Description
In this inspiring episode of the Day Makers podcast, host Daved Dolce sits down with Jennifer, a passionate cosmetology student from Tricoci University’s Elgin campus. From experimenting with hair and makeup as a teenager to making the bold leap into professional training, Jennifer shares her heartfelt story of discovering her calling in the beauty industry. Whether you’re a current student, a beauty enthusiast, or someone exploring creative career paths, Jennifer’s journey will leave you feeling motivated and empowered.
Find Jennifer on Social Media:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennyssbeauty/
Show Notes
– Jennifer introduces herself as a student in the Cosmetology program at Tricoci University’s Elgin location.
– She shares how a childhood love of makeup and styling her own hair inspired her passion for the beauty industry.
– Jennifer talks about experimenting with dye and different hairstyles as a teenager, which helped her realize her future path.
– Host Daved Dolce and Jennifer discuss how her visit to Tricoci, along with a friend, led her to confidently enroll after a fun, hands-on campus tour.
– A motivating conversation about following your instincts, finding the right learning environment, and pursuing your dreams in cosmetology.
Links:
YouTube: https://youtu.be/_RQ3QCE9pZc
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6yFHXvtyDLWgBzwRrFXrQf?si=e18d6e45080b4a0a
Transcript:
We are here to make people
feel good about themselves.
We really have to feel like we
are a day maker for the guest.
You’ve made my day.
How great is that when you hear
those words from your guest.
Hey, everybody, I’m David
Dolce, and welcome
to the Day Makers podcast.
Today I’m interviewing one
of our current students, Jennifer.
How are you today?
I’m good.
How are you?
You good?
Start off by telling us
what campus are you from?
I’m from Elgin.
Very cool.
And then what program are you taking?
I’m cosmetology.
Excellent.
So what made you choose cosmetology?
So since from a young age,
I really like doing hair,
doing makeup, mostly makeup.
But then I, at the age
of 15, I started actually
enjoying doing my own hair.
I would dye it.
I would like do different hairstyles.
And then from there I just been
really interested in doing hair.
I mean, your makeup is flawless.
Thank you.
Beautiful.
I love it.
So, yeah, I’ve been practicing for so
long and I always knew I wanted to
keep going eventually in the future.
Very cool.
So you’re one of those people that
you’ve just known, this is what you
want to do your whole life, and here
you are chasing your dreams.
So why Tracochi?
Did you look?
There’s a couple schools in lg.
Yeah, there is a lot.
But I was going to Huntley during
that time and my friends were
interested in the same thing as
me, so they were checking out
schools around the area and they
were like, hey, you should come
with me to Trochi.
I’m like, yeah, I’m like, I’m down
to go like, see new schools.
Cuz like, we were like our
senior year just trying to figure
out where to go and stuff.
And I went to go visit for like,
for more information and stuff.
Like, we both went, we asked
her questions and everything.
And like, they let us play a little
bit like with the mannequin heads.
And I’m like, okay, yeah,
this is where I want to go.
Cuz, like, I was so happy, like, just
trying out new things,
asking a lot of questions.
I’m like, yeah, like, this
is something I want to do.
And I really enjoyed
being there that day.
So I was just like, yeah, this is
the school I want to go to later.
Did you start with friends?
Yeah, I did start off with my friend.
She.
She wasn’t.
She was confused if she wanted
to do cosmetology or esthetician.
So I was just like, no, I knew
I wanted to do cosmetology.
And she just Went
to the esthetician side, so me
and her went to the together.
We still had a friend there.
Yes, I do still have a friend there.
When we first started off,
so I wasn’t as nervous.
So you went straight
after high school?
Yeah, I went straight right into it.
And you are preparing yourself
for a career quicker
than so many other people.
It’s awesome.
So what did you see differently
at Tricoci University
than maybe at some of the other
schools that you checked out?
Yeah, I did check out other
schools, like, farther.
I.
It’s obviously like, the drive,
so I didn’t really.
Well, that’s you.
And like, the way, like, the other
schools I went to, they
wouldn’t, like, ask me, like, oh,
like, how did you enjoy this?
How do you, like, you know,
asking me more personal questions
about myself, about, like,
why I wanted to do it.
Meanwhile, when I went to try
Tricoci, they were like,
oh, like, you should do this.
Like, oh, you should try it out.
