healthy surroundings? Um, you know, Even when there's rain and the roof collapses in, I don't freak out. I'm like, this is still worth it. I didn't have insurance for some time. Guess what? It was still worth it.

It was still worth, you know, the peace of mind that I have. The fact that I come into my space each day and I get to make my offerings to the spirits of the land, to creator, to um, to all the folks that come in to myself and set up harmonious. Throughout my, my entire space that when people enter, they immediately feel at ease, at peace, despite the traumas they may have had around their hair, um, or within their life in any other circumstance.

And so, um, It's not easy. It's always easier to be like, oh, I'm just gonna work for this person and shut my mouth and, and hold my tongue. And I don't agree with how that's done, but I'm just gonna be here and this is just the way it is. I just, I couldn't, it was just making me mentally unstable.

I don't like that. That's hurting my spirit to see that that's, uh, it's gonna be challenging this way, but it's way more worth it and I'm still figuring it out. I'm still figuring it out every day. And even if I live paycheck to paycheck, just in this moment, I feel the increase. You know, I know that what I offer is invaluable, you know, and there's, it's just taking, its time to develop.

We went through three different shutdowns. My shop closed. I wasn't even working. So this is barely like year two of reemerge from, you know, covid shutdowns. And so it's just a baby. I've been doing hair since 2009. I worked at different salons and in 2019 is when I opened my shop, but that's when everything happened.

It was just the end and I was just like doing like maybe one haircut out of there while simultaneously working at UPS and the barbershop. I think it's just a, act of resilience within my own spirit to say I'm deserving of these things. Nobody's gonna tell me no, I'm coming from a good space.

I'm doing the work. I'm honoring the, the journey, and I'm figuring it out day by day, breath by breath, you know? And, and yeah. I hope that answered your question. 

Chantel: Yeah, it did. You're not at UPS anymore and 

Amanda Jade: No, 

Chantel: You're full-time. 

Amanda Jade: Yeah. 

Chantel: You know, independent. 

Amanda Jade: Yeah. And I had never done that before.

Chantel: Yeah. 

Amanda Jade: That was a challenge cuz I'd never done hair full-time, even though I was licensed for 10 years and working in salons, I always worked at UPS in fact, I went to school while I was working at UPS. My shift was a 3:00 AM shift. I go to work from like three to eight or three to seven, and then I go to school from eight to three, then when I got outta outta school, I worked at Sally's and I did that. I just, I began to see like, dang, I can wake up for this other job. Like, what is holding you back? And it was the fear of instability. It was the fear of no insurance, no health insurance, all these people, you need health and it is expensive. Mm-hmm. I just went to the doctors this week and I, you know, just went for a follow up checkup and blood work and I spent $120 just in, you know, a matter of two hours. And that's with insurance now, you know?

Chantel: Mm-hmm.

Amanda Jade: But it just, Well, thank you creator for allowing me to have another haircut this week that I can still do it on my own accord. I can still, you know, see the type of climb I wanna see. I can still be, play the music I wanna play, have the environment be as harmonious as I want it. It's worth it. It's, it's a perfect exchange and it's only getting better. 

Chantel: Mm. I love it. 

Amanda Jade: Yeah, 

Chantel: I love it. 

Amanda Jade: Because it is, it is, you know, I think in, in times where it's just like, ah, things went up, like money's tight. Like, could I rent out these rooms? Could I do this? And I could, but then that neurodivergency.

Amanda Jade: I'm not ready for that just yet because they changed the laws around Independent contractors, right where they tried to make it where you can no longer be in the independent contractor, you now had to be considered an employee and then that employee had to insure insurance.

 That's also part of why I don't have people working with me is because that is overwhelming for me. And maybe when the time comes when I'm like, oh, I'm at a different point in my life and now I have this beautiful space that I've developed and I wanna lessen my days of work, or life has permitted me a different route, then I will have somebody work on days that I don't work.

And, just figure out what that looks like when that comes, or if that person so wants to work with me so much, we can figure it out together. Right. If it feels harmonious. And so that's how I take it, is just like step by step what feels good. Oh, that feels overwhelming. I'm not gonna do that just yet.

