Operations Unfiltered

Zuryna: Welcome to operations
unfiltered the podcast that

takes you behind the scenes of
influencer and talent management.

This week, we have the pleasure
of speaking with genomic Iver.

, prominent influence in the natural
hair community for over a decade.

Janae specializes in educating her
clients on the crucial connection

between health, nutrition, and hair care.

Her salon, a Sealy haircare
center has become an epicenter for

black women's hair restoration.

Offering holistic services provided
by her skilled and dedicated team.

Join us as we dive into the
world of natural hair care and

explore the operations behind
Janae successful business.

So without further ado, let's
get into this week's episode

of Operations Unfiltered.

. I am joined by natural hair
extraordinaire, hairstylist and

owner of a Sealy haircare center.

Hi, and welcome.

for having me.

Thank you so much for joining me.

Um, I always start off with a
little intro about who you are,

what business or service you offer.

So tell the people.

All about you and Asili Hair Care Center.

Oh, all about me.

So I am Jougae McIver, like Zarina
said, I'm a natural hairstylist, but

I'm also a salon owner, a natural
hair educator, a natural hair speaker.

I'm a nutritionist as well.

And one little box I ticked
during COVID, I became a

financial services professional.

So now I also help on the
business side with stylists.

Yeah, I forgot to So all the things, but
all things beauty, like all things, hair,

natural hair, you know, our community.

I want us to do it right.

Get it tight.

Yeah, I absolutely love that.

And you forgot to tell the girls
you are a mom and a wife too.

Those are some.

And I'm a mom and a wife.

Yes, toot your horn.

To COVID baby, honey.

Do it twice.

Why?

I don't know how you do that.

At Mom with Multiples, I congratulate
you guys because my one Oh my gosh.

I don't know how you do.

And you own all these businesses.

You do all the things.

You are superwoman.

Thank you.

How do you do it?

What, what motivates you to do this?

What motivates me before, you
know, it was really just passion.

If it felt right, I was doing it.

I think during the shutdown, , like my
focus really was able to be re centered

and I realized I need to do this.

It was fun before, but now I
see that this is my source.

This is where I get the most fulfillment.

It's where I feel like I impact
others the most and where literally

God speaks to me so, so clearly.

Like, You have to do this.

I tried to put it down and he
was like, uh, no, I love that

.
I love that listening to God , and
leaning into that divine timing.

So kudos to you for doing that and come on
being the, a Jack of all trades or Jane of

all trades or Jill of all trades of that.

Okay.

So here on operations unfiltered, we
like to get into the nitty gritty,

the behind the scenes, the logistics.

of all things, content creation,
influencer talent management.

So with that, what tools or technology
do you use to manage your content,

your tasks, your day to day activities?

Give us the tea about that.

It's, it's all on the phone.

I need all the apps,
everything on the phone.

I need Canva.

I need Vegaro for my booking site.

I need Instagram.

And I'm just starting to be able
to get into, uh, meta business

suite, that side of it too.

Oh my goodness.

Start to understand the
numbers of everything.

I think actually you were the first
one that broke it down to me when you

used to do my social media and we're
like, you know, this is the engagement.

This is the, this, that.

And so I just can understand
what I'm looking at.

Cause it's cute when you get the
notifications, but you're like, for sure.

That's not, how does this
translate to my business?

And fun fact, for those who don't know,
I actually did start working a silly hair

care center was one of my first clients
when I was doing social media management.

So Janae and I know each other very well,
and I'm so excited and so proud of you

for all of the things that you're doing.

So that's why I'm like, thank you
for coming on the podcast today.

Um, so when you mentioned all these
tools that you use and you use it on

your phone, you have to have easy access.

Do you ever get phone calls?

birthed out tech fatigue.

What do you do?

A thousand percent.

And so I have done a very good job.

Again, after I met you, I've
been like, okay, I need a team.

Like

with these kids, people are
like, how are you doing it?

I'm not like, if it's not my task,
I do not even, I do not even care.

I have two virtual assistants.

Oh, we love that.

Yeah, salon manager.

So we all kind of do the content
creation together, but You know,

once I assigned the task, okay,
here's the sound, let's do this.

Okay.

Here's the, the promotion we
need to do for next month.

We need templates for that.

I assign it and I drop it and I let it go.

You are giving operations project
manager hat without even knowing it.

I love it.

And that's what I always talk about.

That's a key element of project
management is of course, we want to

make sure you have the right tools
and technology, but who doesn't?

Who are the key people
that make your business go?

And so you mentioned you have a salon
manager and two virtual assistants.

