The VIP Suite at IMAGE Studios with Matthew Landis

Fearless at 20: How Jayden Randels Built a Booked-Out Brand in Under a Year

• IMAGE Studios • Season 5 • Episode 40

Share episode

Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.

0:00 | 33:53

In this episode of The VIP Suite at IMAGE Studios, Director of Education Matthew Landis sits down with Omaha-based hairstylist and content creator Jayden Randels, an IMAGE Studios La Vista Pro who went from hair school graduate to fully booked in under a year. Jayden shares how a last-minute decision to join a friend in hair school turned into a career he loves, why entering Behind the Chair’s One Shot student competition changed everything, and how networking with top artists and mentors accelerated his growth. Matthew and Jayden break down what it really means to be your own boss early in your career, and how suite ownership has given Jayden the freedom and runway to chase big opportunities.

They also dive deep into social media strategy, fear, and authenticity. Jayden reveals how he’s been building his brand since age 11, why a single “rage-bait” viral video filmed in a Nebraska cornfield now accounts for roughly 80% of his clientele, and how he uses filming and editing as a tool to improve his craft behind the chair. From overcoming the fear of looking stupid, to using humor and imperfection to build trust, to why he’s over AI-heavy, overly polished content, Jayden offers real, actionable insight for independent pros at any stage. If you’ve ever wondered how to show up online in a way that feels real, sustainable, and profitable—this conversation is your new playbook. 

You can find Jayden on Instagram: @jaydenrandels

The VIP Suite is the official podcast of IMAGE Studios, created for independent beauty, health, and wellness professionals who want to grow their businesses and thrive in salon suite life. Hosted by Director of Education, Matthew Landis, each episode shares real success stories, marketing tips, and business strategies from top beauty entrepreneurs and wellness leaders.

Episodes are sponsored by GlossGenius, the all-in-one salon software. Learn more at glossgenius.com. Episodes are also sponsored by Elite Beauty Society, providing business and long-term career support to beauty & wellness professionals. Learn more at elitebeautyins.com/IMAGE.

Don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Connect with us on Instagram @imagestudios360 and visit imagestudios360.com for more information about IMAGE Studios luxury salon suites. New episodes drop every two week. Subscribe to hear how beauty and wellness professionals like you are building powerful, independent careers.

Matthew Landis:

IMAGE Studios, and today we've got someone who is building a powerful presence in our industry. Jayden Randels is an Omaha based hairstylist working out of his private suite at IMAGE Studios in La Vista Nebraska. He is known for refined blondes, lived in color and a highly personalized client experience. He's a passionate content creator with multiple viral videos sharing both his artistry and real behind the scenes moments on line. A multi-time hair award nominee, he's building a brand rooted in creativity, authenticity and connection, and you can find him on Instagram at Jayden Randels. Jayden, welcome to The VIP Suite.

Jayden Randels:

Thank you so much. I appreciate that.

Matthew Landis:

Tell us about these awards like I saw that you were in behind the chairs. One Shot award is that the award Tell me about that.

Jayden Randels:

I always knew that, like my, one of my long term goals was to be very involved with, like, either award shows or whether that being like hair related or like Oscar related. I just knew that I wanted to do, like big things that involve trophies and stuff like that. So when I was in hair school, one of my friends recommended to enter some of my work into the One Shot student category. And I was like, Okay, I know nothing about it, but I like the sound of it, so I entered one of the men's perms that I did, and it got submitted to the top 100 of this huge global competition, and I got to attend the award show. And it was just absolutely amazing.

Matthew Landis:

That is incredible. Well, congratulations. I'm sure you deserve it. I've seen your content online, and I was telling you before we got started here, how much I really admire what you are doing and the content that you're creating. So let's just, let's just get started how you've been doing hair for how long now.

Jayden Randels:

So I graduated hair School last January, and I've been behind the chair since March of last year, so just about 11 months behind the chair now.

Matthew Landis:

Oh my gosh, and you're already crushing it. You have over 12,000 followers on Instagram, and you have you're booked. You're doing well, yeah, this is amazing. You know, a lot of people, a lot of people in my age category. I hate to sort of pigeonhole or peg people or label people, but a lot of people that I grew up in this industry with, they're really kind of surprised at how a lot of younger people are coming out of hair school and doing so well so fast. And one of the things that I have noticed is that you and your cohorts, you grew up on social media? Yeah, so you've been building your brand and doing this kind of stuff, probably since you were what, in middle school?

