Education. Consultatiion. Mentoring. Support.

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Education. Mentoring. Support.
These tools are all available to us but in so many cases we don't access them. Why is this?Are we really that perfect or is it that we don't want to expose our weaknesses? 
Our worst enemy is our self. Admitting that help is needed. Raising a hand saying I don't know! How do we protect our selves from exposing our weaknesses. Ego and Fear are our worst enemy we must put them aside seek out help, skill training, Education.
So many program's and tools are available to us. Not free but not expensive it's investing in one's self it will give you the edge! Those tools and skills you need for success.
What form does this help assistance come in? Well hands on teaching, sharing, techniques and skills.

Support can come in the form of personal help from qualified skilled consultants and educators both key to spending time with listening to and learning from building up a relationship with.
Then there is the written Books, Education material. Be it new product information, maybe a new colour chart with an education section often not read and studied by stylists. They use the excuse! oh I'm hands on i like to use and feel the product! Back to those faithful friends fear and Ego.

A mentor someone with an open mind with many years of experience who can share vision with you listen to you guide and advise help you to reach your goals. This can and will only work with an open mind honesty and willingness to listen do the work!
Oh yes I forgot to mention none of this works unless you are committed to the tasking. Parting with some hard earned cash this show commitment. Being prepared to listen, take up the challenges. Do the work reap the rewards.
None of this is an instant fix. it a journey and an adventure built on honesty and trust the skill the experience that can be gained can be beyond your wildest dreams .
The doors that can open. The opportunities that can arise. The direction your career can take are immense.
The hairdressing Industry. Our chosen profession has so many career paths to choose from as a start sit down list how many different avenues could be open to you .
Such as:
Salon stylist.
Colour technician specialist in colour correction.
Educator for a colour company.
Stage work artistic team.
Photographic work.
Cruise liner work.
College lecturing levels of NVQ.
Salon sales,
Working for major hair colour company.
Consultant.
How much of a list can you write? Think about what your goals are?
Now consider this with all the different mediums available to us Phone, Skype, Video, Internet.
Help and advise it at your finger tips all you have to do is ask. Support is at hand weekly monthly updates, communication.
Over the coming weeks it is my hope to be able to offer access to these types of tools, support, consultation,and mentoring assistance.
All these are things that you can sign up for and get involved with. It has been my goal since I started this online work posting topic's writing blogs. To be able to offer support provide the tools to inspire and raise the professional bar standards and image of our industry and profession.
I would like feed back comments thoughts on this topic.
Mike B2MR
I can offer assistance and help with education technical skills information available via my web site
http://www.back2myroots.co.uk/
The two links below. Offer access to both written material and online mentoring coaching support program.

http://www.doubleyoursalonsales.com/                                    
http://thesalonsuccessclub.ning.com/

Lets look at Hairdressing Sales and education

Welcome to B2MR BACK2MYROOTS!
http://www.back2myroots.co.uk/

Regular postings of fresh new topic's.

Sales or sharing?

I hope to create a platform that over time will become a place to share thoughts review hair colour and products.

This topic is worthy of both discussion, thought, and comment, for it effects each and every one involved in the Hairdressing Industry. 

Having Spent a number of years involved in Sales and education or is it? Education and sales:
It's so hard to know for one supports the other. [ chicken and egg what comes first]
One side sales drives the education machine funding allowing technicians and educators into salons to share and demonstrate. On the other hand without the support of good education the sales go flat. Salons. Stylist lose interest, use products incorrectly getting bad results blaming the product!
It is my view. That if you really trust and have belief in a product it will sell it self. If your educated a product how and why it works. If you have a passion for it, it's easy to talk about it sells it self.
So why so much pressure on sales why fear education?
In salons many stylist hate education up dates. They look at educators as know it all's, they attempt to put then down show them up why?  FEAR!
Most salons change colour lines because of dissatisfaction with the product. If it does not perform well in reality the fault is with the stylist technician. But hey! It's always easier to blame a product than take an honest look in the mirror!
Tuff harsh words but true. I don't know how many salons I've visited that so need education support but the staff, the manager will not allow it.
I also think that many sales representatives have very little respect for what a good passionate educator can do.
Why because they fear letting any one see that they don't know everything! who does? The fact is Sales are Sales. Education is just educating. On how to correctly use and get the best out of the product that sharing knowledge giving support to the salon to the sales person to the staff this can only serve to improve. Standards. Skill. Knowledge. So why all the problems?

