236: Creating a Politics-Free Salon Experience

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What if you could transform your salon into a haven of tranquility, free from the stress of political chatter? Join me as I reveal the art of maintaining a neutral and serene environment in your salon, even when political conversations threaten to heat up. With over 30 years of experience as a stylist, educator, and salon owner, I share tried-and-true strategies for navigating these tricky waters while keeping your clients' experiences top of mind. From setting proactive boundaries to mastering the art of noncommittal responses, learn how to skillfully redirect conversations back to lighter, more enjoyable topics.

In this episode of "All About Hair," we tackle the sensitive issue of political debates cropping up in the salon chair. Discover how to effectively establish a culture that prioritizes relaxation and personal connection, ensuring your space remains a politics-free zone. I offer practical techniques to help you gracefully steer conversations away from divisive topics and maintain control of the energy in your salon. Embrace your role as a beauty professional focused on exceptional service, and leave each client feeling valued and refreshed, ready to face the world with a fresh perspective.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Today we're tackling a topic that's been popping up
more and more politics.
But we're not talking about thenews or what's happening in
government.
We're talking about politicaldiscussions that's happening
right in your salon chair.
As hairstylists, we often findourselves in deep conversations
with clients, but when thosechats turn to politics

(00:21):
especially during an electionyear things can get a little
tricky.
So what should you do?
Should you engage, stay neutralor steer the conversation away
altogether?
Today, we're diving into how tohandle these moments with
professionalism and confidence.
I've got a few tips and somepractical strategies for my

(00:43):
salon owner, friends andstylists.
So let's get started.
Welcome to All About Hair, thepodcast for anyone who loves the
hair industry.
I'm your host, denise Kylitz, aformer stylist educator and
owner of four award-winningsalons with over 30 years of
experience.
Whether you're refining yourskills or expanding your hair

(01:06):
knowledge, you're in the rightplace.
Join me for expert tips,industry insights and practical
advice to help you thrive in theworld of hair.
This is All About Hair.
The first tip is all aboutsetting boundaries before the
conversation even starts.

(01:26):
In an ideal world, you couldprevent political conversations
from ever becoming a problem.
This means being proactive.
As a stylist or a salon owner,you can establish a culture in
your space that minimizes thesepotentially heated conversations
.
Now how do you do this?
You could let clients know fromthe beginning that your salon

(01:49):
is a politics-free zone,focusing instead on creating a
relaxing, stress-freeenvironment.
This might be as simple ashaving a casual conversation at
the start of an appointmentwhere you set this tone,
something like hey, we love tokeep things light and fun here.
What's going on with your hairgoals today?

(02:10):
You're just not doing this foryour sanity, but for the
client's experience as well.
People come to the salon toescape their daily stress, and
hearing about heavy topics thatmight ruin that experience for
them.
Establishing boundaries earlymakes it clear that your salon
is a safe, welcoming place, freefrom division or polarizing

(02:34):
conversations.
Now, let's say, a conversationabout politics does start to
bubble up.
What then?
The second tip is to stayneutral.
Remember, as a stylist, yourmain role is to provide great
service and a relaxingexperience.
Political debates rarely fosterthat kind of environment.

(02:55):
It's essential to maintain yourprofessionalism at all times.
If a client brings up somethingpolitical, try responding with
neutral, noncommittal phraseslike a simple, oh interesting,
or I hadn't thought about.
That can keep the conversationfrom escalating, while also
showing that you're listening.

(03:16):
Remaining neutral also protectsyou from alienating clients who
may have different views.
Your clients don't come to youfor a political debate.
They come to you for yourexpertise and your skills as a
beauty professional.
If a conversation is getting toopolitical, gently steering it
to the topic back to their hair,beauty treatments or other

(03:38):
light topics can be a lifesaver.
Sometimes, though, you mightfind yourself in the middle of a
political conversation beforeyou even realize it.
This is where settingboundaries mid-conversation
becomes crucial.
If things start getting heated,you'll want to draw a clear
line, but you can do thiswithout being confrontational.

