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The Messy Hairstylist
Whether you are a mess literally OR figuratively we are here to help you take imperfect action to find your success as a hairstylist. Each week we deep dive in to tough topics to address the struggles we face in our industry. We push the boundaries, break the stereotypes and go hard against the "norms" that make us feel inferior.
The Messy Hairstylist
Your Hairstylist Season: Which One Are You In?
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Every stylist goes through seasons—times of rapid growth, total burnout, quiet rebuilding, or big, bold change. In this episode, we’re breaking down the four phases of a stylist’s career (spring, summer, fall, and winter) and what each one can teach you. Whether you're just starting out or feeling the urge to pivot, you’ll walk away with clarity, encouragement, and ideas for how to grow through whatever season you're in.
Follow Abby on Instagram and TikTok at @theabbywarther
Follow Kelsey on Instagram at @kelseymorrishair
Just like nature, stylists go through seasons. Some are blooming, some are quiet, some are chaotic, and all of them teach us something. Welcome to the Messy Hairstylist Podcast. I'm Kelsey.
Speaker 2:Morris and I'm Abbey Warther. Whether you are a mess, literally or figuratively, we are here to help you take imperfect action to find your success as a hairstylist.
Speaker 1:Well, hello messy community, we are back. It is I know. Did you like the way I started that one? It was so serious.
Speaker 2:I know I was so serious.
Speaker 1:But you know, I'm trying this new thing. Yeah, I'm trying this new thing, but we are back and excited to record. We were trying to come up with a topic for a while and we're sitting here like man, we've done this, we've done that and actually came up with. I think is going to be one of my favorites that we've done in a long time.
Speaker 1:So I know I'm really excited about this, so excited about this one but we wanted to ask for some feedback for our next episode. So, abby, why don't you explain what I'm talking about there?
Speaker 2:Okay, so what we want to do is we want to build out this episode that involves all of you. We want to hear from you guys your weirdest client requests ever. So what? As you guys know, we talked about this all the time. You can text us, text us right into the show here. So I want you to text us and say your weirdest client requests.
Speaker 1:We cannot wait to build out this episode because I know, oh, it's gonna be so good, there's gotta be some weird ones.
Speaker 2:There has to be some weird ones, but please don't forget to leave your name and email address, I mean, unless you want to be anonymous, but even if you can be anonymous, you can even say leave anonymous, yes, and we will read these. It can be a, it can be a story.
Speaker 1:Yes, we will read them.
Speaker 2:I'm so excited.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean cause we've got some funny client requests, but I don't know enough that could carry us through an entire episode Plus. We want to hear from you guys.
Speaker 2:I want to hear from you because right now there's a this trend on Tik TOK. It's of all different types, but it's like tell me your most unhinged such and such story I'm. It says I'm bored. Tell me your most unhinged.
Speaker 1:So it's kind of like that. It's kind of like oh my gosh, we're trending.
Speaker 2:We are yes. Okay, all right, let's get into today.
Speaker 1:Okay, all right. So today's topic again, I love this one, and it's basically about stylists through seasons, and I am going to read a little something that really touched me and that I'm going formal today. So, just like nature, stylists go through seasons. Some are blooming, some are quiet, some are chaotic, and all of them teach us something, don't you love that?
Speaker 2:I do, because I think that we use the word season a lot Like well, it depends on what season you are in your career. Or this is a tough season, this is a growth season, like we do use that season a lot Like well, it depends on what season you are in your career. Or this is a tough season, this is a growth season, Like we do use that word a lot. So I'm excited to yeah, to break down what the seasons are and to see which one our listeners are in and what we're in and all that.
Speaker 1:What I think, what I think is interesting about this topic is we. You know we're no, we know that we go through seasons of life and seasons of life are difficult, but I think what we don't realize is that we go through seasons as stylists and seasons as owners. So you could totally take this and think about where you're at in your career and it's just, it's totally cool. So the first season is spring and this season is the beginning, and so you think all happy, bright, exciting, right. And who fits the season we're definitely thinking about, like new hairstylists or recent graduates or someone starting over in a new location or something like that. Right, that would be your spring season. Can you picture that?
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's the new stylist, or you're getting that fresh start. You're in spring season and you're growing a lot, you're learning a ton and you are so freaking nervous.
Speaker 1:Right, so I feel like the feelings.
Speaker 2:You're vulnerable.
