Month: May 2020

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Hairdresser Moving Rules

Starting over for hairdressers Is this the first time you’ve ever moved from a salon? Are you going across town or are you picking up roots and moving to Idaho from New York? Moving is a thrilling thing. I use the word ‘THRILL’ because it gives me the flexibility to say fun or scary. Either way – if you’re moving, you’re moving. Let’s look at a common reason for a fun move. You are doing just that, moving. ****CALL STATE BOARD**** Always check with them first, you may need more hours of education in your new state, especially if they don’t have a kind reciprocity. Trust me when I tell you- when – you get a hold of someone at the State Board of Cosmetology, (key – when) they will help you with ANY questions you have. AND never trust anyone’s word of mouth, don’t assume anything! Be smart and don’t make state board upset or you won’t be working at all. Talk to your current salon’s product distributor. Ask her/him to ask if they can find you a Goldwell salon- Redken – or what the hell ever kind of hair product guru you’re bowing down to now. Hair industry peeps talk, this can shorten your list of which salons you’ll want to work in. Ease your freak by talking to people who already live there. Sometimes stress levels go down if you become active not passive in your move. You have to know of at least one person for the love of Pete! Talk to them – let the word get out A NEW girl/guy is in town! Visit salons see for yourself what they are like. Salons are like shoes! Find the one that fits you! Do what I do, get nosy see how they work when you come in as a client, get conditioned, whatever, but observe; helps you to see how they act. Watch what’s going out the door of that salon! Listen to what the hairdressers/owner are saying or not saying about people aka gossip. You may dig that – I don’t. To each his own. (Lying somewhat, it happens) *I’m gonna stop here a second on this thought. MOST hairdressers get along tremendously well because we are balanced people working on a tight schedule. I love the girls I have worked with, but we did not hang out all the time. Don’t be fooled if they don’t look like they are interacting, they may just be so comfortable with one another they don’t have to entertain each other all the time. Are you moving across town? Did you sign a contract? No kidding- If you signed one of these you are bound to them. Don’t fight it just learn a lesson- Pay attention to contracts. If you are in a small-town shame on you for signing a contract, and shame on you owners for being so confining. The contracts in bigger areas can be a needed thing. Most hairdressers get their clients through the salon they are working in. Other hairdressers bring in the clientele to the shop. If you are the girl bringing in the clients never sign a contract. If you’re gaining the clients, its protection for the owners who have worked overtime with advertising and hard work to have the overflow for you. So, know what you are bring to the table. If you are moving into or away from this shop. DO so with knowledge. Don’t be afraid to leave a shop, and it’s OK to grow or to realize other options are out there. Turnover is the nature of our beast, but if you need to move, start making plans now. Dress up for an impromptu hello at the shop you want to work. Don’t move to a shop you know is going to piss off your old boss. Good things never come from this move. Move to a shop, you know, you will feel welcome to grow. Make sure you can afford the booth rent or that you understand how a commission shop works. Remember to ask your distributor for advice. Go where the owner supports and advertises each hairdresser along with the shop name. NOW for the scary stuff! You are leaving because everyone in the shop is nuts- not a healthy nut- I’m talking drugs – alcohol- hate mongers with trash mouths and worse yet…the ones that think they can sing. Dear lord above. You’ve got cause and reason to leave. RUN! Find another salon quick! SO do your homework- know your worth – and remember Bosses are watching how you leave a salon knowing full well they could receive that treatment themselves. Hope that helps any of you moving up and on hairdressers. Author Heather Lea Ryan Owner of Hair Loft on Linden Owner of http://www.bookpressed.com
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Out of the box ideas for your salon

We hairdressers are Fun, and we know it- now’s the time for us to shine and SHOW IT!
If ever hairdressers had a chance to think of fun ways to pass the time, it’s now. When we start in the business, our only focus is to get better and get more clients. Fast forward to our years in the industry, we have our clientele, and now we have some downtime – we can now focus on our FUN side! Get ready for a better year!
I’m here to help get those creative juices rolling – I’m going to offer you some of my ideas (Used or Not) to help get you-your clients-your staff excited about the impending reopening. Time to get focused on future fun- you have the time- you have the mind- now get out there and have FUN!

Hair Loft on LInden created -Wine About Your Hair Day

1.) Set a date to have a “Wine About Your Hair Day.”
What is a wine about your hair day? It’s a day the community can come in – see your shop – meet your staff- bring in their tools they are having problems with and drink wine. I called up our local paper and told them what we were doing, I had mannequin heads on every station, and I had ALL my staff involved with this. If clients walked in with a weird gadget – we helped show them how to tackle the issues. Clients brought in different products to ask how they worked and when to use them. We showed them how to do braids. The point was – we were teaching them our tricks, gaining their trust, and having a ball. We did not Do hair
I called up our local paper, they came in and took pictures and asked questions, and the staff got so energized!
I did one more thing- I let the focus be on them.
Why would I do that?
Because part of my job as a Boss is to inspire. I’ve been on tv.- newspapers- backstage – I do not need this – they do.
Let your girls/guys shine while you are having fun!

Hair Loft on Linden Halloween Zombie Flash Mob

2.) Make plans to Host a Fun Fall event
We are lucky enough to have a local zombie flash mob in town. For this event, I again closed the shop and set up a table in the front with all sorts of Halloween makeup on it. I also put makeup at every single station, and then we opened up our shop for zombie makeup! We give them scars, blood, green faces- hairspray – cobwebs. We dressed in costumes and helped to ghoul them up. We do not charge for this, we get the exposure and the community had a ball.
On a side note – we had no idea what we were doing at first, so don’t think you have to be an expert, imagination, and goop go a long way.
Again – the paper was called and low, and behold; we got front page on our local paper!
Have Fun! Offer Halloween makeup!

3.) Get together with other shops in your area and start a bowling team – create softball teams, or start a local Salon Wig Run! Have all the runners dress up in wigs!
Sell tickets at the event to support different causes. Offer prizes for best-dressed teams – Best dressed Clients –

4.) Ask each stylist which charity they feel most ardently about, and put the names in a hat and pick one. Whoever’s charity gets plucked from the cap- let them be in control of the event!

5.) Have meetings and make sure all the staff agrees on the flow of the ideas.
I hope this has been helpful- I want you to get inspired- get active and get motivated! Be apart of your community – take the ideas and make em yours! If you have any thoughts you’d like to share – post em!

Freakishly Inspired Hairdresser- Heather at your service.
Owner of WWW.BOOKPRESSED.COM
Owner of Hair Loft on Linden
Heather Lea Ryan