Episode 252
Building a Clientele & Launching a Suite After School | Shantel Phillips | Owner, CodeGlam Salon Suite
After transitioning from beauty school to working in salon environments for 7 years, Shantel Phillips shares how she built deep client relationships and made the leap into suite ownership, offering real talk on what it takes to succeed at every stage.
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KEY TAKEAWAYS:
đź”…Shantel worked in salons for 7 years before opening her own suite, crediting that time with helping her build confidence, strong relationships, and a loyal clientele.
🔅Her salon experience gave her real-world training that school alone couldn’t provide—especially in client interaction, business flow, and team dynamics.
đź”…She emphasizes that building client trust over time is key to retention and long-term growth.
🔅Balance is possible, but priorities shift — Managing executive roles while building a brand taught Nick that clarity and boundaries are key to avoiding burnout.
🔅The emotional transition from being part of a “salon family” to working solo in a suite can be tough, but it is necessary for personal growth.
đź”…Financial preparedness and knowing how to manage income, expenses, and taxes are crucial before going independent.
đź”…For new stylists, Shantel recommends gaining experience in a salon first before jumping into suite life.
👉Follow Shantel on Instagram
The Hairdresser Strong Show is all about Salon Owners, Rising Stylists, and Seasoned Stylists sharing their experiences, successes, failures, and advice to inform, educate, and empower their Fellow Hairdresser. We won’t stop until we are all: Hairdresser Strong.
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Transcript
Chantelle Phillips at Code glam is a 13 year industry veteran and owner of Code Glam Salon.
Speaker A:She's a natural hairstylist at the dmv Suite owner and a healthy hair care and weave specialist.
Speaker A:Today we're going to hear her story, how she got to where she is and what it's like in the Suite Life and all the advice that you need to know if you're either interested in going into the Suite Life or you're currently in the Suite Life and things aren't might not be going quite as way you wanted them.
Speaker A:Welcome back to the Hair.
Speaker A:Just a strong show.
Speaker A:My name is Robert Hughes and I am your host and today I'm with Shantelle Phillips.
Speaker A:How you doing today, Shantelle?
Speaker B:I'm doing pretty good.
Speaker B:How are you?
Speaker A:I'm good, thank you.
Speaker A:Well, I met Chantelle, but through Tiffany.
Speaker A:So shout out to Tiffany.
Speaker A:Tiffany's been on the show a couple times.
Speaker A:It's been really fun following her journey.
Speaker A:I actually just interviewed Tiffany to check in and we'll be dropping her episode next couple weeks, well from now from recording, so.
Speaker A:So that.
Speaker A:So by the time this comes out, Tiffany's will have already been out.
Speaker A:So definitely go and check that out.
Speaker A:Okay, so let's jump right in.
Speaker A:What, what we would like to know is kind of like a high level of getting into the industry.
Speaker A:More importantly, kind of like school.
Speaker A:Did you do school to school?
Speaker A:Did you get an imprint?
Speaker A:Did you do an apprenticeship?
Speaker A:Did you work at a salon?
Speaker A:Do you go into a suite?
Speaker A:Like, what, like, what does that look like for you?
Speaker B:Okay, so I'll say about around 15 years old, I was getting my hair done by my cousin.
Speaker B:She's been doing my hair all my life.
Speaker B:And she ended up having to go away for college.
Speaker B:So I had to learn how to do it on my own.
Speaker B:So around 15 is when I started doing it by myself at home with other people.
Speaker B:She was always in the salon, like, for as long as she's been doing hair.
Speaker B:So that was kind of like my first, like, foot in the door.
Speaker B:I would go to her job and I would always like, oh, my gosh, I want to work here, I want to work here, I want to work here.
Speaker B:And year after year, I never got a chance to work there.
Speaker B:Eventually I did get a job there as like a shampoo tech.
Speaker B:So that was like my first official salon job, which for me I feel like it was a little bit easier because I was able to get the experience prior to ever, like, going to cosmetology school.
Speaker B:I eventually did go to cosmetology school and then from there I was like straight into a salon after that.
Speaker A:So where'd you go to school?
Speaker B:Bennett Career Institute.
Speaker A:Oh yeah, I love them.
Speaker A:They're awesome.
Speaker B:Yeah, that's where I went.
Speaker B:Graduated from there.
Speaker A:Nice.
Speaker A:And then.
Speaker A:Okay, so you, you, you're working, are you, were you working in the salon while you were in school?
Speaker B:Initially, when I went to Bennett, I was working a retail store and I was working there full time.
Speaker B:Then I got to a point where I was like, I'm going to go ahead and go to cosmetology school.
Speaker B:So I eventually quit working at the retail store to, you know, you know, it's when you're cosmetology school, you got to be there every day.
Speaker B:I think it's like one day out the week that you don't go, maybe two.
Speaker B:So then I went to cosmetology school and then from there went into another salon.
Speaker A:Gotcha.
Speaker A:So when you were in school, you were full time school?
Speaker A:No, part time job.
Speaker B:Part time job at first, then full time school, then in the midst, then I was like part time school, part time salon.
Speaker A:Okay, got it.
Speaker A:So tell me, tell me what that's like.
Speaker A:Going to school and working at the same time versus just going to school.
Speaker A:And I want to preface this with the majority of students I talk to don't want multiple things going on at once.
Speaker A:I mean, that's just been my experience.
Speaker A:I would love for someone to tell me, tell me I got it mixed up, you know, or I'm wrong because I would like to be wrong.
Speaker A:Because I think it's challenging to kind of get ahead when you're not willing to be scrappy and like go to school and get a bartending job or whatever.
Speaker A:And I, I'm not saying you should have to.
Speaker A:I'm just saying, like, that's my world that I come from.
Speaker A:So I'm trying to understand this new world that we live in.
