Show notes
What you will learn from this episode: Discover Scalp Micropigmentation's role in the beauty industry Hear how to manage different projects in your business Learn about how one beauty industry veteran has scalped his business Steven Greitzer began his career in Scalp Micropigmentation in 2012. He partnered with one of the world's largest brands and opened their first two locations in Miami and Palm Beach, Florida. He has since become one of the world's leading experts in Scalp Micro-Pigmentation, and he also is sought out for his color theory. His knowledge of machines and needles is so extensive. He's been a speaker at other conventions and also an emcee overseas. Steven was exposed to different skin types and hairline styles which enabled him to be a very versatile artist. He is not only an Award Winning Scalp Micro-Pigmentation Artist, but also a trainer. In this interview, Steven discusses the current state of the Scalp Micro-Pigmentation Industry and the issues of improper training. He talks about his concerns about poor work being showcased on social media, as well as, a disconnect between veteran artists and newcomers in the industry. Steven emphasizes the responsibility that comes with being a trainer and the importance of taking this business seriously. He dives into understanding your limitations as an artist and the challenges of scaling multiple aspects of the business to create additional revenue streams. Finally, he touches on the impact that Scalp Micropigmentation can have on people's lives, and how it is important to approach the industry with the right ethics and intentions. Topics Covered: 01:23 - Steven Greitzer's introduction 03:01 - How he started the evolution of machines and needles 06:20 - Common mistakes in the industry 09:55 - The disconnection between veterans and newcomers in the SMP industry 13:54 - How he evolved as a person to manage different business projects 18:05 - His major lesson learned from the past experiences 19:20 - Challenges affecting the marketplace and the SMP industry 22:51 - Steven's advice to somebody that's just starting 28:09 - How he scaled his business 32:19 - His upcoming events 34:24 - What brings him joy Key takeaways: "There's been this disconnect between veterans who've been doing this a long time, and then new people who are stepping in thinking like, "Oh, well, we're doing it the new way, and this way it looks better than what you guys are doing." And when you've thought and we're all like, "Well, we tried all that. We've done it, and it doesn't heal the right way. It does learn that there'll be a big wake-up call in your fourth, fifth year, and even before that." And it comes down to really just poor training. You know, there's a lot of bad training out there." - Steven Greitzer "Since we live in a social media world, the loudest, biggest, brightest voices get heard. And that's what shows in the marketplace. And people just assume like, "Okay, well this person's got a big following and a bunch of comments and people going, looks great, looks great, looks great, looks great." These people know nothing. And of course, it looks great on Instagram. So there's this really strange disconnect that's happening along with evolution." - Steven Greitzer "Learning how to teach is like cooking. It's easy to make a plate for your wife or your husband whenever, and know that they'll like it. Or for a group of three or four people, you know. But when you start cooking for 30, 40, 50, or a hundred people, You gotta pull the salt. You can't go so spicy. So you gotta curate something digestible, and palatable to the masses. And understand how some people learn by seeing all the different learning types. You gotta learn that. So training is not easy and it's great for financial change. We can get a good amount and it doesn't take too long. But what other people don't realize is, as you start growing, the more students you have, so the questions that come in and the following. You're responsible for these people's future or a good trainer should be. So is something that really should happen. Naturally and organically." - Steven Greitzer "You have to take this business very, very seriously. You can't have one foot in, one foot out. And a lot of people use this as a side gig, and that's okay. But you have to be in it for the right reasons. You can't do this to chase money. Because it's not always amazing, and when you're chasing the money, you don't have the ethics to start to sway a little bit." - Steven Greitzer "Practice, never get a big head and think that you're the best. Cuz even if you are, people are coming up ready to take that spot for you. You can't get complacent. Keep pushing your art, keep pushing your heart, and learn how to market." - Steven Greitzer "Try to find a mentor. If you can find a mentor and really like, put your pride aside. If you really wanna learn, find somebody who's done what you've done, put your pride in your eye and go and learn. I took a complete side step for my career, put everything down, and was like, you know what? If I really want, if I really, really want this to go in this direction, I need to, like I pulled the plug, stopped, humbled myself, went, and just kept my mouth shut for the better part of six or seven months and just absorb and that took me in a whole other direction." - Steven Greitzer