You mentioned delegation, but can
you talk a little bit about who and

what these people on your team do?

So my virtual assistants are really,
, vital when it comes to the marketing

that you see online, just in terms
of the consistency, the continuity,

they make all of those marketing
pieces for me, um, through Canva.

And then they also make sure that we
manage engagement on social media as well.

Was growing and I was like, I cannot
respond to all these people in my DMS.

Like I cannot go back to each person and
be like, yes, queen, like to every single

post so that Instagram will show my posts.

So that has been so amazing having them
there because, you know, you used to be

able to schedule the post and walk away
and it'd be good and being in Instagram

reward you, but now they want you to be
in there talking all day and all night.

And I engage for two hours, you know,
every day, every time I post just so

Zuryna: so they help with engagement
online as well with like, you know, that

kind of piece and then my salon manager.

So I didn't sell this piece,
but literally we just opened.

In what was that april a three
station salon, so I have four

people on staff and when you we were
working together It was just me.

I know it was just me
You're in a salon suite.

It was just you Oh my i'm so
excited Where are you located?

I know we're going to say it at the end,
but where are you located just for people?

I'm located in lithicum, which a lot of
people don't know that but i'm near the

bwi airport Like i'm right off of 295 So
if you live in baltimore if you live in

prince george's if you live in columbia
i'm 15 minutes from everybody Literally.

Yes.

We love to hear it.

Accessibility.

Okay.

Okay.

So back to your team.

We love back to the team salon manager.

Right?

That's a new role because I didn't
have a whole salon before I was

really doing it all by myself.

So she's like tracking inventory.

She is helping with the
scheduling of the other stylist.

Because the phone was
ringing off the hook.

I was like, I can't, I
had a little bit at night.

Like I cannot new clients
calling my clients calling.

I was like, it's becoming a little
bit too much and social media.

So she really helps with that.

And she is like amazing because.

She kind of came in and she was
like, I see what you're doing.

Again, divine timing.

I see what you're doing.

Like, I believe in it.

So just having those people
that are like solid, right?

Like, I haven't really had any kind of ups
and downs yet, which I'm so grateful for.

I know it's just started, but
it's God, nothing but God.

We love it.

Okay.

So as you expand and you see your business
growing and your plan for yourself grows,

do you envision your team expanding?

And if so, what.

Positions.

Do you have in mind or do
you think you might need?

So we're still hiring two stylists
for the salon right now because

it is like a full fledged salon.

So we open like six days a week.

And then we are looking
at another location.

And then a silly hair care
center is a hair care center.

And my goal has always been
education, like educating people

how to take care of their hair.

And like what the deeper reason is
that we have different situations

that happen with our hair.

So we're working on a school too.

Okay.

Oh my goodness.

Is this breaking news?

Are you announcing this on operations?

Unfiltered?

Breaking news, exclusive
Jenae's opening a school.

Yeah, you absolutely are going to exceed.

Where do I submit my application?

Exactly.

No, but seriously, you are definitely
going to need so many more hands.

And that's the message that I want people
to understand as small business owners

with these big dreams and big, big goals.

You need help.

I.

Struggled so much with, you know, asking
for help and I never wanted people to

feel like I didn't, I wasn't capable of
doing something, but no, as you expand

and as you, Expound on your own dreams.

You need that, that support.

So I'm in total alignment that we need
some help and you got to pay for it, but

you know, what I'm learning, you know,
I've been learning, stay in your lane.

I'm not trying to get nothing for free.

Cause I want quality work.

Right.

Yeah.

I can tell you my budget is not.

$12,000 a month for marketing, right?

Like absolutely.

I'm not there yet.

I would love to be there.

Hey, it's Zarrini here with a quick
church announcement reminding.

You to follow me on Instagram
at ladies says, or at live more.

Agency for all updates on operations.

Unfiltered.

I'll be keeping you updated
on future guests, upcoming

episodes, and so much more.

Let's get back to the episode.

And so my salon manager, um,
that role is really new for me.

Cause we went from, of course, like
me operating by myself in a suite

to a whole entire staff salon.

We have four stylists there and
are still expanding, still growing.

So she helps with inventory.

She helps with scheduling, but
when her and I are together,

she has been like so vital in.

Just helping me understand
and get more comfortable.

I'll say with the social media piece,
because it's one thing to record

yourself, you know, have a tripod.

It's another thing when a person is like
holding a camera in your face going.

Okay.

Now say this, this, that, the third.

Okay.

Okay.

I have an idea.

Let's do this video.

And in that video, like you can't
just show your work anymore.

Right?

Like you have to be somebody
or something that people like.

