Sam Villa
Sam Villa

Whether you're a recent beauty school grad or a seasoned vet, Sam Villa, founding partner of Sam Villa and Redken Education artistic director, has a few pointers for building your career as a stylist.

"Follow these tips and who knows; you may end up opening your own salon sooner than you think," Villa say.

1. Go to every educational event you can.
Continue advanced education throughout your career; it's the key to success. Classes, shows, DVDs are great resources. Make sure you check out ShopModernSalon.com for a range of books, DVDs and on-demand videos for continuing education!

2. Practice what you learn and share it with others.
Have you ever heard that the best way to learn something is to teach it? Sharing makes you better because it makes you reinforce information and thereby increases retention.

3. Find a great salon that is truly interested in your success.
When salon-shopping, sit in the waiting room to get a feel for the environment and level of professionalism. Tune-in on how they're answering phones, greeting guests and interacting with one another, then see if you can picture yourself there.

4. Ask about the salon's associate or assistant program.
Request a copy in writing to be certain they have one; verbal confirmations are too ambiguous. You might have to assist for a while and be willing to bend over backward to become part of the team.

5. Find the right fit and stay in that salon!
Do not move around; when you do, people won't take you seriously. Plus, guests don't want to have to be constantly following you from one salon to another while you're hopping around.

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