Author: Joseph Kellner

Hairdresser/Mua/Photographer/Film-Maker/Artist in Orlando, Florida 34787

Impossible is just a state of mind!

~ Joseph Kellner

 

How about you? How are your resolutions going? Are you continuing down your chosen path? Or is your confidence fading? After two weeks doubt can start creeping into the thoughts. “The first week was great! But this week I don’t feel so good,” are normal. Like all great achievements, there is a weeding-out period. The weak must be separated from the strong. The “wheat from the chaff“.

So today I would like to appeal to your pride. Yes, step aside for a moment and let me talk to your ego.

Ok Mr. pride and Ms. ego, now that we’re alone, let me ask you!. What would it mean to you to be one of the few who makes it? What if the goal you have chosen is difficult, so difficult most people quit after two weeks, but you keep going? What does that say about you? Doesn’t that mean you are stronger than most?

And what about the negative thoughts that weed their way in? Can’t they motivate you even more? You could choose instead to welcome all the negative thoughts into your head. The more the merrier. Yes, let them all in as long as you do one simple task….show up and work your plan.

Look at it this way. You might think “this goal is impossible!” But if you simply show up and keep going, you will be doing the impossible. Again, what does that say about you? It might say you “chew up impossibilities and eat them for breakfast.” The negative challenges are part of the process – part of your life story.

What if there were no negative thoughts, no challenges? I’ll tell you…nobody will ever read your book! Nobody wants to read a book about how you climbed Mount Everest with the greatest of ease. “It wasn’t even cold” you say. “The air was fresh and clear..we even had a picnic on the top.” Makes for a boring story doesn’t it?

The challenges we inevitably face are part of our life stories. We can even learn to appreciate them as necessary to well-rounded success. We can record them in our journals, blogs, videos and tell them to our grandkids one day. So let the negativity come and make a note of it as you continue down your path. Your grandkids will thank you for it.

Joseph Kellner

Jesse & Flo Briggs Donor For The Real Hair Truth.com

~ Joseph Kellner

Jesse Briggs, an Internationally renowned artist, educator, salon owner, lecturer, inventor, author, and haircolor expert is known for his extensive education and high-octane charisma. Born in a small Texas town, Briggs leveraged his drive, creativity and love of the industry to take him from bleak poverty to entrepreneurial success in record time! He has taught standing-room-only crowds from Milan to New York to Los Angeles, and together with wife, Flo, he has acted as mentor to countless young stylists, colorists and future salon owners.

The International vision he developed in his travels has allowed him to easily communicate with people from all walks of life and appreciate the energy and creativity of today’s hairdressers, and his 360-degree business view has enabled him to develop a strong network of Yellow Strawberry Global Salons, with the 50-chair, multi-million dollar flagship in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Over the years, Jesse, Flo and Yellow Strawberry have garnered many impressive awards, accomplishments and accolades.

  • Co-founder of Haircolor USA—the world’s largest haircolor show
  • Appeared in dozens of international magazines, including Vogue, Harpers Bazaar, Elle , Allure, First for Women, Ladies’ Home Journal, Teen, People and In-Style
  • Television appearances on major shows such as Extra, Inside Edition, Howard Stern, Ambush Makeover, High School Reunion and Deco Drive, as well as appearances as a beauty authority on all the major network’s affiliates and MTV
  • Honored as one of the Top 75 Educators of the Century by Modern Salon magazine
  • Author of The ABC of Hair Cutting and the founder of an advanced training academy in Ft. Lauderdale, FL
  • Creator of the S-Wave Thermal Set™
  • Creator of Style-Stars™, the first online stylist competition

Yellow Strawberry Salons

Caribbean Dream Relaxer

David Velasco Donor For The REAL HAIR TRUTH.COM

~ Joseph Kellner

 David Velasco

With over 30 years Experience in the field of hairdressing, Velasco has become one of the industry’s leading authorities. 

Velasco began his career at the young age of 16 in Tampa.Fla. he soon moved to London, England were he worked and studied his craft with world renown hairdressers of that era.

Upon return to the USA Velasco began to develop his skills as an Educator and Effective Communicator while working with John & Suzzane Chadwick at the “Hair Fashion Development Center” on New York’s 5th Ave.

By the age of 21 Velasco was STYLES DIRECTOR for the SAKS FIFTH AVE. beauty salon in New York City. Over the next 20 years Velasco became involved in almost every aspect of hair related activities possible. Including such achievements as, Freelance Hair Designer for photo sessions with major beauty publications and television commercials. He has held such prestige positions as Educational and Creative Consultant to CLAIROL INC., SHISEIDO LTD.,& THE WELLA CORP..

