BIG MONEY STYLIST

Welcome to a new episode of the BMS Podcast with Ani, lead trainer of BMS and Krystal, DKW Salon Manager, as they explore the topic of failure and share stories from Artist’s lives as well as their own, demonstrating courage amid the unknown while weighing options between potentially life-changing possibilities. For Big Money Stylist, we go over the following formula each month: Week #1: Power Week #2: Production Week #3: Profit Week #4: Protection In This Week’s Episode…..Power Point #1: Failure When the word failure is mentioned, how does that make you feel? What meaning do you attach to it?  One might see failure as not doing anything or not trying. Others might attach a negative meaning to failing when in reality, it can also be seen as growing. Krystal believes you have to fail to get good at something because you’re never good right off the bat. Both ladies agree that people attach fear to failure QUESTION What meaning do you attach to failure?   Point #2: It’s a Process Ani: There’s nothing that after three times, you’re going to be good at. You’re going to be a complete failure. You’re going to fail a thousand times over, and not only that, failure’s going to be different for everybody. At every stage of life, failure is going to look completely different, dependent upon the benchmarks you have in place, what values you have, and what your belief system is. QUESTION How has a fear of failure affected your life?   Point #3: Sink or Swim Krystal feels that ego plays a part in why people attach fear to failure. “You have this pride and ego inside you, which can help you AND also hurt you. You have to find a balance. It’s easy to have thoughts like, “Oh shit, I don’t want to be a loser. I don’t want to fuck this up.”  Ani: “I feel when you’re put inside of that pressure cooker, you either rise or you fucking die; it’s either do or die, sink or swim. I also feel like the more successful you are, the harder it is to take any kind of risk because now that fear is ten times greater.” QUESTION As you look back, how have you handled “sink or swim” situations?   Point #4: Complacent No More Before her arrival at DKW Salon, Krystal had been with her previous salon for fourteen years. During the last three years there, she had found herself complacent, which is why she joined Mastermind. Although she had personally worn extensions for years, she had never offered them to her clients. “I’m never going to put this on someone else because I can barely make my own look good…and I’m a stylist!” It was through searching for something better for herself that Krystal found NBR, got certified, and joined Mastermind. “I was thirsty for more. And even though it was super scary to make that jump, I just knew that I couldn’t stay complacent anymore. I had nothing else to lose.” QUESTION What were the circumstances that caused you to move forward when you were feeling complacent?   Point #5: Which One Would You Regret More? In response to a recently received email from an Artist who found herself in a less than desirable situation, yet felt paralyzed when it came to taking action, Ani shared the following with her: “I’m not here to tell you what to do, but I’m going to ask you this question: Which one would you regret more? Would you regret staying inside of the “shit hole” salon OR would you regret leaving and trying, whether you “made it” and succeeded or failed? Which one would you regret more?” QUESTION Where in your world do you currently find yourself in a situation where asking yourself this question would be beneficial? Quote of the Week: “I don’t look at it as what am I most scared of, or what am I most afraid of. It’s which one would I regret more, staying or leaving? This question has always kept me going forward.” — Anianne Rivera “If you never do anything, you’re never going to grow; you’re never going to move past that fear. Sometimes you just have to say fuck it and move forward.” — Krystal Coit

It’s the best of both worlds in this week’s episode of the Big Money Stylist where Danielle and Ani come together to have some candid conversations around the topics of entitled artists, being a business owner, and never giving up – even in your darkest hour. *This is a previously aired episode from November 2018. For Big Money Stylist, we go over the following formula each month: Week #1: Power Week #2: Production Week #3: Profit Week #4: Protection In This Week’s Episode…..POWER Point #1: # The Naive Asshole During a recent training inside the BMS network, an artist revealed she was the product of a salon walk-out. Now that she is trying to start her own business, she realizes how much of an asshole she has been. Danielle was once that ‘naive asshole’ who didn’t show respect for those who had blazed the trail before her. QUESTION How are you currently being a “naive asshole?” Point #2: It Takes Mad Skills While many think they have what it takes to be successful in business, frequently they lack many of the skills necessary to actually do the job that would make them successful. Many assume they are to going to walk right in and ‘own the world.’ But it’s never as easy as you think it will be…ever. QUESTION In what area do you know it’s time to increase your skill level? Point #3: Risk Takers When it comes to owning and running a business, employees tend not to put themselves in the owner’s shoes and are so quick to judge, not realizing there are a lot of hard decisions business owners must make. At the end of the day, the final say-so will forever fall on the shoulders of the business owners, who are also the ones taking ALL of the risks. QUESTION Are you prepared to take on ALL of the risk inside your next business decision? Point #4: Change the Frame Many people equate change with betrayal, no matter how hard you nail it in that a business has to be successful, and that change is sometimes necessary for that success to happen. If something is not working, putting blinders on is not going to get the job done. A new frame must be established, and those who want to remain in the old frame and are unwilling to move forward with the new one, must be let go. QUESTION What new frame must you step into in order for you to move forward and progress? Point #5: Letting Go of the Noise Ani’s experiences over the past few months had thrown her into a state of chaos. She took a step back and found that it was necessary to drown out the opinions and voices of those who were influencing her in order for her to hear her own voice. Ani: Is that the person I’m going to be, that the minute it gets hard I give in? I give up? We’re all a little bit insane which is why we’re changing this industry. Inside of that, I  know  I am not done here. QUESTION Where in your world is it time to separate yourself from the influencing voices of others? Quote of the Week: “It’s in those dark moments where your true colors start to show up; where you decide you’re going to keep going even when you hit those hard corners.” — Danielle White “It’s going to get dark, it’s going to get hard, but don’t you dare give up!” — Anianne Rivera  

Krystal Coit, manager and backbone of DKW, is Ani’s guest co-host in this week’s episode of the Big Money Stylist. In this episode, the ladies have a conversation around the hiring and firing process, tips regarding communication with your employees, and how to handle emotions inside the workplace. Also, Ani has another whopper of a story to share! Please keep them coming! Send them to ani@hairextensionsecert.com or dm Ani on IG ani.dkwstyling. In Big Money Stylist, we go over the following formula each month: Week #1: Power Week #2: Production Week #3: Profit Week #4: Protection In This Week’s Episode…..Production Point #1: Systems & Processes Before Krystal moved into her current position as manager of DKW, she was at her former salon for fourteen years. She came into the world of DKW in the midst of a massive transitional period inside the salon approximately eight months ago (at the time of recording this episode). In conversations with Danielle, Krystal knew that the salon needed to implement some systems and processes, but what surprised her the most, and what has been the biggest challenge has been everybody’s personalities & emotions. “I don’t know what I was expecting, but it wasn’t people’s emotions.” QUESTION What processes and systems do you have in place to keep emotions from running wild inside your salon or business? Point #2: Emotion & Logic Ani feels she and Krystal are very similar when it comes to emotions and logic. “I feel like we’re not emotionless and at the same time realize that we are very fact-driven and very logical.” Ani used to think that the older one gets, the more one is able to compartmentalize and separate personal and business life…but that is not the case. As it turns out, age nor gender matter when it comes to feelings and emotions. Ani goes on to explain that one of the hardest things is when you have two people inside the same company/building who are dating. A lover’s quarrel brought to the workplace can create chaos and shit storms that affect everybody and everything around them. QUESTION What has been your experience with emotions gone wild inside of the workplace? Point #3: DKW's Hiring Process DKW is unique in how they approach the interview process, which involves  at least 3-4 parts. Rather than soliciting resumes, they request interested parties to submit a video about themselves which is followed up by a phone conversation with Krystal, and eventually, a conversation with Danielle. A video allows the team to get a taste of an applicant’s personality. They also get to see how they communicate and see if they are able to follow directions. If you’re in any kind of service industry, Ani feels it’s almost dangerous and risky to invite people in for an interview based solely on a resume. QUESTION What questions would you want an applicant to answer in a video they submit to you? Point #4: Are You a Good Fit? Ani: The worst possible thing you could ever do is hire out of desperation. When you do that, you’re going to hate them from the get-go, or when they show up, they’re not going to be what you wanted. The result is frustration all around, which leads to a shit storm. Krystal explains how in a salon, appointments sometimes run longer, especially at DKW where standards are high. And if something needs to be corrected, it’s going to happen – even if it means having the appointment run longer. A multi-step interview process allows you to get a feel for someone’s personality to see if they’re a good fit (or not) when situations like this arise. QUESTION As a result of this conversation, what changes are you going to make in your hiring process? Point #5:  Letting Someone Go As a business owner, there’s going to come a time when you’re going to have to