I was a salon owner for 23 years before I opened my own school. I thought I knew everything, and I blamed my staffing problems directly on the schools. Well, I opened my school 15 years ago, and looking back, I see how little I knew, how much I've learned and how much I still need to learn.
Although it shouldn't have been a surprise, I soon discovered that I was having all the same problems with my students that I had with my stylists. The problems are the same because the people are the same. We need to change attitudes if we're ever going to turn this crop of raw talent into professionals. It's not an easy task, and it's not just the school's problem. It's our problem. It affects all of us, and we're all in this together.
The quality of our graduates is directly related to the quality of the students that enroll. Many of those with the most potential are lost to other vocations because cosmetology is not considered a viable career choice. We need to improve the image of our industry and attract more qualified people. We can do it if we work together–and remember, we're all in this together.
I know there are a lot of bad schools, and I won't make excuses for them. But even the best graduates from the best schools can't be expected to have the skills of an experienced stylist. Our students aren't finished learning when they graduate. They are just beginning. Good schools provide a solid foundation, but the salon must continue their education if our graduates are going to be successful. And yet according to PBA's National Industry Profile, 87% of salons do not have employees. These are either single owner-operator salons or booth rental salons. What are 87% of our graduates to do? Who's going to help them continue their education?
Why would anyone invest $10,000 and one year of their life to get a job for $10.00 an hour with no benefits? The starting salary in most salons is less than that, and many others expect new hires to work on straight commission. Even if graduates are properly trained in beauty school, it's no wonder that 75% are not working in the industry 3 years after graduation. This isn't just the salon's problem. It's our problem. It affects all of us–and remember, we're all in this together.
Our industry is changing fast. Schools that couldn't handle the changes in Title IV funding in the late 1980s and early '90s were forced to close. Those schools have been replaced by new and better ones that are raising the bar and improving the quality of education. In the last few years, many PBA members have opened schools and several manufactures have opened branded schools: Matrix, Graham Webb, Aveda, TIGI and Paul Mitchell are just the beginning. Regis purchased several schools, including the Sassoon Schools, and recently merged with Empire to form the largest school chain in the United States. The competition is hot and getting hotter. Yes, some schools feel threatened, and so they should, but it's time to raise the bar. This affects all of us–and remember, we're all in this together.
The changes aren't only in schools. There are huge changes taking place in all aspects of the beauty industry. Procter and Gamble purchased Gillette for $56 billion. It's not the first acquisition, and it won't be the last. Estee Lauder owns Aveda and Bumble and bumble and is eliminating distributors by selling directly to salons. Wella, owned by P&G, is also distributing directly to salons. Larger distributors are buying smaller distributors, and the distribution channels of major brands keep changing. These changes affect all of us–and remember, we're all in this together.
In 10 short years, The Salon Association has morphed into PBA and grown into a powerful lobby for the beauty industry, organized and powerful enough to have legislation sponsored before Congress. I've been a salon owner for 35 years, and this is the first time I've seen independent salon owners united and represented in Congress. I'm proud to be a member, but that battle isn't over, it's just started.
Sure, we've got our differences, but there is much more that unites us than divides us. I hope we can stop blaming each other and put our differences aside for the good of our industry. It's up to us, all of us. We have to do what's best for our industry, not just what's best for us, our salon or our school, but what's best for the entire industry. Remember, we're all in this together!
John Halal
PBA Salon/Spa Member
John and Friends
Mc Cordsville, IN