Speaker 1:Yes, the feelings that go with spring would be excitement. You're like super excited, but at the same time you're so nervous and I don't you think that there's a lot of imposter syndrome that goes into the spring season.
Speaker 1:Yeah, right, yeah, where you're comparing yourself to everybody, wondering if you're good enough, if and this can be you can be in the spring season, not just as a new stylist, like for me. What about being a new business owner, like when I opened up my, my first salon? Right, that's also a spring season for me. A new educator, if you're starting to go into the education business or coaching there's plenty of different spring seasons in our career. But all of those feelings, right, kind of go into it.
Speaker 2:Well, we have a lot of listeners who are in school or just straight out of school. So those are the people that are in their spring season and I think that, yes, are we going to give little things that we tips, yeah, yeah, so I'm going to give a couple more things that I thought were cool like descriptives.
Speaker 1:So I've got, for every season we're going to have who fits the season, the feelings you're feeling and what they're doing in that season. What we're doing in the in the spring season is probably building a clientele. You're assisting, learning, observing, absorbing everything. Maybe you're building out your new salon, like I said, or becoming an educator, learning how to operate, maybe like social media, um, what are some other things that you can think of? Like, um, maybe figuring out like, oh, shoot, taxes, how to like, do your taxes.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, I mean it depends if you're that new stylist or if you're opening a new salon or having a fresh start. Yeah, you're even like figuring out the business side of things, even just if you're a brand new stylist, just learning not just the hair consultation but just how to be in a customer service role.
Speaker 1:Well, and just how to be in a customer service role. Well, and also how to deal with people.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yes, yes, human interaction beyond the hair.
Speaker 1:Right. So when you're in school and you're learning things like even in anything when you're learning? About something and you're seeing it, you're like, oh, I could do that. And then you get put out into into it and you're like, whoa, this is a little different than I thought it was. Exactly to it and you're like, whoa, this is a little different than I thought it was, exactly yeah, so okay, so let's let's give some tips, let's break it down.
Speaker 2:What do we? How do we handle these seasons? Okay, so I, here's what I think of when I, if I were to like, be like, okay, you, when I was in my spring season as a new stylist, um, I just remember feeling excited and nervous so I think it's a good way to describe that but also a little impatient. Oh, yeah, right, like you want it, like you're, you're in the beginning, you're in your spring season, but you want all the things that you want right now and you're working hard and you want to work right away. And so I think, like my advice if you're in spring season, is to stay the course and just soak it all in. And so I think, like my advice if you're in spring season, is to stay the course and just soak it all in and don't rush it. Really build that foundation, because I've seen the stylists who just want to like of course, we all want to be busy, but they get frustrated with their level of busyness or non-business in the beginning and they try to rush things and then they get discouraged.
Speaker 2:And then burnout happens Like we shouldn't feel be feeling burnt out in spring season, and if you are, maybe you're rushing it too much.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I agree, I think it's a lot about grace and giving yourself grace in that spring season, because there's going to be so many good moments. And then there's going to be these moments where you feel frustrated and maybe like you're failing a bit or you're lacking or you're not doing enough, you're not doing as well as you thought you would be doing. So, understanding that in our industry it's a process and you know, growing in the industry is a process and to not get frustrated, like you said, I was thinking back to my spring season when you were talking, and I think we've touched on it before. But it's kind of fun to go back. Like I went to hair school and then, after I got out of hair school, I went to Ulta and worked there for like six months and I was working like, like you know, ulta had like weird hours and I was commission-based, so I had to like be in the salon. I was missing all these things.
Speaker 1:And someone came to me and they're like hey, why don't you rent at our salon? And it was a salon that's kind of laid out like ours, right? So it's not a suite, it's a big salon with everybody's individual. And I remember when she came to me and she said it's $100 a week. And I was like $100 a week, that's so much. Yeah, right, and that's my spring season. And I'm looking back now thinking like $100 a week, that was like that would have been like a haircut, now, right. But at that time it seemed so overwhelming Like oh my gosh, that's $400 a month.
Speaker 1:And then I had to buy all my color and feeling so overwhelmed and so nervous, but still trusting my gut, taking the leap, and it was like the best thing I did. Do you remember what like? Do you remember the first time you went into like a rental situation, like what was your booth rent?