Maybe when I, when I keep having more practice with these skills I've been implementing with these tools to help me in the way that my brain works and the way that, you know. My needs need to be met, then I can evolve there. And so I just take it step by step and, help myself not get overwhelmed. And I was blessed with, some friends, my two friends that helped me in those areas.

Not to answer questions for me, but literally just to be in the same room with me, like they are doing their own thing and I was just filling out my insurance paperwork and I had one question. Oh yeah, that is what that means. Okay, thanks. Like, and it just brought ease and knowing that there is community like that, there are people like that.

 just learning how to surrender to that help when it is around us and being able to, find it when it finds us.

Chantel: Absolutely. I felt like. 

Okay, I'm not crazy. These things can be done. I was having a lot of people even say having strict cancellation policies and boundaries and, wanting to, have longer sessions and talking about heat damage and educating more, rather than just, here's your service, go on.

 I felt like everything I was thinking people were like, no, that's not how it's done. And then coming across your page and seeing your website, and I was like, here's somebody doing it. it made me think about representation too.

Amanda Jade: And mm-hmm. 

Chantel: How. It matters so much. I just wanted to say seeing somebody, honor themselves and their, their passion and 

purpose as I see you 

doing has meant a lot to me. So 

thank you. 

Amanda Jade: Thank you. Yeah. That, and that comes with like, When we do create a location, and that's perfectly fine if we wanna work with other people because that's beautiful.

Chantel: Mm-hmm. 

Amanda Jade: I loved working and I miss community in that way. 

But for me, I was seeing like, what do these particular clients need? The people who are coming for the work I'm specifically holding, and that was space and time, space to cry. To laugh, to share, to feel awkward, you know, to feel whatever the feelings that we carry with us and, and to be vulnerable, I should say.

 That was having that time to be like, like I know there's some Stylist I'm like, oh, when I do a haircut, I spend two hours, two and a half hours with someone. And they're like, oh, no. Like, mm. Mm-hmm. And I'm like, well, my shampoo's like 10 to 15 minutes. I'm like, what? Mine's like five. And I'm like, Yeah, but I offer something.

This is why I offer, like the haircut's gonna take about 30 to 40 minutes. It just depends. It can take longer. It depends on the density of the hair, you know, the state of the hair, the desired haircut, the amount of time it requires to blow dry and to style. It can be, usually it's like, 35 to 40 minutes for the actual service, and then 15, 10 to 15 minutes for the shampoo.

Again, that depends. Somebody may need a longer time period, depending on the texture of their hair. It may need, just five minutes just for the hair to fully be saturated with water. Mm-hmm. Then like the shampooing, the state of the scalp and any buildup and things like that, it may require more than just two washes.

You know, it can require three or four. And it just depends on, again, each individual's need. And then the education is while we're talking and things, that's the time that it requires and that's not like anything to do with ceremonies. Ceremonies are a little bit different and, but everyone is a ceremony in itself because, We're, in a vulnerable state, in a very intimate setting where people share and open up and I feel like they appreciate the vulnerability.

Like we are taught as stylists, like we listen to people, oh, they come to us and this and that. Like sometimes people come to us because they wanna listen to us. They want us to share our insights. They like to. Exchange that insight. You know, I have so many beautiful clients that have just these remarkable stories, journeys that they share, and they bless me with their wisdom and they're just so happy to also receive that and from whatever way that I'm offering it that day.

And we all come with different things from books that we read to podcasts, to teachers that we follow to our journey and how we navigate it through that. That's a little different than what the typical. Style like salon is and you know, like my friend, she'll always say like, vanity hair, you know, like, and she does vanity hair, but she also does like the spiritual walk we walk in curanderismo together.

We're both practitioners, of that practice and, students still. And so it looks different for everybody. I just think it's just like, what is your authentic self, how caring do you care to be? And yes you definitely should have boundaries because, I didn't have boundaries in the beginning and I'd be like, oh, people keep canceling.

 I cleared out two hours for them and then I was like, wait, maybe I should do a deposit. Cuz people don't seem to like wanna lose their money if you know there's some, some incentive to it or, oh, now I have this booking system. If you're a no call, no show, then it automatically deducts. Money from your account.

If you don't reschedule within the hours, you lose, you know, you have to pay in full, whatever the policy is. And it's just like, nobody's gonna hold that for me if I don't hold it for myself. And maybe I was never taught that. I was never taught to have boundaries with friends, with family, with myself, you know?

