6 Habits to Build and Sustain Your Beauty Career
Mindset is EVERYTHING.
As simple or redundant as it may sound, mindset dictates the tone of how you will be able to start and complete a task. Please don’t misunderstand me. Your outlook of the situation won’t make the task easier but it will affect your ability to effectively learn and gain the knowledge needed for progression. When you are first stepping out on your own, it can get scary. However, your attitude will definitely determine your altitude. Sorry for the corny school guidance counselor adage, but there is truth there, I promise!
You can’t free.99 your way to the top!
I love a good deal just as much as the next person. However, understand that when experts are giving free classes and training sessions, it is ultimately apart of a marketing campaign. The name of the game is scalability. You give a little of your insight to excite the interest of your target audience. The free content is never the meat of the offering. Although you may gain some insightful jewels, by not opting to pay someone for their service, you are leaving a whole bag of treasures on the table. You will need to invest in the experts that can help propel your business forward.
Networking is necessary.
Building a strong, fruitful network can get you into rooms and conversations that your talent alone may not. Surrounding yourself with other passionate, successful, driven individuals have an immense affect over your mental sanity. Being able to speak with other people that understand your vision and goals is important. A healthy network allows for everyone to learn from each other’s experiences and feed off each other’s energy. The right group of people can help you stay innovative and determined. Characteristics that are definitely necessary to help you transition through the different stages of your career.
Protect your peace!
Over my years as a full-time stylist, I have had to cut ties with a few clients for whatever reasons. Although it is uncomfortable to have that discussion, it is more uncomfortable to be stressed and triggered every time he or she comes in for an appointment. One of my own personal experiences taught me this. One client would make me so tense and stressed that my whole week would be terrible if she was on the schedule. Just the anticipation of her showing up was unnerving. I won’t go into detail about all the individual things she did to stress me out, but I will sum it up to her having extremely bad energy. I knew I couldn’t continue on that road.
Communication is key. I know myself well enough to know that the best way for me to fully and clearly articulate my concerns would be through email. I have had an email template typed up since then, lol. Actually, many of my rules and policies were developed to protect my peace and set a firm boundaries with myself and clients.
Spend your time like money.
This whole phrase had to be highlighted. I don’t know about you, but my time is valuable to me. It’s so valuable that I hold it it in higher regards than money. I do not have an unlimited supply of time nor do I know how much I have left in general. It is important to me that I invest it where is matters most. If there are services that I would rather not provide, I don’t. I am only interested in the things that will further my business, growth, and character. That’s the R.O.I. that I am looking for when I get involved with various things.
Place your time in an account. Keep an eye on your statement. What are you depositing? Self care, family time, vacations? On what, where and how are you spending your time? Is it worth the purchase? Research possible ventures to make educated decision, weigh the pros and cons of making a time commitment to something, take the necessary risks that can payout big, come up with a plan to manage it. The ever elusive work/life balance starts here.
Be a forever student.
The moment you decide to stop learning, you make yourself obsolete. Things are always changing. Products get better and new techniques are developed. Clients are going to want the new techniques, regardless if you think it is pointless and can be done another way, clients want the newest techniques. Plus, knowing a multitude of techniques allows you to be able to customize each client’s experience. Leaving you to work smarter, not harder and able to charge premium prices. Win win, right?