In this episode recorded in July of 2018, we interview Stacia Kelley. Stacia is the Sport Clips Coach of the Year and Artistic Team Member. In this episode, we discuss how her combination of enthusiasm, drive and talent developed her into the star she is today. On Instagram @scissor_ensemble
| Episode Air Date |
Guest Name |
Guest Title |
Topic(s) |
| August 1, 2018 |
Stacia Kelley |
Coach and Artistic Team Member |
Career from beauty school to Sport Clips Artistic Team |
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Transcription:
Chad Jordan: Welcome to another edition of the Sport Clips Hall of Fame podcast. This is Chad Jordan, I'm the director of marketing for digital services here at Sport Clips and my guest today is:
Stacia Kelley: Stacia Kelley. I'm an area coach for Kansas City.
Chad Jordan: Welcome Stacia, you're also a rock star. You didn't put that part in that, but I will. She is one of the members of our artistic team. She was Coach of the Year, was named Coach of the Year at our most recent huddle, our big convention that we have for Sport Clips. We're going to talk a lot about that kind of stuff today. I want to jump right in, because I want to find out a little bit about Stacia as a little girl. Does she dream about being a stylist, a beautician, cosmetologist, hair dresser, and a future rock star, or did that come later? What happened?
Stacia Kelley: Future rock star, doesn't everybody dream of that? Right. I didn't necessarily want to be a hair stylist when I was little, I wanted to be an actress.
Chad Jordan: Oh, okay.
Stacia Kelley: Yes, so I idolized Julia Roberts, was my ...
Chad Jordan: What! Pretty woman
Stacia Kelley: Yes, Pretty Woman. I shouldn't be watching that, that young of age. It's okay.
Chad Jordan: That's true.
Stacia Kelley: Bad parent, mom. Right. No, I went to school, I went to college for theater.
Chad Jordan: Where?
Stacia Kelley: Butler Community College in Wichita, Kansas.
Chad Jordan: Okay.
Stacia Kelley: I think it just got to the point where, first of all I do not like school. It was also-
Chad Jordan: You look down the barrel at four years, you're thinking four years at least of this.
Stacia Kelley: Yeah, and you have to move to California, maybe live in a cardboard box, you might make it, you might not. I had to think a little more realistic.
Chad Jordan: Had you already dabbled in hair care at all, or anything like that? Or a pair of scissors?
Stacia Kelley: Well, you know, everybody I think cuts their stuffed animal, at some point. I really enjoyed going to my hair salon. My mom took me to a hair salon all growing up. I was a hair model for my stylist. I really liked doing different things with my hair. I just didn't do it myself.
Chad Jordan: Is this, are you dropping out of college at this point to become a stylist? Or do you just know you don't want to be in college, be an actress at this point, which I [inaudible 00:02:14].
Stacia Kelley: (laughs)
Chad Jordan: Take me through that process.
Stacia Kelley: I think I just realized I needed a backup plan, just in case it wouldn't work. And maybe I could do improve on the side, 'cause I think my real passion was Saturday Night Live stuff.
Chad Jordan: Okay.
Stacia Kelley: I was at a party. One of my friends I went to high school with, she went to hair school and she was working and it was quick money, so I was like, this is where I need to go for now.
Chad Jordan: Did you know at the time how highly employable you would be if you were good in this profession?
Stacia Kelley: No, not at all.
Chad Jordan: It seemed like it was a good backup plan.
Stacia Kelley: Good backup plan. I'd worked since I was 13, so I have a great work ethic. I just needed to get my career going, so I would use my work ethic to build myself to get to a higher level in the career.
Chad Jordan: Did you do odd and end jobs while going to beauty school?
Stacia Kelley: I guess so. My first job was at a mortuary. I was 13.
Chad Jordan: What? We joked about ...
Stacia Kelley: I know!
Chad Jordan: ... a grave digger before [inaudible 00:03:15]
Stacia Kelley: That's why I thought it was funny. No, it's true. My Mom works at Resthaven Mortuary and Cemetery in Wichita, Kansas. So, we cleaned it at night. I got $130 a week, it was awesome for a 13 year old.
Chad Jordan: [crosstalk 00:03:29]
Stacia Kelley: I went to Dairy Queen. It was like a downgrade, right, after that. But, yeah, I guess so.
Chad Jordan: The perks are a little different at Dairy Queen.
Stacia Kelley: Right. (laughs) That's true, that's so true. And then I was working at Starbucks when I went to hair school. I was a supervisor there. So I stayed there, I really enjoyed the job. It has a lot of the same values that Sport Clips does. And I think that's kind of what fed me into finding Sport Clips. I'm really liking it here.
Chad Jordan: So, you get through school.
Stacia Kelley: Yeah.
Chad Jordan: And then what?
Stacia Kelley: It took me a little longer. I turned 21 during the school period.
Chad Jordan: Okay.
Stacia Kelley: It took me about a year to get through hair school. My teacher was like, you gotta go apply at Sport Clips. It was just opening up in our area.
Chad Jordan: Wow.
Stacia Kelley: Because I did a lot of the men's hair when I was in school. I did men's hair, I did ear piercings, with the gun, like Claire's stuff. And then I did facials and waxing.