Chantel: Yeah. 

Amanda Jade: Always overdoing and wanting, oh, I can do that. That's, don't worry. It's on me. And then it's like, dang. That was like an extra 45 minutes, or that was, you know, that required that amount of product and like, where is that coming from, you know, but it always fills itself back up. I don't know. It always, it always helps it out.

And now I'm learning at this state how to be a business owner. I would tell people I didn't know how to be a business owner. I'm still learning like, like, oh, what is that gonna cost? And you know, the business expenses. But when. Most of us got in. It's like, oh, I'm a service provider. I love to provide.

I love that people feel good when they come in to see me. Like I love to see their smile. I love when I turn them around in the chair and I just feel like I have a part of that. Like I helped this person feel, you know, whatever they're feeling that day. They've probably already felt super happy, super grateful, all this stuff.

And I just was like the icing on the cake or they, you know, it was just like what they needed and they didn't have all of that. And if we think about it like some people don't have, my whole thing was like, stress our communities, black and brown communities deal with all communities deal with, but ours particularly deal with stress.

And that was a leading thing that was killing, our community is heart hypertension, heart attacks, stroke , anxiety, depression. And what can I do to help? In this way, that is what's more important than you can go and then tell clients you can go anywhere for a haircut, but you know, you come here for these things and this is a space for you to have your space.

Like some people, they'll bring their parents and their parents never had their hair washed. You know, when I was growing up, I got my haircut maybe once a year and we went to the little salon down the street where. It was like we didn't have a relationship with these people. We just, you know, it's just different.

And some of our families couldn't afford to get their hair. There was a luxury. You got your haircut, but you didn't get your hair washed. You washed your hair before you got there and they just cut it for you. Then you go home, you know, it's a luxury to, to put your feet up. You know, my clients who put your feet up when you come lay down and the shampoo bowl you lay and I want you to feel safe. I want you to feel at peace. I want you to feel comforted. Some people never had that in their entire life. It couldn't bring me to tears. When I think about it, when I think about people who bring their mothers or their fathers and they cry and like they put blessings on me and they pray for me or like I prayed for all the stylists today cuz I knew I was coming to see you and I just. Be like, I just am so in awe. Just so grateful and just always taken back like wow, like humanity is so beautiful despite all this ugly shit we see. Like there's still so much beauty. There's still so much to be grateful for. There's still so much to share, to lend to hear, and it's just we have to have the willingness and desire to do that.

And I think like that comes in our own personal journeys, what our experiences have. And it doesn't have to be that we meet death or that somebody we love meets death it can be any moment, any breath that we decide to change at all because we just enough of what wasn't and allow the goodness to come in.

It does take a lot of work. It's not, it's not as easy as it may seem, but it is totally worth it.

I gettin Deep girl. Sorry. But yeah, 

Chantel: You made me so happy. Yeah. I mean, I feel like it's beautiful and I appreciate you sharing your story with me and I feel very connected and grounded and appreciative. I knew this morning I needed to surrender it cuz like I wanted, you know, we want things to go our own way and it's like, you, you have to, or, or having that like, doubt about how we show up too, you know?

 I always wanna make sure my energy's checked before I'm, touching somebody else or I'm doing something with somebody. And sometimes we just have to give it our best, and this ideal of, yeah. Perfect energy or, I'm, I'm so prepared in my mind. And, sometimes that can stop us, and maybe that's, I don't know if that's everybody or a neuro divergent thing.

 I've heard you say that too before, just, you know, like just showing up and Being 

there for it.

Amanda Jade: I'm gonna show up, I'm showing up, and I'm not gonna judge myself in this moment because I know my intentions are pure. I know I'm coming with a state of gratitude and, willingness to be open to learn. Even if I'm wrong in something, I'm going to learn, oh, what do you like? What do you need today? How can I help you? Tell me about yourself. You tell me what you know, what brought you here today for your hair? You know, and again, if. It sounds like Yeah, there's definitely more that we can build upon and I would love to, I'm, I'm like, for, for whoever's listening and wants to learn more, I am working on a book on these things.

I do teach two classes. One is, more for clients to connect for people, all people to connect with themselves and their hair and plant medicine. I have a, a zine in a little workshop it's called, hair Bath for the Energetic. Emotional, energetic and spiritual body. Then I also teach a class usually in the spring, which I've been having my own things, come up and, and I'll get into that with you right now.

