Beauty, communication, Hair Care, health and wellness, That girl in the red coat, Uncategorized, Women, writing

Be the star you wish upon

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Over the past weeks I have met many women who have all said the same thing “Oh, I could never do that!” – from leaving their resented career to follow their dream to coloring their hair red, like they always dreamed. One woman stands out the most. She came in the shop looking at the demo display of flat irons. I went over to her and asked if she wanted to try one, to which she answered “Oh no! I am just looking. I am too stupid to work one of these things. I am looking for my daughter. I’m too old to care about such things.”. I just stood there for a moment, feeling so sad for her. I think I actually frowned. Being me, I had to say something. So I took a breath (said a silent prayer to the powers that be the flat iron would stay on the table) and asked her why she thought she was too old to care about her hair. I told her I thought she had lovely hair and if she straightened it, it would look even better. She just stared at me. I asked her if she ironed shirts at home. She did. So I told her “Honey, if you can iron a shirt, you can flat iron your hair”, to which she laughed. I asked her if I could show her how, she nodded and smiled. After I finished one side of her head, I gave her the iron to do the other side. When she was done, she stared at her reflection and said “I haven’t looked like this in a long time.”. We got to chatting and I came to find out she left University to get married and have a family. She had always wanted to have a shop of her own, but thought she had missed her time, that all she knew was how to be a mom, that it was too late.

As women, we’ve all been there. So have the Gents. We have all had the moment when we realize that 15 years have passed and not much has changed and for some reason, at that exact same moment, we think that  it is too late to do what we always wanted to do. We have been going through the motions, changing diapers, balancing cheque books, cleaning the gutters, keeping our son’s out of jail and our daughter’s off the pole (yeah, I said it) and forgotten about ourselves, from our dreams to our roots. – back to the tale at hand. I smiled at my customer and told her it was never too late to which she responded “easy for you to say, you are young”. I told her I was 41 to which she responded “So am I.”. I smiled again and handed her my card. (it’s a lovely card…my That girl in the Red Coat card. Check out my Facebook page to see it). I let her know That girl in the red coat is my blog. I let her know that I had wanted to write a blog for years but was too afraid of what people would think, too afraid it was too late. I let her know that once I let go of the fear and allowed myself to focus on myself that a whole new world opened up to me. (….now you have the  Aladdin theme in your head…sorry).  I let her know that all those slogans plastered all over Facebook and Pinterest are true – follow your passion, thoughts become things, that good things happen when you work your ass off and never give up. I let her know that I may be a girl standing in a shop, but I am also a woman who has been published on http://www.salonmagazine.com (A HUGE deal for yours truly), that I am a woman who is a contributing author to http://www.hairstyle-blog.com and http://www.visual-makeover.com and that it all happened within 18 months of deciding I was worth the risk.  I told her that she was worth the risk too.

Here’s the deal. Life is short. It is never too late. Those who say it is…well it is too late, for them. Do what you want. If you want to be a blonde, go for it! (SOMA Blonde/Silver Shampoo…’nuf said).  Always wanted that cute pixie cut? Go for it! (…KMS Molding Paste will be your new best friend). Always loved hair and wanted to be a stylist? Go back to school – there are awesome programs that accommodate all schedules and lifestyles. Wishes do come true…with hard work, they do come true. When you are wishing upon a star, make sure that star is you.

Beauty, Business, communication, Hair Care, health and wellness, That girl in the red coat, Uncategorized

The gift that keeps on giving

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Today’s tale is for my Beloved Beauties of the industry, for the Stylists, the Salon Managers and the Salon Owners. As October draws to a close, the ever present Holiday season is peaking over the horizon. Myself, I have been thinking about and planning for the Holidays since August. Before you ask, no, I do not have a Christmas sweater on, nor do I have the Jingle Cats as my ring tone. I have been thinking about and planning for the Holidays for the shop and for the Salon, hopefully you have too. I cannot stress this point enough – Retail is a vital part to any Salon, not only for the profits – for client retention. Trust me, I know of what I speak. At least once a week one of our retail customers becomes a client of our Salon, because we offer an array of products and different product lines, we offer our time to explain the product they are purchasing and we take the time to show how to apply the product…the Salon they used to go to does not.

