Business, communication, health and wellness, That girl in the red coat, Uncategorized, Women, writing

Keeping it real?

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I am fortunate to know many extraordinary women. Single and thriving. Married with children. Single Mom’s. Working Mom’s and stay at home Mom’s…who are working by the way. Some are entrepreneurs, some are beginning a new business venture, some are on the cusp of deciding a side hustle. The one thing they all seem to have in common? They all feel like they could or should be doing more. That they are failing in some way because they see how much others have achieved and they have not. I myself have been, and from to time, still am, guilty of the same thoughts.

A few months ago, while talking with a friend who, in my opinion, is rocking it, was quite down on herself. She couldn’t understand why she wasn’t where she thought she should be. You see, she has a mentor, has been being coached, is following a plan, things just haven’t come to fruition. I reminded her that she has her own business, in her name. That she is a wonderful Mother to adult children who still want to see her and value her opinion. She survived and thrived after a divorce that came out of left field. She still felt like she was failing in some way, because so many others that had taken the steps she had, mentor and coaching, were in a better place financially. Going on trips, renovating houses, etc… . Then I posed and important question. “Are these other women a single income household or do they have other financial means like a spouse, an inheritance or spousal support?” Safe to say the lightbulb turned on.

To be clear, I am not bashing anyone here, so lets take a breath. Another. If you have financial help, good for you! If your partner makes $150000.00 a year, fabulous! What I am saying is this, if you’re coaching/mentoring people to “keep it real”, so should you. I do not begrudge anyone any of their success. Hell, when I see someone succeed, I find myself thinking “Maybe I can too.”. What I do have a problem with is those who are not crystal clear on how they achieved said success. I have personally listened to “mentors” who I knew were married to a high earner, talk about how they became financially independent with hard work and perseverance, without adding that their spouse covered all bills and living expenses for a year. In the spirit of keeping it real, of course your business thrived, you were able to completely focus on it, knowing that there was other financial means to keep your house and food on the table. If you rode the coattails of someone to achieve your success, don’t you think the person wearing the coat should at least be mentioned?

I can hear the opinions and thoughts about what I just said. Again, I am not bashing or begrudging anyone here. I’m just a girl, sitting at her laptop, hoping to turn on some more lightbulbs. Hoping to give perspective to a woman who feels like she’s failing that she is not, or to help a mentor/coach to take a step back and take a hard look at their methods.

Mentor’s, coaches and consultants are needed. I was a Salon retail consultant. One thing to always remember, they are also selling their idea’s, which is great. We all need to self promote, be it for financial means or just to build up our self esteem in front of the mirror preparing for a difficult conversation with your boss, spouse, parent, whomever. ( I do recommend The High 5 Habit created by Mel Robbins… it feels corny at first, but it really does help hype you up.). Here’s the deal, be aware of what you are selling. If your desire is to help women be independent, financial and otherwise, you gotta be crystal clear. If you want them to “keep it real”, you gotta keep it real too. As women, we been misled, out right lied to most of our lives. We’ve been told we’re too much or too little. Too loud or too soft spoken. Not given all the facts because of the bullshit line “need to know basis”. We need to know all the facts and deserve all the facts, so we can make an educated decision and have a firm foundation to set out goals upon.

You are not behind because another is ahead. That’s just a corporate bullshit ideology. Give yourself some grace and remember you are exactly where you are supposed to be. I do not have any science or math to back up this statement, I just know from my experiences, more often than not, we are exactly where we are supposed to be. When it’s time to be somewhere else, the paths will reveal themselves. It’s up to us if we take them or not. Wouldn’t it be reassuring to know if you stumble on the path, to take it easy on yourself because you didn’t have someone there to catch you, you caught yourself.

Business, communication, health and wellness, lifestyle, That girl in the red coat

Tales of Truth – The Covid-19 Diaries

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Here we are, day whatever of Covid-19. Some of us are still on lockdown, some are self isolating, some are in Phase 3 of reopening, some are back in Phase 2. Many are sick, and sadly many have left this earthy realm far too early. Parents are scrambling for daycare and with every sneeze their child has, worrying if their child will be allowed to go to school that day, all with the ever constant worry if they will have a job tomorrow. Teachers are trying to educate and discipline via Zoom. The list of change is endless. The one thing that hasn’t changed is retail. Yes, I realize the nature of retail has changed, the one constant is the behavior of the customer. Many are great, but as always, there are always those precious few that explain why there are warning labels on detergent. Here’s a glimpse of what retail life has been like over the course of the last few months, pre and post mandatory masks.

