118 Navigating the World of Alternative Media with The Hair Nerds.

What this episode covers

I was recently listening to a discussion about climate change and one of the presenters said something along the lines of “It is not possible to achieve the targets we have set in the time frame available.”  And the other presenter said, “In 10 to 20 years’ time we will have technology and solutions that haven’t even been imagined today. And that is why these targets are realistic”.  Now if you are wondering what that has to do with today’s podcast, the answer is absolutely nothing. Except that in 10-20 years’ time there will be jobs and career paths in our industry that haven’t even been imagined today.  If you don’t believe me, just think of the jobs such as social media managers or influencers or App designers or SEO specialists. They are all jobs that have been invented in the last 20 years and are now in high demand.  And that is the connection with my guests today.  They are Annie Lerwill and Erin Short from ‘The Hair Nerds’ and they describe their business as ‘an alternative media agency’ that specialises in the hair and beauty space.  I thoroughly enjoyed talking with them and I know you will enjoy the conversation too. In this episode we discuss: Creating career paths that didn’t exist before How to work with social media agencies The relevance of Facebook The importance of education…  And lots more!   In this Episode: [04:40] Inspiration behind Annie and Erin’s company, The Hair Nerds.  [09:24] How The Hair Nerds has evolved over the years.  [10:57] An explanation of the realm of alternative media, and how it can benefit creatives.  [16:36] The different levels of social media management offered by The Hair Nerds.  [19:35] Challenges that I have had with outsourcing my social media.    [20:56] The importance of keeping the client fully involved in the social media content creation process. [22:10] What you should be looking for in a social media manager.  [24:08] How social media platforms are evolving. [27:42] Why Annie decided to go back to school to get a graphic design degree.  [30:58] Erin and Annie’s commitment to continuous education.  [33:18] Value that the Facebook platform holds for professional beauty businesses.  [40:32] A brief rundown of the online courses offered by The Hair Nerds.  [42:46] Work being done by the charitable organizations that The Hair Nerds collaborate with.  [49:40] Why Annie and Erin feel disappointed about the direction their industry is heading.  [54:22] What it takes to master a craft. [57:02] Misperceptions about social media, and where the true power of these platforms lies.  [1:01:01] Things that Erin, Annie and I are feeling inspired by right now.    Thanks so much for joining me this week. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated!  They do matter in the rankings of the show and help other people find my podcast.  I also love to hear what’s been helpful and what you love about the podcast! Just click here to review, scroll to the bottom, tap “Ratings and Reviews” tap to rate with 5 stars and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favourite part of the podcast is. Thank you for your support! Special thanks to Annie and Erin for sharing their insights with me for this week’s episode. Until next time! Antony   Links and Resources: Grow My Salon Business  Website | Facebook | Instagram The Hair Nerds Website | Instagram | Facebook The Thirst Project Website Dresscode Project  Website Got a question you want answered on the podcast? DM me your question over on Instagram or just come on over to connect at: https://www.instagram.com/growmysalonbusiness/