Issue link: https://www.ahpindiestylist.com/i/1544743
A true mentor isn't someone who impresses you for five minutes. It's someone who can guide you when things are unclear, the answer isn't obvious, and your confidence wavers. And that distinction matters more than ever in our industry. It can save you so much time, and time is a commodity that is easily wasted but that you can't get back. (Like the hours lost in doomscrolling—did you know the average person in the US spends two hours a day scrolling through other people's lives? When I ask people to join "e Hair Designer Program" I host for a year's training with me, the common pushback is time. In less time than someone spends every day doomscrolling, I can transform a life!) Today, I mentor hairstylists in two primary ways. e first is through weekly live virtual workshops, where the focus is not perfection but progress. We work toward one simple goal: a 1 percent improvement each week. e improvement can be a shi in mindset, a refinement in consultation, or an elevation of your brand. That's the quiet power of great mentorship: It's born from experience. e second is through private, one-on-one mentoring in my studio, where we work deeply and specifically on a stylist's individual challenges, whether that's cutting, styling, editorial work, pricing, brand identity, or confidence behind the chair. What continually surprises people is how quickly progress happens. Not because I'm clever but because I've already lived the struggle. I've made mistakes. I've taken the wrong turns. I've followed paths that looked promising but led nowhere. So now, I can say with clarity, "Don't do that—it's a trap. Do this—it will get you there faster." at's the quiet power of great mentorship: It's born from experience. THE SILENT CRISIS IN HAIRSTYLING When I work with hairstylists—particularly independent stylists—I hear the same confession: "I love my freedom, but I'm lonely." ey love being their own boss and choosing their hours. ey love the independence. But what they deeply miss 54 AHP Indie Stylist Volume 7 Issue 1