Jason B: A Firebrand in the Making

An inspiration for several others his age, Jason B, Style Director at Levo Salon in Gurugram learned the ropes of the hair industry early in life. With Salon India he shares his views on the industry and why he felt the need to come back to India from the US

- Aradhana V Bhatnagar

Initial years of life

I was born in Delhi, but moved to to the US at the age of 12. Although I went to Rutgers University, New Jersey in pursuit of a degree in Business Administration, I ended up becoming a barber for my close friends. At first, hair cutting and styling was just a hobby, something I did to kill time and make a few dollars on the side, but then started to enjoy it. The response from my friends definitely gave me a boost of confidence and I started taking haircuts more seriously. After spending about 15 years in NJ, I decided to come back to India and expand my hairdressing career. Today, I am a passionate hairstylist based in the city of Gurgaon.

Family support

My family can be described as the perfect combination of progressive and conservative. The initial response to me taking up hairdressing as a career option was a straight ‘no’. Their argument was that I had fared exceptionally well in school so there was no reason for me to not follow the traditional route of getting a proper job. I but by my heart was not in it. Fortunately for me, they realised how passionate I was about hair and supported me enough so that I could continue on this path.

Professional education acquired