We’ll stick to the advice of Adam Bogucki, Living Proof Creative Team Member, when it comes to the consultation: Listen to clients and assume they want an entirely different haircut, color, or style when they sit in your chair. His straightforward advice is why we’ve selected him as Premier Beauty’s November Educator of the Month!

How’d you get your start in education?

Right off the bat, I was always interested in education and have been doing it for 11 years now. I’ve had experience training Sephora, Ulta, and Nordstrom staff how to retail, so you could say that I know how to talk about hair products!

What’s the best way to sell a product to a customer?

The key is listening. Find out what they want and explain to them why they need a certain product. Know the product in and out so you can find talking points and connections between their problems and the solutions. Know your audience, as well. If your client is more interested in the ingredients, talk about that instead of what celebrity is using the brand. The opposite goes the same way. Tell the client “what’s in” instead of what’s in it.

What’s your favorite product from Living Proof?

It’s so hard to say what’s my favorite. The brand new product, Body Builder, is something I run out of often. It’s different than other products because it allows me to adjust the nozzle to add the right amount of product, so I’m getting multiple products and multiple uses out of the bottle. It makes sense and has a value to clients.

What's the newest, freshest approach you're bringing to education?

I’m known for my layering techniques and cutting the hair 50/50, so half of the haircut is done wet and half is done dry. I believe every haircut should have a little bit of both.

What are the common problems faced by stylists today?

Our newest issue is Instagram. Clients are coming in with bigger requests than they have in the past. We’ve all had the client with black hair who wants to be white blonde in one sitting. If you’re not comfortable doing something, don't do it. If someone is bringing you in a picture and you don’t know how to cut it, say, “That’s not my specialty, let me refer you to a coworker.” Be truly honest with yourself and what your skills are. Myself, I don’t really do fashion colors. One of my employees does so I’m happy to refer them when situations like this happen.

More on consultation: Men who get a haircut every eight to nine days deserve a consultation every time. You’re kind of assuming they want the same thing, but by not having a consultation, you’re not giving your regular clients an option to change. Suggest they go longer or shorter—don’t get stuck in a rut giving them the same haircut.

What new skill would you like to learn?

I want to learn how to play the ukelele!

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