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, what was it? I think I paid $500 a month. I did. I paid $500 a month and, oh yeah, I was, I was terrified. But I just remember being like, okay, if I do two colors a week yes, yeah, I was like what was my bare minimum? Like I put everything on credit cards open and then if I do two colors a week, then I can break even and I can sustain that for two months. Like it was totally bare minimum.
Speaker 1:And then just hustled. No joke. I remember the first time that I made $320 for that week. I circled it and this was years ago. Everybody who's listening? Okay, this was not recent, this was years ago. Everybody who's listening? Okay, this was not recent, this was years ago. So I had my pen and paper book with my client appointment and I circled that number and I was so proud. So that season, yes, it's overwhelming and scary and exciting all at the same time, but like it's kind of cool to look back and be like, yeah, Well, that's what I'm saying.
Speaker 2:Even if you're struggling and stuff in your spring season, if you stick with it, you are going to look back at that time and be like oh, that was such a good time.
Speaker 1:Yeah, because it is, it is.
Speaker 2:You're learning a lot and you're exposed to new things and it's a lot of fun.
Speaker 1:Okay, so season two would be summer. When we think of summer, we think of bright and, I don't know, heat. I think heat, and heat to me correlates with the hustle everything's alive.
Speaker 2:Yeah, everything's alive and happening and moving and shaking.
Speaker 1:Yes, right you're doing all the things. So, yeah, your season two, the summer, would be the hustle, and so I love that. I think who fits this are stylists who are busy, who are booked or thriving. Maybe you're too busy, maybe it's just a lot going on. You, you know, you've kind of figured out social media. You figured out how to market yourself. You're booking out well in advance. You've gotten, I'd say, pretty kind of comfortable in what you're doing.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think well, and also something I meant to mention with the previous season in spring that I think you should be saying yes to like a lot of things. Correct. Take all the opportunities, yeah, so like if you've done that in spring season, now in summer you've said yes to everything. You're doing, all different types of clients. You're not saying no to, I'm sorry to say, but the men's cuts, the kids cuts when you're first starting out, and but now you're busy and your confidence is growing, so now you're looking ahead.
Speaker 1:Right, right. So you like, I don't know, I think summer I mean I don't know, summer's probably my favorite season. I'd have to say.
Speaker 2:But really yeah, Because you're in your groove, You're like yeah, I just think it's just like it's a happy time.
Speaker 1:I definitely think of a happy time. However, some of the feelings that go with summer are confidence momentum, but maybe you're kind of starting to feel burnt out and I think that's this is the start of where you get the little little bit of burnout going on, because if you're not like you said, if you're still saying yes on Because, if you're not like you said, if you're still saying yes to everything and you're not starting to get a little picky and choosy, you could be feeling like, okay, I'm doing so much, and I think a lot of that transitions from the spring season, from when you're first starting out that you've been saying yes to so many things. You start to question like how do I start saying no? Like how do I do that right?
Speaker 2:yeah, go ahead no go no, no, what I was gonna say is not worth it, trust me now I want to know oh, did it have to do with the topic or did you totally black out again?
Speaker 1:no, it had to do with the topic. It really did. It really did. But I was gonna say, oh, look, it's's nevermind. I wrote on my notes that I didn't even look at them. But then I looked down all the oh my gosh, I already said that and then I was gonna say that out loud. But now you just made me say it out loud and I wasn't trying to say that.
Speaker 2:Okay, sorry, I got excited. I thought it was gonna be something really good.
Speaker 1:Okay so.
Speaker 2:so here's like the thing when I think about myself, when I'm in those building phases, I, I agree, I love that. Those are my favorite phases because you're feeling good, you're finally to a point that you were like envisioning when you're a spring stylist um, but also at the same time maybe a downfall of that is when you're a spring stylist, you're learning so much, you're growing so much and so like there's all these wins happening that help build your confidence. Once you become this in the summer season and you're in this like really good groove and stuff, it's you kind of think like well, wait, am I slacking? Like do you ever feel like that? Oh yeah, am I getting too comfortable? Right? Like do you Did you ever feel like?
Speaker 1:that. Yeah, I'm trying to take myself back to my summer season. Yes, I definitely felt like that, but I think this is also to goes back to imposter syndrome.
