Erin Jerome shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Erin, it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: What do you think others are secretly struggling with—but never say?
“I think a lot of us, especially moms who wear a lot of hats, secretly struggle with the balance between being present at home and chasing our dreams. I run two businesses and coach cheer at WMHS, and even though I love what I do, there’s always that quiet guilt of not being home enough. But I remind myself that showing my kids what hard work, passion, and purpose look like is also a form of love—and hopefully something that will inspire them, too.”
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m a mom of three, a wife, and someone who proudly wears a few different hats. I’m the co-owner of Wellington Office Suites, cheer coach at WMHS, and the owner of Hair by Erin, where I get to live out my lifelong passion for hairstyling. (My Barbies were definitely my first clients—poor things!) I’ve loved creating and connecting through hair since I was a little girl, and that passion has grown into something so much bigger than I imagined. I love my community deeply and take pride in showing my kids what hard work and following your dreams can look like. Every role I have—mom, coach, business owner—is a reflection of that love and drive.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What breaks the bonds between people—and what restores them?
I think dishonesty is one of the biggest things that breaks the bonds between people. But I’m also human enough to understand that we all make mistakes. What really restores trust is when someone takes accountability — when they’re honest about what happened and genuinely try to make it right. That kind of effort really rebuilds faith in a person.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
I had a rocky childhood, and by the time I was 20, I was a single mom of two little girls. We lived in income-based housing, and I was just trying to get by day to day. I remember one Christmas, I could only afford a few gifts from the dollar store, and I felt so defeated. But when my girls opened their presents, they were so excited and full of joy. In that moment, I realized that as long as I was there for them and had love to give, nothing else really mattered. Suffering taught me gratitude, perspective, and that true happiness doesn’t come from what you have — it comes from who you have.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. Is the public version of you the real you?
I’d like to say yes, but it’s still something I’m working on. Most of the time, I’m 100% myself — loud, outgoing, always trying to crack a joke. I love making people laugh, especially when there’s tension in the room or things feel heavy. But there are moments when I feel like I’m “too much,” and I pull back or put myself in a bubble. There have been times when people made me feel like who I am is weird, and I still struggle with wanting to be accepted. I’m learning that the real me doesn’t have to shrink to make others comfortable.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
I’m absolutely doing what I was born to do. I love everything about my career behind the chair. I’ve been doing hair for as long as I can remember — I used to give Barbie one heck of a makeover! Haha. What I love most is that I get the chance to make people look and feel their best, but also to share in their journeys. I get to be there through their highs and their lows, and sometimes offer support when they need it most. I truly love everything about what I do, and I feel so blessed to call this my career.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://hairbyerinj.square.site/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hairbyerin_wellingtonco?igsh=MWc4c2V1NTRwbWQ2Mg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
