#IBELONG In Beauty: How Christine Butcher Found the Best of All Worlds

It’s a common dilemma for many stylists. If you choose to be a solo artist, you enjoy the creative and scheduling freedom of working on your own. But you’re also responsible for the dreary details of taxes, inventory, etc. And you must buy your own insurance and set up your own retirement plan. If you work for a salon, the business side is handled, but you forfeit the freedom of being your own boss. Happily, Christina Butcher believes she has found the best of both worlds at the Salon by InStyle!

IT’S ABOUT THE BENEFITS, BABY!

Recently, Christina’s mom’s health began declining and her husband was stuck in a job he hated but was staying for the insurance. As a booth renter, she enjoyed the freedom to adjust her schedule to her clients’ needs, but there were no benefits. “When I started looking into salons near my mom in Lake City, FL I looked into The Salon by InStyle,” she recalls. “And they offered health insurance, paid time off, vacation, a 401k. I thought, ‘This is really cool!’ It’s all about the benefits, baby!”

FREEDOM TO CARE FOR HER CLIENTS

As an established stylist, Christine immediately qualified for the company program which allows stylists to set their own schedules. It’s perfect for her! “I work a split shift,” she explains. “Three days a week, I come in at 9 a.m., I leave at 2 p.m., I come back at 4 p.m. and I work until whenever. On Saturdays, they let me open at 8 a.m. It's a fantastic program that I think more independent stylists should know about.”

CURL SUPPORT

Many of Christine’s clients are “curly girls”--they love her skill when it comes to cutting and styling their textured hair. “Some of my best days at work are when girls come in crying because they can’t manage their curls, and they leave crying because they’re so happy and beautiful,” she says. She says her salon team really gets behind her specialty, including her manager who tries to stock her favorite products for curly hair. “It’s important for me to be able to offer what will make my clients’ hair look good,” she notes.

ROOM TO GROW

Christine doesn’t know whether family obligations will require her to move away from Florida, and if so, she’s not keen on starting over client-wise. So she has begun to shadow her manager, figuring if she relocates, she could be able to apply for a management position with the company in another area. “If I ever have to move, rebuilding a book is just not going to happen in my late ‘40s or 50s,” she says. “Developing management skills gives me different opportunities.”

WHY I BELONG @THE SALON BY INSTYLE

“I'm invigorated every day, because there's always something new, something changing, something that's coming in. I’ve only been with the company a few months, but I feel as if I’m discovering hair all over again!’”

Learn more about the people and opportunities at The Salon by InStyle.

• Visit jobs.jcp.com and check out @salonbyinstyle on Instagram.

More Salon by InStyle associates share their #IBELONGinbeauty stories:

• Here’s how Alyson Reck found her family-friendly fit.
• Imagine getting paid to learn! This stylist earns when she’s in class!
• Must-have career advice: go where you can grow!
• This salon manager has embraced a career that makes her dreams come true.
• Meet a dedicated salon manager who aspires to inspire.
• The freedom of a solo artist with the support of a salon family? This pair found a place where it’s all possible.
• This Pro Found a Salon Family That Takes Care of Her Family