Want to feel like they know
or want to get to know.

So that's been helpful kind of
taking the, the loneliness out of it.

Honestly, it's, you know, cute to be
a boss and work and grind on your own.

But when you start to have other
people there, it's just like so much

more fun actually doing the work.

I love that.

I love that so much.

And you, since you're in the hair
space, that is a very saturated

audience and it's a very saturated
market, especially on social media.

So what has been some of your challenges
that you've experienced as far as

social media, um, in the haircare space?

I would definitely say the challenges
has been one where the trends are going.

Um, I feel like I've been
doing natural hair for so long.

And when I started doing natural hair,
it was, it was the new trend, right?

Like it was, we don't
really know what we do.

So we go to a hairstylist and
so with anything, there's never

anything new under the sun.

So stuff is going to move, but it's how
do I make people, you know, confident

in coming after their trendy style.

To know that there's still somebody
here who actually takes care of hair.

Because another thing that's easy to fall
into is the negativity online, right?

Like hairstyles have
been under attack a lot.

Also, girl, all the time.

Well, that's your fault.

Cause you didn't vet your stylist.

You don't ask if she has a license.

You're willing to go into anybody's home.

Then you see that couch online.

I mean, you know, so I try to set it apart
just from the professional aspect, right?

Like everyone is licensed.

You're coming into a clean environment.

The booking site is right there.

We don't require a deposit because.

If you book it, we expect
you to come, right?

Cause we're going to be there.

You don't have to worry like, Oh, is she
going to leave me hanging for two hours?

I have heard the craziest stories.

You would not believe, but just
because people have thousands

of followers, you know, doesn't
mean they have that professional

component to running their business.

So I try to impart that , On online,
but also in my other stylists, right?

Like I've been doing this for so long
now that I kind of let them know, , I

know you see other people doing this, but
we're not going to do it that way here.

It's giving leadership.

We love to see it.

I love that.

Um, so going back to your salon manager
and that whole experience in the salon,

what is your filming process look like?

I know that you can't possibly
be doing this by yourself.

What do you guys batch film content?

Is it more reactive?

Talk about your schedule for that.

So the trains move so fast.

In terms of just kind
of what is the trend?

Like, is it a dance?

Is it a snippet of something?

You know what I mean?

Like, is it a fun, quirky fact?

So I haven't batch filmed in a while
for that specific reason in terms of

like sounds, of course, every day that
I'm doing hair, I try to make sure that

I at least take a picture of the hair.

I'm like, and I even remind other
girls, I'm like, take a picture of it.

Do you take a picture of it?

Take a picture of it.

And I really kind of had to tweak
my expectation of , what is content?

Right?

Yeah.

A couple more things about that.

You're gonna see me taking the
stuff up the steps, you can

see on my, on my personal page.

When I was building out this
salon, Oh, I recorded everything.

And I don't care if it's 20 kips
to me painting the wall, you're

going to see me paint the wall.

And I'm going to use that clip
over and over and over again.

So I don't have that mindset
of, Oh, they seen it.

I don't want to post it.

This is the clip I got my phone.

That's the best.

I love that because you never
know what you can create in

your free time with old clips.

So I love that.

And to that point, what advice would
you give a small business owner?

I know you and I talk, we, you
started at a salon suite and now

you're doing all of the things.

So what would you, what advice would
you give to someone starting small

and wanting to work their way up?

I would say, um, don't be afraid.

Okay.

A lot of stuff around posting is not that
people don't have the stuff to post is

that they're afraid to post it, right?

Like, even if it's something that you
feel is controversial, I will be honest.

I do not like seeing negative
comments on my posts.

I will delete them, but you
know, you gotta, you're not

going to please everybody.

You got to know who your audience is.

So.

I don't care if it's like just a picture
of you washing your hands at the sink,

you know, that could be your highlight
on sanitation or any part of your aspect.

Think so, so, so much smaller.

Like I feel like people are
trying to record , you know, like

small movies, one little thing.

And it's, that's enough.

Um, and then on the building, the team
side is again, with that, don't be

afraid, don't be afraid to say, I had to
tell my team, specifically my manager.

Cause she was there right
before, , even when I was still

in a suite, she was there.

And so I was, I would tell
her all the time, , I am

learning how to do all of this.

What I know how to do is hair.

What I know how to do is take a picture
on my phone, make it look clear, but

I am still open and clear and honest.

I'm not afraid for people to see me not
do it right or not know how to do it.

I will even say, Oh,
you do that really well.

Could you show me?

Okay.

How did you not be afraid?

I love a lifelong student.

Always love that so much.

