Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Rocha.
Jennifer, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Hello everyone! I’m Jennifer, the owner of Thrive Salon.
I have been in the hair industry for 21 years!! I am happily married to my high school sweetheart and we have two handsome boys. One that is in his second year of college and one that is a sophomore in high school.
I have always loved hairstyles and fashion since I was a little girl. When I was in high school, I had friends who were in the Cosmetology class.
So I decided to look into it and join. I wasn’t sure if that was going to be my career after school but the way I saw it I had nothing to lose but to learn a trade and it was free! Being in the class made me realize I loved doing hair and making people happy.
Right before I graduated, I started working for Visible Changes at North Star Mall. Started as an assistant while taking their Cutting class to be a stylist on the floor. I worked at this location for about 10 years then transferred to La Cantera when that location opened up. I worked for Visible Changes for 17 years.
Visible Changes was good for me. I met a lot of talented hairstylists that were goal-driven. And I still remain friends with a lot of them! I learned a lot about hair and I also learned about the business and investing in yourself. They taught me to set goals and reach them. But my ultimate goal was to open a salon. It was time to break that glass ceiling.
In 2018, I finally decided to take the leap of Faith and became my own boss as an independent stylist. I left Visible Changes and worked at a small open concept salon. There is where I realized that I have what it takes to open my own salon.
Fast forward to 2020, COVID hit and really put things into perspective for me. I had time to think of my future and what I really wanted. I knew I didn’t want to waste any more time just wondering what it would be like to open my own salon. It was either I go after what I wanted or I settle.
So I went after what I wanted. Because if you keep saying you will do it in 6 months or a year, we all know that time passes us by so quickly and then you are still in the same place. I decided to start looking for the perfect spot.
In June 2021, I got the keys to my place! I could start transitioning this empty space into my own. My husband and I sat down and started budgeting and drawing out what the layout would be. Let me tell you the process was not easy. I had no idea what to expect, being that my husband and I were doing this on our own. We were the ones hiring the contractors. We were the ones dealing with the City and the permits.
Lots of tears and emotions of wanting to quit. Feeling not qualified for this. The fear definitely set in that maybe this wasn’t what I wanted, maybe it wasn’t for me. My husband was definitely my biggest supporter, constantly keeping me grounded and pushing me to keep going. Prayer is what got me through because there were a lot of things not going my way.
Finally, I saw the light at the end of the tunnel and things were coming along, I was able to open in November of 2021. It took about six months to get the salon ready to serve clients. Best feeling in the world to see your dream become reality! I have been open for 7 months now, I have three independent stylists that have joined my team. My main goal in having my own salon is to help other stylists be driven and successful in a fun environment.
None of this has come easy for me. But with God and my family by my side, I know it will all work out. I have wonderful clients that have supported me for many years and they continue to support me.
They have followed me even though they have to make the drive to come to my salon. Without them, this dream of mine would have not been possible. Thankful for my friends that also have supported me along the way.
This is just the beginning and I have to continue to put in the work to have a successful business. No one tells you about the hardships but it’s those hardships that help you get stronger. The struggles show you how bad you want this. If it was easy everyone would be owing to their own business.
But if you Believe in yourself and get up every day to work at your craft you will be a day closer to your success. Never give up, always stay positive and embrace those obstacles. Big goals require different habits. You think new thoughts and it doesn’t feel like work, it feels like Growth.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
If you ever had to deal with the city then you know it is not easy. Lots of miscommunication with the city and the permits we needed. Stressful with trying to get the salon ready by a certain time. Because the landlord was only giving me so much time to build and not have to pay for the lease while building.
Which wasn’t enough time. So I was paying for a building and I wasn’t making money in there yet. Dealing with contractors and trusting they will do the work like you envision brought stress when things weren’t going the right way. Especially with the timelines.
Even up to the last and final inspection, that day was like a scene from a Saw movie, lol, but seriously we only had so much time to fix what needed to be fixed so they can approve before the weekend. Because if not I was going to have to start the process again the next week. Of course, I didn’t want to wait anymore because I needed to get in and start working on my business.
I was definitely getting put to the test. Lots of tears and breakdowns. Again, I am thankful and blessed to have my husband by my side because he was the one constantly reminding me it was all going to be okay, even when I was ready to call it quits. I am also thankful for all the friends that lend a helping hand on putting the salon together.
As you know, we’re big fans of Thrive Salon. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Thrive Salon is a modern hair salon. We specialize in haircuts for women, men, and kids, hair color, balayage, highlights, extensions, and smoothing treatments.
We stay up to date with the latest trends. We are constantly getting continuing education. We are family-friendly. I love building relationships with clients. I have seen my clients get married have kids and see their kids graduate and go to college, get married. They become like family!
My mission is that you leave the salon feeling beautiful and happy with your hair. Feeling good. Your hair is what people notice first so we want to make sure you have the best hair!
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
I love that San Antonio people love to show support. They stick to helping others. San Antonio people love to help their city grow.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @Thrivesalon_sa and @Jenmariestyles