Chad Jordan: And gravitated towards the men's?
Stacia Kelley: Yeah. I think all the other girls in school ... (clears throat) excuse me. They were scared to do the men's haircuts 'cause we really didn't learn anything about it. And I just felt more comfortable working with the men. 'Cause they were just easy-going. So, I got all those and I skipped out on a lot of perms doing that, which was awesome. Right. My teachers definitely were like, hey, you need to go apply at Sport Clips, so that's what I did.
Chad Jordan: And now we're still in Wichita?
Stacia Kelley: Wichita, yep.
Chad Jordan: Okay, so you go and you apply.
Stacia Kelley: I did.
Chad Jordan: Who's interviewing you? How does that work?
Stacia Kelley: Well, I applied over and over and over and over again.
Chad Jordan: [crosstalk 00:04:57]
Stacia Kelley: Online.
Chad Jordan: What happened?
Stacia Kelley: Well, nobody called me.
Chad Jordan: Ah.
Stacia Kelley: I was like, this is ...
Chad Jordan: (laughs)
Stacia Kelley: I'm gonna keep pushing-
Chad Jordan: That's all you need.
Stacia Kelley: It's how your parents tell you to just keep pushing.They had a situation with a manager change right at the time I was trying to get hired, so I think that's why I didn't really get called back. But my team leader, Monique, and Roger Haynes Robinson, they finally were like, man, this girl will not give up.
Chad Jordan: Right.
Stacia Kelley: I better give her a job.
Chad Jordan: Very good.
Stacia Kelley: Yes.
Chad Jordan: You were persistent
Stacia Kelley: Persistent.
Chad Jordan: You kept knockin' on that door.
Stacia Kelley: That's right.
Chad Jordan: But were you hired as a manager, or?
Stacia Kelley: No, no, no. Coordinator.
Chad Jordan: Okay.
Stacia Kelley: Coordinator.
Chad Jordan: Coordinator!
Stacia Kelley: Yes.
Chad Jordan: Oh, wow. You gotta show me the ropes a little better [inaudible 00:05:34].
Stacia Kelley: I should, that's right. I should totally do that.
Chad Jordan: Okay, after the podcast.
Stacia Kelley: Okay. [crosstalk 00:05:37] We'll do that. (laughs)
Chad Jordan: So, you start. You're vacuuming hair.
Stacia Kelley: Vacuuming hair.
Chad Jordan: They're not even letting you cut yet.
Stacia Kelley: Nope. I think it was about two months I did coordinating only.
Chad Jordan: Mm-hmm (affirmative)-
Stacia Kelley: Which was nice, though, to learn the computer system and all that without the pressure of cutting hair. 'Cause right out of school, it's pretty scary anyways. So I liked-
Chad Jordan: So the coordinator role at Sport Clips, for those that are not part of the brand, that's the first thing ... they're maybe greeting you when you walk in?
Stacia Kelley: Right. Yeah, not all the stores in my market have coordinators, but they basically greet everyone that comes in. We offer drinks at my location. Not alcoholic [crosstalk 00:06:16]. Just pop.
Chad Jordan: Thank you.
Stacia Kelley: Just Coca Cola or wherever you're from.
Chad Jordan: No Mountain Dew?
Stacia Kelley: No, I don't [crosstalk 00:06:21]. Yeah, you might.
Chad Jordan: All right.
Stacia Kelley: Okay. I checked in people, I check out people. I cleaned everything.
Chad Jordan: So you're really learning the store, the brand from the ground up at that point.
Stacia Kelley: Yeah, really.
Chad Jordan: So, now are you Miss Persistent? Are you kind of mentioning, hey I'd like to start cutting soon? Or how does that conversation go? How does that transition [crosstalk 00:06:44]?
Stacia Kelley: You know, I had a lot of anxiety to cut on the floor. I think it's just always scary for anybody to start cutting. So I wasn't too persistent, but I think it just became like, [crosstalk 00:06:54] we needed that person to get on the floor, so here we go.
Chad Jordan: They're like, wait a minute, you're licensed, why aren't you [crosstalk 00:06:59]
Stacia Kelley: Why aren't you cutting yet? Right.
Chad Jordan: They're lining out the door.
Stacia Kelley: Exactly. And I think it was right before Thanksgiving so the holidays were coming, so, of course. Let's see how many heads I can screw up.
Chad Jordan: I bet.
Stacia Kelley: (laughs)
Chad Jordan: So, I'd asked Tiffany Allen, another member of the artistic team and a Rookie Coach of the Year her first bad haircut experience. Do you still have nightmares about yours? Do you remember? Were there so many that first year-
Stacia Kelley: Right. [crosstalk 00:07:23] I do remember my first re-service.
Chad Jordan: Okay.
Stacia Kelley: It was pretty painful. I mean, anybody coming back saying what you did onto one's head wasn't good-
Chad Jordan: Did they ask you to re-fix it?
Stacia Kelley: No.
Chad Jordan: Or whatever happens, don't let her-
Stacia Kelley: Right.
Chad Jordan: ... touch my head again.
Stacia Kelley: Yeah.
Chad Jordan: Okay.