About energy and just showing up a little bit about what you said. But I do share, in the spring and in the fall, and it's called Spring Into Intention And Fall Into Intention. And it's specifically for beauty professionals, barbers, cosmetologists, makeup technicians, eyelash technicians, you know, manicurists.

Massage therapists, all of those things , because it'll give a breakdown of, you know, some of the things that have helped me or to come into consideration. And it's a guide. As far as what you said of coming in, I think if that intention, like. We do judge ourselves and it's just like also trusting, if it doesn't feel good, that day, then we can say, Hey, I'm not in the energetic space if you know we're coming in. But also like if we know we're coming in to somebody who's like, let it be known that they're gonna require a lot of energy that day and we ourselves are not feeling like, ourselves 100.

Like say we're feeling a little under the weather sometimes as stylists, like it's our only income. And so we don't get F M L A, we don't get family, you know, medical leave. We don't get some of those things unless you somehow were taught before, which most of us weren't, how to pay into those things. So when we do have time off, we get paid just like a regular nine to five would.

We will go into guilt mode. Like, oh my goodness, I have to, what if they no longer come back to me? And they really needed this haircut today and they're feeling really awful and this is gonna be everything to change your life. That's just like putting so much on ourselves and it's just like, wait, what do I need today?

Like, I can't be there for you fully. What if I fuck up your hair? Because I was feeling bad, you know? Like not because I was like wanting to fuck it up, but because I was like feeling a little under the weather. I felt like I was. Off, or my equilibrium was off and I was having vertigo. It's just like nobody wants that.

Everybody wants you to stay home. Nobody wants you to, you know, mess up their hair. Nobody wants you to mess up their energy or contribute to something in a way that you don't want to. So being very honest with ourselves is great. And also when you do the work, it becomes easier when you are not feeling like yourself, but you learn how to have a box.

Like one of my maestro said maestro Polish. She would say when you work on someone, in our spiritual practice, you don't work on someone when you're not in a good state. Mm-hmm. You have a responsibility, and it's your responsibility to be able to say, I can't do this today.

I really wish I could. Or if you're like, I've been going through stuff, I've been doing the work, I understand this is separate from what I can offer people, then I can take a box. And I can, my, my teacher calls it the eagle box. And before you work on anybody, you clear your mind. He said, this person's here, and they deserve this time that I've agreed to.

Because I checked in with myself already and I said, yes, I'm, I'm able to still do this work. Yes, I am able to be present. Yes, I'm able to put this eagle, these thoughts, my checklist, my grocery list, the things that were said to me yesterday. I can put it in this box for this moment, for these two hours.

And I can, it doesn't mean I don't care about it. It just means it's there. It's forgotten. It's not forgotten about. It's just there to the side, forgot about. And in this moment, and I can be fully present and that takes a lot of work. But it is, it is possible, you know, because you can still offer medicine while you're, while you're healing, you know it, but you have to be real with yourself when you're in that state, if you can do that or not.

And it does require practice. And again, it just, It's being real with ourselves, being gentle. I had to cancel some appointments this last week. I even, today I took five days off. I had a medical emergency and a very emotional one, and. I went through a lot of guilt when I was in, in the hospital and I was like, I had, I was gonna take vacation.

I was already, I was, it was on Monday and I was gonna be off for three days because I was going out of the state for a few days to go be supportive with my husband. And on Monday I had my medical emergency, which was gonna require my body to heal up until this week. And I'm barely getting back to myself, but I felt so guilty.

My friends were like, you need to take. These days off they were. So, I'd just be very vulnerable because I feel like this is a part of my medicine. This is a part of what makes the whole point of what it was. So, um, on Monday I had a miscarriage and I required that time for myself. Although I'm very good at acceptance, it didn't mean that my body.

Didn't need that time. I didn't know what was happening. I've never given birth. I didn't know, you know, how long it was gonna take me to get my energy back even before this phone call. Right. I was like, we talked and your message didn't go through. And so I woke up like at six and I was like, I'm tired.

