AHP Indie Stylist

Volume 1, Issue 1

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24 indie stylist Volume 1 Issue 1 Today, Nick Stenson is considered an international beauty expert, teacher, leader, and celebrity stylist who is passionately leaving his mark on the industry as a respected, professional voice and face of the industry. He is known and loved for challenging the world to recognize the beautiful just as he does. "I have always been told that I am a beauty maker," Stenson says, "or that I had the ability to make something look beautiful, but what I quickly realized is that I wasn't doing anything special. I was just taking a pause to see the beauty all around me." This view is evidenced by Stenson's frequent use of the hashtag #iseeyourbeauty, which he made a trademark application for. "Our job as beauty professionals isn't to create beauty," Stenson continues. "It's to bring the beauty that is already there out." THE LONG AND WINDING ROAD TO SUCCESS Over the course of 22 years in the business, Stenson's resume reads like a who's who of beauty success. Born and raised in Chicago, he completed all of his schooling; owned, operated, and sold two salons; and then moved to New York City to pursue his career in editorial and session work before jumpstarting his beauty journey with Matrix, which he still feels was his best career decision. "Matrix has been an extended family to me for the past 20 years," Stenson says. "Early on in my career as an educator with Matrix, I would teach digital classes at JCPenney that they would livestream to their salons across the US. A few years later, JCPenney was launching a salon reinvention initiative under the new leadership of Ron Johnson, and they approached me with the opportunity to be a part of it. Create a Post-COVID-19 Makeover According to Nick Stenson, checking in on clients using social media, text, and the phone goes a long way, but a better (and more lucrative) plan is to give clients something to look forward to—like a new look. "Planning a makeover creates an excited sense of renewal," Stenson says, "and also energizes the stylists." Here are Stenson's suggestions for a creating a client makeover plan: • Review your client list, and consider the last time each updated their look. • Use inspiration found in photos (Pinterest, Instagram, etc.) to plan an updated and fresh post-COVID-19 look for each client. • Share your personalized "Look Books" with clients for feedback. • Develop a strategy for creating their new look when it's safe to get back to work. • Get clients started on a new pre-makeover routine by suggesting product and a personalized beauty plan in preparation for your salon's grand reopening. According to Stenson, a thorough and personalized plan tells your client, "I've thought of you, I've created this customized service, and I care about you."

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