Interview YOU - Jeremy Leifheit

Q: Name, Position, Years with LP, Years in the industry.

Jeremy Leifheit, L’Oreal Executive Educator, 5 years with LP and 19 years in the industry.

Q:  Team members can come from all walks of life, they have many talents, tell us about your background and how you got interested in working in the professional salon industry.                

I started painting in middle school and when my mother left her hair color out, I picked it up and painted my own hair.  I moved on to my friends’ hair from there.  After graduating high school I applied for a part time job in an English salon.  Little did I know that this quirky pair of Englishmen were incredibly talented and from Vidal Sassoon.  They inspired me so much I began an apprenticeship.  

Q:  How do you stay on top of your game as a resource to your salons and what are some of the resources you rely on? 

Social media has become the most convenient way to stay up to date.  Trade magazines are also a great resource.  Observing trends and what is happening locally in markets helps me guide salons and keep them ahead for their clients.

Q:  How do you keep your salon teams informed and motivated?  

Sharing new ideas and my passion for the industry is a big part.  On-going education is also essential, but I have also found Powerdose days or Formulation days are a great opportunity to get to know what they really want out of their career.

Q:  What does your ideal salon look like?

It is a professional atmosphere that shows passion and care for their clientele.  Retail should never be a dirty word.  It should be an opportunity to extend the service beyond the confines of the salon’s wall.  Regular education is pertinent for all levels of staff members.

Q:  How do you ensure that when you visit your salons, they have the best experience possible each and every time you visit?  

I treat them as I would my clients in a salon. I acknowledge everyone in the salon including support staff.  I also listen to what the clients are telling their stylists and what the stylists are saying to each other.  They will tell you what would make them the happiest.

Q:  What was one interesting thing you heard lately while visiting a salon?

What am I allowed to repeat?  I have something that I have heard before and has always made me proud.  A client told their stylist, “Wow, these products you recommended do everything you said they would!”  I got a wink from the stylist.

Q:  What is something that surprised you lately?  

The lack of foundation of knowledge in our industry keeps surprising me.

Q:  Give us an example of a challenge you came across in a salon and what role you played in overcoming the challenge?

I was in an education planning meeting with a salon owner as a result of their decline in purchase volume.  There were comments like, “they don’t sell retail” or “they are not getting white hair coverage”.  They always wanted technique based classes and after some persuasion, the owner agreed that we needed to refocus their education back to knowledge of the tools they have at their disposal.

Q:  What salon related accomplishment are you most proud of right now?  

The growth of L’Oreal Professionnel in my market makes me very proud.  We have gained some key accounts and there is a lot of momentum.  It takes a team with the same goal to accomplish this.

Q:  What is one trend (good or bad) that you see with salons right now and what are you doing about it?

The lack of concern that the individual stylist has for their business is a big concern.  I am reinforcing that, complacency is not an option and the day you stop growing is the day you start dying.  I help them create a dream and partner with them to achieve it.

Q:  Please share a snippet of wisdom that you would like to impart to the team.

Trust and rapport is more than just a step - it is essential in developing and maintaining a strong business.