Digital Content Strategist Nicole Davis talks with Sreynin Peng, celebrity nail artist with more than 20 years of experience in the industry, about her career and how she got to where she is today.
Topics Discussed:
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⏱ Timestamps ⏱
0:00 Introduction to Sernin Peng
1:04 How Serynin Became a Celebrity Nail Artist
2:42 Top 3 Pieces of Advice for New Nail Techs
4:45 Building Trust with Clients
5:23 How to Set Goals and Succeed Daily
7:50 The Importance of Stretching Your Hands
9:02 Working Smarter, Not Harder
We were joined by Tracy Vinson @mobilemanicurist to discuss how nail technicians can get on the right path with their business by looking at service prices and how to add value to every appointment.
Vinson, creator of the nail art education program “Bankrupt to Booked Up,” talked with us about getting back to business during a difficult time. We dive into these topics:
Raise the price of your service ticket without charging more for the service.
How can you add value to every service?
Are you pricing your services properly?
Nail supplies are expensive! Do you know much you have invested in your service? By knowing your numbers, you will know what to charge.
Building a clientele
We’re going to talk about the challenges of doing this during a pandemic. But Tracy has some great ideas!
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A Mizani Technical Educator, a Certified Trichologist, stylist and colorist, Evie Johnson’s career was realized through profound commitment, tremendous grit and despite overwhelming odds.
An inspiring and uplifting communicator, Evie educates beauty professionals and helps them get to the next level. Her multi-faceted career includes teaching all over the world, working on set at editorial photoshoots, and continuing the joy of being in the salon, working one-on-one, with clients.
This year, Evie is a finalist in the North American Hairdressing Awards (NAHA). She shares how she was determined to NOT give up and what it means to her to see her perseverance and passion pay off.
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Stephen Moody is currently the Education Director - North America for the Wella Company. His entire career, he has worked to help stylists have successful, long-term careers.
Stephen has developed a proprietary Wella Professional cutting methodology called “Wella Cut Craft.” This system shares how to approach cutting hair with purpose and intent, which opens up limitless creative possibilities. This approach arms stylists with the intellectual and creative tools to increase their earning potential over an entire career.
In this interview, Stephen talks about his approach to hairdressing (he is celebrating 40 years!), his passion for teaching and why he chose to enter a hairdressing competition for the first time during a pandemic.
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Joy La May is a stylist and a coach with Destroy the Hairdresser. She has radically transformed her business in recent years, and one of the biggest changes is how she charges for her time.
“Even though I love doing hair and that is my passion and creative outlet, I realize that my calling in life is to be in service to other hairdressers,” Joy says. “And part of that is talking to them about establishing new processes, and new boundaries, like pricing per hour instead of per service. It can feel like a revolutionary act but when we crunch the numbers, we see that some of us are getting paid below minimum wage, and that is what is going to keep hairdressers from staying in this industry for the long haul. They work themselves to the bone, they’re exhausted, and they can’t be financially stable.”
Hear Joy’s suggestions for pricing and charging for your time, and how it contributes to having a more sustainable, fulfilling and fit-for-the-future career.
Resource: Why Going Hourly and Charging for Your Time Is a Game Changer
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Stylist and blonding specialist Gabie Vossler has moved and rebuilt her clientele several times in the last ten years. It’s always a challenge, but she has learned ways to make it easier, along the way. This year, she moved during the coronavirus pandemic and had to start from scratch—find a salon home, rebuild her clientele, and establish herself.
We talk about:
· How she prepared for her move with research and reaching out.
· Why she connects with local television stations, editors, and websites to get her name out.
· The questions she asks at every salon interview.
This episode is sponsored by Malibu C.
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Missy Peterson, director of global education and artistry at Malibu C, started as a stylist and moved from the salon into a position inside a beauty manufacturer. It was her experience as a stylist that helps her design education that would really be valuable to hairdressers and create products that will make a stylist’s life better and more profitable.
We talk about:
• How she came to Choose Beauty as a career.
• The things she didn’t learn in beauty school but wishes she had.
• Product development and where she looks for inspiration.
• How you can connect with a beauty brand that interests you
This episode is sponsored by Malibu C.
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Rodrick Samuels and Lauren Moser are owners of HairLab Detroit Barber School, a community committed to improving lives and raising the human spirit. They are an interracial couple who are both life and work partners. Rodrick, a barber, and Lauren, a texture expert, are educators, editorial stylists, salon owners, and industry leaders.
We talk about:
· How they each came to Choose Beauty as a career.
· How their school is a welcoming place for everyone.
· The importance of seeking out education to fill-in your gaps in technique.
· The challenge of overcoming racism and hair bias.
This episode is sponsored by Malibu C.
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When asked to describe himself as a young person, Tom Porter, CEO and founder of Malibu Wellness, a solution-driven professional hair and skin care brand in Malibu, CA, says, “I was the kid that was always looking under the rock to find something very special.”
We talk about:
· His method for regret-proofing his life.
· His thoughts on entrepreneurs—are they made or born or a little of both?
· What drives him to keep developing and innovating.
· A podcast that features stories of his life and work journey.
This episode is sponsored by Malibu C.