  • Social distancing is a concept many cannot grasp. Keeping 6 feet away from each other seems too hard to comprehend. I mean, I understand that all our lives women have been “told” what 6 inches is, but come on.
  • I have been called a bitch because I asked a customer, who was not wearing a mask, to back up so I could get her shoe for her.
  • My coworkers and I have been purposely coughed on while being told “Well, you got a mask”.
  • I’ve been told I’m a hoax believing lemming because I was disinfecting surfaces that countless numbers of people touch.
  • I had a customer tell me “I’m a truck driver that goes to the U.S. all the time. I’m supposed to be quarantining right now, but they can’t make me! I got a life to live!”.
  • Before mandatory masks, I was laughed at, pointed at, smirked at, told to “Speak up! I can’t understand you!” or ignored by customers because I chose to wear a mask.
  • I’ve had complete strangers walk right up to me, rub my arms and say “It’s too bad no one is taking Covid seriously”. … six feet Karen. Six feet.
  • A woman kept taking her mask off to sneeze, then touch her face, then touch the product, then put her mask back on.
  • A woman clipped her toe nails to see if that would make the shoe fit better. I shit you not. Pulled out her nail clippers in the store and clipped away.
  • A woman continued to stand right beside me, even after asking her to move away. Then complained that she couldn’t sit beside a woman (who was 6 feet away) because of Covid. …sigh
  • Every day, I am asked when stock is going to arrive, and many woman do not like that I don’t know. Some even get angry, some pout, some even tell me “This and you are bullshit”. FYI – many products weren’t even made. …pssstttt, China was shut down for months too.
  • Grown men have yelled at our part time teenage girls who ask them to sanitize before entering the store. Literally losing their shit, waving their arms, yelling “masks and hand sanitizers are bullshit”.

I could go on, you have no idea for how long. There have been lovely customers too.

  • I’ve been thanked for working during the past 5 months.
  • I’ve had customers give me a cash tip for helping them.
  • I’ve helped make our elderly customers feel comfortable and safe.
  • A woman with a portable oxygen tank had her mask on. I could see she was struggling. I told her she could pull it down for a moment if she needed. She said “No. It’s the rule and I want to protect you and me.”.
  • I’ve had customers come to my defense when another customer isn’t being so nice.
  • My coworkers and I have each others back.
  • My boss and the owner have come to our defense with irrational customers. They will come and take over the sale for us.
  • My work place is doing their best to protect us.

Here’s the deal. Believe it or not (that’s your choice), Covid-19 is here, and it’s gonna be around for a while. Be prepared that you may not get the fall boot you’ve had your eye on. There are stock shortages everywhere – tried to get any Lysol wipes lately? I get it. It’s frustrating. It’s a royal pain in the ass. Wearing a mask isn’t fun – try wearing one for 9+ hours a day. I know you miss your friends and family, so do I. I too miss the days of my only morning thought on my way to work was “What should I make for dinner”. It sucks. Plain and Simple. How about trying not to make it suck more for yourself and others.

Be kind. Be patient. Think about others. Try to remember every sales person is doing the best they can, some days better than others, some days worse, no one is perfect. Try to remember, just like you, they have no control over what is happening. All we can do is control ourselves.

Business, communication, health and wellness, That girl in the red coat

Tales of Truth – The Covid-19 Diaries

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Well, I know what day it is, finally! Yours truly has just finished a 45.5 hour work week in 5 days. Going from 2 months off and life going at my own pace to meal prep, schedules and watching the clock was tough. Physically, emotionally and mentally. It’s a new world out there folks. It is not business as usual. As you know, from my last post, Ontario has reopened store front retail stores. I don’t know how it’s been for other shops, let me tell you, we were busy. My employers have been fantastic. Truly going on and above to help their staff feel safe. Social distancing measures in place. People manning the door to control the flow of people entering and exiting the store. Hand sanitizer wherever you turn. A sanitizing spray to use on every item touched or tried on. Gloves and masks available if we need them. For this I am grateful. The majority of the public at large have been behaving themselves. They listen to our instruction about not touching everything, to ask for our assistance. To be patient with us, for a sale may take longer than usual. Unfortunately, their have been the “others”. … think Fox news and you’ll get what I’m putting down. So, me being who I am and keeping it real, I thought I share some of the good, the bad and the ugly. Let us start with the ugly and end with the good.