Stacia Kelley: It was the father ... I cut the son's hair. And it was just like lines on the top.
Chad Jordan: Are we talking a teenager, or we talking [crosstalk 00:07:42]?
Stacia Kelley: We're talking maybe like seven or eight.
Chad Jordan: Okay.
Stacia Kelley: Yeah, so I just created lines on top which everybody knows, if you don't cross check, you'll have that. So somebody fixed it so it wasn't that big a deal, but it's always in the back of your head now. But you learn from it and grow.
Chad Jordan: So you're getting better, especially at little boys' haircuts.
Stacia Kelley: (laughs) Yes.
Chad Jordan: And growing as a stylist. First of all, how long did it take for you to feel comfortable at, hey, I can actually do this. I don't need to go home crying. I don't need to quit after a bad day. What was that like?
Stacia Kelley: I guess I wish I could tell you the exact moment of just like, "Ahh!". Everything's clicking.But I think it just, over time and the different haircuts, there'll be a moment where you feel like, long hair on a guy, it clicked. Or bald fades, it clicked. So it's just all these different moments of feeling comfortable with different haircuts, and different head shapes, and different texture.
Chad Jordan: How long are you a stylist before the conversation starts to turn to, you know you might have some potential in management? [inaudible 00:08:48]
Stacia Kelley: Well, I remember when I was a stylist not for very long. I met my coach at the time. She no longer works at Sport Clips but we love her. I was like, I wanna be a coach. That was my-
Chad Jordan: Really?
Stacia Kelley: ... goal, right from the beginning. Yes, that's what I wanted to do.
Chad Jordan: Okay. We can give a shout out to whoever that was that inspired you.
Stacia Kelley: Hilary was our coach before.
Chad Jordan: Okay.
Stacia Kelley: But also Chris Nelson, she was my coach at one point. We had several that were helping out because there was an empty spot in our market.
Chad Jordan: So you saw that role and you're like, that's what I want to get to someday.
Stacia Kelley: Yeah. I wanna educate.
Chad Jordan: Okay. So, first I need to dominate being a stylist, and then you sell ...
Stacia Kelley: And then in our market, you had to be a manager, as well, before you became a coach.
Chad Jordan: Right.
Stacia Kelley: So, I was like, all right I gotta work my way up. So, let's go. I would say as a stylist I was cutting hair maybe two years before I became an assistant. Now there wasn't a lot of opportunity back then, just because there was one store in our market. So I had to wait my tur-
Chad Jordan: How long ago is this now?
Stacia Kelley: 12 years.
Chad Jordan: Whoa. You've been with Sport Clips for that long?
Stacia Kelley: Yes.
Chad Jordan: And you came right out of school ...
Stacia Kelley: Right out of school.
Chad Jordan: ... at Sport Clips.
Stacia Kelley: September? 2016. So it took two years before I became an assistant. And then I was an assistant for a little bit. I think, I don't even know, maybe three years until I became a manager. Not as an assistant. Three years in at Sport Clips before I became a manager.
Chad Jordan: And scary when they're telling you you've got this store now? Or is it like, heck yeah, this is my next step. I'm gonna go do this thing.
Stacia Kelley: Fortunately for me, I got to open a new store, which was really exciting.
Chad Jordan: The store number is ... ?
Stacia Kelley: KS nine oh three.
Chad Jordan: Nine oh three, OK. Where?
Stacia Kelley: East side of Wichita, Kansas.
Chad Jordan: Ooh, that sounds dangerous.
Stacia Kelley: Oh, yeah.
Chad Jordan: The east side of Wichita.
Stacia Kelley: Right? (laughs) It was awesome, though, 'cause I created the culture that started it. And I think that's what made me really successful. I won a lot of trophies my first year opening that store.
Chad Jordan: So culture, creating things? What are you doing?
Stacia Kelley: It's about ... I say this, and the people say this, but the values of Sport Clips is what I live by. I love it. And when you find other people that are really invested in that, you create this culture that everybody wants to be there. And that includes your clientele. They have a good time while they're there, we're having a good time while we're there. It's beautiful. It's a beautiful thing.
Chad Jordan: Can you give me one thing that you're proud of in terms of culture? I did this, I created this, and maybe even the store's still doing it today. But somethin' that you can hang your hat on and other stores would benefit if they went this route? Or is it unique to each personality?
Stacia Kelley: I think so. And I think you build your own culture based off of you. 'Cause you want to hire people that work well with you, but also have some sort of contrast, you know? I like really energetic people, but I also need some people that kind of calm me down. The momma bears. It just depends on ... everybody finds a different type of culture, but you all want to make a very happy place to be at. And that's what makes it successful.
Chad Jordan: Yeah, it's not fitting in the box.
Stacia Kelley: Right.
Chad Jordan: Maybe even thinking outside the box-
Stacia Kelley: Absolutely.
Chad Jordan: And who you are as a person to really grow and grow the store.
Stacia Kelley: Right.
Chad Jordan: So what do you know, and we'll get to the coaching stuff here in a second, what do you think you did well as a manager that other stores, other managers, could benefit from? It might be embracing who you are and letting that shine, but what are some things that you're proud of that you're like, "Hey, I think that worked well for me, and I think others could benefit from it."
