Even if you graduated from cosmetology school and think you don’t need to read this one, READ THIS ONE because I’m sharing the things I wish I knew when I graduated cosmetology school that a lot of you probably still aren’t doing.
There’s this misconception that once you graduate from cosmetology school and build your base, you can hit cruise control. No way. You’re at the starting point. It’s everything you do after that allows you to have a sustainable career and retire properly.
Touching base with new stylists about what’s going on in the early parts of their career will be incredible, and if you’re still in cosmetology school, wondering where to start, you’re in the right place. Let’s dive into what I wish I had done differently in beginning my career.
Take as many clients as you can
When we trick ourselves into thinking we can cruise through cosmetology school, do the bare minimum, avoid taking clients because it’s the scariest thing ever, and get your hours as fast as you can, you’re playing a losing game.
Cosmetology school is where you can make some mistakes, and it’s expected. Somebody who gets their hair done there knows the risk. So do the perm on Mrs. Jones, the biweekly cut on Jim, and Nadine’s complex root touch-up. Make every second with that doll headcount. Ask more questions and read fewer People magazines. Volunteer to be the lab lady less and spend more time refining your skills.
Most cosmetology schools are only there to teach you state board. That means you have to take the bull by the horns and choose to make this a truly educational experience for yourself. Do not take a second of possible practice off your own plate.
Your cosmetology license is your ticket to ride
If you want to live your wealthiest life, you need to commit to a lifetime of education. Your cosmetology license means you can start to play the game, not that you’re ready to go, or even set up for success. Just that you can enter the playing field.
Most of you graduating cosmetology school realize you have a lot to learn. Once you get into the industry and start getting some experience from those who are successful, you will realize how far you have to go.
The purpose of cosmetology school is not to make you a phenomenal artist; it’s to pass state board. State board is a consumer affairs assessment to make sure your guests remain safe, you understand disinfection and sanitation, you won’t cut somebody’s ear off, or give them a chemical burn. Not if you know how to formulate or give a great consultation. That’s why state board is an entry point.
Now here’s the thing: the majority of stylists get by being mediocre. They do okay, pay their bills most of the time, aren’t in too much debt, and travel every few years. If that’s the career you want, take whatever free and local classes in your area, practice a little bit, and you can have a career that sustains, but you’ll never be mega-successful.
We joined this industry to be wealthy, and that doesn’t mean just money in the bank.
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It means traveling two times a year worry-free because there’s enough money in the bank to fully pay for it.
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It means not worrying that your clients will leave because you’ve got it all figured out.
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It means not working Saturdays so you can be at every single soccer game because you can afford it.
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It means you can choose to work from 10 am to 3 pm and still make six figures.
It’s not about the money; it’s about the lifestyle we all dreamed of. Everybody imagined themselves being ultra-talented, incredible artists, not starving ones. Some of us dreamed of being salon owners, platform artists, or working moms with a great, balanced life. Let’s keep it honest that we all wanted to live a beautiful, comfortable life in this industry.
Get educated as soon as possible
If you want to live a wealthy life, you have to learn those refinement skills, like a good shampoo. For example, you need to know if the water is slightly cooler than warm when shampooing, it feels really cold on the scalp. It’s these little nuances you need to refine.
Coming out of cosmetology school, even a higher-priced one, you want to be successful right away, but know it will take a little time. Don’t be discouraged; stick with it, humble yourself, and know it’s okay to have more to learn. The faster you get in that mindset, the greater your potential is.
Be patient, allow yourself to get frustrated, and to learn skills like how to have the right temperature when doing different services. If you can, find somebody who’s willing to teach you all of the nuances.
Clarify what you need to learn
Coming out at cosmetology school, we want to do the fun stuff, like formulating, vivids, and all the foiling patterns. But really focus on communication, consultation, how to sell retail without selling, and, most important, how to communicate effectively.
Focus less on the sexy stuff and more on the fundamentals, like how to wrap hair so it doesn’t drip water onto the floor (and no, not a towel draped around the guest’s shoulders).
When you’re seeking out education, don’t go for whatever educator is super hot right now. Look for fundamental education that will build you a strong foundation, like an in-depth program where you work on basic formulation or learn how to do women’s short haircuts.
Humble yourself, realize you have a lot more to learn and take those foundational classes if you want to build and grow.
