We Need Stylists!..

After much anticipation and research, I opened my portrait studio 24 years ago. I took a basic accounting refresher at a nearby community college, and binged on business and marketing resources.

I came from a data-heavy company, where I could tell you my interest expense on inventory, hourly trends and my sales-per-square-foot at the once-famed “6th & Alder Fred Meyer”. Thanks to some unsanctioned, entrepreneurial ideas, (rubber-stamped by my regional sup. who supported/defended me in trust) the Division VP hand-delivered my P&L’s in order to see how I was doing what “WE” were doing.

Every five weeks, for many years… I’m sure that her hubby Barron still looks great!..

I left that life, for an industry with next to nothing for tracking stats. I found a marketing program from a Nevada-based company, that provided me with some alarming statistics. I had just cashed in my 401k on a business that “out-fails restaurants”.

The only other industry that had a faster start/end rate?.. Hair Stylists.

Tell me you haven’t noticed the turnover at your local chain salon. The evolution of your favorite stylist going independent, but signed a non-compete that put them out of your area, or they decided to bank their gambling nature on selling real estate…

I don’t like even using the “F-word” but essentially, they out-fail restaurants, and have no take-out options! What’s more, without them, my business has all but closed! I’ve had to create other ways of making ends meet, since I’m not holding my breath on a dole.

One of my high school seniors (Sarah Adams) served as a “Senior Rep” for my studio, and styled a number of my senior girls in the 90’s. Over the years, she evolved through companies, independence and now representation for her celebrity work. Every five weeks, (until pandemic) we discuss life and/or business growth, while she dulls her tools on my thick wig of hair.

Two weeks before the shut-down order, her entire collection of high-end tools was stolen and likely sold for pennies-on-the-dollar. Not to winge about the trickle-down affect, but MY HAIR WAS READY TO BE CUT FOR TWO WEEKS BEFORE THE SHUTDOWN. (okay, ALL-CAPS is likely winging, but should express my LONGING for Stylists to get the green light).

A BREAKTHROUGH…

This week, I ran my wild idea past her. A way that I could help kick-start her industry as soon as restrictions are lifted by the state. Because of the roll-outs known in other states, the processes for stylists will likely increase expenses (PPE items), and reduce the number of clients that can be seen per day. Fewer turns in the chair, equals fewer potential dollars.

I’ll be spelling things out more, once the stylists are permitted to “phase in”, but in the mean time I could REALLY use your help getting the word out.

Seems like forever-ago - but not quite what I look like today… I value my loving marriage too much to let my wife try navigate my five cowlicks and thick hair. (though she has offered)

WHO DO YOU KNOW that intends to return as a professional stylist in the Portland area?

I want to chat with them about my idea, and to do all that I can to promote their industry as a whole. It’s entirely possible that they will have to charge more in order to compensate for their reduced number of “turns” per day, but I have an idea that is GUARANTEED to take the edge off for them for a great number of clients.

A way to help market them for FREE, while providing them some marketing tools that can help to perpetuate their return. I suspect that ALL stylists will be busy for a few weeks right away, but with the decline of incomes around them, their margins and tips might very well decline without some support from ALL of us…

Please just forward this post to them, and they can fill in the form, or just email me at b@studiobpdx.com.

Thank you, and I hope that this finds you thriving, creative and happy with all of the silver linings that change brings.