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In the early spring of this year, we felt panicked. Then we started to slowly figure out how to live and work around COVID-19 concerns. Now, we have more of a sense of the landscape, of what we’re up against, so how do we keep moving forward? How do you stay in the game when you’ve lost clients? And where are there still opportunities for growth for a salon professional?
We hear from two experts who have made a career out of inspiring stylists and helping them find their way.
Britt Seva is a business and marketing strategist for hair stylists. She launched her trademark hair stylist business education program, Thrivers Society, in 2014, and has coached thousands of stylists and salon owners to build wealthy businesses and lives.
Kati Whitledge is an entrepreneur, speaker, author and podcaster. Kati is the Creator and CEO of the Beyond The Technique podcast, the award-winning marketing tool, Meet Your Stylist, and the award-winning Be Inspired Salon, which is located in Madison, Wisconsin.
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While born into a world-famous British hairdressing family, Nicholas French forged his own path. His styling work has been seen on magazine covers, he’s styled hair for motion pictures, runway, and video, and Nicholas has produced thousands of shows, introducing hair trends and techniques in over 25 countries. He’s won numerous awards and continues to share his artistry and his enthusiasm in intimate seminars. Listen to his amazing journey in beauty.
This episode is sponsored by Ulta Beauty.
Follow Nicholas French on Instagram.
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Carlos Valenzuela returns with some commonsense advice on managing your money, specifically geared to the stylist. No confusing terms or overwhelming tasks to perform; just three things you can do, right now, to get a handle on your money situation. A stylist, educator, school owner, and influencer, Carlos has dedicated his career to helping stylists be successful.
Email Carlos at chalevale45@gmail.com.
This episode is sponsored by Ulta Beauty.
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Monae Everett is a celebrity hairstylist and makeup artist. She is also an author, public speaker, and beauty ambassador, and she launched the Monae Life Academy, a virtual university for beauty professionals. Monae shares with us some of her secrets for becoming an editorial stylist and talks about how her decision to choose beauty as a career has allowed her to share on so many topics, including the importance of diversity and representation in the beauty industry.
This episode is sponsored by Ulta Beauty.
Follow Monae Everett on Instagram.
Subscribe to Monae Everett on YouTube.
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With over 25 years of experience as a stylist, Keya Neal is working to break the “textural boundaries” that she says have long separated the hair industry. Keya’s passion for hair color and education led to the conception of Kolour Kulture, an educational resource for stylists who are particularly interested in the science of hair color and how it interacts with various hair textures. She also launched an education series, “Texture Vs. Race,” and the response has been overwhelmingly positive. We learn how she has made a point of putting herself in environments that might not always feel comfortable but where she has continued to grow and contribute to change.
This episode is sponsored by Ulta Beauty.
Follow Keya Neal on Instagram.
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After working in the medical field, Nick Stenson, the SVP of Services and Trend, Ulta Beauty, decided he wanted to change lives, not necessarily save them. And beauty would be how he’d go about it. Inspired by watching his mother transform her clients and bring a smile to every face, Stenson moved forward, never anticipating his future work (in print, TV, runway) or that he’d be in a leadership position, helping to transform the beauty industry by being a champion of diversity and inclusion.
This episode is sponsored by Ulta Beauty.
Follow Nick Stenson on Instagram.
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John Mosley uses the handle @popular_nobody on Instagram, which speaks to his humility, but his success in the industry speaks to his hustle and heart.
Named the Educator of the Year at BarberCon in 2019, John is a barber, educator, and influencer who built a global brand and is now launching a foundation to support future beauty and fashion professionals, the Nobody Way. We talk about his beauty beginnings, his love of the craft, his challenges in the industry as a person of color, and how he has moved forward and brought others along with him.
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Sam Villa is co-founder of Sam Villa (Allvus, LLC), and an award-winning educator, platform artist, and Redken Global Artistic Ambassador. To support the stylist community, Villa has created the Sam Villa and Friends Socialathon, a 12-hour fundraising event. “I’ve never felt a greater need to collectively reach out to such an important group of friends and call for unified action to support our industry,” Villa says.
Learn more about Sam Villa and his fundraising event.
Follow Sam Villa on Instagram.
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Industry icon Sonya Dove prioritizes inspiration, education, and mentorship for her stylist community. Wella Professionals Global Ambassador, Ulta Beauty Pro Team Member, and Hair Dreams Ambassador. Dove has received countless industry awards including Master Hairstylist of the Year and the International Icon of the Year. We spoke with her while she is in her home in Mexico, during the COVID-19 lockdown, and she shares that she will be returning to work in a very different way.
Follow Sonya Dove on Instagram.
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When asked to describe himself as a young person, Tom Porter, CEO and founder of Malibu Wellness, a solution-driven professional hair and skincare brand in Malibu, CA, says, “I was the kid that was always looking under the rock to find something very special.” He has launched a new podcast that will provide ads look into the life of an entrepreneur and asks the question—are entrepreneurs born or made or a little of both?
Read more about Tom Porter on Modern Salon.
Listen to Malibu T.O.M. Stories.
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Carlos Valenzuela is a hairdresser/educator, ex-salon and school owner, author, and corporate spokesperson with forty-five years of beauty experience. His focus today is raising wellness awareness and assisting salon professionals in developing a fulfilling career.
Read more about if you should become a hairdresser on Modern Salon.
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