Jayden Randels:

Yeah, I posted my first YouTube video when I was 11 years old. It's still up on there today. It's a get to know me video.

Matthew Landis:

So I'm just blown away at how amazing it is that you all can do so well, so fast. And to me, I have so much to learn. When did you realize you wanted this to be your career?

Jayden Randels:

The whole story of me getting into hair school in the first place was kind of I was dragged in by my best friend. She really wanted to do hair school. But didn't want to go alone, and kind of just persuaded me into doing it. I thought that I was going to be a makeup artist at first, but, you know, I kind of just got into doing hair, and I fell in love with doing hair, and I was just like blown away on how much you could do in this industry. I had no idea. So I honestly just fell in love with doing hair during hair school just a year ago. What do you love about it? I just love how many different roadways I guess you can go down. You have so much potential in hair, and the only thing that really can stop you is yourself. If someday I wanted to start a hair company with hair products, I could do that. If someday I wanted to do celebrity clients, I could go do that. If I wanted to just stay in like a suite for the rest of my life, I can also do that. So I just love all the opportunity.

Matthew Landis:

Well, I've been in this industry now for over 30 years, and I would tell you it was the best decision that I ever made, and I didn't start till late. I was 25 when I started doing hair. But being in this industry, honestly, you're right. There are so many different avenues that you can take, and you have a long runway ahead. So I'm really excited to see what you're going to do with that long runway. But what made you go into business for yourself?

Jayden Randels:

Kind of piggyback, piggybacking off of that, I just knew that, like, if I were my own boss, I would have just so much more potential to involve myself with the next thing, I guess, like immediately starting here, I've picked up so many extra little exciting things coming in the future that, like, just never would have happened if I were in a commission salon, and so I'm just so grateful that I decided to make that jump. It was very impulsive, I guess some would say, but I am so glad of it's working out for me.

Matthew Landis:

What was one of the first things that you have done that really has moved the needle in your business?

Jayden Randels:

I would say that probably going to that award show and putting myself out there with some of the biggest hairstylists in the world was like, absolutely game changing for me, like I was able to go to certain classes and connect with the people that were teaching the classes and also people that were attending the classes. It was just a really good opportunity to, like, get my name out there. And I think that, like that really increased how fast I was moving. I guess

Matthew Landis:

That's incredible. I think, you know, those connections and mentorships and following these examples, I think is can really make the difference in a career and good for you. So what have you really done to build your business? What has been one of the things, what has been one of the magical things that has helped you build your books?

Jayden Randels:

So like you said, like that mentorship is so important to me. There's a lot of like, big creators, like big name hairstylists out there that honestly run our industry to a certain extent, and because I was able to network with them so well, like, I can just send them a text and say, like, Hey, I'm thinking about doing this. What do you think about that? Or Hey, could you call me tonight and we can talk about whatever? So I think that like that mentorship, I guess, yeah, I love it.

Matthew Landis:

And how much has social media played a part in your success?

Jayden Randels:

Honestly, like, I have to pretty much credit, a lot of my success to social media. Like I said, like or like you said, I was building my brand since 11 years old. So every single little connection that I've made I've I remember in high school or middle school, I was telling people to go follow me on Instagram and stuff like that. And like, although I might not have known it was for this, like, I still, like, planted that seed. And now I have people from high school that come to me. I have people from middle school that come to me, so that was very important. And those viral videos, like, I posted a video of me in a cornfield, and it had like a caption of POV, you're a hairstylist in Nebraska, but nobody lives in Nebraska, and it's almost like that rage bait, because I know that people live in Nebraska like I'm from here, but then it almost like gets people talking. So now, like I would say, 80% of my clientele is from that one

Matthew Landis:

So you have this innate instinct when it comes to social media, and I love that you said rage bait. So you're really with your content and some of your videos that have gone viral, you are creating a conversation, absolutely, and making a name for yourself, as you know, Nebraska's next big thing, right? Yeah, I love it. I worked in Salt Lake City. I worked in Utah. And a lot of people have a lot of misconceptions about Salt Lake City and Utah, even people that live there, I think, and I made a name for myself there in Salt Lake City by not listening to other people. And there's their negativity or their their their comments, and I feel like I was right and they were wrong.

