May 28, 2024 • 25 mins
Ever wondered how a team-based company can elevate your professional game? Deja Coleman, a veteran stylist with 25 years of experience, joins us to share the impact working in a team-based salon has had on the trajectory of her career. Deja shares how the dynamic team environment at Goldwaves Salon in Fort Worth, TX has paved the way for her incredible career milestones, including winning multiple awards and currently a finalist for a North American Hairstyling Award (NAHA).
You'll learn how a supportive team can unlock doors to creative freedom and lead to not just surviving but thriving in the beauty industry. Deja reflects on how she navigated the beauty landscape, from Pennsylvania to Texas, and her journey within her own salon. Her story is a testament to the importance of collective encouragement and how the strength of a team can drive personal and professional growth.
Conversation highlights:
0:00 Deja's beginnings in the beauty industry
4:02 What does being "a team" really mean?
6:31 Navigating challenges within a team
8:53 Fostering team communication through huddles
10:15 The benefits of a team-based salon for a veteran stylist
15:45 Winning awards with the support of team
19:52 How a team-based environment benefits brand new service providers
23:16 Deja's one word to summarize being part of a team-based company
Watch the video version of this podcast: https://youtu.be/x1FO0EluLYs
To learn more about how Strategies can help you create more profit, fun, and growth potential for you, your business, and your team, schedule a free 60-minute strategy session:
Schedule a free 60-minute strategy session: https://strategies.com/free-coaching-session
Strategies: https://www.strategies.com
Salon/Spa Business Coaching: https://strategies.com/memberships/
In-Person Salon/Spa Seminars: https://strategies.com/seminars/
Podcast: https://strategies.com/podcast/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/strategies4biz/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/strategies
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@strategies4biz
The Beauty Business Strategies Podcast is designed to give salon, spa, medspa, barbershop, and lash studio owners, just like you, quick tips to make more money, inspire your team, and create world-class client experiences.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
All right.
Welcome to the Beauty BusinessStrategies podcast.
I'm really excited about todaybecause I'm joined by a great
friend, Deja Coleman from GoldWave Salon.
Deja, how are you?
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Hi, I'm really great.
Speaker 1 (00:14):
Good, good.
So you know, part of today andthe reason I'm excited to talk
with you today, deja, is becauseI think it's always exciting to
get different perspectives onour industry and really more in
particular, just on being a partof a team, as a member of a
team and being part of ateam-based culture that Gold
(00:35):
Waves is.
But I think it's alwaysinteresting to get perspectives
on things and, you know, hear apoint of view, and so really
that's kind of the main reasonthat I wanted to connect with
you today is just get thoseperspectives.
So, before we dive into it, Ithink you know, I think it's
just important to kind of justgive an introduction of yourself
when it comes to you know howlong you've been in the industry
(00:58):
, kind of what your role iswithin Gold Waves itself, your
role as a team member, how longyou've been a part of it, all of
that.
So give us a little history.
Speaker 2 (01:06):
Okay, okay.
I started in our industry whenI was really young.
This is my 23rd or 24th yearnow and I started in
Pennsylvania.
I ultimately migrated to Texas.
I've done everything fromeducation, full-time stylist
behind the chair, educator inthe salon, and right now, as it
(01:31):
stands, I am a full-time stylistat Gold Waves.
I'm also the color educationeducator and I wear a lot of
other hats as well, withcompeting, doing hair and doing
all kinds of fun projects.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
But yeah, that's that's where I'm at right now
and we'll definitely talk about.
We're definitely going to talkabout some of those fun projects
, other things you're involvedwith, for sure, because it's
just awesome and it's cool totalk about for sure.
Let me ask this you know youmentioned the idea started out
in Pennsylvania, been in theindustry now, let's say, we'll
just say, 25 years, which iscrazy to think about because,
(02:11):
like there's no way you looklike you've been in the industry
for 25 years.
That's the first thing, becauseI myself still describe myself
as I was in the industry for 25years.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
I look way, way older .
Speaker 1 (02:24):
Something's wrong with me, I guess, but between
Pennsylvania and then, as youwent to Texas, how many
businesses salons were you apart of before you ended up at
Gold Waves?
Speaker 2 (02:36):
That's a really good question.
So I was a stylist at let's seeone, two, three, four, four
different salons before I was atGold Waves.
But being an educator, I was ina lot of salons all the time,
working with them and seeingwhat their day-to-day was as
well.
(02:57):
So I've been part of a lot ofsalons, but personally I've
worked at four.
Speaker 1 (03:01):
Gotcha.
So when it comes to what you'vebeen a part of and also just
what you observe, as you said,as an educator, and being out
there and being a part ofdifferent cultures, being in
different businesses, what doyou see Like, what are the, what
are the differences that yousee between?
And here's what how I want tokind of ask this question, I
(03:23):
think is a lot of businesses outthere, we all every time I go
and work with someone or talk tosomeone new, it's like
everyone's standard line is wehave a great team.
Sure, and you know, and Iunderstand the.
I understand why people saythat you know because, again,
they do overall, they like thepeople that work for them, they
like the people that they workwith.
(03:44):
You know they do considerthemselves to be, you know, part
of a team.
But I think that we all kind ofknow, when we really dissect
that a little bit, there's areal big difference between
really being a team and sayingthat like we like our teammates
or things like that.
