019 Consultations can Make or Break your Salon with Vivienne Mackinder

What this episode covers

Welcome to this episode of Grow My Salon Business with host Antony Whitaker. Antony’s guest today is Vivienne Mackinder, she is a hairdresser, educator, innovator and industry leader. She talks to us about training, leadership, awards, and succeeding as a woman in business. Vivienne says she is still a student and still learning after all of these years, and she finds it delicious. Her most prominent teacher right now is her website, HairDesignerTV. It is regularly teaching her something new from things like communication skills, telling stories, and how to be more efficient.  Vivienne started the website to share the knowledge of hairdressers from different places. It’s a training platform with over 900 videos on cutting, dressing hair, color, leadership, and motivational videos. She had the vision years before it was technically possible, but that didn’t stop her from planning and waiting for the right time. Vivienne says that timing is everything in business, and if you are too far ahead, it is as dangerous as being too far behind. Listen in as Vivienne and Antony discuss salons, the lack of client consultations and the reason they are so important. They talk about the fact that you are a leader when you are behind your chair and the need for your clients to trust that you understand what they want. The confidence to customize a cut to fit your client’s bone structure and angles, the knowledge to get the color just right, and how these are some of the things you can learn from HairDesignTV plus so much more. You won’t want to miss this fantastic conversation with a hugely successful businesswoman but more than that, an exceptional person. She gives us insight into her thoughts and shares her knowledge about hair design, running a business, leadership, and life choices. Grab a pen and paper, sit back, put your feet up, and get ready to be schooled on how to be the best at what you do.   In This Episode: [01:35] Welcome to the show, Vivienne! [02:04] Vivienne talks about where she is in her career today. [04:31] Confidence comes from knowledge, so at the beginning and don’t be afraid to be the dumbest one in the room. [06:12] When was the inception of hairdesignertv? What was the inspiration to start it? [10:17] They speak about the website, what it includes, and how to it. [12:50] She tells us a story about going to a high-end salon in London and being surprised that there was no consultation. [18:39] Vivienne talks about the course she built around the consultation and how it has increased the stylist business. [21:29] To be a person of influence behind your chair means that you are a leader because you are leading someone. Don’t abuse it; listen to your clients. [24:10] Do you know how to interpret what a client wants, to make it work for their face and their hair texture? [26:13] Vivienne speaks about being confident about customizing hair cuts, knowing angles, and cutting to bone structure. [28:30] Doing hair cuts can be a money issue because customizing a cut can take more time than doing a basic generic cut. [30:33] Hairdesigntv can be used as a training tool to get stylists up to the level you need them to be for your salon. [31:32] Vivienne tells us about what she saw on a YouTube video where someone was cutting a fringe, they used seven techniques, but why? [34:57] Are awards as relevant today as they were in the last 30 to 40 years? [38:13] She speaks to us about her documentary called ‘Not Just a Hairdresser.’ [42:31] Have you ever wanted to own a salon?  [43:55] Vivienne believes that leadership is the most important thing of all, surrounding yourself with people who are extraordinary and lead by example. [49:44] Being from England, how has living in America changed you as a hairdresser and as a businesswoman? [51:36] Vivienne’s advice to young women today is, design your lifestyle first then back your career into it. What’s most important to you? Career? Family? [57:11] Vivienne, thank you so much for sharing all of your beautiful thoughts.   Links and Resources Grow My Salon Business  Sadh Guru Find Vivienne HairDesignerTV @viviennemackinger Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn | YouTube