The beauty industry can be ruthless. Even though it is all about providing services that make people look and feel their best, behind the scenes, it’s not always sunshine and rainbows. Dishonest employees, bosses taking advantage of their team members, managers being bullies, competitors playing dirty, clients making appointments a living hell… the reality can be cruel and hard to bear sometimes.
We understand this. During your entire career, there will be days when you will feel like tearing your license into pieces (and possibly eating it afterwards), packing a bottle of Prosecco and a toothbrush and leaving for Bora-Bora. Although chilling at the beautiful beaches is something we wholeheartedly support, wait a moment. Breath in. Breath out. Take a sip of your freshly brewed coffee - and take a closer look at the situation.
I’m serious. Stress is like coffee - in a small dosage it keeps you focused and mobilised, but can be very dangerous when overused on a daily basis. If you feel like giving up, it’s probably not a one-time situation that has caused you to feel this way - after all, you've been living under pressure for quite some time now. You need to rest if you want to think clearly again. Turn off your phone. Go out for a long walk. Think about everything but your job. Take a long bath. Give the topic a break until tomorrow. You really need to unwind - the well-rested mind is far more productive and is better at processing things.
If you are feeling down, you may begin to feel guilty - as if everything that goes wrong is your fault. In such moments, it’s good to take a piece of paper and write down all the accomplishments that you are proud of. Try it yourself - even the smallest things matter. Remember being complimented by that elderly lady, who was very grateful for the treatment you provided? This kind of exercise can give you a completely new perspective.
Take a moment to question if you were wrong about something. Did you do anything that requires an apology? There is no shame in admitting you screwed up. Own up to your mistakes but stop the guilt trip. Apologise, compensate and reflect, but don’t dwell on your errors. And if you feel like you did nothing that you should be sorry for, speak in your own defence. You don’t owe anyone anything. Be assertive and don’t let other people hold you accountable for the things that aren’t your problems.
For the time being, you may feel like you hate your job, people in your workplace and the industry as a whole. But once you're relaxed, you’ll see things from another perspective. It’s wise to think back - what made you so passionate about the beauty industry in the first place? Why did you want to do what you do? Was it your goal to make people feel better about themselves? Or because you loved the creativity and artistic freedom the industry brings? Do you still experience these feelings? Or does your current situation makes it impossible for you to enjoy it anymore? This leads us to…
After addressing all the previous points, it's time for a more serious reflection. Are you relaxed enough to think straight, without being biased? If so, it’s important to truly examine the source of your crisis. Emotional meltdowns are usually caused by numerous factors, however, there’s usually that one reason that makes you question your future in the industry. Maybe it’s a toxic environment in your salon, caused by an unsolved problem that keeps affecting the atmosphere? Perhaps it’s that one employee who is a discrete trouble-maker? Or a client whose attitude makes you question your skills?
Whatever the case may be, remember that your health and well-being are the most important. If it’s an employment issue, consider re-staffing. If it’s a problematic client, maybe it’s time to fire them. If a certain problem keeps recurring in your business, look into ways that may help solve it once and for good. If you experience issues with salon management (which may range from getting lost in your own notes to the absolute disaster caused by the lack of proper organisation of work and assignment of tasks), you should definitely look more into digital assistants, such as Booksy. Hair & beauty salon software allows you to manage, measure and control the performance of your business, making you less prone to experience an actual crisis.
When a problem is deeply rooted, you may really be in need of a longer break. Sometimes, you really need to look at things from a distance to re-evaluate them. A few days or weeks away from your business will help you understand what you truly love about it, and what you would like to change.
Here comes the truth. Deep inside, you already know the answer - and you should listen to your gut. If you feel like you still love what you do but there are things that make you unhappy, start working on them. Try to find your motivation once again. Maybe it’s time to introduce new things to your salon menu, to take additional courses or do a solid rebranding? However, if you have tried to solve all your problems but it seems like the magic is gone and you no longer have the heart for what you do - don’t feel ashamed to admit it. Your well-being always has the highest priority.
For those who still want to fight for their dreams - take your sweet time to rest, come back with a fresh mind, rethink your business strategies, work on your approach and find yourself a helper you can rely on. Your passion for running an amazing place is worth fighting for. Do it side by side with your digital assistant.
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