The Holiday Season is the best time of the year to introduce some retail items to your Salon or to add to your existing retail line up. All the companies offer great Holiday packs with HUGE savings to the customer/client and to the Salon. The perks of offering retail during the Holiday Season ;

– Many holiday packs come with a free sample size of a new product – A terrific way of introducing your clientele to a new product.

– All holiday packs offer a HUGE savings, some up to 40% – another great way to introduce your clientele to a new product line. * ( offering your clientele a savings can help alleviate their worry of spending too much)

– Holiday packs are a great introduction to your clientele to show them the difference between Professional Salon products and the products they find at the local department/drug store. It helps your clientele realize the worth of spending a few extra dollars year round for great hair.

– Offering retail to your clientele helps them to achieve Salon results at home. Their hair will be more nourished and in turn more appointments will be made, because your clientele will know that you care about how they feel about their hair, and that you care about how their hair looks in between appointments.

– Holiday packs are great for those last minute gift idea’s. *Husbands/Partners LOVE them – takes away all the guess work about what to buy. (…and the product is prepacked – no worries about a box or bag).

– Flat Irons and curling irons are always on sale in November and December, in turn you can retail them at a lower price than suggested retail. Explaining to your clientele the difference between Professional styling tools and those they will find at the local department store will make the sale – honestly – telling them that they can have the same curls at home or the same sleek straight hair at home with the tools you sell – they will buy them.

– Speak with your reps. Many times they are able to give you a holiday pack free of charge that in turn you can offer as a draw to all your clientele and customers. Every December our shop offers weekly draws every week until Christmas – Always a hit!

Now, before you get all “What about after the holidays? What do I do with all the leftover packs?”. Well, first of all, if you are promoting the products with every client and customer, you shouldn’t have many left. For those few packs that are left over, an alternative is to separate the product and put each separate bottle on sale of a few dollars less then regular retail. Your clientele and customers are still receiving a savings and your Salon is still making a profit.

A Salon that offers retail will; increase the retention of existing clientele, increase their walk-in traffic and become more profitable, plain and simple. How do I know? I see it happen every day. I do it everyday. Retail, when truly embraced by all in the Salon, can cover all the expenses of the Salon – rent, utilities etc… . Again, I know of what I speak. I do it everyday.

Retail at the Holiday season (and all year ’round…had to add that ) helps the Salon and helps the clientele, it truly can be the gift that keeps on giving.

Beauty, Business, communication, Hair Care, health and wellness, That girl in the red coat, Uncategorized

Step away from the scissors and listen for a minute

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“This is not what we discussed. Look at my hair! What am I going to do? I can’t go to work looking like this!”. – you are picturing a woman right now, aren’t you? Yes, most people picture a woman uttering these phrases when she has received a bad hair cut…and that is the first problem. Women are not the only ones that suffer from bad hair days and bad hair cuts. Our lovely gents do as well. Actually, in my experience, men seem to be the victim of bad a hair cut/style more often than women. For some reason, many stylists seem to think for their male clientele. A gentleman comes in looking for a new style and ends up walking out with the same cut his father gave him sitting in the kitchen with the #1 guide…when he was 4 years old.

As you know, I manage a retail shop/salon. I have many men come into the shop for their hair products, from KMS HAIRPLAY Molding Paste to d:fi molding cream. Some of my lovely gents like to spike up their hair with Joico Ice Spiker and some like to slick it back with American Crew Firm Gel. Some gents like a bit of shine – SOMA Prism spray is a great choice -no hold, just lovely shine, and some like a matte finish – AG STUCCO is great and a big seller. What all my lovely gents have in common is they want to look good. They want to look professional and creditable in their profession – from Welder to Physician. What they don’t want is the “Charlie Brown” head, or as mentioned above, the cut they had from dear old Dad.

Many times, unfortunately, men come into the shop asking me “Do you sell clippers?” – they ask this because they feel their only option is to shave their head because they just cannot face another bad cut, or having another stylist not listen to them when they tell them what they don’t want their hair to look like. I know, believe me, I know that clients/customers do not always explain themselves very well. It is our job, as managers, owners and stylists to take the time to be sure we understand what it is our clients/customers want. When the gentleman in your chair says he wants it short – ask him how short. Place your fingers on his head as a point of reference if need be – every stylist has had a client that when they said take a few inches off, they really meant half an inch. What the client pictures as short may not be what you, as the stylist, pictures as short. You need to clarify. You need to be clear. You need to stop thinking for your client. If you are not sure of how to cut men’s hair, or you only know 3 cuts for our gents – pick up a copy of Canadian Hairdresser, or Salon magazine or hop on Google and go to http://www.behindthechair.com and check out the images and tutorials.

