(1) What is your
essential question? What is the best
answer to your question and why?
My essential question is what is most important in creating a hairstyle that best satisfies a customer? My best answer is using hair products. In my presentations, Tabitha Coffey mentions that consultations are the base of all haircuts. But even before the consultation, the customer will need to be familiar with products and moisturize their hair after every wash with products to receive the most satisfying haircut possible when their haircut is finished. Products is also important because once the customer receives a hairstyle, the customer will want to recreate it. What customers are least familiar with is products. If the customer would ask their stylist what products they used in their hair, it would be easier for the client to recreate the fabulous hairstyle the had originally received.
(2) What process
did you take to arrive at this answer?
My first interview gave me direction on where to go with my project. Stephanie stressed the importance of consultations so I decided that's what I should start to research. I learned a lot of helpful information like what information was needed to create a hairstyle for a certain customer. Questions were required to be asked that I didn't even think of, like knowing what kind of job that the customer has. A lot more was learned but after giving my 30 minute presentation, I figured I had already spent too much time researching on only consultations. To find a second answer, I just typed in on google "how to get the perfect hairstyle." All of the articles I read brought up the importance of knowing what face shape you have and hair texture. Before I never even noticed that people had different face shapes, but after reading the articles, making this an answer just made sense. I came up with my third answer through doing research for my science experiment. I was reading reviews that past customers had made about a stylist they had made and a lot of what customers complained about was how they had no idea how to recreate the style. During my third and fourth interview, Sal and Letty explained to me that it was very important to educate your client on their products. Products ranging from moisturizing to styling products. They explained how they always tried to motivate their customer to take care of their hair. They also made it very clear that teaching your client about different products they may need was very important.
(3) What problems
did you face? How did you resolve them?
A problem that I encountered that dealt with my whole senior project was with mentor ship. I had a mentor that wasn't helping me. He was extremely hard to get a hold of and would never talk to me when I was there. When I finally got him to do an interview, it sucked so much, I couldn't even use it. So I tried to fine another mentor but that was really hard because a lot of places didn't want to take me in because there were legal issues. I could have gotten in there but the owner would have to get special permission from the main company and then it would take months for them to accept me and it was so much work for my potential mentor to handle and I didn't want to force that on them because they were busy. So what I had to do was stick with my original mentor and just try my very best in everything else.
(4) What are the two most significant sources you used to answer your essential question and why?
Stephanie, the manger at the Mastercuts, was my most important source because she covered just about everything on my project. She basically gave me my answers but without even trying. She was just explaining her job. All of what she said was useful and informational. I was able to use everything she gave me. My second most important source was an article Emily Chen wrote about consultations . I have read lots of articles by that time and still didn't understand it until I read her article. It basically dummied down everything all the other cites said.
(5) What is your product and why?
For my product, I've learned lots of skills that I will use in my future. For example, I learned how to properly moisturize hair for different hair types, meaning that my hair is healthier then it was before. This skill I've obtained will be useful for my many years to come because whether I get into theater or just a plain hairdresser, I will be able to help my clients become devoted to taking care of their hair and taking the simple steps to properly moisturize it. Another skill I've learned was from my new mentorship. I learned how to give an awesome fade that my men clientele will certainly appreciate when I give them a haircut. Another skill I've gained was improving my people skills. I've become a little less awkward which will help me in the long run when I'll be working with co-workers and meeting new clients.