Jayden Randels:

Yeah, look how it turned out.

Matthew Landis:

Yeah, because people are people, whether it's Nebraska or Utah or California or anywhere, yeah, I love it. Well, you are doing it. You know when I open up your Instagram, I what I love about your Instagram is when I open it, I know immediately what you do and what you're about. You are so good. So what, what would you say is your secret?

Jayden Randels:

I honestly can't say that there's a specific secret. I think that it like comes down to just so much trial and error and research. Like, I'd say that most of the time at night when I'm Doom scrolling on Tiktok, it's like, how to improve your Instagram business in 2026 and like, I'm really, like, thoroughly watching those videos. Like, people will post their camera settings and like, I'll try them out. I'll go through spend 30 minutes changing my iPhone settings and like, I'll see how that works for me. So it's really just a bunch of trial and error and like, although comparison isn't necessarily a good thing, you also want to, like, look at how the people you look up to are doing it. So like, would their bio say who they are, what they do, and where they're at, probably. So you should probably almost copy and paste that bio.

Matthew Landis:

Sometimes I open up people's Instagram and I think I wouldn't know what you do. I mean, sometimes the best answers are the simplest answers, yeah. And again, I think people can sort of be biased and prejudiced, and they can look at you and they can see this is some young guy. What does he know? Right? But you've been at this, you're, you're a master at this, because you've been doing it for how many years now. I mean, I don't know how old you are.

Jayden Randels:

Yeah, I'm only 20 years old. I'm not even 21 yet.

Matthew Landis:

So you have been at this for almost 10 years. Yeah, and so someone can look at you and say he's so young. Blah, blah, blah, but you you really have been working at this for a long time. Oh, yeah, yeah. Did you have any sort of strategy at the beginning, when you were 11?

Jayden Randels:

No, honestly, like I said, like, everything is so trial and error. Like, even in high school, I would have videos with millions of views on Tiktok and, like, it would be the most random thing that I like, I filmed just laying in bed. So, like, sometimes I post a vlog with high edits and, like, lots of sound effects and stuff like that, and it'll get not even a quarter amount of a views as me, just like laying in bed and saying something. So honestly, like trial and error, there's an audience for everything. So whatever your specific niche is, just try to, like, sort of replicate what you've been doing, I guess.

Matthew Landis:

Okay, there's one thing that we are not addressing here that I feel like needs to be addressed, and that is fear. And I think the biggest thing holding people back is their fear of looking stupid. Absolutely. How did you overcome that?

Jayden Randels:

You know, that's a really good question. When I was in high school, like, I would hang out with friends, and we would go take photo shoots, just of us for fun, and like, post on Instagram. So I guess I can probably say that that helped with it. I mean, honestly, like, you just have to, like, look at the people who are making it and think like they had to start at this point, like there's no way to get through it. And I also look at it as, like, there was, there were so many people that would make fun of me in hair school for recording every single mannequin that I did. And I was like, Yeah, that might be a little bit crazy, but now they're looking at me doing all these crazy things on Instagram, and they're probably like, wow, that's why he was doing this. So like, I mean, it'll all make sense in the long run. If you want to take something seriously like social media, then, like, it'll pay off in the end.

Matthew Landis:

I guess I'm just blown away at your fearlessness. Because I think especially when you are in high school, when you are a teenager, I think that what our peers think of us is so important to most of us. And one of the things that you said that I think is really great is that you had supportive friends around you, and I'm guessing that probably helped. Oh yeah, for every, for every jerk that was, you know, yeah, saying something. You had other people that are like, just keep doing it. Yeah, yeah. That's really, I think, graded vice for our pros, because some of our pros, you know, they're, they're older, yeah, and they're you know, but that fear never goes away. It doesn't really, whether you're in your 20s or your 30s or 40s. I'm in my 50s now, and I'm still afraid of looking stupid.