I'm gonna go back to three till seven. I was like, I don't know if it's gonna be a video call or what kind of call. Maybe I'll go color my hair before I haven't been coloring my hair for months. Right. Even before I got pregnant, I just was like, uh, let me, uh, You know, like, maybe I need to feel better. Like I feel good, like I feel good where I'm at.

But I was like, maybe I just need, you know, exactly what we, we were talking about the hair. Like maybe I'll go put some highlights in my hair and go, go back to red that I've been doing, but I haven't been doing before my, my interview with Chantel. Let me, let me. And then I was like, well, I didn't get a message back yet.

I'm not going to the shop. I'm not, I don't feel like coloring my hair today. Actually, I'm gonna lay back down until 10. And our interview was at 11. And so it was just like, I'm, I'm present for a phone. Paul, I, I didn't have enough, I didn't feel present to do my hair, to do my makeup to be seen. Right. And that was me honoring myself.

And that can be challenging because we're people pleasing and we wanna do these things. And it was challenging to text all my clients and I'm like, I think I'll just go back. I, I, I have clients, I have. I took three days off, this is gonna be a financial hit to me. I'm gonna have to take a week off. What am I, I can't, my clients, what if they're upset?

And my friends are like, your body, like they're not just my friends, they're my doulas. And they were with me when I had my miscarriage. And they're like, you, your body needs to rest. You can't be lifting, you can't be bending, you can't, they're, you know, and they're like, if you don't wanna say what happened, you had a medical emergency and you know, We, we have to allow ourselves also to be taken care of, the way we take care of our community.

That was so difficult. I do prayers for people, I do things and it was just, it was the kindness. I was in acceptance that my baby didn't make it. That was like, yes, a challenge in its own and its own thing, but it, I also, because I've been doing this work for so many years, is like I can accept and be in pain.

I can accept and still be sad. I can surrender to the moment and still feel the love. I was so more emotional. Or equally as emotional to the support and love of people. Being so kind. And also like when I text my, all my clients, you know, I had to be like, Hey, thank you so much. Uh, I, I hope all is well.

I've had a medical emergency and I need to reschedule our appointment. And if you can please, I, I didn't have the capacity. That was hard for me. I had to just like, I was tired and I had to write. Those messages to all my clients that I had, and you know, I didn't have enough assistant to do that for me. I had to do that at that same time, and I had to say, Hey, I had emergency, medical emergency.

I didn't have time to go back and forth. I didn't have the energy for that. So here's the link. Please look at dates. After 44 and, uh, please rebook and thank you so much. And I thanked them before. I didn't give them an option. They weren't gonna say, oh, oh, could you please? I, I had, it was me that I had to look after myself at that time.

And so I had to say thank you in advance for, uh, your understanding. Right? It's a leaving this, there's not a open close. It's like I'm opening it and it's closed. This is what I'm doing for myself. And because I give so much and because I've never rescheduled and because I like, I'm very blessed. Taking care of myself where I don't get sick, um, where I need to call off or anything like that.

And it's been many years since I've had to do any or face that. So this was very challenging and I just had to say, whoever's gonna be upset is gonna be upset. I'm, my health is the most important. Nobody's here in this moment with me in this bed. You know, like, nobody, this is what I need in order to be back to.

Give haircuts and it's, again, it's challenging like, oh, that, that was like $600 that day and I'm losing $1,200, or, well, fuck it. So I can't help nobody if I'm not, if I'm not in a good state, emotionally, mentally, physically. And so what was so beautiful were my clients that I see every week, and those are people that I worry the most about.

Cause I have clients I see sometimes I have one client I see two times a week because I do their beard and they are, on camera a lot of the times. And then I see clients. Every week. And so I worry about that. Like, oh, if I cancel, what will, if they go to somebody else, and I have to know, we have to know that we bring more than just the haircuts.

That is just, we keep our clippers tight, our shear sharp, and we give precision cuts every single time. But, We are more valuable than just our haircuts. It's the words that we speak. It's our beautiful energy that we get to share and receive that from our community. That has us be more valuable than just, oh, I can go anywhere to get a haircut.

And for people, my clients to be like, oh, I'm so sorry. I'm sending you prayers. I hope you are. Well get better soon. You know, like I just, it brought me to tears. It's just like, oh, remember that people do love you and that you are valuable and that you are able to. Take time to rest that you deserve those things and not to feel guilty about it.