What would you identify as kindof your observations on what's
(04:08):
the difference between a team byverbiage and really being a
team when it comes to the day today and actions?
Speaker 2 (04:18):
Yeah, there is a huge difference.
I didn't know, I thought I knewwhat a team meant until I
really was immersed in theculture of Goldwaves.
Um, I thought that it was.
You know everybody gettingalong and you know you kind of
look out for each other when youcan, but you're always the
(04:39):
first priority.
You know that kind of thing andI feel like that's the majority
of businesses that I've been in.
That's kind of the ideaEverybody's amicable but you
kind of go about doing your ownthing.
But with, like, gold Waves,it's literally a culture that is
taught from the very first daythat you work there and it's
(05:03):
about being conscious ofyourself but also like everyone
else around you, and it's yourfirst instinct going to how can
not only can I help myself, buthow can I help everyone else
around me and just really beingconscious of it.
But it is cultural and is it'staught from like the first day
(05:26):
that you're, you know, in a in abusiness.
Speaker 1 (05:29):
How do you stay personally motivated each day to
go in and be a good teammate?
Because, I mean, let's behonest, um, we all know not
every day is a banner day.
Uh, not every day is like, yeah, rah, rah, and we're on the
best of our game, and you knowwhat.
We go through phases in lifewhere sometimes we could just
(05:50):
get into frustrations.
Maybe there's, you know again,we can't paint the picture that
you know.
Hey, listen, we'd be lying ifwe said that every day, in
particular, where you are atgold waves is the perfect day.
Speaker 2 (06:04):
It's not like we don't have frustrations or
challenges or things of thatnature.
Every business has that right.
Speaker 1 (06:07):
Every business has that.
So how do you stay on top ofyour game?
Or when you get into thosemoments where it's just like you
know what things are I don't, Iguess, lack of a better way to
describe it when we're in thatnegative space at times, and but
you're still a part of a team,how do you, how does it look
then?
How do you get yourself out ofthat?
(06:29):
Or how does team support that?
Or, yeah, just what happenswhen things aren't just perfect?
Speaker 2 (06:36):
Yeah, because you're right.
I mean, there's so manydifferent personalities and so
much different energy that itcan go one way or the other.
You know, and nothing isperfect Even with culture, you
know, nothing's perfect.
But the great thing about thatis we also have built a team
where, if I'm not having a goodday, I can be transparent and
(06:57):
it's all about communication andjust say hey guys, I am, I'm
really struggling, youstruggling, you know, I I didn't
sleep well last night, or youknow something is going on.
Um, just know that.
And if you guys need anythingextra from me, please feel free.
Like my door is open, you know,but I feel like your other
(07:17):
teammates have to be um honestwith you and have to communicate
with you.
But you've got to leave thatdoor open so that you're
approachable even in momentswhen they're not your best, you
know.
Speaker 1 (07:31):
Yeah, I love you keep talking.
You've used the word a coupleof times in there communication,
and you know it's one of my.
This has been my personalsoapbox for the last year to
year and a half or so is becauseI think that, as you just said,
when communication breaks downand you gave a great example
about how, when communication isgood, I feel in a place where I
(07:54):
can communicate with myteammates about where I am you
know, that creates a feeling ofunderstanding and trust on your
end, and so communication beinga key piece.
You know, how do you think that?
How do you think a teamenvironment, how do you foster
better?
That's maybe that's the rightquestion I want to ask is how do
(08:19):
you maybe yourself personallyor your observations about as a,
as a company?
Because, just real quick, forthose that might not be familiar
, I kind of make someassumptions in my uh.
For those that might not befamiliar, I kind of make some
assumptions in my brain.
Not everyone knows how big goldwaves is.
What's the, what's your, what'sthe gold ways?
Total population right now?
Uh, from, uh, a team members.
Speaker 2 (08:37):
Let's see, we have 24-ish team members.
Speaker 1 (08:43):
Yeah, and that's everyone yeah Right.
So we got 20 plus people as apart of this team.
Going back to it is you knowagain, how does communication,
how does that continue to getbuilt stronger in your
environment?
Because, man, when there's 24different lines of communication
that could possibly happen.
A lot of things can break downpretty quickly.
Speaker 2 (09:06):
I agree.
We always start off everymorning with a 10 minute huddle
and we all trade out who isgoing to deliver the information
.
So it's not just always comingfrom one person, but we talk
about our goal, we talk aboutopenings that we have, new
clients that we might have inthe building, and this is the
(09:28):
perfect time to communicatebetween us, like hey, you know
this is going on and I'm goingto need help at three o'clock or
whatever.
Like we're all setting eachother up for to have the best
day possible, and that's whenyou can feel free and open to
say, man, you know, I'm I'mstruggling, or, uh, I'm having
(09:50):
the best day ever and I want toshare that, you know.
So I think getting all on thesame page again.
Going back to communication, umis really important and we all
start out every single day withour team on that leg.
Speaker 1 (10:06):
So yeah, I love it.
So let's get back into.
You know kind of where westarted with this conversation,
which is hey, listen, you as a,as a experienced veteran stylist
, being a part of this team.
As a experienced veteranstylist being a part of this
team, what have you seen likeyour journey from when you first
started to now?
(10:27):
What have you seen as the, asthe what's the benefit to you
being part of a, a stronger teamculture?
Just as a, just as ahairdresser, just as a person,
what are the greatest strengthsthat you observe from that?
