Tips for Success in the New Year with Redken Artist Brayden Pelletier
Brayden Pelletier started his career at 16 years old as the “fix it guy,” doing everything from taking out the trash to painting the walls. Now, he’s a 10-year Redken veteran, Redken Exchange facilitator and salon owner. Here, he shares the story of how he got to where he is today, and how other young stylists can strive to reach their goals in 2018.
How Did You Get Your Start In Your Career?
I started working at a Redken salon when I was about 16. After high school, I went to college on a football and track scholarship. I got hurt and had surgery, then returned to work at the salon. I was going to go back to school, but I was making great money. I would go to Redken trainings and Redken classes. I knew it was something I wanted to do and something i wanted to be a part of.
The Redken coaching was so much more than I thought it would be, and it was life changing in the sense that it gave me an immense amount of life and industry knowledge. I also had great mentors --, Carolyn O'Conner, Sam Villa, John Stelatto--they kept the pressure on. I thought they were harder on me than they were on anyone, but they always said that they saw the potential in me.
Why Do You Think It's Important To Have A Mentor?
What I've learned is that it’s important to surround yourself with what you want to become, not who you are. I think the best thing is to find whoever is the most accessible that you strive to be like, who has things in their life that you value— whether it’s that they're great at hair cutting, they're amazing at business, they're a platform artist, they're a business owner, whatever it may be — find someone who excels in those areas where you want to improve and hang out with them!
As a kid, I would just follow the people I admired around, and then they started talking to me. And then one day they gave me an opportunity, and they were like, ‘oh he's serious,’. After that, they were serious about mentoring me. All too often we hang around people at our same level and there's nothing wrong with that, but if you're not hanging out with people who are a level above you, then there's no way to grow. You end up waiting for somebody to put a ladder there, and that's not gonna happen.
What Made You Decide To Transition From Stylist To Salon Owner?
I opened a salon because I wanted to give young stylists opportunities similar to the ones I had been given. I believed that I could create a salon that generates a lot of money, but gauges it on education. I envisioned a salon that I would want to work at: Being a top stylist, having a great career, and growing my staff by nurturing their talent. This year alone we had 14 days of hands-on education with amazing educators like Sam Villa, Ruth Roche, Justin Isaac, John Stelatto, Jason Gribbon, and Hugo Urias. The key to success in the salon is education- that is how stylists find their real rewards and ultimately grow their business.
What Is Your Favorite Hair Trend Of The Moment?
I'm excited to see short, dark hair becoming more popular-similar to that 90's blunt glamorous style. The girls you wouldn't expect to cut their hair short are cutting their hair. I think a girl with short hair is a powerful statement, and to see a lot of girls taking the plunge and cutting their hair shorter--it’s a somewhat rebellious statement. I think that with everything that's going on in the world, independence is big, and it's a powerful thing to see these girls with short dark hair. I think that's the biggest trend right now: Rebellious, short hair.
What Is Your Go-To Redken Product?
My go-to product is Fashion Work 12 — you can put it in wet hair and you can put it in dry hair. I like to layer it in as I build styles. It’s great because it's light enough to spray in after you build a section, but provides enough hold on fine hair to really hold that section. I also find that I can layer it into the hair to increase the control. I think it’s the best product to give clients for travel and to keep in their purse because it’s a very user-friendly product. It’s the perfect product for clients to use when they’re in the bathroom touching up because it’s humidity resistant and gives that no-product feel. So I make sure all my long haired girls and girls with waves have that in their purse!
What New Year's Resolution Do You Think All Stylists Should Make?
I think the biggest thing stylists can do to set themselves up for success in the new year is spend 15 minutes a week working on something they want to improve. I find that as you grow your game, you become really good at one thing, but as a stylist behind the chair, your whole game has to step up. You always want to dedicate time to working on what you're weakest at, not what your best at.
What are your goals for 2018 and how do you plan to achieve them? Tell us in the comment section below!