We were lucky to catch up with Heather Cie recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Heather thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s start big picture – what are some of biggest trends you are seeing in your industry?

As a salon owner, one of the most significant trends we’re seeing now is hair color and styles inspired by celebrities and social media influencers. I consult with a lot of clients who show me images of “trendy looks”, everything from extreme extensions, to radical color changes. Pictures and screen grabs can be really helpful but at the same time can be challenging when I know that this look might not serve my client long term. I have to be careful about taking direction from a client when I know a certain color won’t complement their skin tone or face shape.

While my team and I usually find photos of a desired look to be helpful, we have to be honest about letting clients know when we think the outcome might not serve their day-to-day life once they walk out of the salon. I never want to put my client in a high maintenance situation where the color, cut, or extensions won’t serve their personal aesthetic or lifestyle. Let’s face it, nobody wants to come into the salon every 2 weeks for a touch up or a color change because the trend was short-lived. That’s what makeup is for! I take my role very seriously when it comes to making women look and feel beautiful. It’s literally my passion and at the root of my values as a business owner.

So I guess you could also say the trend is honesty. We love reviewing the images of the styles our clients ask for, but they have to trust my team and I when we lead them in a varying direction to help them look their best.

Heather, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am a master hair colorist and the owner of Cie Salon, a 7-chair boutique hair salon located in Malibu California. Simply put, my superpower is making women feel and look beautiful. Nothing is more satisfying to me than watching a woman walk into the salon one way, then watching her walk out, feeling confident, inspired, beautiful and ready to take on the world. I’m dedicated to giving our clients bright, healthy, lived-in beachy hair that’s kissed by the sun.

I have been a master-colorist for 15 years and my technique is all about shine, texture and a natural patina that looks effortless, and is easy to maintain. To date, I’ve seen more than 2,500 clients, some who travel thousands of miles for my work. I never forget a face or a formula, and once you’ve been in my chair I’d like to consider you a client and a friend for life. Also, you’ll always find me working with an assistant because I’m a teacher at heart. Mentoring and helping young women learn brings me immense joy. I’ve also started teaching master classes with the recent launch of Cie Academy, my educational curriculum designed to inspire colorists to employ my signature color techniques. With Cie Academy, students will also learn to work faster, smarter, and grow their clientele.

Owning my business has been my greatest accomplishment. I’m entering my 10th year in the Malibu location and I’ve survived threatening wildfires, a global pandemic and a divorce. Some say I’m brave. Sure, probably so, but I’m also relentless and have no regrets. I’m so proud to still be standing and thriving, and always evolving.

The advice I always offer to women wanting to own their own business is this: Get a strong foundation behind you because it’s not a one-woman show. It truly takes a village. Mental stability is also critical because fear and self-doubt can easily peep in and slow you down. So practice confidence and give it your all. You have to show up, and if you fail, then at least you tried!

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

Referrals are the most effective way of gaining new clients for us. Like doctors and dog walkers, people want to go to a salon that’s been recommended by a friend or co-worker. Social media is also a valuable tool and really helps drive interest and new salon visits. It’s worth the investment since the services we offer are best depicted with visual images and videos. Together with creative captions, it all works well to create interest and awareness of the salon and our teams’ collective talents. And above all, there’s no better advertisement than a beautiful woman walking around the Malibu Country Mart with fresh hair! I’ve heard about our clients being stopped by Malibu Country Mart shoppers many times.

I’ve also been seeing more interest in our work with the launch of my educational platform, Cie Academy. This opens up an entirely new audience for us and we are seeing more interest from the professional trade and industry consumers now too.

Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?

I do my best to create and infuse a culture that is inclusive and kind. We are supportive of each other and praise and accolades are always flowing within the salon. My secret to successfully managing a team is rooted in mitigating drama. Drama has no place in our workplace and our clients won’t stand for it either. Our team is small and our environment is intimate, so there isn’t any room for big egos or co-workers who exhibit challenging attitudes.

I also think it’s important to spend time socially with co-workers. We’ll often enjoy lunch or cocktails after work together and talk about our lives. As a business owner, it’s important to understand and know the “whole person”. When I know someone more intimately I can play to their strengths and talents, then put them in the roles in which they will succeed and grow.

Contact Info:

• Website: ciesalon.com
• Instagram: @color_by_heather
• Facebook: Cie Salon
• TikTok: @ciesalon