Hairbrained – Humility Goes Far in the World of Beauty by Beauty Expert, Gina Rivera

I can vividly remember getting out of school. I was so excited to start my career. Funny to think that at the time I felt like I knew everything there was to know about hair. This was especially true because I spent my whole life in a salon taking notes from the best, my father; a top stylist in the industry.

Even though I felt ready to take the world, I was humbled very quickly. I realized I was an infant in the industry. And, initially, it was hard to swallow.

Nowadays, it seems that students are coming out of school a lot more advanced than I have seen in the past. It’s all relative. Times have changed, information is delivered quickly through technology and the ability to share industry work, and push the limits, is higher than ever.

I always remember my father telling me, “You are never to good to learn new things”. What he was really saying is to never have too much pride to learn.

I had the choice to take one of two paths. Down the first path I could have been stubborn and arrogant. I could have believed that, because of my upbringing, I could lean on my own talent for success.

Down the second path, I would be required to humble myself. I would need to find a good salon with a seasoned and successful hairstylist to apprentice under. Luckily, I am grateful to this day that I selected the second of the two paths.

It seems like we are so eager when we get out of school to do it on our own. It’s typical to want to find the most happening salon in town. Now, there’s nothing wrong with that, however, just remember it’s equally as important to surround yourself with successful mentors. Not only talent wise, but business wise as well. I am talking about a person that will continue to share their knowledge with you and encourage ongoing education.

So, when starting out, here are some tips;

-Find a reputable salon that is busy and takes new clients.

-Find a Salon Professional that you admire and connect with show can mentor you.

-Be patient! Patience is a virtue and you are not going to learn everything overnight. It is going to take some time. You will make mistakes but you will learn quickly from them and you will be better for it.

-Enroll yourself in any and every class you can.

-When you get into your first Salon, have a card on file for every client you lay your hands on. This will help you to keep a good record of your service so that you can duplicate it on the next visit if asked. It will also help you to know how to modify a service.

-Keep good detailed records. I found this very helpful with just about everything.

-Last, and most important, always make it a point to be professional. Dress professional, act professional, be prepared for the day, stay organized, and never let fear or anyone keep you from moving forward .