A letter from Amanda
Hey, it’s me- Amanda Shaffer!
I believe that each of us has an inner conqueror, a version of ourselves that wants to be better than the day before. When I became successful as a Stylist, I ended up feeling unfulfilled.
The money and the success didn’t make me feel alive, I felt trapped. It was then that I realized I needed a greater mission (to help other people), and I wanted to build an army of Stylists that wanted to conquer together- building something that is bigger than ourselves.
I started as a Salon Assistant out of cosmetology school in Canton, OH. It was there I learned the good (cleaning and supporting others was the first step to self-discipline and success) and the bad (jealousy and backstabbing from other Stylists, embarrassment of making mistakes on real Guests).
Then I went to a booth rental situation where I learned the good (I was able to schedule myself and be in control of product choices) and the bad (even when I didn’t work, I had to pay the rent. I couldn’t get more ‘traffic’ in my chair unless I went out and sought the Clients/Guests myself which made it difficult to maintain a work-life balance).
After this, I went to a commission salon. I saw great success financially, but I felt like I was on a hamster wheel and felt less motivated than ever.
That’s when my husband Josh said it was time to open my own salon. I cried (because I knew it would be a lot of struggle and heartache) but I moved forward with the vision God had set out for me. In my prayer time, I heard the words: you will make a difference in many lives if you just say ‘yes’.
Taking all of my 19+ years of experience, I laid out the good and the bad and made it my mission to create a Salon that solved a lot of the problems in the industry. I have set out to create a family-like atmosphere where there isn’t perfection, but there's a large dose of grace, communication, and support.
Here are the obstacles I sought to overcome vs. how we handle them at HauteDry:
Salon jealousy/drama << communication and teamwork
‘Mine’ mentality << work together for a greater success
Unpredictable Income << layers of pay that provide stability and endless growth
‘Live for today only, forget about tomorrow’ << treating our people like professionals who care about the future
‘Stylist-centered Guest Experience’ << The Guest is our reason for existing
‘I want to be better than everyone << Iron sharpens Iron: education focused
Beauty takes time << Efficiency saves time, and time is a valuable asset
Cutting corners makes you more money << quality is what keeps them coming back for more
Guest POV: Having cash is annoying << Let’s get rid of tips
Guest POV: I’d like to try someone else but I don’t want to hurt feelings << HauteDry has an army of amazing Stylists that can’t wait to serve you. You don’t ‘belong’ to a Stylist, we want what’s best for you.
We are out to break all the Salon norms, but not to be a rebel. We make these decisions because if there is a better way- we will do it.