posted on: 05/16/2023
As professionals, we have so many resources at our fingertips: educational videos, color formulas, thousands of products to choose from—and we can find it all with the click of a button. How amazing is it that our world has changed so much in the last decade that we can Google anything we need and we can have shop supplies delivered right to our door after reading reviews about what to use in our shops? The unfortunate part is that a lot of what we find can also come with an automated service that makes our experience not so customer-service friendly, especially if we have questions.
A few years ago, I stumbled on a few hair community pages. To my surprise, I felt an immediate connection with people all over the world who could share similar experiences and talk shop when needed. I have found that there are so many stylists out there—new, experienced, independent, collaborative—who all have questions, tips, tricks, and ideas of how we can help one another. Have a color question? Someone is there to help. Need an up-do suggestion? The mounds of pics and ideas are there for you. Need to fire a client? Someone has a suggestion of what to say. No matter what issue you have, someone has experienced the same thing, somewhere, in some way shape or form. It was quite relieving I was able to stumble on such amazing people in this industry who were willing to help one another in any way that they can.
After joining these groups, I we realized we could share ideas with the group and we could help stylists and barbers just starting out who need support to get them through the day and know they are not in it alone. It can be tough and starting out isn’t always easy. We all get discouraged from time to time and need a pick-me-up or advice to overcome a massive color correction. In these groups, we are there to help one another and need to support one another to be successful.
Something to keep in mind: Support and community groups are invaluable, but so are professional hair associations, such as Associated Hair Professionals. Being a part of the many resources that are available to us only helps us grow in our profession and enables us to keep up with trends. From inspired students to experienced professionals, we are all in this together and can gain knowledgeable tips, tricks, and industry insights that we can only get from one another.
Here are a few social media groups that can give some helpful advice and provide support and community involvement. Note that since they are for licensed professionals, an entry/approval process may be needed.
- Hairdressers Helping Hairdressers
- Salon Business Owners Only
- Help for Hairstylists
- Behind the Chair
- In Salon Education
- Education Salon Community
- Barbershop Group
- The Barbershop Club
Another amazing group founded by leaders in the professional beauty and wellness communities is a cross-industry think tank called Unite As One. The group shows the industry that we can be united on the key issues and challenges we face, including stylist retention and recruitment.
These are just a few of many groups available to us across different platforms. No matter how you decide to reach out to your fellow professionals and come together as a community, your connection can only benefit you.
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