Stacia Kelley: I think there's always going to be conflicts that happen in a store, and we all know that as managers. I think the way you handle conflicts and kind of squash it right at the beginning, just talking to people, and being real, and showing them maybe you hurt my emotion, or this is how you made me feel. It's the simplest thing, but it really just makes everything calm, calm waters. That's what you need.
Chad Jordan: Yeah, I'm constantly amazed at managers throughout the system. I have a 14 and 12-year-old daughter, two daughters. For them to live and be happy together on a daily basis is hard enough, let alone in a store with usually six, to eight, to 10 females, and the personalities, and all of that, having to manage that, so hats off. That's that conflict resolution -- right -- that's so important.
Stacia Kelley: Absolutely. It can tear up your store quickly.
Chad Jordan: What are some things in terms of, let's go down that path one more question to you. What are some things managers can do to excel in conflict resolution, things that they can identify or maybe gravitate towards in their leadership skills that would really help their store flourish?
Stacia Kelley: Identifying the problem right at the beginning-
Chad Jordan: Okay, so not [crosstalk 00:13:52].
Stacia Kelley: ... before it develops. Absolutely.
Chad Jordan: Okay.
Stacia Kelley: Don't be passive aggressive, no signs that say what you shouldn't do. If you want something to be done, you need to go to the person and just be forward with them, you know transparent. That's another big one. If there's things that are happening around the store and you don't let everyone know about it, they start assuming all kinds of things like maybe they're losing their job tomorrow or whatever. Being transparent in what's going on is really important, and just be honest.
Chad Jordan: Yeah, I love that. Be direct.
Stacia Kelley: Yeah.
Chad Jordan: So you're a manager. You put in your time, essentially, but that was not your goal.
Stacia Kelley: Four years.
Chad Jordan: The goal to you was you had your sights on being a coach. First of all, what is a coach in the Sport Clips system? What do they do?
Stacia Kelley: I think a coach is ... It takes a very special person to be a coach because you basically, instead of as a manager you get rewarded through trophies. You're doing a great job, here's a trophy for hitting 10,000.
Chad Jordan: Right. Right.
Stacia Kelley: There's a lot of people rewarding you for what you're doing, and when you become a coach the reward comes from people saying, "Thank you," or "You developed me into something different." That's really the reward you get, so you don't get the physical trophies unless you get Coach of the Year. That's the only trophy you get.
Chad Jordan: Right. Yeah. Exactly.
Stacia Kelley: Right. I think that's what's so awesome is when you help somebody become more successful, that's feeling you can't get from anything else.
Chad Jordan: Right. I want to, let's go down that path a little bit more. What can managers do to give their coaches the feeling that you enjoy yourself? How can they show appreciation? I mean, are we talking social media shout-outs. Are they greeting you with a warm smile when you come in for a success check? What really is a way that they can give back to coaches in a way that's tangible that you would appreciate?
Stacia Kelley: I think that's a great one. Yeah, just ... We're coming in with the white hat like Olivia Pope. Right? We want to help people, but I think a lot of times when we walk in it seems like it's a dark hat-
Chad Jordan: [crosstalk 00:15:59].
Stacia Kelley: ... and people are scared of us.
Chad Jordan: Their voice changes.
Stacia Kelley: Yeah.
Chad Jordan: It starts to tremble a little bit.
Stacia Kelley: It's like, "Hi," and then they realize, and then they realize what's about to happen. That's not what success checks are about. We really care about our clients and having a great experience, but we also care about them having a great experience in the store. Success is how you get respect anyway. If I help you become more successful, then you'll respect me. But yeah, just enjoying us being around, I guess, because we were there. Pick our brains. We want to help you.
Chad Jordan: Did they ever recruit you to, "Hey, can you help us in the store today?" You got not maybe for a success check, but maybe you're just there for fun, swinging by saying, "Hi." Do you ever fill in for at a store?
Stacia Kelley: I haven't, and I feel awful about that. I think it's kind of a situation when I worked for other team leaders and stuff like that, and I don't know if I can jump in, and I don't want stylists to think I'm taking their clients or anything like that. If it were ever a case of, yeah, it was awful, like they were really getting pounded, of course I would. Yeah, I would jump in. It really hasn't ever happened.
Chad Jordan: But you never had to-
Stacia Kelley: No.
Chad Jordan: ... so it's not an issue. I want to talk about ... Let's talk about the Artistic Team.
Stacia Kelley: Yes.
Chad Jordan: To be on the Artistic Team, you got to be a coach. Is that the process?
Stacia Kelley: As of now, yes. The process is to coach.
Chad Jordan: So right now, 2018, July-ish, summer of 2018, you've got to be a coach before you can be on the Artistic Team. How does a manager get to be a coach? What traits get them to that next, I don't know if it's a next level. It's a different level, at least-
Stacia Kelley: Yeah.
Chad Jordan: ... but to that level of being a coach that could eventually be considered for the Artistic Team?
Stacia Kelley: I can't tell ... I can tell you the criteria of a coach, but really I think the transition from a manager and a stylist behind the chair into a coach is what you're not really expecting.