Like, giving me advice and asking
if, like, I was like, yeah,
like, they’re helping me out,
so maybe I should go here.
Because it’s like they were telling
me what, like, things I liked.
And then compared to the other
schools, they were just not
communicating with me as much.
More of a personal experience.
And then I’m assuming.
Did you have Gabe as your
admissions advisor?
Yeah, I did.
Yeah, I know.
I was.
I like talking to him because
he’s so, like, talkative and so
I like talking to him and I’m
like, okay, yeah, like, the
people around here are super
nice and so, like, they’re so
fun to be around.
So I was like, yeah, I’ll
definitely be going here more
than any other schools.
I liked it.
That’s another reason why I like
hanging out at that campus.
I just enjoy the staff.
Yeah.
It’s wonderful.
Ms.
Val, we did teacher
training together.
Yes.
So I’ve known her forever.
And actually Ms.
Carla was our educator.
Really?
Isn’t that crazy?
Yeah, that is crazy.
Like, 10 years ago.
So 10 years later, this
is where we’re all at.
It’s nuts.
And, yeah, they’re all
at Elgin together.
Yeah.
What is a typical day
in your life look like?
Because you’re in school for
a good chunk of the day, right?
Yeah.
So apart from going to school
from, like 9 to 5
on during the week, I do work.
It’s just a 5 to 10.
It’s a quick little.
I work at a gym, so
it’s like, it’s easy.
So I.
From here to.
From the school, I go
straight to the gym.
I’m there for a couple hours.
It’s just really easy.
And then afterwards, I just go home,
do my own thing, like, homework.
If I have class on that day or if
not, like, I would just get
myself prepared for the next day
because I would have to go to
school afterwards and go to work
again.
Yeah, right.
That’s, like, the whole
circle of it all.
It sounds like you’re
managing it pretty well.
Do you have any difficulty
sometimes managing work, school,
personal life, homework?
Sometimes, yes.
But, like, I knew from
the beginning, since I.
I went right away to school.
School, like, cosmetology school
from high school, I already knew
what I was getting myself into.
I’m like, okay, I’m gonna make
myself my own, like, schedule,
have everything prepared and see,
like, if, like, it matches.
If I think it’s gonna work
for me, I’m like, yeah,
I went straight to it.
I’m like, yeah, it’s.
It is hard, but, like, if you
keep maintaining the schedule,
like, for me, it works.
I mean, for everyone, it’s different.
But, like, I have my own
schedule, and I like it.
That’s good.
Yeah.
You sound like you’re
managing it super well.
Yeah, I love it.
Has any member of the faculty
really influenced.
Changed you in some type
of way while being a student?
So I have a teacher, Ms.
J.
So in the beginning, I had this
other teacher, but she already left.
I really enjoyed her.
She was in my.
What was it?
Essentials.
Essential, yeah, my essentials class.
She helped me out a lot.
I really.
I’m glad because I’m a very shy,
nervous person in the beginning.
But then, like, she got me out
of my show, and it helped me out,
get into my advanced class.
And Ms.
J is very, like, outgoing person
I’ve met, and she helped me.
Like, she’s always been there
for me, like, helping me out if
I really need it, because she’s
really good with, like, braiding
and, like, sculpting your
hair, like, stuff like that.
And, like, I was so bad
at it in the beginning.
I was like, yeah, Ms.
J.
Like, thank you for helping.
I’m so much better at it.
And, like, she’s always, like, helped
me out if I needed questions.
I love it.
It sounds beautiful.
It’s so special talking
to you about these educators,
because I do know them.
And I’m like, oh, Ms.
J.
So if you could go back to day number
one, what would you tell yourself
to prepare yourself better for this
journ journey that you’re on?
What I would have done differently is
told Myself not to be too shy about
it or, like, just be more confident.
Because I was such a shy,
nervous person in the beginning.
I was like, I don’t know if I’m
like, if I’m gonna get along with
these people or, like, anything.
Like, any little thing.
What are you talking.
Yeah.
I don’t know.
I was just so shy in the beginning.
But after going in that day,
like, everyone’s super nice.
The teachers were super sweet to me.
I was like, yeah, I don’t get
why I was so shy, nervous.
If, like, these people
around me are so helpful.
I was just, okay, maybe I
should just stop being so,
like, negative about it.
And so I started, like, being more
confident talking to these people.
