Dear Future Professionals,

Since every person in the salon and beauty industry chose this career out of pure joy and love for what they do, and since people who love what they do tend to work a lot, it makes sense to work with people you love and respect.

Do you know that some industries and companies won’t let friends and family work together? If I practiced that policy, I’d have no staff! I have many lovely family members who work with me, including my mom, a sister, two brothers, and many nieces and nephews, as well as my two best friends since childhood and my partner in life. I also have many business partners whom I consider to be genuine, loving friends. I can’t imagine going into business with anyone I would not want to invite to my home for the weekend.

Wherever you are in your career, I challenge you to begin looking for loving, positive, supportive relationships with your coworkers. Take as much time as necessary to chose a salon or spa that values relationships and teamwork. Hang out in those potential salons, ask questions, and discover the underlying feeling. Do staff members love and respect each other? Do they have fun together?

Once you decide where to work, jump in with your heart and mind. Invest both the fun time and the professional respect necessary to cultivate great relationships. Along with valuing your skill and reputation as a true salon professional, make sure you also value relationships, and that your behavior matches what you value.

JOHN AND MELISSA RYAN


Successful salon owners John and Melissa Ryan know the importance of building supportive teams. Practicing that philosophy has really paid off—in January 2003, Salon Today named their Festoon Salon one of the 200 fastest growing salons in the United States.

When Melissa opened Festoon in 1989, she dreamed of creating a beautiful environment where employees could grow, prosper, and be challenged. After three years of hard work, her dream had not come true. In 1992, when Melissa and John were married, they resolved to renovate Festoon and achieve her dream.

Their first task was to figure out why Melissa’s initial attempt had failed. They realized that Festoon’s financial success depended on a supportive relationship between artistry and business. With this new concept, Festoon grew, prospered, and become renowned for its profitability and creative talents.

In this month’s MASTERS interview, John and Melissa tell how putting your staff first, making sure they’re loved, and supporting their personal goals can contribute to your bottom line.


If you enjoyed this month’s audio message, you’ll love our MASTERS Audio Club. CLICK HERE for more information.

STYLIST CHOICE AWARDS —
Paul Mitchell Makes Top 10 in 24 Categories!


Behind The Chair has announced the Top 10 Finalists in this year’s annual Stylist Choice Awards—and Paul Mitchell educators, artists, and products made the list in 24 categories!

Here’s your chance to vote for your favorite products, educator, platform artist, and company of the year. Just by voting, you’ll be entered to win a trip to the Hard Rock LIVE in Orlando and present an award on stage with a famous artist. You’ll also be entered to win other great prizes, including T-shirts, weekly planners, Behind The Chair martini glasses, and more!

CLICK HERE TO VOTE and tell the world what you think!



TEAM PAUL MITCHELL RAISES $15,000 IN AIDS RIDE


Taking their strong team spirit from the workplace to the road, five cyclists from Paul Mitchell The School, Costa Mesa, participated in this year’s AIDS/LifeCycle bike ride. The team included Future Professionals David Roberts, Jonathan Castellanos, and Brittany Suer, and Learning Leaders Micah McDougle and George Morales.

In addition to making the 7-day, 585-mile trek from San Francisco to Los Angeles, Team Paul Mitchell raised $15,000 for the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and the HIV/AIDS services of the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center. The entire event raised more than $8 million. For more information, visit www.aidslifecycle.org/627



SCHOOL & SALON TEAM UP FOR "NIGHT FOR NURSES"


On May 9, 2006, Future Professionals from North Haven Academy – A Paul Mitchell Partner School participated in “Night for Nurses” at Flair for Hair salon in North Haven, Connecticut. Salon owner Joyce-Lyn Altieri started the event three years ago, after losing her father and sister to cancer. “It has been a great way to give back to people who give to us when we are in need,” she says. “We invite nurses to the salon for free services and more, so they can have one night when someone takes care of them for a change.”

For the past two years, Joyce-Lyn called on North Haven Academy for help. “The Future Professionals are willing to do anything we need, from greeting guests and shampooing to cleaning and sweeping. They’re so excited to be a part of it, and they have such great energy. We couldn’t do as many nurses without them.”

School owners Mario and Laura Landino believe in pairing with salons to provide community service. “Paul Mitchell schools are always willing to give to the community,” Laura says. “It starts with the Andrew Gomez Foundation. Our Future Professionals learn that reaching out to the community always comes back in recognition that the salon did something for that community. We’re very proud of who we are and what we stand for. When our Future Professionals go out there, their energy and enthusiasm really shows, and that’s what the whole community comments on.”

FOLLOW YOUR HEART
from Connecting to My Future


With clarity, goals, and planning, you can get the career of your dreams. We divided the journey into five steps to help you work systematically toward your goals.