Chad Jordan: Okay.
Stacia Kelley: You know what I mean? It's like becoming, you're working kind of by yourself. Even though you're working with stylists at the time, different stylists, be really you work ... You have to, what's the word, really self-sufficient on your own. You don't have a boss necessarily watching over you anymore. You're not watching over a team. It's a completely different type of job. You know?
Chad Jordan: Do you feel like you're on an island ever?
Stacia Kelley: Kind of. Yeah.
Chad Jordan: Yeah, because you're remote.
Stacia Kelley: You're remote, you're traveling. I'm sure you know a little bit, Chad. You go-
Chad Jordan: Mm-hmm (affirmative). Yep.
Stacia Kelley: Even though you see so many people, it's just ...
Chad Jordan: The connection isn't as ... There's something that happens [crosstalk 00:18:33].
Stacia Kelley: The team. Yeah, right. Yes.
Chad Jordan: When you're working around the same crew, the same team-
Stacia Kelley: Yeah.
Chad Jordan: ... day in, day out, going through it, knowing when there's a problem client and you're having to deal with it, but you've dealt with it as a team.
Stacia Kelley: Right.
Chad Jordan: So would you say, is that kind of one of the big challenges, the hurdles that you've had to come from being a manager to being a coach? Is that something that you had to work through in a transition?
Stacia Kelley: I think so because I picked Sport Clips because I wanted to work with a team. I wanted to having people around me who were as fun, and so it was kind of a transition. I had to do a little growing up, I guess when I become a coach and be like, "Okay, you have put your big kid pants on, and now you're going to do it for other people, and that's okay." I love it now, but it was definitely a transition period.
Chad Jordan: Yeah, so rocky there for a little while but you obviously found good footing-
Stacia Kelley: Yes.
Chad Jordan: ... on the Artistic Team. What is that ... in fact I believe, again, summer of 2018 when we're recording this podcast, I'm sure it will go live not too long from now, but isn't the submission process for the Artistic Team happening-
Stacia Kelley: Now.
Chad Jordan: ... now? Okay.
Stacia Kelley: Yes. I think it, September something.
Chad Jordan: Oh, okay, good. This podcast will different launch before then.
Stacia Kelley: Yeah, for sure.
Chad Jordan: So walk me through what needs to happen for that to come to fruition for someone to be considered.
Stacia Kelley: Sportclipsjobs.com is where you'd go to or you-
Chad Jordan: Okay.
Stacia Kelley: ... or you can click on our Instagram. We're posting it. You can click on my page. I have it up there, and you can apply.
Chad Jordan: You have a new Instagram account for the Artistic Team I [crosstalk 00:20:04].
Stacia Kelley: Yes. It happened yesterday.
Chad Jordan: Okay.
Stacia Kelley: Way to be on top of things, Chad.
Chad Jordan: [crosstalk 00:20:07] have a job in social media.
Stacia Kelley: You know everything.
Chad Jordan: So they could go to that and find-
Stacia Kelley: Yes.
Chad Jordan: ... There's probably a link in the bio.
Stacia Kelley: Yes, and apply through there.
Chad Jordan: What is that process like? Is it a live interview? Is it a phone interview? Do they have to know who you are already? What's that all like?
Stacia Kelley: I think that ... I'm trying to remember. I haven't even looked at it. I think it's the same as when I did it, which would be a year-and-a-half ago, but it's an application you would fill out first, just like any other. Then you have to do a video of you presenting a class so they can see how you coach or present.
Chad Jordan: Okay.
Stacia Kelley: Right? Then kind of like-
Chad Jordan: Now, is this a video you're shooting in a room all by yourself, or is this of you actually doing a class and someone's recorded it?
Stacia Kelley: It would be-
Chad Jordan: [crosstalk 00:20:55].
Stacia Kelley: Yeah. If there was an actual class there, it would be nice.
Chad Jordan: Oh [crosstalk 00:20:58].
Stacia Kelley: That didn't happen with me-
Chad Jordan: Oh, yours was in a room [crosstalk 00:21:01].
Stacia Kelley: I put a bunch of mannequins.
Chad Jordan: At the mortuary?
Stacia Kelley: Yeah.
Chad Jordan: [inaudible 00:21:04].
Stacia Kelley: I put a bunch of mannequins up, acting like they were people so you could see the back of their heads.
Chad Jordan: Okay.
Stacia Kelley: It was pretty hilarious.
Chad Jordan: Yeah, but in terms of being able to see you engaging with managers, and how you field questions, and things like that-
Stacia Kelley: Yes.
Chad Jordan: ... it would be helpful-
Stacia Kelley: Absolutely.
Chad Jordan: ... to record a session like that?
Stacia Kelley: For sure. Then you have a separate video where they ask you questions. They don't ask you, they give you a line of questions, and you tell them the answers, like why you'd want to be an Artistic Team member, what can you bring to the team, things like that.
Chad Jordan: What does it involve in terms of do you make a cut? Is it that you move onto the next round?
Stacia Kelley: I don't think so. I don't know, I guess, the process they ... Even with the new members, it doesn't really get ran by us, necessarily, so I don't know how they. You should ask Julie that.