Speaker 1:I think there's a lot of compare, a lot of comparison, and maybe even for me there's more comparison. In the summer season and then in the spring, like when I was first starting out, I felt like I kind of know, knew I was like I'm just starting out, like I'm I was pretty self aware, like I knew, like I was going to be processed, I need to build, I need to work this. I'm not this person, I'm not that person, but I. But in the summer season, that's when it really started for me to like really kind of compare myself to the others around me who are maybe growing faster than I was, or who were doing things that I wanted to do and I'm like I'm capable of that.
Speaker 1:Why am I not doing that? But then you try to do so many things, you're trying to do all the things, and then yeah, and I think that's where I was going with.
Speaker 2:That is like you start to be like. Wait a second. Am I learning enough? Am I doing enough?
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Yes, exactly that doubt starts to come in, and so the building phase is tricky. For me, it's always very good, like financially and stuff, but then that's when I start to put these expectations on myself personally, where I push myself too much.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I try to make myself.
Speaker 2:Like you said, do all the things.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I try to. Then I was like, okay, now I was really, I was fully booked and I was doing great. And I'm like now I want to have an assistant. So then I moved into a bigger salon suite and had an assistant in my suite. I'm doing all these clients. And then I um was became one of the faces of Sola that year.
Speaker 1:Then I'm like I'm going to be a sunlight's educators. I became an educator. Then I just like it was like all these things. I mean it was crazy that I'm like okay, you know what I'm going to do this year. I'm going to start a boutique and then I'm going to open up. And so many people came to me and they're like you have your hand in too many pots. Like, and I'm not really a believer necessarily in having your hand in too many pots, I think that you can do as many things as you can do. But there were definitely some things, I think, in that time period that made me reflect and be like okay, yeah, I might have my hand in too many things I need to like chill out a little bit.
Speaker 2:Well, and I think it's really possible for that to happen, because these opportunities present themselves, because you've been such a hard worker, or these ideas and like, oh, I could do this. Now there are so many. When you're growing your business and starting to get some traction, well, I could do this, I could do that. There's so many avenues you can go, and you took all those avenues presented to you. I've taken all those avenues presented to me and I do think you can have your hand in too many pots now. I didn't use to Right, but I wouldn't change it. I wouldn't change it.
Speaker 1:That's what I was going to say. That's what I was going to say. I was going to say. But let me ask you a serious question, Abby If you would go back, would you do anything different? No, I sure wouldn't. I would not.
Speaker 2:No, I wouldn't. But for me at this season, and as we keep going, I'm going to figure out which season I'm in currently, the season I'm in right now. I don't want my hand in so many pots.
Speaker 1:Right, but I feel like you had to go through this and had to figure out what you liked doing For sure.
Speaker 2:So I don't think it's a bad thing. Just know when it's when. No, just just be self-reflective and know.
Speaker 1:Just know when it's time to let one thing go, or it's okay to let things go, and that's the same thing.
Speaker 2:It's a little bit of the same thing when you're in that spring season as that new stylist saying yes to all the different types of clients. So we did that. But now, as a summer season stylist, we're saying yes to all different types of opportunities in the industry. So I don't think it's ever wrong to say yes to everything, but as you get further along in different seasons and maybe older, and you have children and and you know different things happening, we have to re re what's my word? Just look, yes, just reflect at that, yeah, yes.
Speaker 1:Yep, okay, so it's. I was thinking of a messy like I'm trying to think of a messy moment of in the summer, summer phase for me, and so I will say this is probably all the things that I had done and still don't regret at all Love all of the my opportunities that have come my way. My biggest messy moment from the summer phase was I wanted to dabble in the commission world and was like I am going to open a commission salon and I'm going to teach these kids from school and I don't want to say kids, because it's not all kids, the younger generation or the new generation of hairdressers that are coming into our industry and it's going to be great. And I will say I hated that. I hated everything about it. I lasted for six months and I was like I cannot do this. This is not right.
Speaker 1:And I had spent so much money and time and effort building out that salon and it was beautiful and I put, you know, a ton into it and my best friend had to have a come to Jesus meeting with me and the her exact words were and she's the um, she's the CEO of United health group.
Speaker 1:So she's, she's got, she's pretty darn smart. Um, she was like you know what I've learned in business and we're polar opposites, obviously. She said you need to learn to fail fast and I was like fail fast. And she was like, seriously, there's no shame in feeling. Every good business owner, every good, like you know, anyone who's been successful has failed in one way or the next, but that's what leads you to your next opportunity. And I did. It was like that next day I shut it down. I was like can't do this and I found the girls, new homes and best decision of my life. But I will say in my, in my hustle in my summer season, where I was feeling myself I'm going to do all these things, that a little over my head and I took the time, reflected, figured it out, let it go, and I still have no regrets on that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and that's the only way you knew, cause you would still be to this day, maybe be wondering should I have a commission salon, correct?
