My last (but definitely NOT least) interviewee is Kat Smith – AKA ‘Queen Bitch of Everything’. Her book, ‘Grow Your Salon Fast’ is one I will never forget. Her to the point writing style and ‘take no sh*t’ attitude has left a lasting impact – for all the RIGHT reasons.
If I’m stuck with a business dilemma, or my editor and I are in a quandary about a particular client we usually say, “What would Kat say?” as a way to resolve it. Her no-nonsense attitude about pretty much everything marketing related or how to deal with a tricky and awkward client is remarkable.
Grow a pair (or strap on a pair, whatever your persuasion) and fire your worst 20% of clients.
Kat’s attitude is refreshing and honest. She kicks arse, doesn’t allow excuses to get in the way of what needs to happen, and is focused to getting stuff done (there is a chapter titled JFDI – Just F****** Do It – and it holds no punches) it’s my most turned to chapter!
Read below for her quick and straightforward tips on how to get inspired to write – as usual the last question is packed with some great shortcuts to inspiration.
What’s the title of your book?
Grow Your Salon FAST: The Quick, Dirty, Uncensored Secrets to Effortless High Street Domination, Despite Cut-Throat Competition, Insane Regulation, and Obnoxious Clients.
How long had you wanted to write a book before you put the first word on paper?
This was my second book and I had already had a plan to write it over a 6-month period. From time of concept to the first word would have been a week. But it did take a bit longer to complete than planned.
What first inspired you to write a book?
A book indicates you’re an expert in your field, I needed to obtain expert status quickly to sell my services and position myself as the leader in my niche.
What inspired you to actually start the writing?
I get a thrill out of helping other business owners succeed, I love to see their growth and the resulting freedom they achieve after putting to work the strategies I show them. I wrote the book for these business owners
Once you start marketing with your own personality, differentiation yourself from the other ‘me too’ morons, you will typically both attract and repel clients. The clients you will attract will be the ones you want to have in your business, and you will get more pleasure from them and have better business success because of it.
Did you have to find further inspiration throughout your writing journey to keep you motivated? If so, what?
Yes, a nagging guilt that if I didn’t get it done, my editing/publishing slot would be gone and it would take longer to complete. I also needed it to hang all the marketing of my business on, so needed to complete it to start to sell my services.
Does your book inspire others? In what way?
I hope so. It was written specifically for owners of salons in the hair, beauty, aesthetics industry. To help understand the principles of marketing and how to have a strategy in place to attract better clients, do more for and get more from the clients they already have (and like), and have more profit. Which in turn gives them a better life, more time to be creative, more time with their families, happy staff, time off, enjoying their business and having less stress and hassle.
What tips would you have for anyone else inspired but stuck?
Just start. Pick somewhere and start. Even if it’s not at the beginning. Write a word, write a sentence, write a paragraph. Don’t worry about how it sounds, just start writing. Your first paragraphs may be crap but once you get into the flow you will know what direction to take, and a good editor will make you sound even better later, that’s their job.
At some point you will hate it, all of it. But you will fall in love again when you hold that sexy little book of your own in your hands.
This book isn’t for everyone, it’s to the point, sweary and honest and Kat doesn’t pull any punches. She’s a Just get it done kinda person, and that is what I love about her style.
She is currently writing her third book and I for one can’t wait to help her produce it. I’ve got my strap on balls and will look forward to what she has in store for us next… Learn from her tips above – seriously they are one of the quickest ways of getting that book out of your head and into print.
Wow there’s a lot of energy just in there, the book must be bursting!!