Keeping your barbering business on track during these chaotic times is quite a task. If you want to generate positive momentum that you can carry into the new year, though, it is essential to stay focused and take intentional steps toward that goal.
Among a variety of other impactful things you can do to set your barbershop up for success in the coming year, focusing on your continuing education can play a vital role in achieving your aims.
Improving Your Barbering Biz with Continuing Education
The importance of continuing education cannot be overstated. In many states, it’s more than encouraged; it’s mandatory. Even if this isn’t the case for you, the benefits of CE as a barber are too numerous to overlook.
Despite being a busy time, the holiday season is a wonderful time to embrace CE. If you can manage the time to focus on your barbering CE as the year comes to a close, you will enjoy tremendous advantages when the calendar turns that final yearly page.
Keep Pace in an Evolving Industry
It’s no secret that the barbering biz is constantly evolving. Trending hairstyles aside, the skills required to stay relevant in barbering are almost always in flux. New tools and techniques continually challenge the status quo, and being at the forefront of change ensures that you are never left behind.
Continuing education for barbers comes in many forms, including classes and workshops. Attending these CE opportunities can inform you of new trends, innovations, products, and methods. If you want to keep pace in the ever-changing barbering business, continuing your education in preparation for the new year is a must.
Offer New Services in the New Year
A new year is accompanied by a host of opportunities to expand your service offerings, boost business, and debut new skills. Doing so can grow your barbering biz, help you reach more potential customers, and even retain your current client base.
Of course, doing so requires that those new skills you’ve acquired are ready to bring to the public. Even if you’ve been practicing them for months, the end of the year is the ideal time to take advantage of continuing education opportunities and polish up those new techniques before officially offering them to your clients.
Reignite Your Passion
Barbering is a demanding profession. Not only does it require physical control and intense focus, but it also involves a dedication to your clients. You often act as a sounding board, wellspring of advice, and hub of the community. It can be truly exhausting, even if you love what you do.
Burnout is not uncommon. By the end of the year, you may find yourself worn out, uninspired, and unsure of how you will continue to bring your best day in and day out in the upcoming year. It’s not a pleasant place to find yourself, even if it’s entirely natural.
Continuing education can be just the spark you need to reignite your passion and enter the new year with enthusiasm. Learning a new technique, surrounding yourself with fiery industry professionals, and taking the time to get back to your barbering roots can be just what the doctor ordered. If you’re feeling burnt out at the end of the year, barbering CE can make all the difference.
Stay Informed and Safe
Because the barbering industry is always in flux, staying up to date on the latest industry regulations and recommendations is important. As a barber, it’s your responsibility to stay informed and stay within the legal boundaries of your profession.
Often, continuing education will cover new legal requirements, safety suggestions, and other vital barbering regulations. Brushing up on these imperative elements of running a successful barbershop can help ensure that you, your clients, and your coworkers stay safe in the new year.
Boost Your Professional Reputation
Having relevant continuing education experience looks great on your resume and reflects well on your professional reputation. Employment opportunities will undoubtedly look favorably on your CE, and discerning customers will do the same.
If you want to maintain a high level of professionalism and keep your reputation pristine, immersing yourself in continuing education during the holiday season is a surefire way to kick off the new year with excellence.
The end of the year can be hectic, but it is also a time of opportunity, thanks to continuing education. No matter your experience level or physical location, you can give yourself a dream start to the new year by finding CE opportunities.
For example, the National Association of Barbers is more than just a barbering liability insurance provider; it is your ally in the barbering world. As an NAOB member, you receive access to many of the nation’s top continuing education programs so you can enjoy the advantages above (and more).
Be sure to subscribe to NAOB for the latest barbering insights, check out our blog for free value, and join our barbering insurance community for a host of benefits, including CE opportunities.
