Community Conversations: Attracting & Retaining Top-Tier Rising Stylists

The Hairdresser Strong Show

On January 8th, , we were joined by:

Diana Varvaro (@thebeautyartistnyc), School Director of Paul Mitchell The School, NYC

Nick Mirabella (@nickmirabella), Entrepreneur + Mentor + Coach, theWarehouse.Salon & NickMirabella.com

Sazuan Judkins (@mricreate_confidence), Barber + Barber Instructor, Hair Lab Detroit Barber School

Ashley Gray (@ashesrgray), Owner + Master Stylist, Ash Salon

to discuss strategies and other things you can do to attract & retain Gen-Z and other Rising Stylists!

Here are the key takeaways:

🔅Your Salon/Shop needs to be a destination. It needs to be cool. This is discovered via:

• Social media and online. Your digital presence is very important
• Word of mouth from other stylists and Rising Stylists

🔅Be Nice! Generally, caring about people is supported by so much market research when it comes to being a leader that others want to work for or follow.

🔅Study up on leadership, not just color and cutting skills!

🔅Coach your staff on your core values; do not attack the person. Make any issues you have with behavior/performance/etc about your business's core values and the brand. It is not about the individual sucking; it is about you (the leader) finding the right team!

🔅Get to know them! You may have noticed that Rising Stylists seem guarded or fearful, ask them how they are and care about them. This goes to a previous point… this is about humans, treat each other how y’all want to be treated!

🔅Get to know how they learn…going with the previous point!

🔅Mentor Rising Stylists: do not throw them in the fire and see how they do…they will leave you.

🔅Take time to outline your training program so they understand their expectations, you have something to refer to when mentoring/coaching them, and so they feel confident in their potential to grow in your salon or shop.

🔅Consider how/if you can adjust your training process to get your trainees “hands in hair” ASAP. They want to take clients and get working, so if you can figure out a way to promote them in steps, that would be amazing for them and you! (do not jeopardize the integrity of your brand, and DM if you want to talk about how to do that)

• One example is to have a blow dry bar that you can promote them to earlier in their growth process.

👉If you have any questions or comments, Send us a DM: https://www.instagram.com/thehairdresserstrongshow/

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The views and opinions of our guests are theirs and important to hear. Each guest's views and opinions are their own and we aim to bring you diverse perspectives, career paths and thoughts about the craft and industry so you can become Hairdresser Strong! They do not necessarily reflect the positions of HairdresserStrong.com.