He has preformed as the Featured Guest Artist and Master Educator at hundreds of trade events throughout the world. His presentation at the 1993 HAIRCOLOR U.S.A., symposium was rated BEST EDUCATIONAL EVENT by his peers.

Velasco has been a Contributing Author to many hair related articles for both consumer and professional publications and books. Velasco held a position as the NATIONAL ARTISTIC DIRECTOR FOR THE WELLA CORP. for ten years and is a member of the INTERNATIONAL HAIRCOLOR EXCHANGE. 

Velasco was formally the DIRECTOR OF HAIRCOLOR for the world renown BUMBLE & BUMBLE SALON in NEW YORK CITY and presently resides over his own salon David Velasco Salon, LTD. in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. David and his Salon are proud members of INTERCOIFFURE MONDIAL, which is the most prestigious international hairdressing organization in the world. 

David currently teaches a two-day hair color seminar called “Color Clusters” with his dear friend and colleague Dee Levin and is also in the process of launching a new company called “Salon Success Systems” and a “Mini Book Series”  aimed at hairdressers and salon owners who want to achieve success in the salon industry

DAVID VELASCO SALON

HAIRCOLOR CLUBHOUSE

Phil Stone Donor to THE REAL HAIR TRUTH

~ Joseph Kellner

Phil Stone never really wanted to do hair. Instead, for several years, Phil lived as a starving artist in the underground comic book industry as an illustrator. He illustrated graphic comic books that were not only rejected by the editor, but absolutely abhorred by the distributor. After nearly eight years of becoming infamous through police records and overdue bar tabs across the country, Phil reluctantly crawled out of his hole of an apartment and attended a hair show in Detroit with his mother, who is still a stylist today.

Phil discovered Irvin Rusk on stage and was entranced by the way the hair fabric was manipulated into a three-dimensional animated form. Inspired by the creation of living, breathing art, Phil decided that day he was going to be a stylist. For two years, Phil went through a rigorous apprenticeship under his mother and long-time friend, quitting every Friday out of frustration, and coming back to the training every Tuesday out of determination to succeed. It was a long two years. Six months before graduation, Phil went through his RUSK training and became a RUSK Designer. It was exactly what he was looking for. To Phil, RUSK was like Andy Warhol’s Factory on a global scale.

A sharing of ideas and opinions to achieve a certain goal through art. Being the gung-ho manic depressive artist that Phil is, spiced up with ADHD, Phil dedicated himself not only to RUSK, but also to his salon and the Detroit fashion scene (if there really was one). Doing hair for local fashion designers for runway events, photo shoots, and fine art photography allowed Phil to express himself relentlessly. Within two years, Phil had worked at two salons and then built his own, only to close it a year later after becoming a full-time Education Manager and full-time International Guest Artist for RUSK.

For several years thereafter, Phil traveled the world on a full-time basis to far away places like London, Dubai, Paris, Australia, Toronto, and Paducah, Kentucky. Phil also became a New York fashion week stylist for four years, styling hair for designers such as B Michael, Sabayashi, Obedient Sons, Buckler, and Nicholai, to name a few. Tired of the snobbery and ego-maniacal facades, Phil went into doing the hair for the people he really loved, playmates for Playboy.tv, and Maxim Hometown Hotties.

Phil has always, and still does, believe in the grass-roots policy of RUSK: To not only do a fantastic haircut, but also have the passion to share it with others. Like Jackson Pollock, Phil stumbled upon his medium of expression through circumstance and found true artistic success through hair.

The fear of being stagnant and artistically dead motivates Phil to continue learning and discovering new ways to express himself through hair.

Rewiredhair.com

Salon Employment Structure Is In Default

~ Joseph Kellner

In this day and time going to Cosmetology school is not very cheap. You are looking at a minimum cost of $14.000 – $19.000 for tuition and thats not all the costs. A student leaves the school and wants reliable employment! Simple college students come from a four year school and leave on their own to get employment. Today a college graduate will get entry positions in his/her profession offering, insurance, weekly pay, 401k, paid holiday, etc. But the picture for the graduating Cosmetology student is not brighter than it was forty years ago.

A salon owner will open the store, add employee’s, and offer the products, chair, all you need to be a hairdresser in there salon. And might I also add you will be given a schedule, and no hourly pay, not insurance, no paid holiday, NO 401K, NOTHING ONLY A CHECK. And that’s is if you get that at all.