So, you know, thank you for listening. Thank you for everybody, for being, able, whoever's listening to this whenever they listen to it. Just when we honor ourselves, it's not always easy. But we deserve it and we deserve to ground ourselves grace. And we don't know what that looks like. It changes every day, every moment.

And, but we are capable of it. We are very capable of it, and we are deserving of that. Ah, Vale. That's my word. So, 

Chantel: yeah. Amanda, I'm sorry that happened to you and I'm, I'm really grateful that you shared that with us. Yeah. Cuz you're not, you're not alone. And maybe, like right now, the, the lessons are how, How our cups get full when, you know, and that it's gonna, that's hard for people who have, huge hearts and are big givers.

You know how to sit back and be like, oh, I need, I need my cup full right now, so you can keep going. 

Amanda Jade: Yeah. And it's a beautiful community that reminds us of that. Right. My two friends, my doula friends. And I cut their hair. I met them through cutting their hair. They're my clients first. Okay. And I cut their baby's hairs and, our hair and, it's community and it's been like, wow.

Like we can reemerge beside, aside from just behind the chair if we choose to. If we choose to, we can have people who we build with. If we have a salon, we can utilize our space for community things. Mm-hmm. It's a very vulnerable thing, but that's why knowing ourselves, trusting ourselves, allows us to trust when we have safe people around us, when we we know ourselves.

So truly we are able to identify those who are truly healthy. And supportive around us. And you know, they reminded me of that and they said, this is what it looks like when you let us in. When you let people support you, and it's because people can see that and hairstylist need help too.

Like when you're like, thank you for sharing and sorry for, you know, going through that like I'm very grateful to go through this experience because it is what the experience is. I cannot change it. And so I look at life in that perspective. It is what it is. Oh, what in sharing that, how many other stylists have been through that are barbers?

What other things can emerge from this lesson? Like, damn was I the, I know I'm not the only stylist. When you were like, thank you for sharing that, it was just like, I know there aren't other slists who thought about like, damn, I went through this medical emergency, or Dang, I like had this with my kids. Or like, what things can we do to better prepare ourselves to show ourselves that it's okay?

How can we move emotionally through those moments and come back to our work and meet our work in a different way? And it's okay if we get emotional in that sharing. But how do we, have that healing within ourselves? Like again, you know, you can't change the circumstances. Like, I'm gonna be behind the chair tomorrow with, because my body is up for it.

 Because I took the time off that I required, it was much different than giving birth right, than a full term. Because I was not super far along, but I still required that time where I couldn't be behind the shampoo ball. You know, I couldn't bend up and down to get the things that I needed to sweep and to clean the floors and to clean under the chairs and, you know, all those things that we think we can do.

And so taking that time off allows me to come back and, meet my work tomorrow at a state and at a pace that feels good to me. And. I feel like where I've been able to do the work emotionally, I'm able to share because I know people are going to ask me when they ask me how I'm doing and just like I shared with you, I'm going to share.

And it's not about like, oh, I'm sad in this moment. Yes, I am sad in this moment, but I also can be present. And grateful with myself and meet my work beautifully and graciously and gently and very authentically. Which again, is, which is so just refreshing and I feel it when I get to share. And so, because I know it's not in vain, I know.

When we are behind the chair, it not just behind the chair, but yes, behind the chair in our everyday walk. Like in my everyday walk, like I'll be surprised that someone's like, oh, I was about to eat this, but then I thought of you. And I'm like, oh shit, I gotta make sure I'm eating super, super healthy because, not because of that, but not because I need to please somebody or that I want to live a facade, is that there's a responsibility when people respect you.

When people, When people like, look up to you in a, in a healthy way, not in an unhealthy way, where it's just like, oh, I have to do this and I can't feel, it's like, no, I'm, I'm, I'm absolutely feeling the process. I'm absolutely feeling it and being gentle and taking the steps, turning to the things that helped me be the stylist behind the chair, right?

That helped me be the practitioner, that carries the healing medicine for my ancestors, right? That helps me do all of that beautifully and authentically because. It's the journey, it's the work. It's like, you know, did we, did we take our baths today? Our spiritual bath? Did we put our oils on? Did we say our words of gratitude, our prayers?