Be humble and check your ego
You can do practice formulations in a classroom and look at swatch books all day long. But watching that transformation with your mind turned on is the game-changer. That’s when you get comfortable formulating.
Classroom knowledge is good, but when you check your ego and humbly absorb everything instead of sitting on your phone, you’ll be aware and learn so much faster.
Don’t be a robot when you get to mix color, even for root formulas. Get invested in the client. Study new growth and look from the demarcation line to the ends to see what her color did, so what you know what to formulate for. Then, after you apply the color and shampoo it out, ask the stylist if they can let you know when they’re done because you’d love to see the final result. The stylist will be impressed that you are invested in their guests, and you’ll learn how to formulate so much faster.
Find knowledgeable people who do color you like and learn as much as possible. Ask smart questions, watch what they’re doing, and ask if you can look at their formulas.
Marketing yourself professionally while in school
When do you build your Instagram? Your website? The moment you enroll because the best hires come out of cosmetology school with a website to show at interviews.
If you don’t want to build a website because it will change, that’s crazy. Your website is not tattooed on your face. It’s this ever-evolving thing, so change your website when your business changes.
Marketing yourself isn’t just about your website. Even if your confidence isn’t there yet, dress to impress. It’s difficult when you’re getting started and don’t have a huge budget for wardrobe, so spend what you do have wisely.
Instead of buying cute shoes to wear to Sunday brunch, buy a great top for work because if you make more money, you can buy everyone a round of mimosas.
Think about your priorities, where you’re investing, and show up to work dressed to impress because it makes such a huge difference.
Charge everybody
As soon as you start giving away free services, your value is nothing. So don’t be surprised when the friends who get free services don’t send you referrals. You’re worthless to them. You’re the hookup hairstylist.
The sooner we realize we’re not humble servants to everybody around us and charge the people in our lives, the faster we build. We’re the only industry that feels like we’re supposed to work for free, and the sooner you get out of that, the happier you’ll be. That’s a tough lesson for new stylists, so start early.
Don’t worry about what others think
We worry people will judge us if we charge them. But turn it around: How dare you charge a client who sat in your chair for two hours while you put $30 worth of hair color on her head? Can you see how twisted that sounds?
Or what about the “Want to come over on Sunday and do my hair for me? I have wine!” Oh, your $13 wine is equal to me giving up four hours with my family and $45 worth of hair color. It’s ridiculous.
We would never ask another professional to do that. Could you imagine asking the man who replaces your roof if you can pay him in wine? It would be so offensive. The sooner you can get out of the cycle of worrying if people are offended if you charge them, the happier you’ll be.
Don’t worry if your family thinks you’re settling when you decide to go to cosmetology school. It’s difficult when you choose a more creative career because it feels risky. Our parents came from a generation where you got a job at a big company with a retirement savings plan, stayed there for 40 years, retired, and were set.
But that’s not the world we live in. The average person doesn’t stay at a company for even 10 years now. The time of needing a corporate job or a bachelor’s degree to make it is gone. It’s okay to own the fact that you’ve decided to go into a trade. Hair stylists are bad asses who can be incredibly successful and live a life that people around them are envious of. It takes work, time, and patience to get there.
Know building a clientele takes effort
Skills are 20% in this industry. Marketing and business savvy are the other 80 because that knowledge allows businesses to grow.
The service you provide has to be great, but there are a lot of talented, educated stylists stuck at $28,000 a year or making less money year over year because they can’t get their marketing right. The business, communication, and marketing piece are 100% more essential than skills.
It doesn’t have to take years to build a clientele, but it takes drive, planning, and focused effort. A lot of people spin their wheels, build an Instagram, ask for referrals, and think that’s it, but it needs more structure.
Imagine your career is a bucket in a drought. You have three choices.
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You put the bucket out and hope when it rains, you’ll catch a few drops here and there.
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You find a faucet and fill up the bucket more effectively because it’s not waiting for the non-existent rain, but actually filled by a water source.
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You pick up the bucket, go to the ocean, take a scoop, and be done.
You choose who you want to be, whether to find the ocean, to search for a faucet, or to put the bucket out and wait for the rain to fall. If you don’t want to waste time, go into the ocean, take your scoop, and get on with your life.
Whether you are starting cosmetology school, a new grad, or a super experienced stylist, know it’s the guest experience and the marketing piece that will set you apart. So get smart about your prices, practice as much as you can, take business courses, and stay humble.