Think about this for a minute, I mean really think about it – what would happen if a woman sat in your chair with shoulder length hair and said she wanted something shorter and you gave her a pixie cut, because that’s what you thought she wanted and you thought that would be best…what would happen? A meltdown of Nuclear proportions, that’s what. When a woman is sitting in your chair looking for a change or something shorter, as a stylist, you may spend up to 20 minutes on a consultation, to be sure you know exactly what it is she wants, how she styles her hair at home, what products she likes to use on her hair and what she has done with her hair in the past. I believe our Gents are worth the time as well. Men are a key component to a successful Salon and retail business – they deserve our attention.

In my 20 years of customer service and in my 10 plus years in our beloved biz of Beauty, I know one thing with absolute certainty. Women may give you a second chance. Men will not, and honestly, when they aren’t being listened to…who can blame them?

Beauty, communication, Hair Care, health and wellness, That girl in the red coat, Uncategorized, Women

More options than the “comb over”

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Today’s tale is about hair loss. Women and hair loss. Yes, it’s true. Ladies suffer from the effects of hair loss just as much as the gents – we just don’t talk about it. It isn’t the kind of thing people like to talk about at parties. Today I am gonna get this conversation going  to shed some light on the reasons for hair loss and how we can control and even stop hair loss in it’s tracks and even help the weakened hair that you currently have become stronger. Now lets get this party started.

Before I begin, take a breath and remember, it’s gonna be alright. Don’t be frightened. Remember, knowledge is power. There are five known factors of hair loss;

Genetics – A family history of hair loss. Testosterone turns into DHT (Dihydrotestosterone) – a natural occuring age related hormone. Too much testosterone = the body turns it into DHT. Before you go and yell at your Dad – too much testosterone can come from Mommy too.

Nutrition and Diet – a diet that is higher in animal fats, rapid weight loss and liquid protein diets can result in a lack of amino acids such as biotin, zinc and iron – all of which are an essential component for healthy hair.

Stress/Trauma – stress and trauma can increase the production of testosterone which in turn can increase the production of DHT – this interrupts  the growth cycle of the hair.

Medication – certain medications can and will affect the growth cycle of hair. Many hormone therapies (even the Birth Control Pill), steroids, some forms of chemotherapy, heart medications and thyroid hormone replacement can be the culprits of more tresses being found in your hair brush. Always speak with your Doctor when you find any change in your skin, hair or overall well being. Sometimes altering the dosage can help stop or slow down hair loss.

Over all Health – changes in lifestyle, such as weight loss, illness, and pregnancy can affect your cycle of hair growth.

Now, before you go and Google the nearest wig shop, or run into your bathroom and count the hairs in your hair brush, take a breath. I have given you some of the reasons why you may be losing your hair or why your hair is thinning. Now I am going to give you a solution. I am giving you a tried and true answer – a product that can stop hair loss in it’s tracks and help your hair become more nourished and stronger, in turn, help it grow. The product is NIOXIN.

NIOXIN is a hair care line formulated for men and women who are suffering from thinning hair and hair loss. The key to NIOXIN is it is a 3 product system – using all 3 products is key and to achieve the best results. The Cleanser(shampoo), Scalp Therapy(conditioner) and The Scalp & Hair Treatment (a leave in). *The Scalp & Hair Treatment is key – it cleanses the scalp and follicle. NIOXIN offers systems for those of us that do not chemically treat their hair – System 1 (normal to thin looking) & System 2 (noticeably thinning), for those of us that chemically treat our hair (perm/color/chemically straighten) you would choose System 3 (normal to thin looking) & System 4 (noticeably thinning). *If your hair is more medium to coarse, System’s 5 & 6 are the systems formulated for your hair.

NIOXIN offers a beautiful array of conditioning treatments and styling products, from deep conditioners to mousse to hairspray. Many of the styling products are alcohol free. If volume is what you are looking for, let me introduce you to your new best friend… NIOXIN DIAMAX. This serum increases the thickness of each existing hair strand and makes the hair look and feel 3 times fuller. Dispense a pea size amount ( I kid you not – a little goes a long way!) It can be applied before blow drying or on dry hair to add the extra bit of height.