Wow?
Speaker 2 (10:50):
Well, first of all, you know, I had a really good
friend whenever I was thinkingabout going back behind the
chair 100%, because I was aneducator, I was also behind the
chair a little bit, but I wasmaking a really long commute, my
work-life balance wasn't great,and she knew that I really
wanted to get back into creativework and that it wasn't
possible in the space with theteam that I was at at the time.
(11:14):
And so this lady was like youknow, this is team-based pay,
this is, it's different, butit's amazing and these people
are awesome, and I'd never heardof it before.
And I was like, oh okay, I mean, you know, I'll give it a shot.
And so I started talking withthe owners and and we talked for
a long time and they said youknow, there's a lot of
(11:36):
opportunity and stuff.
But I had no idea until Iactually got in and realized
that if I had never been withthese people, in this space,
with this team, there's no waythat I could have gotten more
creative, that I've gottenmyself out there and gotten
goals done that I've beenmeaning to do for years.
(11:57):
They support me, they areexcited for me when things
happen.
I'm, you know, same way forthem.
But there's no way that I wouldbe able to be where I'm at,
doing what I'm doing on apersonal level, if it wasn't for
the love and the support of theteam every day.
Speaker 1 (12:16):
Right, I love that.
I mean, that's a great segueinto you know, and I want to a
couple of places I want to go.
But it's a perfect time tostart to bring this up because,
again, I know your involvementin so many other areas, like you
talked about educator andthings of that nature, but talk
about the opportunities that youwould say personally, that you
(12:39):
would say you know what, becauseI'm a part of this type of a
culture, a part of a team, whatdoors you feel that's open for
you that maybe you would saywould have been I'm not going to
say these doors would be closed, but what doors would have been
a lot harder to get through ifit were just like a me myself
and I kind of I'm trying to dothis all on my own versus what
(13:04):
you're doing and the things thatyou're accomplishing as being
part of the team environmentTalk a little bit about how that
growth and the things you'reengaged with and involved with
so I think obviously the numberone thing is monetary
(13:33):
no-transcript.
Speaker 2 (13:35):
We have apprentices, but we also have each other, and
so if there is somebody thatcalls up and says, you know, I
need this big color service or Ineed multiple services and I
can only fit them in, for youknow, the smaller parts of that
like rough, drying, shampooing,glossing, doing small things
(14:02):
that I would have never had thaton my book and then in return
would have never been part ofour team goal, and when we meet
team goals we get bonuses.
When we meet team goals, we getto go to education.
That is pretty expensive, youknow, if you're trying to do it
individually.
So not only like am I seeingmore money and I have amazing,
(14:30):
amazing work-life balancebecause I have a much smaller
amount of hours that I have tofit everything in, but I'm able
to fit it in because I haveother people that are helping me
as well.
So everything I mean everythingis much more possible.
Speaker 1 (14:45):
I love that, you know , and again, it's exactly it.
It's.
We talk about this.
That whole idea is exactly thatas you talked about.
Hey, listen, if, if I know, myteam is there where maybe myself
or someone else can get in aservice that we would never be
able to do on our own.
It helps us to reach our goalseasier as a team and then that,
(15:06):
therefore, can come back tobenefit all of us, yourself
included uh through, like I said, through, uh, whether it's just
our, our, our weekly paychecks,or it comes down to, as you
mentioned, other things, theopportunities to do education
and things of that nature.
Now, here's something I want to.
I got to have to start braggingabout yourself a little bit,
(15:27):
deja.
All right, I'm going to makeyou brag a little bit about
yourself and I want to just seeagain where team has helped to
support this.
Certainly, you know, this comesdown to all right, we've got to
have the motivation, we've gotto have things like that, but
we're also maybe it's beensupported through the culture or
the environment.
But let's talk a little bitabout the fact that, yeah, you
(15:47):
mentioned, oh, yeah, I work as ayou know educator and I do a
few other things kind of on theside.
You've been very coy about it,but it's like oh, there's these
things called like Naha awardwinner and things of that nature
.
Give us a little brag time,deja.
I need a little bit of bragtime about yourself.
Speaker 2 (16:04):
Okay, Well, in my career I always have this like
big thought process of I want to, I want to be, I want to put
myself out there, I want to putmy projects out there that I
have in my head.
I've always wanted to do photoshoots and do collections and
creative work, and I've neverbeen in a space that I was
(16:29):
creatively free to do thosethings and that I felt like, no
matter what, my team truly and Iknow this sounds very cliche,
but my team truly makes me feellike don't ever let anything
tell you you can't, and I'vealways been in a space where
I've always told myself that Icouldn't for one reason or
(16:51):
another.
But I got with the Goldwellteam and the Gold Waves team.
Both I love Goldwell and I loveGold Waves.
Goldwell is really what sent mein a direction of.
I felt like I had a platformthat I could finally be
competitive on and I went backto the owners and I told them I
(17:13):
was like I really want to dothis.
And not only did they supportme, but they brought in
educators and hooked me up withthem and if it weren't for my
connection with them, I placedsilver for the United States,
for creative color for GoldwellCreative Awards.
Last year I placed fourth forInternational Beauty Industry
(17:36):
Awards for a semi-finalist for awig that I built, and then this
year I'm on a team and we arefinalists for North American
hairstylist of the year.
So all of that very, very shorttime that that happened I mean
it was like less than two years.
