A New Year and a New Start?

I’ll bet that many of you reading this will have already made your “more of this and less of that” New Year’s resolution list? But have you taken a moment to think how most of our list items are centered on things that improve OUR lives somehow? The end of a year and the birth of a new is usually a time that most of us spend a moment of reflection on the past and then hopes for the future. As you lay out new plans for the coming business year, take a minute to ask yourself, “How am I going to give back this year” or “Can I pay it forward for someone who is struggling and needs help in some way?” I had lunch with a friend and well known industry icon, over the holidays, who told me that the greatest reward they get from doing their job is seeing the passion in young salon professionals ignited during a hands-on workshop. This got me thinking about what would happen if all of the talented stylists and former educators out there in salons made a conscious decision to “mentor” young talented salon professionals in their area? Our industry needs the wisdom of those who made it great to rise up and shake off the dust of stagnation and disappointment, because there are thousands of needy young people adrift in a sea of competition – floating in a boat without a rudder. Our young people need strong leaders and disciplined coaching to learn the “finesse” our industry masters possess. Then, we can see the bar raised, and higher prices paid for better quality work by better trained salon professionals. Everybody wins. . . . More to come.