All, Inspiration, On the Job

Real World Experience

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Nothing beats the advice from a person who has walked in your shoes, so we asked some of our subscribers to give a little information about their thoughts and insights into what life really is like to be a hairdresser or stylist in Australia. Here is what they have to say:

“My day starts with setting up the salon, I put the music on and get the atmosphere going, I make myself a morning coffee and go through the appointment book to see what’s on for the day and plan my schedule, I’ll see on average thirty clients a week as opposed to our third year apprentice will see about ten per week.”
Kate – Perth WA

“I was pretty surprised to discover that being a hairdresser required a lot more skills than just cutting and colouring. I had to build up my clientele as well as work on my social skills as I’m chatting with clients all day long”
Felicity – Melbourne VIC

My best advice for anyone pursuing a career in hairdressing is to stick With It and never give up on your dreams. My apprenticeship was hard at first and I wanted to leave so many times but I kept with it and it finally paid off for me in the end. Now I have just started in a new salon that recently opened, I’m so happy and doing really well.
Olivia – Bankstown NSW

We would love to hear from you, so please become part of our community and share your experiences with our other readers. Your insights can be a valuable tool for others starting out in the industry and looking to hear from industry insiders, so don’t be shy, <a/href=”mailto:[email protected]”>drop us a line today!




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All, Career Planning, Inspiration

Male Hairdressers

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It’s no surprise that hairdressing is a rapidly growing career choice. In fact employment for Hairdressers has risen by 5.8% over the past 5 years and is expected to remain relatively steady through 2017.

However for men sometimes there can be a moment of uncertainty when it comes to deciding whether they should take the first step toward becoming a Hair Dresser. Statistically speaking, men account for just under 15% of hairdressers in Australia, so at a glance appears that men are underrepresented when it comes to a voice in the industry.

In a way it’s like when we are very young, we have dreams of what we will be when we grow up. Then as we begin to grow up, our dreams change. Sometimes it’s because we’ve changed, or sometimes because the world made us feel we need to change them.

Despite the relative percentage of Men in the industry, men have a very strong voice as stylists. In fact men have had some of the strongest influence in shaping the industry that we love.

Just cast you eyes across any “Most Influential Hair Stylists”, Top Hair Stylists”, or “Most Successful Hairstylists” articles and you’ll see that a lot of the top stylists in the world today are men. They have founded some of the biggest brands, the most well known studios, and styled the most famous of people.

It almost goes without saying that when you look at the history of the industry, Male Hairdressers and stylists have been some of the greatest innovators, bravest pioneers, most creative visionaries.

So don’t give up the dream.  “If you have a sense of style and purpose and will you don’t want to compromise.” — Vidal Sassoon

You can take the first step here.




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All, FAQs, Inspiration, On the Job

Building your Brand

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Why do some people excel in their careers and other stagnate? Some people are naturally more driven than others and some people just don’t know where to start. We have compiled a few point to keep you on the right path and striving for excellence.

Throughout the course of your career you will no doubt be drawn to a particular field that you enjoy or excel in, or maybe you are still looking for that niche area. But once you find it, run with it and own it, don’t be afraid to blow your own trumpet, if you are good enough people will recognise your skills and you will be rewarded.

Set yourself mini goals as well as long term goals, ask yourself where you want to be six months and where will you be in 5 years and make it happen. Believe in yourself and put your strategies in place. Don’t let anyone hold you back or tell you not to strive for what you believe you ca achieve.

It’s not what you know it’s who you know, it’s a well-known saying and true to an extent but of course you won’t get very far in the hair industry without having the necessary skills and talent behind you. But networking and connecting with people is a must for any would be entrepreneur or career driven individual.
Expand you circle by going to events and conventions, this helps you to make new connections and don’t be afraid to talk to people and make new acquaintances, you have to really put yourself out there and sell yourself. But it’s also listen to people too, everyone likes to talk and have someone to listen to their story and you can learn a lot from other people’s experiences.
Keeping an open mind and Staying open to new opportunities that are presented to you, it might not be exactly what you are looking for at that given point but you just never know what it could lead to in the future.

Don’t stop learning, don’t make the mistake of finishing your studies and thinking that you are done with the classroom, you’re not! It’s so important to stay abreast of current trends and to never stop trying to better yourself. Don’t be afraid to go back to studying to gain more knowledge in a particular area.
Build you brand and focus on selling and promoting your business. The best place to start is ensuring you keep a strong presence on Facebook, twitter, Instagram and other social media platforms, however we would definitely recommend Instagram as a good place to start by showing current trends and posting your latest styles to keep your followers interested.