Speaker 1 (17:56):
I was going to say it's been a crazy 18 month ride.
Speaker 2 (18:00):
It has.
Speaker 1 (18:01):
It's awesome, that's awesome and like, like you were
saying before we started up thepodcast, like you were saying,
it's like this year I want Idon't want silver, I want gold
and we want you know what?
I mean, and there's these thingsand I love that.
I love that and what I loveabout it is the fact that you
know the fact that not only isthis you know an awesome thing
that you're doing and the driveand things, but also how, as you
(18:24):
said, I've got a group ofpeople around me that support
and help me.
You know, support me whetherit's through just direct
assistance or maybe it's justyou know the, just the emotional
support, or even just tosupport the fact that you know
what working together as a team,as you said, is hey, listen,
I'm doing my best, but I don'thave to always be a big revenue
(18:46):
producer to still continue toearn what I need to earn for my
own personal life.
And that, in that aspect that Iknow I've got a team of people
we're all pulling towardreaching our goals, which helps
me.
That supports me in a muchdifferent way where I can do
other projects that help elevatethe business in general, but
(19:07):
not always the direct line isit's not always I'm coming back
and generating a revenue to helpelevate the business, because
what you're doing elevates goldwaves and the people that are
part of that team through Nahaand all these things in a very
strong but indirect way.
So I think that's fantastic aswe start to kind of get near a
(19:28):
little bit at the end of ourtime.
Man, we could talk a whole lotlonger for sure, but I guess one
of my here's the perspective Iwant you to take now is you now,
as you know, experienced in theindustry.
You know where you are withjust your accomplishments and
where you stand in Gold Waves asa part of that team and the
(19:51):
role you take on there.
What's your perspective onsomeone brand new that enters in
, that might walk in the door atGold Waves now?
Now they're the person thatmight be.
Let's just say, hey, listen,they're fresh out of school, you
know, and now this is theirfirst stopping point, you know,
(20:11):
in their first job in theindustry.
How do you see team benefitingthat person that's like brand
new, because I know you've gotgreat perspective on that
because you've you're, you'reseeing that, you're observing
that.
So how do you look at that?
Speaker 2 (20:28):
I feel like they are at a huge advantage.
You know, like I wish that I wasborn into my career, into you
know, something like this, this,because I don't know what I
would have done.
You know earlier, younger Deja.
I don't know what she wouldhave done if she would have had
the opportunities you know from,uh, from a much younger
(20:49):
standpoint in their career.
So, um, I think that not onlyare they at a huge advantage,
but I I feel like it lendsitself to like in our salon, we
have an apprentice program, andso our apprentices are so
supported and they go throughhaircutting education, styling
(21:12):
education, color educationbefore they are even out on the
floor, and so we're making surethat our quality and their
quality and everybody iscomfortable is all there before
they even touch guests.
So they get education, they getan amazing team, they are
(21:33):
learning, because that is sosuper important, and then just
learning all the ways that theycan be successful as fast as
they can, whereas like being bythemselves, like you only know
what you know, you know, andwhen you have a team, it's, it's
just so much more powerful.
Speaker 1 (21:50):
You know I'm thinking and I'm going to ask you to
give give one word as adescriptor and I'll kind of get
it started.
You know, out of today what Iheard was this it's almost like
if I had to kind of summarizetoday's you know, our
conversation today and say, if Iwould identify, like in one
word, what's the benefit of your, from, from your perspective,
(22:12):
your point of view, what's oneword that'd be like the benefit
of being part of a team cultureor seeking out a team culture.
If you're out there and you'reyou feel like man, if you're
listening and you're like man, Iwould love to have what I'm
hearing.
Like I want to have what Dejahas.
Like what's Gold Wave's address?
Like I need to.
Maybe, maybe I need to move toFort Worth and get myself come
(22:33):
on down, come on down to Texas,but if I'm looking for team or
something like that in my area,I think the one word I would
describe that came out of todaywas I just feel like the
underlying is you talked a lotabout the word support and I
think that's the key word that Iwould use is I feel like
everything you talked about,whether it's someone brand new
(22:54):
or maybe someone that's moreveteran in the industry or
things like that is being partof a team offers you support,
and then you could take that.
You know a lot of different ways, whether it's support
personally, or supportcreatively, or support just in
our day to day or, you know, inour, in our work, in our culture
, things of that nature.
So I think support stands outto me.
(23:16):
If you had to give one word tokind of just describe in general
, not only just the conversationtoday, but just being part of a
team or that environment, whatword would stand out to you?
Speaker 2 (23:29):
I think the number one thing is opportunity.
I think that a team offers moreopportunity than being solo
ever could, in so many ways.
Speaker 1 (23:43):
Boom, I mean, that's it Done, that's it Done.
We don't need to say anymore,we don't need to make a big deal
.
I think you fit it perfectly.
I think that's awesome, I thinkit's a great.
I think that's a greatobservation just to say, hey,
listen, you've again 25 yearsnow in the industry.
It's like you've been in alldifferent phases, all different
(24:06):
environments, things like that.
It's like your perspective nowis just like all I see is even
this point in your career.
All I see is opportunity,probably opportunity for you to
still continue to grow, butopportunity for people like we
just talked about someone that'sbrand new, so I think that's a
great way to wrap today up.
Deja man, it's been awesometalking to you, thank you so
(24:28):
much for joining us.