Chad Jordan: [crosstalk 00:21:54] Hey, [crosstalk 00:21:55] know, but maybe there's supposed to be mystery to it?
Stacia Kelley: Maybe.
Chad Jordan: You don't want everybody behind the curtain, you know -
Stacia Kelley: Right.
Chad Jordan: ... so that we can leave a little bit of the magic developing here. Right now we're doing that through September of 2018 for, when's the next tenure? Is it, how does the year work [crosstalk 00:22:13].
Stacia Kelley: It's like a presidency, so you go two years, and then you can reapply, and then go another two years.
Chad Jordan: And what is a year, what does it fall in a January to December?
Stacia Kelley: Oh, yeah, I believe.
Chad Jordan: Okay. Okay, so you get named-
Stacia Kelley: Just a full calendar year.
Chad Jordan: You get named before that year's, your term, starts in January?
Stacia Kelley: Yes. We have our first training in December for the new ones.
Chad Jordan: And it's announced-
Stacia Kelley: At the coach huddle.
Chad Jordan: Okay, the coaches' huddle-
Stacia Kelley: Yay.
Chad Jordan: In Texas-
Stacia Kelley: Yes.
Chad Jordan: ... in October.
Stacia Kelley: Yes.
Chad Jordan: Okay.
Stacia Kelley: Exciting.
Chad Jordan: So that's going to be happening. What is that like? What does that feel like when, because you feel like, "I got a chance," but you don't want to get your hopes up.
Stacia Kelley: Right.
Chad Jordan: You don't want to be that person, so what is that like when they say your name? What's confetti fall? What happens?
Stacia Kelley: Maybe in my body it felt like that.
Chad Jordan: Fireworks, yeah.
Stacia Kelley: Physically there was no confetti. Maybe we'll work on that.
Chad Jordan: Well, yeah, yeah. Let me ... I got a notebook right here. I'll just jot that down.
Stacia Kelley: Yeah, balloons, that would be awesome. No. I think it's crazy. A lot of people ... If you ever want to be on the Artistic Team or if you ever thought of it, no matter if you're afraid to be on stage or whatever it is, you'll get through that. I think just go for it. Go to that, push yourself and don't be scared of anything because it's just going to hold you back from developing yourself further and further. I think that's a lot what goes in my mind before I applied. I'm like, "Oh, they're not going to pick me. No, but if I don't apply, then, of course, they'll never pick me."
Chad Jordan: Right. You never know until you go.
Stacia Kelley: Yeah, so apply. If you're a coach out there, please apply. It's a lot of fun, and this team is amazing too. Now I'm back on a team, where I get to actually work with people-
Chad Jordan: Right. That's exactly.
Stacia Kelley: ... and cut hair next to them, and it's a lot of fun.
Chad Jordan: The artistic team, you do travel, you do perform. Can you give me some of the highlights of what you do as an artistic team? I have a follow up question, but I want to know kind of some of the highs, some of the great things that you guys are doing.
Stacia Kelley: Yeah, I mean it's amazing. It's kind of crazy that it goes back to being a theater kid and it's almost like I actually did create my dream eventually. Because when you go on stage, you are acting as something else and I love it. It's fun. I get to be humorous. I get to be myself, but I also put in different things. But you're educating on stage, people that you don't know. So it's like free education to them and people come into our booth, they sit down. They want to learn and it's empowering, really. It's a cool feeling.
Chad Jordan: You get to go, give me some of the shows.
Stacia Kelley: The shows. That shows, that was my first thing to do was Caper. It was amazing. I felt like a rock star. You know? I was scared to death. It was ... That was ...
Chad Jordan: What is Caper?
Stacia Kelley: Caper is Paul Mitchell's big presentation for the future professionals. They put it on every year.
Chad Jordan: And it's in ... Where?
Stacia Kelley: It changes. So it was Orlando my first year and then it was Vegas this year.
Chad Jordan: Okay.
Stacia Kelley: So it's like the huddle for sport clubs but it's for future professionals of Paul Mitchell. It's pretty amazing. You know, we have dancers. I got to see choreography. I got to work on stage. There's a lot to it, I mean even though we just come out and style hair. It's like I have to come out on the right second of the beat. I'm freaking out, you know? In front of 3,000 people. I gotta ...
Chad Jordan: All there to judge you.
Stacia Kelley: I gotta look cool. Right, I gotta look cool while I hairspray this guy's hair up. That's about it. No, but it's a really fun experience. It really is.
Chad Jordan: Best part about the artistic team is what?
Stacia Kelley: Representing the brand. Being the face of the brand I think is pretty awesome. Working for sport clubs for 12 years and then them saying, "You. We want you to be the face of our brand." That's definitely a good feeling.
Chad Jordan: Walking around headquarters, I see now, at Building 4, one of our buildings here there's that new picture of the Teen Team.
Stacia Kelley: Yes.
Chad Jordan: You guys are owning it. And I love that, that as soon as you walk into headquarters, there you guys are.
Stacia Kelley: Yeah.
Chad Jordan: Like you said representing us. So those are some of the highs. What have been some of the challenges, we want to be well rounded here. What are some of the challenges, the lows of being the artistic team and what have you had to work through, how have yo successfully navigated that?