Check out their website http://www.nioxin.com for more information, great styling tips (that don’t include the comb over) and beautiful support.

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

Make the call

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Today’s tale is for the Stylist’s and Salon owners. Today’s tale is about the ever present “no show” and how it disrupts the day, if not the week at the Salon. Now, before I get a “PREACH IT SISTA!” from all the stylists out there, you may want to hold back your enthusiasm a wee bit, for today’s tale is about the responsibility of the no show – the Stylist’s responsibility.

No one likes being stood up. No one likes standing around, waiting and wondering if their client is going to show up, wondering if their client is just running late, kicking themselves for not taking the walk in that just arrived because they weren’t sure if their client was coming or not. From time to time a stylist will have a “no show” – a client that doesn’t come in for their scheduled appointment. No call. No text. No show. Not only is this a disregard for the Stylist’s time, it also is taking income out of their pocket and potentially interfering with the rest of their scheduled appointments. This is one Salon problem that has the easiest of solutions. Call your client’s the night before their appointment to confirm the appointment. It really is that simple. The Dentist does it. The Doctor does it. You can do it too.

Think about it. It’s a win/win situation. You have helped your client remember his/her appointment and saved them the ever dreaded embarrassed phone call two days later, and you now know what your following day looks like and you can plan accordingly. I know you can’t control everyone and what they do, trust me, I know. Sure, there is the chance you call and confirm the appointment and the next day you have a no show. The upside to this is that now you know that this client is not reliable and next time they want to book with you, (if you choose to let them) you know not to schedule their appointment at a peak time.

On many occasions, be it at classes, hair shows or discussions with Stylists and Reps., I have heard the same phrases, over and over;

– “I don’t have time to call my clients”.

– “I’m too busy to call my clients”

– “I don’t want to bother my clients at home.”.

– “I hate those kind of calls, so I won’t do them.”.

Guess what? Since you didn’t confirm your appointments for this week, there is a good chance that you will have time to call your clients, because without proper confirmation, the chance of a no show increases. As Stylists, you know how much your time is worth, you charge for it everyday. If you are able to ask $150.00 for a cut and color without blinking, you are able to call your client to confirm their appointment. The client is worth it, and so are you. As for the “hate those calls” – you may not like them, but many people appreciate them. No woman alive wants to forget her root touch up appointment.

I have been in the Beauty Biz for many years. I know first hand how busy Salon’s and Stylist’s can be, some days there isn’t time for a sandwich, let alone a bathroom break. I also know that we do have down time, to place orders, to eat, to have that much needed bathroom break and to make a phone call or two. Honestly, if you have time to search new up do ideas on Pinterest, you have time to confirm an appointment or two. Being me, I made up a little list, for those of you who do not know where to begin;

– Make confirming appointments part of the receptionist’s job description.

– when you are re-booking your clients, let them know to expect a courtesy call, a reminder the day before their appointment. * think about it, our clients book 4 -6 weeks ahead. Life gets in the way and people tend to forget things. More often than not, your client will be grateful for your consideration.

– If your Salon doesn’t have a receptionist, have each stylist call their own clients at the end of the day. Make it part of the nightly routine – sweep floors, clean station, confirm tomorrow’s appointments. – it really is that easy.

– Sit down as  a team and decide upon a no show rule. Many Stylists and Salons now charge a fee for a no show. *IMPORTANT* – you can only charge a fee for a no show if you have a policy in place that you confirm all appointments. Lets be fair here.

A real plus of confirming your appointments…if your client has to cancel, now you can call the clients that need to come in earlier, or that are on a cancellation list and you have over 12 hours to do it, instead of 20 minutes. Confirming appointments takes 5 – 10 minutes and can save you hours of headache. Make the call.

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

Full Moon Monthly

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The full moon has come and gone this month, and as September draws to a close, I thought, why not end it on a high note with  a few smirks and giggles. Again, these events are based on real events, with real people that come into my shop…again, I wish I was making this up.

– The shop opens at 9:30 a.m.. It isn’t even 9:31 a.m. “Hey…do you ever worry someone is gonna drive through your front window?” – I guess I missed the memo that this is the new morning greeting.

– The phone rings. I answer with my go to greeting only to hear “Yeah, whatever. I am trying to find the number of the auto body place down the street. Can you look it up for me…I am kind of in a hurry”. Now, I know the shop’s number has the #4 in it, unfortunately it is not followed with 1-1 …wait for it…there you go.

