Life & Work with James Wilson

Today we’d like to introduce you to James Wilson.

Hi James, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My wish in life was simple… make them smile. It didn’t matter who “they” were. No other desires came to me as a child. A colorful upbringing forced my hand to strive for this very thing. Growing up, I watched a ridiculous amount of TV. Stories were where it was at, I thought. If you have the courage to tell an authentic story you could captivate them and earn a smile. I wanted that for them. Doesn’t everyone deserve a smile? And I was going to be the one to deliver it to them!

And, like many others before me, I moved to Los Angeles to become an actor. Shocker! With thoughts of SNL parodies and Quantum Leap dreams, I went bravely to the concrete jungle to honorably pursue storytelling. Or, so my young self thought.

I was well on my way, too, after booking the series ER and a few commercials. I pooled all my energy into storytelling and everything that came along with that. Soon after, I created a writer’s group that helped artists hear their work aloud while helping actors hone their craft. This led to producing our own work. Acting and producing helped me through many obstacles in my life. It helped me connect with the others around me and transposed my perception of the world. It was my first love. It was my only love.

Unfortunately, your first love can turn bitter if it’s exposed to too much negativity. The industries hold on the business side choked the soul out of my dream. It drained me mentally and I struggled with the meaning of it all. I’d forgotten the reason behind everything I was attempting to accomplish. I decided to take step back to breathe. That step lasted a few years.

Being a storyteller would always be in my heart, nevertheless, my perception had changed. As my view shifted, so did my pursuit. I had been working as a manager for a technology company for many years to fund my love of acting wondering if I would continue to be a slave to this job that was no longer relevant. For the first time in my life, I was unsure of my path. So, I began to venture out in search of a new calling.

Then something happened. One day, while I was getting my hair cut by my hairstylist of 7 years, Kristen Shaw, a lovely celebrity stylist, she subtly mentioned that I should get into the hair world since I was a natural artist. I had never really thought about it. Hair? Really?? Is that a thing??? Suddenly, my mind was racing with new ideas and curiosity. I spent the next few weeks talking with everyone I knew in the hair industry. My computer was bored of my relentless hunt for new YouTube videos on the business of all things hair. Kristen was kind enough to educated me about the hairstylist’s path and what that meant. She quickly introduced me to Kyle, her assistant at the time, who had been training at Paul Mitchell. Kyle and I become fast friends. He walked me through the process and downloaded his experiences. Could this be right for me? The younger me let that old wish come through, could I make them smile? This path still allowed me to help others and tell a story. I was then left with a choice: enroll myself into a new program or go back to managing.

I did my best to listen to my heart and, of course, elicited the opinions of friends and family. Mom’s advice was simple, “Just enroll. What have you got to lose? This time next year, you would have made the choice with an anchor in a brand new career.” Knowing that my mom had reinvented herself many, many times, I knew her advice was sound. Being an artist first, knowing that I craved to own a business and build a brand that could help humans feel like their best selves, the choice was easy. I enrolled at Paul Mitchell immediately. I was going to become a hairstylist… at the young age of 42.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I wish I could tell you the rest of my saga was an easy one. It was not. I was still managing during the day and taking classes at Paul Mitchell at night. The grapple would start at 5:00 am and come to an end at 12:00 am. I rose every morning at 5:00 am to drive from Hollywood to Playa Vista to start the grind at 6:00 am. Then, around 3:00 pm I would leave work to make the dreaded 405 trek to Sherman Oaks for my first class at 5:00 pm. Class ended at 10:00 pm and I would deadhead back to Hollywood to quickly cook, eat, shower and then sleep. I did this five days a week until the company I worked for decided to terminate me. I was going on my 6th year with them. Although I was a staple at the company and highly regarded, they simply didn’t like that I was furthering my education. Ironic as the company’s industry was rooted in continued education.

This did not stop me from my pursuit. The decision to go full-time and graduate sooner quickly became a reality. Time was on my side. Money was not so I had to be vigilant. As the money quickly went, I neared my graduation date in 2019. Just when I thought I didn’t have anything left to give, I finally received my cosmetology license at the beginning of March 2020 with a sigh of relief. I had finally arrived at the next stage of a new career. I was elated, proud even. I would breathe easy that day.

The relief I desperately needed was fleeting. You know what came next… covid hit a week later.

It was as if the universe was telling me, “No. Absolutely not”. I could not yield. I would not yield. Not after all the obstacles I had already overcome. Luckily, I had been assisting and building up a small clientele in the interim. This allowed me to see my own clients at home and take house calls as covid restrictions came to an end. I worked tirelessly for a few salons. I forced myself forward. Since I had gone into this pursuit later in life, I had no interest in wasting any more time becoming a professional assistant like numerous others. I pressed on with my education in any way that I could until I read that Bradley Leake, a well-known, celebrity hairstylist was looking to build his team. It took about a month to get an interview. Eventually, it happened and the doors opened as they were always meant to.

Bradley took me under his wing and showed me this business from his purview. He had an interesting take on his industry and knew how to succeed. I watched him closely and followed every command. I was determined to glean every morsel of understanding required to get to that next step.

I would love to say the obstacles have ceased since then, but life doesn’t work that way. Experiences are never one-sided and must give rise to a few hurdles to shift your awareness toward the joy that life can bring.

I welcome the stumbling blocks. They are there to guide me, to teach me and to light the way.

So… come at me, bro!!

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Currently, I’m project managing the opening of Bradley Leake’s new salon Brdy Jay in Santa Monica, as well as continuing to build my current clientele to a larger roster of wonderful humans that I get the pleasure of working with every day.

My specialty is effortless cutting, men’s grooming and lived-in blonde hair color. Setting yourself apart in this field can be difficult. Anyone can learn to cut and color hair. I think it takes a true artist to sit and listen to a client’s needs and translate that into chic, effortless hair. This is my gift. Listening and translating. A simple haircut can be life-changing. There’s nothing more satisfying than helping others find themselves in transformation.

I don’t speak much of being proud. This is hard for me. I suppose I’m proud of how quickly I positioned myself in an extremely saturated field with many talented artists. I’m proud that I keep fighting for what I want and what I need in this world, as a human and as a woman. However, I’m most proud that I’ve kept a strong sense of self and connectedness with the people I love for they are my most cherished achievement thus far. I would not be where I am today without them or the drive to create something meaningful in my life.

When the dust settles, I’m an artist at my core, whether that be storytelling through the medium of film or hair or visual art or around a campfire… I simply want to tell a story that inspires.

What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
There are so many hidden treasures in and around Los Angeles. I love the casual ambiance of how the city flows. There is no big hurry to get anywhere. Yet there are so many places to visit. An hour in any direction will get you to a ski resort, a beautiful beach or the magical desert. And the city is bustling with a vast variety from your favorite cave you call a bar or a booshi brunch spot. The city has endless gifts to bestow on the truly worthy.

The downside is that the city can be lonely sometimes even though you are surrounded by people. It can be difficult to round up a friend group in this town. Luckily, I have found a home with my framily (my inner circle of friends I consider family). It was a long and tedious venture unearthing these jerks from the muck, but the stars were in my favor. My advice is go out and experience all the things Los Angeles to it’s fullest and don’t be shy. Soon you’ll be amongst friends.

LA is filled with far more positives than negatives. Get out there… she’s waiting for you!

Pricing:

• Haircut (over the ear) $95
• Haircut (under the ear) $120
• Highlights (starting at) $250
• Blow Dry $75
• Glam & Go $150

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/jameswilsonstyle
• Instagram: @jameswilsonstyle
• Other: TikTok: @jameswilsonstyle

Image Credits
Krissy Saleh