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Salon On First, located at the corner of First and C in Coronado, is the first salon in America to be certified by the National Institute of Community Care Beauty. “The mission of the organization is to end the loneliness epidemic by getting hair salons and hair stylists involved,” says Marilyn Klisser, owner of Salon On First and co-founder of National Institute of Community Care Beauty.
“I became a part of it when this gentleman, Dr. Robert Metcalfe, who is the original founder, left me a voicemail about his mission,” said Marilyn. “I just thought that was so awesome. I’ve always had a big heart for people, especially for people who might feel lonely or isolated. I want people to feel included and like they’re not alone. The previous Surgeon General, Vivek Murthy, spoke a lot about loneliness and how it’s literally detrimental to health. There’s been a lot of talk around loneliness lately, and I just thought, ‘wow, I’d love to be a part of this.'”
Co-Founding the National Institute of Community Care Beauty
Marilyn walks through what that process was like from an idea to a tangible program. “We started putting things together and coming up with a program for stylists and salons to become certified. The fundamental aspect is active listening. When people speak to others, and active listening is taking place, it regulates their nervous system. They feel like they’ve really, truly been heard. They feel understood, they feel connected and valued. It’s about teaching this to salons and stylists. There’s a lot that goes into it, but it’s about getting mental health more to the forefront.”
She caveats that they are “not being therapists, but making sure to put kindness in the forefront. Making it not just about doing great, gorgeous hair, but also listening to your client and making sure that they feel comfortable to share whatever they might want to share and need to get off their chest. Whether it’s good, sad, whatever, all of it, they can feel really, truly connected. When they leave, they not only have great hair, but they just feel great because they can connect on a personal level!”
Implementation
It would be assumed that hair stylists are naturally good listeners. You walk into any salon, and you’ll quickly be immersed in the chatter during visits. However, the presence of conversation may not always equate to deep listening. “There are some stylists who are great listeners, but you’d be surprised who thinks they’re great and who is not,” Marilyn jokes.
Of the program, she explains, “There are definitely some things for everybody to learn, no matter how long you’ve been doing it. I know a couple of stylists who’ve been in the business for 20 years who could benefit from learning what it means to truly listen. It also helps with the hair. That’s not the point of all of this, but how many times have you heard people say, ‘Oh my gosh, I went to the salon to get my hair cut, and I told her an inch, and she took three’ or ‘I told her that I wanted this particular color, and it’s totally not.’ Now, it could have to do with ability, but it could also just have to do with being super present in the moment and focusing on listening to what your client is saying. Repeating it back to them is huge. That really lets them know you are listening, and they feel comfortable.”
Salon On First Stylists
Marilyn says that out of her current stylists, about 75% have finished the training, and she can see a difference. “My number one value for the salon is friendliness. Always zero drama, zero gossiping. I don’t tolerate it. There’s a no-drama policy. I’m very clear with everybody who starts that that is how it is. It’s been amazing because everybody’s respected it. I mean, you take 14 different people all together, normally you’re going to have some drama, but we don’t. So I have to say that even before Community Care Beauty, it’s kind of been like that. But this has enhanced what I already wanted all along.”
When asked if she had any advice for salon owners, she doubled down: “It starts at the top. It’s about how you treat your stylists and clients. You show them what you expect and what you’re willing to put up with. Sometimes, you have to make hard calls if people are not staying true to your values and your vision.”
Community Care Monthly Events at Salon On First
It’s not just about helping the community within the salon, but bringing more to the community at large. Marilyn has started hosting free Community Care monthly events to foster a connection with a wide group, whether they use the salon services or not.
“There’s always a different topic; people come to learn something, communicate, and hang out with others. They chat and mingle with each other for about 20 minutes, and then there’s about 20 to 25 minutes of the topic. We just did our third event, and every single time, everybody’s like, ‘Oh my, that was so awesome.’ People exchange phone numbers, and sometimes they make new friends. I love doing that part of it, and that’s a huge component – the ongoing monthly events to get the community together.”
Community Care Topics
In January, Salon On First hosted Dr. Angelique Campen. Marilyn shares, “Dr. Angelique is a beauty doctor and she’s been a physician for 25 years. She moved down from LA, where she was the doctor to the stars when it came to beauty. She shared some of her tips and secrets with us. They call her ‘the best kept secret’ because she does Hollywood A List celebrities.” In February, Bridget Walton, Women’s Hormone Coach, was the presenter. Then the most recent event was led by Marilyn. “I did a workshop on putting your makeup on in five minutes flat. And I took my makeup off in front of everybody and then put it back on in five minutes with the timer. It was really fun and everybody was very excited.”
Make your calendars for the next event on April 16 from 6 to 7 PM at Salon On First, when local author Esther Avant will be presenting. “She wrote a book called To Your Health. It’s all about health and wellness and tips and tricks. She’s a personal trainer and knows about diet and nutrition. It’s going to be a really good one.”
You can find all the upcoming Community Care events in Crown City Magazine, where Marilyn writes her monthly beauty column. She also advertises in the Facebook group Coronado Happenings, the salon’s Facebook page, and Instagram.
Salon On First Community Outreach
In addition to creating her own community events, