Tiffany Ayanwu is a salon suite owner and a commissioned stylist in the DC, Maryland, Virginia area, aka the DMV.

Well, this is not the first time Tiffany's been on the show.

As a matter of fact, the first time was when Tiffany was a student at cosmetology school and working at a salon.

Today, we're going to hear all about where she's at now and what the journey has been like over the last three years.

Welcome back to the hairdresser strong show.

My name is Robert Hughes, and I am your host.

And today I'm with Tiffany Ayanwu.

How are you doing today, Tiffany?

I'm good, Robert.

How are you?

Thank you so much for having me again.

Absolutely.

I'm super excited, and I'm good.

Thanks for asking.

So just to kind of give people a refresh, if anybody's watching or listening that did not see or listen to your first interview, we talked about the.

You know, you were already working in a salon, so it was like, the.

Near the end of school, I feel like.

I don't feel like you were.

That you had that much longer to go.

Is that correct?

I didn't.

So I believe when we interviewed, I want to say it was towards the end of the year, and I was graduating in March.

Okay, cool.

And you were at the time, you were working at a salon?

Mm hmm.

I was working as a salon assistant.

So I was like, the shampoo assistant, blow drying first press.

That's really it.

Okay.

And are you.

You are a commission stylist and a suite owner.

So are you working as a commission stylist in the salon you were assisting at?

So.

I am not.

I left that salon that I was in assist that I was assisting at, I think, later that year or the next year, and then I took a little break from the hair industry.

I just did a separate job for the summer, and then I came back and I worked at a blow dry bar.

So I am currently part time commission at that same blow dry bar than I am now.

I want to say three, four months into a salon suite owner.

All right, well, thank you for the.

That's awesome.

I always like to have Cliff notes in the beginning for the viewers and listeners, and I feel like it makes the experience so much better.

So.

All right, so that's the cliff notes.

Now, let's.

Let's expand on that and talk more about that.

Okay, so you're assisting at a salon.

You're.

And you're in school, you graduate, and then tell us about the.

Your experience graduating and then going, I don't know, full time or whatever as an assistant.

Were you working another job, or would you just full time at that salon and tell us what your experience was and if you were training, if you moved back, moved up onto the floor, kind of, like, give us, like, an understanding of that once.

That one season right there.

So that one season, honestly, was a lot.

So, actually, when I graduated, I graduated in March 2020.

So I graduated cosmetology March 2020.

And as we know, that's when the pandemic started.

So everything got shut down, even couldn't work in the salons.

So I was actually home for, I want to say, from March up until September, I was completely home.

I wasn't in the salons at all, but I still had my job at the salon that I was at assisting, waiting for me, because I was there prior was when I was still in school.

So when I went back, I was working to get my license.

Things were just opening up.

I was registering for my practical, or.

No, I was registering for my written exam first.

And I was able to take my written exam, I want to say maybe end of September, early October.

So I was still just assisting full time, actually, just living at home with my sister.

And, yeah, I thought that I was working towards a salon chair, but that ended up not being the path that happened at that specific salon.

So I ended up taking a break, I want to say, by August of 2021, and then I got my job at the blow dry bar by November of 2021.

Okay, so let's go back.

So can there.

There are so one of the topics that I'm starting to talk about.

So I'm actually, uh, you know, I'm.

I'm.

I'm sorry that you didn't have a good experience, but I think it's as a.

We can turn this into a positive by sharing what that was like.

And, like, if there's a.

If there's a rising stylist out there that finds themselves in a similar situation, then this could lend to help them.

Also, there's salon owners that are asking me, how do we make the transition process from apprentice assistant onto the better?

As a matter of fact, in the upcoming newsletter that's about to come out, we are.

There's, like, that was one of the questions we're doing, like, this Q and a thing in the newsletter.

And so we got an answer for that question, but, like, it is an answer that is not informed by your experience.

So could you, like, you know, share as much as you're willing to share?

Obviously, these these things turn into can be touchy topics, and some people don't feel comfortable sharing.

I get that.

Share as much as you're willing to share with a focus not necessarily on, like, talking about negative, more like, what are the things that you experience?

Like, I want to kind of give you an example.

If I've had students call me and say three months out of three months into working somewhere being like, hey, you know, being really discouraged, you know, kind of sounding maybe they have been crying and saying, you know, like, I don't know what to do.

I'm super, you know, what's the word?

Disillusioned.

I don't know if they use that word, but that's what they were saying.

They're disillusioned with, like, working in hair.

Maybe they just need to leave hair.

And I'm like, no, no, no.

Like, that's has been your bad.

You've had a bad experience with somebody.

Let's kind of work through it.

And then they're like, well, I was told I'd be taking classes, and it's been three months.

And then I just asked my boss, hey, how come I haven't taken any classes?

And, and I, he also told me I'd move, I'd get on the floor in six months.

But it's been three months with no classes, and now I'm like, well, I think I'm getting on the floor in three months.

But really, the six months period never started, you know, so that type of stuff, you know, and you don't have to name the name of the salon either.

But, like, if you could share, like, that kind of experience, if you can.

So, yeah, my experience.

My experience, I feel as though it was very similar to what a lot of people do go through in the industry, especially starting off as an assistant coming from cosmetology school, and probably especially if you didn't actually know how to do hair prior to going to cosmetology school, like me.

So my experience was, I thought that once I got my license, I was going to have a timeframe that I could work through to get to getting a chair, even if it's just as a assistant stylist, where I am actually taking clients, but also assisting and then working towards being a full time stylist.

However, there was literally no clear timeframe that was communicated.

I was pretty much stuck in my role, pretty much like, just saying, oh, yeah, we could work on this.

We're going to do classes on this, we're going to do x, y on z on this, and granted, yes, the classes did happen, but at the same time, I felt as though since I was working for someone else, it was also that they were trying to mold me into the stylist that they saw I was rather than the stylist that I wanted to be.

And I feel as though that has also been my challenge.

I want to say working under somebody else in general in the hair industry, outside of the hair industry, whatever the case may be, is.

And I would say that's the biggest challenge even coming from that salon to working at other salons, because even me working at, still with me, still working at the blow dry bar that I'm at now, I did leave to go to another full service salon for a short time of period, and that was a great experience as well.

But I would say even from all three of those experiences, I don't even know what the real solution is yet to.

So how, how did your, how did the two salon experiences differ?

So in terms of what we're talking about?

Yeah.

So I will say even from all three salon experiences, because all three happened, really within the last three, four years.

So with the first one, it was, it was a very high end salon.

It was very much so tiered.

I want to say you have your lead stylists that do all the styling, all the color.

They get all of the appointments, really.

Then you have the other stylists that just do, like, basic styling, and then you have so many assistants.

I want to say a lot of those assistants stay in that position for a long period of time.

I would say that I do know some stylists that are in that position that either have just worked their way out of that position recently or are still really trying to take themselves fully out of the assistant position even after three, four years.

But after that, when I was leaving, going commission, going commission, like fully commissioned, where you're at a blow dry bar, you are taking clients.

You just have your, like, literally, you just have your book set for you each day.

All you have to do is show up.

It's, it's a very huge transition.

I will say it's a transition mentally, physically, emotionally, all of it, because you, it's almost like every.

And from my experience, it was almost as if everything that I really, really wanted, I got literally just like that.

So it was hard one now learning how to manage clients, how to cater to their needs, learning how to take bad reviews and improve from them, accepting the fact that you are going to mess up, you are actually going to mess up some hair, but you can do better.

But also, I would say from a blow dry bar, you don't really have the support that you would have from a full service salon.

Like the classes, the training, it's not the same.

So then even with me going, leaving the blow dry bar and going back to another full service salon, it was absolutely great.

It was pretty much everything that I actually wanted from both salons put together.

Full service.

I'm doing cuts, color, extensions, everything that I want to do.

I have my own book.

I'm able to manage my book.

I'm getting the training.

It was a bumble and bumble salon.

Getting training from my salon owner, from Bumble and Bumble going to New York for it and everything.

But I did have to realize that also, even when you are working for somebody else, and the thing was with that salon, it was a very new salon.

So when you're working for somebody else, yes.

You have to.

You have to realize that their business, and not even just with that salon, but with any salon or any business at all that you're working under, you have to realize that that is their business.

And things that you would do may not be what they would want for themselves or whatever the case may be is.

So I had to realize that it wasn't working, and I had to go back to the other salon.

So it's just been very different experiences.

So what you're talking about is a, you've had a lot of experience as a new person and the transitioning process and the communication.

And, like, it's.

I feel like this episode and this conversation is insanely valuable to anybody that's in school right now.

Now, we're going to add even more value if you're a salon owner and you're watching or listening right now.

Okay, so let's say that one.

Hold on.

One.

Did you, were you able to bring in models on your days off at any of the commission salons?

Not the dry bar, the full service salons?

Yes.

So at the full service salons, I was able to bring in models at both.

For the first one that I was at, it was a little bit harder since I was an assistant, I wasn't a stylist.

But once I was, like, once I did get my license, then it was a little bit easier.

But one, I'm not from the area, so also, me trying to bring in models at the time wasn't the easiest, and I didn't have assistance from that salon.

So I'll be honest, I don't think I ever really brought in a model if it wasn't like a coworker that I was working on, but at the other full service salon that I was working on.

Yes, she definitely, especially at the beginning, because it was a brand new salon.