Get yourself online, a good website design will really show off your personal style and accomplishments, not only is this the façade of your brand but you can use it to build your clientele using search engine optimisation (SEO) to gain traction on google and other search engines and set yourself apart from your competition. These days websites don’t need to cost you an arm and a leg, sites such as Wix lets you build your own beautiful website at a fraction of the cost of going through a professional web design studio.




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All, Free Resources, Inspiration

Audible Books Worth a Mention

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As aspiring hairdressers, you’re rapidly trying to absorb as much information about the your new career as well as trying to juggle all the other day to day activities you already have. This is why audio books are fantastic way to take in all the great info while on the go. You can throw them on your phone or iPod and listen while you’re on the bus, train, car, gym etc. and easily pick up whenever you get the chance.

Although there are many platforms for grabbing audiobooks, the best one of these is Audible. And the best part is you can get one free book just by signing up! There’s absolutely no need to continue a subscription. The hardest part is deciding what to grab for that first free book. Good thing is we’re here to help you get the most out of your choice.

The following suggestions are a great way to inspire and motivate yourself while studying, and help open your mid to what’s possible in the world of hairdressing:

Million Dollar Stylist – Marquetta Breslin

Million Dollar Stylist

Million Dollar Stylist is a self narrated audio book by Marquetta Breslin. It’s a very empowering listen for both new and seasoned hairdresser’s alike providing quality insight into what’s truly possible. At it’s heart the book is about is about freedom and taking your skills and passion for hairdressing and inspiring to the next level. It’s a great realisation that in the hairdressing profession it’s possible to have the ultimate flexibility to not only spend time with family and friends, but while also being able to enjoy a career in hair on your own terms.

While the audiobook is mainly for stylists unsure of how to transition to the next phase in their career, it is equally as good for new hairdressers to enable them a fast track to success. Breslin shares her insights on how to build successful businesses, gain the freedom they deserve, and live life on their own terms. Say goodbye to the days of constantly chasing new clients and relying on a single stream of income from standing behind the chair for hours on end. You were made to create and do more! Million Dollar Stylist teaches you a new way to look at being a stylist. It shows you that doing hair is just one way to create income and freedom for yourself.

The audiobook expands on the concept of success and flexibility through hard work and provides a clear roadmap beyond the standard salon chair for those seeking stability and opportunity on their own terms. At the core of all of this is the notion that true success is not a just a dream, but it is possible with planning and hard work. It’s about developing a completely new way of thinking and a new way to approach being a hair stylist. This truly is a fantastic audiobook and well worth a listen as it will change the way you attract clients, how you think about your career, and how you apply your skills as a stylist.

Hairstylist: How To Reach The Top :Your Success Is More than Cutting Hair – Peter Rosas

HairStylist How to Reach the Top

Hairstylist is a great guide on how to achieve success as a hair professional. It’s written by Peter Rosas, a stylist with over thirty five years’ experience in the hairdressing industry. Peter’s real world success can be attributed to hard work, dedication and some amazing relationships with some of the top stylists. During his career Peter has excelled in his field and through this audiobook shares his secrets and discoveries on the best ways of getting to the top.

This is a fantastic audiobook and insight on how to become a successful entrepreneur within the hair industry. The book discusses the fact that starting out can sometimes be difficult and discouraging for many, and you may go will go through many different highs and lows as a hairdresser. It then proceeds to show the way forward.
More importantly it shows that there are many lessons that you will learn outside of the classroom on your road to success. Finishing your qualification is only the first step in the exciting journey of becoming a hairdresser. It also shows that there is more to building a thriving business, than just cutting hair; you have to have confidence and know how to market yourself and your services to get your ideal job.

However what’s really great about the book is the way that Peter gives a great inside look on the salon industry. As well as being a fantastic insight into the hairdressing industry, the book is very well written with just the right amount of humour. It’s a great no nonsense how to succeed book, with a lot of valuable information and food for thought. Furthermore there’s some excellent dialogue around marketing yourself as a stylist and the importance of social media for hair professionals.

There something here for all hairdressers. It is as much inspirational as it is educational and entertaining, making it the perfect balance of topics for anyone needing guidance in the hair industry. Especially for these who are determined to find their way to success. Whether you’re new to hairdressing or already an established hairdresser, this is a great grab for any stylist on the go.




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