Why?
Problem A: Because we both know the second a Pro-product hits the shelf of an Un-pro or big-box retail store, by default, it can no longer be deemed an exclusive Pro-only product. That's a fact. We all know this (we think/hope).
Problem B: This would not be an issue if our partners had given us a distinguishing replacement. And what we've accepted (because we've no other choice) are products meant for us simultaneously living on unprofessional shelves.
Problem C: By surgically removing us clearly, considerating the above, and given retail is one of the few distinguishing profit centers left (that they'd not - up until now - fully taken), has no words to describe.
Problem D: Equally wordless is their choice of supplant. Those with no education, knowledge, experience, wisdom, certification, or right. (Or so we once thought).
Problem E: We've never owned or governed the term Pro, and consequently, we'll forever be at the mercy of those with the biggest checkbook.
Problem F: As the term is with them, and unguarded, they'll continue to abuse, and bastardized till death. Problem G: And as we now share the term now with the Un-pros we die with it.
Opportunity: We can reject the Professional term and form our own. One we own as a Coop, or form of collective. We trademark it, manage it, and if need be, monetize it. Owned by the industry, controlled by us. Who, where, and how it's used.
Problem A: Because we both know the second a Pro-product hits the shelf of an Un-pro or big-box retail store, by default, it can no longer be deemed an exclusive Pro-only product. That's a fact. We all know this (we think/hope).
Problem B: This would not be an issue if our partners had given us a distinguishing replacement. And what we've accepted (because we've no other choice) are products meant for us simultaneously living on unprofessional shelves.
Problem C: By surgically removing us clearly, considerating the above, and given retail is one of the few distinguishing profit centers left (that they'd not - up until now - fully taken), has no words to describe.
Problem D: Equally wordless is their choice of supplant. Those with no education, knowledge, experience, wisdom, certification, or right. (Or so we once thought).
Problem E: We've never owned or governed the term Pro, and consequently, we'll forever be at the mercy of those with the biggest checkbook.
Problem F: As the term is with them, and unguarded, they'll continue to abuse, and bastardized till death. Problem G: And as we now share the term now with the Un-pros we die with it.
Opportunity: We can reject the Professional term and form our own. One we own as a Coop, or form of collective. We trademark it, manage it, and if need be, monetize it. Owned by the industry, controlled by us. Who, where, and how it's used.
- 1: Vote on Ideas
- 2: Comment on Ideas
- 3: Start a Conversation
- 4: Join Conversation Huddles
One: Be active on the Conversation Roadmap
Two: Attend as many Convo Huddles.
12.14.2022
Cleve & Karen Anne
11:00 CT
A project-specific bi-weekly virtual meetup.
20-minute video call. Designed to be a rapid meet/greet and kick off the conversation. We go one question, one goal, one round of your thoughts, and bounce. It's like an improv; only we're not funny.
20-minute video call. Designed to be a rapid meet/greet and kick off the conversation. We go one question, one goal, one round of your thoughts, and bounce. It's like an improv; only we're not funny.
One: Be active on the Conversation Roadmap
This is the fuel that drives the entire research project and where our views are reflected in real-time. If you do anything, be engaged here.
Comment and Vote on other stylists' Ideas and or start your own. The concept is to get as many ideas on the board as possible. Those that gain traction move up to become a Topic. Once a Topic, three phases validate them worthy of action to be taken.
1: Exploring - 2: Traction - 3: Valid-ready-action.
Comment and Vote on other stylists' Ideas and or start your own. The concept is to get as many ideas on the board as possible. Those that gain traction move up to become a Topic. Once a Topic, three phases validate them worthy of action to be taken.
1: Exploring - 2: Traction - 3: Valid-ready-action.
Completed Surveys and Polls are like oxygen during the early stages. Therefore, we suggest you take as many as you can mindfully engage in.
How the Surveys and Polls work:
Surveys: These will be 2 to 10-minute multi-question surveys, often with a theme or theory we're trying to prove or disprove.