Ego, Insecurity, Fear? or just an un-daunting need for control!  All things that are rife in society but for some reason really run rampant in the Hair beauty industry.
We have salon managers and owners who fear educating there staff to much. We have staff who hate to admit they have an issues or don't understand. Will not admit that they want or need more education, skill and knowledge.
We have professional Colour companies who market them selves with being professional. But flood the market with home colour kits. With little or no care for the effect on the high street salon, the stylist trying to make a living build up a clientele not to mention the damage long term use can do from use of home colour.

Colour Companies that offer education to some to degree but maybe not fully transparent when it comes to formulation ! Maybe not totally honest about all the chemistry of any given product need to know bases! misleading.
We have schools Colleges, Academy's. All offering a level of training but! How qualified? How up to date are those trainers? How much do they really care? How skilled are they? How current are they?
We have young people coming into the industry with a false idea of how successful they can be. How much there is to learn. How long it takes to be a success.
We have Stylist who reach a level of qualification and then sit back knowing everything knowing nothing? why is this?
We have all these different governing bodies have you ever tried contacting them to ask for a meeting or some information? good luck with that one.
Am I out spoken? Well maybe but it's done it's said to create discussion, to open up debate, to see who really cares! Not to be politically correct.
I have over the years worked with  many like minded passionate industry professional and they are all of the mind that things could be better standards raised, knowledge shared. education improved so what can we do how can we make a difference?
How can we encourage an exchange of knowledge and information. disclosing of product information in an open transparent manner.  One with sales teams working with and supporting education. Stylist who constantly want to up-date. Teachers trainers. Who really care how to encourage the young stylist to have higher standards, skill, who pride themselves in levels of Service and consultation.
This is possible by net working sharing reaching out. We have so many mediums available to us  this is such a huge multifaceted Industry. It's exciting vibrant. It's constantly growing, changing evolving, whilst at the same time standing still .
I have set up the Linked in professional hairdressing net work in the hopes of attracting like minded people to join share and debate. Many thanks Mike B2MR
 
Professional  hairdressing knowledge net work.
http://www.linkedin.com/e/vgh/3162242/

My Blog and all links can be accessed via my web site.
http://www.back2myroots.co.uk/

When hair colour goes wrong!

Welcome to BACK2MYROOTS B2MR  regular postings of fresh new topic's http://www.back2myroots.co.uk/


I posted a reply to the issues raised in this Article: Thought i would share some thoughts and exchanges.

Seeing as it's a never ending issue for so many women. I thought it worthy of sharing below extracts
from our exchange.
At the bottom of the page i have posted the Link to the face book group i have started.
Mike B2MR

let's talk colour

Text from Initial article:

I am trying to get my normal hair colour back. But I am really not interested in waiting for it to happen by itself. So to this ends I colour my hair in  the same colour as my normal colour. Last night I used Schwartzkopf Essential Color – Ash Blonde. A brilliant concept Sadly I ended up with lighter roots, still with a gold hue and lighter than my natural shade.The Mid length's and ends were darker and rather drab!


 My response:
Poor your was your hair previously coloured? Firstly just because it’s ammonia free does not make it one Peroxide free so it still lifts all of your hair, Bringing out natural warmth in the regrowth. Secondly if it does not have Ammonia and it’s marketed as as natural it has De-alcoholised grain bye product in it. This can just as drying in some cases more so than Ammonia just does the job of opening the cuticle in a slightly different way If two products mixed together still using peroxide so permanent.

over processed dull lifeless

Reply:
Wow, thanks so much for your response! I learned a lot and will definitely keep an eye out for your blog, because my hair is a pain (hence it’s very curly).
And yes, it was previously coloured.


