Meagan Gallman

Not Just A Hairstylist…. From Small Town Hairstylist to Making Big Moves

#BOSSLADY DETAILS:

Name & Surname: Meagan Gallman

Strengths: Master Colorist behind the chair. Salon Business and educating hairstylists. Setting stylists up for success in the beauty industry.

Country: United States

Industry: Beauty Industry

Favorite quote: Be stubborn, be quick, persevere, but most of all, stay humble.

Who is Meagan Gallman?

I have been a stylist behind the chair for 14 years. I am the owner of The Magnolia Parlor in Mississippi and I have 5 amazing stylists that I could not be prouder of working under me. I am also an Educating Artist for both Joico and Olivia Garden. I would not have the amazing career today without the help of my family. It takes a village. I am so in love with my career as a colorist and educator. I feel like I never have to work. It would be difficult to find someone as passionate about her career more than I. I was always meant to be in the beauty industry. I never had a backup plan. I even asked for a set of hot rollers for Christmas at 8 years old. Fun fact, they still work perfectly! I am a contributing guest writer for multiple beauty publications. So next to my passion for hair, is writing. How perfect is it that I can incorporate each of my passions into my career as a hairstylist?

Fun fact about me; at one time, public speaking was one of my worst nightmares. Now, I could not imagine my career without it.

What are some of your biggest achievements throughout your journey?

1.Published Colorist for multiple publications nationally and internationally.

2.Opening my salon, The Magnolia Parlor. Specifically, opening in the middle of a pandemic and navigating through those treacherous, virus filled waters and still maintaining my sanity…. somewhat.

3.Checking off more dreams from my Career Bucket List than I ever thought possible.

4.Received Best Hair Salon for Mississippi Magazine 2021 in being open less than 6 months.

What are 3 business principles that are of core value to you?

1.Leadership

2.Dedication to succeed, not just for yourself but to help and inspire those around you to grow.

3.Pay attention to detail. Put yourself in the consumer’s position. If you were the client, what details matter to you? What would make your company stand out in a sea full of others?

What is the hardest part of being an entrepreneur?

Turning off the business side of my brain to focus on something else. My mind is constantly on Salon Business. Whether it is writing marketing strategies, creating a 12-month education plan for the salon, or even just staring at reports from the month prior to check the growth as a salon.

How do you stand out in this digital world?

I create digital education regularly. And that could mean anything from techniques to formulations, to salon business for the future. I am a big picture artist. Everything that I am creating in this moment is meant to benefit my salon and team for years to come. I am also a huge advocate for new stylists to the industry. So not only am I mentoring them into being an amazing stylist both digitally and behind the chair, but I am also teaching them to recognize their worth from the start. Teaching them to know their worth, how to financially guide them for the future. Let’s face it, the beauty industry is alone when it comes to ensuring healthcare, retirement, etc… I want them to be smart so that they can retire at a time when they can still appreciate the career that they worked so hard to build rather than resent it. I work to inspire hairstylists to know their worth and how to build their own legacies.

What was one of the biggest mistakes that you have made throughout your journey and what lesson did you learn from it?

I do not make mistakes. I do not believe in them. Mistakes are only discoveries with the chance to approach the situation from an alternate perspective. Trust me when I say that I have made TONS of discoveries. Making discoveries will make anyone a better businessperson. I am not perfect. No one is. I regularly discover that I could have approached a situation in a different manner. Perhaps the outcome would have panned out better. I have discovered that I should pay more attention to things that are happening now. Over the years, I have overlooked times in the present because I felt like it did not apply to my situation. Or what is happening in one area will not happen to me. I have been humbled a few times because I felt like I had everything in control. Plot twist, I do not. For the longest time, I was the cricket. I was content with what I had in the moment. It took me a long time to learn to be the grasshopper. Now I do my best to be prepared for the future, no matter what it is. And that could be said for any industry, not just mine.

What is your key to success?

Dedication, education, and determination. When you hear the word “no,” it doesn’t mean never. It just means not right now. Pay attention, play your cards right, and your time will come.

What does success mean to you?

Success isn’t just about creating amazing hair. Of course, it is my passion, but its knowing that I have done something right for future generations and I do not just mean future stylists. I mean for my children as well. Hairstylists aren’t taken seriously. People feel like it is a “play job” and we must fight to been seen as valuable. I decided years ago that I would turn a job that few take seriously into an empire and I fight every day for that. I want my children to be proud and to see that with hard work, they can absolutely achieve anything.

In Conclusion:

The beauty industry is a completely different world. It is one thing to go through the motions every single day doing the exact same thing during each appointment. Yes, practice makes perfect, but too much repetition without growth equals irrelevance. With this industry-changing all the time, it is extremely important to continue to educate yourself in all areas of your craft. Being a successful hairstylist and salon owner requires an obscene amount of dedication to grow. It is never ok to get comfortable in your craft. You must always be willing to learn. Success doesn’t come from contentment. It comes from perseverance and strategic business savvy. We grow, we stay relevant. We continue the drive to stay relevant, we can retire happily without resenting a career that we worked so hard to build and hopeful have made a difference in the lives of other hairstylists along the way. Please give us a bit of background on yourself