So to your point for business owners,
you're busy doing the services capture

every moment, even the small ones, even
the small ones, even the small ones.

Have you ever worked with.

Influencers or content creators
to capture the content for you.

I am a talent manager and I know a
lot of my clients love working with

hairstylists, but I also have worked
with small business owners who are a

little leery of working with influencers.

So what's your take on that?

I, I feel weird about it because
I feel like I am the influencer.

Period.

I mean, I have like, you know, like
partnerships and other stuff with brands.

So I wonder like.

That's how they see me there.

Right.

But then for the salon, cause we are
trying to grow, I am like, can we have

somebody that kind of, you know, helps
promote those things sometimes it's

a client, I will say , A client might
have more, uh, following and they'll

just do it out of kindness in their
heart in terms of a formal thing.

I'm not against it, but I feel like
because I kind of played both of

the sides, I never like had to do
it outside of myself, but because

I'm a grown up, I totally get that.

Yeah.

And I guess as you're looking into
that and what that could look like in

the future, working with influencers,
have you ever thought about what

your, uh, Ideal influencer or
content creator would be what would

you look for from their profile?

What would you be looking
for them to capture?

Have you ever thought about that before?

I have and I really wish that the
natural hair girlies that are natural

hair girlies would work with a
specific stylist because I feel like

in the beauty world, there's like the
influencers and then there's us, there's

professionals, you know what I mean?

Like hairstyles.

Yeah.

There's definitely a niche.

A niche audience.

There's a niche audience.

Yeah.

So it's like you don't have no
background, you're just kind of in your

kitchen, which I'm not shading that.

Yeah.

But then I wish they would show
the side of like, this is the

person who I call because trust me.

You're calling somebody like
I'm getting the calls of Right

now, you know what I mean?

I'm in the store, right?

What do I get?

Do I buy?

I feel like this is the
problem with my hair.

I'm on the phone with my stylist
now y'all and It doesn't have to

be a you know Even like a push my
product thing, but just merging the

understanding that yes, I can do my hair.

Yes.

I can work with these products that
are paying me to promote it, but

there's still somebody backing that
I go to regularly for my trims.

And that answers my hair questions
when I don't know what's going on.

Stuff.

I love that.

That is a good look.

So if you are an upcoming content
creator, holler at Jenea, because it

seems like that's a great, and me as a
consumer, I truly value authenticity.

So that type of content would
resonate with me, right?

Because I'm the girly that
my, my silly self, I got a

silk press in the summertime.

So now I'm definitely going to be
on the phone with my hairstyles

because this is going to coil up.

What do I do?

It's gonna help me out.

Yes.

And my edges are already suffering.

So that's the type of content
that I want to see like putting

your frontal on and all of that
is great, but I'm not doing that.

I want to know how to do a twist out.

Right?

Like, exactly.

I don't want the three minute video
that's online and everybody's like,

why didn't it work in 45 minutes?

I'm like, It didn't work because
it didn't take her 45 minutes.

She exactly.

Come on, let's get into it.

I love that.

You know what we're talking about?

There is a rise of long form content.

I know at one point it was very
short into it, but there is

a rise of long form content.

So how do you see that impacting the hair
industry and even the type of content

that you putting you're putting out?

What does that look like for you?

So I'm trying to do, we're not
trying to, I will be doing more

classes and so I really want like
It not to be quick tip, you know,

do this like, no, let's sit down.

Let's talk about it.

Let me give you a video on why your scout
might be doing this in the summertime,

or let me give you a video on how
to fix your edges, things like that.

So everything's still
education based, but.

I feel like before I did feel a
lot of pressure and also didn't

have time to sit there and explain
everything or show everything.

Sometimes I think people do want to
see full services now too, right?

Like just the before and after, , cause I
think people want to see full experiences.

How do I get from the parking lot
to your, that's something that as

a consumer getting my hair done,
that's part of the experience that

I think sometimes is not caught.

Like you get there every day
cause you work here, but I'm

coming from out of state.

I would love to see how
do I get in your building.

So definitely incorporating that
into content is, is key now too.

Yeah, that's a good one.

Yes.

Oh, put that on the list.

I was about to say, don't say nothing when
you see it, um, tomorrow on the Instagram.

I love it.

I love that.

Oh my gosh.

Now we were talking about dream
partnerships as far as influencers.

Do you have any dream
brand collaborations?

I know all the hairstylists
love the Dysons, but what

is your dream brand collab?

You know, I have like really prided
myself on getting everything and almost

everything in the salon to be Black owned.

I love that.

Oh, so every product, I
really want every tool.