Thanks you again for the reply. Sadly one cannot lift colour with colour nor do any of the products one buys advise on effect on previously coloured hair.
As soon as we use choose permanent colour the equation changes as we lift our own hair so we lighten the pigment and warmth comes in to play hence lift and deposit.
But as we lift we then have to choose a shade that can take this warmth in to account. Do you want to use it or neutralize it or utilize it?.Once hair has a colour history then we have a new issue. Roots that have never been coloured mid lengths and ends with history of previous chemical service. So different formulation required,on eto lift and depsoit one just deposit to colour balance.
Back to your situation. If your natural shade is darker than what you have, You don't need a formulation to lift your hair just one to deposit. Demi permanent or Semi  permanent would be enough if its to warm shows orange hue. Then get an ash based shade  suggest level 6 this will neutralize unwanted warmth. Semi permanent or Demi permanent  Natural level Dark Blonde.

Healthy natural looking colour

hope this helps you.
Mike B2MR


Thanks :)
Next time I will without a doubt go to a professional to colour my hair. Consider this a promise!


So many colour issues can arise from home colour. Be it first attempt or regular colouring trying to get that perfect shade with tone and condition.
In so many cases the over the counter super market or store purchased colour. Does not give advise on all the issues that can arise.
Sadly they don't even give advise with regard to. Switching shades from Dark to light from Red to Blonde, or something in between.
 I strongly suggest research, consultation, or post questions asking for answer's on my blog site:
Many topic's have already been covered so feel free to search past articles.

Don't rely on luck get informed before you start down this colour path.
MikeB2MR

The salon,Standards,Style,Image

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regular postings of fresh new topic's 

Communication service
http://www.back2myroots.co.uk

The hair Salon and stylists. We all know that the hair industry has many different bodies watching over it supervising it. It has a standard of training that dictate reaching certain levels of  government training standards NVQ. We have academies we have trained teaching professionals, or so we are told.

We have a wealth of young people attracted to our industry. They have high expectation. They are lead to believe that they can be very successful in some cases reach celebrity status. Sadly this is not always realistic, fee's and standards of training can be questionable. The motives and goals driving some of these schools does not always have the trainees best interests at heart.
This being said my question and one i hope to explore in the coming is. Why do standards vary so much from salon to salon? Why is the skill level so varied? Why does so much badly done hair wonder the streets!
My goal is to go into some salons discuss and report on this. Share a true and real version of how stylist see their industry. what their expectations are.

When wondering around my local area. I often take time to look into the salon's I pass. It's a habit caused from many years in our industry and a natural inquisitiveness. The questions i always ask my self are as follows:
Is it inviting? Does it say hey worth a look? Does it have kerb appeal?  You see it's all about image and first impression you only get to make that once.
For me the big no no's are. Staff standing in and around reception, chatting amongst themselves. Standing out side the front door smoking !!! A window so full of products you cannot see in. In many cases if you have a window work station make sure. The person using the chair is projecting everything that says who you are,what you can do.It's a stage.
Decor,Street appeal. Image to be totally honest, so many places look a little sad and little neglected. Sadly the staff look the same, Yes they go to work they do their job, But it's just that a job.
It should be so much more it's time for some honest reflection it's time to make some changes are you ready?
These changes can be in Image. Appearance both salon and staff. Attitude. Service. Consultation. Clients get excited by change and improvements. This leadership from owners managers will lead to staff becoming more involved and committed it can and should be a exciting time.

It's all about style Image

We work in fashion we create image. Project that when you get ready for work, You don't go out partying on Friday night looking anything but your best, So why would you not apply the same attention to presentation of ones self when going to work?
It's all about. Image that first impression.Be it salon or self


So to be followed up on in the coming weeks! Mike B2MR
useful tool to help make those changes. A real gem of a read!
http://www.doubleyoursalonsales.com/