– “My daughter has colored her hair and now it looks horrible. What hair color will fix it?”. I kindly let the mother know that without seeing her daughter’s hair I wouldn’t even know where to begin to help her. “Well her hair looks like pumpkin pie with a mix of orange and a little bit of caramel with chocolate pieces in it.”….oh yes…now I know what color her hair is.

– FYI – “out the door” top coat is the name of the quick dry top coat. It doesn’t mean you have to apply it while going out the door.

– A customer came in to tell me she was not pleased with the product she had purchased. I looked up her file in the computer and saw her last purchase was OPI Avolplex Cuticle Oil. “What was it about the oil that you weren’t happy with?” I asked, to which she answered “Well…look at my hair! It is so greasy! My stylist told me that my hair’s cuticles were fried and that I need some oil for the cuticles, so I bought the OPI oil and now LOOK!!!!”. I silently remind myself “Do not smirk. Do not show it on your face.” and proceed to let her know that the oil she purchased was for the cuticles on her hands, not her hair. After further discussion and explanation and a giggle or two, she ended up buying Kpak Revitaluxe and SOMA Solace – a cuticle sealer – for her hair.

– I have a dish of candies at the front counter. Everyday I am asked how much for a candy. When I tell people they are free, some stare at me and say “Come on! Really?”. Some say thank you. Some take 10 pieces of candy and some dig through the dish and then sigh “Why don’t you have any lemon candies? They are my favorite. These others are gross. What a waste.”. – about the latter – my thoughts exactly.

– I hear the chirp of the Salon door chime and as I look up from my purchase order, there she is. A complete stranger standing at the front desk with her shirt lifted up asking me “do have anything for these stretch marks?”. …enough said.

– A woman came into the shop and asked if her son could come behind the counter and see our computer because “he loves computer’s”. The child was no more than 3 years of age and had something that I could only hope was peanut butter all over his shirt. I let her know that children weren’t allowed behind the counter. She didn’t seem too impressed that she had to mind her own child while in a store. …imagine.

– A woman came in the shop and as I came around the counter to greet her I was told “Leave me alone. I am not a thief. I do not like people talking to me.”, then she walked over to the brushes, reached up, took one of the shelf and began to brush her hair. I went over to her and shook my head side to side. She looked at me and asked me what I was doing. I told her “I am telling you no to using the brushes. Now you have to purchase it because you used it. As the sign says – Please do not use the brushes. You Brush. You Buy.”. When she asked me why I didn’t tell her, I said “Well, you told me you don’t like people talking to you.”.  …not my finest moment, I know, but come on…she left that one wide open.

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

Let’s clarify the situation

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Everyday at the shop I am asked if I carry a “clarifying shampoo”. The answer is always yes. Almost every professional Salon line has a clarifying shampoo available in a retail size. Before I hand it over to my customer’s, I always ask them why they are looking for a clarifying shampoo. The reason I ask is this – many people have been given the incorrect information about clarifying shampoo’s, and you know me, I gotta educate, I gotta enlighten.

Clarifying shampoo’s are exactly that. They clarify the hair – they remove product build up, mineral deposit/build up (from well water for example), and chlorine buildup. Professional clarifying shampoo’s will not lift color, will not make you more blonde or remove your perm. It isn’t recommended to use a clarifying shampoo if you have just had your hair colored – it could affect the vibrancy of the color – try to wait at least a week or two. Some people have been told a clarifying shampoo will help with dandruff, not always the case. Some people may get a build up of product on their scalp, so yes, a clarifying shampoo would work and stop the flakes. If you suffer from psoriasis or chronic dandruff all a clarifying shampoo is going to do is dry you out more and cause more flakes. – check out my blog “Save your shoulder checks for changing lanes” archived April 2012 for awesome products custom made for those issues. Also, some people have been told clarifying shampoo’s will help with an oily scalp. Again, not always the case. Drying out the scalp may cause the scalp to produce more oil. Suffering from oily scalp? – RUSK Purity, Senscience Specialty Shampoo and JOICO Daily Care treatment shampoo are gems!

You may have heard that clarifying shampoo’s dry out the hair. Yes, in some circumstances they can, usually when they are over used, or not a professional salon brand. Being me, I have compiled a little go to list to clarify the situation…couldn’t help myself.