  • we were open all of 20 minutes when a grown man asked to use the bathroom. Under Covid-19 restrictions, all public bathrooms are closed. I apologized and told him we couldn’t open the bathroom to him. He told me “I really gotta go!” to which I apologized once more. He leaned in and said “Fine. I’ll just go take a piss in your parking lot! How’d you like that?”.  …sigh
  • A man kept looking at me as I was helping a woman, so as I walked past I said hello. He smirked at me and said “nice mask” then chuckled. I stopped, looked him straight in the eye and told him my mother made it for me. He then looked down and told me it was a nice mask.
  • I was helping a couple and my coworker looked over at me wide eyed because the couple was so close to me their shoulders were touching mine. … this is after I asked for them to move back. *this is one more reason I wear my mask
  • I asked a woman to please step back. She told me she never gets sick so she couldn’t have anything and didn’t move. I asked her again to please step back and she told me she didn’t know what the big deal is since things aren’t as bad as the news says, and still didn’t move. I told her if a bylaw officer comes in she could be fined. She moved.
  • A women laughed at my coworker, and 17 year old girl, and told her the sanitizing spray we were using on our products was, and I quote “Bullshit. It doesn’t do anything.”.
  • I lost count of the people complaining the government opened things up to early… as they were standing in our store, buying things.
  • At least 10 times a day I was told “I’m sick of this shit! I have rights!” …. blah, blah, blah.

 

Now for the good;

  • A visually impaired lady was worried about me. She had to get close to me to see the shoes she was buying. Before she leaned in she asked me if I was comfortable helping her. Asked me if I needed a mask. I leaned in so she could see my mask, I thanked her for her kindness and told her I was fine helping her out.
  • An elderly gentleman came in with his hands in his pockets, told me he wasn’t being rude, he was keeping his hands in his pockets to remind himself not to touch anything and ask us to help him.
  • A little boy, maybe 4 years old scolded his mother. All I could hear from a row over was “Mommy! They said no touching! You need to listen!”.
  • Many people, especially our elderly customers were very kind. Very thankful for our help. A few told me they missed us and were happy to see we were all okay.
  • A bride and I were almost in tears together. Her wedding had been cancelled, she couldn’t get any of her deposits back and the shoes she had ordered were delayed online. She had made alternate wedding plans but still no shoes and had a limited budget. We had the exact pair and size she needed, at the price she needed too. She was so happy, she couldn’t stop smiling.

The owner and my manager have been terrific. We can text them if we are overwhelmed. We can take a break if we need it. When a customer doesn’t want to abide by the new health regulations, my boss gives them the option to do so or leave. They have our and every customers best interest at heart.

I know we’ve all been cooped up for too long. I know you just want to get out. All I’m asking is you do so in a proper, kind and courteous manner. Abide by the regulations. Wash your hands. Use the sanitizer provided. Practice social distancing and keep 6 feet apart. Stop touching everything you see. Please try to remember that the staff that is helping you is dealing with the new regulations as well. We are trying to adjust to the “new normal” too. We are anxious too. We don’t know what tomorrow will bring either. We have to wait in line at the grocery store too. We have worries about our kids going back to school or who’s going to watch our kids this summer. If our parents are going to be okay. The list is endless.

Remember, we are all in this together. It may not be in the same boat, but it is the same water.

Business, That girl in the red coat

First Impressions

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Yours truly has been in the customer service/sales biz for over 30 years. I have sold everything from luxury cars to hairspray, shoes to gourmet food items. Training, product knowledge, product testing, having the right person for the job, having a strong sales team and a firm yet fair management team are vital to any business’s success. All of the above factor into the image you want your business to convey, be it a car dealership, a shoe store or a Salon. Dress codes are put into place, policies and procedures are followed to convey knowledge and professionalism to the customers and clients. The proper lighting, shelving and product placement are mulled over until they are just right. Phone scripts are followed for consistency. The list is endless.

