“I can’t Imagine A World In Which I Would Have A Salon And Not Have An Apprentice”

Stripe Colour Studio on why more salons need to invest in the next generation  

by KELSEY | DOCUMENTS

“Do you care what happens to the future of hairdressing? If you do, then you need to take apprentices on. It can’t just be every man for himself” – Nancy Stripe, owner of Stripe Colour Studio, Handforth 

“I can’t imagine a world in which I would have a salon and not have an apprentice. The two go hand in hand, and as a salon owner, it frees you to do so much more for your own business.  

“My job is not an everyday nine-to-five job – I do lots of different things outside of the salon and I can’t work the way I do without them. Zoe is now a graduate stylist and Kitty will be completing her apprenticeship this year, so I’ve always got to be thinking, ‘Where would I be this time next year if either of them left? What would happen?’ With them on the team, I can do more teaching and go to places I need to go. Apprentices are the most important people in the salon.  

“I also like to bring them along to events and education as much as possible. I want to get them involved in things they find exciting because hairdressing is not an average job and there are so many avenues you can go down. When I went to London earlier this month, Kitty came with me and was my right hand while I was teaching. I want to show them that to curate your dream job with your dream clientele, this is where it starts. 

“Salons need to show their apprentices what’s next. If you have some fun projects happening or things that aren’t necessarily everyday appointments, bring apprentices into the fold and allow them to be part of it. That, in turn, gives them a better view of what their career can be.  

“It baffles me that everybody’s just thinking for themselves now. Do you care what happens to the future of hairdressing? If you do, then you need to take apprentices on. It can’t just be every man for himself.” 

Zoe and Kitty working hard at Stripe Colour Studio

“To do a hairdressing apprenticeship, you’ve got to really want to do it. You can’t be 50/50 about it” – Zoe Mcgruer, Graduate Stylist, Stripe Colour Studio, Handforth  

“My mum is a hairdresser, so it’s something I’ve always considered doing for my career. I enjoyed doing all my friends’ hair, but I qualified as a nail technician first before deciding on this industry. It made me realise that I wanted to give hairdressing a go, so I came and worked for Nancy. 

“In this area, there’s no other salon like us – no other space specialises in colour and grey blending, so I knew it was the right choice to work at Stripe. Everyone is so supportive in the team, and watching how everyone does things differently has made the experience so enjoyable.  

“I’m newly qualified, and I’m still learning from Nancy as I go. If you’re not sure about something, just say how you feel. Be honest and say this isn’t working for me. If everyone’s honest with each other, you can move forward. There are no bad feelings. No one takes it personally.  

“Finding a really good boss – someone who actually cares about you – is so important. Nancy doesn’t just care about how we are at work, but also outside of work; she always checks up on us. She looks out for us and I think you need that. It’s good to have guidance from someone experienced to support you with going in the right direction.

“To do a hairdressing apprenticeship, you’ve got to really want to do it. You can’t be 50/50 about it – it’s a job that you’ve got to give 110 per cent in no matter what, because it is not an easy job to be doing. My advice is to find somewhere that suits you – don’t just stick it out if it’s not working.” 

Nancy with Zoe and Kitty

“It’s been one of the most positive journeys of my life, and I can’t take anything bad away from it” – Kitty Dyson, Apprentice, Stripe Colour Studio, Handforth 

“I’m really happy with how I’m progressing through my apprenticeship. I can’t believe how fast the two years have gone and how fast I’ve learned everything. It’s been one of the most positive journeys of my life, and I couldn’t take anything bad away from it. 

“My grandma was a hairdresser, so I grew up around it. I used to go to work with her if my parents couldn’t look after me, so I’d go and help her by passing the perm papers. I was always around it and hairdressing has always interested me. It’s the atmosphere of the salon that I love the most – we’re all in it together. It doesn’t matter what has happened before I arrive, I know we’re still going to have a nice day together. 

“I’m with Nancy pretty much all day, so I’m by her side learning all the time. It could be watching a certain placement of the foils or a technique or product being used. I learn the why behind it and ask the questions that needed to be asked. I try to absorb as much knowledge as I can.  

“While the first year was a slower pace, the second year has ramped up. Now, I will help Nancy with root shadows or blow-dries when she is back-to-back with clients. You can’t expect to be doing a set of highlights after a month of training; you need to be realistic with your expectations, but bit by bit, the pieces will all come together.”