TLDR; I am no longer the CEO of IBE®, and it didn’t break me.
I've been thinking about writing something like this for a few weeks now, mostly because so much has changed in my life recently, and I've found myself with more questions than answers about what this next season might look like. Which, if you know me, is a pretty funny position to be in because I am very much someone who likes to have a plan. 😂
For the last several years, so much of my life has revolved around my career. I moved my family across the country in 2022 to pursue an incredible opportunity with Invisible Bead Extensions®, eventually serving as CEO of the company and community I had already grown to love during my years as a hairstylist and educator. I had the opportunity to work alongside some incredibly talented people, help build things I'm genuinely proud of, and learn more about business, leadership, and myself than I ever could have imagined when I first started doing hair in Chicago almost two decades ago.
Recently, my professional role changed in a way I hadn't anticipated, and it's given me an opportunity to think about some things I probably hadn't made much time to consider before.
I've always loved working. I love the challenge of figuring something out, studying why people make the decisions they do, finding opportunities in a business, and putting the right people and systems together to make something happen. I don't think that part of me will ever change, nor do I necessarily want it to. But I've also been realizing how easy it is, especially when you're passionate about your work, to let one part of your life take up more space than you intended.
And I think that's been one of the most interesting things about this season for me. I've been asking myself what I genuinely love doing, what I've learned from the experiences I've had, and how I want to approach the things that matter to me moving forward. I've also been spending a lot of time talking with people I respect, listening to perspectives that are different from my own, and remembering that there is so much value in being willing to learn, even when you have a lot of experience.
Of course, my faith has been a huge part of all of this. I've found myself coming back to the reality that God can be doing something for me even when I don't understand why something is happening. I don't know exactly what that looks like yet, and I'm actually becoming more comfortable with not knowing. I'm learning that trusting God doesn't always come with clarity about the next step, and that's okay.
Something else I've really enjoyed lately is reconnecting with parts of myself that have absolutely nothing to do with my career. I'm a wife, a mom to four girls, a woman of faith, someone who loves business and technology, and also someone who can spend an embarrassing amount of time talking about hair, food, relationships, or whatever random thing I've become fascinated with that week. 😂 I've never been particularly good at having just one interest, and I think I'm finally giving myself permission to stop trying.
Which brings me to Jasmine's Chair.
This little website has existed for years, originally as a place to share my work as a hairstylist. It's followed me through different cities, different seasons of life, and a career that has evolved in ways I never could have planned. I've been thinking about what I want it to become now, and rather than trying to give it some perfectly defined purpose, I think I'd just like it to be a place where I can share my thoughts, experiences, and whatever I'm learning along the way.
There will probably be a lot of business talk because I genuinely love it, but I'm sure there will be plenty of other things too. I have a lot of interests, a lot of opinions, and apparently a whole lot more to learn about myself at 38 than I ever expected.
I don't know exactly what this next chapter holds, but I am grateful for everything that brought me here, excited about the possibilities ahead, and really trying to be intentional about enjoying the life God has given me right now instead of always thinking about what's next.
So, welcome back to Jasmine's Chair. I have a feeling we'll have plenty to talk about. 🤎