A Successful Salon Allows All Performers to Shine

Photo credit: theboombox.com

So Jennifer Hudson, Kelly Clarkson, and Mary J. Blige are on one stage, do you want to see all three battle each other for the spotlight for the most crowd appeal? Or do you want each singer to have their shiny moments and complement each other in a unified effort to entertain?

Seasoned performers learn the meaning of team effort.  Seasoned performers learn when to pull back and when to take the lead.

Many times with booth rental salons, hairstylists seem to be in direct competition all the time.  Friendly competition keeps stylists on the leading edge which is good for everyone - clients and the salon as a whole benefits.

However, aggressive competition where there is derogatory language being uttered secretly about a team member promotes tension, gossip, and an unhealthy work environment.  No one wins.

What lead me to speak about this was that I had been trying to recruit other hairstylists with skill sets separate from my own.  It is okay if some of the skill sets overlap, which is good if I go on vacation, but I am looking for complementary skill sets.  After mentioning my goal to one prospective hairstylist, he seemed surprised at this concept.  After processing this concept for a minute, he thought it was a good idea.  

Of course, I was puzzled because I was thinking that all hairstylists thought the way I was thinking.  However, evidently not.  So why would any hairstylist intentionally go into a salon with the idea that they were going to steal the other clients away from the other stylist(s) and possibly take some of the salon owner's clients as well?

How crazy is that?  That type of mentality is selfish.  As another beauty industry leader, Angel Robinson, mentioned in her speech about team work: "your money does NOT look good in my pocket.  What's for you is for you; what is for me is for me."

I completely feel the same way.  I don't go seeking clients.  I enjoy life and if an opportunity to share my hair services business comes up, then I share it.  I'm a seasoned professional. I do not worry about my clients moving on.  I know the caliber of hairstylists floating around.  I always keep the doors open for people to come and go as they please.  Now, if they want to try other stylists occasionally, I do not have a problem, but eventually, when they want healthy hair and  high-end diversified products used on their hair- then they come back to me.

I have dealt with 20+ hairstylists in ten years.  Those that don't like to take advanced classes and are slow to keep their license renewed are of little use to me.  These type of hairstylists typically "know too much" which is a "dead end mentality" in most industries.

Anyway, I am looking to grow Applebaum Salon initially with some seasoned professionals with certain specialty skill sets and train new stylists to work in my absence. I am team focused.