10 Career and Life Lessons Learned From 10 Years In The Cosmetology Industry: Part 3

It's been awhile, but here is part three. I hope you've enjoyed the first two! If you haven't read them yet, you can find them here and here.

7. You have a voice and the power to use it.

Remember those difficult bosses I told you about? They really taught me how to stand up for myself. Many employees, I've noticed, have a tendency to complain about their bosses while doing nothing to remedy the problem and eventually either quit or continue to work in quiet agony. That's no way to live, sista! The best way I've found to stand up for yourself is to know who you are, what you stand for and what you will and won't tolerate. In the end, what's the worst that can happen by standing up for yourself? Think about this- if you were to walk into your boss's office and confidently, humbly and professionally communicate an issue you're having with the way you're being treated, then you would have already succeeded. At that point, their reaction is out of your control and you can feel confident knowing that you did the right thing regardless of the turnout. Sometimes it ends well and sometimes it ends poorly, but it never ends in regret.

8. Know what makes you different.

Cosmetology (as well as many other industries) is a competitive field, and we have the *blessing* of our co-workers always being our competition. Yes, of course you are also a team, but there is no way around the fact that you are all constantly building clientele. The good news is most customers have different preferences regarding skill as well as personality. You can be very successful when you know what makes you stand out and using it to your advantage. For me, I love a good story and encouraging people, so my clients typically loved to talk and be encouraged in their interests and endeavors. I was also really skilled at cutting long hair with beautiful flowy layers, so I attracted a lot of long-haired, outgoing clients which was perfect for me. Remember that people don't just buy a product or service- they buy experience, which is YOU. Know that every client won't like you, but that ones who do will bring you much joy and make coming to work every day worth it.


9. Just because some people don't like you doesn't mean they cannot learn from you.

In number 3 I talked about what you can learn from having a mean boss. Now I'm going to tell you that if you are a boss, not everyone under you will always like you, even if you're compassionate. So to flip the script on number three, know that your employees can learn great things from you even if they don't like you (and may not even realize it until years later). When you're a leader in a company, staying true to your values (being firm) and leading by example will teach your employees many great things, including the value of integrity.


10. Helping others succeed is more fulfilling than succeeding yourself, because it is shared.

Some people may not agree with me, but I truly feel that a natural goal for any person with a skill should be to teach it to others. I cannot tell you how valuable and imperative it was to my career that I had people take me under their wing and show me tips and tricks of the trade and give advice where it was needed. You don't need to be in a position of authority to add great value to someone's life in this way. Simply showing a rookie or new employee an easier way of doing something can have an incredible impact on their work. In my ten years in the cosmetology industry, the most fulfilled I ever felt was when I taught people new techniques and saw them have an "ah-ha!" moment that greatly increased the quality of their work. There is much joy to be found in teaching what you know to others.

Now I'd love to hear from you- what are some of the best lessons you've learned in your career?

-Lindsay