Our UK Marketplace Content Specialist, Megan Proops shares her tips for professional development.
With salons closed for now across the country, you’re probably itching to feel productive and get back to your work. But not only are there some great ways to stay connected to what you love from home, but some extra time can mean you have the space to get ready to return to the salon in top form.
Here are four ways you can stay engaged with the industry you love and build your professional skills for when your doors open again.
Enroll in an online course
Just because you can’t head to a physical training session doesn’t mean you can’t learn a new thing or two. This is a great time to think about how you can upskill yourself, and even your team, and finally become a pro in that technique you’ve been curious about.
Many training centres offer online courses at a range of price points that you can take without having to leave the house. Check out The Beauty Academy to add skills like Brow Lamination and Nail Extensions to your repertoire, or learn how to give star makeovers with P Louise’s online sessions. The Federation of Holistic Therapies lists lots of accredited courses from various providers too.
If you live with friends or family members, you might even have some willing models at your fingertips to practice your new techniques on and get instant (and probably very honest) feedback.
Get inspired
We all know that creatives depend on a steady stream of new, thought-provoking ideas to keep them engaged professionally as well as personally.
If you’re not sure where to start, look to connect with people and groups in the beauty world who’ve been there, done that, to get ideas from pros you can trust. Loads of free podcasts — like Fat Mascara, Beyond the Beauty with Bobbi Brown, and The Beauty Business Podcast — are available on iTunes and Acast. From fun chats about the latest trends to interviews with people at the top of their game and more business-savvy advice, you’ll feel ready to get back to business after only a few episodes in.
Looking for some visual inspo that doesn’t involve a screen? Step away from your computer and get stuck into a new book instead. Try a coffee table book like Pretty Iconic: A Personal Look at the Beauty Products that Changed the World by Sali Hughes, which is filled with beautiful pictures and stories of beauty products past, present and future.
Technical books by beauty leaders like The Complete Nail Technician by Mariam Newman will also get new ideas flowing, and allow you to brush up on expert tips of the trade.
Polish your online presence
When you’ve got a long list of appointments and admin to tend to, working on your online presence can be tough to make time for. If you’ve always wanted to learn exactly how to get your website up and running or the value of upping your Instagram game, now is definitely the time. Website builders like Wix and Weebly offer user-friendly (and free) solutions to get your site up and running and looking slick.
Stay connected to the industry
Now more than ever, connecting with other salon owners and beauty therapists will help you find ideas, support and a sense of community – we’re all in this together.
Join our industry Facebook community group to chat with others and see what they’re doing to build on their skills right now. We’ll also be hosting a series of webinars and posting lots of blog content with more insider tips to help you breathe new life into your business when the doors open again.