Speaker 2 (24:30):
Thank you for having me.
Speaker 1 (24:31):
Awesome and best of luck with all of the things that
you're doing.
Best of luck with, like I said,all this stuff like between
Naha and all the differentthings that you're doing.
Best of luck with, like I said,all this stuff like between
Naha and all the differentthings that you're involved with
as an educator and whatnot.
Man, wish you the best.
I appreciate it.
Thank you so much.
All right, and thank you toeveryone else that's joined us
today on today's podcast.
Again, we look forward totalking to you soon, but between
(24:54):
now and then, have a great day.
Speaker 3 (24:57):
Thanks again for listening to the Beauty Business
Strategies podcast.
If you liked this episode, besure to hit follow To learn more
about how strategies can helpcreate more fun, profit and
growth potential for you, yourcompany and your team.
We invite you to schedule afree 60-minute strategy session
by clicking the direct link inthe description of this episode.
All right.
Welcome to the Beauty BusinessStrategies podcast.
I'm really excited about todaybecause I'm joined by a great
friend, Deja Coleman from GoldWave Salon.
Deja, how are you?
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Hi, I'm really great.
Speaker 1 (00:14):
Good, good.
So you know, part of today andthe reason I'm excited to talk
with you today, deja, is becauseI think it's always exciting to
get different perspectives onour industry and really more in
particular, just on being a partof a team, as a member of a
team and being part of ateam-based culture that Gold
(00:35):
Waves is.
But I think it's alwaysinteresting to get perspectives
on things and, you know, hear apoint of view, and so really
that's kind of the main reasonthat I wanted to connect with
you today is just get thoseperspectives.
So, before we dive into it, Ithink you know, I think it's
just important to kind of justgive an introduction of yourself
when it comes to you know howlong you've been in the industry
(00:58):
, kind of what your role iswithin Gold Waves itself, your
role as a team member, how longyou've been a part of it, all of
that.
So give us a little history.
Speaker 2 (01:06):
Okay, okay.
I started in our industry whenI was really young.
This is my 23rd or 24th yearnow and I started in
Pennsylvania.
I ultimately migrated to Texas.
I've done everything fromeducation, full-time stylist
behind the chair, educator inthe salon, and right now, as it
(01:31):
stands, I am a full-time stylistat Gold Waves.
I'm also the color educationeducator and I wear a lot of
other hats as well, withcompeting, doing hair and doing
all kinds of fun projects.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
But yeah, that's that's where I'm at right now
and we'll definitely talk about.
We're definitely going to talkabout some of those fun projects
, other things you're involvedwith, for sure, because it's
just awesome and it's cool totalk about for sure.
Let me ask this you know youmentioned the idea started out
in Pennsylvania, been in theindustry now, let's say, we'll
just say, 25 years, which iscrazy to think about because,
(02:11):
like there's no way you looklike you've been in the industry
for 25 years.
That's the first thing, becauseI myself still describe myself
as I was in the industry for 25years.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
I look way, way older .
Speaker 1 (02:24):
Something's wrong with me, I guess, but between
Pennsylvania and then, as youwent to Texas, how many
businesses salons were you apart of before you ended up at
Gold Waves?
Speaker 2 (02:36):
That's a really good question.
So I was a stylist at let's seeone, two, three, four, four
different salons before I was atGold Waves.
But being an educator, I was ina lot of salons all the time,
working with them and seeingwhat their day-to-day was as
well.
(02:57):
So I've been part of a lot ofsalons, but personally I've
worked at four.
Speaker 1 (03:01):
Gotcha.
So when it comes to what you'vebeen a part of and also just
what you observe, as you said,as an educator, and being out
there and being a part ofdifferent cultures, being in
different businesses, what doyou see Like, what are the, what
are the differences that yousee between?
And here's what how I want tokind of ask this question, I
(03:23):
think is a lot of businesses outthere, we all every time I go
and work with someone or talk tosomeone new, it's like
everyone's standard line is wehave a great team.
Sure, and you know, and Iunderstand the.
I understand why people saythat you know because, again,
they do overall, they like thepeople that work for them, they
like the people that they workwith.
(03:44):
You know they do considerthemselves to be, you know, part
of a team.
But I think that we all kind ofknow, when we really dissect
that a little bit, there's areal big difference between
really being a team and sayingthat like we like our teammates
or things like that.
What would you identify as kindof your observations on what's
(04:08):
the difference between a team byverbiage and really being a
team when it comes to the day today and actions?
Speaker 2 (04:18):
Yeah, there is a huge difference.
I didn't know, I thought I knewwhat a team meant until I
really was immersed in theculture of Goldwaves.
Um, I thought that it was.
You know everybody gettingalong and you know you kind of
look out for each other when youcan, but you're always the
(04:39):
first priority.
You know that kind of thing andI feel like that's the majority
of businesses that I've been in.
That's kind of the ideaEverybody's amicable but you
kind of go about doing your ownthing.
But with, like, gold Waves,it's literally a culture that is
taught from the very first daythat you work there and it's
(05:03):
about being conscious ofyourself but also like everyone
else around you, and it's yourfirst instinct going to how can
not only can I help myself, buthow can I help everyone else
around me and just really beingconscious of it.
But it is cultural and is it'staught from like the first day
(05:26):
that you're, you know, in a in abusiness.