Did we, you know, what is our, what is our hygiene? What does our ritual look like? What is it look like when we meet the day, when we step outside our doors and greet the sun? And you know, like all of our relations, all of the things around us that allows us to be so present and know that we are just like, Just this little dust, you know, through the cosmos on this little rock spinning like my uncle would say or says.

And, you know, just like I'm just here. Just, just to experience it all and, and that I think is what allows me to be in such gratitude. Yeah, I just love, I love doing hair. I love meeting so many people. I love sharing what life looks like through this lens that many people are seeking and haven't had either that strength because they've been walking through the shadows for so many years.

It's been so difficult, and just to be able to be like, this is the light that you are as well. Come into the mine, come and feel the flames and let that help ignite your fire. It's in there. It's not, it's don't let you know it's been dimmed, but it's not gone cuz you're still walking, you're still breathing, you still have life.

And so hair, hair allows me to share who. Creator is, it's not me. It's not, you know, we are not, we are, you're me and I'm you we're the same. And it's just like everybody has that capability. I'm no different. I'm no one to be put on a pedestal. This is just creator manifesting. This is just however way you see it.

God, you know, aah. Like, however way the, the universe, the grand source, the infinite being, you know, however way you choose to call the all, that is through all of us. And hair allows, that's why I love doing hair, because it allows me to reach everyone on the earth. Everybody, everybody gets their haircut.

Everybody gets their haircut. Even when they have the shutdowns, they show different politicians and people getting their haircut. You know, who was in their ear, who was in their ear? You know, like who, whose ears are we in? What words are we speaking to our clients? Every stylist, every barber has the opportunity to create life change, life to uplift life, and, Even without being so talkative, you don't have to do it the way that I do it, you know?

And I don't push things on people, like, you know, create your atmosphere and your space. When I worked at the barbershop, I had my little plant and I had my little crystals, a couple of them, and I had like a little calendar that had like a affirmation, and later I put a whiteboard that would say like, what's your definition of love from, from, who is that?

 Bell hooks all about love. And that was like, something in one of her books is like, what is your definition of love? And so like just putting little props there for people to think about. Like, oh, what is that? Is she a witch? What's she? But , but then she talked about like, what is about love?

Like, okay, she, like how do, how do you break through the matrix of the everyday like, Barber, salon setting, right? It's like, don't push, like, Hey, I'm here. Come to heal you. This is me. Come in my chair. People like, what the fuck? But hair is like, oh, okay. She, she can fade really good. I like how she, how she did that blow dry right there.

Okay. Like, you know, like, and in a barbershop, people see you constantly. They get to see like, they're just like, who is that? And, I don't know. She's all the way in the back and she has some flowers over there. I don't know. But then, you know, you sit in the chair and I don't push anything. People just ask questions.

What are those rocks for? Oh, well, you know, they're. They are from the earth and they have a different vibration and actually they have the vibration. Like all of us have a vibration when we're created. But you know, and then I give 'em my breakdown. Like, but as humans, you know, we kind of get distorted through, our day-to-day life, you know, from the electrical magnetic currencies to the news, to our work, to our families, and the.

Atmosphere and we kind of lose our frequency, right? And so these things are just how Creator made them. Just like the trees and the birds, they only know how to be birds and trees know how to be bees. Trees and bees know how to be bees. And so like these things, if you hold them, they help, you know, bring you back to your frequency, to your naturalism, to your harmony.

And then they'll be like, ah, okay. And then, And so like, you get deep with them or you do things and then, you know, I had somebody tell me one time and I, I, I don't know how much longer we have. And so I'll just finish this story. And thank you for having me again because I just really love to share.

I'd love to share and I'm like, cool. Who wants to listen? I'm here if you wanna listen, if you wanna talk, I'm down to listen too. . But you know, our impact on our community is so beautiful. Like, again, I never wanna push something on somebody, so I, I always ask like, oh, have you read my website? You know, were you able to check out my page now at this time?

Because I don't want anybody to be surprised, like, who's this weirdo cut in my hair? You came to see this weirdo you came to see, or you came to see this person because this is what felt good to you. That's why you found yourself in my chair, because it was the frequency. That's who I call upon as my clients now, you know, we also have that ability to say thank you for all my harmonious clients that come to my chair, that love exactly what I do, what I specifically do, what my hands create, you know, what my eyes can see and what I bring forth when I turn the mirror over.