A few weeks ago I was contacted asking for my opinion on an Infographic. It was an Infographic on “curb appeal”. When we hear the term curb appeal we automatically think of selling houses. Graphic House Inc. , http://www.graphichouse.com gave yours truly a light bulb moment. Curb appeal has a huge impact on businesses as well. Business owners spend thousands of dollars on their image, their social media presence, their products and their store layout yet many times their outside image falls to the way side. Think of it this way, if your business looks disheveled from the outside, more often than not, the customer will assume the inside of your business is the same, if not worse and will not come in.

To give you a how to if you will, here is the link from Graphic House Inc. I was telling you about;

https://www.graphichouseinc.com/blog/how-to-improve-your-businesss-curb-appeal/

I have personally washed windows in 4 inch heels while managing a Salon. I have swept more front stoops than I care to remember. I have picked up trash that was not mine because it was in front of the shop. I have spoken with landlords about painting parking spaces for wheelchair accessibility. I have watered plants and planted greenery to make shops more welcoming. It takes a few moments of everyday to keep it clean and appealing. A fresh coat of paint may cost you a few hundred dollars. Trust me, invest a little and your sales will follow. A little bit of effort goes a long way. The more appealing your business looks from the outside, curiosity will spark and more people will want to see what’s going on inside.

 

Business, communication, lifestyle, That girl in the red coat

… oh the things I hear

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As you know, I have been in the retail/customer service biz for over 30 years now. Yep. 30 years. From running the first central dispatch for Pizza Hut Canada back in the 90’s, to selling everything from hairspray, shoes and luxury vehicles. Over the decades, there has always been one commonality. The strange, the rude and the down right odd things people say to salespeople. In sharing these zingers, my hope is to bring a smile to your face and if you happen to know anyone who behaves/speaks like this, maybe together we can help them. …and yes, I am sorry to say, the following have been said to me. I constantly have to remind myself “do not show it on your face”. I can’t make this shit up.

  • “Will this boot shrink?” – a woman asked me if the Hunter rubber boot she was trying on would shrink in size. I asked her if she meant would it stretch. Nope. Her concern was it would shrink.

 

  • “This sandal is too big…look how much my foot moves!” …she was trying on a flip flop.

 

  • “How am I supposed to hold the hairspray?” …the can stated it was “hard to hold”. …psst…that means the hold factor of the spray itself.

 

  • “If I never use the back seat why do I have to get a 4 door car?”. I let the gentleman know we offered a 2 door sedan. “Oh, 2 doors won’t do.”. …sigh

 

  • A couple did not think it was fair that they couldn’t get approved for a car loan. We explained that they hadn’t paid their phone/cable bill in 9 months to which they said “well, they changed our plan and we didn’t like it so we won’t pay until we get what we want!”. …FYI – that’s not how that works. If you don’t pay your bills, your credit rating plunges and lenders aren’t a fan of bad credit.

 

  • “I need a shoe that fits my Orthotics.” I asked her if she had them with her. “Oh no, I never wear them.”.

 

  • “These are men’s shoes! There is an “M” on the box!” …we were in the ladies section. FYI – an “M” = medium width. A “W” = wide width.

 

  • “Can you tell me where my toe is?” … a woman trying on a 4 inch pointed toe stiletto heel.

 

  • “Is there enough room in this shoe for growing room?” … a question posed to yours truly from a woman in her 40’s. I let her know that her feet have probably stopped growing to which she said “Yeah, but what if I gain weight?”.

 

  • “Are these slippers slippery?”

 

  • A woman came in looking for winter boots. She picked up a pair and asked if they were winter boots. I let her know that although there was fur inside the boot it was a fashion boot. It had no thermal grading and was not waterproof or water resistant. I was told I didn’t know what I was talking about because “anything with fur is for winter.”.

I could go on, but I would get carpel tunnel, so I shall save more for later. Enjoy the giggles Beauties.