1. Get Clear. Start by thinking about what you want from the beauty and salon industry. For example, many Salon Professionals simply want a job as a way to make a living. Others have found their life’s calling within the industry. Both approaches are valid, but they provide different experiences and results. You can simply dabble in a job and make some cash, or you can create a deeply satisfying career that will ensure your ongoing prosperity, personal satisfaction, and growth. It’s your choice.
   
   
2. Let Go. Clear your mind of messages that may hold you back. Let go of all the excuses that keep you from growing. Your fears are the roadblocks that will detour your journey. When you pay attention to what you want rather than what you don’t want, you will discover that opportunities are everywhere just waiting for you to take action.
   
   
3. Create a Road Map. Pinpoint your most marketable talents, then take what you love and create your career. Choose to hang around with people who want to play with you. Don’t waste your energy on professional friends who don’t want to learn or experience what the industry has to offer. Follow the SW, SW, SW philosophy: Some will want to play. Some won’t want to play. So what!
   
   
4. Make It Happen. Shop around for the right salon. As you gather information, realize that you can gain valuable contacts and make important first impressions with potential future employers. As you shop for where you want to be, remember you are also being evaluated for your potential. Make sure to dress and act as if you are going in for an interview. Make a great first impression.
   
   
5. Follow Your Heart. This simply means being clear on what makes your heart sing. What do you love to do? What career do you want to create? Who do you love doing it with? What type of people do you want to work with? What type of clientele do you want to attract and develop long-term relationships with? Following your heart means you are clear on what you want and you honor the things that make you happy.
   
   

RACHEL BURNEY, CLASS OF 2006
Paul Mitchell The School, Costa Mesa


Paul Mitchell The School Future Professional Rachel Burney has two burning passions in life: doing hair and helping children in Africa. “Besides the fact that I love doing hair, love people, and love everything about this industry,” she says, “I want to make amazing money doing something I love in order to support a cause I feel strongly for. That cause is Africa and the thousands of amazing AIDS orphans I have grown close to there.”

For the past four years, Rachel has spent her summers in the African bush with AIDS Orphans and Street Children, an organization that cares for children with AIDS or who have been orphaned as a result of AIDS. Volunteers with the group provide medical care; sew school uniforms; teach reading, writing, and job skills; build rescue units; and much more. As a state representative for AIDS Orphans and Street Children, Rachel also speaks weekly on their behalf.

As if that wasn’t enough, Rachel has also been involved with Invisible Children, another nonprofit organization that raises money and awareness for children who have been abducted by rebel armies, trained, and forced to kill in the war in northern Uganda. “These children make my heart sing,” Rachel says.

In the coming year, Rachel plans to raise funds to build a rescue unit and travel around Africa making a film-and-photo documentary about the children. “People often ask me why I want to be in this industry,” she says. “It’s not about having a big house or driving a nice car. My dream is to eventually work with a group of stylists who not only serve our own community and change people’s lives by doing hair, but where all our money and our focus goes toward these kids. I want to wake up every morning to a job I love, while earning the money to change the world in a way I feel passionately about.”

LORI BARRETT, CLASS OF 2004
Vanguard College of New Orleans – A Paul Mitchell Partner School


After graduating from Vanguard College of Cosmetology (now Vanguard College of New Orleans – A Paul Mitchell Partner School), Lori Barrett joined the staff at a local salon in Poplarville, Mississippi. Now she’s ready to make her next dream come true and open her own salon. Her first steps have not been easy: Poplarville was hit hard by last year’s hurricanes and good locations are hard to find. Meanwhile, Lori’s gathering information and making important decisions about her future business.

As a new salon professional, Lori tried almost every available product line. Her experimentation led to an important conclusion: Her own salon will be a Paul Mitchell Focus Salon, carrying only Paul Mitchell products. “I chose the Paul Mitchell line because it has everything I need and it’s widely recognized,” Lori says. “It’s the only product I’ve found that I can always predict, especially when dealing with chemicals. Also, I’ve noticed the Paul Mitchell commercials about diversion lately, and I think that really helps a lot. People do like to know—if they go into a store and find a product on a shelf, they’re less likely to think there’s something special about it. And my clients really like Paul Mitchell. It’s dependable and I trust it 100%.”

To learn more about opening a Focus Salon, Lori returned to Vanguard College. Aleisha Smith, a learning leader and future dean of the Baton Rouge campus, put her in touch with Vanguard Salon Services, who provided information about opening an account when she’s ready to make her dream come true. “The learning leaders and staff have always been there for me. If I was in a panic about something when I first got out of school, I could call and they were right there. Other product lines have classes here and there, but who do you talk to if you have a problem? Paul Mitchell stands behind you, and that means a lot. I’m proud to be a professional hairdresser with such an awesome company behind me.”

“If overcoming adversity were an Olympic event, Lori Barrett would be a gold medalist. She was working long hours at her job and coming to school at night. It didn't leave her much time but she wouldn't give up. Her determination, and the way she faced it . . . that girl is just incredible!” — Kevin Latiolais, Dean Vanguard College of New Orleans – A Paul Mitchell Partner School