How to Keep Your Stylists Busy and Out Of the Staffroom!

Hi Steve here,

I got an email from a frustrated salon owner who is sick to death with trying to get his stylists out of the staff room and getting them busy.

he asked me for a few ideas so I thought I would email you with my reply as it may help!

So here is my response:

Hi Robert

Completely understand where your coming from.

A few ideas for you:

This is what I did.

I purchased a cheap video player and then got onto ebay and brought some training videos Vidal Sasoon or Toni and Guy, Patrick Cameron for hair up ideas.

Then when a stylist is not busy I make them sit in the salon and watch the video’s with headphones on.

This sends a great message to the client’s…stops you from pulling your hair out….educates your team.

There are also loads of videos about the industry like for example:

I’m Not Just a Hairdresser is a four-part exploration of the hairdresser’s world, from the classrooms where great teachers inspire the artists of the future to the salons of celebrity style makers like Vidal Sassoon and Trevor Sorbie. Produced and directed by Vivienne Mackinder and Aldo Belkouar, this insightful documentary series takes viewers behind the glamorous facade, tracing the triumphs and pitfalls, the pride and the passion of the hairdressing life. In doing so, it aims to inspire a new generation of professionals, reinvigorate the seasoned stylist, and restore a little self-respect to an industry that has taken its share of criticism over the years. Hairdressers are an integral yet unsung part of the fashion world, contributing creativity and vigor to a business that is a triumph of collaboration.

This is their story.

The first film in the series is The Legends, featuring in-depth interviews with the likes of Vidal Sassoon, Trevor Sorbie and Robert Lobetta, who discuss the joys and challenges of being a trendsetter. These icons have changed the face of hairdressing, impacting fashion trends over the past 50 years, and changing attitudes to beauty around the globe. Their stories are humorous, insightful and emotionally provocative, but provide ample reason to believe that, with talent, luck and hard work, we can all realize our dreams.

Part 2- Empires stars Horst Rechelbacher, Frederic Fekkai and Anthony Mascolo. These entrepreneurs, turned self-made millionaires share their stories of their climb to the top. Success, as this film demonstrates, does not always come easy. But where failure shadowed their progress, they invariably beat it back and emerged from the experience stronger and more determined than ever to attain their goals.

Part 3- The Stars Behind the Chair, takes you into the very heart of the industry. You will see how hairdressing schools, shows and salons are changing lives one day at a time. The educators here are not only luminous artists, but also entertainers and motivational leaders presenting around the world. In the salon, the commercial artist is hand crafting beauty one head at a time. The stylist is creating an environment for well-being and self-esteem, with the ultimate goal of creating inner and outer beauty. An intimate, inspiring look at the contribution hairdressers make to the world around them.

Part 4- Glamour & Glitz features editorial and freelance artists working on fashion shows, fashion editorials, award shows, music videos, television, cinema and theatre. Every one of these fields would be underdressed without the talent of the hairdressers working behind the scenes.
Vivienne Mackinder Executive Producer of the Film series - I’m not just a hairdresser, and industry legend a 4-time winner of the North American Hairdressing Awards.
Aldo Belkouar Director of Legends is an internationally renowned fashion photographer and journalist. Together the two comprise Viv-Aldo Productions.
A portion of the proceeds will be donated to Movement of the Heart.
A non-profit organization www.movementoftheheart.org
Web Site = http://www.imnotjustahairdresser.org

Then after they have watched this get them to plan for a photo shoot and a hair show.

You could do a in salon hair show…your team individually have a model to do. Then perhaps one sat Afternoon you get them to prep there models and take them out into the high street and get passers by to vote for the best look. You could have the stylists name and the salon on the back of a tee shirt that the models are wearing.

Make sure that your votes from the public are written down and you have someway of getting there names and address...you could enter them into a prize draw etc…..

The main thing is Robert have some ideas ready to keep them busy…spend some time on this and your life will be so much easier…

Hope that helps…

Let me know how you get on!

Regards

Steve