It's funny, when there are problems or complaints by people, including myself, many times what the problem or complaint has in common the most, is the person complaining about the problem. Have you ever noticed that the people who are complaining about no one wanting to change the way they look probably hasn't changed their look in a while either?

It’s a classic story in our industry, hairdressers that don’t change their look. Heck, I've even met a few hairdressers that don’t color their hair, not because they can’t or a medical condition, just that they didn't want to. And that is fine, but there is an expression in business that says, “If the dogs aren't eating the dog food, it doesn’t matter how good the food is.”

In other words, you can tell me how great something is, like haircolor or another salon service, but if the team isn't doing it to their hair, that says a lot more than anything a person or words on a page can say about how good something is. 

This is something I have tried to live my whole life as a hairdresser, always changing my look by letting my hair grow and then cutting it short, and my hair has always been colored. Even now as I have been encouraged to embrace my gray I still use a professional five minute color for a darker more slate look to my hair. But I was even more impressed recently by a friend, Dominique DeFrancesco, and the revolution she started in her salon, De La Mer Salon in Bellmore, NY.  Dominique wanted to create a revolution with her guest’s style, so what did she do? She updated herself.

“If you don't change, your clients won't change,” Dominique told me. So what happened after cutting off eight inches of her hair to an updated hot, trendy LOB? It spread like wild fire starting a trend in her salon. Beginning with four others team members deciding to do the same. They all end up picking different versions of the LOB and they got start.  Some of the team members went shorter, others a bit longer and to finish off their new looks, they updated their color too.

What was the result? Within a week, six of Dominique’s own guests decided to update their hairstyles and business is growing. “This is something I think most of us don't take advantage of as frequently as we should!” Dominique stated to me, and it makes a difference. Bringing change to your image is something she knows. “Keeping up with the current trends and wearing the trends is something that needs to be taken into account as a stylist," she added.

I love the fact that Dominique, and many other hairdressers out there too, know this, that changing ourselves is the best way to get others to change too. And I also agree that it is not something our industry takes advantage of enough. Not only is this a great way to make sure guests in your own chair and salon are inspired to try new looks, it's also a great way to guarantee your salon's guests are the people potential new guests are looking at for inspiration too.

Check out Dominique’s Instagram.

And for more fun inspiration, if you are going to be at the Chicago Beauty Show, don't miss the ARROJO After Party at Park West, Sunday March 13th. Not only will there be inspirational looks from ARROJO Models, Nick Arrojo will also be spinning as he jumps back into the DJ booth along with other Top NYC DJ’s for an unforgettable night. Visit ARROJONYC.com for more info and tickets.

What changes are you making to grow your business or add some new excitement to your life?

-p