Today we’d like to introduce you to Deborah Knight.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Deborah . So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I have to say it has been a smooth road for me with relatively few bumps. The first 3 years were hard financially until I built a clientele but after that it was easy. My client retention is over 90% so the only issue for me to need clients is if they move or if they die. So many people have come to me for 30 years that the older ones are dying now, or getting Alzheimer’s or moving away to live in a retirement home or move to another state to live with their children for their twilight years.
The upside of that is I have space for new clients and new clients are always the most rewarding because I can really fix their hair problems and make the most improvement. There are so many people out their who don’t even know how good their hair could look and it is my pleasure to show them and teach them. My saying is that (on a scale of one to 10 for your hair) you don’t know the difference between an 8 and a 10 until you’ve had a 10. After that, you’ll never settle for an 8 again.
When the recession hit in 2008 that was challenging. I lost clients who had lost their jobs or their husbands lost their jobs and they couldn’t afford to get their hair done, but that wasn’t the hardest part. Salon after salon went out of business and over the next 7 years, 3 of the places I worked closed down. Having to relocate, redo my website, business cards, and social media was a huge amount of work. Finding another new place each time and making sure all of my clients knew how to find me was another challenge. Losing all of my Yelp reviews with each move and having to start from zero each time was hard, too. (luckily, Yelp has changed their logistics and doesn’t remove your reviews when you move anymore).
My advice for any other women, particularly young women who are just starting out or wanting to be a hairstylist is this:
– Don’t go into debt spending $50,000 on a fancy cosmetology school. You won’t be able to pay it back, you’ll be struggling for the first 3-5 years building your clientele. Be prepared to budget in the beginning. Most of what you learn is after getting your license, not in Cosmetology school. The real reason for Cosmetology school is to learn how to pass your State Board Exam which is basic techniques and Sterilization and Sanitation. If you don’t have someone supporting you financially, go to San Diego Community College Cosmetology program or do the California Apprenticeship Program to get your license. Financial debt can cause a tremendous amount of stress which will make it harder for you to focus on what’s best for your customers. With the $45,000 you save not going to the expensive schools, you can get dozens or even hundreds of the of the best-advanced education classes in the world, and you can do that at your own pace as you can afford it.
– Do apprentice with a hairdresser you aspire to be like. Find someone who does the type of hair and type of clients you want and makes the amount of money you want to be making. Offer to come sweep the floors or fold towels or cut foils for free just to be able to be in the environment and look and learn. If the energy is a fit then they (and you) will want to pursue a paying apprenticeship where you help out at the salon shampooing and blowdrying etc. You will there learn most everything you need to know about how to please the type of clientele you want to build. If the first try isn’t a fit, don’t despair, try somewhere else. If you can start this behind the scenes while you’re in cosmetology school you’ll be miles ahead when you get your license. Plus, you’ll really know for sure whether this is a profession you want to pursue.
– Do talk to an accountant right away so you understand what is tax deductible and how to keep records and receipts come tax time. A consultation with a good accountant beforehand helps at tax time. This industry involves having to purchase a lot of tools and products as well as education and subscriptions so it is important to have documentation for income taxes.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
My clients have been some of the largest sources of inspiration I’ve had over the past 4 decades. Some are doctors, some lawyers, some writers, some psychologists, some motivational speakers, some parents, some stay at home moms…
The uniting factor of why they inspire me is that they strive to make the world a better place. They put their energies toward fighting for the greater good. They reach out and help those less fortunate. They always aspire to learn more. They learn from their mistakes and do better the next time. They love life. They always look for the positive silver lining, or for the solution. They travel all over the world and love it. They care about people, the world, and the human race. They are kind, considerate, thoughtful and caring. They believe in themselves and in other people. They never stop learning and growing. They are successful and prosperous, (perhaps because of all the things I just mentioned). They are full of love and joy in the face of life’s tragedies and struggles, if I just look hard for it, it is there. That inspires me.
Contact Info:
- Address: 10675 CALLE MAR DE MARIPOSA, #103
San Diego, CA 92130 - Website: http://www.debdzhair.com/
- Phone: 858 245 6819
- Email: debdzhair@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/debdzhair/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hairbydeborahknight/
- Other: https://www.yelp.com/biz/hair-by-deborah-knight-san-diego
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