Like, they love it. They don't want nothing else. Like no matter what it is, I'm like, this is what I do, and that's what they love. And it's always perfect. It's always, you know, and I'm just the icing on the cake and all these things. Yes, so that is what, uh, I lost my train of thought because I started thinking side thoughts of like, oh, this is part of, anyways, so anyways, but.

Chantel: Oh no, I feel you. I started visualizing, things that you were saying that's loving.

Amanda Jade: Yes. Well, because that's part of, I'm like, these are all, I'm like, cuz what I was thinking in the moment, the neurodivergent was like, oh, all of these are, am I sharing too much? These are some of my affirmations that I'm sharing in my, my literature for everybody, you know?

But it is what it is. This is how it is organically. But yes, I just would bring that stuff into my environment and allow people to be curious. That's what you can do. We can call upon our, that's what I was saying. We can call upon those clients. We can create that with our words. That's like a, that's where the.

Fall into and spring into intention class comes in because we can go in depth and give you these type of verbiage, this affirmations, things like this that are gonna help support your journey. If this is the type of lifestyle you would like to have within your clientele base, you know, if we bring it back to the business things, there are things that we can operate from.

That they call it strategic and a niche and all these things, but it's just being a good person. It's just being able to use your words and understand your power and do your healing in order to have that be created. Into your reality in which you see, because I, walk it, I spoke it, I literally had it in books.

Like I will have a salon that has wood floors and WaterWall plants and WaterWall, windows, and that's exactly what I have. But I didn't write about some other things. Which comes into, you know, covering, encompassing everything. I didn't write, oh, I want a good landlord. Oh, I want, you know, like a structural building.

Like those are the things we also gotta put in there. And I created that and then when I understood, I left that out, I started to speak that got a new building owner. They started to repair things like it's all of the life that we create. So that's how I walk my individual path. And then I can't walk that any different from when I create my hair and all the things that creator's asking me to do.

And so you also have that ability. You don't have to push it on anybody. Just simply be yourself and the right people will come to you, whatever that looks like for you. 

Chantel: Mm. Thank you. 

Amanda Jade: You're welcome. 

Chantel: I feel, so I know that following you is a good way to stay, present for when you have those classes, but I think I really do see the importance of email subscribers, right? So if somebody is busy, everybody's not like constantly on social. Yeah. As they would like us to think. So is there An an email. Is there a place to subscribe that we can tell listeners on your website for clients?

Amanda Jade: I really wish there was 

Chantel: hairstylist. Oh, for the, 

Amanda Jade: no, there's not. There's not. Okay.

Unfortunately, that is one has been one of my challenges, so I will work on that. Now that you've mentioned it, I'll work on that this week. So everybody listening, if you would like to participate in something like this conversation in the class setting, I will definitely be working on an email list , to have that for you.

So thank you for your patience as I move through my hurdles and creating that. I'm sure it's fairly easy and takes like two to three minutes, but if you know, you know, So I will get on that and once I do, I will, share that with you, Chantel, if you wanna put it however way you share your information.

Aside from that, I do post mostly on social media, and it's, keep Your Crown right. We do weekly, biweekly crochet circles. And we just connect and we have circle and there are different classes that will be coming up in the near future. You are always welcome to email me at Keep Your Crown right@gmail.com.

 I will answer any questions, , that somebody may need through there. So yeah. Awesome. 

Chantel: People can, subscribe on Hair Stories Pod Website and then I'm gonna send updates for, people I've interviewed and changes happening. So it'll be like a, I'm gonna, I'm gonna keep myself accountable as well.

Amanda Jade: Yes. 

Chantel: Because it's, you 

know, part of asking you is also, There's so much more than just wanting to hear your story, but wanting to support. So I'm gonna keep myself accountable and also make sure I'm, sending out updates to my, subscribers and working on growing that. Yeah.

Thank you so much. 

Amanda Jade: You're so very welcome. Thank you for the opportunity. I look forward to seeing, The development and growth with all of, your endeavors with the podcast, with hair, with anything else. Thank you so much. I appreciate this time. I, if I can just say, great appreciation to, my ancestors, to, my grandmother's, To all the folks that come and visit me and to my teachers before me.

Thank you so much Chantel.