JOICO Kpak Chelating Shampoo – contains a triple action formula that removes mineral deposits, chlorine and styling product buildup while moisturizing the hair.

KMS HAIR STAY Clarifying Shampoo – leaves your hair feeling clean and healthy, not dry or feeling stripped. Gentle enough for daily use *Great for swimmers!

AG Renew – Mild yet massively effective. Cruelty free – they love bunnies

REDKEN Hair Cleanse – formulated with fruit acids to add shine while removing buildup.

SOMA Clarifying Shampoo – Awesome at removing the green chlorine stains on blondes. Vegan, Biodegradable, Alcohol free, Paraben free and Formaldehyde free.

So there you have it. Clarifying shampoo’s may be used once a week or once a month, depending on how many styling products you use, your hair type and how often you wash your hair. It is an awesome idea to clarify your hair before a color service – think of it as a blank canvas for an artist to work upon. Situation – clarified.

Beauty, Business, lifestyle, That girl in the red coat, Women

The Heart of the matter

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For those of you who follow my blog, you are well aware that my hubby had a heart attack. The last thing any couple expects, especially at 39. I wanted to revisit my personal tale with you all one more time. We received some terrific news, from three separate M.D.’s, that my beloved is well on his way back to a normal life. The past 9 months have been the greatest of struggles for my beloved, for my family and for me. I won’t get too deep into the details because, not to get all Rhonda Byrne on you, I no longer wish to give the negative any more power.

Over the past months, I have had to cancel plans at the last minute. I have had to say “no” a lot, to a lot of people and occasions and I didn’t always give the real reason, the reason being that my husband didn’t feel well and was in pain. I didn’t always disclose the severity of it all to everyone because it was what was happening to him, I was not going to let it start to define him. There is more to my beloved than his health/heart issues and I was going to do all I could to protect that. I also stayed home because of my lovely daughter. It was bad enough she had to see the initial heart attack. I wasn’t about to leave her home alone with her Dad not feeling well and all that entailed.

The purpose of today’s tale you ask? The point is this – you never know what someone else is going through, so try not to take their actions or their behavior so personally. As I have had to realize in my 41 years, it’s not always about you. A lesson all of us in the beauty biz and retail biz should learn. Sure, there are those who are nasty for the sake of being nasty – those Nellie Oleson’s need our pity, not our anger. I am talking about;

– the woman who comes in looking for Sebastian Shaper Plus and when you tell her it is on order, she looks through you and scowls “what a waste of my time”. Instead of getting upset, I ask her if I can have her number so I can call her when it comes in and I can hold a can for her. In this case, she just looked at me, put her hands down on the counter and said “thank you, that would be so helpful.”. – you see, she was on her way to the funeral home. Her mother had just passed away, and she had buried her brother the month before.

– a woman complaining that all the mousses and root boosts are crap and don’t work in her hair. When I ask her what other products she uses and who colors her hair, I come to find out that she is on chemo and she didn’t like her hair color so she used a box dye and didn’t like that, so used another box dye the next day. I gave her some conditioning treatment samples and explained why it isn’t a good idea to color your hair twice in two days. After 15 minutes, she calmed down and thanked me, and apologized…and purchased some product.

So, the next time someone is being nasty, or plans get cancelled with a reason you feel is an excuse, or your client starts to lose it because her favorite hairspray is on back order, take a minute and try getting down to the heart of the matter. You never know, you may be the only glimpse of kindness that person has seen all day….if they come into the shop with a faulty flat iron in their hand – still be kind. Just be sure to duck.

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

Stood up

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You know, when I was 16 and my date never showed, it hurt. My saving grace of being a teen of the 80’s is that I could make up a reason for the no show. You see, this is before the age of Facebook and Twitter. Before the age of cell phones and texting. Sure, some had car phones but at $10.00 a second, not much talk time was to be had. So, in my teenage mind I could tell myself “Oh, he probably tried to call when my Mom was on the phone but kept getting a busy signal”, or “He is probably stuck somewhere and the pay phone is out of order”.