She actually was a co worker from the full service, from the first full service salon that I was at.

She left shortly before I left.

She was also a suite owner for a year and then opened the salon.

So at first, she did let me bring in quite a lot of models, I will admit.

And that did help a lot with marketing for myself and the salon.

But then, as a salon owner, you do have to realize, like, you do have to charge those models in place, shape, or form, because everyone has to benefit from it.

So, yeah, that was so my guess.

Okay, so I'm asking for a re.

For a specific reason, and that's because, like, when I was an apprentice, I didn't go to school.

I did it my full year.

I was.

I learned the business.

It took three years before I got on the floor.

Like, I spent the first, I think, year learning work in the front desk and.

And then learning that.

And then I spent two years assisting in training before I got on the floor.

However, once I started training to do hair, I was allowed to bring in models for classes and on my days off to practice.

And they had to pay something, but it was, like, just to cover the color.

But I never let my models pay.

I always paid myself.

Now, I'm not saying anybody should do that.

And if any salon owner is listening, then please don't get upset with me.

I'm just trying to be real.

Keep it real here.

This is not advice.

This is just my experience.

I would charge my models.

I'm not going to work for free.

But I also know the salon's not going to pay me because they don't owe me anything.

I'm here to suck off of them.

I'm here to get the education off of them.

I'm here.

I'm hoping that they'll send me clients when I get on the floor.

Um, but I also, like.

I don't know.

I'm always been a little bit of a hustler.

Um, that's just kind of how it was like growing up, you know, especially cause we're, like, scrapping all the time.

So I'm bringing.

I'm making a little side money.

I'm enjoying it.

I'm getting something from.

From these.

From these models, and, uh, I'm enjoying it.

I'm feeling like a stylist.

And then I go in on the days I work, and I am definitely no longer a stylist.

Uh, did you have the opportunity to feel like a stylist?

Like, would that, I guess what I'm trying to say is, like, what I'm hearing you say is, you know, I'm also a hiring manager and an educator for apprentices, so this is also valuable for me.

But, like, what I hear you saying is, and correct me if I'm wrong or add to it if I'm not getting the full picture, it sounds to me like a big part of nothing.

Finding a home at a home is the wrong word.

Not finding, like, a base of operations to work off of under someone else, like, a commission sloan, because it's a lot cheaper and easier, as you pointed out, when you work for somebody else, you know, like, we're not, we haven't even gotten into all the work.

It is going to be that you're going to tell us about, about being a suite owner.

But, yeah, yeah, I'm sure you got, like, it's going to be awesome for you to compare the two, so.

But what I hear you saying is that you might have stayed at some of these salons had you had the opportunity to feel more like a stylist.

Is that, is there any accuracy to that thought or perspective?

So, yes and no.

I feel I would have definitely, for the first one, absolutely, yes.

If I was able to feel like a YDE stylist, I would have stayed.

Okay, I don't, hold on.

But I want you to.

I want the whole thing, but I want to make sure that I'm opening this thing up wide enough.

Okay.

So, yes.

So let's talk about that specifically.

Now, if you were able to bring in models and do hair, and then you could charge them on the side and pay for the color yourself.

I'm just creating this hypothetical scenario.

Would that have made you feel like a stylist and that would have been sufficient while you're going through the training?

Or was there, is there something else that was that, that I'm missing?

Honestly?

Yes, but honestly, it didn't even have to be like, I'm charging models on the side or anything.

I just wanted to do hair.

I just wanted to actually be able to take, like, to know that a client was mine, that I was taking them from the bowl to the end of their service, checking them out as my client instead of getting them started, getting them shampooed, connecting with that client, and I have to pass them over, and that's really your client.

Okay, so I got it.

Then I got another question.

And by the way, I'd like to repeat that I'm not recommending anybody charge under the table, especially.

No, I know when you're not on the floor.

I did, and it made me feel like a stylist.

But.

But anyway, so what we've done with the apprentice at the salon that I'm working at is we've kind of separated out the services, and the service that she can is more than competent to do is blow drying and styling services.

So she's on the floor.

She has the option to come in two days a week on the floor, and then three days she's assisting and slash apprenticing, and then she's still, you know, coming to classes.

You know, if she doesn't want to come to a class, then she doesn't come to a class.

But the classes, you don't get paid to come to classes.

Classes are for you to come to so that you can get up, so we can send you clients.

But I also, like, have many other students.

So, like, so it's up to her.

It's up to her.

And so she comes to classes, and she assists on three days, and then she is doing hair two days, and we're trying to get her up to start taking haircuts or color one or the other.

Not necessarily both.

Both, maybe.

Whatever.

We're in the process of actually figuring that out now.

Now, was that an option at this salon that we're talking about for you, like, the first salon?

No.