Stacia Kelley: I think when you're working with Agino Jullian Polingero as our teacher, you kind of realize like, "Wow, maybe I wasn't such a great hairstylist." You know? It is. It really is like he's taught us so much, taught me so much over the year and a half, that I just was like, "What was I doing before and was I actually creating art, or was I just doing it in two fade?" You know?
So it made me look at hair artistically and I've learned so much. But it does bring you back like, "Gosh, maybe I'm not meant for the artistic team because my technical skills aren't there."
Chad Jordan: You start to question.
Stacia Kelley: You do, you really do.
Chad Jordan: How do you get through it? How did you ...
Stacia Kelley: You always persevere. You always have to. I mean, I always, I face me fears and I just go for it and I feel already that I'm way more competent technically on stage, and the more you understand hair and talk about it, the better education you'll give other people. So.
Chad Jordan: Yeah, I've always heard doubt has a voice, but so does confidence.
Stacia Kelley: Absolutely.
Chad Jordan: It just matters which one are you used to listening to the most.
Stacia Kelley: That's great. I need to write that down.
Chad Jordan: Yeah.
Stacia Kelley: Tell me that later.
Chad Jordan: No, this is the podcast.
Stacia Kelley: That's true, that's true.
Chad Jordan: But listen to that confident voice. Something that you're really strong in is your presentation skills. In fact, we're here in Georgetown at the Makeup Huddle and I know you and Aaron just did I believe a presentation on presenting.
Stacia Kelley: Yeah.
Chad Jordan: Pep rallies and stuff. So can you give me, were you, because of your theater kid background, were you always strong in that area? Is that something that you honed over time? How can somebody get better at it? Can you ...
Stacia Kelley: Yeah. Definitely after becoming a coach, because you start doing leaderships. You start doing every class.
Chad Jordan: [inaudible 00:28:16]
Stacia Kelley: It is, it really is. You see what people like, what people ... how they engage with you. Humor has always been something that works with me, works for me. I have a lot of my stylists they call me Dory. They say I sound like Dory. So I work with that. Kate McKinnon, you know, and I wanted that Saturday Night Live stuff. It works well for me.
Chad Jordan: That's great. So, we gotta, I gotta ask before we get to you know, my final 10 questions.
Stacia Kelley: The rapid fire. My favorite.
Chad Jordan: Rapid fire, no follow up questions. This, it was May I think by the time the announcement was made, because Huddle was at the end of April, beginning of May. So our annual convention, you're named coach of the year. Walk me through that. What does that feel like? I mean, you've already been named to the artistic team, so you've gotten ... That is on one level. I imagine maybe this is on another.
Stacia Kelley: Totally.
Chad Jordan: Different [inaudible 00:29:14] So, can you walk me through what that was like. Did you even hear your name, or did you black out, were you in the bathroom, one of those kind of things.
Stacia Kelley: You notice how long it took me to get up there? I fell, yeah, I hurt myself. No. It was pretty amazing. Coach of the year, like I said it's the only award that a coach can receive. So every year as a coach I was just like, I had so much hope wanting it to be me and it never was, that I ... This time I was like, "I'm not even going to pay attention to it." Like I was eating my dinner, I wasn't even really focusing on it.
And then Tiffany Allen got ...
Chad Jordan: Yeah, Rookie of the year.
Stacia Kelley: Yeah, and I was so excited for her. So I was kind of just ...
Chad Jordan: Was she at your table?
Stacia Kelley: No, she wasn't at my table.
Chad Jordan: I was going to say, man that's ...
Stacia Kelley: But I was looking for her and I watching her walk up there and stuff. So I was kind of zoned in on that. And then I kind of when back to my thing and you know, there it was.
Chad Jordan: They're pushing you to like, "Let's go."
Stacia Kelley: Yeah, and then everybody just kind of crowded over me, so that's why it took me so long. And then I was confused on where to get the trophy. Did you see me up there? It was awkward.
Chad Jordan: I've seen the video. I was [inaudible 00:30:15]
Stacia Kelley: That's me though. So. Right.
Chad Jordan: But yeah, what a special, a special award.
Stacia Kelley: It was.
Chad Jordan: Not necessarily a lifetime achievement but you deserved it and so, you don't get those by luck. You don't get those by well it was your name out of a hat.
Stacia Kelley: Right.
Chad Jordan: You know? So, kudos to you and I'm proud of you.
Stacia Kelley: Thank you.
Chad Jordan: One last question and then we'll get to the rapid fire. I need to know, you've mentioned some names already. Any inspirations through your life in terms of management, coaching, the artistic team, people that keep you going that you want to make sure you recognize and call out?
Stacia Kelley: Yeah, gosh. This is hard.
Chad Jordan: Go maybe get a box of tissues.
Stacia Kelley: I know. I mean, it's not like I can say that it's one person that's been my mentor. But I really feel like every person I have connected with throughout my sport clubs journey has given me a piece of something. Maybe it wasn't everything about them, but it was something, something they did great. So, I mean, I would have to just call out my whole market which is amazing. I have a lot of great managers and those are the people that nominated me for Coach of the Year. So it touched my heart for sure. But I don't know if I can necessarily ... Because if I forget somebody then I'll feel bad. So maybe I just say nobody.
