Janice Scippio Fletcher

I attribute my success to my love of helping people and staying positive. I've always believed that the world is already negative, so why would I want somebody walking around with my hairstyle being negative? I told my clients to get on that escalator, hold their head up high with pride - they're like a walking billboard representing my work. I didn't just do hair, I encouraged my clients to get better jobs and motivated them in all kinds of ways. During a color service, you've got two hours to talk to that customer, and that customer will come back not only for their hair but for the positive things you're telling them. I loved motivating people and meeting diverse clients from all directions - white, black, Chinese, African American, African - and I got a chance to really explore the world through their eyes. People have told me I inspired them to do things, and that's what kept me going. I also had a mentor early on who guided me on purchasing real estate, which helped me buy my first house when I was young and single with a kid, and I paid it off by the time I was in my forties. It was a good ride that I didn't even know I was on, but I loved every minute of helping people and being creative.

The best career advice I ever received was from my mentor when I did my first hair show. I was young, and he asked me what I was doing and where I was going. He told me I either had to open up my own shop or be in a nicer retail location than where I was, because I was in the hood at first. He also mentored me on purchasing real estate, which led me to buy my first house when I was young, single with a kid, and I paid it off by the time I was in my forties. That advice about knowing where I was going and making strategic moves really shaped my career path and helped me achieve things I didn't even realize I was accomplishing at the time.

I would say learn as much as you can in hair while you're in school, because you won't be learning it when you're out there in the field. Learn about color, learn about everything you can, learn about etiquette. Make sure you're confident - some people can do hair, but they're not confident. You have to ask yourself, how do you want to make that customer feel when they leave that chair? What kind of person are you inside? Are you a Debbie Downer coming around with a black cloud over your head while trying to make other people feel good? Or are you the type of person who lets your little light shine? You have to let the light shine for people to even want to sit in your chair. Even if you don't have that naturally, maybe find a customer who can enlighten your shine. But you have to be talented, you have to be positive, and you have to direct that customer - tell them their hair looks good, see you next week, and let them know it's welcome to come back and that you like doing their hair. Some customers don't even know that. They're thinking, did I get on her nerves? I'm not going to go to her anymore. So just tell them when you want to see them - I'll see you next week for a shampoo and blow. Those are the ones that come back.