I really want like, whether it's
EAP heat, whether it's the do,

um, we already use lock and twist.

We've been using cultured
naturals for forever.

I want these brands to . You know,
not just work with the influencers

too, but with the companies
that would retail their stuff.

That's not always.

I mean, I know, um, a lot of people
may not make as big of orders, right.

As like the, the retail market, but in
the natural hair industry, people still

need to, they still have questions.

They still need to be taught.

I can't tell you how many times I get.

Hey, have you tried this?

Have you tried that?

Have you tried it?

Have you tried that?

And it's like, I, I can't try everything
y'all, but the ones that I do like,

you know, I would love from a salon
standpoint or from a stylist standpoint

to be like, no, this is how you use it.

This is how we use it on our clients.

It works on all of our clients.

That's why we love it.

Yeah.

That kind of stuff.

And then also be able to
benefit from it as well.

Like having your hands
on one for our clients.

But I love that.

And I think that is such a good,
all the marketers who are listening,

you guys are missing out on a
marketing opportunity because these

hairstylists and salon owners, they
can do in salon demonstrations.

They can do all types of things.

So if you guys are listening, I'm
giving you some free game right

now, tap into the salon owners.

Yes.

Um, and, and let's get into what's
next for Asili Hair Care Center.

, do you have any sales coming up?

I know you said you're
hiring, but what's next?

What's on the horizon?

What's on the horizon?

Can I tell you like a
dream, dream, dream thing?

Absolutely.

Is this another exclusive?

This is another exclusive.

Oh my goodness.

But more speaking engagements
for sure for myself.

Um, I would love to be on stages.

I'm not sure if you remember before
where I did, um, FroFest in Antigua.

Yes!

The Nutri Stylist!

Is this the resurrection
of the Nutri Stylist?

I think she's resurrected.

And so the big, big goal is Essence Fest.

I'm going to say it just so that if I do
it in the next year or two and I come back

to this podcast, then I can say, Oh yeah.

Oh my God.

We should both be at Essence.

I'm going to put it out there.

I want to do Operations Unfiltered on the
stage at Essence with the Nutri Stylist.

What?

We'll be there.

Let's put this out there.

Okay.

I'll not be attaching myself to your
dream because that's what we're here for.

Okay.

That's I need to get to the next level.

I need some more help.

I love that.

I love that.

And you can absolutely do that.

But you know, what's crazy.

We talked all things operations and
project management in our business

life, but you are a mom and wife
and want to do all these things.

So, Who helps you and what are
your tools and technology to manage

this along with your business?

Like you mentioned you have help with
your kids, but do you have a nanny?

Do you like what's going on?

Give us a ball like that.

I don't have a nanny.

I have amazing, amazing grandparents.

When people complain online about
the grandparents, I can't relate.

And I have a fantastic husband who
is very present and very helpful.

And then I also still use
them apps on my phone, honey.

Okay.

Yeah.

Fresh.

It's the car, all of that.

Like.

Anything that outsource,
outsource, outsource.

I love it.

Moral of the story is outsource it.

Outsource it if you can.

If you can't, put it on a schedule.

You know, and when it's done, it's done.

If I clean Sunday mornings, Then
don't talk to me on Tuesday afternoon,

because it's not my business.

It's not my business.

I love that.

I love that.

Okay, Janae, so what is your big piece
of advice you can give to someone?

Last thing, if we want to
leave people on a good note.

What is your biggest piece of advice?

My biggest piece of advice?

It's to trust God every step of the
way, every single step of the way.

I don't care if I needed another person.

The person arrived.

I don't care if I was like, Lord, I need
10 more dollars that the 10 arrived.

So if he told you to do it, if your
business or, you know, your dream is

something that, you know, you've heard
clearly from God, it's your vision.

He wants you to do it.

Just trust him with it.

Every single step of the way.

Hmm.

Amen.

I felt that.

I felt that.

In my soul, I felt that.

And of course, how can people follow you?

How can people book their appointments?

How can people keep up with you?

Where do we go?

We are on Vagaro.

That's the booking site.

V A G A R O.

And you just search a silly hair
care center, but you can also

go to a silly hair care center.

com and book.

And as well as order the products
that we retail at the salon, you

can find us on Instagram at a
silly, a S I L I hair care center.

And you can find my personal stylist
page and information page on Instagram

at the Nutra stylist and U T R I stylist.

Yes, and I'll be linking all of that
information in the podcast notes,

but Janaye, it's always a pleasure.

I hope to have you come back
and thank you everybody for

listening to Operations Unfiltered.

See you next time.

Thank you so much.