You’ve got a salon full of eager, talented young stylists. How do you take them to the next level? Here are five ways to help them boost their careers and your salon’s bottom line.

  1. Assistant Programs: Whether it’s a 6-month program or a year-long program, it’s important that you have one. Create a structure that works for your business, watch talented stylists grow and weed out the ones who don’t fit in with your culture.
  2. Apprenticing: This may fall under your assistant program. As an apprentice, your new stylist should have a mentor. This mentor will act as the go-to person to the apprentice. It’s a win-win: The apprentice learns from the mentor, and the mentor gains experience managing an employee.
  3. New Talent Salon: Depending on the size of your salon, this may not be an option, but many salons are opening new locations or adding onto existing locations with salons that showcase their new talent. These salons offer cheaper haircuts and an opportunity for new talent to get out onto the floor faster.
  4. Outside Education: No matter how much training you do in the salon, bringing in outside education or sending new stylists to get outside education will only enhance their experience. Whether you bring in an educator through your manufacturer or send stylists to a big show, make sure this is a part of their curriculum.
  5. Experience the Entire Salon: Creating a program where new stylists spend time working behind the front desk, shampooing clients, doing blowouts, answering phones and stocking retail will help the new employee gain full knowledge of how the business operates. It will also make him or her more understanding of other employees’ positions in the salon.

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