We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Tim McKenna a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Tim, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s start with a story that highlights an important way in which your brand diverges from the industry standard.
Over the years as a hairstylist I wanted to be able to provide safer non-toxic products for my clients. The salon I was working at always had the smell of ammonia, bleach, and smoke from Keratin smoothing treatments swirling around me. I didn’t want to work in that kind of environment. I couldn’t wait to get out on my own so I could provide safer haircare for my clients and myself.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I discovered Organic living in my 20’s and realized all the pesticides and chemicals that were in our food supply and products were going to cause real problems to my health down the road, so I made a conscious decision to remove them from my way of life. I slowly got better at finding alternative products with either less chemicals or no chemicals at all. I started to eat organic foods whenever I could and also buy more natural cleaning supplies. When I choose a career as a hairstylist I new I was going to be involved in a chemical based industry and was super concerned for my health and the health of my clients. It was very difficult for me to work in an environment that was filled with toxic fumes, dust, and smoke that was being inhaled on a daily basis. I reached a point in my career that I had to remove myself from that atmosphere or quit altogether. That’s when I decided to take a leap of faith and open a studio with a fellow hairstylist in Del Mar California called Studio36organics inside the newly built Salon Republic. I remember vividly the day I drove away from the salon I was working for and was completely overwhelmed with fear and anxiety. I had two small children at home and no guarantee it would succeed, but I had to take the risk. Salon Republic allowed hairstylist like myself to create my own business by providing customizable Salon Suites. My main goal was to create a beautiful and relaxing personalized environment organic in nature that fit my personality. It also didn’t hurt that I had attained one of the few ocean view studios over looking the Pacific Ocean in beautiful Del Mar California. I feel so grateful that I have managed to thrive in such a competitive industry do to my continued effort to provide safer alternatives such as Oway and Kevin Murphy for my amazing extended family/clients. In the end the risk paid off and I’m thankful each and everyday to be able to provide a salon experience that is aligned with my personal core values.
What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?
I have always been sensitive to my surroundings. I knew I wanted my clients to have a relaxing experience with all there senses looked after. I like to have the atmosphere visually appealing and relaxing, not too busy with the right kind of easy listening music playing in the background at the perfect volume. The right scents and smells in the room and the perfect temperature are important as well. I lucked out and was able to add an ocean view experience to their service which puts them in a relaxed state of mind. I always greet my clients with joy and appreciation for them being there and choosing me as their stylist. Once I seat them in the chair I like to check in with where they are emotionally for the day before we start. During the service I stay in tune with the conversation and allow it to flow naturally and try to steer it away from any negativity. Once we reach the shampoo bowl it is there time to unwind and enjoy a relaxing neck and head message because that’s the best part of their service. I try to be aware of every detail along the way and stay attentive to there needs. Note: I don’t double book because I feel each client deserves my full attention at all times. I take the experience personal and if they don’t leave feeling refreshed and ready to take on the day then I haven’t done my job right. I have let my clientele grow organically over the years through word of mouth, client referrals, and my website hairbytimmckenna.com. Never underestimate the power of great customer service.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
I entered into an industry that I knew nothing about and had never considered before. I spent my 20’s in the fashion industry working as a model and commercial actor but never felt fulfilled. After some trials and tribulations I searched for something else that would satisfy my desire to have a deeper connection with people. I came across Paul Mitchell and John Paul’s story about how they started Paul Mitchell with seven hundred dollars from the trunk of there car. Their story was so inspiring and their dedication to giving back really struck a chord with me. I had been cutting my own hair and friends hair for fun for years and then a light bulb went off and I thought, I could do this. After some hard work and dedication I could have the lifestyle I had always desired, a consistent income, the ability to create my own schedule, and work for myself all while providing a service that could make a difference with peoples well-being. Lets face it, when our hair looks good we feel good. I threw myself full board into a field that I had little to no experience in and enrolled in the Paul Mitchell Academy. There was tons of self doubt and imposter syndrome going on in my head for many years and I wish I could say there was a quick fix to those feelings, but there isn’t. Staying committed and sticking to it through the uncomfortableness was the only way to the other side. In order to succeed at something you must first put in the work. Practice, practice, there is no way around it, so find something that you have enough passion for that will allow you to hang in there through the learning curve of any industry. You will eventually come out the other side and feel like you belong there and that you’re great at what you do as long as you have the dedication to overcome the voices in your head that are telling you you’re not good enough. It all just takes practice, so know that you will get there, keep a positive attitude and give yourself the time to grow and learn without being so hard on yourself. You will come out the other side with all the success you desire…
Contact Info:
- Website: hairbytimmckenna.com
- Instagram: hairbytimmckenna
Image Credits
Terri Rippee
Rippeephoto.com