My chair represents two things – style and trust.
Confused? Don’t worry – I’ll explain.
A few months ago a client of mine tagged me in a post on Instagram, after she had been in the shop for a haircut.
onefemalecanuck: Ramsey is the only man whom I’ve allowed to (1) run his hands through my hair consistently over some years; and, (2) hover over my face with sharp objects. He is the owner of Texture and I recommend that you leave Bay at home and then let @dearhairdresser.ca play with your hair.
When I read it, it reminded me of something.
We as hair stylist have a special relationship with each client that sits in our chair. I think it something unique to any other profession.
It’s a personal relationship – one built on trust.
My clients trust me to interpret their personality and style through their hair. We all know your hairstyle plays an important part of letting the world know who you are. I get to help my clients find a look that is unique to them.
But, I’m not only a hair stylist but also a friend and confidante. It’s a privilege to hear stories about their lives, family, friends, the good times and bad times and everything in between.
If you ask me, you can’t get anymore personal than that.
The greatest responsibility that I have to my guests is trust.
Have you ever heard this? Breaking someone’s trust is like crumpling up a perfect piece of paper. You can smooth it over, but it’s never going to be the same again.
In my Shop Talk interview with Fabio Sementilli he said: “….if you cheat, break trust and use people, your reputation will get half way around the world before you wake up in the morning.”
This is why each guest that sits in my chair gets special treatment. I give them my full attention and respect. I want my reputation to be one of trust. They need to have faith in my skills and in me personally as well.
As a salon owner – I make sure that every guest that walks through my shop doors has a great experience with every visit. Sometimes it can be overwhelming – it’s a big task. But I have a dedicated team around me and we all have the same goal.
To truly be at the top of our profession, you must be able to do more than just style hair. You must be able to earn your clients trust and listen to them.
At the end of the day, it’s the ultimate compliment when a client keeps coming back to see me. I become part of their family. It is one of the reasons I love my job.
I think Vidal Sassoon said it best:
“Hairdressers are a wonderful breed. You work one-on-one with another human being and the object is to make them feel so much better and to look at themselves with a twinkle in their eye.”
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