Speaker A:And so anyway, so yeah, tell me a little bit about like the, that.
Speaker B:I'm so used to always working and always having something going on.
Speaker B:So that wasn't anything new to me.
Speaker B:I've had like three jobs at a time, two jobs at a time.
Speaker B:So going to school and going to work, that was just the culture for me.
Speaker A:Got it.
Speaker B:It wasn't new.
Speaker B:I did notice a conflict when the hours that I needed to be at school, because, you know, you can be in school longer than you need to be if you, if you have a job you can finish in a Year in six months or you can finish in two years.
Speaker B:So I wanted to kind of, you know, play catch up.
Speaker B:And I'm like, okay, the.
Speaker B:The job I was working, the hours weren't working out for me to go to school and effectively be knocking my hours down.
Speaker B:So I'm like, if I'm going to go ahead and have a job, I would prefer to be in the industry that I'm working in so I can get hands on training.
Speaker B:So it wasn't really hard for me to tackle, but it just had to make sense.
Speaker B:If I'm going to work, it needs to be in the song.
Speaker A:So you said part time salon, part time school.
Speaker A:So does that mean you changed your.
Speaker A:Your schedule while you were in school so that you could work?
Speaker B:Yeah, I did.
Speaker B:And I had a mishap in school, so came across some conflict in college school, and I actually got put out for 30 days.
Speaker B:So that knocked me down.
Speaker B:So when I came back, I had to kind of change my schedule again.
Speaker B:It was like, I need to come to school before the teachers are there, do something for extra credit.
Speaker B:Go to.
Speaker B:Go to school, leave, go to work, come back, go to night classes.
Speaker B:So my schedule changed a lot of times to make sure that I made it by the date that I wanted to graduate by.
Speaker A:Do you feel comfortable talking about what happened at the school?
Speaker A:Because you said it now I'm like.
Speaker A:And everyone's to know.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker B:What happened?
Speaker B:Someone that I was friends with at the time, they were much, much, much, much older than me.
Speaker B:We were friends.
Speaker B:And then randomly, it was just like, we weren't friends anymore.
Speaker B:So I was beef.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:Steak.
Speaker B:Like, it was.
Speaker B:We weren't friends anymore, and it was just weird.
Speaker B:It was random.
Speaker B:So there was just a one random day where we were in class, we were coloring.
Speaker B:I will never forget.
Speaker B:It was the color chapter.
Speaker B:We're learning how to do highlights and learn how to color doing all this.
Speaker B:And, you know, it just kind of kicked off right then and there.
Speaker B:And they wanted to make an example out of us.
Speaker B:We didn't fight in school.
Speaker B:We fought a little ways off of school.
Speaker B:But we had on our T shirts from school, and they were like, this needs to be an example made.
Speaker B:If you're wearing something that represents us, we can't have you fighting.
Speaker B:We have to put.
Speaker B:Put y' all out.
Speaker B:So they put us out for 30 days.
Speaker A:What happened?
Speaker A:Oh, you both got put out?
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker A:Did that.
Speaker A:Did the other person, like, come back to school too?
Speaker B:Yeah, we both came back.
Speaker B:We both have to write.
Speaker B:Had to write A letter to appeal the decision to be put out.
Speaker B:And I think what helped was that they asked both of us, do you think this person should be let back in school?
Speaker B:And apparently we both was like, yeah.
Speaker B:So they're like, okay, we'll let that folk back.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:Nice.
Speaker A:Well, that's good.
Speaker A:That's good.
Speaker A:And then were you both back in at the same time?
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:And what was that like?
Speaker B:At the same time?
Speaker B:But it was, it was just like, okay, like, you know how you learned the lesson and you like, I'm not letting anything mess me up again.
Speaker B:It was like, okay, girl.
Speaker B:Like, but we're growing up.
Speaker A:Like, yeah, okay, cool.
Speaker A:Well, that's good.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:So what, what are your thoughts about working in a salon and being in school versus being in school not working in a salon at all.
Speaker A:Like, or, or, or just full time.
Speaker A:Like, you know, this question is for advice.
Speaker A:Like, if you were going to give advice to somebody who is currently, I don't know, they're just starting school or thinking about going to school and they're thinking, having the thoughts about the conversation about money and, and their schedule and jobs and stuff, what would you say to that person?
Speaker B:How bad do you want it?
Speaker B:Because you can do both.
Speaker B:And I would say, don't make the mistake and get into a salon that's not going to offer apprenticeship program and fall in love with the culture of doing hair without finishing school.
Speaker B:So that now you feel like I can just stop going to school.
Speaker B:And I got it all.
Speaker B:Because that'll come back to bite you when you're ready to do things as far as business and open salons.
Speaker B:And, you know, you'll need your license, you'll need your credentials for that.
Speaker B:If you have what it takes to do both, do both.
Speaker B:Because they go hand in hand.
Speaker B:For me, hair school didn't teach me how to do hair.
Speaker B:It was more so life skills and doing things I didn't want to do, like feet.
Speaker B:Like, I like.
Speaker B:I don't want to do pedicures.
Speaker B:I didn't come here for that.
Speaker B:I don't want to do a wave nouveau.
Speaker B:15 different steps.
Speaker B:I don't want to curl with the Marcels.
Speaker B:It was kind of like learning things you didn't want to do and being able to do it still.
Speaker B:It was learning life skills, dealing with people who were a little unruly.
Speaker B:I got that part from cosmetology school.
Speaker B:And then the hair salon is where I got the practical.
Speaker B:It was like hands on training.
Speaker B:And I think you need both.
Speaker B:So I would say if Anyone was like, should I, should I work?
Speaker B:If you have it in you to do both, I would do both.
Speaker B:But if you know that one area is going to lack, then, then focusing on school, get it done, and then go ahead and work in the salon.