So if that was an option, would you have stayed and gone, continue to be an assistant and.

But then have, like, a couple days to do hair to start building your own clients?

Yeah, absolutely.

And.

And I would say, and I would honestly say that, in a sense, they did try to paint the picture as if that's what I was able to do.

Do.

But then when it came down to actually saying, like, oh, I have this client that wants to.

That I.

That wants to come in at this time for an appointment.

Can I put them on my books?

Because that was the day and time that I was able to take my clients.

Right.

Oh, no, your books aren't open for that.

So.

Yeah, so that all salon owners out there, hiring managers, trainers, even salon stylists that have apprentices in the salon, it's very important that you pay attention to this piece.

This is the most important piece of this conversation is that salon owners are saying one thing and doing another.

Okay, so we're not.

This is not a conversation about what students and rising stylists could do.

Better.

We have those conversations.

This is a conversation about, for salon owners and hiring managers or trainers to help them kind of, kind of adapt because adapt and, like, adjust their business practices or update their business practices or tell me to go f, off because they don't care.

But, like, if your question is, how can I improve the process for rising stylists, transitioning apprentices, retaining younger people?

Because that's like the biggest worrying concern.

Well, boom, right there.

Let's start with that.

Why don't you just do what you say you're going to do?

All right, so now let's moving on.

So now.

Okay.

So we figured out, like, that at the center of some of your decision making has to do with wanting to feel like, feel like the stylist slip into this role that you've been trying to, like, get yourself to, as well as kind of be somewhere where it's safe, where if you, if you, if they say they're going to do something, then they do it.

If they're going to give you an opportunity and they give it to you.

Okay.

So is there anything different for any of the other commission salons?

Is there any other information that might be good for somebody to know who's either a salon owner or a stylist that is different from those two things that we've named?

Is there anything else that you experienced?

Yeah.

That you've experienced, I will say at least because technically, even the blow dry bar is also commission based.

I would say as far as training, it's a slippery slope with salons like that.

Because at the same time, if you really do want a certain type of training, you do have to invest in yourself.

Not to say that they're not going to invest in your training at all.

They may invest in it, but it may not be the training that you're looking for.

And I think sometimes, being for both the, from the salon owner to the stylist, I do feel as though there needs to be a lot better transparency of that sometimes when it comes to hiring and after hiring and, like, what is, what is, you know, expected sometimes and what may not be, I think.

I mean, and I could say, like, yes, I hate to say it, but at the same time, it's also just like, yes.

If you don't plan on fully investing, like actually investing into my career, I don't necessarily feel like you should be taking 60% commission from my check.

That's just how I feel.

Yeah.

You know, that's a, I think that that's a big conversation right there, because that conversation, because there's a lot of nuance, I think, to that conversation.

So let's just say, let's kind of encapsulate this for our conversation today and say, okay, so it's like people who have been to school, it's not going to be very long before they're going to want to feel like a stylist, and especially if they have their license.

So create opportunities for people to slip into that role and feel like a stylist.

Like go through all the motions, you know, outside of a class, like a structured class.

I'm sorry to cut you off, but it's, as a licensed stylist, we have invested thousands of dollars into getting our license.

Like, just going to cosmetology school alone, for me, that was $20,000 I paid out of pocket.

And for me to go to be at a salon assisting while I'm in school, it's just like, no, I want to know when I'm going to be a stylist.

I'm glad you said that because I know some one specific salon owner that I'm thinking of that is probably going to call me and cuss me out of.

So I'm glad you said that because that's, what's it called?

Perspective or angle or filter or whatever in which we're looking at this concept of making, when I say make opportunity, create opportunities for people to feel like a stylist.

I'm glad you clarified, like, you just made a statement that is more important to say.

Is that being clear on to the person, clear as day, maybe even, and put it in writing, make it easy to remember and understand.

If you're not going to put it in writing, you know, in three months you'll be on the floor, and then in three months they go on the floor.

If it's more, if it's not that simple, then put it, write it down and say, this is everything.

What's up?

Even if it's a year, that's.

What if it's not year time based.

What if it's like, here's a list of everything I want to see you do.

I want to see you do it from start to finish.

And then once you do this stuff, then you'll move on to the floor for that stuff.

And once you do this stuff, you move on the floor for that stuff.

I feel as though those are tricky because that was actually part of the issue with my first salon that I was at, because at the same time, it's just like, well, then what's the evaluation process.

Like, what is to say that I did pass that stage to now move on to the next?

What are you basing those things on?

I do, actually, having a timeframe where it's just like, okay, we're doing training on this.

We're doing training on that in this timeframe.

That's what the training process is for you to become a stylist.

But, of course, within that timeframe, if something's not, you know, getting done, or if something's not clicking for the stylist, then, of course, maybe spend a little bit more time and then basically revisit and say, okay, maybe not three months, maybe five months.