And I’m like, okay, that
helped me out so much.
That’s so cool.
Yeah.
But I wish I knew better because,
like, in the beginning, I was.
I wouldn’t talk to people.
Like, it was hard
to me to talk to them.
But now I’m like, oh, like,
hey, like, I know you.
Like, how are you?
And stuff like that.
Yeah, Yeah.
I mean, artists, we’re all wild.
We all have different personalities.
So you don’t get that in high school.
So coming straight out of high
school and being around all
these different age people.
Right.
All these people with different
personalities that are kind
of bold and out there,
that was an experience in itself.
Right.
So I always like to ask two students,
how important is attendance?
Very important.
Yeah.
Like, you go, you miss
one day, you’re, like,
missing a lot of stuff.
I’m like, oh, my God, we went
through so much this day,
and I got to, like, the next day,
I’m like, okay, I got to catch
up and do all of this.
But, like, it’s like, you learn a lot
of stuff at the same time.
If you.
If you obviously do go, you’re
going to learn new things.
And then every day is
just a learning process.
Like, new things every day.
Great.
Yep.
And you gotta miss a day.
You just tack a day.
Yeah.
To the end of it.
Right.
And nobody wants to do that.
You want to graduate and get out.
So when did you realize that
you actually had the power
to make somebody else’s
day in this industry?
So I really didn’t think
anything about it at first.
I was just really okay.
I like, I like getting myself ready.
I didn’t think other people
would feel that same way until,
like, the first day of class.
We were talking about how
people feel, like, ex.
Asking them personal questions
about their hair.
I’m like, oh, so, like,
people really do like,
knowing more about their hair.
No.
Like, I didn’t know other people
actually care about their hair more.
Like, as other.
You know, like, as me.
Yeah.
Like, I didn’t think they would.
And, like, I’m just like, okay.
So I would have to ask people
questions about their hair,
about how they feel about it,
because I didn’t know that.
Obviously, it makes a big impact
to them until, like, I got
into the floor and started actually
trying, like, these things
on people, and they would be
so happy about the results.
I’m like, oh, my God.
Like, people actually enjoy seeing,
like, new things done to them.
And, like, it’s just really fun
seeing that because, like, I’m able
to change their appearance into good
things if they really wanted to.
So.
Yeah.
How does it feel to know that what
you’re doing behind the chair
for them, that they leave and they
take this home with them?
Sometimes I get nervous because,
yeah, I’m still practicing, but I.
It always ends up being still good.
Like, obviously, you’re learning,
but at the same time, it feels good
seeing your final product and be
like, oh, my God, it actually came
out so good, and they love it.
And I’m like, okay.
Then they get to show off
to other people how they
feel and how they look.
So I love that they’re going home,
they’re smiling, they’re happy, all
that good stuff, and then all that
good customer service and everything
that you are presenting.
Like, you said, you didn’t
realize that you had the power
to make somebody’s day.
Do you see how important it is
to actually be that person
and how that’s going
to help you maintain a clientele.
Right.
And people coming back to you.
I do know one good thing they do
at Elgin before we end the podcast,
is you guys really do the Vitality
Project well at that campus.
I want to know if you think
the Vitality Project changed the way
that you look at things
or if you find that resourceful.
For people like us that are listening
to people’s problems all day,
we need to learn to manage stress.
Right.
It’s a wellness program
for our students.
How has that impacted you at all?
It has impacted me a lot because
obviously, I was such a person,
like, to myself, and getting.
Obviously, that helped me get out
more out there and getting to
know people more for who they
are and stuff, and obviously
communicating with them about
how they feel, who they are and
all of that.
And, like, obviously that has helped
me to become more of a better
person to talk to these people.
And obviously with my
customer service, too.
When I’m doing their
hair, I want to be there.
And if they need anything,
I’ll explain to them.
Or if they need something
from me, I’ll, like, try.
I love it.
Well, you’re going far.
When’s your graduation date?
Ish.
Right?
In October, actually, this year.
Really?
Yeah.
Okay.
So around in October, I should.
Well, you’ll see me around more.
Definitely.
And I really look forward to watching
your journey through Jacochi
and seeing what you do after.
Thank you so, so much
for being with us today.
I know you are shy, but I think
you did great with us today.
Thank you.
Yeah, we’ll see you soon.
All right, then.
We’ll see you soon then.