By Leah Fletcher
The international Hair and Beauty Show team developed a professional development component that ranged from workshops dispensing advice about natural hair trends to business branding from industry superstars. Attendees listened intently as they offered opinions at forums or offered advice on branding their business to demonstrating natural hair techniques and products.
The array of continuing education classes and workshops allowed stylists to connect with the industry icons and take full advantage of the opportunity to network with industry peers and educators from participating industry companies.
Here is some of the advice dispensed to salon owners, stylist and other salon professionals by expert panels that addressed business branding and industry trends.
Branding your Business for growth
Johnny Wright—Hair Stylist for Former First Lady Michelle Obama
“When you consider branding your business. It’s important to know your worth and the measure and worth of your business. Remember that your client service must be impeccable. Branding has its advantages. It will keep you current, open doors for your, and create a lasting impression. Branding yourself is not totally about you, but about the quality of services and goods you offer. It is from that trademark your services will be sought.”
Goche’ — LA Hair
“It’s always a good idea to create a structure within your salon that allows you to share your professional passion, longevity and career growth. While skills are important, authenticity and acceptantance are key factors that push you ahead. There is so much you can do as an individual business owner, but you can do more to build your business and your brand by working with your team. We must accept ourselves and others as individuals and artists working to succeed and in the process we will become recognized as a sustainable brand.”
Yancey Edwards—Celebrity Hair Stylist and Makeup Artist
“In order to brand your business, you must have a quality product. We live in an age of transparency. As many professionals aspire to promote their brands, it is imperative that they are transparent in all that they do. They also must embrace a work ethic with great integrity. It’s also important to cultivate the un-trainable qualities, such as attitude, lifestyle and outlook on life. If you are reflecting that in your business, you will be perceived as a serious business person with an organization operating on a set of solid business principles.”
Takisha Sturdivant-Drew—TV and Film Celebrity Stylist
“Once in the industry, it is important to continue cultivating your craft and working to develop a unique signature style. Being committed to delivering quality service will help you develop a progressive and loyal clientele, which will ultimately lead to creating your brand and maintaining it. I advise stylists, no matter what niche in the beauty industry they purse, to maintain a standard for excellence, to create an innovative style and to hold steadfastly to professionalism. All of those things contribute to building a brand that will position you into the mediums of print, film, theatre, and television.
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