We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Bethany Northcott a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Bethany, thanks for joining us today. What do you think it takes to be successful?
When I first moved to Colorado, I wasn’t going to do hair again. After an injury pulled me away, I really believed I had left it behind. But passion doesn’t go quietly. After a nagging gut and multiple signs (as I took them) pulled me back quickly, I snagged a spot at a popular commission salon in town. I had only ever worked commission before, and I quickly found I had the same frustrations as always. As a creative person, you need community yes, but also freedom. So, within just a few months, I decided to set out on my own, rent a chair, and build my own business to do things the way I wanted. I had no idea what I was doing as I had only ever worked for commission salons which means they set the services and prices, they managed your schedule and client booking, they had a social media and marketing team, they kept track of inventory and ordering. All I ever had to do was show up, do good hair (on the clients magically in my chair), get paid and go home. Now, I was going to have to do it all, on top of doing beautiful hair that kept new clients seeking me and loyal clients staying put. Only a few months back in the industry after a couple years of hiatus, still feeling a bit shaky in my skills, in a brand new state where I had no connections, and with only a handful of clients from that commission salon, I was terrified I was going to fall flat on my face. Still, I knew deep in my gut, it was the move I needed to make if I wanted to taste the future I could now only dream of. I went into this new venture with the mantra that I could not fail, every stumble would actually be a stepping stone lesson, and I had done hard things before so I could certainly do them again. I just needed a vision to chase.
To me, that’s really what it takes to be successful—you need to get crystal clear about what your definition of success even is in order to know how you’re going to achieve it. The idea of “success” has been touted and shoved down our throats in the context of the American Dream so long that it has become rather elusive; many of us don’t even know what it means but we know we want it. You might say being successful is profiting a certain amount of money, but what if you had to work 80 hours a week, be constantly burnt out, and never see your family to earn that money? Would that be your idea of success? If that’s enough for you, okay, now you have to figure out exactly what amount of money you want to earn and what steps it will take to get there. If not, get more specific. Maybe you want to profit a certain amount of money, maintain whatever you consider to be a healthy work life balance, and be able to invest in retirement, vacation, and education. Get even more specific, how many vacations do you want to take, how often will you take education, what amount will you retire with? Now you have a clearer vision to follow and create specific action steps; the more vivid your vision, the more conscious your actions. When you are taking conscious actions towards a vision that is in alignment with who you are and the life you want to build, regardless of what anyone else says, you simply cannot fail. When I set out on my own, I sat down and got specific about everything I was going to build, what it was going to look like, who I was going to become in the process. Notice I didn’t say what I wanted to build or who hoped I would be; it wasn’t a maybe in my mind, it was simply “this is what I’m doing.” Within one year, I had achieved every single one of the milestones I’d laid out, and more. I’d be lying if I said there wasn’t a certain amount of luck to it, like meeting the right people at the right times that were pivotal in my journey. But the key is, I was open to receiving that luck. Believing with your whole being that you will achieve the success you envision, because there is simply no other option, opens you up to opportunities that will propel your vision into reality. By no means will it be easy, but it will be successful in the long run. Trust yourself and create your reality, no one else is going to do it for you.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
Hello! My name is Bethany Northcott and I am a self employed hairstylist and beauty entrepreneur in Colorado Springs. Originally from Phoenix, Arizona, I’m a big summertime and sunshine kind of gal. I have had a passion for all things beauty since I was an insecure, struggling teenager. Through aesthetic exploration and creative expression, I found my confidence. Feeling for myself the difference it makes when you walk through the world with your head held high, proud to be seen rather than staring at the ground, not wanting to be noticed, I knew I had to be a part of fostering that confidence in others. Throughout my beauty career, education has been my cornerstone. In cosmetology school I was introduced to a 34 year industry veteran that wanted to take me under her wing so, while in school full time, I also assisted her behind the chair and learned hands on. Once I graduated, I nabbed a spot at what was, at the time, the largest salon and spa in America. I continued assisting for another year, learning from different stylists in rotation, taking what worked for me and still learning from what didn’t. This education really fueled my passion and helped me to create my professional identity. After a few years, I began leading my own assistants and teaching my own classes, which also ended up being more education for myself! Teaching others is the greatest way to really get a firmer grasp on your own methods, to recognize your shortcomings, and to understand others’ needs. Truly, understanding people is the greatest tool in any professional’s tool belt. I always say—my business is people, hair is my medium.
After an injury, I stepped away from hair and pursued education in Film Studies while working my way into leadership at a big coffee chain. The thing is, even though my passion for the beauty industry pulled me back after I had learned ways to better take care of my mind and body so that I could re-enter sustainably, my education in those areas still served me immensely. I don’t view my time in leadership at Dutch Bros Coffee and my years studying film as time off or even as a detour, they were necessary stops along my journey that made me a stronger leader, more expansive creative, and an over all well rounded professional. Truly, consistently pursuing education and maintaining a thirst for discovery has been my secret weapon. When you know what you’re doing, you’re effortlessly confident. When you have that confident energy, people are attracted to it. Clients want to work with someone that they know they can trust!