Speaker A:All right, and so what are the.
Speaker A:What do you think the pros and cons are of working in us working while you're in school versus not working in school?
Speaker B:The pros of working while you're in school, you get some money.
Speaker B:You get.
Speaker B:Because it gets.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:Once you decide I'm not going to work, that is a long time to go without money.
Speaker B:That is a long.
Speaker B:And depending on how old you are coming out of hair school, if you're like 17 and mom's not looking to kick you out and you guys have a great relationship, by all means, but if you have a child or you have bills or you take care of yourself, that is a long time to say, I'm not gonna make any money.
Speaker B:I'm just gonna focus on school.
Speaker B:And the tips you gonna get at hair school, you'll be able to get something to eat, probably, but that's about it.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:So.
Speaker A:So you don't think it has to do with.
Speaker A:With like.
Speaker A:Okay, I'll just say this.
Speaker A:So I have.
Speaker A:I talked to Sir Khan, who is one of the owners at the George Salon at the Four Seasons, and he, he talks about, he talks about how, if you want.
Speaker A:Let's just say that, you know, in hair school, what do you charge for a haircut in hair school?
Speaker A:Or what were you.
Speaker B:Do you remember at that time, things are probably like $8?
Speaker A:Okay, so let's say inflation, let's call it $25.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:So $25.
Speaker A:I always ask, I always ask students, how, how do you think it's realistic for a 25 haircut customer to pay a hundred dollars?
Speaker A:And if you think it's realistic, how do you go about charging them $100 from 25?
Speaker A:You know, is it.
Speaker A:Is it like $10 price increases for eight years?
Speaker A:Is it $20 price increases for four years?
Speaker A:Is it $30?
Speaker A:So like $20, that's a double.
Speaker A:You're doubling, almost doubling the price.
Speaker A:So like, no, it's really a percentage because the customers are going to be impacted.
Speaker A:There's a whole psychology around money.
Speaker A:And so, like, so if, if you don't have clients that pay the prices that you want to pay.
Speaker A:His argument, and I agree with this, and I'm looking for somebody to give me a reason, doubt this kind of idea.
Speaker A:I'm Constantly looking for people to challenge my beliefs.
Speaker A:So, so he, his argument is that you're kind of like leapfrogging.
Speaker A:And the concept of leapfrogging is like in China they don't have landlines.
Speaker A:It's not like a thing.
Speaker A:They all have.
Speaker A:They didn't need that technology.
Speaker A:They cell phone.
Speaker A:So, so like in.
Speaker A:And this is like a thing like people leapfrog and stick skip over steps.
Speaker A:And he's saying you can skip over the steps of all those price increases by starting somewhere that already charges the money you want to charge.
Speaker A:So like he's saying like, if it takes four years of $20 price increases to get your client to $100, well, what if you spend two years training and then your third year you're already ahead of where you would be with the price increases and you have a baked in clientele because all the clients know you.
Speaker A:They've seen you working for the course of a year or two.
Speaker A:This is just an argument for long training programs.
Speaker A:And like if you go through a long training program at make one of the highest priced salons in the area versus like trying to charge the same price on your own, you know?
Speaker A:You know, so anyway, that.
Speaker A:It's a, it's an argument.
Speaker A:What are your thoughts about that?
Speaker A:Disagree.
Speaker A:Like, don't.
Speaker A:Like, whatever.
Speaker B:I'm in the middle because I'm, I'm really like, how do I say this and this and we're tying this back into like, do I feel like, how do I feel about people not working while they're going to school?
Speaker B:This ties back into that or is this completely separate from that?
Speaker A:Let's say in separate.
Speaker A:Let's.
Speaker A:I want to kind of, I want to like know how you, how you react and respond to that as a standalone concept.
Speaker B:As a standalone concept.
Speaker B:I agree in a sense where it's like, yes, if you go ahead and take that time to, to long train, two years and then you put in the work, you can come out swinging then why not come out swinging?
Speaker B:But does everyone have that reality?
Speaker A:What reality of long training?
Speaker B:Like is that everyone's reality.
Speaker B:Is everyone able to do that?
Speaker A:What do you mean able?
Speaker B:Like, is everyone able to.
Speaker B:Let's.
Speaker B:I end up having to keep tying it back into the cosmetology school.
Speaker A:Go for it.
Speaker A:Go for it.
Speaker B:Okay, so there's so many people that I know who they charge prices, close to my prices.
Speaker B:And it's like, you didn't even train for this.
Speaker B:Like, how are you?
Speaker B:How is this even happening?
Speaker B:You didn't train for this, you don't treat the people the way that I treat them because you didn't get that training.
Speaker B:So you're just like, I can do hair.
Speaker B:This is how much I'm charging.
Speaker B:And some people are like, okay.
Speaker A:Some.
Speaker B:People aren't able to go to school for whatever reason.
Speaker B:Some people aren't able to put a pause in their life for whatever reason, whatever the case may be, and they still luck up being able to do what the person who had to stop everything that they were doing, they get to do the same thing.
Speaker B:In this, where we are now in this culture, that's flying.
Speaker B:Like, it's flying.
Speaker B:It's starting to seep through.
Speaker B:People are starting to see like, oh, these are the real stylists.
Speaker B:These are the fake stylists.
Speaker B:But it's flying.
Speaker B:And I feel like that's why.
Speaker B:It's like, I partially agree because, yes, that should be the way.
Speaker B:But it's like, realistically, it's not going to always be the way.
Speaker B:It's just.
Speaker A:Okay, this.
Speaker A:I want to.
Speaker A:You said something else just now that I want to talk.
Speaker A:I want to ask you about.
Speaker A:You're talking about having some sort of experience.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:With customers lacking low satisfaction from people who haven't.
Speaker A:Haven't necessarily put in the work to justify the value.
Speaker A:Like they're not.
