Kudos to our industry for not retiring talent, as many industries do. I scanned the pages of Modern Salon recently, and played the game of looking for “mature” artists actively spotlighting stages. Even though fashion comes mostly from the younger generation, those of us who are “not so young” are out there in full force. Bravo!

Best not to mention names, but you know who you are, and more than anything, I know who you are and feel encouraged, supported, and motivated by seeing you out there creating the most incredible work.

That brings me to my next point: Don’t think of retiring without sharing your knowledge with as many people as long as you can. And, as I review those of us who are still out there, every single one is in the role of teaching others. This last sentence made me stand up and pace my office with excitement and joy. I could not sit still.

My final point: do it because you love it, like a “pay it forward” concept. I will never forget pulling up to a Starbucks window and being told that the car in front of me, a total stranger, had prepaid my coffee. Why? What did they say? What do they want? Nothing.

Right away, I did the same thing for the next car.

We are the perfect people to pay it forward because for years, its not hair that we have been doing, we have been getting people to where they want to go with a great look, confidence and belief in themselves. So, if you share your knowledge just for financial or ego returns, you will miss out on one of life’s greatest rewards.

Finally, I invite you to meet two of my protégées, the wonderful Peter Rosas, from Scottsdale, AZ and lovely Anabelle de la Torre from Phoenix, at New York IBS, April 14-15. We will show you the Long Hair Collection 2013 in Seminars and Workshops. Vamos!

See you pronto,

Carlos