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How to become a stylist?

Share your journey & guide aspiring stylists on their path!

Note: We've seen a lot of interest in this career, so we're looking for guidance from our community of professionals.

career-path stylist
Thank you comment icon Hello, To provide you with the most beneficial advice, it would be great if you could clarify your question a bit more. Are you interested in becoming a stylist in a specific field such as hair, fashion, or home decor, or perhaps something else? The more information you provide, the more comprehensive and useful responses we can generate for you. Leslie Lazarus
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David L.’s Answer

My daughter is a stylist. She attended cosmetology school at our local community college. This gave her a firm foundation, including working with clients in the school's salon. The school offered assistance in getting placed in a position after graduation, but I would suggest building some relationships with salons and their owners as you approach graduation. As always, seek advice from people who are successful and experienced in the field. Once you are in the field, never stop learning. Your school will not teach you everything you need or want to learn, especially if you are interested in a niche specialty. Seek additional training when you can. If you work in larger salon, training might be offered to you by the owners.

Finally, always keep in mind the need to grow your client list. Don't be afraid to ask people you meet if they have someone currently and if they are satisfied. If they are not locked into a stylist, ask them to give you a chance. You have nothing to lose by asking.
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John’s Answer

Some high schools offer a work-study program where students can complete their high school courses while attending cosmetology school. Typically, those programs require students to get a certain number of practice hours in before they can receive their certification. This is where networking with local salons come in. You'll need to build a relationship with a stylist and basically become their apprentice while you log your practice hours. They might have you help with their work, but as you build your skills, you can likely even start working with their clients and making money. This gives students a lot of freedom and incentivizes them to continue with the career path.

Once you've got your certificate, you can go off on your own. That could look like joining a salon, leasing a chair from an existing salon, or even starting your own business. At this point location and building your client base is essential. Ideally, you'll want to try and focus your efforts on customers who will regularly schedule appointments with you, rather than taking walk-ins. This will help you build long term relationships with clients who trust you. Those clients are key because they will tell their friends about you and continue coming to you regardless of where you might move locally.

The longer you stay in the field, the more you can charge for your services. Clients tend to be very loyal once they've found a stylist they like, and the compensation can be very generous. One key aspect about this line of work is that stylists are kind of like motivational therapists. Clients often come in a talk to their stylist while they are receiving services, sometimes unloading all of their drama. The stylist's job is to make them feel safe, heard, and comfortable, and transform their appearance to make sure that they feel better about themselves when they leave. This can be emotionally draining, but I know of two people who went to cosmetology school during high school and they both have successful, lucrative careers that they love.
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