Beauty, Business, Hair Care, That girl in the red coat

VIP Treatment 2018

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Usually once Monday rolls around, it is met with sighs or groans, cozy in our beds not wanting to face another Monday. Thanks to the Beauties at Venus Beauty Supplies this Girl in the Red Coat jumped out of bed before her alarm. This past Monday, October 15th., I knew there was a ticket waiting at the door at the Sheraton On The Falls that would allow me to experience another fantastic VIP event put together by none other than Venus Beauty Supplies.

       

 

 

This hair show is not your run of the mill hair show. It is filled with education, one on one consultations, brand ambassadors, complimentary products and more. It is a 2 day event, with the option to attend the gala on the Sunday evening and the show on Monday, or to attend the show on the Monday to accommodate any schedule. Venus takes it upon themselves to book hotels rooms at a special price ahead of time for those who decide to make it a weekend in Niagara Falls. Everything is taken care of, event info., accommodations and directions, all you need to do is show up. Quite a lovely aspect, and certainly not the norm. Upon arrival, you are given a “passport”. This enables you to visit all the brand booths, find out about their products, get your passport stamped and on your way out, with your passport fully stamped you receive a FABULOUS swag bag valued over $150.00 with goodies from all the brands you just visited.

The brands in attendance this year were;

  • AG Hair
  • Alterna HairCare
  • Schwarzkopf Professional
  • FRAMAR
  • Elchim
  • UNITE
  • Revlon Professional
  • REUZEL
  • Moroccanoil
  • Y.S./PARK
  • WAHL
  • Peter Coppola
  • KASHO
  • COLOR WOW
  • Uans
  • DannyCo

…and let me tell you, I was quite impressed. Any question I had was answered on the spot. It was so refreshing to meet people that knew their stuff, that had an understanding of their product and were able to explain any question or misinterpretation of their products.

Did you know? Unite’s Doggy’Poo pet shampoo gives all their proceeds to local charities, for people and pets alike.

Y.S./PARK Combs are stain resistant AND heat resistant! Every comb is created with little holes along the ridge – these are meant as measuring tools for the stylist and for the client. You are able to show your client exactly how much hair will be trimmed or cut. PSSST…their parting comb is amazing!

Peter Coppola has revamped their line and their packaging. A clean, crisp scent accompanied by clean, crisp packaging. This line is a beauty, their products for smoothing are outstanding!

You all know that yours truly is a fan of The Wet Brush. The beauties at FRAMAR have created their own detangling brush. The colors are bright and cheery, the brush is very light to hold, the handle is a little slimmer and longer and the head of the brush is a little wider which means more bristles to detangle. It works.

RUEZEL offered all day cutting techniques and product how to’s. This brand is a MUST for any barber, or Salon that offers barbering. Created for the gents, from packaging to scent.

The Beauties at Revlon Professional offered an interactive booth that allowed you to swipe a screen to educate yourself on all or any of the products they offer – which product was best for your hair type or hair woe. The Beauties at the booth offered their own swag bag and I was fortunate to be given one. Filled with samples of styling products, treatments and color. DID YOU KNOW? – Revlon Professional owns and creates their own color. They are not under the umbrella of any other beauty company, one of the reasons their color stands out and stands on it’s own two feet.

Venus Beauty Supplies has their VIP event every year, in different cities throughout the year. This is an event that you want added to your calendar. Visit Venus Beauty Supplies on their website for details on all their upcoming events and promotions and for a list of their sales team to find out who is in your city.

http://www.venusbeauty.com

I have been a client of Venus Beauty Supplies, and have worked with their reps for over 12 years, and when you are a client of theirs, you receive the VIP treatment everyday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beauty, Business, That girl in the red coat

Get on the floor

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I know many small business owners. I know owners of corporations. Each time I speak to any of them, they all say the same thing “Business is slow. Profits are down. I don’t know why.”. I can tell you why. No one is on the floor selling the product. Plain and simple. I am well aware that the state of the economy, inflation, the weather, you name it can be seen as a cause for lack of revenue and profits to be down. In my experience all the mentioned factors go hand in hand with lack of selling. In the age of online shopping being the real only competitor, you need your people on the floor – it’s the one thing Amazon can’t deliver – a salesperson.

