Dear New Hairstylist, These 3 Pieces of Advice Will Change Your Career
The 3 Best Pieces of Advice for Every New Hairstylist Wanting A Serious Career
When you’re just starting in the hair industry you’re given many choices with little direction, until now. With 67 years of combined industry experience, meet four stylists and salon owners who were eager to share their advice, experiences and dos and don’ts list for any new stylist hungry to listen and learn.
BTC’s Editorial Director Steph Bong and Senior Editor Ali Dawson joined Davines World Wide Hair Tour Berlin (WWHT), an annual global tour that invites hairdressers and salon owners from every level in their careers to be inspired by their peers. With 3,000 hairdressers from 53 countries, there was nothing short of inspiration and artistic recognition. Below are the stories of interviews from stylists around the world sharing real, raw and practical advice on how to build a fulfilling hair career from the start. Read ahead to hear about stylists with realistic trials, goals and guidance to share with young (or new to the industry) stylists.
#1. Understand that “hard work” means more than showing up & doing your job:
The moment you not only understand but want to embrace your day-to-day being more than hours on payroll is when your job becomes a career. While adhering to a new schedule and keeping yourself accountable does feel hard, it’s what you choose to do in and outside of the workday clock that makes the biggest advancement.
Here are three tips of guidance from Davines stylists around the world:
1. Hard work only works if it’s strategic: Salon owner and hairdresser of over 19 years Rachel Biestman of Evans, Georgia shares, “Getting serious in the industry means a lot of hard, but strategic work. When other stylists have a “clock-in and clock-out” mentality, being successful means pulling out a mannequin, watching and PRACTICING. Take the time to find your creative superpower; when the opportunity arises, you will be ready!”
2. Do your best in the moment but ALWAYS work for future you: “The first two years in this industry are tough,” says Blu A Color Salon owners Charles and Nicole Gillick. “Make excellence your goal, and before you know it, you will be booked solid and growing an incredible future for yourself. Also, make sure you start investing in your retirement by year three. This job takes its toll on your body, your goal should always be to be able to retire from behind the chair. It’s a privilege not many stylists experience!”
3. Surround yourself with what you want from the start: Taking the first job offer may seem enticing, but waiting until you find an elevated offer may pay in the long run. “I would advise stylists to surround themselves with people in the industry that match their values. This includes the salon they want to work at, the product line they identify with themselves and the clientele they want to serve,” says salon owner, and 14+ year industry stylist Lorena Martinez.
Meet the faces behind the critical career advice and Davines salon owners:
A career with Davines is more than a career in hair, find a Davines salon near you to learn more about YOUR potential lifelong opportunities.
#2. Finding a home salon is important, here’s how to plant roots:
With your license, talent and workplace choices in front of you, what is the next step? Firstly, remind yourself to explore opportunities and allow yourself to find things you do and do not like—it’s all part of the process. Next, take the advice below to confidently build your dream home salon list for a stress-free, informed job search:
#1. Choosing the right brand at the beginning will build your inner circle: “In this global community, do not limit yourself to your zip code. Just because something isn’t currently popular in your community, doesn’t mean it can’t be. Find a brand that suits your needs and master it,” says Rachel. “I went from brand to brand as a young stylist, usually based on convenience and price. About eight years ago I landed in a Davines class and after watching one promotional video, it felt like seeing myself in a mirror! Now that I have been with them so long, I have relationships with trainers, lead artists and [especially] my distributor who supports me in my career.”
#2. Your salon home should offer more than just hair education: “The No.1 element to find a home base would be to find a salon that teaches business,” says Charles and Nicole. “Understanding numbers, like how they can expedite your growth or how they are tied directly to providing an excellent guest experience would’ve been so helpful to learn early on. Having a solid growth plan would have changed our lives and established the best foundation for our future.”
#3. Validate your needs and make a checklist before searching: “I would encourage stylists to be very honest with their needs and the environment that they thrive in. Then, build a checklist for deal breakers. I now have my list when I interview candidates and if it doesn’t feel like they already work at the salon, then I know we are not a 100 percent match,” says Lorena.
Watch below for a peek into a Davines salon with Charles and Nicole:
Wondering if a career with Davines salons could be your home? One click is your first step to find out…
#3. Why choosing a brand that builds your career is the biggest decision:
While there are so many choices that involve choosing a home salon, make the brand they use a top priority. In beauty school you’re meant to be exposed to a specific line to learn however, it’s not necessarily meant to stick forever. Doing your homework, listening to those around you and finding yourself within a brand is critical to aligning your career with the goals and dreams you plan to create for yourself.
Here’s how Davines changed the lives of four stylists with just one choice of being part of a Davines salon:
“I just completed the Talent Greenhouse competition with Davines, culminating on the World Wide Hair Tour stage in Berlin, Germany. I am still pinching myself! I met some incredible people during this 18-month journey, and it is the perfect path for someone like me who wants to get into the more serious world of hairdressing and fashion,” says Rachel. “I feel empowered to knock on the doors that I used to dream of opening in the wake of this competition. I feel moved to release my first commercial collection next year, who knows what the future holds?”
“Our Davines community provides us with so much inspiration and motivation to bring back to our home salon and continue to create and evolve a bigger vision for the industry that directly affects our team,” says Charles and Nicole. “Our career highlight so far is 1000 percent being trusted to lead Davines Romance in Brooklyn experience, [which is for salon owners and managers interested in learning more about a partnership with Davines].”
“Sharing our journey with the brand through being educators, participating in multiple World Wide Hair Tours and building a worldwide community of professionals looking to advance the industry is such a gift for us. Then, being able to share that experience even further with people entertaining the possibility of partnering with Davines is something we are wildly passionate about,” Charles and Nicole continue.
“The one experience that is still very vivid is the 2022 World Wide Hair Tour in Parma. I had experienced other World Wide Hair Tours in the past, but this was very unique because we were starting to travel after the pandemic,” says Lorena. “The entire experience and Italian hospitality inspired me to bring the same hospitality to my salon The Colour Bar and also it reminded me why I have been part of Davines for 14 years. I know the feeling extended to other people there as well and it’s something I will always cherish.”
Davines’ love & inspiration pours into their stylists, salons & partners—check out BTC Editor’s camera roll from WWHT Berlin!
Click here for a special day-by-day recap of Davines World Wide Hair Tour Berlin!