Speaker 1:Yeah, I can do that why not.
Speaker 2:I know it's so easy when it's on paper or in our heads. So like that's the type of example where when I said, say yes to all the things. Or when you get to a certain season in your career, learning not to have all your hands in all these in your hands and all these different pots, so like, let's say, in that summer season where you then opened up that commission salon, let's say that you decided you loved it and you're obsessed with it, and then you realize you're doing all these other things too, and so that would might be a moment, if that were your path, to say, okay, I am going to, you would have, you could have shut down other things and then go all in on the commission.
Speaker 2:So it but, but. So that's what you did. You took your hand out of that pot and you kept with the other things that you were doing and, yeah, I think it's.
Speaker 1:It's all a learning process. This is why it's seasons. This is why it's seasons, yes, exactly okay. So our next season is fall and this season is all about the shift. Um, love this, love this. Okay, who fits this? This would be like stylists who are maybe re-evaluating, kind of like, what they're doing currently. Um, there's maybe slowing down or refining. You know just kind of they're just in this phase where they're doing currently, there's maybe slowing down or refining. You know just kind of they're just in this phase where they're like, I don't know, like there's something's got to give. I maybe, like we have said, we are starting to feel that burnout in summer. You're saying yes to all the things. Now you're kind of starting to say no because you're busy, but you're realizing in the fall season like, no, now I need to make a shift. I got to, I've got to change some things up. Do you recognize the season at all?
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, for sure. So like it would be fair to say that this is the season where it's not so much that you're burnt out and stuff, but maybe it is. I know what I really love to do and I don't want to do all these other things anymore and I want to hyper focus on this part of my career.
Speaker 1:Absolutely so. I think the feelings that go with this season are clarity, yeah, sure, yes, maybe a little bit of confusion because you're conflicted between your options or you know exactly. But yeah, I think it's a lot about I don't know narrowing in.
Speaker 1:I don't know narrowing in I think narrowing in on, like, what really makes you happy in this industry, um, and starting to shift towards that. So, yeah, I think there, I think there's lots of different feelings in this season because there's like, like you said, there's a lot of positive and maybe a little bit of of negative and shifting as well and I think and I've just with the stylists that I have worked with in the past like I see it in the positive and the negative for different people, everyone has different situations.
Speaker 2:So there's some people who it's a positive, like okay, I know what I love and this is what I'm doing and I feel really content and happy with this. But then there are those stylists who are like I am very established and I'm very booked, but I'm bored, right.
Speaker 1:Right. So like what, I think what's happening in this season, or maybe that's the next season.
Speaker 1:No, I think a lot of people in this season are niching down. So, you know, I know. For me around in the shift season, I started stopped like stop doing men's cuts. For me around in the shift season, I started stopped like stop doing men's cuts, stop doing kids cuts. Really started a hyper focus on on blonding, like that's where I became like I knew I wanted to be a blonde specialist so I focus all my education into that. Knew I wanted to get into extensions. I wanted these big transformation moments, more than just, you know, the things that I didn't love doing.
Speaker 1:Now, that doesn't mean I wasn't still taking my bread and butter clients like my gray coverage and the things like that, but I was really focusing on that education towards the type of client that I wanted to do. I think that you're also considering ownership, or maybe wanting to own your own salon, own sweet, being independent, being independent right, or maybe even being an educator, like I think this is the time in your career where you're like okay, I've done all of this, I've worked really hard, I've gotten where I am, I'm pretty successful. Now it's now what's my next step? Yeah, that's, that's my thing.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think that I'm definitely in a fall season of really figuring out what it is that I love to do and what lights me up and what just makes sense for me financially and personally and all those things, but it's a weird place for me to be. Yeah, it's good, but it's weird because I only know the hustle of the spring and the summer Right, stylist that's all I know.
Speaker 2:And so I see I find myself sometimes like wanting to like change. I've actually been this has been going on in my head a lot this year and since January of like, wanting to like. I love change, I love to change things, mix things up, and I've been feeling like I want to do that but it's like no, for what Abby Like, why would I do that there's no been feeling like I want to do that, but it's like no, for what Abby Like why would I do that?