Last week, my hubby and I went out for dinner and decided to stop by a local dealership to see if my nephew was working that evening, just to say hello. As we waited for him, we started looking around. There were 4 people in my line of sight, they caught my eye, not one said “Hello”. Sure, maybe they knew I was waiting for someone, maybe they didn’t. I might have been waiting on a salesperson, I may have been there with the intent to buy, without speaking to me, they would never know. After we left, our curiosity was perked, my hubby was curious to see what other new cars and technologies were out there, I was curious to see what the customer service was like, so off we went. The first dealership felt like a ghost town, I was sure I saw a tumble weed blow by. We walked the lot, not a soul in sight. I could see salespeople looking out the window at us… but no one came out to greet us, shake our hand, even say “Hey!”. Off to another dealership. Sad to say, the exact same thing happened, only this time the salesperson looking out at us from inside the dealership was methodically drinking his coffee, looking like he forgot to do something. Psstt…that thing you forgot to do was your job. I know this sounds like a rant, it is not. I sold cars. When a customer is on the lot, you go out and introduce yourself. Every person coming onto your lot has the potential to spend up to $75000.00, they deserve, at the very least, some acknowledgment.

I used a car dealership as an example simply because it is one circumstance we all have in common, we have all had to buy a car, or helped someone to buy a car. There is no difference between purchasing a car or purchasing a can of hairspray. A person is about to part with their money and they want to be sure it is worth parting with. It may be that the customer needs help, has a question about the product they are looking at or they cannot reach the shelf the desired product is on and they need someone to get it down for them. Maybe you just renovated your shop and they no longer know where their favorite product is, or if you accept debit. People do not want to look stupid and most are worried that their inquiries or questions will seem dumb, so they will not start the conversation. A salesperson on the floor = more sales, plain and simple. Without salespeople on the floor to start said conversation, the majority of customers will leave and go somewhere else.

When most picture a sales person, they picture Herb Tarlek from WKRP in Cincinnati. It’s time to picture something else. A good salesperson does not need gimmicks. A well trained salesperson has product knowledge and fact to back up their claim of the product at hand. They are educated on the ins and outs of their products, they know to ask what the customer’s needs are, what their end game looks like, so they are able to give their customer the proper product, be it a flat iron or a home computer.

For those who don’t think a good salesperson or sales force on the floor makes a difference, I have proof it makes a difference. Personal proof. At least once a week, I am stopped at the grocery store, the library, hell even a public bathroom by a customer I helped in the past. “It’s you! You helped me buy those shoes! I went back to the shop you worked at but no one waited on me. What do you know about Merrells?”. …I sold them a pair of shoes 10 years ago. “Oh hello! Who should I talk to about buying a car? You were so helpful when you helped us buy our car.”. …I sold them a car 12 years ago. “Sara! I finally ran into you! Where do I find that Joico Revitaluxe you sold me? Every Salon I go to doesn’t know what I am talking about.”. …the Salon/retail shop I managed closed 6 years ago. Case and point, a poised, educated salesperson equals sales. If I am able to increased sales and profits for businesses that I don’t even work for, imagine how many more sales and customers they could have by simply making their salespeople get and stay on the floor.

No matter your industry, from owning a Hair Salon to a Dealership and everything in between, you need your people on the floor. Plain and simple.

Beauty, Business, Hair Care, That girl in the red coat

A Moroccan Monday Motivator

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Here we are again Beauties. It’s Monday. All over the globe, coffee is brewing, children are whining, the dog is chasing the cat, spouses can’t find their keys, all the while we are trying to make sure we have a good hair day. I may not be able to produce a treasure map to find the lost keys or soothe a child’s Monday woes, I can introduce you to a FAB! new trio that keeps your hair color vibrant and your hair feeling soft and silky and smelling wonderful. Meet the latest addition to the Moroccanoil family – The Color Complete Collection

This little trio packs a big punch! Yours truly was fortunate to get her hands on this trial size pack. (#bloggerperks). Earlier this year, Moroccanoil introduced their own approach to color care that addresses all sources of color degradation = a line that helps to protect and retain hair color. The secret is the technology. Moroccanoil Color Complete Collection has two proprietary technologies that enhance hair health and color vitality. ARGAN10 – this technology uses the power of ionic attraction to deliver argan oil deep into the hairs cortex and lock in pigments for maximum color retention. COLORLINK – a blend of three main color actives that target hairs damage on both chemical and mechanical levels.