Speaker A:Or no, let me rephrase.
Speaker A:They're not bringing the value that they're charging and the customers are noticing.
Speaker A:I.
Speaker A:I'm happy to move on to that topic.
Speaker A:That is so interesting.
Speaker A:So let's just jump over to that one.
Speaker B:Let's let, let us get in there.
Speaker A:Okay, let me know.
Speaker A:Tell, tell.
Speaker A:Tell us a little bit about what these experience.
Speaker A:Your experiences of this.
Speaker B:Okay, so with me being a healthy hair care stylist, I service all types, all texture.
Speaker B:So there's.
Speaker B:There's an a texture that walks through the door and I'm like, oh, no, I don't know how to do that, or I can't do that.
Speaker B:That come from training.
Speaker B:That comes from being on the floor and being an assistant and not telling the stylist.
Speaker B:I don't want to shame for your client because it's hard for me to do.
Speaker B:You just do it with that.
Speaker B:I have a lot of clients who come to me and have been turned down by other people or dissatisfied by other people because those people didn't have the training.
Speaker B:They have natural hair care in their bio, but they are only doing a specific texture just, just as an example.
Speaker B:And for me, I hear the cries of it all the time.
Speaker B:They didn't know how to detangle my hair, but they're charging this.
Speaker B:They didn't shampoo my hair, but they're charging that.
Speaker B:They didn't give me the address till the day of because it's at their house, but they're charging this.
Speaker B:So many complaints.
Speaker B:And for me, it sucks because sometimes it feels like, well, what made you go on a detour all the way around there before you got here?
Speaker B:And then sometimes it's like, did you not see the signs that these people weren't, you know, trained?
Speaker B:So for me, my experience as a person who sees it, I feel bad for both me and the clients because there's people who did stop everything that they were doing to train, and we're kind of getting the short end of the stick, if that makes sense.
Speaker A:Totally.
Speaker A:So the fact that you have customers coming in saying that they had experiences that really only make sense from somebody who has, like, low experience or maybe isn't as, you know, impassioned about delivering the customer service and the experience, I think that's really interesting.
Speaker A:Okay, so since we're on this topic, first, I want to ask you a question.
Speaker A:What?
Speaker A:How long did you work in a salon?
Speaker B:I've been, like, consectively at one time or just in general?
Speaker A:No, like, just in, like, total time spent, you know, three months here, three months there, three months there.
Speaker A:You know, that's nine months.
Speaker A:So, like, what.
Speaker A:How much.
Speaker A:I just want to not understand how much salon experience you had before you went into a suite.
Speaker A:That's kind of where I'm going with this.
Speaker B: ,: Speaker A:Oh, okay.
Speaker A:Oh, wow.
Speaker A:I didn't.
Speaker A:I didn't realize that you had so much salon experience.
Speaker A:Okay, okay.
Speaker A:So can you tell.
Speaker A:Tell us a little bit about why you think you stuck with a salon and didn't go independent?
Speaker A:When, at what point in time were you thinking about going independent?
Speaker A:Tell us a little bit about, like, give us a little context with that.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker B:One, my salon family was, like, real family.
Speaker B:So I wasn't in an uncomfortable space where I felt like I had to get away from these people.
Speaker B:It felt like I just got up, got dressed, and went to my aunt's house.
Speaker B:So I felt so comfortable with where I worked.
Speaker B:The salon that I just left.
Speaker B:I was there for seven years straight, and I had other salon experiences.
Speaker B:Dip and dab.
Speaker B:I might have worked there in another salon, but that salon was my constant for the recent seven years, I decided to stick with it because it felt good to be there.
Speaker B:I enjoyed my time.
Speaker B:I worked under people who were very, like, adamant about the process and not in a way of don't go anywhere, but they already lived it before me, so they knew, like, that I could benefit from them, and they knew that I could benefit, you know, just staying the course.
Speaker B:They were very.
Speaker B:The salon owner, she was very organized, and she was very, like, by the book.
Speaker B:You do this, then you do this, then you do this.
Speaker B:What song Reinvent you beauty studio on 12th Street Northeast.
Speaker A:Go check this out.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:Sorry.
Speaker B:You gotta check her out.
Speaker B:Her name's Kennethia.
Speaker B:I love her.
Speaker B:So she was very organized and very bad.
Speaker B:But I met her in cosmetology school, and, like, from the moment I saw her, I was like, I like her.
Speaker B:I didn't know her, but I was like, I like her.
Speaker B:Like, she just seems like somebody I want to be around.
Speaker B:And it so happened that she ended up becoming my mentor.
Speaker B:And when I started in the salon, there was no job available.
Speaker B:Like, I remember, like, asking for a job, and she was like, you know, I don't have.
Speaker B:Like, I don't have anything because it's a small salon.
Speaker B:It was only four stylists.
Speaker B:So she's like, I don't have anything open.
Speaker B:Like, I don't have any shampoo assistant position open.
Speaker B:She was like, do you want to just, like, check clients out?
Speaker B:Do you want to be a receptionist?
Speaker B:I was like, oh, I'll take.
Speaker B:I'll take whatever to get my foot in the door.
Speaker B:So I was like, as long as I'm breathing in the fumes of the blow dryer, like, I'm fine.
Speaker B:So I took it, and I was a receptionist.
Speaker B:And then the shampoo assistant just up and quit.
Speaker B:And then I was like, okay, then I was a shampoo assistant and receptionist.
Speaker B:Then she would tell me all the time.
Speaker B:So what you do is you start off with building your clientele in the afternoon.
Speaker B:Once you get to a point where you feel like you're cramming people in the afternoon, then you start to open up a day.
Speaker B:And then once you feel like you're cramming them in that day, then you open up another day.
Speaker B:So she had, like, a strategy to.
Speaker B:When you.
