MENU
SEARCHStylist Chad Austin reviews Diana Schmidtke's "Shortcuts," a book about breaking into beauty within the fashion and entertainment industry.
Book: Shortcuts to a Successful Career as a Hairstylist or Make Up Artist in the Fashion and Entertainment Industry
Written by: Diana Schmidtke
Reviewed by: Chad Austin, stylist at Studio Salon in Salt Lake City, Utah
Published by: Lucy Girl Publishing
SALON TODAY: What is the book about?
Austin: “The book is about how to succeed and build yourself as a successful freelance hair/makeup artist in the film, print, or fashion industry. It is your complete career path for navigating you from the start of your career in beauty school to building your portfolio filled with actors, musicians and models. This is your A to Z guide of how to survive and build your career in the most successful way possible as a freelance hair and makeup artist!”
Diana Schmidtke, Hollywood's favorite celebrity groomer.
SALON TODAY: Why did you like this book?
Austin: “I loved the book because it gave me a direct, no-nonsense view of how to go about creating my career in every way possible within the fashion and beauty industry. The insight it can give to readers is priceless, and it is true insider industry knowledge at its finest.”
SALON TODAY: What was the biggest takeaway message for you?
Austin: “The biggest and very best message I took away from Shortcuts and Diana is that I am not just a "hairdresser"! I am creative. Meaning, that yes, you can be behind the chair, but you also always have the options to break into photo work, create different characters for movies or even become an author to help inspire other people in the industry to do better and push farther then the generations of hair stylist before us. The possibilities are endless!”
SALON TODAY: What idea from the book did you implement into your work or personal life?
“There is so much I could implement from this book, but what I choose to implement is a message that there are so many options you have in your life, you keep pushing and growing. Shortcuts is definitely how to build a career but, also how to grow in so many different ways. You can achieve anything that you set out to do!”
SALON TODAY: Why would you recommend this book to your staff or your colleagues?
Chad Austin, stylist at Studio Salon in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Austin: “I recommend this book whenever I have a colleague or future professional that is thinking about going into the fashion or beauty industry. Shortcuts gives a very direct and real guide of how to work within the fashion/beauty industry! Everyone deserves to have a Shortcut in their life!”
After moving to Colorado and teaching at a cosmetology school, Allison Stock joined Zandi K as a stylist, eventually becoming part of the Leadership Team, Education Team and Master Bridal Team. Today, as Director of Operation, Stock is Owner Nicki Wenz's right hand, managing human resources and operations, education and career development, and coaching and culture.
The company's Concealed Bead Method is raising the bar for what professional extension education can deliver.
Scott maximized her micro-salon by transitioning from stylist to strategic owner, focusing on recruiting and station-sharing. By prioritizing her ownership role over behind-the-chair work, she grew her team to six stylists within the two-chair, 150-square-foot space before eventually moving to a larger facility.
The former CFO of Perdue Farms and owner of Hardy Seafood, Terry Owens delivers a wealth of wisdom and strategies for entrepreneurs in his new book, "Business is Simple."
After scaling her single-location salon business, SALON TODAY 200 Honoree Amy Pal recently sold her six-location Whip Salon for seven figures. Using the six Ps for maximizing a business's value, she's ready to help her peers do the same.
Buried inside the One Big Beautiful Bill Act are federal solar tax credit changes that deserve your attention now. Two of the credits that matter most to commercial property owners, the Investment Tax Credit and the Production Tax Credit, are still available, but only if you move fast. A third, the Commercial Building Energy Efficiency Deduction, has a hard termination date that is closer than most people realize.
Up to 40% of hair stylists ghost the salon interview stage, leaving owners trapped playing endless phone tag with uncommitted applicants. This data-driven report breaks down why traditional job boards create recruitment friction and reveals the modern messaging strategies high-growth salons use to get pre-qualified talent to actually show up. Learn how to transition from cold calling to high-conversion conversations that protect your time and fill your chairs.
Sponsored by Beautista
Spit fests, hostile threats, and even an overachieving matchmaker--SALON TODAY readers share their craziest client tales and how their team handled these tough situations with professionalism and grace.
Keeping your appointment book full when clients are in vacation mode takes more than a good Instagram post. It takes a plan. The 2026 Summer Marketing Calendar from Meevo gives salon, spa & med spa owners a month-by-month roadmap with sharp themes, key opportunity dates, and campaign ideas specifically designed for the beauty & wellness industry. Here’s to your summer season working as hard as you do!
Sponsored by Millennium Systems International
AI is transforming the beauty and wellness industry, and the future is about empowering people, not replacing them. Discover how Phorest AI helps salons, spas, and med spas across North America respond faster, personalize every visit, and keep human connection at the heart of the client experience.
Sponsored by Phorest
Owner Michaella Blissett-Williams credits her General Manager Gloria Hortua with [salon] 718's year-over-year, double-digit growth and says she's been able to scale the company to eight locations because she can rely on Hortua to manage daily operations.
Shine Time: Aluram’s High Shine Line Delivers Moisture and Shine with Clean Ingredients
Sponsored by Aluram
Elyse Rogers is an uplifting presence at The Headroom who makes the team feel heard even in stressful situations. Owner Danielle Cherewyk sings her praises in this installment of Meet the Manager.
Despite a slight and predictable decline in client traffic for Q1, resilient pricing power is driving year-over-year revenue growth in salons. The KIM Report's Alain Audet reviews the data and what it's telling us about the state of professional beauty.
Same-store revenue grew just 2% for the second straight year—and new guest visits declined across every segment of the industry. The 2026 Benchmark Report reveals where growth is actually happening, which verticals are pulling ahead, and what the data says about where your business stands right now.
Sponsored by Zenoti
Hair restoration is entering a new era driven by regenerative science. This paper explores how Exosome technology is transforming treatment outcomes by targeting hair loss at a cellular level. Discover why EXOGROW is leading this shift.
Sponsored by Dermapenworld
A salon brand is much more than a logo. In this thought-provoking blog, Leon Alexander, Ph.D., walks you through the difference. SALON TODAY suggests sharing this article with your team and leading a discussion at your next huddle, asking the team to define your business's brand.