Jayden Randels:

Yeah, honestly, like, and just when people say, fake it till you make it like, that's so true. And like, even, like coming on this podcast, like, this is my first podcast, so obviously I'm a little bit nervous, but if I don't do it, then, like, I'm never going to be doing podcasts. You know what I mean? So kind of just have to bite the bullet with stuff. Sometimes I'm scared to take certain clients, they tell me that they've had box eye and I'm over here, freaking out. But then I'm like, You know what? I'm going to reframe this like this is going to be content. I'm going to show my followers exactly how I correct a boxed eye client, and then I'm excited for the appointment. So really, just have to reframe, I guess, and fake it until you make it.

Matthew Landis:

You are so smart. Part of me wonders, when you're filming this, if it isn't a way for you also you're deconstructing this thing in your head, yeah, and by filming it and going through the process, does that help you think through these challenges and these problems that you that that are in front of you?

Jayden Randels:

Yeah, honestly, like, I'm like, for something like that. I don't have like, a exact map in mind, but I kind of just think, like, Okay, I'm going to record almost this entire session, and I'm going to spend three hours tonight just going through and finding clips that I like and like. I honestly had no idea that that's how the video I posted would turn out. But I kind of just piece things together as I go, because I know that I have what I need.

Matthew Landis:

I feel like it's, and maybe I'm wrong, but it's helping you also with your work. Because you're, you're essentially thinking out loud, and you're you're teaching the camera, you're teaching the viewer, whatever it is that you're, whatever the challenge is, you know, we'll use the box dive for an example. So you're thinking through it, you're thinking out loud. You're creating content. And then I know when I record these podcasts, for example, I learned so much by going back through and through the editing process, because I learned how I sound, I learned how they sound. I learned, you know, better, better interviewing techniques, better questions, things like that. So you're kind of thinking out loud in real time when you're doing it, and then you're deconstructing it and putting it all back together, and yeah, and so in a way, you're kind of doing one client, two or three or four times?

Jayden Randels:

Yeah, absolutely. And I guess with that, like, sometimes I'll be going through pictures and I realize, okay, like, I don't like this, about this picture. I'm never going to do A, B, C again. You know what I mean? Like, sometimes, like, there will be a highlight in the wrong spot. And I'm like, You know what? Because I took these pictures and I'm looking back like, I know not to put a foil right there, you know what I mean. So looking back on your own work is honestly, like, one of the best things that you can do.

Matthew Landis:

This is so fascinating to me. I. I think it can be so helpful for our listeners, because when I would do a client, when they walk out the door, I don't see them again until they come back, or they don't come back, depending on how much they liked it. So what a great tool to be able to do that in in hindsight. You know, like sports teams do that, right? They watch the video and they and they get better and better. This is so fascinating to me. One of the things that I really love about your work is that it looks expensive, and you do, you do all of that editing yourself. Yeah, what? What are some tools that you think that our pros could use to make their content better.

Jayden Randels:

I will study camera settings, and I think that the biggest tool is just researching your own device. Like you can do so much without editing apps than people would even realize. Like, when you go to click on a photo, and you can adjust like even, like the tilt a little bit like, make sure that your pictures are completely straight, and you can zoom in a little bit on your pictures there, and you can change, like, the warmth settings on there. You can bring it a little bit brighter. It's not like you're using, like, AI to completely change your picture. You're you already took the picture, and that's your work, you're just enhancing what it looks like, I guess so I would say, just to really learn how your camera works and how to edit your pictures on your camera,

Matthew Landis:

the quality of your photography and videos are so good, I think, that you could even go into professional photography if that was another avenue that you're into. You know, you were talking about all those avenues within in the beauty and wellness industry, and you know, editorial is one, is one of them. And I think that you definitely have the chops for that. So what kind of content is really speaking to you right now out there in the social media universe?

Jayden Randels:

My most viral videos are funny videos, and like those just connect so well with so many people. So I love funny videos. I think that they can be so educational. They can be just pointless. They can be relatable for friends like you can do so much with funny videos. So funny videos are always here to stay. That's like what the internet started with. It was just a bunch of like, memes and funny videos. So always use that to your advantage.

Matthew Landis:

Yeah, I think people can relate to you so much more through humor, and they become more endeared to you through humor, especially when you're showing your imperfections and you're showing your humanity, I find that so much more interesting than people that are always perfect.