The salon A challenge to stylists

Welcome to BACK2MYROOTS B2MR regular postings of fresh new topic's
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What are the greatest challenges to stylist and salon owners and managers?Building up and retaining clients, having that trusting relationship built on skill honesty creative talent! Oh and Service.
As stylists we can so easily get caught up in being busy staying busy slightly over booking that we forget what is really important. The client. The service. The consultation. The after care advice and so sales.
Over the years I have come to realize that all of the above points are key to success. They are also the main things we as stylist's forget, take for granted, they are the things we need to stay on top of, make part of our daily routine when working with our clients.
Challenging our selves to make changes into how we work, how we interact with our clients is not as an easy thing, to take a long hard look in the mirror and being honest about what needs maybe a little help some adjustment.
I recently wrote a topic about Investing in ones self here is the link
http://mike-b2mr.blogspot.com/2011/09/investing-in-ones-self.html 
This topic was one I very much enjoyed writing but i have to admit it was inspired by Karen Lynch
Author of Double your salon Sales.
http://www.doubleyoursalonsales.com/
This little book is a real Gem readily available in the USA and soon to be in the Uk it offers advise, asks questions, It challenges you to make changes and shows you step by step how to make them.
It covers everything we do, the daily situations that are presented to us daily.
In this book, Karen will cover all you need to do to make changes, she challenges you to follow her step by step to realise your full potential become truly successful.

My review of Karen's book.                                              
In writing Double Your Salon Success, Karen Lynch shows she has a true understanding of the hairdressing world. She reveals the very essence of what makes for success by identifying the combination of service, consultation and sales that are needed to grow and be current. This book encapsulates so much of what we as stylists forget or take for granted. As Karen shares with us Pamela and Skye’s journey, she takes us on a roller coaster ride from start to finish. She reveals their struggle to make their dream a reality which is at times frustrating and emotionally upsetting and at other times exhilarating. As we read, we think “hey, that could be me; that is so right; what a great idea.” From start to finish, this book is a thought provoking and entertaining read that will leave you wanting to take the challenge to walk a new path to success.

The things we do define us. It’s these things that motivate, and inspire us. Question who you are, what you do, what really empowers you. The challenge is to ensure you have the right knowledge and tools to feel empowered. That feeling of positive affirmation will help you take charge and live your dream.
Courses, be they technical, hands on, shows, or demonstrations, are all very worth while.
However the real motivator is being creatively challenged, getting excited, having fun at work and in your life.
The real key to this is. The service we offer. Our communication and consultation skills. Honesty when giving advise on after care and sales.
Its this book that raises the questions, offers the answers, Karen has a finger on the pulse of our industry. It happens that with all my years of experience all that this industry has challenged me with given me, showed me, all this has proved that service, consultation, skill and communication are the key tools we all need to have.
Being able to put one's Ego aside and having the right level of humility we can all challenge our selves constantly striving to grow and help others to attain higher levels.

As we start into a new year start in with a new and different approach to work to your clients to life.
Mike B2MR

Salon Seasonal pressure

Welcome to BACK2MYROOTS B2MR regular postings of fresh new topic's http://www.back2myroots.co.uk/                 

Silly Season in the salon:

As we approach this very busy season for the client it's social party work family events for us the stylist it's that balance of trying to fit everyone one in keep everyone happy, I say balance because it's so easy to get caught up in the busy rush and forget the service take short cuts over book to the extent of upsetting maybe even loosing clients.
Remember its all about time management and being organised  but also remembering you only have one pair of hands.
You still need to offer the best service experience that consultation that recommendation for products and maintenance.
A quote was posted on a group i manage yesterday: 
As a consumer. I would really appreciate if a lot more hair salon would prescribe products / recommend / give advice to help maintain or improve the condition / styling of hair.  
This was posted in response to a topic i posted but it goes to show that clients do want advice help guidance it's what they come to you the professional for.
If we get so wrapped up in the seasonal over booking something must suffer normally service!
Offering advice on products and how to maintain manage a style once home is part of the support and follow up service we should offer.
 

Yesterday someone who i class as a friend but also very much respect posted some thoughts on busy days in the salon and increasing revenue whilst still offering a service here is the link.
             http://thesalonsuccessclub.ning.com/profiles/blogs/you-can-fit-more-money-in-your
The author of this blog article Karen Lynch  offers so much wonderful help and advice to many she also publishes a book that revolves around salon Service, Consultation, Sales
http://www.doubleyoursalonsales.com/

Back to the busy season making appointments and sticking to them staying on time is key to staying in control it is the job of the receptionist to run the front desk handle clients booking, and sometimes those late arrivals that can destroy a day. for you but also all clients booked because of this one lateness the knock on effect will impact everyone i suggest a 15minuite rule later than that it's rebook for this to work you have to be consistent all year round about this policy don't implement it the weeks running up to the Christmas season. 