Individuals say to me, ” I am a salon owner, it costs a lot to run a business”! I normally reply,” I didn’t tell you to open it”

Dont fall prey to the normal offerings you get when seeking employment, look for wages, benefits, this is a time when in the next Fifty years a lot of individuals will not stay in the profession because it is an unrealistic profession, pertaining to the subjects of wages, and benefits. If I went to school today and was offered 50% commission , after the fact I just spent close to $14.000 dollars I would have another look at a more stable profession. This is the year 2009, going onto 2010 and the commission structure is way out-of-place in this time period. Students cannot get a decent entry-level position in this industry and be able to afford there BILLS. How can you go to work everyday and worry about your rent, and basic needs. If the salon owner is not giving you a wage consistent to the economics of this time we are in. Then you are throwing your money away. There needs to be a change not a verbal response to cool the present misdeeds, but a nationwide charge to accept this ever growing cancer.

There is too much supply than demand in my industry, and thoughtful consideration to all salon owners in the profession are not all alike. There are some really good business minded owners, and a lot I truly respect. And then the chain salons ruin the atmosphere for the small business owner. There are so may storys I have received from ex-employes of the REGIS corporation that would make your blood curl. These large conglomerates make millions of dollars every year and cannot offer there employees decent pay, or benefits. And the turn over is so great. They will say in their employment packages that they offer this and that but don’t be fooled by their LINGO”. If you are getting out of the Cosmetology school and have a wonderful education stay away from these corporations for employment.

So you sit there waiting on a client, and lets say your schedule is from 10am-5pm and not a person has walked through the door. You have spent a whole day in the salon without pay, being given commission, and not making any profits for the day. And can I also add in you folded towels, swept the floor, answered the phone, etc for the salon also. So if the salon owner hires you he or she should have the business to give to you. Not everyone wants to hear, “Well Juli it was a slow day, here take some cards and pass them out”. Or I love this one,”You gotta pay your dues Juli”.

If a salon owner hires you they should hire you to build you up, not to have you here to cover hours, or wait until a (WALK-IN) comes through the door. This problem did’nt expose itself like a Florida sunrise. The salon professional is still languished in the poverty of prior decades of ill management. And bad business practices. But believe me the bank of justice is not bankrupt anymore. There needs to be a justice for the professional, and not words of, WORDS DON’T PAY THERE BILLS!

I never hired anyone unless I had the business to take them on, and I expected a commitment from them also, I started them out part-time. and also set up product knowledge class’s for them. Photoshoots were next on the list, and I also showed them how to set up a website, and teach them about internet marketing. I have a dress code I pay for the first four uniforms. I send them to schools, I pay for the school, they pay for plane and hotel. I send them away twice a year. Not to a class. But to 5 day class’s. Also two weeks paid vacation. And I also give them clients. But they also have to help themselves.

I run a business, and I have certain requirements. Just Like other corporations. But you have to find the right person to take and bring into the salon. Some salon owners will hire anyone just to have coverage of hours. And a lot of really great young stylists I have seen I have turned away because I did’nt have the business for them. I WASN’T GOING TO USE THEM.

These are human beings, young minded professionals and one bad turn from a salon owner or a corporation can leave a mark on these people. I consider myself fair when adding on an employee, and offer them benefits, education and most off all I TEACH THEM TO STAND ON THERE OWN TWO FEET”. To be self-sufficient and keep the passion of the craft. I suggest Unionization for our industry. To look out for the employee, salon owner to offer more just compensation for both sides of the record. Salon owners these days also have to deal with non-committal from there employee’s, lack of professionalism. Lack of want.

A more structured industry will also cleanse the have’s and the (INNER CIRCLE) that plagues the industry. The manufacturers will not longer be in a decisive mode to oppress the profession. But to give to the true professionals in my industry the right and the equal cause to be more assertive and produce, and to grow. Isn’t this also in the constitution. Thats is why I feel the industry professionals, wether it be employee, or business owner there needs to be some form of representation.
In a legal manner. And when these words are spoken and also written It makes the INNER CIRCLE, laugh, to see a speck in the glass all to easily to wipe away. But this speck cannot be wiped away because it is a ongoing problem. That is manifested its roots every so deeply in my profession.

See I am for both sides, the employee and the salon owner and there must be a common place for both entity’s. Only to give a more balance in our lovely profession. Professionals in my industry want to have some form of balance, commitment from the salon owner, and likewise for the salon owner also. But there must be some form of give and take on both sides of the fence. This profession will not make it for another hundred years with this unbalance, injustice, and FREE LABOR.

Joseph Kellner