I would say that that's more fair.

Okay, well, um, just to push back a little bit, because I know, like, for me personally, but I also know almost pretty much every salon owner would say that, um, time means nothing.

And, uh, like, I've had lazy, so lazy apprentices before, and they try to get out of every class and get out of work, and they don't bring in models.

And it's like, I could fire them or I could let them stay a low wage employee, because, like, if that's what they want, then that's fine, but, like, but moving somebody up based on time really forces you to fire the person the day before their graduation date.

You know what I mean?

Like, and that's not, that's not cool, I don't think.

And it also, or it means I gotta be on top of the person all the time, and I don't want to do that anyway, you know, because.

I was going to say, and I was going to say at some point, too, I will admit there are not that many great stylists.

Like, let's just be completely real.

There's, yeah, there's not that many great stylists out here.

Like, as people, but also as actual stylists, if we're being completely honest, have to say it.

But it's also just like, why isn't it okay?

Like, why isn't it okay if these aren't being met, if you're not able to do this such and such, if you're not aligning with my brand's purpose with what's going on with my company, you have to go.

I mean, that's a very, I mean, I can't argue against that.

That's a very valid point.

I think that's a very valid point.

So, like, there's nothing wrong with a time based approach as long as vice versa.

As a stylist, at least for me, that's how I see it.

As a salon owner, if you are not able to give me what I need for my career, at some point I'm going to have to leave and get that either on my own or from a different salon owner.

You know what?

I guess I'm going to have to adjust my view.

Really good point.

If you meet with the person on a regular basis, you're constantly talking to them about what they need to work on, what type of models they need to bring in, what type of, I don't know, swatch work they need to do or whatever.

Or, hey, you're really, your reds need to be.

We really need to see you practicing your reds because they're just not like there yet.

Whatever, then, yeah.

And if you don't see that person trying, then you can give them a warning and then be like, hey, and it's that, that one on one would have to be like every single week, though, because you wouldn't want a month to go by and they didn't do anything.

And then it's a six month process and one 6th of it is gone.

So, yeah, it would require an intensely active management of those people.

But I mean, at the same time, like, you should be checking in with your students on a regular basis anyway, so.

Good point.

Thank you for making that.

And I love these type of conversations where people disagree.

And so that's so awesome.

Okay, so we got like, then make some sort of pathway for the person that's clearly defined and under easy to understand.

Now, if you don't like time, then write it down.

But like, make sure everything's clear.

And if you're going to do a test based approach, then you need to make sure to clarify how it's, the evaluation is going to happen, how the exact transition happens, all graduation happens.

All right, cool.

This is so good.

All right, so then, and then the other thing is.

What's the other thing?

So clearly defined pathway to growth.

Keep your word.

Do what you say you're going to do.

And don't blame your lack of meetings with the person.

Because the thing is, I can imagine a slaughter being like, man, I didn't get to have a meeting with them for eight weeks because of blah, blah, blah, blah, blah reasons and excuses.

And then it's like, well, now I can't move this person up.

And it's like, well, I mean, we're all human, but that's also a personal problem.

So.

So, like, maybe you need to reevaluate your process.

All right, cool.

So, and then the other thing was, um.

So keep your word.

Clearly defined pathway to growth.

Is there.

Is there one other, or is that it?

Those two things?

Yeah, I think pretty much those two things.

All right.

And, like, oh, clear expectations.

I guess that kind of goes in with clear pathway to growth.

All right, cool.

Um, if anything else comes up, we'll add it in, but let's keep.

Let's keep moving on.

So we don't, uh.

I want.

I want to be respectful of your time, and we're already pushing up on the time.

Okay.

So I didn't expect this conversation deep into this kind of stuff, and this is like, such.

This is, like, the most important stuff.

Okay.

Um.

All right.

So that kind of helps us understand how you.

So you potentially could have stayed at one of these other salons had things been a little different, maybe.

Were there any personality issues, people didn't get along or you didn't have that experience?

I did have that experience.

Okay.

Yeah.

Is there something to watch out for?

Do you have any advice for any.

Anybody who's embarking on this process?

And, you know, I don't want people to get disillusioned and quit the hair industry.

I'd like if we could give some people some advice.

I'd love to hear that.

And I would say it's hard to give advice when it comes to, because you're going to run into it regardless, in the industry.

At every single salon you go to, you are going to run into either someone that you just don't get along with that well, or whatever the case may be is.

I've just learned to accept that fact even from other people that I know that worked in salons.

And I hate to say the advice is, but sometimes you really do have to just learn to really get a tough skin.

You just really have to learn how to just ignore it.

Yeah.

Like, literally ignore it and just do your work.

That's it.

