We recently connected with Katie Schoenrock and have shared our conversation below.

Katie, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Over the course of your career, have you seen or experienced your field completely flip-flop or change course on something?

The global pandemic wreaked havoc amongst almost every industry imaginable. I can’t speak for every industry but I’d like to discuss what it was like being a self-employed hairstylist on lockdown and the monumental shift it made to the beauty industry after reopening.

In 2020 I never imagined in my 15 years as a hairstylist, nine of which had been self-employed, that my business could be shut down at no fault of my own and my guests would be stuck waiting months to get back into my chair.

Instead of sitting at home and sulking, I decided to utilize that time to untangle some stressors in my business.

•Being home the first few days of lockdown made me contemplate the times I showed up sick because I couldn’t disappoint my guests or lose income in the process. This made me reevaluate any potential illness and how I handle “sick days” for myself. I believe majority of people have also made the
conscientious decisions to be more diligent about going out and about while not felling 100%. It definitely made me be more financially responsible about being self employed and how to save for future catastrophes.

•Being in a tight knit space during services had me questioning whether double booking guests was a smart decision. Coincidentally, in Minnesota, our new rules set in place to reopen stated that we could no longer double book for the time being. I determined after reopening that this was best for my guests and my business plan moving forward permanently, with the exception of families.

•No longer double booking brought to light the insufferable hustle culture that majority of the beauty industry expected from its pros. Pre Covid was so “Get as many people in as you can in order to make money. You don’t have time to take a break or go to the bathroom. If you are sitting down, something isn’t getting done so you’d better get up and do something”

Now, I’ve added so much value to my sessions by scheduling times appropriately, so I’m showing up at full ability for my guests. This gives me the time to have conversations in order to find out current hair challenges and how we can best resolve them. Additionally,
it settled an obstacle in my way, body ailments. I’m now working on correcting issues I caused my body with that hustle culture.

•One of the biggest changes to come to our industry was how consumers now wanted their hair done. Goodbye to the days of traditional foiling/coloring and Hello to low maintenance colors such as balayage, foilyage, teasy lights, air touch and root smudges. Guests want to be able to go longer between sessions yet have their hair looking amazing from the second they leave your chair until the day they come back. These services take longer per session and the cost is higher but the payoff is coming in less per year and in the event of another lockdown, your hair is still looks good in case you can’t get in for awhile.

This also generated companies such as Thrivo Technologies to step up to the plate for stylists during the lockdown. They saw how consumers ran to buy box colors from drug stores and companies like Madison Reed while hairstylists weren’t legally allowed to sell their own guests their own custom hair color and had to sit home making little to no income. Corporations were thriving while small businesses/independent contractors were drowning. Thrivo took this into consideration and designed their “Not Box Hair Color” revolution. Their Omni 1 machine allows stylists to legally seal our guests custom hair color so they can have it in their cupboard to use at home in the event of an emergency or just to stretch out their sessions in the chair. No more wondering if the box color you chose will match, if it will damage your hair or if your hair will create a chemical reaction and melt when you go back into the salon to use professional color after you grabbed a box from the shelf at Target. You now KNOW you’ll be getting the perfect color every time from your trusted stylist!

Beauty pros and forward thinking companies like Thrivo, EcoHeads, Green Circle Salons etc. have taken back our industry. Increasingly, consumers are realizing that we do much more than just hair.

One thing will never change though, and that is the passion we have for the profession and the love we have for our guests. YOU are the reason we all do what we do 💕

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.

I started my career in cosmetology while I was in high school. I worked at a local salon as a receptionist and I had the opportunity to attended two cosmetology classes per school day at the local community college as part of my high school education. This solidified my decision to get into the industry permanently.

I wanted a space for my guests to be unapologetically themselves so I determined, after 13 years in the industry in different settings, that a one-on-one private studio would be best. I wanted to create a space that is positive, cheerful, bright, bubbly and fun, similar to the terms my guests use to describe me/my personality.

Since majority of my guests are color sessions, you are in my chair for hours at a time. In that time, we catch up, we always laugh, we sometimes cry, we occasionally laugh so hard we cry, we definitely snack, I (I mean we 🤪) tend to sing off key, you learn about what you can do to best maintain your hair at home for optimal results and I do everything I can to keep your hair healthy and manageable for your lifestyle. There’s so much more but you’ll have to come see me to find out!

When you’re in my chair you can feel good getting your hair done knowing that I do my best to help our environment and community. I recycle 95% of my salon waste with Green Circle Salons, I use 65% less water thanks to my Ecohead filter which also removes any mineral build up making it safer/better for your hair/color, and I carry out fundraisers for local charities such as The Ronald McDonald House Upper Midwest, The Alzheimer’s Association, Avenues for Youth, NAMI walks, American Heart Association, People and Pets Together and many more organizations close to my heart.

My studio is all inclusive. Everyone is welcome at Boss Lady Salon, therefore discrimination will not be tolerated.

Much like my studio, most of my color sessions are also all-inclusive. Meaning that they include the color session of choice, a bonding treatment, haircut & style as well as education on styling & products suited for you. No guessing which services you need or adding up the total in your head since you will know up front. You even have 24/7 access to my schedule so you can book online at your convenience through the Boss Lady Salon app!

I’m one of very few, if not still the only AND first stylist, in Minnesota to have the innovation of custom color kits through my Omni-1 machine by Thrivo Technologies. This gives me the ability to custom mix your color blend then seal it for you to take home and use at your discretion, when you are ready for a simple touch up or glossing. This is Not Box Color like ever before!

I strive to provide a safe environment for my guests to be honest about their hair history, their current services or if there’s anything I can do to make their experience better. I also seek to be 100% honest to my guests about my abilities, if I believe myself to be the best stylist for the job, if I feel that the inspiration wouldn’t meet the expectations and/or anything else that may come up before, during or after the session. This is the best way we can help each other and work towards the hair of your dreams!

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

The most effective strategy for building my business has been just being myself. Showing up as me and not being sorry about it has changed my life. Being able to be vulnerable without worrying about what others think has brought the right people through my doors and into my chair.

Another key is the willingness to understand that I am not perfect and I always need to keep learning and leaning into my community. Surrounding myself with like-minded beauty professionals and keeping each other accountable to our goals and continuing education has been a game changer as well!

Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?

Remembering your WHY is one of the most helpful ways to succeed in your business. Why did you chose this career? What made you decide that this was what you wanted to do for the rest of your life? Is this truly what makes your heart the happiest?

For me, I couldn’t think of anything I wanted to do more than connecting with people and helping their inner confidence shine through the outside!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.BossLadySalonMN.com
• Instagram: @BossLadySalon
• Facebook: Facebook.com/bossladysalon
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bossladysalon
• Twitter: Twitter.com/bossladysalon
• Other: TikTok handle: @bossladysalon