Here's an interesting "heart on my sleeve" type of post.

Just lately, I cannot help but feel that most of the team who work with me are very young. Or at least I feel that we have very little in common LOL.
The team ranges from 16-28, and I am 31.
When I go in to pay wages, I will talk to them and find out about their lives, but I always feel so shocked at how young they appear.
I've kind of been wondering, do my clients feel the same?
And yet, our client base is roughly 25-65, with a few of their daughters thrown in.
Do women feel differently towards younger people? Does it not matter as much?
Perhaps it's because I have no kids? As in, when an 18 year old speaks to me about their worries, I just think, "Hey...that's not a worry; it's just a niggle".
Perhaps if I had kids, I'd be more used to the conversation that younger people have?
I'm just worried that perhaps some clients might feel the conversation is "trivial". But then again, perhaps that's what they need in the salon?
What about your teams? Do you ever feel the same way?

I know what you mean Chris I am 38 and no kids and I have a 14 tea and tidy, and honestly she tires me out with trivial stuff.

My other staff are 35, 36, 38 (me) and 61.

Our client base is from 17 - 45 and a hand full over 60.

My staff range from 17 to 21, all of which are young enough to to be my own children. However I seem to relate to them well, of course like you Chris I do feel that most of there dramas seem very minor in the grand scheme of things.
But a client did say that she wished that there was another more mature stylist in the salon cuz she left the last salon she was at cuz all the staff were so young.
This is very interesting though, cuz it was only last year at Hair Expo that i stopped and had a good look around. what i noticed was that i was surrounded by alot of very old hairdressers and my analysis was that i was part of an industry that was getting older and older. On one hand i felt quite young and energatic, on the other I felt old by assosiation and wondered how clients felt having there hair cut by some one as old as their grandparents. Some thing that i would hate.

I am working with basically all 30 year olds. (thank god)
Age range for 29 - 42. Me being the oldest therefore the most wisest.

Since we are all in the same range of age,I feel quite right with it all.
Its great at times because like the other day, we were talking about eyelash extensions and I asked what to do if you went to sleep on your face and woke up with these extensions going in all different directions.
One of the stylist says "eyelash curler"
I looked at her in horror and stated that I never used one and never owned on in my 45 some years of being female.
She says..all girls must have one.

The next day, here in my station drawer sits a new eyelash curler compliments of her ., so I will say that they don't make me feel old...but they do keep me up to date in accessories!

Having raised two boys, i have seen and heard all the "drama" in thier lives along with thier girlfriends calling me crying.
I truly feel as the adult parent then..

but int he salon, I tell the girls that I am one of them and they treat me like one of them

I also have a sign posted in the break room saying

THIS IS A DRAMA FREE SALON~ PLEASE LEAVE ALL DRAMA BAGGAGE OUTSIDE THE DOOR!

In the salon I'm at now and also the previous one [as owner] the age ranges is 20 to 50. I like having the variety as each brings a different type of clientele. The younger ones bring fresh ideas and styles not only with their hair, but also in their dress and make-up, which would look silly on us older ones. We bring the experience, sophistication and like jazz so suberbly noted the wisdom .

This works very well for us but not in some cases. It all depends on how you have "Branded" your salon and your salon's "Image". For a good example, you can walk through a mall and notice how the stores have branded their image and the type of people they employ seems to be the type of consumer they attract.
the age ranges is 20 to 50. I like having the variety as each brings a different type of clientele. The younger ones bring fresh ideas and styles not only with their hair, but also in their dress and make-up, which would look silly on us older ones. We bring the experience, sophistication and like jazz so suberbly noted the wisdom .

This works very well for us but not in some cases. It all depends on how you have "Branded" your salon and your salon's "Image". For a good example, you can walk through a mall and notice how the stores have branded their image and the type of people they employ seems to be the type of consumer they attract.
[ I hope this makes sense in answering the question ]

chris the limey wrote:

Do women feel differently towards younger people? Does it not matter as much?
Perhaps it's because I have no kids? As in, when an 18 year old speaks to me about their worries, I just think, "Hey...that's not a worry; it's just a niggle".
Perhaps if I had kids, I'd be more used to the conversation that younger people have?
I'm just worried that perhaps some clients might feel the conversation is "trivial". But then again, perhaps that's what they need in the salon?
What about your teams? Do you ever feel the same way?

To answer your question about " do women feel differently"
I will have to say yes. Women have a tendency to want to nurture. That is just how we are made up. My husband would say, "its just a niggle" also.

You have got to keep in mind that you were once that age and the things that worried you ,, really in reality were not such worries, but they were to you at that time.
The clients I don't think would look at it as trivial. Most clients love that type of conversation, but if it worries you chris, ask the stylist to put a lid on "their problems" and get the conversation going towards the client.
Clients come into the salon to get away from their own worries or to vent on a non -judging ear. To listen to someone else's problems takes away from thinking about their own.

Remember: you asked the stylist. Be prepared to sit and take the answer with a open mind.