Speaker 1 (05:29):
How do you stay personally motivated each day to
go in and be a good teammate?
Because, I mean, let's behonest, um, we all know not
every day is a banner day.
Uh, not every day is like, yeah, rah, rah, and we're on the
best of our game, and you knowwhat.
We go through phases in lifewhere sometimes we could just
(05:50):
get into frustrations.
Maybe there's, you know again,we can't paint the picture that
you know.
Hey, listen, we'd be lying ifwe said that every day, in
particular, where you are atgold waves is the perfect day.
Speaker 2 (06:04):
It's not like we don't have frustrations or
challenges or things of thatnature.
Every business has that right.
Speaker 1 (06:07):
Every business has that.
So how do you stay on top ofyour game?
Or when you get into thosemoments where it's just like you
know what things are I don't, Iguess, lack of a better way to
describe it when we're in thatnegative space at times, and but
you're still a part of a team,how do you, how does it look
then?
How do you get yourself out ofthat?
(06:29):
Or how does team support that?
Or, yeah, just what happenswhen things aren't just perfect?
Speaker 2 (06:36):
Yeah, because you're right.
I mean, there's so manydifferent personalities and so
much different energy that itcan go one way or the other.
You know, and nothing isperfect Even with culture, you
know, nothing's perfect.
But the great thing about thatis we also have built a team
where, if I'm not having a goodday, I can be transparent and
(06:57):
it's all about communication andjust say hey guys, I am, I'm
really struggling, youstruggling, you know, I I didn't
sleep well last night, or youknow something is going on.
Um, just know that.
And if you guys need anythingextra from me, please feel free.
Like my door is open, you know,but I feel like your other
(07:17):
teammates have to be um honestwith you and have to communicate
with you.
But you've got to leave thatdoor open so that you're
approachable even in momentswhen they're not your best, you
know.
Speaker 1 (07:31):
Yeah, I love you keep talking.
You've used the word a coupleof times in there communication,
and you know it's one of my.
This has been my personalsoapbox for the last year to
year and a half or so is becauseI think that, as you just said,
when communication breaks downand you gave a great example
about how, when communication isgood, I feel in a place where I
(07:54):
can communicate with myteammates about where I am you
know, that creates a feeling ofunderstanding and trust on your
end, and so communication beinga key piece.
You know, how do you think that?
How do you think a teamenvironment, how do you foster
better?
That's maybe that's the rightquestion I want to ask is how do
(08:19):
you maybe yourself personallyor your observations about as a,
as a company?
Because, just real quick, forthose that might not be familiar
, I kind of make someassumptions in my uh.
For those that might not befamiliar, I kind of make some
assumptions in my brain.
Not everyone knows how big goldwaves is.
What's the, what's your, what'sthe gold ways?
Total population right now?
Uh, from, uh, a team members.
Speaker 2 (08:37):
Let's see, we have 24-ish team members.
Speaker 1 (08:43):
Yeah, and that's everyone yeah Right.
So we got 20 plus people as apart of this team.
Going back to it is you knowagain, how does communication,
how does that continue to getbuilt stronger in your
environment?
Because, man, when there's 24different lines of communication
that could possibly happen.
A lot of things can break downpretty quickly.
Speaker 2 (09:06):
I agree.
We always start off everymorning with a 10 minute huddle
and we all trade out who isgoing to deliver the information
.
So it's not just always comingfrom one person, but we talk
about our goal, we talk aboutopenings that we have, new
clients that we might have inthe building, and this is the
(09:28):
perfect time to communicatebetween us, like hey, you know
this is going on and I'm goingto need help at three o'clock or
whatever.
Like we're all setting eachother up for to have the best
day possible, and that's whenyou can feel free and open to
say, man, you know, I'm I'mstruggling, or, uh, I'm having
(09:50):
the best day ever and I want toshare that, you know.
So I think getting all on thesame page again.
Going back to communication, umis really important and we all
start out every single day withour team on that leg.
Speaker 1 (10:06):
So yeah, I love it.
So let's get back into.
You know kind of where westarted with this conversation,
which is hey, listen, you as a,as a experienced veteran stylist
, being a part of this team.
As a experienced veteranstylist being a part of this
team, what have you seen likeyour journey from when you first
started to now?
(10:27):
What have you seen as the, asthe what's the benefit to you
being part of a, a stronger teamculture?
Just as a, just as ahairdresser, just as a person,
what are the greatest strengthsthat you observe from that?
Wow?
Speaker 2 (10:50):
Well, first of all, you know, I had a really good
friend whenever I was thinkingabout going back behind the
chair 100%, because I was aneducator, I was also behind the
chair a little bit, but I wasmaking a really long commute, my
work-life balance wasn't great,and she knew that I really
wanted to get back into creativework and that it wasn't
possible in the space with theteam that I was at at the time.
(11:14):
And so this lady was like youknow, this is team-based pay,
this is, it's different, butit's amazing and these people
are awesome, and I'd never heardof it before.
And I was like, oh okay, I mean, you know, I'll give it a shot.
And so I started talking withthe owners and and we talked for
a long time and they said youknow, there's a lot of
(11:36):
opportunity and stuff.
But I had no idea until Iactually got in and realized
that if I had never been withthese people, in this space,
with this team, there's no waythat I could have gotten more
creative, that I've gottenmyself out there and gotten
goals done that I've beenmeaning to do for years.
