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Bulletin Boards > A day in the life of.... > stale and stagnant..any suggestions

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Posted By:tworks71 on: 5/21/2009 10:57:28 PM

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Thread: stale and stagnant..any suggestions

tworks71
Posts: 2

stale and stagnant..any suggestions
Posted: Thursday, May 21, 2009 10:57:28 PM

I love what i do, i've been doing it almost 20 yrs and in that time i haven't been feelin burn-out. Im a booth renter and about 2 yrs ago moved to a new location not very far from the old location. But the atmosphere is totally different. went from very quiet small space with two stylists each in private room, answering my own phone, booking my own clients and about 6 other booth renters to a large salon with receptionists and about 18 ppl, very open space and not so quiet. I really enjoy the people i work around, but i am in a very small corner of the salon practically bumpin butts with girl next to me, fortunately she is easy to work next to. I've changed my retail and color lines (being in bigger enviroment opened me to new and improved products).

3 yrs ago I had a son and when i came back from 6 weeks off, my clientele dropped some and for some reason it's not built back up. (im also a very artistic and not great with business side as in marketing and promoting myself) one reason i do know is i worked 4 evenings a week and now i can only work 1 (i work 5 days)...it's disheartening to me that i can't get back to bein booked out 4-6 weeks. I've been having one of those phases where nothing can go right. have had few color mishaps (im a color correction specialists, so easy to fix the small mishaps but...they shouldn't be happening) one of my clients had a bad allergic reaction to chemical burning her scalp (a first for me), had to fire a sales rep for stealing, and so on....I am unable to figure out if it's me or my surroundings. I have no space at my station to do self talkers, all my retail is kept in my cabinet that has to be closed at all times. the good points are lots of natural light, hardly any cruel backstabbing between stylists and it's a well established salon with 5 stylists bein there for 25+yrs.

i am a single mother so traveling to hair shows as much as i used to (4 a yr at least) is not a option financially, that's what always kept me "fresh"...

i just need some motivating thoughts from those who have gotten through major burn out when love your career.

russnyc
Posts: 1047
Platinum Member

Tworks
Posted: Wednesday, June 03, 2009 8:07:19 PM

Hi

As someone who has always worked commission and never independent, I admire that you could book out so far, however I'll say this-

The economy has changed ALL the rules.

I literally have people calling me every month that have lost their homes, jobs, or are so uncertain they just can't see the next booking.

Pay close attention, even big companies are afraid. I knew something was amiss back in mid 2007 when business started dropping off midday. I stepped out of a hole in the wall no name salon back then and stepped into a salon with brand recognition, a consistently affirming identity, and a signature technique. In my honest opinion, there are just too many salons right now, and if you don't have these three things in place, it doesn't matter how much money or energy you pour into your business-

It will fail.

I have mandatory class every week. Believe me, there are days I would love to take off, but I feel ENERGIZED from each and every one.

The biggest reason for burnout is either because you've accomplished all your goals and haven't set any more or the system you've come to rely on has changed and you haven't changed with it.

Let me say this, and you'll see it again and again in my posts. Money isn't as important as impact in our industry. Set your goals aside from money. Always surround yourself with people you can aspire to be like.

Talk to your accountant and some of the HIGH end salon employees. Figure out if you truly make more money working for yourself or you're just shuffling it around so the IRS doesn't see the truth. Ask yourself if the difference is really worth the hassles an independent renter will have to deal with the next decade as we move into a world without paper currency...

Finally, buy a journal and write down 6 month, 1 year, and 5 year goals and ask yourself if everything you're doing right now is working towards those goals.
Russ H. Colorist at the Roy Teeluck Salon 57th & Madison Avenue, Manhattan NYC "There are no ugly women, only lazy ones." -Helena Rubenstein