Jayden Randels:

Yeah, absolutely. People want to follow you for your story. They want to come to you because they like you as a person. Honestly, you don't even have to be the best hairdresser in the world, and someone's gonna still come to you because they like your attitude when they walk in your suite.

Matthew Landis:

So that is 100% correct. I've seen some of the best hairdressers with the worst books, and I've seen some not so great hairdressers, I don't want to say bad, but with a huge following, and so I think that you're absolutely right. People want somebody that they feel comfortable being around, that they want to spend time with. It's going to make them feel good. That's going to make them look good. All of those things wrapped up in one. So what is some what is one of the current trends or things in social media right now that you think is highly overrated?

Jayden Randels:

I mean, I think it's kind of a popular opinion at this point, but I'm so over the AI posts. I just, I don't know. I think that it looks very tacky. I don't know. I'm just over the AI stuff.

Matthew Landis:

So when you say AI what exactly, there's so many different. Because in my head, I'm like, Well, you know, there's a lot of different AI posts, so what specifically are you referring to?

Jayden Randels:

Um, honestly, kind of just all of it, like, I've seen a bunch of videos where, like, even I, who grew up in the age of the internet, like, I can't tell the difference between an AI video and a real video, and it like, kind of scares me, like I don't know. Like, there's, there was like, a Christmas trend going on on Facebook where, like, people would Photoshop them with a bunch of, like, pink gum drops and lollipops and stuff like that. And I was just like, okay, like, I don't know, too cute. Yeah, I guess

Matthew Landis:

I'm thinking of, like, you know, you see these videos of, like, a chihuahua as part of a wolf pack, or, yeah, like, what are we doing? The sky is raining cats or something. I think this goes back to that authenticity and that that people really want somebody they can relate to. And I think sometimes with AI, it's not relatable. There's something that we just inherently know is not. Write about this video or this photograph, and it's kind of a turn off. Sometimes I think, yeah, yeah. So let me ask you this, if someone has less than 1000 or someone's building their followers, someone's building their business, what should they focus on first?

Jayden Randels:

Honestly, relatability, like, people want to follow you because they can tell who you are through your page. Like, sometimes people will follow me on Instagram, and almost all the time, like, I'll go to check out their account, and like, if I don't feel like I can know who you are, then I don't usually follow them back. And it's not anything personal, but it's just because, like, there's not a story there. I guess I don't know.

Matthew Landis:

I think that's so important. And I even hesitated asking this question, because I don't think followers really indicates your worth. It doesn't indicate your value. It doesn't indicate whether you have a strong business. I think, you know, some people with a lot of followers, have a great business. And you know, someone like you has really built their business through this. But really, I mean, then someone can have 25 followers and have a full book, yeah? Business. So followers don't necessarily translate into business, because at the end of the day, it is that relationship in the studio, right? Yeah.

Jayden Randels:

It also kind of depends on, like, who your target audience is. So I think that recently I've been trying to, I guess, build my name within, like, the hair industry world. So I have a lot of hair stylists who follow me, and so I kind of like curate my content in the eyes of how am I going to appeal to other hairstylists? Because I want them to see, I guess, how I do my things so that maybe I could build my books up or my experience up to start teaching, like social media classes or something like that.

Matthew Landis:

You know, for someone like you, you it seems like you have a lot of friends. You know, just little hints of the conversation you have a lot of people in real life that that you enjoy, that really like you. And you know, people you went to high school with, and they they see your your social media, and they're like, Oh, I'm gonna go get my hair done by Jaden. So it's kind of a way to remind people that already know you like, Hey, I'm doing this thing. Absolutely. Come with me. Come have fun with me. Yeah, it seems like you've got a really good balance of the personal and the local and the the family and the friends, and then you've got this sort of external thing, that's the industry and all of those things. So I feel like that you've got a really good balance happening right there, and that will just be exponential. It hasn't all been roses, right, right? So what are some hurdles that you have had to overcome on this path?

Jayden Randels:

I can't say that anything like horrible has happened to me, knock on wood, but I guess it's more of like an internal thing. Like, I knew that there, there have always been a lot of people who have doubted me, just like throughout middle school, throughout high school, throughout hair school. Like, there's always going to be people who doubt you, and so like, I guess I can find myself looking back and thinking, like, okay, maybe, are they right? Am I doing? Am I taking too much content? Should I just be focusing on hair school? Like, I don't know. It's always going to be a struggle. You're always going to question everything. But I love to prove myself wrong, and I love to prove other people wrong. So I am just crazy, I guess, like, I will just keep on going until I get what I want. So you just have to be completely fearless, like nothing can hold you back in this industry.

Matthew Landis:

Well, you seem fearless. But another quality that in the short time that I've gotten to know you, which is half an hour, you also seem very humble, yeah, and I think that is a really good quality to have. Thank you. So what does success mean to you?

Jayden Randels:

My idea, just like constantly, is changing, and I think that my current idea of success is just being able to have 100% freedom, and with image studios, I have 100% freedom right now, so I feel like I'm the most successful that I've ever been in my entire life. And I hope that that stays like that for a while.

Matthew Landis:

Your (IMAGE ) Owners there at La Vista—Kristen and Tyler—are also really young and entrepreneurial and really supportive, and I have really enjoyed working with them through our processes here at image studios, and I really like them, and I think that you have some great, great people behind you there at image studios, it sounds like you have so many friends and family. You have a lot of people rooting. For you. So that's pretty great. And I almost think, because when I met Kristen and Tyler, they were just so cool. I was like, it's Nebraska. Like, the like, secret, cool place that people are talking about, like, what's going on there in Nebraska? Like, you know, I've driven through Nebraska on i 80. It's a long stretch, because you're that horizontal state, right? Yeah, go on forever and ever. But it must be a cool place, because it seems like the people there are doing something, right? We've got some hidden gems here. I love it. That's great. Like I said, you know, living in Utah, living in Salt Lake City, I get it. I get it, all right. Rapid fire questions, are you ready? I'm ready. All right, early bird or night owl.

Jayden Randels:

I'm 100% a night owl. I go to bed usually at like

Matthew Landis:

2am okay, what time do you get up?

Jayden Randels:

It depends on the day. I'd say on average, probably like 10. Wow.

Matthew Landis:

Okay, all right, one product you can't live without,

Jayden Randels:

Okay, I am a Main Ivy fan, and they just came out with these two scents. They're little body and hair perfumes, and they smell,

Matthew Landis:

you know, aroma is so powerful. I worked with, yeah, I worked with a beta for 16 years. And, you know, people get addicted to the smell. It draws people in, and your sense of smell is your strongest emotional response. All right, what's a trend you secretly hope dies?

Jayden Randels:

I don't know if it's a trend, but I'd say that nowadays, like especially clients, have the expectation of perfection. I And I also think it is with the rate rise of AI. But everyone wants everything to be perfect, and I'm kind of just obsessed with, like, imperfection, I guess, like, I just want to see the raw, authentic thing. So probably perfection, that is the best answer.

Matthew Landis:

All right, what's something you're currently obsessed with I guess

Jayden Randels:

It's maybe not current, but I'm always so obsessed with Pinterest. I think that I get a lot of my inspiration from Pinterest.

Matthew Landis:

I feel like Pinterest is having a resurgence. We were having this conversation at the corporate office last week about Pinterest. Yeah, there's so much inspiration. There so much. Wow. That's really cool. All right, so any last words? What would you what would you say to our listeners to inspire them to be great?

Jayden Randels:

Be yourself. I know that it sounds cliche, but that's what your clients want to see. That's what other hairstylists want to see. Practice makes perfect. You're not going to be there overnight. It's a thing that you got to work on, but it'll pay off in the end. Jayden, where can people find you? You can find me on Instagram @jaydenrandels, and I also occasionally do Tiktok, but that's a work in progress.

Matthew Landis:

Well, thank you so much for your time, and thank you so much for being here. Thank you for listening to The VIP Suite at IMAGE Studios. If you found value in today's episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review. It helps more independent beauty and wellness pros discover the show to learn how you can be part of the image studios collective. Head to imagestudios360.com. You can also reach me directly at matthew@imagestudios360.com, and I will see you on the next episode of the VIP Suite at IMAGE Studios.