We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Liz Mula a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Liz, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. It’s easy to look at a business or industry as an outsider and assume it’s super profitable – but we’ve seen over and over again in our conversation with folks that most industries have factors that make profitability a challenge. What’s biggest challenge to profitability in your industry?

I find that the biggest issue to profitability is that my industry just isn’t taken seriously. Years ago, it was a career people went into because they could control their own schedules and pricing, and yet it wasn’t difficult to get started. A Cosmetology license was all you needed–very little education leading up to that and very little people continued education once they got started. Now, you find more and more people who are more educated continuing to uplevel themselves and working to try to make this industry better, safer and more revered. But the general public still looks at our industry as working class who shouldn’t charge for their time. We spend about 15 minutes at a Doctor’s office when we are sick or in need of medication and yet we don’t blink at the price being charged at the end of the appointment. Cosmetologists can spend a whole day with someone correcting their color, fixing their haircut, sometimes texture, educating the guest and even listening to them talk about their problems and after 8 hours, argue that their time wasn’t worth the price they were charged. (Not putting down all of the education the medical field must accrue before starting their career). However, the educated Hair Stylist or business owner never stops educating themselves and has to put up their own cost for the classes they attend many times. During covid, we were considered non essential and yet, we had clients begging for us to go against the law just to take care of their hair color and cuts. We received little to no guidance on how to reopen or when and what type of rules we should follow to remain safe. Many of us went out on our own to look for that information and do whatever we could to make the guest feel safe, heard and important when coming back to the chair. We make the guest feel amazing on the inside and out and yet, most of us struggle to make ends meet–forcing many to leave once they start families because it won’t even cover daycare.

Liz, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I really had zero idea what to do with my life after college. I wanted to pursue theatre and even got a Bachelors in Acting. I wanted something I could do alongside theatre, something that would be creative but also pay the bills so I wasn’t reliant on waiting tables or worried when a job didn’t work out. I was always interested in hair, makeup and skincare. I always struggled with my skin growing up and as a dancer/actor, I had to get really good at doing my own hair and makeup for shows. I ended up being the go to friend to help with a beauty look or crisis and it was just natural. I decided to go back to school and see if this would be a field for me. I started at a salon that was departmentalized–you either styled hair or you colored hair. I wasn’t sure what would be best for me but loved the science behind color. It become my specialty and my passion. Once I left that salon, I had to get really strong at everything, but what I’ve learned about myself is that I really specialize at listening. I hear my clients pain points, and I’m able to offer solutions and I constantly seek out answers even if it isn’t something I already know. Now I style hair for events, offer all types of extension solutions and still specialize in all things hair color. Blonding is my favorite and what I’m known for. I think with my caring nature and empathetic listening skills, I’m able to translate my clients desires into a reality. I love to protect natural texture, and educate my clients on how to take the best care of their hair with techniques and products right for them. I am also all about cruelty free products and lowering my thumbprint on the environment. We are a sustainable salon and incredibly conscientious and transparent, as I am a mom just trying to live passionately and freely too. I can offer quick solutions at budget friendly prices that will also protect and rejuvenate the hair. I’m all about protecting that hair’s integrity while coloring it. I am most proud of how resilient I am. I have learned so much in 11 years–there have been many setbacks, many lessons to learn, and when the going gets tough, I just have to get more creative in how I solve them. The main thing I want clients and followers to know about me–Ive got a big heart and I lead with it. No matter how small or complicated the appointment, I will always do my best to dissect that desire and help make it a reality without breaking the bank. I’m incredibly fair and that reflects in the goodness of my team and what we have built as well. We are a huge education salon–always remaining humble and learning when we can….sharing that knowledge and building each other up in our community.

Do you have any stories of times when you almost missed payroll or any other near death experiences for your business?

When I first opened 11 years ago, it was really up to me to bring in the money from services to cover all the bills and sometimes the bills were higher than what we could afford. Sometimes that meant that payroll and rent fell in the same week and it was TIGHT to say the least. I didn’t have enough to cover the payroll that week as I had just paid rent. I didn’t have another income coming in, and I couldn’t go to my parents for the 15th time and ask for help. They were in no position to keep saving me. I luckily had booked a big wedding party that weekend. I had just enough to pay 3 of my employees. I had one more to pay–I was honest with her. I told her, I’m so sorry, but I don’t have enough today–I will have enough tonight to pay you after I work this wedding…can I pay you in cash tonight? She accepted and understood. She was an amazing person who knew I was working this wedding essentially for free because I wouldn’t be making anything on it for myself. She was heartbroken for me and showed me such grace. I will never forget that kindness. I worked hard–by myself–and was able to pay her at the end of the night. I cried on the way home scared for my future, but also proud that I was able to handle what was thrown at me, and thankfully it has yet to happen again.

Any advice for managing a team?

I really feel like you have to be present. Even if you are not physically there in the building every day, you have to reach out. You have to build that team feeling or let them know you are there. You have to write down the things that matter–keep track of everything, birthdays, anniversaries, favorite way to learn/be recognized. You have to ask their learning style and how they feel about constructive feedback or how they would prefer to talk about things that come up. I also recommend yearly reviews. This way they have that one on one time to talk about ideal education, clients, schedules, pay, how they like to be rewarded or celebrated. And then actually celebrating them. We joke at the salon, because when my team members are alone with me, they feel like I bring something out of them without trying –like tears if they need it or a good laugh. But it’s because I take the time to really get to know them and I check in. I like them to know I care and I have their backs. Because my business is important–but so are they as people. So if one of your employees is sick or their family member is getting surgery–send them a meal or card and let them know you’re thinking of them and value them as a human.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.lstudionj.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Lstudionj
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lstudiohairandmakeup

Image Credits

Robert Sax
Cate Scaglione