Polls: These will be quick singular questions that may belong to a group or cohort.
Privacy first: Your privacy is always first. That's our commitment to you and this cause.
Anonymity is also guaranteed: Your survey responses and any identifying data are separated by two unconnected databases. They have no way of communicating.
We use decentralized Blockchain storage managed by our API integration with Stacks—a Bitcoin and smart contract provider.
This Blockchain technology further protects you your views and opinions.
All data is end-to-end encrypted, keeping it out of ill-use or manipulated marketing/sales pitches.
We track nothing - period. No IP address or other types of trackers. No data mining or harvesting, and with no identifying data, you'll never see an ad.
We have no interest in 'who's' has responded. That would skew the data and render it useless.
How the Surveys and Polls work:
Surveys: These will be 2 to 10-minute multi-question surveys, often with a theme or theory we're trying to prove or disprove.
Polls: These will be quick singular questions that may belong to a group or cohort.
Privacy first: Your privacy is always first. That's our commitment to you and this cause.
Anonymity is also guaranteed: Your survey responses and any identifying data are separated by two unconnected databases. They have no way of communicating.
We use decentralized Blockchain storage managed by our API integration with Stacks—a Bitcoin and smart contract provider.
This Blockchain technology further protects you your views and opinions.
All data is end-to-end encrypted, keeping it out of ill-use or manipulated marketing/sales pitches.
We track nothing - period. No IP address or other types of trackers. No data mining or harvesting, and with no identifying data, you'll never see an ad.
We have no interest in 'who's' has responded. That would skew the data and render it useless.
Comment and Vote on others' Ideas and Topics. Or, start your own. This is the driving force behind the entire cause and research.
How the conversation Roadmap works:
All Topics start as Ideas, and work their way to becoming Topics.
Everyone can share their ideas, thoughts, and concepts in the form of engagement with the Roadmap. You can Comment, Vote on others' Ideas and Topics as well as be able to create your own Ideas.
At the most basic level, the idea is to push anything on the Roadmap that's gaining traction up into an Idea and then a Topic. There are three phases a Topic will go through to be validated and to prove itself worthy of action.
1st: Exploring: Topics in the Exploring lane are Ideas that are gaining popularity. We place them here to allow them to be voted on and commented on to prove their potential value further.
2nd: Traction: A Topic is moved to the Traction lane and has shown it's stuck a chord in a -/+ way and has a reasonable charge around it. Here it can be easier to identify and gain additional verification/validation.
3rd: Valid-ready-action: Those worthy of action, we believe, will be self-evident. A natural level of engagement, comments, feedback, support and/or challenge will surface further, Validating it and making it Ready for Action to be taken by us.
Attend Bi-weekly group video call meetups. This is where you'll provide feedback and drive the conversation.
How The Huddle works:
This is, in essence, where we start the conversations—called a Huddle to set the scene and encompass a team-like quick sync. You may have encountered the daily stand-up if you've worked the hotel scene. Modeled off the Ritz-Carlton, it's a time for all to gather and do a quick recap of yesterday and what's on the docket for the day. It's rapid, efficient, and super helpful for newcomers to orientate and get up to speed. This is our intention, but we're adding a slight twist! We go for 20-minutes on a video call. There may be one of you or one hundred. That's up to you guys. But they're a quick meet/greet, and we'll do our best to articulate where the conversation is at as the narrative unfolds. Things may get humorous while trying to do this. But we're giving it a shot. To help, we'll throw out one question that has a simple yet straightforward goal. We'll do one round of collecting your thoughts and then bounce. (In small numbers, this will be vocal, and in big groups, it'll be done using polls). It's like an improv; only we're not funny. How it works: We send an invitation, and you RSVP. In the lead-up, we'll send another email with the event information. The topic may or may not be withheld at this point. We're yet to see. Here you are invited to add any newcomers we need to acknowledge or shout-outs. And naturally, we ping you just before the event with access deets. Recordings and replays: We will not be recording these meetings to protect our privacy and foster a more open and natural conversation. There will be no replays.