Like, and it's.

It's so hard sometimes, because sometimes you may get personal with someone, you may become friends with someone, and then working and personal just doesn't work out.

Or even regardless, maybe you work with someone who's older than you, that's worked in the salon for a while, and you just don't get along with that person, but you just really have to ignore and remember why you're there working.

That's.

That's.

So if I would have told you that advice when you were in school and said, you need thick skin, do you think that you would have been like, okay, let me work on that.

How would you think you would have responded to that?

And the crazy thing is, I did get that advice in cosmetology school.

Oh, really?

Okay.

I actually did get that.

And I was just like, oh, I don't.

I don't know what you're talking about.

I'm from Jersey.

I have tough skin.

But no, people will learn how to get underneath their skin in different ways.

And trust me, when they learn how to push that one button to really, like, knock you off your pivot at work, they will do that.

But I think it's also just like either finding coping mechanisms to learn how to just walk away from the situation, because that's actually what I have to do a lot, even at work or even just in my personal life.

It's kind of like, just, okay, let me take a moment.

I'm not going to say this.

I'm not going to do this.

I'm just going to walk away for a second.

Even if I'm just so angry I need to cry for a second.

I'm just going to do that in my own corner, and I'll come back and I'm just right back at work.

What did you say?

Oh, I didn't hear you.

Sorry.

That's good advice.

I like that advice.

Okay, so that's the advice.

Okay.

So I also want to say, what is it like working in both the commission salon and having your own suite?

Like, tell.

Explain like, what that's like.

Oh, it is a battle.

And it's a battle because especially when you've had plans of going independent.

And, like, if this is something that you've worked for, it is kind of hard to still do both.

If I'm being completely honest.

And if I'm being honest, the reason why I'm doing both is the economy that we're in.

It's the summertime.

I don't want to go fully into my salon suite ownership, and I, things go slow, and I have this rent to pay and have things to cover for here, but I also have my apartment rent and I have a dog and a car note and all this other stuff.

So I would say financially, it's the main reason why I do it.

But if I had the choice, I would just go completely independent.

Ah, interesting.

So, I mean, it's also, you said you've only been in your suite a few months, right?

So it sounds like a pretty smart move to make it a transitional period.

So to me, you just sound smart.

So talk to me about how many days do you work in the commission?

How many days do you work in the suite?

So, when I first started at my suite, I was doing three days commission, two days in my suite.

Now, I switched it to the reverse as of this month, actually.

So I'm two days commission, three days in my suite.

And does being at the blow dry bar help bring clients into your suite, or is that not really happened yet?

I would say initially.

Initially?

It did it initially.

Initially, yes.

Right now, I would say maybe not as much.

I would say right now.

The clients that I get at the blow dry bar, they're coming for the blow dry bar.

Really?

The clients that are coming for me, they're coming to see me at my suite.

If they can't see me at my suite, then, yes, they'll book at the blow dry bar, but they will make that known at the beginning of their appointment.

So, yeah.

Okay, cool.

And.

And so tell us a little bit about, like, you.

You would.

You're trying.

It sounds like you're in process to transitioning full time into a suite.

Can you.

I'm assuming.

Well, it sounds like you've thought this through a lot, so could you tell us a little bit about the thought process of, like, you weighing the pros and cons staying in commission and not necessarily staying at the blow dry bar, but maybe full service salon, like, versus having your own suite?

Can you tell us a little bit about your pros and cons conversation?

Internal conversation?

So, yes, my pros and cons, eternal conversation.

It gets rough.

Pros have always been like, okay, if I stay at.

If I say commission part time, at the very least, I have my real bills covered.

I have my apartment, my car note, all those things covered.

Cool.

Bases are covered.

And the other pro is also just like, well, then that just makes it that my suite pays for itself.

Everything that I work on in my suite, it covers the rent for my suite, it covers the expenses for my suite.

And that.

That way I could see my actual profits.

The cons is, well, I'm still on somebody else's schedule working commission.

I still have to abide by someone else's rules.

And not to say that, you know, I hate rules, but, you know, having a taste of independence is just like, okay, I could create my books however I want to.

I can block it off.

I could create a block here for a break.

I could max out my book however.

I could stay all day working and then have the next day off.

Like, I could do whatever.

I can't do that.

Commission.

And then the other cons is especially.

I'll be honest, it even happened this past weekend.

When you are independent and granted, yes, I do have policies in place.

I personally, I don't require deposit for, for my appointments.

I just have a card on file.

And if it's a no show or same day cancellation, I take 50%.

However, there are some clients that I am a little bit lenient with, and I don't have cards on file.

So when you are a business owner, and especially a new one, and you're doing things like that, and then you hit a cancellation, and it's like, oh, we were supposed to do microlinks today, and I was going to charge you, like, over $600, and you're blocked out for, like, four, 5 hours of my day.

