Hairdresser Strong: Empowerment Through Community
Welcome back! Let's break down the previous blog. At the end, I mentioned that we want to build a place where all beauty professionals can thrive as individuals, but with the support of a community. l through empowerment, education, exposure, and decentralization.
Let’s start with empowerment!
Oxford Languages defines empowerment as the process of becoming stronger and more confident, especially in controlling one's life and claiming one's rights.
I love the fact that the definition of empowerment has the word “strong” in it! Having control over your life and claiming your rights is just so deep to me. Control over your life is a challenging one. Today’s world seems so out of all of our control. Whether it is political, legal, biological, sexual spiritual, or psychological, many of us may feel like we have no control.
I always start with little things. Look for those little wins. Remember what I said in the first blog, just get started and figure it out along the way. Start with waking up a little early and making your bed. *(I got that from this amazing speech)*. (if this does not speak to you, find what does)
It is tools like an inspirational speech, a template to make your life easier, support from your community, or a nudge that leads to feelings of empowerment.
Find your tribe, find your crew, and make sure you have support. A person without a community may think they have control because their world revolves around themselves. Other people without community will feel lonely. There is another aspect: community strengthens us. We are, biologically, not meant to be in isolation. Google it!
When looking for your community, figure out what works for you. Having similar beliefs or goals is important. You can have many communities or tribes. I have many and each one is important to me. I get something so vital from each of my tribes that I am not sure what life would be like without them.
We will not talk about those groups of people who are unhealthy, we are talking about healthy, constructive, and empowering communities…do away with the unhealthy ones!
I have a community where we got each other's backs in the toughest times.
I have a community that supports each other’s spiritual journey.
I have a community that holds me accountable for my entrepreneurial goals.
I have a community that is just there to kick it and remind me to not be so serious!
Do not be afraid to ask your crew for help. Ask them for advice or input. Each person has life experience that is invaluable. Get to know people and their stories. Love others, care for others, and empathy is the single most important trait any person can have
Ask yourself, who is your crew? Do you have more than one? Do you know their stories? Do they support you? Do they believe in you? Do you support them? Do you believe in them?
This is not a one-way street though. Empowerment also comes from helping others or building things and/or accomplishing things with others. This can be scary for some of you, this may be supernatural for others!
…my pastor said in a sermon that “Letting someone help you is more about them than it is about you.” Do not be selfish and deny people the opportunity to give by not allowing them to help you…
Are you starting to understand? To be empowered means seeking out and using whatever tools and resources are available to accomplish your goals. A huge part of this is your relationships with others…
Finally, empowerment comes from within. Do not be afraid to go it alone and try new things. Do not be afraid of failure. Failure is not trying. If you do not try, you fail. Everything else is a learning experience.
We, at Hairdresser Strong, would love to build community with you. We try to provide tools and resources for you to use to achieve your goals and we try to make it easy to hear others’ stories as it pertains to this concept and our industry. Reach out to our guests. Reach out to us. We will not be the answer to everything, but we should be able to point you in the right direction!
Like I said before, having more than one community ensures that you are not upset that one person or group is not the answer to all of your problems or prayers. The answer will be found in another tribe, yourself, and/or God.
We are all individuals with our own paths and destiny. What is yours? We want to hear from you? How can we help you? Do you want to help us? We look forward to getting to know you!
Robert, a 20-year veteran, has worked passionately, for the bulk of his career to empower stylists, democratize the industry, and shift the power dynamic to be more equitable for the hairdresser.
