Grow Your Own… & Grow As Well By Kerrie DiMattia

Apprentices…. often just the word alone if you’ve had a few shockers can send shivers down your spine & invoke a hard NO when approached to take one on.

We’ve all been there, there’s not a salon owner I’ve met that hasn’t hired a nightmare apprentice or two over the years & yes, I can fully understand the hesitation you might feel heading down that rabbit hole again….

But let’s face the cold hard facts - What choice do you have if you want to grow your business?

Notice I said GROW- not just exist!

Harsh? Maybe, but not meant that way, all I mean to say is this, with the shortage of qualified stylists out there at this point in time you have limited choices, you either keep our industry alive by nurturing some fresh new talent or you just do what a lot of salon owners are talking about doing & that’s work with what you’ve got while you can & when that’s no longer an option just shut up shop!

For me, that’s simply not an option, plus I like a challenge!!!

I’ve just taken on 3 new apprentices all under 18 & I can tell you hand on heart that I’m so bloody excited to peel back the layers & find out just who they are & where they are heading!

Now in saying that, not all apprentices are just out of school, some come on board as mature age so to be fair I’m going to generalise in the 16 - 30 age bracket here just to get my point across.

They usually have strong values as well as strong opinions, they are passionate about things like sustainability & human rights, they are tech savvy because it’s the world they’ve been born into, & they know no other, they are self-aware, a little self-centered even, driven & focused with an exact picture in their head of what they expect from this journey.

Some are even a complete PAIN IN THE ARSE!!!! and now some of you are thinking WTF! It sounds like I’m sabotaging my own argument & that Rabbit hole is now DEFINITELY somewhere you are hesitant to go…. but honestly these are all points I see as positives & I promise you if you read on, I may just convince you to feel the same way! WHAT IF THEY ARE WORTH IT? WHAT IF … your new hire is the change or the difference you’ve been looking for, WHAT IF they are a game changer for you, your salon & your team? As an employer & a coach I’m all about adapting my thinking to today’s new landscape, I work hard to understand today’s apprentice of any age & my mission in life is to entice & encourage people to choose & grow within this industry, to stay motivated behind the chair & hopefully to go on to be a salon owner themselves one day & repeat the process! And to be honest if just one salon owner struggling with getting qualified staff reads my ramblings & considers hiring an apprentice then I will have achieved my goal… & for that I am grateful.

Let me tell you my top reasons for investing in apprentices: - Not in any particular order!!

1/ It takes you on a journey, not just the new hire but the whole team, it’s a team sport! Everyone should play some part in the growth of your apprentices from Induction to team training, even in a small way. They say it takes a village to raise a child, well I believe it takes a team AND benefits a team to raise a motivated & inspired apprentice!

2/ Apprentices are FRESH! They don’t come with any bad habits (not industry ones anyway) Not only can you train them your way, to suit your business but you can tailor their training to fill current and future skills gaps. They are curious & enthusiastic - Don’t kill that enthusiasm, embrace it, its infectious!

3/ They speak the language of today, they understand today’s consumer & they can relate! They are updated NOT outdated in their thinking & whilst it’s definitely up to us, the salon owner to teach them the skills they are there to learn, it’s important not to forget that we can also learn a great deal about today’s client & culture from them!

4/ They improve your Bottom Line! With some incentives available, training new apprentices is cost effective, don’t waste the opportunity, put your effort into them early, train & mentor them well, often, & from day one, they represent YOU & YOUR BRAND & they could just be your next superstar!!

5/ By hiring an apprentice, not only are you are helping our industry & our economy to recover but research shows that consumers are often impressed by the fact that you are committed to helping young people. This could mean them choosing your salon over another to spend their money in. So, in a nutshell, It’s an excellent way to future proof your business & its cost effective. All that remains now is for you to pull on your big undies & dive back in to taking on a newbie or two, I promise you even if it comes with some headaches & they almost always do in some way it is right here, right now the only way to improve the future of the Hair industry. The bonus here is not only do you get to give back to an industry that has given so much to you, but on a personal note I’d like to add that investing in growing my own team from the ground up keeps me fresh & in the game & I wish nothing less for you.

Kez x

Salon owner with 40 years in the industry & Business Coach for Total Coaching Academy Kerrie DiMattia would love nothing more than to help other salon owners bridge the gap between the ages & build themselves a dream team. Contact Kerrie via email kdimattia@westnet.com.au