 

It is suggested for optimum results, to have a full Professional Chromatech Service preformed at the Salon – see http://www.moroccanoil.com for more information on this service. Although I did not receive the full Chromatech experience, I was quite please with my results. I used this trio for a full week, and I did see a difference in the color retention and vibrancy of my hair color – those who know my tales know of my signature magenta panels. My blonde did not get brassy and my magenta stayed bright. Here’s the lowdown;

Color Complete Shampoo – a gentle, sulfate free shampoo that repairs hair, chemically and physically so hair is able to retain color. A protective shield is formed that minimizes color wash out.

 

Color Complete Conditioner – formulated to restore hair health with each use. Features a nourishing, sulfate free formula that helps rebuild the keratin structure and lock in color.

 

Color Complete Protect & Prevent Spray – this little gem shields the hair from environmental factors including UV rays, pollution and thermal damage. It helps to reduce brassiness and fading at the source. A weightless leave in spray that contains Argan10 – technology that repairs and seals the hair cuticle.

Moroccanoil Color Complete Collection is created for all hair types. Strong enough to tame the thickest of manes, yet gentle enough for the finest of strands. I have fine hair and these products did not weigh down my hair.

So there you have it Beauties, another little tidbit from yours truly to help you get motivated to have a great hair day this Monday and everyday. No thanks needed, it’s my pleasure.

Beauty, Business, communication, Hair Care, Women

Shelf Talk

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“Retail doesn’t work.”. “People aren’t buying our products.”. “Everyone sells product, so why should we?”. “Our product just sits on the shelves.”. These common phrases are a sampling of what I have heard over the past 25 years and I am here today to tell you that although this mentality is the norm, it is far from the truth. I have been in sales and customer service for over 25 years and the truth is, nothing sells itself. Nothing.

Many Salon owners have the same concern, that the Salon revenue is down, or the Salon is not generating enough revenue. Ladies and gents, adding retail and selling retail has the potential to cover all expenses, your hydro bill, your lease payment, even your payroll. It can. I know this because I have seen it first hand. In a town of 125000 people, with over 100 salons to compete with, I ran a shop that in a slow month sold over $18000.00 of retail product.

First and foremost, you must stop worrying and focusing on what other Salons are doing and focus on your business. Secondly, you have to sell the product. The packaging may look pretty on the shelf, if your clients do not know why those products will help them manage their hair and have a great hair day in between visits, those bottles are going to continue to look pretty on the shelf. Explain to your customers and clients the benefits of the products you are selling. Teach them how to use them. Taking an extra 10 minutes can save your client hours of anguish in front of their mirror at home, keep your relationship with them in good standing and open the door to new clients for you and the Salon. When people hear of good customer service, word spreads fast. …I have been out of the shop for over 2 years, I still have women messaging me via Facebook, stopping me at the grocery store, at the bank, even at the local shop I was working for asking me “Are you that girl that helps everyone get the right product for their hair?”.

I can hear it now “…I don’t want to seem pushy.”. Giving your client the proper product to protect their hair and enable them to feel good about their hair and their reflection is not being pushy. Protecting their hair and your hard work is not being pushy. You are helping your client protect their investment in themselves, and in turn, protecting your reputation as a stylist. Remember this, your clients are your advertising. They leave the Salon feeling like they could walk the runway, without the proper products at home, within a few days they are feeling like they should runaway. Trust me, if a bad hair day is happening, sooner or later, the stylist is blamed. Selling your clients products to use at home ensures they love their hair and your relationship with them and your reputation remains intact.

Another common phrase “…they just spent $150.00 on their service. They can’t afford to spend more.”. First, don’t do that. You do not know what someone can or can’t afford, assuming anything of anyone is rude, plain and simple. …remember the scene in Pretty Woman?…you don’t want to be like those shop girls. It is up to your client to decide what they can or cannot afford. It is up to you to explain the value. If your client does not understand the value of the product and the importance of the product, they are not able to make an informed decision. Something to remember, you just spent 2-4 hours of your day working on their $150.00 service, selling them the proper products to use at home protects their investment and your hard work.

