079 Cultural Fusion: Western Hairdressing in China with Jessica Kramm

We all have a story, a story about how we started and where hairdressing has taken us, and what we have learned along the way.  For some people, it's an amazing journey of discovery and exploration, and if they look back at where they started and where they have ended up, they could never have predicted that would have been their journey.  Today, my guest is Jessica Kramm, a young lady who has had an amazing and courageous journey that has taken her to different countries, forced her to learn new languages and embrace new cultures.  I first came across Jessica through social media because of the beautiful work that she did, and when I dug in a little deeper, I could see what a varied and interesting life she has had through her hairdressing career. In this episode, we discuss: The opportunities that a hairdressing career presents. What it's like for a western hairdresser to work in China… and Why it's important to have the courage to explore the opportunities that life presents. And lots more! In This Episode: [02:20] Welcome to the show, Jessica! [03:05] Jessica shares her background and her journey to hairdressing. [04:42] Jessica speaks about growing up in Germany and the falling of the Berlin wall. [07:06] How did growing up in a communist country impact your life and career? [09:35] Jessica discusses going to the beauty shop with her mom and how excited she got. [10:42] Jessica speaks about becoming a hairstylist. [13:29] Jessica about the movement that influenced her style of hairdressing. [16:51] Jessica discusses moving to China to do hair without knowing the language. [19:49] How many languages are you fluent in? [20:39] Jessica speaks about the community she found in communist China, which was like growing up in East Berlin. [24:04] Jessica describes the fashion in China at the time and how she embraced it in the way she did hair. [27:36] Jessica speaks about Beijing and Shanghai as special cities, very modern compared to other cities. [28:48] Is it easy to get a job in China when you come from another country? [30:58] Jessica shares how long it took her to learn the language and how she got along before she learned. [34:34] What did you like most working as a hairdresser in China? [37:02] Jessica speaks about what she learned in China that she believes others would benefit from. [40:01] Jessica talks about staff loyalty in China and how important it is to have better opportunities. [43:30] Every salon in China is open 10 am to 10 pm every day. [45:37] Jessica discusses why she moved to the Philippines from China. [47:31] Did working for so many years in China make it easier for you to teach in other Asian countries? [50:13] Jessica believes that in the early day's China was more influenced by how it looked, but they have now transitioned into the technical side of hairdressing. [51:50] What is Jessica Kramm Hair Education? [54:37] Jessica shares advice for young hairdressers about taking the risk and having courage. [59:14] Thank you so much for being on the show!   Links and Resources Grow My Salon Business  Jessica Kramm @Jessica_Kramm LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram