Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessica Benson.
Hi Jessica, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My name is Jessica Benson, and I am the owner and founder of Dandy & Bloom, a private salon studio I opened a year and a half ago. I’m a third-generation beauty professional — and my passion for the industry began at a very young age. My mom, Barbie (who absolutely lives up to her name) was a Mary Kay consultant, and our home life was filled with beauty, pageants, and every kind of hair and makeup gadget on the market. I would come home to her doing perms and having us point in magazines at the haircuts we wanted. My dad’s father was a Barber and my aunt was a stylist. That early immersion made a lasting impression on me.
Before pursuing cosmetology formally, I explored a variety of paths — working in marketing & promotions, retail sales, tech support, even as a personal assistant, receptionist and bookkeeper. Each of those roles, although seemingly unrelated at the time, gave me skills that would later prove essential in building and managing my own business. During that period, I also began freelancing on the side, hand crafting custom clip-in extensions and dread falls for friends.
A turning point came when I walked into a salon hoping to be trained on the spot, only to be asked if I had a license. That experience prompted me to take the leap and enroll in beauty school. While cosmetology gave me a strong foundation, the barbering program captured my interest. The focus on precision, detail, and clipper work inspired me to continue my education and sharpen my skills.
After passing my state boards, I was hired at a salon right away. Then moved to another salon where I stayed for over a decade. It was an incredible period of growth – where I refined my craft, built meaningful relationships, and established a loyal clientele. I began to be more mobile with house calls, special events and hair for those who couldn’t come to the salon. I was doing haircuts for the homeless and for those in hospice. As my books filled and demand grew, Stylists were leaving notes to communicate “No more customers for Jessica for the day”. Over time, I began to realize I was outgrowing the environment I was in. I confided in my family, who have always been supportive in whatever I want to do and would always encourage my dreams and creative side.
Even my life partner of 17 years supported my vision, Faris would take me into other salons on my day off just to look around and see what was going on around me. It gave me different perspectives. I wanted more freedom and less limitation. One day we’re out to lunch and he see’s this salon next door. It was close to the holidays and I didn’t want to make any major career moves until I got through the new year but he said we’re just going to look. I walk in there and there had to have been 20 chairs with independent stylists doing their own thing. I loved the concept but I told him I was thinking more of a studio. Something more private, exclusive. I had worked under salon names all these years, around other stylists, I wanted a place where my clients could come in, no more long waits, phones ringing, loud noises, or other interruptions. I wanted something personal, intentional, and rooted in everything that inspired me to do hair in the first place. Something I could work on and call my own.
We started looking around. We looked at several places. There was a salon suite we stumbled across that we happened to go into and right away I connected to it. I loved the feeling we got when we walked in. The community in the suites were so supportive and welcoming. The location was perfect. I knew this was it. A corner space with huge windows. Close to home, close to where I was. I gave the salon I was at time to transition and we used every spare second to start working on all the details for opening day. With in the first few days I was picking out paint color, building my website, doing everything I needed to make things official, including picking out the name. I wrote out every word that came to mind but it wasn’t until I was in the car driving when the word “Dandy” came to me. It reminded me of those clients who care about the details—the ones who take pride in being well-groomed, sharp, and put together. It’s classic, stylish, and confident. Then came “Bloom,” which brought softness and balance. It symbolizes growth, transformation, and beauty from within—like my clientele and something I’ve experienced deeply on this journey, especially after the loss of my dad. Together, Dandy & Bloom is a reflection of both the masculine and feminine energy I’ve always worked with. It’s a space where clients can feel relaxed, seen, and proud of how they look when they walk out the door.
Opening Dandy & Bloom has been the most fulfilling chapter of my career to date. It is the culmination of everything I’ve learned, experienced, and dreamed of up until this point, and I’m proud to have created a space that reflects both my passion and my purpose where every one can come together.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It hasn’t always been a smooth road. One of my early challenges was simply getting to beauty school—I didn’t have transportation and lived quite a distance away. Rather than ask others for help, I walked two hours each day to attend. I was determined to succeed.
I found myself in a long-term role at a salon where I felt stable and comfortable. While that stability was valuable, I realized the growth I wanted would only happen when I step outside my comfort zone. Although it seemed like it took ten years to make it happen when the time came, it was one decisive moment.
The hardest experience I faced was the loss of my dad. He was incredibly supportive and always encouraged my ideas. He had been working on a shadow box filled with my grandfather’s hair tools and diplomas from the 1960s—something we planned to display in my future salon. Although he passed before he could finish it, I displayed it exactly as he left it. I know he would be so proud.
The salon was launched within a two-week timeframe, just before the holiday season. Due to timing and procedural delays, a critical approval was granted only an hour before the scheduled opening. To stay prepared, I limited client bookings in case we encountered any last-minute setbacks. Fortunately, everything aligned in the end, but it didn’t make me nervous.
Each of these moments challenged me in different ways, but they also pushed me to grow, take bold steps, and stay focused on what I knew I was meant to do.
As you know, we’re big fans of Dandy & Bloom. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Dandy & Bloom is a barber & beauty studio located in Uptown Maitland. It is owned and Operated by your favorite stylist Jessica Benson, a dual licensed Cosmetologist and Barber with over 13 years of experience. My mission with Dandy & Bloom is to help people look and feel their best. To me its not just about hair , it’s about self care and crafting a positive self image for every individual that steps into my space. I specialize in precision cuts, blowouts, beard trims, waxing, and customized hair treatments.
What makes you happy?
Making choices that align with what I want in my life. The more I focus on those things, the more I’m clear on what matters to me and I consistently act in that direction. I start showing up differently, and that brings in the right people, opportunities, and experiences.
Contact Info:
Image Credits
Faris Xero
Erica Watson
Eliza Wood
Ava Q.
