Meet Brent Johnson-Gage | Salon Owner & stylist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Brent Johnson-Gage and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Brent, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I wanted to be in the driver’s seat when it came to my vision of what a modern luxury salon should be. My cousin and business partner, Annah Aman, and I
were able to collaborate on the brand and environment we wanted to
create.  While we knew we’d be catering to the expectations of a higher-income
clientele, we wanted the atmosphere to be easy and inviting. Especially for new
clients, a day at the salon can be a nerve-wracking experience, and many luxury
salons create (intentionally or unintentionally) spaces and interactions that make
people feel inadequate or self-conscious. I wanted ours to be different; a salon
that encourages client feedback, makes them feel pampered, and empowers
them to take charge of their style with our guidance.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I wanted to be in the driver’s seat when it came to my vision of what a modern luxury salon should be. My cousin and business partner, Annah Aman, and I were able to collaborate on the brand and environment we wanted to create. While we knew we’d be catering to the expectations of a higher-income clientele, we wanted the atmosphere to be easy and inviting. Especially for new clients, a day at the salon can be a nerve-wracking experience, and many luxury salons create (intentionally or unintentionally) spaces and interactions that make people feel inadequate or self-conscious. I wanted ours to be different; a salon that encourages client feedback, makes them feel pampered, and empowers them to take charge of their style with our guidance. Staying on top of the latest trends and a willingness to listen are cornerstones of my business. The former means things don’t get stale with your style. Getting too comfortable with the same final products can lead to a slow decline in new client referrals, especially in this day and age of fast-paced social media. The latter, in my experience, can lead to a much faster depletion of your existing client base. I can’t count the number of times I’ve heard from a client that his or her former stylist wouldn’t pay any mind to what the client wanted. In some ways, that might be a reflection of the stylist becoming too comfortable with a certain style or technique, or it may mean that they simply think they know better. In any event, it makes the client feel not in control, and by that point it’s only a matter of time before they move on to someone who is willing to listen to what they want. There is room to both impose your style while accommodating a client’s wishes, and that’s been a big part of my success.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’m a foodie, so I’d have to take them on a tour of Buford Highway. It’s not much to look at, but it’s a melting pot of countries, cultures, and their respective cuisines. Want some pho or banh mi? There’s a hundred Vietnamese options (including some killer bakeries). You can’t beat the street tacos from Taco Veloz. And an hour browsing one of the many Asian markets is like stepping into a fabulous new country every time. For entertainment, you have to catch a show at the Fox Theater in Midtown. The auditorium is stunning, and some of the best musicals and comedy acts come through the theater every month. Bonus: you can hit the bars at 10th and Piedmont for a nightcap and an energy hit after!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My mentor, Bernard Dugaud of Bernard Dugaud Atelier de Beauté in Buckhead, deserves an enormous amount of credit when it comes to the level of detail and special techniques I employ to the benefit of my clients. Bernard hails from Paris, where he honed his skills before bringing them to Atlanta decades ago. When I apprenticed under Bernard and later while working as a stylist there, he was always so kind to me and eager to explain his approach to a cut, and in many ways his story of going out on his own inspired me to do the same with the knowledge I gained under his tutelage. I’m forever grateful to Bernard for his support and teachings.

Website: https://www.madeartssalon.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/made.brent

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/madeartssalon

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/made-arts-salon-atlanta