School owners, Paul Mitchell Artistic Directors and passionate hairdressers and educators, Scott Cole and Linda Yodice have advice for hairdressers—novice to experienced—on the importance of understanding the male client.

“Barbering is one of the three fastest growing categories in the industry,” says Cole, who recently taught a class at Paul Mitchell’s The Gathering called “Gentlemen Prefer Geometry.” “The challenge we have is that hairdressers fear clippers and scissors over comb barbering. But we try and tell them that it’s essentially the original way of doing hair. I was trained at Sassoon and we were taught geometrics and we are going back to that craft. It is taking hair closer and making it soft and clean.”

The male client wants to be approached differently than a woman, too.

“You have to be stronger in your consultation, a bit more assertive, but you can’t get into their space. Men like to be told what you’re going to do, they don’t want you to be indecisive or they will start to question why they are sitting in your chair. You have to be bold. “

Yodice, one of MODERN SALON’S Top 75 Educators of All Time, encourages students and stylists to get into men’s heads, a little, before starting to work on their head.

“Many hairdressers are saying they are not comfortable with men’s grooming but the more research they do, the more expert they will become. Even picking up a book like, ‘Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus’ can help them better understand the male psyche. Talk to the men in your life—your brothers, fathers, husband—and dialogue with them so you understand what makes them feel good. “

The sensitive subject of thinning hair is one that Cole feels truly torments men, even those in their early 20’s.

“I don’t think people realize what it does to a guy to be noticing that they are losing their hair,” Cole says. “Men are really fearful when they see their hair thinning but you can work with it and make it look thicker with the right techniques and doing a club cutting instead of razoring or texturing.”

“Also, do research outside of hairdressing and get to know the doctors in your city that do hair implantation treatments and services,” Yodice adds. “Let them know you are a resource for their clients.”

Product choice for men should be results-focused, easy to use and simple to find, says Yodice.

“All the MITCH by Paul Mitchell products are color-coded so it’s easy to see what they do and what type of result will be achieved. They also have more masculine names that make a man feel comfortable with his choice.”

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