My Other Life: Braden Jahr, Bank Assistant Manager

Braden Jahr is a man of many talents. A bank manager by day, Jahr is known to many of you as the co-host of Nail Talk Radio. Between his job at the bank, his nail clients, the show, and a social media consulting sideline, he jokes that he has three-and-a-half full-time jobs. Jahr, who has been a nail tech for 10 years, found his way to Michigan-based Independent Bank four years ago. “I had been working in a salon that closed its doors right around the time of the recession — times were very tough in Michigan and people were cutting back,” he explains. “I didn’t have enough business-building knowledge at the time to make it all work, so I moved back to my small town to find other work. Eventually I landed a job at the bank and moved up the ranks to become an assistant manager.”

As the assistant manager of one of the busiest branches in the state, Jahr works with a staff of six, focusing primarily on sales and customer service. “I really enjoy the customer service aspect of my job — developing those relationships,” he says. “Contrary to popular belief, I’m not particularly good with numbers. I am, however, good with computers, which thankfully do most of the heavy numerical lifting.”

Jahr is grateful that the bank allows him the flexibility to attend nail industry tradeshows and networking events. “Every single vacation day I’ve accumulated over the past four years has been spent working in the nail industry. By the time Cosmoprof Las Vegas rolls around I am usually fresh out of personal time,” he says. “I’m known for driving directly from work to the airport (which is three hours away), spending the weekend at nail events around the country, then driving directly back to work from the airport to put in a full day at the bank. My coworkers say I’m a bit like Clark Kent.”