let people go. For Krystal, “I have to work past my own emotion with it, especially if I have worked with someone for any period of time and have gotten close to them. At the end of the day, firing someone is a business decision, and I can’t let my emotions get involved with that.” Leading up to that process, there needs to be some follow-through on your part. It’s really important to be in communication with your staff with weekly check-ins. This helps you keep a pulse on where they are and if they have any concerns or issues, and it also creates a natural opening for two-way communication. Krystal also emphazises that documenting conversations is crucial – for all parties. QUESTION Are you being held hostage by someone inside of our business? If you are, what steps can you actually take to rectify that situation? Quote of the Week: “If it’s no longer working for you and it’s going to impede the growth of your company, letting go doesn’t have to be some big dramatic thing. Don’t think of it as a collision or an argument; it’s just a conversation. And sometimes it’s the conversation of hey, this doesn’t work anymore.” -Anianne Rivera “My advice? Go with your gut instinct when hiring. Make sure you have a process where you can see this person’s personality. If you don’t like them right off the bat, you’re probably not going to like them working for you. And finally, don’t hire out of desperation.” –Krystal Coit

Welcome to the Big Money Stylist Podcast with co-hosts Danielle K White and Anianne Rivera. This week’s episode answers such questions as, “Who do you surround yourself with and why does it even matter? What about feedback? Are you someone who is open to it or do you believe you are above it?” Also, it’s storytime with Ani as she shares more salon stories. Keep them coming! Send your crazy, insane or even inspirational stories to: ani@hairextensionsecret.com In Big Money Stylist, we go over the following formula each month: Week #1: Power Week #2: Production Week #3: Profit Week #4: Protection In This Week’s Episode…..Production Point #1: Who’s In Your Tribe? Who you surround yourself with truly does dictate what kind of person you are and the direction you go. Inside of business, it dictates whether you’re going to grow, progress, push through the ceiling and become someone new OR regress, get worse or never move forward. When Danielle was in Jr. High, she had some shady friends that her mom said she couldn’t hang out with anymore. Some things happened that convinced her she didn’t want to hang out with them and moved on to a new group of friends. Looking back at the different directions their lives took, that was a pivotal decision for her. QUESTION Who do you surround yourself with?   Point #2: Are You Isolated? When you’re isolated in a bubble, there’s only so much you’re open to seeing. It’s harder to grow, there’s no one to give you feedback, you don’t get any inspiration from anybody else, and you’re alone. Danielle: As a salon owner, I hold myself to a high standard and expect results from my team which helps everybody to grow together. Working with and training people has upped my game. I feel like I’m setting an example and I refuse to let certain things slide. QUESTION Where in your world are you isolating yourself? What’s one thing you can do today to change that? Point #3: Accountability & Feedback Ani: One of the things students love inside of BMS Mastermind is the accountability factor. It’s very, very hard for people to hold themselves accountable 100% of the time. But what also sometimes happens is once they are inside of the team and are held accountable, they don’t like it. Danielle: Take a step back and ask yourself what the desired outcome is. Once you have that, you might have to reel your ego back in a little bit and find a balance. You have to remind yourself that if you’re signing up for education, you’re signing up for feedback… and you have to be open to it. QUESTION Do you find yourself deflecting feedback or embracing it?   Point #4: Ego Ani: You can hear someone but not listen to what they are saying, and if you’re not willing to listen… you’re fucked. It’s hard to hear feedback, it’s hard to feel like you’re being attacked or insulted. And then it becomes an ego thing: how dare you tell me about my work! Danielle: That happens a lot in marriage. I’ll try to give Garrett feedback but I think I come across as if I’m going for the jugular. But even if I try to come across as nice, it’s so hard. It’s natural for your ego to be triggered and offended. QUESTION How do you keep your ego in check?   Point #5:  Are You a Team Player? Ani: If you’re  that  asshole who’s sitting inside of a salon as a stylist or as an owner with an “I’m the best” attitude, you’re a fucking asshole. I guarantee you that there is someone in your business that is better than you at doing something…and you have your head so far up your own ass that you’re not willing to hear anything from anybody else. Danielle: I get that I built the business and created the brand, but I can’t do it alone. There’s this balance in the salon where I feel like I can educate people AND I can also ask my team for feedback. Ani: I tell my students all the time: my job is not to tell you what you want to hear. Being inside the culture we have created is  wanting to level up and being able to hear feedback. QUESTION As you look inside your life, where are you not being a team player and think you’re above feedback? Quote of the Week: “How I measure growth is by results. If you’re in an education program, you’ve got to ask yourself how open you are to feedback. As you look at the results you’re having, are you seeing improvement? If not, maybe you’re not being as open to feedback as you could be.” — Danielle K White “Between DKW, BMS, and the tribe we’ve built, everyone who’s inside of BMS wants to grow and progress; everybody WANTS to be better. And because of that, everybody keeps growing and moving forward… and that’s what we’re always looking for.” –Anianne Rivera  

