The landscape of the craft hairdressing industry is ever changing – and whether you’re looking for ways to market your services, or are simply looking for new ways to grow your brand – Hairbrained knows that it’s imperative to evolve with the world around you. But discovering the best formula for success is not always a simple task – and it can feel discouraging to engage in unsuccessful trial and error. Luckily, Hb caught up with Wella Creative Director Josh Wood, at Wella Professionals International Trend Vision competition in Barcelona, Spain – and he’s taking the guesswork out of building a successful career. Read on to learn about his social media and business strategies, plus find about Josh’s simple principles for success.
Social Media and Building your Business
Josh Wood believes in the power of social media, and in working diligently to build your business. He’s an advocate of education, both on a personal and professional level. “If I don’t know how to do something, I’m the first one to put my hand up and say: Can somebody help? I think that knowledge and that ability to challenge myself – I want to share that.” Get his thoughts on social media – plus learn about his take on bravery – here.
“When it comes to social media, I do everything myself, so everything is sourced from my point of inspiration. We’re in a visual business, so I’m using Instagram as a point to share: I work in some incredible locations with some incredible people, and it’s really important for me to be able to showcase that.”
But social media can have other important uses, too. For instance, “quite often my clients don’t want to change their hair color. If they’re celebrities they’re often known for having a certain hair color – for instance, Gwyneth Paltrow is blonde. But they still want to have the conversation like they’re having their hair changed. They want to express that they want to change, even if they don’t want to change. So I think that’s [one way] that social media is incredibly important. It gives clients the opportunity to talk around all of the elements that they’d like to change – even if they don’t want to change.” These crucial elements, this attention to detail, can help you to nurture your client-relationships, and can help you to grow your business from the ground, up.
Remember that building your business can “get really scary.” At that point, it’s important to “just knuckle down and get on with the work.” As hairdressers, “we’re so fortunate to work in an industry that’s a cash business.” And Josh reminds that you should never be afraid, or averse, to putting in long hours. “I’ve worked Sundays, I’ve worked until midnight. Even now, I get on a plane at 5am in the morning and then I do somebody’s hair – come back – and I’m in the salon the next day. I’m very grateful for that ability that I have to earn a living.”
Building your career comes down to a few simple principles, and Josh finds these principles to be very similar to when he started hairdressing at the age of 17. “It’s dedication, discipline; I’m always, always on time – I’m never late. Also it’s about building relationships – that’s incredibly important. I’m working with people today that I met 30 years ago. Also, challenge yourself! I have to say that I find that the younger people that work in my organization, they don’t necessarily have the same bravery to challenge. They kind of think that if they stay slightly on the safer side, they’ll succeed. But I think most of my successes have come from my failures.”
“For me, these are the key points of success in any profession that you’re working in,” concludes Josh.
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