In this episode, Yene Damtew shares her journey from early curiosity about hair to becoming the founder of Aesthetics Salon, and why education, fundamentals, and business awareness matter at every stage of a beauty career.
This conversation is about longevity, ownership mindset, and building something sustainable beyond trends or titles.
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📺Watch this episode on YouTube📺
Key Takeaways:
🔅Curiosity is the starting point of a lasting career – Yene’s early fascination with hair turned into a lifelong commitment to learning, proving that curiosity is the fuel for long-term growth.
🔅Trade careers require courage, not fallback thinking – Choosing cosmetology meant pushing against cultural expectations, but trades demand discipline, resilience, and entrepreneurial thinking.
🔅Fundamentals protect you when trends change – Mastering core techniques allows stylists to adapt as trends cycle instead of starting over every few years.
🔅Even employees must think like owners – Your book of business, relationships, money, and reputation are still your responsibility no matter how you are paid.
🔅Education is not optional at higher levels – Continued learning in both craft and business is what allows careers and salons to scale.
🔅Relationships are the real asset – Strong client connections protect income, create loyalty, and sustain careers during industry disruptions.
🔅Long-term planning creates freedom – Thinking about savings, injury, family leave, and retirement early allows stylists to build careers that survive life changes.
🔅Community and mentorship prevent burnout – No one builds alone, and seeking guidance is a strength, not a weakness.
📺Watch this episode on YouTube📺
RELATED LINKS
📸Follow Yene on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/yenedamtew/
📸Follow Aesthetics Salon on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/aesthetics.salon/
👉Check out Yene’s Linktr.ee for classes, tools, and more - https://linktr.ee/yenedamtew
The Hairdresser Strong Show is all about Salon Owners, Rising Stylists, and Seasoned Stylists sharing their experiences, successes, failures, and advice to inform, educate, and empower their Fellow Hairdresser. We won’t stop until we are all: Hairdresser Strong.
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The views and opinions of our guests are theirs and important to hear. Each guest's views and opinions are their own and we aim to bring you diverse perspectives, career paths and thoughts about the craft and industry so you can become Hairdresser Strong! They do not necessarily reflect the positions of HairdresserStrong.com