I now run my own small business, renting a chair out of a beautiful boutique salon in Old Colorado City, Lush + Lather. Inside that cozy space I specialize in dimensional color looks that are low maintenance and look natural but elevated, adding value to their lives. Recently, I also became a certified Color Analyst, so that I can not only create even more custom color looks but also add another layer of value—helping people to become aligned with who they are by knowing which colors harmonize with them and which ones fight against them. As I said, I really dove into this industry from a young age because I believed helping people feel their best selves was my calling in life. Gaining my own confidence is the only reason I’ve been able to accomplish my dreams and I truly believe that not just giving people beautiful hair or their seasonal color palette, but connecting with them, valuing them as human beings, listening to their stories and encouraging them in their struggles, helps foster the same confidence that will hopefully continue to trickle outwards. I’m so honored to now have 12 years in pursuing my calling and look forward to many more.
Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?
There are two books that really have formed my philosophy in business and in life, as I believe the two are directly tied. When you’re an entrepreneur, you are your own brand, so you have to be the person you want to be first and foremost if you want your business to succeed.
First, The Energy Bus. This is such a simple, quick read that had a profound impact on me. It reframed my definition of positivity by teaching me how to allow myself space to feel frustration, disappointment, and fear, while maintaining control over those feelings, rather than the feelings controlling me. Maintaining a positive attitude isn’t about always smiling, never having hard days or encountering trials, it’s about how you respond to them and the next step you take. Essentially, we’re all on the bus of life whether we like it or not. The route is at times turbulent and at times serene. You can choose to make the best of the ride, for yourself and everyone around you, or you can let a flat tire and a cracked windshield along the way ruin the whole journey, for yourself and everyone around you. I have taken this perspective into my life and my business, intent on maintaining a positive energy that not only fuels my own journey but perhaps encourages others on their respective journey. I believe this energy has attracted an amazing, loyal clientele and countless opportunities for education and mentorship that continue to propel my business to new heights.
Second, Tuesdays With Morrie. This beautiful little book really changed my life, I’ve read it a dozen times. Yet, I’m not sure I could recall a single quote or passage off the top of my head. Because, as they say, you don’t remember exactly what someone said, you remember how it made you feel. In the story, Morrie is dying of ALS but is positively reflecting upon his life and lessons learned with a grateful heart while sharing his stories with the author, Mitch. This shared experience changes the entire trajectory of Mitch’s life, leading him to publish this book (along with many others) that ultimately changed my own life (and I’m sure, many others). That premise alone was groundbreaking for me. It showed me none of us is immune to pain and struggle. It showed me the profound impact we can have on one another, without even knowing it. It showed me the power of perspective, as you can either see things as happening to you or for you. All of these realizations became a part of my philosophy for life and thus, for my business. I take these as mantras into everything I do in business, being open to lessons and redirections, appreciating the people that come alongside me or lift me up, never taking for granted my own influence, and always staying true to my mission. Again, this philosophy has garnered me a successful business with a booming loyal clientele for which I am so grateful.
What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?
While marketing is a huge part of growing a clientele, you can’t properly market if you don’t understand what you’re marketing. As I said before, when you’re an entrepreneur, you are your own brand. So you have to understand yourself, once again get the vision clear, and market based on that. You have to know what you offer, and not just in terms of services or products, but what value do you bring, or want to bring, to your client’s lives? Who are you as a person and who are the people that you will be excited to do business with? What do you want to replicate from other successful businesses and what do you want to do differently? Who will not align with what you’re building? You don’t just want any client off the street, you want a client that fully sees the value you provide to the extent that they want to tell everyone they know about it, about you.
Surely, social media was a big tool for me, as it was a place I could effectively communicate who I am and what I offer in a way I knew would appeal to my target market. And it was free! It took a lot of time and effort, but I never even had to take out paid ads. I shared my work alongside testimonials, I asked happy clients to leave reviews, and I offered referral bonuses to encourage word of mouth. Essentially, I used what I already had to foster loyalty and support. I searched hashtags and found people I felt would appreciate my services and naturally engaged with them. I created a website that was clearly in line with my brand. I created an image that wasn’t fake, wasn’t a reflection of what someone else was doing, but felt harmonious with who I truly was. Naturally, the right people flocked to me and within a year I had such a steady clientele I was having to turn people away. Ultimately, taking the time to understand myself and building off of that was the best way to grow a clientele that doesn’t just fill my books, but excites me to work with.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.beautybybethany.co/
- Instagram: @beautybybethany.co
- Other: Tik Tok: @beautybybethany.co
Image Credits
Kira Whitney Photography
Megan Mckinzey Photograhpy