I don't have a card on file.

You don't show up.

Okay, I'm going home.

But I'm down $600 for, technically, my month, and I have bills to pay.

So it's stuff like that where I'm just like, okay, well, at least I have my part time job to, like, balance it out some way somehow, or even just like, now, I have to work a little bit harder for the rest of the month, make sure that I'm booking out my clients.

But at the same time, you can't force people to book on your book.

So, yeah, this is, I'm so glad you brought this up, because, you know, while you're doing a transition, there's a lot of people that don't.

They just, like, jump right into it, thinking that they got enough clients.

Would you say that?

Do you believe that, like, thinking of yourself in your headspace that you were only a few years ago and now what you know now is there?

What's the first thing that comes to mind if I say, what do you know now that you didn't know?

That you didn't know?

Oh, that's, that's a hard one.

I would say.

I would say I didn't know that.

It really isn't as easy as they make it seem.

Like, I know that people say that.

It's like, I know people always love to say that, but no, like, they're actually really telling the truth.

I think that's what I would say.

Like, oh, I actually didn't know that you guys were telling the truth, that it's not as easy as seemed.

To what, build a clientele or just to run your.

All of it.

Build a client to go to cosmetology school?

Build a clientele.

To work in salons.

To be an assistant?

To go independent?

To be a salon suite owner.

None of it is easy, if I'm being honest.

It's just like, almost any of any other career where it's just.

Just.

It's not that easy, so.

Yeah, and I definitely agree with that.

I think, you know, I would say that, like, going into a suite for me is.

Sounds horrifying.

Like, I'm so scared.

Like, everybody does it.

I have so much respect for them.

Like, one of my very good friends, she's been on running her own suite for a long time, through the pandemic, everything.

And I.

And it's like, I have a lot of respect for people who do it because I know it's like I manage a salon, but, like, their support staff to pick up a lot of the duties that I'm delegating.

So.

Yeah, I'm glad you said that.

Okay.

So if there's anybody out there, I feel like that's, like, a really valuable piece of advice for anybody who's in school.

Like, they make sure that you're running the numbers and doing the math and.

And make sure that you understand attrition.

You know, people like style clients don't stay with you forever.

You know, that's just the reality.

Have you, have you had that experience where you were doing someone, and all of a sudden you're like, where did it go?

Yeah.

So I definitely have had that a couple times.

And that's the thing.

It's also, it's paying attention to the trends of how people get their hair done, too.

Because sometimes you may have thought that you lost a client, but really it might just be the summertime.

They're out on vacation, they're taking long vacations.

They're not around.

They don't need their hair done.

They could do it themselves or even, let's say this client, you've been working on scalp issues with them for a while, and you really haven't found the right solution.

So now they decided on their own, without communicating with you, that they're just going to take a break, try and figure it out on their own with their doctor, and that's why they're not seeing you for a while.

Or sometimes you just might have lost that client.

So.

But I've had all of that.

Well, and also something that I've noticed is sometimes people, like, they were busy and they couldn't get in and they needed to get in, and they went to somebody else and they go to that person for a little while.

So I've had people go to that person for, like, a year.

But, like, depending on the type of customer to your point, how people getting your hair done, that's, like, a huge point that.

Who talks about that?

I forget.

But maybe it was Ashley Norman, but, like, I don't know.

Maybe it wasn't.

Maybe it was Brit Siva.

Anyway, there's a whole conversation about, like, the hair that we do.

Like, the trends in hair, at least in color, are, like, more of diffusion and, like, lower maintenance.

Thank you.

Yes.

Lived in.

And that means that they don't have to come in as often.

So, like, if you.

If you.

If someone goes to somebody else for, like, a year, that could only be four to six visits.

And, you know, between the fourth and the 6th visit, I would imagine that person's either staying with that stylist, or they're going to be like, you know what?

This isn't quite the same.

And then they come back, you know, because it's not quite the same.

So, anyway.

Okay, cool.

All right, well, I mean, this has been.

This has been exciting.

I'm very excited for you, and, like, it sounds like you've kind of run the gamut.

You know?

You even took a break.

When you took a break, were you thinking, like, were you a little disillusioned, or were you, like, what were your.

What was your thought that led you to take a break and then led you to coming back?

So, funny enough, what led me to take a break?

I actually got suspended.

I got suspended.

If I'm being completely honest, on the suspension paper, it may have a couple examples, but that was my first time ever getting a write up or even a meeting.

So if I'm being honest, I don't know why I was suspended.

So that's what made me decide to take a break, because I wanted to get a chair.

I've been working for this long.

I was just like, okay, what?

I'll be honest, I was moving on.

Emotion.

I tend to do that a lot, but I took a break.