Speaker B:When you get uncomfortable, that's when you know to move.
Speaker B:So I did that, and then I got uncomfortable, and I'm like, okay, this little afternoon is not working anymore.
Speaker B:And I would do it day by day.
Speaker B:Then I'm like, okay, I'm ready To I'm ready to have a book.
Speaker B:Got my book.
Speaker B:After I went from shampoo assistant to stylist part time, so I was still doing both.
Speaker B:Then I'm like, okay, there's a demand here for being a stylist more than being a shampoo assistant.
Speaker B:And the money is.
Speaker B:Is, you know, there.
Speaker B:So then I was like, okay, no longer shampoo assistant commission.
Speaker B:Once I started to feel like, okay, I have enough to.
Speaker B:To, you know, do boot rent, then I did that.
Speaker B:And then once I was like, all right, now it's time to go on my own.
Speaker B:So it was very slow walk.
Speaker B:It was no go in, hop in.
Speaker B:I'm out.
Speaker A:I'm.
Speaker B:I work for myself.
Speaker B:I learned from you guys for four days.
Speaker B:I'm done.
Speaker B:It wasn't that type of process.
Speaker A:Nice.
Speaker A:And so you're there.
Speaker A:And you're there for seven years, you said.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker B:And so.
Speaker A:And so at what point in time, like, where did the desire to go independent come from?
Speaker A:Like, where.
Speaker A:How did.
Speaker A:Tell us a little bit about how that happened.
Speaker A:And, like.
Speaker A:Like, the thought.
Speaker A:And then.
Speaker A:And then I also want to get into, like, the process.
Speaker B:The thought came around.
Speaker B:I'll say this.
Speaker B:The thought came a lot because I was out.
Speaker B:I've seen a lot of people my age, like, oh, wow.
Speaker B:Like, they're doing it big.
Speaker B:Like, they're younger than me.
Speaker B:They have their own salon.
Speaker B:I'm just still here by the wayside.
Speaker B:So I had the feeling, but it wasn't the timing.
Speaker B:And I want to say what we're in.
Speaker B: We're in: Speaker B: I want to say: Speaker B:2022.
Speaker B:I started being like, is it time to go?
Speaker B:And my family would be like, when are you going to get your own?
Speaker B:And I'm like, why are y' all rushing me?
Speaker B:But I started to feel like it was time to go because I felt like I didn't fit anymore.
Speaker B:Like, I just felt like there wasn't a space for me, even though there was, and we were still getting along and everything.
Speaker B:I started to envision more of something for myself.
Speaker B:Like, and it would keep.
Speaker B:I would keep having that vision of, like, creating my own space for my client.
Speaker B:And so that's kind of when it first came.
Speaker A:Nice.
Speaker A:And so that was, like, a couple years.
Speaker A:Did Covid have anything to do with it?
Speaker B:No.
Speaker A:No.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:So.
Speaker A:So.
Speaker A:So you had this idea because coming and going.
Speaker A: And finally, in: Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:And then you.
Speaker A: You open in: Speaker B:What?
Speaker B:I'm so sorry.
Speaker B: We're in: Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker B: I opened in: Speaker B:Last year is when I got my sweet.
Speaker B: nd,: Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:So super fresh.
Speaker A:I love this.
Speaker A:So.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker B:So.
Speaker A:So, you know, we're coming up on our.
Speaker A:On our.
Speaker A:I think this is a great way to kind of tie it, wrap it up as well.
Speaker A:Before we end, I'm going to ask you for any, any last pieces of advice you have for anybody that's thinking about going into the suite life, but what is your.
Speaker A:Can you tell us a little bit about the process of making that transition?
Speaker B:A lot of tears, a lot of prayer.
Speaker B:That, that, that was really my process.
Speaker B:Stressful.
Speaker B:Oh, my goodness.
Speaker B:It was a stressful time.
Speaker A:What was stressful?
Speaker B:Leaving my family and leaving the place that I've been working for seven years straight.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:How was.
Speaker A:Can you.
Speaker A:What do you got?
Speaker A:Like, how did you do it?
Speaker A:Did you.
Speaker B:Oh, my God.
Speaker B:Oh, I can feel it.
Speaker B:Like, I can feel it in my bones right now.
Speaker B:It was the hardest thing I've had to do.
Speaker B:I told them four months before I decided to do it because we were so tight knit that I felt like a two week was just disrespectful.
Speaker B:Like we were like family.
Speaker B:We are like family.
Speaker B:So I told them four months.
Speaker B:I made sure that I had already secured everything with the suite first because I knew that if I told them and didn't secure it, I would change my mind.
Speaker B:So I was like, let me make sure that I'm sign suit, lease is done, and this is what I'm really going to do.
Speaker B:And then I told them and I kind of told them one by one and it was just, it was like they didn't react how I thought.
Speaker B:They were just like, really?
Speaker B:The salon owner was like, no, you're not, you're not going.
Speaker B:Like, this is not gonna happen.
Speaker B:But I, I thought it was gonna be so much worse.
Speaker B:It wasn't that bad, but.
Speaker A:Well, that's awesome because I've worked with people who told their.
Speaker A:My experience is.
Speaker A:I like to say I was forged in fire in this industry.
Speaker A:My experience is you can't tell the salon owner, you know, you know everybody.
Speaker A:I know that every single person that's watching this and listening to this is not going to, is going to text me or DM me.
Speaker A:But that's been my experience.
Speaker A:My experience is you tell the salon that you're leaving and you're doing something else and they close, they change the passwords, they shut you out.
Speaker A:I've even seen people show up to work with all their stuff outside on the sidewalk and said that you're not allowed to come in to the salon.
Speaker A:You know, you imagine, like, you tell the tell told your salon four months before.
Speaker A:What are you going to do with your.
Speaker A:Call your clients when you're waiting?