(11:57):
They support me, they areexcited for me when things
happen.
I'm, you know, same way forthem.
But there's no way that I wouldbe able to be where I'm at,
doing what I'm doing on apersonal level, if it wasn't for
the love and the support of theteam every day.
Speaker 1 (12:16):
Right, I love that.
I mean, that's a great segueinto you know, and I want to a
couple of places I want to go.
But it's a perfect time tostart to bring this up because,
again, I know your involvementin so many other areas, like you
talked about educator andthings of that nature, but talk
about the opportunities that youwould say personally, that you
(12:39):
would say you know what, becauseI'm a part of this type of a
culture, a part of a team, whatdoors you feel that's open for
you that maybe you would saywould have been I'm not going to
say these doors would be closed, but what doors would have been
a lot harder to get through ifit were just like a me myself
and I kind of I'm trying to dothis all on my own versus what
(13:04):
you're doing and the things thatyou're accomplishing as being
part of the team environmentTalk a little bit about how that
growth and the things you'reengaged with and involved with
so I think obviously the numberone thing is monetary
(13:33):
no-transcript.
Speaker 2 (13:35):
We have apprentices, but we also have each other, and
so if there is somebody thatcalls up and says, you know, I
need this big color service or Ineed multiple services and I
can only fit them in, for youknow, the smaller parts of that
like rough, drying, shampooing,glossing, doing small things
(14:02):
that I would have never had thaton my book and then in return
would have never been part ofour team goal, and when we meet
team goals we get bonuses.
When we meet team goals, we getto go to education.
That is pretty expensive, youknow, if you're trying to do it
individually.
So not only like am I seeingmore money and I have amazing,
(14:30):
amazing work-life balancebecause I have a much smaller
amount of hours that I have tofit everything in, but I'm able
to fit it in because I haveother people that are helping me
as well.
So everything I mean everythingis much more possible.
Speaker 1 (14:45):
I love that, you know , and again, it's exactly it.
It's.
We talk about this.
That whole idea is exactly thatas you talked about.
Hey, listen, if, if I know, myteam is there where maybe myself
or someone else can get in aservice that we would never be
able to do on our own.
It helps us to reach our goalseasier as a team and then that,
(15:06):
therefore, can come back tobenefit all of us, yourself
included uh through, like I said, through, uh, whether it's just
our, our, our weekly paychecks,or it comes down to, as you
mentioned, other things, theopportunities to do education
and things of that nature.
Now, here's something I want to.
I got to have to start braggingabout yourself a little bit,
(15:27):
deja.
All right, I'm going to makeyou brag a little bit about
yourself and I want to just seeagain where team has helped to
support this.
Certainly, you know, this comesdown to all right, we've got to
have the motivation, we've gotto have things like that, but
we're also maybe it's beensupported through the culture or
the environment.
But let's talk a little bitabout the fact that, yeah, you
(15:47):
mentioned, oh, yeah, I work as ayou know educator and I do a
few other things kind of on theside.
You've been very coy about it,but it's like oh, there's these
things called like Naha awardwinner and things of that nature
.
Give us a little brag time,deja.
I need a little bit of bragtime about yourself.
Speaker 2 (16:04):
Okay, Well, in my career I always have this like
big thought process of I want to, I want to be, I want to put
myself out there, I want to putmy projects out there that I
have in my head.
I've always wanted to do photoshoots and do collections and
creative work, and I've neverbeen in a space that I was
(16:29):
creatively free to do thosethings and that I felt like, no
matter what, my team truly and Iknow this sounds very cliche,
but my team truly makes me feellike don't ever let anything
tell you you can't, and I'vealways been in a space where
I've always told myself that Icouldn't for one reason or
(16:51):
another.
But I got with the Goldwellteam and the Gold Waves team.
Both I love Goldwell and I loveGold Waves.
Goldwell is really what sent mein a direction of.
I felt like I had a platformthat I could finally be
competitive on and I went backto the owners and I told them I
(17:13):
was like I really want to dothis.
And not only did they supportme, but they brought in
educators and hooked me up withthem and if it weren't for my
connection with them, I placedsilver for the United States,
for creative color for GoldwellCreative Awards.
Last year I placed fourth forInternational Beauty Industry
(17:36):
Awards for a semi-finalist for awig that I built, and then this
year I'm on a team and we arefinalists for North American
hairstylist of the year.
So all of that very, very shorttime that that happened I mean
it was like less than two years.
Speaker 1 (17:56):
I was going to say it's been a crazy 18 month ride.
Speaker 2 (18:00):
It has.
Speaker 1 (18:01):
It's awesome, that's awesome and like, like you were
saying before we started up thepodcast, like you were saying,
it's like this year I want Idon't want silver, I want gold
and we want you know what?
I mean, and there's these thingsand I love that.
I love that and what I loveabout it is the fact that you
know the fact that not only isthis you know an awesome thing
that you're doing and the driveand things, but also how, as you
(18:24):
said, I've got a group ofpeople around me that support
and help me.
You know, support me whetherit's through just direct
assistance or maybe it's justyou know the, just the emotional
support, or even just tosupport the fact that you know
what working together as a team,as you said, is hey, listen,
I'm doing my best, but I don'thave to always be a big revenue
(18:46):
producer to still continue toearn what I need to earn for my
own personal life.
