From His Footlocker to a Salon Chair, This Marine Veteran Connects His Community

A veteran and Black business owner, Aaron Gipson works with his wife to bring a sense of community and the latest hairstyles to their neighborhood in Jacksonville, Florida.

“Anyone can do a haircut. It’s the other part -- the connection, the chemistry -- that we offer,” Gipson, co-owner of Hair Formations, said. 

Gipson enlisted in the Marine Corps after graduating from high school in 1980, and he quickly realized that regular haircuts were necessary. So he started cutting hair, first on the ship he was assigned to and later, using his footlocker as a bench, on base. Before too long, Marines were lining up for the “Gipson Special,” and an idea was born.

The foster son of a hairdresser, Gipson grew up watching neighborhood women get their hair done at the salon in the back of his mother’s house. He saw the sense of community these women had and how the salon helped maintain it.

Cutting hair for fellow Marines was one thing, but did Gipson want to do this forever? He wasn’t sure whether this was a post-military career option, but he decided it was after spotting a male stylist in a mall salon. “He was a man’s man,” Gipson said. “I thought, ‘I can do that.'”

And he did. After leaving the military, Gipson got a cosmetology degree, a business certificate and an instructor’s license. Together with his wife, LaVonia, he opened Hair Formations in Jacksonville.

Hair Formations now serves more than 300 clients and has been a part of the local community for over 25 years. The Gipsons bring a personal approach to their business, creating and maintaining strong, personal relationships and treating clients like extended family members.

Their salon is among a rising number of Black-owned businesses in America. According to the Brookings Analysis of American Business Survey, Black-owned businesses increased 14.3% from 2017 to 2021. The survey also indicated that the rate is disproportionately low compared to other racial groups.

The National Urban League says the most significant obstacles to financing a business are found in the Black community. While over 56% of white-owned companies are fully approved for business financing, only 32% of Black businesses receive full approval. And 40% of Black-owned businesses are ultimately denied loans, cash advances and lines of credit, compared to just 18% of white-owned businesses. Additionally, when a Black-owned business is approved for financing, they are more likely to have higher interest rates, have a more challenging time refinancing and face more delays in expansion plans.

Black veterans also face financial challenges when starting a business. Collectively, veterans own about 2 million U.S.-based companies, but only 11% of them are Black-owned. As reported in the 2021 National Survey of Military-Affiliated Entrepreneurs (NSMAE) from Syracuse University in New York, 31% of Black and African-American veteran entrepreneurs indicated that their disability brings additional challenges to their business. The survey also says that 63% of these business owners suggest that the capital they need is unavailable, 50% pay interest rates of 15% or higher and 42% have their largest debt on a credit card.

The Gipsons, for their part, have achieved financial security. With support from Navy Federal Credit Union, they refinanced their building, which allowed them to consolidate loans and save money. “Using common sense and business savvy, we were able to manage our finances,” Aaron said, noting that they have been able to cover their children’s college tuition costs and save for retirement. “By accomplishing so much,” Aaron said, “we are motivated and inspired to keep moving forward.” 

The Gipsons lean forward into the next generation of hairstylists by offering a mentoring program for new stylists who finished cosmetology school. They also keep up to date on the trends, techniques and innovations to continue to bring their clients the best. As Aaron says on their website, “I enjoy teaching and giving back to an industry that has been very good to me, and I’ve been blessed to be a part of.” 

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