Today’s episode is all about the crazies that have either found their way into your chair or who are trying to get on your books and into your chair…and what you can do about it. Danielle and Ani share more WTF salon stories and want to hear your “dude, you gotta hear what happened” stories, the crazier the better. Send them to ani@hairextensionsecret.com For Big Money Stylist, we go over the following formula each month: Week #1: Power Week #2: Production Week #3: Profit Week #4: Protection In This Week’s Episode…..PRODUCTION Point #1: What’s the Lesson? No matter what industry you’re in, you’re going to have your share of crazy client stories. Danielle is quick to remind us, “If you have a ton of crazy clients, I want you to consider that  you  might be the crazy one.” When you do have those crazy clients, step back and ask yourself what you can learn from them or from the situation. Take a look inside your consultation process, ask yourself what you will or won’t tolerate, and look at your policies to see if you need to make an adjustment. QUESTION As you think back to some of your crazy encounters, what lessons did you learn? What have you fine-tuned or changed as a result?   Point #2: From Fucked Up to Fabulous…Over Time When you have a client with really fucked up hair and yet they want an immediate transformation, you’ve got to have some honest and hard conversations with them and share with them a realistic timeline which includes getting their hair to a healthy place along the way. The better the integrity of the natural hair, the more natural the extensions are going to look. When your client’s hair is fried and not in a good place, it needs time to recover. Over time, the look they’re going for will be achieved…and they will thank you for it. QUESTION What has been your experience with this?   Point #3: I’ll Do Anything A lot of artists are SO excited when they get an NBR lead – a $2k service – that they are willing to do ANYTHING. And they’ll take on clients they know they shouldn’t because they’re afraid to have a conversation with them. “I will tell you from personal experience that it will bite you in the ass!” warns Danielle. At the beginning of her career, Danielle would be so stressed out because she thought she had to service everyone…including doing toe waxing. “When you’re seeing a lot of red flags and you’re hitting a ton of resistance, that client may not be right for you. It’s ok. Don’t get so hungry and excited for a lead that, in the long term, could end up costing you more time and stress.” QUESTION Are you a people pleaser, a conflict avoider, or are you just so damn excited to get an NBR client that you’re willing to ignore all the red flags?   Point #4: Can You Be Bought? A salon hopper is someone who hops from salon to salon until they find someone willing to give them what they want, most of the time ending up with fucking shitty-ass hair because, ultimately, they refuse to listen to the recommendations of the artists. In the end, they find an artist willing to give in and compromise their standards. Danielle has learned from personal experience that it’s better to let them go. “We’re in the service industry so people think it’s almost a given that our time can be bought. There are certain people that cannot buy my time. It doesn’t mean I’m a bitch about it or rude, but more matter of fact: I’m a professional, here’s what I’m offering and what I’m willing to do.” QUESTION What are you learning from this conversation?   Point #5: Newsflash Color is SO important! The biggest no-no with extensions in before and after photos when you have one platinum color extension slapped in and it doesn’t match the hair. “We’re not in the 90s, we’re not in the day of Kelly Clarkson. You can no longer mix a dark brown and a platinum blonde. It just doesn’t work.” Coming up in 2020: Look for big conventions with Danielle and Ani and the training team, as well as smaller classes. For Mastermind only, Shadowing is officially opening up at DKW Styling Salon and the team of trainers’ salons as well. To receive all of the exciting news of upcoming events for 2020, go to bigmoneystylist.com and enter in your email. QUESTION What excites you the most about what’s in store for you inside of BMS? Quote of the Week: “Are you a people pleaser or a conflict avoider? I want you to consider that you’re not actually that nice, you’re just avoiding conflict and confrontation with your client. And then in the end, when you end up giving them what they want, it fucks you anyway.” —  Danielle K White “Even if the client is sitting your chair, you can still deny them. Just like when people say they wanted to cancel their wedding but it was too late…you can be walking down the aisle and still cancel your wedding because it’s NEVER too late.” — Anianne Rivera