Speaker A:You know, like, let's just say, hey, I want my suite to start on July 1st, and I'm gonna wait until May 1st, two months before to say, hey, I'm.
Speaker A:I'm leaving.
Speaker A:And they say, okay, make this your last day.
Speaker A:That was one that.
Speaker A:So when I.
Speaker A:I had someone tell me that, and I was just working the front desk.
Speaker A:So, like, imagine that was my first salon.
Speaker A:I told them that, like, I wanted to move to Miami.
Speaker A:I was 17, 18 years old.
Speaker A:You know, I decided I didn't want to go to college because more school just sounded like more years on this on, you know, like, what do they call that?
Speaker A:You know, like another stretch, you know, in an institution.
Speaker A:I felt like it was like, I didn't want.
Speaker A:I didn't want to go to school.
Speaker A:So I was like, I'm gonna move to Miami and just, like, have fun.
Speaker A:And I used to have, like, chiseled features in a six pack.
Speaker A:I thought I could be a model, but.
Speaker A:And so I went to Miami and partied.
Speaker A:But I, like.
Speaker A:Like, they.
Speaker A:They.
Speaker A:I wasn't ready.
Speaker A:I was like, yeah, I want to think.
Speaker A:I want to go to Miami.
Speaker A:And I was the front desk, and they told me to leave.
Speaker A:And so.
Speaker A:And then ever since.
Speaker A:And then that was my first example.
Speaker A:And then beyond throughout, I've worked in, like, seven salons, and almost everyone has had some sort of toxic situation with the salon owner where, you know, they were treating you like it's a family until it's not.
Speaker A:And, like, that's why I never, like, really get family vibes with my people, because, you know, I don't.
Speaker A:I prefer handshakes than hugs, but, like.
Speaker A:But not with my.
Speaker A:My people, my fellow hairdresser, but with, like, my boss.
Speaker A:You know, it's like, this is a business relationship, and I've.
Speaker A:I've always.
Speaker A:I've always had that experience, and I'm okay with that experience.
Speaker A:I make all of my friends.
Speaker A:Almost all of my friends come through the industry and through the salon.
Speaker A:But.
Speaker A:But I can't say that, like, the word family.
Speaker A:Like, you can't fire your family.
Speaker A:You know, that's.
Speaker B:You know what's crazy?
Speaker B:I didn't realize.
Speaker B:Well, I knew what I had.
Speaker B:I knew that I Had a family.
Speaker B:Like, we were in a house.
Speaker B:We, like, no, these are.
Speaker B:These are these people.
Speaker B:I'm at red weddings together.
Speaker B:We're literally family.
Speaker B:Like, and everyone knew each other for years.
Speaker B:So it was like when I heard other people's stories when they were trying to leave, and it's like a secret.
Speaker B:I'm like, what's the secret?
Speaker B:My only reason of not wanting to tell the owner was because I knew it would hurt her, but not because I knew she would be spiteful.
Speaker B:I just knew that it was going to be a really sad situation.
Speaker B:But I would hear, like, people who, like, they're doing all of it under underground.
Speaker B:Like, I was able to.
Speaker B:Like, it's like, I could call her and be like, do you think I should get this dryer?
Speaker B:Do you think I should get that?
Speaker B:Or do you think I should get that?
Speaker B:I didn't have, like, you know, it's a luxury because, I mean, some people, they.
Speaker B:Like you said, they can't tell them until the day is up.
Speaker B:Like, my fear was that we would talk, and then I would be like, oh, my gosh, I gotta cancel my lease.
Speaker B:I have to stay here.
Speaker B:Which.
Speaker B:That I've tried to quit before.
Speaker B:And I ended up not quitting because it was like, no.
Speaker B:And I was like, okay.
Speaker B:So I'm like, okay.
Speaker B:So it's like, I knew, like that.
Speaker B:But what?
Speaker B:He leave today?
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Like, let's just.
Speaker A:Why don't you just make today your last day?
Speaker A:As a matter of fact, how about now?
Speaker B:Can I say one thing, though?
Speaker B:But I think this is important.
Speaker B:I really want to say this, and at any moment, if you have to go, that's fine.
Speaker B:I think there's a big issue in the salon industry where the salon itself is the middleman between the stylist and the client.
Speaker B:And I think that's a lot of, like, a lot of the problem that other people had.
Speaker B:I didn't have that problem.
Speaker B:I had direct relationships with my own client.
Speaker B:I built my own clientele from the ground up.
Speaker B:I didn't.
Speaker B:There wasn't a.
Speaker B:You can't text them on the side, or you can't.
Speaker B:I'm in control of your clients, and you just show up and do the hair.
Speaker B:I didn't have.
Speaker B:That wasn't the type of salon that I worked in, and it could.
Speaker B:That wasn't the nature of the salon owner.
Speaker B:And we were a family and we were a salon, but we all had our own thing going on.
Speaker B:I know a lot of people who can't leave.
Speaker B:It's because Their bread and butter is from that salon.
Speaker B:The salon makes it so that they provide for you where you're too afraid to tell them that you want to leave because in a sense they're like, I'm everything that you have.
Speaker B:I made you.
Speaker B:That wasn't, that's not how it was for me.
Speaker B:So I think that's another reason why people get the, you can leave today because it's like, I've got to gave you everything.
Speaker A:So, so, yes, I agree with what you're saying.
Speaker A:I, I would like to add another, an additional thing.
Speaker A:Yes, I agree that it, it's like, it can be like that, but there's another piece that I experienced, and that is that they're like, they don't trust you to not go through the schedule in the book to collect all that data.
Speaker A:And so that's been my experience.
Speaker A:It's not like, it's more like, hey, I have to tell you to leave right now knowing you're leaving, because I can't risk you pulling the data.
Speaker A:That is my data.
