Jennifer Prejean has been in the hairdressing business for nearly 30 years.
After closing the doors to her own salon, Hair It Is in June, Prejean said she made the best decision to change the way she does business.
“I just thought it was time to make a change because I made a comeback after the pandemic, which was very hard to do,” Prejean said. “But I did make a comeback, I couldn’t find help and when the war started, I was like, you know what? I’m just going to down-size.”
While one door closed, another door opened for Prejean, just four miles away from where her salon was located.
Prejean said she had to put her clients first and decided to rent a booth in another salon, H C Designs on 107 Tolson Road in Lafayette.
“That’s how you make it in business,” Prejean said. “You take a step and you don’t know if you’re going to fall or not, but you keep going.”
Like many business owners, staffing shortages combined with the rising costs of inflation are leading many cosmetologists to reconsider how they spend their money.
“Rather than going up on my prices, I decided to make a change and move and cut my prices for myself so that I could stay in business and stay successful,” Prejean said.
Now, Prejean said the decision was worthwhile because she welcomes new clientele and was able to keep her loyal customers, despite re-locating.
Gwen Burke has been going to H C Designs to get her hair done for more than 20 years.
“It is like a family,” Burke said. “Everyone knows everyone and a lot of family members come [here.]”
Burke said her family travels all the way from Florida, just to sit in the H C Designs salon chairs.
“When they’re here in town, there’s at least one or two that want to come and get their hair done,” Burke said. “Whether it’s cut or getting it styled and everybody gets hugged and when someone is really happy, everyone is sharing in it and when someone is sad, we all pray for them.”
Prejean advises other hairstylists to keep hope alive, despite the highs and lows in the business industry.
“Hair it was in the beginning. Hair it is now. And, hair it will be,” Prejean said.
