A hair stylist with 27 years of experience shares their approach to hairstyling, dealing with indecisive clients, and the influence of face features on hairstyles. They reflect on their journey to becoming a hairstylist and the unique relationships formed with clients. The podcast hosts discuss the book 'Working' and the significance of learning from mistakes. The speaker contemplates buying the salon, reflects on owning a larger business during the pandemic, and emphasizes the importance of faith. The chapter also explores different payment models for stylists and the importance of clear feedback in the hairstyling process.
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Quick takeaways
As a hairstylist, building long-lasting relationships with clients is just as important as the technical skills of creating beautiful haircuts.
Owning a salon brings challenges, but also opportunities to make a positive impact on people's lives through hair transformations.
Deep dives
The Art of Hair Styling
As a hairstylist, Ona Dias Santon takes her work seriously, seeing the potential in every head of hair. She assesses factors like hair texture, density, and facial features to create beautiful haircuts. Sometimes clients come in with unrealistic expectations, wanting a celebrity hairstyle that may not work for them. Through open-ended questions, Ona helps clients articulate their preferences and creates a customized style. Being a hairstylist is not just about the technical skills, but also about building long-lasting relationships with clients, who become like family. Ona has witnessed multiple generations of clients and has been part of their major life events, from births to weddings. She finds fulfillment in using her expertise to help others, often in unexpected ways.
The Journey of Becoming a Hairstylist
Ona Dias Santon's passion for hairstyling runs in the family, with her mother and great-grandmother being hairstylists as well. Despite her mother's initial hesitations due to the physical demands of the job, Ona pursued her dream and became a hairstylist at the age of 17. She recalls the pressure and various emotions she experienced during her early days as a stylist. Reflecting on her journey, she appreciates the mix of technical skills, artistic sense, and social interactions required in her profession. Ona's clients trust her expertise, turning to her for guidance and conversation during their salon visits.
Challenges and Rewards of Owning a Salon
In 2017, Ona had an opportunity to purchase the salon where she worked. She initially had second thoughts but ultimately decided to take the leap. Owning a salon brought new challenges, such as managing multiple chairs, treatment rooms, and a team of stylists. COVID-19 posed an additional obstacle, forcing a four-month closure. However, Ona's faith and resilience helped her navigate through tough times. She emphasizes the importance of learning from mistakes and continuously growing. One of the most rewarding aspects of owning a salon is the ability to make a positive impact on people's lives, as seen in the story of a client who battled cancer and the subsequent transformation of their hair.
Cutting to accentuate the client's eyes and ears, plotting to tame Einstein's hair, and riding the ups and downs of entrepreneurship with Ona Diaz-Santin, a hair stylist and owner of 5 Salon & Spa in New Jersey. What's the most irritating way a client can respond to a haircut? And why was she christened "The Hair Saint"?
Our show takes a lot of inspiration from Studs Terkel's classic book Working. It features interviews Terkel did with more than 100 different people from different jobs: police officers, waitresses, gravediggers, private investigators. His guiding question? "What do they do all day?" Radio Diaries actually got their hands on the audio that Terkel recorded of his interviews and collected them into an episode that you can listen to here.
NEW BOOK ALERT! You may be aware that I’ve written or co-written five business books, including The Power of Moments and Made to Stick. I’ve got a sixth book out now called RESET: How to Change What’s Not Working. It’s a book intended to help you and your team get unstuck, to overcome the gravity of the way things have always worked. Learn more about the book and order it here. You can also listen to it on Audible and at Apple Books.
Got a comment or suggestion for us? You can reach us via email at jobs@whatitslike.com
Want to be on the show? Leave a message on our voice mailbox at (919) 213-0456. We’ll ask you to answer two questions:
What do people think your job is like and what is it actually like?
What’s a word or phrase that only someone from your profession would be likely to know and what does it mean?
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