The Constant
Starting at Impressions front desk in 2006 when he was 19 years old, General Manager Paul Petrowsky is a seasoned professional who owner Sarah Taylor says is responsible for much of her own success.
by Stacey Soble
Why You Should Pay It Forward and Be Someone's Beauty Mentor
The real value of mentoring is sharing you’ve been there, you know how it feels, and you made it, —so, go for it.
July 9, 2020
3 min to read
Do you remember doing your first haircut? Forty-five years ago, I stressed for two days prior to meeting Mrs. DeVry, a lovely lady with a bubble hairstyle who always wore crutches with sleeves coordinating with her dress. Upon meeting, I blurted out she would be my first haircut, hoping she would ask for a senior student. She smiled kindly, and as she handed me her crutches to sit in my never before used styling chair said, “How wonderful, isn’t it a beautiful day?” She remained my Tuesday ten o’clock appointment for the entire school year.
A simple comment from my mentor, Mrs. Holmes, made all the difference, “Everyone gets nervous the first time. Just act like you know what you’re doing and call me if you need me.” I called her to check every section of the entire haircut. Mrs. DeVry and Holmes are both now in heaven, and if Modern Salon is available up there, know you are remembered and loved. Back on earth, mentors in the beauty industry are in short supply. You don’t think you’ve got the goods? If you are breathing, you have something to share.
The best mentors offer support in a way that makes sense to the learner. The real value of mentoring is sharing you’ve been there, you know how it feels, and you made it, —so, go for it. That’s really mentoring in a nutshell. I call it, “buddy mentoring” or functioning more as an ally than a teacher. A buddy mentor is like the person who was on the passenger’s side when you learned to drive. It was all up to you, but someone was there.
Which core concepts to share with new professionals? Check your ego at the door because mentorship must be seamlessly humble. Mentoring is all about the learner—not about what you know. Share a few mistakes you’ve made, “When I did my first bleach, I couldn’t get the yellow out, and…” Take genuine interest in the person. If your mentee tells you they had a great weekend, don’t just move on with the program, ask got a little detail, who they went with, etc. Be a buddy.
Lead by example Don’t lecture, instead, do your work well, offer great customer service, manage your time well, keep your station clutter-free, be polite ---the list is endless. Also, admit when you feel challenged and don’t have an answer. Other stylists are not your competition. This is such a misguided emotion—get over this! View your career as one where everybody wins. The only competition you face is to be a better hairdresser today than you were yesterday. There’s enough for everybody.
Focus on the work--the best kept customer service secret. Stylists can be talkative and lose their train of thought. Concentrate on the work in front of you and keep distractions to a minimum. Clients learn to respect that your focus is for their benefit and quickly follow lead.
Your reward? Don’t look for one. Wait for the end of the day when you realize the mentor was really always the learner.
Carlos Valenzuela is as a Hairdresser, educator, ex-salon & school owner, author, of “thrive salon professional survival workbook.” His focus today is guiding salon professionals to a more fulfilling career & lifestyle. For info visit https://carlosvalenzuelacom.wordpress.com
Topics:Carlos Valenzuelacareer advicementoringbeauty professionalsbeauty influencersalon careerSalon ManagementRecruiting/Hiring/TrainingBusiness ManagementEmployee Management & Team BuildingWellness
Originally posted on Modern Salon
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
More Salon Management
The Most Wonderful Time in Salons and Spas
Planning is in full swing for the most anticipated events and promotions for the 2026 holidays. As owners share their favorite ways to celebrate, they prove that a carefully planned event can also build culture, increase client loyalty, boost sales, and set a business up for a successful 2027.
by Stacey Soble
Leading with Empathy, Humility and a Mastery of Systems
When things run amok at Mane Attraction Salon, Owners Chris and Jenny Knudsen say General Manager Sami Hernandez is their go-to resource and ultimate sounding board. Meet Sami in this installment of Meet the Manager.
by Stacey Soble
Pagoda Brings AI-Powered Operations to Skinovatio Medical Spa Locations
Pagoda, a new AI-native operating system for scheduling, payments, patient records, marketing, and client communications, launches at Skinovatio Medical Spa in Arlington Heights, Illinois.
by Staff
How Women are Rewriting the Rules of Grey Hair
At a panel discussion hosted by L’Oréal Professionnel in Paris in early July, French Philosopher Sophie Galabru explored the cultural shift where women are increasingly choosing natural, personalized color results over traditional grey coverage. In an exclusive interview with SALON TODAY, Galabru and L’Oréal Professionnel Colorist Pierrick Beringer discuss this shift and how salons and colorists respond.
by Stacey Soble
Warm Leadership and Analytical Precision
At Salon Blonde, Director of Operations treats the staff as the salon's most important guests, while her wonderful 'nerdy' side, loves data, systems, and numbers. Find out how she makes Salon Blonde tick.
by Stacey Soble
Trotting the Globe, Forging Connections, Fostering Artistic Creativity
In an exclusive interview with SALON TODAY, Salon Owner Salvatore Minardi reflects on his past 18 months as Intercoiffure America Canada's World Talent Exchange Ambassador and how his experiences will help encourage cultural and artistic exchange and support greater engagement between ICA and the global organization Intercoiffure Mondial.
by Stacey Soble
Client Retention Guidebook
Everything you need to know about client retention as a salon owner.
Success Grown from Within
Owner Shelby Bills says her general manager, Sydney Osborne, reminds her of the power of leading with heart. Find out how Osborne became a great leader in our lastest installment of Meet the Manager.
by Stacey Soble
How Salon Leaders Can Process the Pain and Lead Forward When a Team Members Leaves Unethically
In her latest blog, Kati Whitledge identifies the five stages salon owners go through when a team member leaves the salon unethically, offering advice for each stage.
How AI Is Closing Revenue Gaps for Salons and Spas
The beauty and wellness businesses pulling ahead aren’t just working harder—they’re using AI to capture demand, personalize pricing, and convert more of every guest interaction into revenue. Here’s what the benchmark data reveals about the growing gap between AI adopters and everyone else.
Sponsored by Zenoti
The Premium Talent Magnet: The Modern Salon Playbook for Attracting Six-Figure Stylists
Stop chasing recruitment ghosts on generic job boards and start curating an elite team. Discover the framework that top-tier salons use to bypass phone tag, automate visual portfolio vetting, and attract high-earning, culture-first beauty professionals directly through real-time messaging. Turn your recruitment process into an exclusive brand invitation that keeps your highest-ticket chairs permanently filled.
Sponsored by Beautista
Five Revenue Leaks Hiding in Your Salon
Your calendar looks full, but is all of that demand actually converting to revenue? From phantom rebookings to underpriced peak hours, the 2026 Benchmark Report exposes five revenue leaks that most beauty and wellness businesses don’t even know they have.
Sponsored by Zenoti
The Heartbeat of Zandi K's Success
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.
by Stacey Soble
Rethinking Retail in the Era of E-Commerce
In a world dominated by e-commerce, salon owners push back with proven strategies to increase retail sales while motivating team members to educate their clientele and delighting clients with retail-themed events and clever merchandising displays.
by Stacey Soble
The Harper Ellis Hair Co. Certification Program Teaches Stylists a Smarter, Safer Way to Install Extensions
The company's Concealed Bead Method is raising the bar for what professional extension education can deliver.
by Staff
The Micro-Salon Blueprint: How Kat Scott Quadrupled Income by Maximizing Her Suite
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.
by Staff