Want to be a hair stylist? Questions to ask your beauty school: 1. Will I be salon floor ready upon graduation? 2. When do I learn how to fill my chair and make money? 3. Which course teaches me how to manage my money? 4. How will I learn to communicate with guests to help them achieve the look they...
Apprenticeship or Beauty School? Which one is best for me? There are two different models of apprenticeship. One model is a full apprenticeship of 3800 hours which focusses on learning everything in a salon environment. The other model focusses on classroom learning and supervised salon floor practice for 1500 hours, followed by a 2000 hour apprenticeship. Students spend time learning content in...
What is “your best”? The best you can possibly give, with the knowledge and skills you have, at that place and time. I recently volunteered for a position that began to grow and morph into something different then I originally expected. And I began to grow resentful about the time it was taking and the growing list of tasks. My...
To me, selling is when the objective is to get something in the hands of somebody who doesn’t necessarily need or want it. Selling is about the seller, not the consumer. It’s really about manipulation, bullying, and inauthentic strategies all designed to make a buck. In training hair stylists and mentoring team members for many years, I’ve realized I don’t...
There are few people in the world that truly stand out, that stand for others, that make a declaration for what is so, or what could be, even if there is no evidence. Don Bewley was such a man. Over 20 years ago, I had the fortune of being introduced to him as someone who had a unique vision, a...
I recently had this experience as a volunteer where the person in charge was failing as a leader. So I had a choice. I could complain about the leader and their lack of skills, the lack of value, the waste of time. Or I could ask what role I play in the leader not succeeding, and decide how to contribute....
I’ve never considered myself an exceptional hair stylist. I’ve often admired other stylists’ technical skills and quality. There are stylists with new tricks and techniques that are above and beyond the training I received many years ago. Recently, one of my long time guests, came back to me after trying out another stylist, and he said, “I don’t know what...
How do you see the effect of your own leadership? It’s difficult to point at integrity. As an observable thing. Doing what you say you’re going to do. Following through. Honouring your word. One place to look is how your staff are interacting with each other. Are they following through with their agreements? Are they arriving on time? Are they...
Human beings have the unique ability to transform themselves moment by moment into a different way of being, that allows them to create their desired outcome. To me, this is the magic of humanity, warts and all: our ability to change from one state to another to make our lives better. IF we decide to, we can constantly create opportunities...
La Luma is built on a foundation of education for staff, students and clients. Knowledge is power. La Luma means the Light. Education means shedding light on things that need to be talked about, need to be examined and explored. People remember 50% of what they see or hear, and 90% of what they do or teach. I remember a...
Running a business is really about the Big Three: positive cash flow, a stable staff team, and the best possible outcome for your guests. Lots of companies can run a good business, but if it’s not profitable, it doesn’t survive. And there’s a difference between profitability and cash flow. A business can be profitable and still run out of money....
I recently took my wife and small children on a car ride to a cottage for summer vacation. I was nervous about the ride and how long it would take with two small kids. A change in the way we’ve done things. A new circumstance. A problem. That I invented. I recently learned about a new way of thinking, a...
Ever felt like you’ve just had enough? As though you just had to take a stand? As leaders, it’s very important for us to make clear boundaries and clear expectations. And when they’re not met, to hold people accountable. And it might get really messy. Enlightened leaders don’t take people’s reactions personally. When people flap about, and get dramatic, it...
Sometimes you feel as though you're just waiting for something big to happen. Do you ever get impatient, and wonder how it’s going to work out? You know when you’ve been pulling for something really big for a long time and it just doesn’t seem to show. Or does it? Maybe we don’t always recognize the pieces of the puzzle...
How do you make business decisions? Especially big business decisions. Based on how you feel about it, the stories around it, what other people think? Making business decisions needs clear, cold, hard facts, not emotions. Get clear on what’s really going on in your business. Does a location have to close? Are your staff being productive? Is this retail line...
How long have you been dating your current boyfriend? Since you were in high school? Why do you keep it going? As a hairdresser today, you need to be self-sufficient. You need to be master of your own paycheque, master of your own mind, your own heart, and of everything that happens in your life. How you become masterful is...
I need to give myself a break at times. Let myself off the hook. I’m only human. And I know at times that I’m going to show up as an assassin, ignoring, not communicating, taking people out in my life, when I’m stretched or upset, or think I’m threatened. I can choose to create a different outcome, to show up...
I was in Carmel, California walking along the beach when I had my “f#&k it” moment and decided to open up a Hair Academy. And at the very moment, when I chose to be ok with losing everything, Clint Eastwood walked by. Clint gave me a nod, and said “good mornin’”. And it was in that moment that I became...
Ever wonder why people are upset? Ever wonder if its about you? I do. But it rarely is. If you’ve ever heard someone say, “You made me feel”, Well, that’s b.s. You can’t make people feel a certain way. People react, respond, feel. They are in charge of their own life. So why do we really get pissed off? There...
This week I celebrate the birth of my second son, Theodore. A momentous event. And a great reminder of who I need to show up as every day. As a father. Mentor. Husband. Business owner. It got me thinking about the relationship with my own father. And how essential it is for a man to compete with his Dad so...
At the end of the day, we’re going into the world to win, not to lose. What do you want people to say about you when you’re gone? What do you want to be known for? What do you want your legacy to be? Sounds a bit morbid, but none of us are leaving this planet alive, and it’s very...
There are two types of businesses, ones that are growing, and ones that are shrinking. There is no in between. Where are you? Really. If you’re really honest with yourself, whether you own a salon or run your own chair. The true test is to go and ask people who will really tell you the truth, and get a real...
Salon owners are often afraid to be straight with their team members. It’s important to remember to celebrate when you have wins and your business is doing well. It’s also important to let your team know when your business is not doing well. As they are part of the problem. And part of the solution. When you’re straight with people,...
Stylists are artists. Artists who create every day, six to eight times a day. Day in and day out in the public realm. How do you stay fresh? How do you keep going? How do you stay inspired? Many hairdressers are looking for someone to inspire them, to reignite their passion. All this is good. We can look to exterior...
How do we create a culture of creativity in salons where staff feel safe to try new things, and learn from each other? We source creativity through our ability to be vulnerable. Vulnerability starts with humility, and a willingness to explore who we are, and how we are showing up. Vulnerability comes from questioning everything. Vulnerability means we have to...
Risk and Rewards For a client you’ve been working on for years, how do you keep it fresh? How do you keep them coming back for more? How do you keep people saying, “I love your hair.” Creativity is critical for a salon to be vibrant and successful. It’s the lifeblood. It’s what sustains us, what allows us to maintain...