 

Sign on the shelves look great, unfortunately they are not always read. Shelf talkers beside the products are fun to look at, they do not speak. More often than not, people want help, they are afraid to ask because of a fear of looking or sounding stupid. There are so many products out there, and to the untrained eye, all the bottles look the same. It’s up to us to take a moment or two and ask the simple question “What can I help you with today?”.

Beauty, Business, health and wellness, That girl in the red coat, Women

…don’t ask…don’t get

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As of late, many of those that I hold dear are feeling inadequate, feeling like they are missing out on something, wondering “is this all there is?”. Between loss of their job, their business closing, their marriage ripping at the seams, their kids struggling to find answers to questions they don’t even know how to ask, you name it, the struggle is real.

For those of you who follow my tales, you are all familiar with my past and present struggles. For those of you checking yours truly out for the first time, let me shine some light for y’all. I have been the girl who felt like she didn’t fit in. I have been the new wife wondering what my role was to be. I have been (and still am) the Mom wondering if I am screwing up my kid. I have been the woman who couldn’t look at her own reflection. I have been the woman who hated her hair and her body. I have been the woman who lost her job because of a store closure. I have been the wife of a husband with health issues. I have been the daughter of parents with health issues. I have been the sister of a wonderful gal who’s life was turned upside down. I have been the woman who found herself thinking on more than one occasion “now what the hell am I gonna do?”. I am here to tell you that no matter how dark the day may seem or how overwhelming life can get, sooner or later, the light begins to shine and you will once again feel in control. You will. Seriously, you will. You want to know how? Ask. Plain and simple. Ask for help. Ask for advice. Ask your business contacts if they know of any opportunities. Ask for a glass of Chardonnay if you need, just ask.

I know. I know. You’ve heard this before. Tony Robbins makes you walk on hot coals. The Secret tells you to put it “out there.”. Vision boards are all the craze. Everywhere you turn someone is telling you or pushing a Pinterest post in your face or sending a kitten meme telling you “when you reach the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on!”. I for one believe that the mind and your perspective have a HUGE impact on your life’s outcome – here’s the little nugget that seems to get lost in translation – you gotta ask and you gotta do the work. You gotta. Walking on hot coals may remove something from your bucket list, if you don’t follow through with the tools bestowed on you, you will just have sore feet. Putting your desires “out there” is a fantastic idea, if you don’t put your plan into action, the universe will deliver to the wrong address. Creating a vision board is fantastic, I have one of my own. If you just look at it all day without speaking to anyone or leaving the couch, it’s just going to be something you made and look at.

We cannot control everything. We may not be able to reverse a health issue for a loved one or stop a toddler from throwing a fit in the parking lot. One thing I know for certain is, although we cannot control our job status/career, we can damn well have a say in it. The point of today’s tale is to give you the proof you need that if you don’t ask, you don’t get. In the big scheme of things, my accomplishments may seem tiny, to me, they are huge. I have been blogging over 6 year now. The last year I did not write as much as I wanted to. I thought my blog should change – I was listening to fear…big mistake…huge. (Pretty Woman reference…love the movie). After the shop closed, instead of asking myself what I should do, I let people tell me what I should do. Not their fault, that’s on me. Long story short, shit happened and the universe, the powers that be, the smurfs…whatever you want to call it gave me a wake up call. Gave me the opportunity to realize that my blog is fine just how it is. That it grew and opportunities flooded in when I was doing what was true to me. It gave me the back up to ask. To take take chances. I asked and took a chance and ended up on http://www.salonmagazine.ca 7 times. I had my tales followed and retweeted by Hollywood and Grammy Award winning stars. I had companies agree to have me write for them, review their products. I made new business contacts that have now become friends. I have been referred by said contacts to give Salons retail consultations to help them build their business.

Over the past few weeks, yours truly has been an asking fool. I didn’t get all I asked for, but I did get a few things. I have an opportunity coming my way – not telling yet! You are going to have to stay tuned, all because I asked a question. I didn’t just put it out there, I put myself out there. I did the work, I followed up, and low and behold, it worked out in my favor.

Here’s the deal. Ask. The answers are there. The answer may not be the one you wanted, in my experience, it’s the one you needed. Don’t ask…Don’t get. Plain and Simple.