I was actually working with my friend who rents cars out on Turo, and after a while, I was just like, yeah, I could get a job doing something else.

I could go back to doing retail.

I could do this.

But honestly, I just.

I want to do hair.

Like.

Like I said at the beginning, I just spent $20,000 going to cosmetology school for a reason, and I want to do hair.

So I'm going to find a salon that I want to work at, and we're going to make this work nice.

I love that.

So it sounds like you took a break, but it sounds like it's not like, you were like, I quit.

I'm out of here.

It was more like, well, fine, I'm.

Yeah.

And then after a while, you're like, wait a minute.

I love that thing.

I love that.

Let's go back.

Literally.

Totally.

Yeah.

Okay.

So for anybody who is.

Let's wrap it up here.

Let's talk about one.

Is there any other information that you want to share about yourself that you haven't shared and about your journey?

One thing I will want to say is that even though.

Because it's crazy, I really.

Even me, I have to think about it.

I've only been licensed for three years, and for me to have worked in three different salons, and then now salon suite owner, I'm not gonna lie.

Even me, I'm baffled.

And I know that that doesn't happen for everybody, but kind of sort of, like you said, even to, like, students in cosmetology school, people working as apprentices, or even a salon suite, I mean, salon assistants.

I feel as though, like you said, it's very, very, very important to crunch your numbers.

One thing that I want to say helped me get to this at this point is because I always had a plan.

Like, even when I was in cosmetology school, you know how you do your interview to go in?

They're just like, okay, where do you see yourself in five years?

What's your five year plan?

And I literally told myself, and I have the paper at home.

I just couldn't find it.

But I literally told myself, I want to get my license.

I want to work at different salons to learn from them, so that eventually I could get my own salon suite, learn how to operate a salon by myself, and then eventually open a salon and hire other people.

And then, in a sense, that's what I'm doing.

But even sounds like it.

But then even.

I'll be honest, even when I did get my salon suite, I literally was not planning it.

Both prior to.

Literally.

I just had a moment in February, again, moving on emotions, where I was just like, I'm fed up.

I'm ready to just go out, do it on my own.

I know I could do this.

Why am I still here?

And literally, in two months, I have my salon up and running, or my salon suite up and running.

But even I think what helped me get to that point was when I left the blow dry bar, I honestly, the only thing that I had in mind was just like, okay, I'm going to a salon that is giving me free training, training that I actually want and need and I'm able to do all the services that I want and still make the commission that I want.

But then when I decided to leave that salon and come back, I literally told them, like, look, my clients are already used to getting color.

I need to offer this to my clients that's going to help me, and it's going to help you.

These are the services that.

These are the services I want to do.

This is the price range that I think it should be.

I want to work these amount of hours, these amount of days.

I'm trying to make this amount of money every single day so that each week I'm bringing in x amount.

So every month I'm bringing in x amount.

I came back to the blow dry bar in August.

My goal was to make 10,000 a month.

By November, I hit 10,000.

So I think just being able to be like, okay, I've been able to literally write out my plans, and then later I'm just seeing them happen.

I know that, okay, if I just keep on with that track, we're going to be good.

And sometimes I feel as though that's just what we kind of have to do as business owners, people in the industry.

If you know exactly what you want in your industry, in this industry, and from your career, you do have to, like, like, really plan things out and just work towards your goals, so.

Yeah, totally.

And write them down.

Makes a difference.

When you write things, there's something.

There's some sort of.

I don't know, it's like, I've read about it.

Some sort of something with the brain.

When you actually write something down, you remember it like, ten times more or something like that.

Okay, so this is great.

This has been amazing.

I'm super excited for you.

You know, you said that you were going to go to salons and learn from them, move on.

Well, you know, you might have learned some haircuts, styling, or color, but you also learned other things.

I did.

So you learned a lot.

Learned so much.

And so you did.

So you.

It sounds like you're doing what you plan to do even though it's not working out.

Exactly.

You thought, you know, this.

God makes plans.

Our man makes plans.

God laughs, right?

Is that the.

Yeah.

And he laughs hard.

Super hard.

And he will laugh in your face while doing it, too.

Oh, this is great.

Well, I'm super excited for you, and thanks for so much for coming on the show, sharing your experience, your journey, and all the lessons that you've learned in the advice that you've given everybody.

I mean, even salon stylists who are looking to transition to the suite, or suite owners who are struggling, students who are planning, or salon owners who are hiring and trying to retain, like, everybody could get something out of this conversation.

So thank you so much.

No problem.

I appreciate it as well.

Well, best of luck, and I will be in touch, and I will be paying attention to your career, and I'm super excited for you.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

Well, have a great rest of your day.

Have a good week, and I'll talk to you later.

All right, you as well.

Bye.