Attend Bi-weekly 60-minute, Mastermind video calls for a 4 to 6-week sprint. Ten participants will challenge and support the Ideas and Topics and, as a Group, kill off or give rise to the next round of Topics.
How The Mastermind Group works:
The Group is a collaborative peer-to-peer mentoring group formed to leverage each of our individual industry and business savvy. The idea is to bring that wisdom to a Board-like environment/approach to the Topics, Ideas, Comments, and Votes we're seeing come through. We see this as an opportunity to be sure we keep a fair and accurate balanced perspective of the views shared by the collective. They will run for 4 to 6 weeks. Some of you may choose to jump onto other groups or take a break and participate at other times in the future. However, the commitment to show up is certainly preferred, so if you jump into a Mastermind, we ask you to make yourself available on your ical well in advance. We need your wisdom in the room :). We'll see a more formal process around the research. Deep dives, initiatives, and establishing our target cohorts and which of data coming in is actioned and in what way. How it works: We may require an application, but we'll confirm this as it gets closer. But we'll send an invitation. If we have a good turnout, we anticipate being able to give you the option to select which group and the peeps you'd like to hang with during the group sessions. Either way, you'll RSVP. In the lead-up, we'll send you some onboarding training. The software we use is specific to our use case and operates and requires our contribution and collaboration prior to the video call. So you'll jump in and complete this before the call. Traditionally one to two days prior. This gives the facilitator time to allocate the time appropriately and prepare to be as efficient as possible. It also ensures we're all committed, prepared, and ready to plug and play. On the call: Our software operates what we call a 'hot seat.' This is an allocated time for each of us to present our prepared concepts, thoughts, ideas, and concerns, usually between 3 to 6 minutes. The 'hot seat ensures we run on time, consider the views of the entire group and provide the context for rich collaboration. Toward the end of the session, we recap quickly and give a few moments for anyone/everyone to share any support/challenge, etc. Recordings and replays: We are currently undecided. Given that we need those committed to being fully present in real-time, replays may dilute that commitment. They could also support the occasional no-show that may not have happened otherwise. We still need to evaluate if there's value in a replay or if that apposes our 'privacy first' commitment. If it can not be over-compensated in authentic ways to the cause, it would be a no go on the replay. This, too, will need to be discussed among the groups.
Use your 'Invite URL' to get your friends also to join. Receive those redeemable points to attend either of the 2 complimentary pre-launch events. (Just our way of saying thanks :)
Group:
A collaborative meetup. Max 15 stylists.
How the Invite-Code works:
Upon signing up, you'll receive an email or be given your 'Invite-Code URL" on your dashboard.
Follow the instructions:
1. follow us on IG
2. tweet us and
3. send your Invite-Code to friends, and
4. they join.
Notifications:
We'll email you with Invite-Code updates and points earned - and when your mates join, of course.
Event types and milestones:
You have two Pre-launch event types to participate in. 1st - Group Office Hours. 2nd - Private Office Hours.
Group Office Hours: All who sign-up during Pre-launch are preassigned access to the Group Office Hours.
Private Office Hours: These require double points and are appointed when your mates also sign up.
Our why and what we'll be sharing:
We've been working on this project for many months. In that time, we've already established several ways in which we pros can distinguish ourselves as Pros of a different sort. So many aspects of the Pro space have been diluted to the point it's hard to set ourselves apart in a genuine, authentic way, given how cluttered and noisy it is. We want to change that for you.
You and your topics:
You're very welcome to bring any topics (related or not) to the table and see what surfaces. We intend to provide value to your lives. Concepts, ideas, and actional steps. These are all things that you can add to your daily life with a natural level of effort. Marketing, branding, social strategy (strategies for achievement across multiple topics periods), plus a bunch of in-salon products, services, color ideas, and more.