Speaker A:Like, it's like the salon, technically, legally, that data is owned by the salon.
Speaker A:You can't take that data.
Speaker A:So you can ask your client for their number.
Speaker A:That's fine.
Speaker A:And like, ever since social media blew up, salon owners, as far as I know, they stopped trying to prevent you from talking to your customer.
Speaker A:And they understand that they have to compete on providing a good experience for you or you will leave.
Speaker A:Because social media is kind of like a, it's kind of like a neutralizer of some of that power.
Speaker A:And so now they have to compete on how they treat you in what type of environment.
Speaker A:And so, like, I would say I don't, I don't want anyone to think, personally, I am not a sweet person.
Speaker A:I, I, there's no way I would make it by myself.
Speaker A:I'd be, I'd be so messed up mentally, like, my mental health would suffer so much.
Speaker A:I, I am a true extrovert.
Speaker A:I get my energy from other people.
Speaker A:My client is not going to be enough energy for me.
Speaker A:I need to, like, I need to, like, go into the break room and like, talk some shit about something and then, like, go up to the color room and be like, and then, and have somebody actually care enough to say, so what are you doing with that person?
Speaker A:I'm curious.
Speaker A:And then I tell them and be like, oh.
Speaker A:And then I' why you say like that?
Speaker A:And they're like, well, this is what I would do.
Speaker A:And I'm like, I don't like that.
Speaker A:Idea, but you just changed the way that I'm going to do this.
Speaker A:Customer.
Speaker A:I'm not giving.
Speaker A:Taking your advice, but you just caused a shift in my brain.
Speaker A:And so, like, I.
Speaker A:I thrive on collaboration and the energy of others.
Speaker A:I.
Speaker A:I would be a very unhealthy person if I was in a suite.
Speaker A:So I would never say anything to take away from the value of a good salon owner.
Speaker A:And.
Speaker A:And like, a.
Speaker A:To me, I think that's the best part of our industry.
Speaker A:Personally.
Speaker A:Like, I think it's like the crosswords of the community.
Speaker A:The old school salon and the old school barbershop were where everyone met.
Speaker A:You know, it was like you had church and you had your salon and your barbershop, and then other than that, everyone was doing their own thing.
Speaker A:So, like, for me, the magic of our industry is actually the crossroads of the community.
Speaker A:I don't.
Speaker A:I am not.
Speaker A:Like, I think that every individual, she needs to pursue their own happiness, but for me, that's mine.
Speaker A:And, like, I really want to make sure that everybody knows that in this conversation, because I think you need to.
Speaker B:Know where I stand.
Speaker A:Yeah, well, I just don't want anyone to think that I'm bashing salons, because I'm not.
Speaker A:I am saying that we've had a toxic, systemic issue in this industry for a very long time, but social media has rooted out the majority of that stuff.
Speaker A:And so, like, I think that it's false claims to make on social media because it's like, you know, the most vile stuff and the most angry stuff, you know, that gets the most engagement that, you know, like, the positive stuff doesn't bubble to the top.
Speaker A:Like, the negative, toxic stuff.
Speaker A:It doesn't.
Speaker B:And I've experienced both.
Speaker B:So, like, I've experienced the family, and then I've also experienced the salon where it's like, I felt like I was asleep, right?
Speaker B:So I.
Speaker B:I get both.
Speaker B:But that part, like, the windows and the wind, in comparison to the joy that I.
Speaker B:I'm like, oh, I don't even care.
Speaker B:But both two things can be true.
Speaker B:And I do understand what you're saying.
Speaker B:I do.
Speaker B:There are some people who are always on social media, and they're like, I just seen it the other day.
Speaker B:They're like, y' all should have.
Speaker B:The worst thing you guys could have done was gotten a suite.
Speaker B:Like, I miss the old.
Speaker B:Because, like you said, some people need that socializing.
Speaker B:Some people come to the salon to talk to someone they don't even know men and going about their business.
Speaker B:So I think if they're how do I say personally if salons can get back to that vibe and get back to that feeling of I love you here and I still have my independence and still have a community and I think more people go to a salon, but right now it's because there's somebody somewhere.
Speaker B:There's still some people thriving in salons.
Speaker B:But right now I feel like suite culture is taking over because everybody wants to be their own boss and they want to do it now.
Speaker B:Again, my story is different because I had the luxury of enjoying the fullness of a salon for years and then going to a suite and still having a family in my suite.
Speaker B:Like, I don't feel like I work alone.
Speaker A:That's awesome.
Speaker A:So like that, I think that makes a lot of sense that like I could, I could survive in a booth rental environment.
Speaker A:I don't think I could do like, I don't want my own room.
Speaker A:I want to, like, I want you to hear my conversation and chime in.
Speaker A:I want your client to chime in to my conversation.
Speaker A:I want my client to chime into your conversation.
Speaker A:I want to have like a four to six way conversation because those clients are going to remember that experience and that's what I live for.
Speaker A:But I do agree, like, for me it's all about community.
Speaker A:And some people don't need the community right there standing next to them.
Speaker A:Some people really like to have that wall and I think that's great.
Speaker A:All I'm saying is, all I'm saying is there are really good salons out there and there are really not good salons out there.
Speaker A:And like, figuring out how to discern between the two is not super easy and it can be challenging.
Speaker A:So anyway, yeah, I've had very toxic experiences.
Speaker A:I don't, I think that if I was ever going to like do something on my own and had to tell a salon owner, I would make plans for where I'm going to move for a temporary holdover.
Speaker A:You know, I would not, I would not plan to tell someone I'm leaving and then stick around for a long time.
Speaker A:Now if they invited me to stick around a long time, then yeah, then that'd be great, you know, but you know, it one, it's not in my future to have a brick and mortar space, you know, with everything we do with hairdresser Strong.
