I love this time of the year, I tend to be one of those lets just keep everything until the end of the year, just in case we need it, people.  And at the end of the year I love look back so I can plan for growth and success in the new year.  I want to know what works, what doesn’t, what i want more of, and what I can do with less of, things I need to work on, things I need to stop and what can I do to be better and happy.  Well this year for me it extra big because we closed our studio and are looking to move, so let me share what I learned.

What Worked in 2012

Social Networking, definatly worked for a lot of people in 2012 and hairdressers everywhere are realizing how important it is to TAKE BACK THE SOCIAL NETWORK.  As a hairdressing community we had yet to full embrace technology but 2012 was the begin of the end for that.  In 2013 not only will technology be part of our everyday lives where virtual interactions will be as important to our success as the personal touch has been to our industry.  From education, to building our business to creating new experiences for our guests and the way we interact with our guests, technology and the social network are the next revolution in our industry.

What Didn’t

Unless you were the exception, 1/2 off pricing deals. It sounded like a great idea and then we tried, you know who buys half off beauty services?  People visiting large cities and want to try a big name salon they’re never going to be visiting again and your own guests.  Even with added incentives like “free” advertising, as a whole I think we learned our guests were smart enough to by them, but few who will risk their look to a half off deal are the type of guest that will stay, heck they only meet you because of a deal, and theres always a new deal coming.

More Please

Of the new unnatural trend in haircolor hitting the main stream guests, yes please.  I love the fact that we are finally breaking out of the cycle of old ideas with “new” twists that we have seen for the past 2 decades.  Finally i can see haircolor ideas that arent mixing the 20’s and the 70’s and any other past decades, from Kelly Osborne, Lauren Conrad, Nicki Minaji, Katy Perri, Lady Gaga, Pink to the Curilla Deville look and more, I love that commercally we are not look back this is new millenium color ideas.

What We Can Do With Less

Violence.  It touches our industry way to often, and again this year.  We need to realize as an industry we have tremendous power, 8 out of every 10 humans visits a stylists or barbers chair every 6 weeks.  Thats a lot of lives and it is also one of the things most humans have in common the get their haircut, we can be a vehicle for change, we have the power and we can have conversation that can help us share with our guests information to help them be safe, get help and stop the violence.

Things I Need To Work On

For me this year thats easy I wanted to do more good and find new ways to share more ideas, while looking for ways to do more good by looking for ways that do less bad.  The world is changing and I need to realize, do i real need to print any more on paper? can i eliminate mail that i am sent that could be digital, how can i reduce salon waste and be more profitable.  And from this how can i find more time to be with my family.

Things I Need To Stop

Having the same old challenges. You know what the definition of insanity is right doing the same thing over and over, expecting a different outcome.  What in your life has become that that same thing over and over, but you were hoping for a different outcome?

At holiday time it seems that we see everyone we see regulary and some special ones we are trying to fit in, and because it seems like we are trying to fit 6 weeks of appointments into 4 weeks, its as if its all on the table.  In 4 weeks, from Dec. 3rd to Dec 31st, you will see almost all of your own work! Although a few guests will be unable to get in until after the New Year, in these 28 days most hairdressers will see 80% of their loyal guests, redoing for the holidays their past work. 

So what is it that you want more of, or less, want to be better or stop the maddness once and for all?  For ME I will be excited to share with you all of my new exciting plans for 2013 and look forward to sharing with you even more and seeing when Im out on the road share ideas.

Have a Happy New Year!