Speaker 2:There's no reason only because I want that dopamine hit of change or hustle, because that's the only career that I really know.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think that's, I think that's fair. You're you're like having withdrawal from the hustle, but then you're the same point. You're like I don't want to do that but I'm loving where I'm at yeah, I, I a hundred percent agree with that. So, um, I mean, you love the hustle.
Speaker 2:You love the hustle? Okay, so do you feel like you're still? I feel like you're probably still on the hustle because your salon just opened six months ago.
Speaker 1:Well, yes, but no, okay, I you know for a minute'm not gonna lie. I think I and here's the thing I'm learning as we're going through these seasons. You don't have to go through them in order. No, I might have hit some of these and then I reverted back to one and I'm going back to the next, like who knows where I'm at.
Speaker 1:So I mean, it could be a limbo between two I'm gonna wait to say where I think I'm at until we go through winter, and then we're gonna talk through them all and I will give our final judgment. Maybe I'm in winter, okay Cause I don't know.
Speaker 1:You never know so um, okay, let's talk about winter then. Winter is the quiet and oh gosh, can't you just picture winter right now? I love winter. I know everybody hates me when I say this, but I just picture this quiet moment by a fireplace and it's just. It's just quiet and there's not a lot to do. It's kind of dark and a little moody. I love winter, but anyways, um, as far as the salon industry goes, winter would be a stylist who's maybe in a lull. They're in a little bit of a lull in their career. That's what I think about. Definitely feeling burned out. There's maybe been a large life event. There's maybe been a large life event, um, or they just need to take a pause. Yes, that is a winter phase, um, so I guess the feelings that would go along with this would be feelings of um isolation, uh, reflection, the need for rest, the need for, uh, recharge, um, and just like a little bit, I guess, the feeling of like you're a little conflicted.
Speaker 2:Okay, nothing's working. What do I do? Yes, feeling uninspired. Yeah, I've been there many times, yeah.
Speaker 1:Well, here's the thing, and I want people who are listening to know this Um, at some point we're all going to hit every single one of these phases like, every single one, like we're none of us are like, immune to the changes of life, and especially even in your career, right? So, um, I think that I just went through the winter phase and and, um, and I, when I reflect on it right now and that's why I said I love winter and that I love that it's titled the quiet, because you know, obviously I had a big life event and everything changed for me and I was in complete shutdown mode, completely burned out. I like considered, genuinely considered, selling the salon to one of my friends and like backing out of the industry as a whole, like I was like I am done, I didn't have the, I didn't have that spark in me anymore to like keep going, and I was struggling mentally, um, but then there was something about that moment of life where I was just like I was figuring it out, right, and it was quiet and it was peaceful and I didn't put any pressure on myself. I didn't say, ah, I need to be on social media doing reels and I need to be doing this, this and this and I need to hustle for that, hustle for this, hustle for that.
Speaker 1:It was like I just like just chilled out and I think now, when I look back on that, I was like I needed that, I needed that moment of quiet. So I think that what happens in this phase and what I noticed was happening is I was resetting. I was totally resetting. I was dealing with my own personal stuff and I was planning what my next chapter was going to look like. And that brings me to now stuff. And I was planning what my next chapter was going to look like, and that brings me to now. I think I am in the shift, so I'm back in fall.
Speaker 2:I'm going backwards. You're back in fall. You're going back, okay, okay. But here's my question. So, like this last recent time that you felt like you're in your winter season and it's the quiet and it brings the clarity and it means there's like growth around the corner, you can see that now, but when you were in it, did you have that confidence or did?
Speaker 1:you feel down and low.
Speaker 2:Okay, yeah, so that's that's what I, that's what I want to tell people Like you, like it's hard.
Speaker 1:I can say this right now. I can say this to anybody who's listening Like you need to embrace this moment and blah, blah, blah.
Speaker 1:Like, no, you're not going to embrace the moment when it's happening Like you are going to, I can sit here and tell you all day, like growth happens in the hardest times, like, and you're not going to feel that way and I didn't feel that way, I mean I was. I. I would tell my friends every single day and it makes you know I'm a big baby, so it makes me want to cry when I think about it. But, like, I would tell them, I feel like I've been treading water and I am struggling for air and and no matter what I do, I'm just treading, treading, treading, and it's like one wave comes and I get over that one, I'm like, okay, I made it, I made it, I made it, and then the next one comes and it just keeps hitting you and so, no, I was not feeling optimistic, to say the least, during that season.
