In my ten years as a hairstylist, I’ve heard it ALL from my fellow hairdressers! Back in the day, I may have even fallen victim to some of the mindsets we’re about to discuss! As a salon owner and a leader of multiple companies all revolving around uplifting stylists, I can now see how certain mindsets hold you back.
THEY’VE BEEN MY CLIENT FOREVER SO I DON’T HAVE TO GIVE THEM AN EXCEPTIONAL EXPERIENCE.
This is the exact OPPOSITE of how you should be thinking about your most loyal clients! Speaking from personal experience, it is very noticeable when you get lazy and don’t invest the usual time and care into a client. And here’s the thing: there are a lot of great stylists out there, so they WILL leave you! Put in the effort and treat your oldest clients with the care they have earned from you!
Put yourself in their shoes. What if you had been going to the same doctor for years and years. Lately when you go in, they don’t greet you so enthusiastically, they don’t ask you’re doing, and they don’t even apologize if they’re running behind. Now imagine you see a brand new patient come in and they offer them a drink, greet them by name, and make sure they get into their appointment on time. If I saw that go down, I’d probably find another doctor!
IF I SLEEP IN AN EXTRA 30 MINUTES, I CAN STILL GET READY FOR WORK REALLY FAST — I JUST WON’T DO MY MAKEUP!
As professionals who give out beauty advice for a living, we should be looking our very best ALWAYS! Coming into the salon looking sloppy and rushed is not a good look, and neither is being late! My advice? Go to bed 30 minutes earlier and wake up with enough time to look and feel your best!
I CAN STAY OUT AS LATE AS I WANT THE NIGHT BEFORE A DAY BEHIND THE CHAIR.
That may sound fun in the moment, but it sure isn’t going to get you very far! And to be totally honest, I was a young stylist once who loved going out and may have come in a little . . . tired a time or two! But when I did that, I knew I wasn’t focused, and I certainly wasn’t doing my best work. I wasn’t giving my clients my most exceptional experience either. One poor experience could be all it takes to lose a long-time client! It’s important to stay on your A-game, always!
I CAN JUST DO MY CLIENTS AND BUY PRODUCT BUT NEVER ACTUALLY DO MY NUMBERS.
If you subscribe to this mindset, you’re REALLY missing out on how much money you COULD be making! We touch on the importance of knowing your numbers in this blog post, but it’s important enough to say again! You need to take the time to sit down and figure out how much you need to be charging to truly make a profit and reach your goals. You might be surprised how little you’re actually making per hour!
GOAL SETTING TAKES TOO MUCH TIME. I'M JUST GOING TO WORK AS MUCH AS I NEED TO PAY MY BILLS.
Again, with this mindset, you’re missing out on many, many opportunities to grow. There is SO much more to life than working to pay your bills! What about the traveling you’ve always wanted to do or the emergency fund that would take so much stress off your plate? What about making some extra money to invest in education that will help you make even MORE money?
My advice is to take the time — and it really don’t have to be a lot of time — to picture your dream life. What does it feel like? What does it look like? Where do you live? How much do you have to work? Envision what you truly want from life, then start writing down what it will take to make it happen.
I CAN GO TO WORK IN MY LOUNGE CLOTHES JUST THIS ONE DAY.
Athleisure may be trending, and it may be what your clients are wearing to their appointments, but as the professionals we are, we need to hold ourselves to higher standards! Plus, you NEVER know who will walk into your salon. Maybe your client is bringing a friend who could become another client! If you’re always putting your best foot forward, you’ll have no regrets.
I DON'T NEED TO WASTE MONEY ON CONTINUING EDUCATION. I KNOW ENOUGH TO GET BY.
This mindset is the fastest way to get left in the dust! Our industry is constantly changing. There are new trends, new styles, new methods, and new products popping up all the time! If you don't stay current, you WILL fall behind! There’s a new stylist ready and eager to perfect the newest trend! Don’t let them steal your clients! Stay on top of your game and never stop learning!
BEING PROFESSIONAL 100% OF THE TIME IS OVERRATED. MY CLIENTS LOVE ME!
This is an easy trap to fall into, especially with long time clients that feel more like friends. The thing to remember is that YOU are the professional. You also never know who else is listening. Keep it professional and positive, and you’ll never get caught in any trouble!
I CAN RELY ON MY SALON OWNER OR SOMEONE ELSE TO HELP ME REACH MY GOALS.
As a salon owner, I DO care about my stylists and their growth, but I certainly shouldn’t care about their goals more than they do! As a stylist, I always knew that I had to fight for myself and hold MYSELF accountable.
Today, I hope you take the time to really examine your mindset. If you find that you’re falling victim to three of these or more, set aside some time to really examine your headspace! Ask yourself why you’re phoning it in instead of working to maximize your potential! After all, your clients deserve the best version of you . . . and so do you! You’re worth it, Stylist!
Cheers to success,
Terra