I Have My License…Now What?
Graduating from beauty school is one of the best days of your life. The NEXT best is the day you pass your state boards…you are now licensed and ready to take the industry by storm. But where do you start? This is such an exciting time in your life but it can also be very stressful because you need to take a leap of faith. Throughout your education, you have been taught about the different opportunities within the industry and where you can fit in. Most graduates want to start working in a salon but what type of salon?
My Friend Molly
I am very lucky to have many friends who are licensed and successful in the beauty industry, and I would like to tell you about my friend, Molly. Molly owns a successful salon. She also has a full clientele and often refers new clients to other stylists. She has built her business from the ground up and continues to improve her skills through continuing education sounds perfect, right? But, let me take you back a few years to where she started…
Molly working on a client.
How Molly Got Started
Molly was home schooled and finished high school at 16 years old, she enrolled in beauty school at the age of 17. This was 2004. She got her license in 2005 after attending school full time and finishing in about a year. Now she was at THAT point…where do I start? She accepted a full time position at a national chain salon and stayed there for about a year and a half. During this time, she was able to hone her skills, practice on speed, and start building her clientele. She told me that this position was a “love/hate” relationship. She LOVED what she did, but she also realized that she was only really going to be happy in this industry when she could be her own boss. When she left the chain salon she decided to take a paid apprenticeship so she could further her skills and knowledge. Although this position didn’t pay the best, the experience was worth it. Molly was willing to pay her dues. In 2008, Molly took the next step. She accepted a position in a salon that was commission based. So, unlike a position that she was paid for hourly, she was now paid for the services she was providing. The salon was a full service salon that was locally owned and operated. She very soon realized that if she was not seeing clients…she was not getting paid. Although she had a fair amount of walk in clientele and clients who followed her from past jobs, she was not busy all the time. Molly needed clientele and she needed it immediately…and wanted to market herself without spending a fortune.
Molly’s work
Molly’s Marketing Plan
Molly explained to me that her marketing plan is simple…”We all do errands, right? We all have places that we frequent on a regular basis and probably recognize the people who work there. So, I started handing out business cards everywhere I went on a regular basis. And, in the beginning I would offer a discount on the back of the card! 10% off or a free hair cut with a full color…the incentive to get people in the door really worked. When I was waiting on my coffee….I gave a card to the barista. Sometimes just handing over a card could prompt an on the spot consultation…which lead this new client to my chair.” Molly followed this simple marketing plan and grew her clientele. She brought in a huge amount of business to the salon and found that within a year she was fully booked.
Molly’s Salon
Becoming Your Own Boss
Ask any stylist…they will tell you that the best place to be is the place where you cannot accept any more clientele. When Molly got to this point…this is when she took the final leap. Molly opened Castle Salon in 2011 and never looked back. She now makes her own schedule and she is her own boss. And I am happy to report that she is thriving and her salon business grows every year. Is this the plan to success? Yes, it really is. But, I have to tell you what made it all work…And that is the person that Molly is. She exudes positivity and truly cares about her profession. When you radiate positivity the way she does….clients will be drawn to you. If you make your clients a number one priority and treat them well…they will remain loyal. She is dedicated to her profession and to always getting better. And treat everyone you meet like they are a potential client! As you start your career, take the steps Molly did. Start small and grow. Be willing to learn. Be willing to work hard. You can own your own business; you can be your own boss. Just remember that everyone has to start somewhere, all stylists have to grow their clientele. It’s not magic and doesn’t happen over night. But, if you have drive and passion for this industry…the sky is the limit.
Have you been considering taking your beauty skills to the next level? Empire Beauty School offers several Beauty Programs, including Cosmetology, Esthetics, Educator Training, and Nail Technology. Schedule a tour today and meet with a Career Planning Specialist to see if Empire is the perfect fit for you. Visit us at http://www.empire.edu or call 1-800-964-3635.