A business journal for independent beauty pros, by salonMonster
What happens when you mix raw talent, a fearless drive, and a vision for a better salon culture? You get Nikii Beis, owner and stylist at Elevated Studio in Squamish, BC—and my latest guest in our one-on-one salon sit-down. Nikii’s journey into the industry started in the most relatable way—highlighting a friend’s hair in a … Read more
When I sat down with Rhino Gaudet, I knew we were in for a good conversation—but I didn’t realize just how much ground we’d cover, from rock-star dreams and livestock show floors to closing a salon and falling back in love with the basics of our craft. Rhino’s story starts in Calgary and lands on … Read more
What really struck me was how deeply she’s woven inclusivity into her work behind the chair. From the moment we started chatting, I knew this wasn’t going to be your average salon talk.
When I sat down with Annilee in her sun-lit home studio, I felt like I’d stepped into the living room of a long-time friend—one who also happens to wield shears with Jedi precision that comes from 3 decades behind the chair.
The last couple of weeks have been rough on my self-confidence. You know, those times when it feels like life wants to dump everything on you all at once. Thankfully, I have an amazing squad who’ve helped me stay positive and on track. Being part of an incredible group of trusted and supportive business friends … Read more
Are you old enough to remember the days of the Yellow Pages? That massive brick of yellow paper didn’t just make a great doorstop, it was the main place people looked to find anything. Every business owner had to have an ad in the Yellow Pages. Today, the Yellow Pages are a thing of the … Read more
I’ve had some bad hair days in my life. Really bad. Hair that would make you cringe. Hair that made me go out and find a new stylist. Looking back at the horrible photos, one thing stands out: the cut usually wasn’t bad, the color was OK and the hair was not neglected. So, what … Read more
The self employed stylist blueprint was designed for stylists who are excited to become independent but just would like an exact step by step plan to get all the logistics of self employment in place.
In Part 1 of this article, we talked about WHY you should upgrade your skills. Now let’s look at HOW. First we’ll offer tips for salon owners, then for independent stylists. Finally, we’ll toss out some thoughts on learning style and recommend resources. We hope there’s something here to inspire you. If you’re a … Read more
You’ve completed your training and/or apprenticeship and set yourself up as a working hairstylist. Why bother with continuing education? Why not just hit cruise control and rely on the skills you already have? Well, we’re here to tell you about 3 big payoffs to upgrading your skills — payoffs that go way beyond learning new … Read more