(03:59):
Clear line, but you can do thiswithout being confrontational.
You could say something likeyou know, I've heard so many
different perspectives on that,but I like to keep things
relaxed in here.
Let's switch gears and talkabout your plans for the weekend
instead.
This way, you're acknowledgingthe client's opinion without

(04:19):
diving deeper into the subject.
Setting these types ofboundaries ensures you maintain
control of the conversation andthe atmosphere of your salon.
If the client continues to pushthe topic, it's okay to be more
firm in your boundary.
Remember you control the energyin your space, politely letting
them know that you'd rather notdiscuss politics in the salon

(04:43):
is perfectly reasonable,especially if it's going to
disrupt the vibe for you, yourclient or anyone else in the
salon.
This brings us to tip numberfour.
Don't try to change anyone'smind.
Let's be honest.
When people start talkingpolitics, they're rarely looking
to have their beliefs changed.

(05:04):
In fact, most people have theirviews deeply entrenched and
trying to sway them is usually alosing battle.
As a beauty professional, yourenergy is better spent focusing
on your craft rather thanengaging in a back and forth.
It's probably it won't changeanything.
Plus, trying to changesomeone's political views in the

(05:26):
middle of a haircut, that'sjust asking for an uncomfortable
situation.
Instead, protect your peace,focus on delivering the best
service you can and keep thingslight.
It's okay to let a clientexpress their views without
feeling like you need to engageor persuade them.
Sometimes, just listening andnodding is enough.

(05:49):
Now let's talk about whathappens when you're feeling
uncomfortable or evenoverwhelmed by the conversation.
Tip number five is simple it'sokay to exit the conversation If
things get too heated or youfind yourself getting worked up.
It's perfectly fine to removeyourself from the situation.

(06:11):
As a stylist, you're allowed toprotect your mental health and
your space, whether that meanspolitely excusing yourself to
get more supplies or shiftingthe conversation back to the
client's hair goals.
Know that stepping away isalways an option.
If a client is being persistentor the conversation has just

(06:32):
gone too far, you might need tobe direct.
You can say I really value ourtime together, but I'd prefer to
keep the conversation onsomething light.
Today, most clients willunderstand and appreciate that
you're trying to keep thingspositive and relaxed.
Next up is a fun one Humor.
Sometimes just using a littlehumor or distraction can diffuse

(06:56):
a tense situation.
If things are getting politicaland you sense that things just
might turn awkward or tense,crack a lighthearted joke or
shift the focus with anunrelated question.
For example, if a client'stalking about a stressful
political event, you can respondwith something like oh wow,

(07:19):
that sounds intense.
But speaking of intense, haveyou seen the latest hair trends
for this fall?
I think you'd love this newlook I've been working on.
See what I did there.
By directing the conversationin a positive way, you can steer
clear of the politicalminefield while keeping things
professional.

(07:39):
Finally, let's talk aboutself-regulation.
As a stylist, you're in apeople-facing job that can
sometimes be emotionallydraining, dealing with.
Heated conversations politicalor not, can take a toll on your
mental health.
That's why it's so important topractice self-care.
If you're feeling stressedafter a tough day, take a few

(08:02):
minutes to decompress.
After your shift, this couldmean stepping outside for fresh
air, grabbing a calming tea oreven doing some deep breathing
exercises.
Keeping yourself calm andgrounded will help you handle
future conversations with ease.
When you prioritize your ownwell-being, you'll be better

(08:23):
equipped to handle thechallenges that come with the
job, including those difficultconversations.
So there you have it sevenpractical tips for handling
political conversations in thesalon without losing your cool
or your clients.
The main takeaway here is tomaintain the vibe of your space.
As hairstylists, our job is tocreate a welcoming, positive

(08:47):
environment for our clients.
Whether that means settingboundaries, staying neutral or
stepping away, it's all aboutprotecting the atmosphere that
keeps your clients coming backto you.
Remember, it's not aboutavoiding the hard topics
altogether, but knowing how tonavigate them professionally and
with care.
So next time you find yourselfin a tricky conversation, you'll

(09:09):
know exactly how to handle it.
And remember when you knowbetter, you do better.
Thanks for tuning in to AllAbout Hair.
Here's what I'd love for you todo next?
Take a screenshot of thisepisode and share it on your
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Tag me at Denise Keilitz so Ican see you're listening.

(09:29):
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Podcasts.
It really helps others find us.
Thanks again, I'm Denise Kylitz, and remember when you know
better, you do better.
See you next week.