Level of effort:
You're not obligated to share or participate further than just showing up. Active or passive, that's your call. We got plenty to share :) But making an effort and being present can inspire or evoke a new way of thinking about you and your professional life.
Notifications:
We'll send event sign-ups when you hit those milestones.
How signing up and pre-event comms:
We send an invitation, you RSVP. In the lead-up, we'll send another email with the event theme and topics. Here you are invited to add any topics you'd like raised. And naturally, we ping you just before the event with access deets. But they're a great way to focus on getting answers for things that can help.
Recordings and replays:
To protect our privacy and foster an open and natural conversation, we will not be recording these meetups.
There will be no replays.
Group:
A collaborative meetup. Max 15 stylists.
How the Invite-Code works:
Upon signing up, you'll receive an email or be given your 'Invite-Code URL" on your dashboard.
Follow the instructions:
1. follow us on IG
2. tweet us and
3. send your Invite-Code to friends, and
4. they join.
Notifications:
We'll email you with Invite-Code updates and points earned - and when your mates join, of course.
Event types and milestones:
You have two Pre-launch event types to participate in. 1st - Group Office Hours. 2nd - Private Office Hours.
Group Office Hours: All who sign-up during Pre-launch are preassigned access to the Group Office Hours.
Private Office Hours: These require double points and are appointed when your mates also sign up.
Our why and what we'll be sharing:
We've been working on this project for many months. In that time, we've already established several ways in which we pros can distinguish ourselves as Pros of a different sort. So many aspects of the Pro space have been diluted to the point it's hard to set ourselves apart in a genuine, authentic way, given how cluttered and noisy it is. We want to change that for you.
You and your topics:
You're very welcome to bring any topics (related or not) to the table and see what surfaces. We intend to provide value to your lives. Concepts, ideas, and actional steps. These are all things that you can add to your daily life with a natural level of effort. Marketing, branding, social strategy (strategies for achievement across multiple topics periods), plus a bunch of in-salon products, services, color ideas, and more.
Level of effort:
You're not obligated to share or participate further than just showing up. Active or passive, that's your call. We got plenty to share :) But making an effort and being present can inspire or evoke a new way of thinking about you and your professional life.
Notifications:
We'll send event sign-ups when you hit those milestones.
How signing up and pre-event comms:
We send an invitation, you RSVP. In the lead-up, we'll send another email with the event theme and topics. Here you are invited to add any topics you'd like raised. And naturally, we ping you just before the event with access deets. But they're a great way to focus on getting answers for things that can help.
Recordings and replays:
To protect our privacy and foster an open and natural conversation, we will not be recording these meetups.
There will be no replays.
A special thanks to those of you who managed to bring a friend who also participated.
How it works:
A 30-minute deep dive into your career or life is the opportunity here. Indulging in what you genuinely feel will propel you forward in any area of life in 2023.
Sessions will be scheduled as any private 1:1 would be - at the convenience of both you and your mentor/coach. Topics are driven by you and can relate to this project or not; totally up to you. Bring anything to the table and collaborate on getting answers for things that can help productivity, achievement, and work-life balance, to name a few. We have a light theme that centers around the seven areas of life —mental, career/vocational, financial, spiritual, physical, familial, and social in the event you're not sure where to begin. We look forward to being of service and seeing what you can muster up from this time together.
How it works:
A 30-minute deep dive into your career or life is the opportunity here. Indulging in what you genuinely feel will propel you forward in any area of life in 2023.
Sessions will be scheduled as any private 1:1 would be - at the convenience of both you and your mentor/coach. Topics are driven by you and can relate to this project or not; totally up to you. Bring anything to the table and collaborate on getting answers for things that can help productivity, achievement, and work-life balance, to name a few. We have a light theme that centers around the seven areas of life —mental, career/vocational, financial, spiritual, physical, familial, and social in the event you're not sure where to begin. We look forward to being of service and seeing what you can muster up from this time together.
