I have always wanted to be a hairstylist, I can’t imagine doing anything else.
Ive had to do other jobs, mind you, to support the kids and pay for the house, yet all roads have always led back to hair.
The owner of my training facility was Barbara G. She had some others working for her, and the turnover was somewhat frequent, as she was quite hard to please. Ms. Murphy had worked for her the longest, and word was she took a medical leave of absence after my exit, and there was another retired stylist who loved nothing more than cutting duck tails into the backs of anyone’s hair. I learned with nurses who had been removed from the medical field from the NDP party, and given 2500.00 to start a second career, to divas who thought they were too good to wash people s hair who were down on their luck. In my educational path, we didn’t simply study hair and styling. We were cosmetologists. /we learned manicures, pedicures, there was opportunity to learn acrylic nails, and facials, and during my tenure at the school, body sugaring became the biggest craze.
Barbara G always took pride in travelling to find fantastic education, yet didn’t give much praise to the students. This is my one takeaway.
I would work for hours on French Rolls, excited that I had finally taken the step to realize my dream. (my Nan didn’t want me to become a stylist and my mother said she would never have me perform services for her, no matter my education. Sad part was, I was scared to tell my parents that I was going back to school, my ex was a lump of coal for keeping a job and I thought it would be consistent income. I had to wait however, as government daycare wouldn’t take Scott till he was 18 months. Nevertheless, ex was not working while I was in school, and that’s a WHOLE other blog post).
No matter what I brought to Barbara, it was never good enough. Instead of finding the good parts and coaching on the weaker ones, she only pointed out what needed work. Only the mistakes, just like mother did.
It was a very negative outlook for new students. Yet somehow, with the assistance of the other education staff, I managed to get through the program.
The thing that stood out the most to me? Was one thing she said, I’ll never forget, and it was 30 years ago.
‘Your touch s too heavy, you’ll never make it as a stylist’.
‘
You’ll never make it as a stylist’.
She also told us day one that in the industry we were in, we’d be lucky to get jobs as apprentices. We’d do little more than laundry, and pushing a broom, for our entire apprenticeship, and after we wrote our licensing exam, and went back to work, we’d be fired within a short amount of time, because we weren’t able to cut or colour to the salon standard. And that would be simply because they never invested in us and used us for the grunt work. And that’s how it went. We needed to prepare ourselves for the struggle.
I don’t know how I actually ever became a stylist.
Mother beat my ass with a black Dannyco paddle brush for discipline.
The administrator told me I’d never succeed.
My first employer left me to work alone during my apprenticeship, and fired me the second my son had a life threatening accident.
Seriously.
30 years later, here’s how it panned out.
Ready? 🙂
Have been working for a major product line since 2001, and 8 years in was recommended to their education boot camp.
Sicker than a dog for the training, dads took the boys so that I could focus, and mother got mad at me for not being able to hem something for my sister, in lieu of studying for my lifetime dream. ‘How long could it possibly take to do that???’ (Thanks mother for that.)
Totally bombed the presentation portion. I didn’t tell them I was that sick, I didn’t want it to make a difference on my final grade. They said I was militant, (in my defence we found out later my B12 levels were super duper low, and had to be tended to immediately).
My score for the written exam however was one of the highest the education team had seen. it was 98 percent. So they let me proceed, as I did inform them when we met after everything had been completed.
I was an educator for hair colour for the company for 11 years. The company in the end didn’t di much to keep filling my tank, and as much as I loved my job they said I wasn’t covering my ROI. That’s another post as well, keep your eyes peeled).
I covered Ontario and Manitoba, traveled 6 out of 8 weeks, the boys were teens and could handle it, and managed dads doctors and appointments between flights and classes.
Barbara G, you were incorrect. I did make it as a stylist, and still work as one today. I have managed to make it to a ‘wait list’ only status, and have a very faithful following.
I wish you had embraced the responsibility of ensuring your students mental health wellness as much as their technical skill.
I know that as an educator, I approached my students with exactly the opposite strategies you taught with, and was very successful.’
I guess when a kid isn’t treated right by anyone, no matter the connection, they do everything possible to make sure they never make anyone feel the way they did during the same experience.
PS
Barbara had some unfortunate family losses after I left, her husband and eldest son passed in the same year. She no longer owns the school, and the location is long gone. Wherever you are, I hope it is peaceful.