Exploring Life & Business with Betty Craft of BettyJ Salon

Today we’d like to introduce you to Betty Craft.

Hi Betty, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Well, I’ve always done hair. As a child growing up, I saw my mom do my sister’s hair, and I just followed. I enjoyed it—it was fun being creative and testing my abilities. I remember the first person whose hair I ever did was my father, and when I tell you it looked horrible, I can laugh now. But at the time, I was so embarrassed that I hid in my bed. Still, he paid me, and I felt bad because it looked so terrible—it wasn’t like my mannequin head it was on a real person!

As I grew up, I did my own hair. Did it look the best? No. But I was happy with it, so that’s all that mattered. My mom wasn’t very happy with my hair choices, but she couldn’t stop me—lol, I was so independent. In high school, I did a few friends’ hair but nothing major. I was determined to be a lawyer, so for me, it was just extra money.

I’m not sure when it happened, but I realized on my path to becoming a lawyer that I’m not really good at writing—actually, I’m quite bad at it. I knew that would be a bad career choice and that I wouldn’t be happy in the long run. So next was becoming an actor—lol—that didn’t last long with my stage fright.

One day I was watching videos on YouTube to do my own hair, and I looked up to see the whole day had gone by. I was locked in on these hair videos. And it came to me—why don’t I just go to hair school? That’s the lightbulb that turned on and stayed on.

I was afraid of judgment because I had a 3.8 GPA in school, and I knew my teachers and peers would not agree. So I kept it a secret and lied and said I was going to some college—lol I don’t even remember which one. I didn’t want to give anyone the opportunity to talk me out of it.

Once it was all said and done, I drove to Paul Mitchell hair school to visit, and I was in the parking lot and just had an epiphany that this was where I needed to be—in my heart and soul—and I never looked back.

I did not end up at Paul Mitchell; I went to Aveda hair school and absolutely loved it. Here I am now, living my dream!

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Smooth? I’d say the least. It’s been fun, encouraging, challenging—and a pain in the ass.

School was difficult: 9 to 5, five days a week for 13 months, while still needing to work and provide for myself. Let’s just say the universe had my back, because if not, I wouldn’t have made it. I’d go to school 9–5, then work as a manager at McDonald’s from 6 to midnight, and drive 45 minutes home. I was so exhausted, I used to fall asleep driving. Not safe—I do not recommend. All of that just to barely get by.

I was also in a terrible relationship that drained me, and I had to financially support him because we lived together. Long story short—that didn’t last long.

Fast forward—I got out of school, graduated, and went straight into a booth renter salon because of course, I thought I had it all together. Honey. I was paying out of my own paychecks for the first eight months because I didn’t have the clientele. And the owner kept upping my booth rent every few months until I was paying full price—she had started me off lower since I was fresh out of school.

Building my clientele was hard. People didn’t trust me—I was “new.” A lot of it was word of mouth and just showing up consistently, no matter what. I did services I didn’t even want to do because I needed the experience. Honey, “no” was not in my vocabulary. I took anything walking—you name it, I did it. I did services I didn’t even know how to do—lol—I would tell them yes, then go on YouTube to watch how to do it. I’m a visual learner; if I see it, I can do it.

That was just the beginning. If you want to talk current struggles, we can definitely get into what it’s like running a salon—because that comes with a whole new level of pressure. Hiring, training, staying booked, staying inspired, and trying to maintain a personal life on top of it all? Yeah, it’s not for the weak. But I’ll save that for part two if you’d like to hear it.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Our salon is all about creating an experience, not just doing hair. We specialize in clean beauty and healthy hair care practices, and we’re committed to sustainability in everything we do—from the products we use to how we operate day to day. We pride ourselves on serving women with all hair types and textures, and we aim to make everyone feel valued and empowered, no matter their personal style.

What sets us apart is our dedication to education. We don’t just do hair; we teach our clients how to take care of their hair at home and guide them through making sustainable choices in their beauty routines. Our staff is educated in clean beauty, and we offer a range of products and services that reflect our commitment to both the health of our clients and the planet.

We’re also proud to be a part of the clean beauty movement. As a salon, we believe in giving back—not just to our clients but also to the Earth and our community. Healthy hair is at the core of everything we do, from the plant-based products we use to our eco-friendly practices.

What I want readers to know is that we’re more than just a salon. We teach and empower women to love themselves and their hair through support, education, and one-on-one guidance. For us, hair isn’t just about being cute—it’s about longevity, health, and self-love. We use plant-based products because what you put on your hair is just as important as what you put in your body. We’re a space where everyone can feel welcome, where they can trust that their hair care is in good hands, and where we’re always striving to better serve our clients while making a positive impact on the environment and in our industry.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
I would love for the readers to know—it’s okay to do things your way. Don’t overthink it. Sometimes all paths lead to the same destination, you just chose a route. Some routes will be easier than others, and some will make you want to give up. And just because someone else’s path looks easy doesn’t mean it is—not everyone shares their struggles. So, while you’re figuring it out, have fun, make the mistakes, take the risks. That’s how you learn and grow So while you’re figuring it out, have fun, make the mistakes, take the risks. That’s how you learn and grow. Stop being afraid to fail! Failure is your friend—as long as you learn from it. And that’s what makes your path beautiful.

I went from trying to be a lawyer, to secretly enrolling in hair school while working nights at McDonald’s, to renting a booth I couldn’t afford, to full-blown entrepreneurship—and now I own a salon rooted in purpose. That’s not luck. That’s alignment, hard work, and choosing myself over and over again. Even when it was hard. There will be tears.

So whether you’re a client, a stylist, or someone still figuring it all out—this is your reminder that you don’t need permission to chase what lights you up. You just need a vision and the courage to go for it. Trust me, the path will unfold itself as you move forward.

And when you do? Do it with love, with intention, and a whole lot of courage—lol—you’ve got this

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.bettyjsalon.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bettyjsalon/
• Other: https://www.fresha.com/a/betty-j-salon-warrensville-heights-4854-richmond-road-c5mj3aig/all-offer