Speaker 2:But now you can see it, see beyond that Now.
Speaker 1:I can see it. I can see that that's probably what I needed. I needed that stillness and that clarity to really understand what I wanted to do.
Speaker 2:Almost like you know, hitting a rock. Not that you hit rock bottom, but it's almost that idea of like. Sometimes we have to hit rock bottom to get that clarity of what we need. I'd have to say that I am in my whole career, have bounced, obviously, started out as that spring stylist but I've lived in that summer and the building and the growth, but then I would go from summer to 180 winter, down and out, burnout Summer, winter and I would shut down and not want to do anything. And then I, okay, I feel good again, I'm going to get back into the summer and go, go, go, go and then burnout and felt stuck in. And when you said you thought about selling your salon, I cannot tell you how many times I've thought about that.
Speaker 1:Right, Sometimes you're just like I just want to come to work, do hair yes and then go home yes. I don't want to talk about what's going on. I don't want to make sure this is done and that's done and this is done and everybody's complaining about that and I need to find a water heater. And I mean, sometimes I fantasize about that and then I'm like maybe not.
Speaker 2:I know I do too. I do. I let myself go through those moments of like well, what if I did sell everything? What if I did get out of this and just had a little chair somewhere again? And ultimately that's not what I want. But I think when you're in those down seasons it's good for you to think about all the scenarios, because you do have a choice and you do have control over these things, but sometimes you have to let it run its course. So I think that's why me being in that fall season now feels so weird to me, because I've worked really, really, really hard. I'm proud of myself, but it still feels weird, really hard to get out of the summer to winter summit up in the down.
Speaker 1:So you think you're in fall too? Are we both in the same part of our life? Yeah, but I think our falls look different. Yeah, and that's it. I think everybody's going to look different. Everybody's going to look different. Everybody sees they're going to look different. What I love most about being in the shift in the fall is I am nesting so hardcore in my salon and it's kind of like right, like, yes, making I'm getting all the things that I wanted to do there.
Speaker 1:I'm making sure, like this is this is where I know where I want to focus my energy. I know that this is where I want to focus my energy and I have really figured out, kind of who I am through all these different phases and all these different seasons and what I want the next chapter to look like. Now, hell, that might change next month, but you know that could be a different season, who knows? But you know it's a nice. It's a nice place to be out of the summer and we've lived so much of our career in the summer season just hustling and growing. So, yeah, but I think the one thing that I do want to just share with everybody is I want to normalize that this is all the feelings that we're feeling all of these summer seasons, like we're all going through them at different times, and that everything you know we always say everything you see on social media and all the things that are out there and looking at who has what, like it's a lot of it's fake and a lot of it doesn't last forever.
Speaker 2:It's just a moment in time, and I think any stylist that's probably been in the industry that's listening right now more than 10 years they're nodding their head.
Speaker 2:Yes, because they've seen the ups and downs of their business and it really does correlate to these different seasons, and so that's why it's always so important to have your foundations strong and be really good at knowing how to be doing the hair that you love and how to retain good, loyal clients, be in a space that you love and how to retain good, loyal clients. Be in a space that you love and just really surrounding yourself with all the things that fill you up, Because even though you're around those things, you can still fall into a winter season, and as long as you are surrounding yourself by all those positive things in your life, you can hopefully get back out and get yourself back into a spring, summer or a fall. And so if you're a younger stylist, know that even though you hustle and you get that clientele booked, there's still gonna be hard times ahead, but it doesn't mean you failed. It's just the season that you're in and if you just keep going, you're gonna get through it and you're gonna get to a better season eventually.
Speaker 1:Yeah, okay, well, I was gonna let you wrap it up there, um, but I have one call. I have a call to action. Oh, okay, I like it. So in the beginning of this episode we said we want everybody to send us mail or fan mail or DM or something and tell us your weirdest client request. But I have another one and I would love to share it. Um, and this is I would love to hear what season you're in and if anybody has any like feedback as to their type of season or maybe like even um, words or encouragement to other people who are in that season. And I think it'd be really cool to do like a little follow-up, maybe at the beginning of an episode, and just follow up back to this and give out some of the blurbs we got.
Speaker 2:I love that Great idea.
