As people become more beauty conscious, they are willing to pay big money to look good. The styling industry is rife with opportunities, and countless professionals are looking to join the bandwagon. The best thing is that you have options to work the way you want. You may join a high-end salon, work under a seasoned stylist, or go independent as a client-facing stylist.
Most professionals plan to work for themselves down the line, once they gain ample experience and make a name in the industry. You may even become a celebrity stylist and achieve fame if you are talented enough. But the journey can be long and daunting for some professionals, and a breeze for others. However, it is worth pursuing if you are passionate about the art. Here are a few tried and tested career tips for independent hair stylists.
Find your passion
The road to success starts with finding your passion, and it is even more crucial in the beauty industry. The industry is for you if you feel good about making people look and feel beautiful. Moreover, becoming a successful hairstylist is about showing your creative skills to cut, style, and color hair. Passion makes you a magician with styling tools, and you do not feel apprehensive about trying something different. Being passionate also keeps you focused on the goal of becoming an independent artist eventually. The process is not easy and has several challenges, but your passion will drive you to overcome them and achieve your goal.
Invest in education
Education complements your passion and takes you a step closer to success as an expert stylist. You may have a creative penchant and love for styling, but you must know the craft to put them into action. Opt for formal training from a reputed school because it empowers you with relevant skills and certifications to take your career ahead. Besides formal education, you will require hands-on experience to continue with the journey. Consider working as an intern or joining a salon to get the real-world experience working with clients. Remember that there are no shortcuts to becoming an independent stylist as everyone has to learn before becoming an expert.
Identify your strengths
Essentially, a hairstylist offers full salon service, including cutting, styling, coloring, heat treatment, and more. These professionals understand individual needs, expectations, and challenges to provide ideal solutions to clients. But it is always better to become a specialist in a craft to reach the next level of your career. The best way to do it is by identifying your strengths and focusing on them. For example, you can choose cutting and styling as your forte if you understand facial features. Likewise, you may do better as a color artist if you have a flair for hair analysis. Specialization will get you more clients, even without working for a top salon.
Love your tools
Hair stylists need their tools to work and deliver results for clients. You should love your tools and be comfortable with them to give your best. Do not expect to work with random ones, but invest in your own set to carry every time you work on a project. You must own all types of shears,coloring tools, blow-dryers, curling iron, straighteners, combs and brushes, and sectioning clips in your work set. Pick quality tools and maintain them in good condition over the years. You may also have to replace them down the line. Your tool kit may entail some investment, but you cannot skimp on the quality of these products. After all, they make you the stylist you are!
Be open to learning new things
Going independent with the craft is easy once you become open to learning new things. Since you are on your own and without a mentor, you must educate yourself to keep pace with the trends. Thankfully, plenty of inspiration is available online, so you can check videos and styling blogs to learn new trends and techniques. You may have a few clients as an independent artist, so your exposure is limited. But you can work with dummies, attend events, and find professional development opportunities to learn more. The more varied your experience becomes, the better your chances to succeed.
Excel with client services
Succeeding as an independent stylist takes more than skill and talent. It also requires going the extra mile with client services. Since you do not work with a branded salon, you have to offer something more than usual to clients to retain them for the long haul. Treat them with care, pamper them while maintaining superb hygiene levels by using Disposable towels and show that their satisfaction matters to you. It gets you the benefit of client retention and encourages happy clients to refer you to others. Make customer service excellence a habit, as it can set you apart in the industry.
Boost your online presence
The biggest concern for independent stylists is getting more work and extending their reach. It is challenging as you do not have the support of a branded salon or a renowned mentor. Luckily, you can leverage online promotions to make a name for yourself and be visible to potential clients. The best thing about building an online presence is that it costs a fraction of conventional advertising. You can create a social media page, consolidate a fan following, and spread the word about your services and expertise. You may even have a website to go on a larger scale as an independent professional. Collaborate with influencers and request your celebrity clients to post reviews to boost your career.
Nothing gets better than earning a name and fame for yourself as an independent hairstylist. It enhances your self-esteem, helps you make more money, and takes your career a notch higher. You may even land some celeb clients and make them stick for the long haul. Everything boils down to handling your career graph in the right way. Follow these simple tips to make your journey smooth and fast, and reach the career goal of independence sooner than later.