The reason for the above little ditty? Well, last week, your truly was stood up. Twice. Yep. Twice. Who stood me up you ask? My sales reps. – and they were the ones who made the appointment with me! I was not and am not impressed, for a multitude of reasons. Now my much needed stock will take longer to arrive – empty shelves are the enemy of any business. I had products that I did not order but was charged for waiting for pick up so the owner’s account could be credited, so now the credit will take that much longer. I had to call my customer’s that I had placed a special order for and had to tell them it is going to be a longer wait – that makes for a fun Monday morning. Most of all, what really burned my butt – my time is not seen nor treated as important nor is the business I am trying to run and build. It is my word and my reputation on the line, and I, like the majority of Salon owners, do not like being left looking the fool.

In the age of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, email, cell phones and texting, there is no excuse for a no show. There is no excuse for being stood up. This isn’t 1986 and you got a better offer for a date to the dance so you didn’t show up or call, this is business and should be treated as such. I understand events can happen that are out of your control. A quick text “gotta reschedule” would suffice. Call your customer service desk and let them know what is going on so when I have to call them at the end of the day to place my order, they can let me know what is going on.

If you want my business, let me give you a little helpful hint…it helps if you show up.

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

Help Wanted

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Today’s tale is one for all the up and comers in our beloved industry. We are in the business of Beauty. Our customers and clients come to us because they want to look better and in turn feel better about themselves. They look to us for helpful hints and tips on how to care for their hair and to style their new ‘do.

Over the past year I have had many young ladies and gents come through my door asking if I was hiring for the shop or if our Salon would take an apprentice under our wing. For the most part, I had to say no – and not for the reasons you think. I didn’t say no because of lack of business, lack of clientele, lack of budget or because the economy is slow. I had to say no because as I saw it, if they were not able to brush their own hair, how were they able to help our clients and customers with their hair care needs. One young lady still stands out in my mind.

I hear the chirp of the shop’s door chime and look up to see a young woman wearing jogging pants, an over sized jacket, no makeup applied and her hair in a messy ponytail. “I just finished school and I need my hours…do you guys take apprentices?”. It was at this moment I decided that I was gonna change her life.I took a breath, put a smile on my face and crossed my fingers that the demo flat iron beside her would not become air born. I asked her where she went to school and I asked her if part of the curriculum focused on how to apply for a position in a salon. “Not really” she answered. I let her know that we were  not looking for an apprentice at the moment, but I would take her resume. I also asked her if she had a minute to chat. She said yes. I asked her if she loved doing hair or just liked it. “I LOVE IT!” she exclaimed. I told her I was happy to hear it, because it is a lot of hard work and long hours, but if you love it, it’s all worth it. I then asked her if I could give her a few tips. I let her know that our industry is a visual industry, that being said, she must always look like she is ready to cut/color someone’s hair. I let her know that she needs to have her hair done and a little make up applied – even if it’s just lip gloss. I let her know of Salon’s in town that I had heard were looking for apprentices and told her to go home an do the following;

– call the Salon you are interested in and ask to speak to the manager and ask to make an appointment to come and see them. * Shows professionalism and shows you understand their time, as yours, is important.

– have a shower, do your hair and apply a little makeup. You need to look good and smell good. *think about it, would you want to get your hair done by someone who’s hair was not tidy and they smelled like the gym?

– dress appropriately. Put on a nice pair of pants and a nice shirt – preferably black. (black compliments the client – puts the attention on them). *make sure the pants are clean and the shirt is pressed

– bring your tools along. You never know, you may be asked to give a cut so they can see your technique and composure around their clients.

I let her know you only get one chance to make a first impression, and that most people wouldn’t attempt to see past the jogging pants and wouldn’t give her the time of day. I then told her one of my favorite sayings “when you know better, you do better. So now, you will do better”. She laughed. (whew…thank you Maya Angelou and the powers that be that left the flat iron in it’s place).

After she left I found myself thinking about how we are not educating the up and comers. Sure they are learning cutting and coloring techniques, but these alone do not a stylist make. Students need to be taught customer service skills, interpersonal skills, how to communicate with their potential boss and coworker, how to sell retail product to their client sitting in their chair – they need to be told how to dress for their interviews and in turn for their career. Listen, I am a mother of a teenage daughter so I know you cannot guarantee what you have said has been heard nor can you guarantee what you have taught has been learned. What I do know is this; not educating students and giving them all the tools they will need if they choose to get ahead is, well, cruel and setting them up to fail. Plain and simple. Starting out in this industry is hard enough, and brings out it’s own road blocks, emotionally, physically and mentally. How about instead off adding another roadblock we give them the green light.