Marlene Lamont on Mentoring the Next Generation

I feel as if the younger generation has not had it easy; life milestones have been overshadowed by so much, and the job market has never been so saturated. Inspiring young people to pursue hairdressing has always been my priority with my teaching and getting to share my expertise.

Teaching and taking on apprentices have benefited me personally, my business, and my students in so many ways. Most of the staff within my salon are graduate stylists whom I took under my wing when they looked for guidance, and I’m honoured to watch them grow into the talented stylists they are now. “I am so grateful for Marlene investing in me as a young person and continues to inspire me to push beyond my comfort zone. I appreciate all the hands-on support I’ve had working with her at Urban Hair & Beauty”.

Daily salon activity goes so smoothly for our clients with their extra hands and gives them some real-world hairdressing experience. Overseeing the future talent of the industry grow is so special and I’m always honoured to help shape their skills and build confidence. Which is why at Urban Hair and Beauty, I prioritise turning any moment into a teaching point to help my team develop crucial life skills as well as expand the success of the salon.

I educate most through my role as project extend leader with the fellowship mentoring, developing technical skills and pushing the younger generations’ creative boundaries while working side by side on projects with them “I always look to celebrate the small wins among my students in my mentoring work because it’s so important that their progress isn’t gone unnoticed”.  Another important factor in my role as a teacher is supporting my fellows in creating good industry connections with other students and professionals. This is so important on an educational level, as we must continue to build a strong and supportive community where we focus on advocating for the future talent of the industry and encouraging creative expression.

I am entirely grateful to have the tools to teach the youth within the hairdressing world. I view mentorship as a two-way street. I teach through my expertise while building on my own mentoring skills and my students always give back the favour by developing a supportive and inclusive community that I get to be a part of.

I like to ensure that education is always accessible, so my top tip for progressing is to get out of your comfort zone and push yourself to experience more within the hair & beauty community. The best way I can suggest doing this is by getting involved with the fellowship, as they prioritise empowering, supporting and inspiring you to progress within your career.

For more information on Marlene Lamont or Urban Hair & Beauty, please email lauren@ajc93.com or lily@ajc93.com or call the AJC93 office on 0131 202 0659.