Chad Jordan: Play it safe. Yeah.
Stacia Kelley: But you know, Julie Vergess is definitely a mentor of mine and when I first got to speak to her it was pretty amazing and she always blushes when I talk about her. But she is. She's a rockstar in my eyes. I grew up in sport clubs, so she's the first. The very first one. Yeah. That's right.
Chad Jordan: I love it. All right. We ready for the rapid fire?
Stacia Kelley: Yeah, shoot.
Chad Jordan: And we're right on time.
Stacia Kelley: Cool.
Chad Jordan: So, and for those that can't see us right now. We are sweating up here.
Stacia Kelley: Yeah we are.
Chad Jordan: This is a podcast slash, you know, photo studio here in Georgetown, which is the only room in the building that does not have AC for some reason.
Stacia Kelley: And it's like 114 outside, right?
Chad Jordan: We've had blackouts today, or brown outs because it's been so hot, it's been knocking the power out. Anyway, so now that we're drenched, here are the 10. This is why I'm not going to ask follow up questions, just so we can get through this part.
Stacia Kelley: Okay.
Chad Jordan: All right. So, number one. Which super power would you most like to have.
Stacia Kelley: Oh yeah. Oh definitely flying. Just like Julie said, I listened to hers. Yeah. Because then you can get somewhere quickly.
Chad Jordan: Number two, what is your personal motto?
Stacia Kelley: A kuna-matatta. You know that ... Aaron.
Chad Jordan: Oh, what a wonderful ...
Stacia Kelley: Right. Only because I sing Disney songs a lot, me and Aaron do.
Chad Jordan: Other than where you live now, where else in the world would you most like to live?
Stacia Kelley: Ireland. I've never been there, but I think that would be an awesome place to live.
Chad Jordan: When you go, my wife wants to visit as well.
Stacia Kelley: Yeah, all right.
Chad Jordan: We'll tag along.
Stacia Kelley: Cool.
Chad Jordan: You'll live there and we'll come visit.
Stacia Kelley: Sounds great.
Chad Jordan: Who is a celebrity you would most like to meet one day?
Stacia Kelley: Okay, well can it be three?
Chad Jordan: Yes.
Stacia Kelley: It was on a ... Okay.
Chad Jordan: This is your time.
Stacia Kelley: So I was watching this Ellen episode and it was Ellen and it was Pink and it was Julia Roberts, all together. And I was like ... It was amazing. That's who I want to meet .
Chad Jordan: I'm going to find that on Ellen tube.
Stacia Kelley: Yes.
Chad Jordan: I'm going to link to it in this podcast.
Stacia Kelley: Tell Ellen I want to go to her show.
Chad Jordan: And that was what Julie said too.
Stacia Kelley: Yeah, I know.
Chad Jordan: So this could be like an artistic team thing.
Stacia Kelley: Right.
Chad Jordan: Which words or phrases do you most often overuse?
Stacia Kelley: Words or phrases ... Well, you know all those things that you videotaped at the Huddle. Don't cut your poufy pouf.
Chad Jordan: Yup.
Stacia Kelley: Don't swallow your guide. People, I mean ...
Chad Jordan: [inaudible 00:33:55]
Stacia Kelley: I know. You've got to be a stylist, right?
Chad Jordan: Exactly.
Stacia Kelley: Yeah, I get myself in trouble sometimes when I teach.
Chad Jordan: I love it. What sound or noise do you love?
Stacia Kelley: I guess, we're doing so much scissor and comb, but the moment that scissor hits the comb, like dry hair. That noise, it's pretty satisfying.
Chad Jordan: That's awesome.
Stacia Kelley: Yeah.
Chad Jordan: What sound or noise do you hate?
Stacia Kelley: When somebody scrapes their teeth on a fork.
Chad Jordan: Ooh. Okay.
Stacia Kelley: I'll cringe.
Chad Jordan: I'll only use a spoon around you. What profession other than your own, would you have been good at, or at least have wanted to try. I feel like we've covered that, but maybe ...
Stacia Kelley: Public speaker.
Chad Jordan: Okay.
Stacia Kelley: Yeah.
Chad Jordan: Well, you're kind of there.
Stacia Kelley: Maybe I will be somebody.
Chad Jordan: Yeah, you definitely have what it takes.
Stacia Kelley: Thanks.
Chad Jordan: What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Stacia Kelley: You know, Coach of the Year I think probably the biggest one, so far, for me.
Chad Jordan: Yeah. Okay, and if heaven indeed exists, what would like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?
Stacia Kelley: The party can start, now that she's walked in.
Chad Jordan: Yeah, well we've been partying here in this podcast.
Stacia Kelley: Yes.
Chad Jordan: SO I appreciate Stacia you putting up with this heat and this airbag over here of hot air.
Stacia Kelley: Thank you for hiving me Chad.
Chad Jordan: All the questions that you've been willing to answer, and I think a lot of people are going to benefit from and so, thanks again. This has been another edition of the Sports Clips Hall of Fame podcast. Hope you see you again next week.
Stacia Kelley: Bye, you're welcome.