The Walk Of Life With Zan Ray

On this bonus episode of The Walk Of Life podcast, Cheryl Thibault is joined by Zan Ray, former hair stylist extraordinaire and now business coach. Zan has contributed to the upcoming book Career In The Beauty Industry; Discover If It’s For You, on this episode the pair talk about her chapter, her life in the industry, how she started to get to where she is today and what she’s doing now.

 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• I started in the beauty industry when I was 12 years old. Our family had a friend, Martha, who co-owned a beauty shop in a small town in Tennessee about 15-20 miles from where I lived. She had a health issue and needed some help while she recovered from surgery. My Dad said I would help and so she brought me in, stood me on a Coke crate to be able to shampoo because I wasn’t tall enough to reach the bowls! She taught me the art of shampoo and then customer service. I never dreamed at the time that  hairdressing was my future, I was just helping a family friend for $1 a day!
• A lot of my hair styling and cutting is because I have a knack, I was told I did so I believed them, and I used that knack to lift me up and take me forward into my career of hairdressing.
• Once I got into progressive hairstyling I became a star, I was booked 10-12 weeks in advance, I was really sought after, my haircuts would be on the streets of New York, I was on a TV magazine show and had articles written about me, my fame was enormous. I would do speed to make me feel better if I was tired in the morning, but also my drinking increased and it spiralled out of control until 1983 where I hit my bottom and I sobered up, I’m now 39 years sober.
• One of the things that I really held strong to was SOP (standard operating procedures), I had a mission to be the best and I required that with everyone that worked with me. To this day, there are 12 who were my students, who worked with me, that have gone on to live a better life and have their own businesses and that matters. 

 

BEST MOMENTS

‘Timing is everything.’

‘I had a child and got married at 16, went to hair school at 17 and halfway through I got divorced. I had every experience I think I could get at that time!’

‘I used to be embarrassed about my alcoholism, but in AA we were told that anonymity is always first, but if I could tell my story then I could help another human being. That’s always been my credo.’

‘Maybe I went overboard, but maybe it took overboard to make the impact that it did.’

 

ABOUT THE GUEST

“We’re all looking for our right place in the world. I have found mine by being guided there. That’s why I now help others find theirs.” Zan Ray’s unique Life Guiding Philosophy is that our authentic self and beauty already exists within and simply needs to be nudged out. Having experienced it personally, she approaches her work as an usher, helping to bring to light thoughts, feelings, and goals one might not otherwise recognize. As we look for our (We need a space after “recognize.” As we look for our authentic selves, Zan believes that we need help in exploring the hidden spaces where we hold ourselves back. After identifying those areas, she gently nudges and shines a light here or there to open up the possibilities to become more of who we are meant to be.

Website: https://zanraysaloncoach.com/ and https://www.globalbeautybusinessacademy.com/ 

 

VALUABLE RESOURCES

Be a guest!  - https://misscheryl.com/podcast/podcast-guest-form/ 

FREE E-BOOK - http://promos.misscheryl.com/ 

CHECK OUT MY BOOKS - https://misscheryl.com/features/book-launch-career-in-the-beauty-industry/ 

 

ABOUT THE HOST

Cheryl Thibault is a visionary, entrepreneur, multi-business owner, educator, influencer, and game changer in the beauty industry. A student of life, who will never stop growing and learning. She is assertive and an uncompromising beauty professional, and has been for over 40 years.  As a long time founder/owner of beauty spas and education centers since 1981, 

An Author, Co-Author and currently penning a series of books dedicated to telling her life story, overcoming struggles, and gaining life and career success. She is a true trail blazer and active