If you want to take advantage of all the extra season business extend your hours don't over book your day beyond what is possible work harder in December take some time in January it's all about balance
your clients will respect you much more than if you keep them waiting short change on service or make a mess through rushing.


enjoy the season embrace it stay positive have fun

http://www.back2myroots.co.uk/ 

Hairdressing Health saftey

Welcome to BACK2MYROOTS B2MR: regular postings of fresh new topic's
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Health and safety in the Salon :
Not a topic that i really ever thought worthy of writing about! that is until now this really is so very important for it effects us our clients our daily lives.
We are exposed to so many products chemical processes, we breath fumes, we handle products, we apply them onto our clients.
We expose these chemicals to heat be it from dryers to streamers to very hot ceramic irons, how often do we really take the time to think are they safe do i know what reaction may take place can i explain fully what this process is doing to my client
Do i have all the facts all the knowledge and skill to make this safe?
Going back to past topic's Service is key to success so is safety, as is the consultation for it is through consultation that we get the facts to know if a chemical process might be possible i say might be for we may still have to do skin test and or a strand test.
When i first came across the term COSHH  Control of substances hazardous to health:
I thought here we go health and safety gone wild.
More over legislation by bodies out of touch with the workings of a hairdressing salon.
Having suffered as most stylist have done with skin issues especially when training all day shampooing having breathed in way to many fumes! having coloured hair, highlighted hair, for years without wearing gloves or protection i have to say the regulations make sense.
But so much of it is common sense  I think sometimes we are put off because with all the regulations because they are written and taught to us like we are all idiots.

So we have to take control of our safety our clients safety, be sensible about products application and working environment.                           

Service and safety.
I will attempt to touch on the key issues of safety in the salon but a good guide to own maybe even have in the salon is Hairdressing the foundation NVQ has a great deal of information.

Also great site with so much information on many topic's
http://www.hair-heads.co.uk/salon-health-and-safety/coshh.php
In 1974 health and safety act was born to this day it is continually updated.
For me up dates of health and safety is key especially given the ever changing world of products available to us and how to use them.
With the high heat styling tools and flat irons we have to be aware of the danger from heat damage and also the effects from fumes when Chemistry and heat come together, this can be a danger to stylists and  clients.
Sometimes these effects are not readily noticeable we have to be aware to the danger understand the chemistry the process cause and effect.
Stay current search the internet for products reviews ask questions, be informed for both your sake and your clients: all common sense!!!!!

Heat and chemicals Fumes : breathing, vision,
I have said that service and safety go together so does consultation and safety with out doing a full in depth consultation how do you establish the history of any chemical work done on a clients head? how do you know that it will not cause a heat reaction causing hair to melt maybe even scalp burn.
If this happens you as the professional are responsible question, question, look, touch. if needed strand test. all this come sunder health safety !!!!!

Below a list of topic's all key to salon health safety, the salon and it's staff all work together so taking care of the salon making it and maintaining it as  a safe healthy palace is everyone responsibility.
Key roles such as record keeping, regular checks should be carried out by designated staff members.
As a salon owner having your self or a staff member with basic first aid is a good course of action i think everyone should do a basic first aid and CPR course well worth knowing.


Safe disposal of products chemicals old sharp objects:
Work place safety, [wet floors. fire safety, electrical, or gas]
Safe salon environment. protection, storage,
Being environmentally aware.
First aid. Training, procedures,
Health hygiene, infection, sterilisation,

The above list of subjects out lines different areas that need to be addressed the days of owning running a salon or just doing hair from home do not allow for complacency with regard to health and safety and liability issues not knowing is not an excuse when things go wrong or accidents happen!
Stay informed offer the highest standard of service in the safest setting possible.
Need help or advise contact me via my web site: thanks MikeB2MR
http://www.back2myroots.co.uk/