So many stylists walk out of cosmetology school graduation ready to take on the world…only to learn (sometimes the hard way) that their education is missing one key piece:
Business training.
Without proper business training, it’s difficult to set up a strong business foundation, attract your target market clients (a.k.a., the hair you dream of doing), and scale your career to achieve the freedom lifestyle you wanted when you joined the industry.
The good news? If you apply these five things (really, five) things to your career, you can ensure you continue to grow and flourish into a full, holistically wealthy life.
Let’s break them down!
Invest in the best business education
We’ll be 100 with you: if you want to make more money as a stylist, you have to invest in yourself first.
Most cosmetology schools offer no marketing or business growth training, leaving stylists to fend for themselves. Many try to DIY their business education, but there isn’t an educator out there who puts their best stuff out there for free…meaning, you’re trying to build a beautiful business with the wrong tools. Other industry business educators offer a one-size-fits-all education approach.
Your business is not cookie-cutter. Your education shouldn’t be either.
Instead, look for a comprehensive education program that is…
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Customizable so you can fit it to your business.
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Fits your schedule. We’ve found a mix of digital and in-person education is best.
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Actually makes an impact.
Thrivers Society may be the perfect fit for you! Head to www.thrivingstylist.com/thriverssociety to learn more about the industry’s top business education program.
Set accountability
Raise your hand if you’ve ever been working on a project and got suddenly distracted. Maybe a notification pops up on your phone, your kid falls in the hallway, or any other shiny thing gets in the way of getting the task at hand done.
One, two, three, okay, pretty much everybody has their hands up.
Getting distracted is a part of life; staying distracted can spell doomsday for your career. So set up a true accountability system to keep you on track, even when life gets in the way.
What’s true accountability? It’s accountability that makes you feel engaged and excited, not dragged down or like somebody is monitoring you over your shoulder. It gets you excited, pumped up, and ready to move the needle on your business.
So how can you set true accountability?
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Get an accountability partner. The best person is somebody in the industry who is willing to sit down with you once a week or month and you each go over your goal progress.
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Join an accountability community. Be careful here…some market themselves as positivity-focused, but are not. Look for stylists cheering each other on, brainstorming ideas, and collectively solving problems together. (Thrivers Society has a community just like this! Click here to learn more.)
Connect with a real community
Let’s face it: being a stylist in today’s industry can be hard. There are so many tasks we’re expected to shoulder to build a successful business, from marketing to finance to guest experience.
But business doesn’t have to be built alone. All you have to do is find your people.
Your people are the ones who are driven to find that same balance of business success and a freedom lifestyle. They’re willing to shift, pivot, and roll with whatever flow comes their way. They’re dedicated to making a better life for themselves.
It might sound like a lower priority, but finding the right community can help skyrocket your career as a stylist because you’ll be full of inspiration, ideas, and strategies…not to mention a room full of people ready to cheer you on.
Get proper coaching
Google is not a good business coach.
We’ll say it again for the people in the back: Google is not a good business coach.
Instead of typing your latest burning business question into the search bar, find a proper business coach to guide you.
Look for somebody with experience both behind the chair and running a business, who stays on top of current marketing trends, and knows how to coach multiple types of industry professionals. This might seem like a lot of criteria, but it ensures you’re working with a person who can push you forward in your career.
Attend the right events
You know that attending education events is important, but making sure you’re attending the right events is critical. Here’s what to keep in mind when picking the right education events to grow your career:
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Why are you going to this event? Is it just because your coworkers are going or will this event teach you something you need to know? (This is especially important when you are paying out of pocket.)
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Research the educator before you sign up. Do they have the credentials/background/experience to teach you what you need to know?
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Does the format work best for you? Do you like sitting still or do you want to get your hands in it?
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Know how you’re going to get the return on your investment. Education can be expensive, so look closely at the event details to make sure you know how you can make your investment back (and then some).
If you get the right education, set accountability, connect with a community, get proper coaching, and attend the right education events, you will be well on your way to creating a strong business, fulfilling career, and—best part—the freedom lifestyle you crave!
If you want to continue your business education and get easy access to all five things we dug into in this blog, consider joining us in Thrivers Society! Click here to learn more about how we can help you get the business training you need to create your freedom lifestyle.