And that, in that aspect that Iknow I've got a team of people
we're all pulling towardreaching our goals, which helps
me.
That supports me in a muchdifferent way where I can do
other projects that help elevatethe business in general, but
(19:07):
not always the direct line isit's not always I'm coming back
and generating a revenue to helpelevate the business, because
what you're doing elevates goldwaves and the people that are
part of that team through Nahaand all these things in a very
strong but indirect way.
So I think that's fantastic aswe start to kind of get near a
(19:28):
little bit at the end of ourtime.
Man, we could talk a whole lotlonger for sure, but I guess one
of my here's the perspective Iwant you to take now is you now,
as you know, experienced in theindustry.
You know where you are withjust your accomplishments and
where you stand in Gold Waves asa part of that team and the
(19:51):
role you take on there.
What's your perspective onsomeone brand new that enters in
, that might walk in the door atGold Waves now?
Now they're the person thatmight be.
Let's just say, hey, listen,they're fresh out of school, you
know, and now this is theirfirst stopping point, you know,
(20:11):
in their first job in theindustry.
How do you see team benefitingthat person that's like brand
new, because I know you've gotgreat perspective on that
because you've you're, you'reseeing that, you're observing
that.
So how do you look at that?
Speaker 2 (20:28):
I feel like they are at a huge advantage.
You know, like I wish that I wasborn into my career, into you
know, something like this, this,because I don't know what I
would have done.
You know earlier, younger Deja.
I don't know what she wouldhave done if she would have had
the opportunities you know from,uh, from a much younger
(20:49):
standpoint in their career.
So, um, I think that not onlyare they at a huge advantage,
but I I feel like it lendsitself to like in our salon, we
have an apprentice program, andso our apprentices are so
supported and they go throughhaircutting education, styling
(21:12):
education, color educationbefore they are even out on the
floor, and so we're making surethat our quality and their
quality and everybody iscomfortable is all there before
they even touch guests.
So they get education, they getan amazing team, they are
(21:33):
learning, because that is sosuper important, and then just
learning all the ways that theycan be successful as fast as
they can, whereas like being bythemselves, like you only know
what you know, you know, andwhen you have a team, it's, it's
just so much more powerful.
Speaker 1 (21:50):
You know I'm thinking and I'm going to ask you to
give give one word as adescriptor and I'll kind of get
it started.
You know, out of today what Iheard was this it's almost like
if I had to kind of summarizetoday's you know, our
conversation today and say, if Iwould identify, like in one
word, what's the benefit of your, from, from your perspective,
(22:12):
your point of view, what's oneword that'd be like the benefit
of being part of a team cultureor seeking out a team culture.
If you're out there and you'reyou feel like man, if you're
listening and you're like man, Iwould love to have what I'm
hearing.
Like I want to have what Dejahas.
Like what's Gold Wave's address?
Like I need to.
Maybe, maybe I need to move toFort Worth and get myself come
(22:33):
on down, come on down to Texas,but if I'm looking for team or
something like that in my area,I think the one word I would
describe that came out of todaywas I just feel like the
underlying is you talked a lotabout the word support and I
think that's the key word that Iwould use is I feel like
everything you talked about,whether it's someone brand new
(22:54):
or maybe someone that's moreveteran in the industry or
things like that is being partof a team offers you support,
and then you could take that.
You know a lot of different ways, whether it's support
personally, or supportcreatively, or support just in
our day to day or, you know, inour, in our work, in our culture
, things of that nature.
So I think support stands outto me.
(23:16):
If you had to give one word tokind of just describe in general
, not only just the conversationtoday, but just being part of a
team or that environment, whatword would stand out to you?
Speaker 2 (23:29):
I think the number one thing is opportunity.
I think that a team offers moreopportunity than being solo
ever could, in so many ways.
Speaker 1 (23:43):
Boom, I mean, that's it Done, that's it Done.
We don't need to say anymore,we don't need to make a big deal
.
I think you fit it perfectly.
I think that's awesome, I thinkit's a great.
I think that's a greatobservation just to say, hey,
listen, you've again 25 yearsnow in the industry.
It's like you've been in alldifferent phases, all different
(24:06):
environments, things like that.
It's like your perspective nowis just like all I see is even
this point in your career.
All I see is opportunity,probably opportunity for you to
still continue to grow, butopportunity for people like we
just talked about someone that'sbrand new, so I think that's a
great way to wrap today up.
Deja man, it's been awesometalking to you, thank you so
(24:28):
much for joining us.
Speaker 2 (24:30):
Thank you for having me.
Speaker 1 (24:31):
Awesome and best of luck with all of the things that
you're doing.
Best of luck with, like I said,all this stuff like between
Naha and all the differentthings that you're doing.
Best of luck with, like I said,all this stuff like between
Naha and all the differentthings that you're involved with
as an educator and whatnot.
Man, wish you the best.
I appreciate it.
Thank you so much.
All right, and thank you toeveryone else that's joined us
today on today's podcast.
Again, we look forward totalking to you soon, but between
(24:54):
now and then, have a great day.
Speaker 3 (24:57):
Thanks again for listening to the Beauty Business
Strategies podcast.
If you liked this episode, besure to hit follow To learn more
about how strategies can helpcreate more fun, profit and
growth potential for you, yourcompany and your team.
We invite you to schedule afree 60-minute strategy session
by clicking the direct link inthe description of this episode.
Popular Podcasts
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.