Speaker A:But I'm just saying I'm, I would be surprised if there weren't other people that have a very similar experience to me.
Speaker A:And so salon owners out there, you just heard somebody rave about missing going to a salon and spending seven years there before they went out on their own.
Speaker A:And I guarantee you, the majority, if not every single salon owner on this, that's listening to this would love to have that experience with you and send you off gracefully into the sunset for you to do your own thing.
Speaker A:And I do, I really do.
Speaker A:I do think that, like, if, if salon owners can get a few, three to five years out of everybody that they hire before they go off on their own, the salon owners would be happy with that.
Speaker A:Now, I think that that's a bigger conversation and we're coming up on our time, so I don't.
Speaker A:I think that we could have a whole other conversation.
Speaker A:I feel like I just opened up a can of worms I'm trying to close so that we can end this conversation.
Speaker A:But it opens up, it talks to another piece.
Speaker A:And that is like, you're having a good time in the suite life.
Speaker A:Do you think that your experience in a salon had anything to do with that?
Speaker A:And, and it's not just experience and what you learned.
Speaker A:It's experience in, like, the time that you were there.
Speaker A:There's a benefit of building a clientele.
Speaker A:And so, like, how about this?
Speaker A:How about we sign off with your advice for the person who wants to go into the suite life?
Speaker A:Considering what, like, for me, it's all about the numbers.
Speaker A:Like, if you know your numbers and you got the money and you got the clients and you can make, make your payments and the money you want to make, to me, that's the only time you should go out on your own personally.
Speaker A:That's my opinion.
Speaker A:And.
Speaker A:But that takes away from the trailblazers and the risk takers.
Speaker A:And so, like, just know that you are a risk taker or a trailblazer.
Speaker A:If you are going into a suite without a full clientele that can not only pay your bills, but also pay you this income that you want to make.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:So on that, now that I said it, set you up with that, tell me, what are your thoughts about what I just said and that's how we'll sign off.
Speaker B:I agree.
Speaker B:I agree that.
Speaker B:Oh, sorry, that was a lie.
Speaker B:I.
Speaker B:I agree with both standpoints because I'm also a risk taker too.
Speaker B:It still felt like rest for me.
Speaker B:So I do agree that the best way to go into a suite is prepared.
Speaker B:But if you're a risk taker and you're okay with how the consequences will come out, take the risk too.
Speaker A:Totally.
Speaker A:And so can you give us a number?
Speaker A:Like, how much, how many clients should we have.
Speaker A:How much money should you be making at minimum per week?
Speaker A:Or any number that you can give, give people before we sign off would.
Speaker B:Be, I'd say this, make sure that you'll be able to pay the, pay your, your rent monthly and still have enough left over to cover your, your personal expenses and your salon expenses.
Speaker B:And that should include leisure.
Speaker B:As far as a personal expense, everybody has different bills, everybody has different things, different wants.
Speaker B:Some people like to shop, some people like to travel.
Speaker B:Some people don't care to do anything.
Speaker B:They just want to get food.
Speaker B:Know what you like, desire, and make sure that when you hop out there, if it all fails, you'll still be able to take care of all the things that you want.
Speaker B:So that's the, that's the number I would get.
Speaker A:All right, cool.
Speaker A:So take, take your rent for your booth.
Speaker A:Take expected expenses.
Speaker A:If you don't know, guess or go and ask somebody, ask five people what their expenses would be and then take the average of that.
Speaker A:How about that?
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:Then add in your personal rent, add in all of your bills, and then add in maybe some savings.
Speaker B:Yeah, maybe.
Speaker A:I mean, maybe you don't need the savings because you're starting a new thing.
Speaker A:So like make sure you cover all your bills and have enough money to eat and put gas in your car and then figure out what that number is.
Speaker A:And then ask yourself, are you able to pull that much money in currently before you even go into a suite?
Speaker A:Is that a good way to say it or do you.
Speaker B:Yeah, but then for the risk takers, like, hey, ball out, let's see what happens.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:And then call and then hit us up and we'd love to have a, let's do a three way zoom call with the risk taker who did it and, and is having success and maybe a risk taker who did it and had the opposite of success.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:I feel like I'm in a perfect middle of both.
Speaker B:I feel like I knew that I could, but there was this like a, I could also prepare more.
Speaker B:And I was just like, it's time to go.
Speaker B:We just gonna figure it out.
Speaker B:And that's what we've been doing ever since.
Speaker B:It's been a year, you know, and.
Speaker A:Then, and then like all of my precautions, because I am tending to be precaution, all of my precautions aside.
Speaker A:Amen.
Speaker A:Like, amen.
Speaker A:Sometimes you just go for it and you get it and sometimes you don't.
Speaker A:And so there's never, they say there's never a perfect time to pull the trigger on entrepreneurship.
Speaker A:Starting a business or having a baby.
Speaker A:Apparently, that's the other thing that they say.
Speaker A:It's never the right time, you know, you just got to do it if that's what you want.
Speaker A:And sometimes it just happens to you, you know, that's the other thing, you know, so sometimes people just, like, you know, come across an opportunity to get lucky and anyway, thank you so much for this conversation.
Speaker A:It's been a pleasure.
Speaker A:And I know.
Speaker A:I think we ran over a little bit, but I really appreciate your time, and this has been a pleasure because based on my Math, you're about 28 years old.
Speaker A:Is that right?
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:So you're under 30 and you're in the suite.
Speaker A:You spent some time in a salon, and you're local.
Speaker A:This is such a great opportunity to connect with you, and I really appreciate it, and I hope to talk to you soon.
Speaker B:Thank you so much.
Speaker B:I enjoy being on, and I can't wait to come back.
Speaker A:Awesome.
Speaker A:Awesome.
Speaker A:Well, until then, I'll talk to you later.
Speaker B:See you.
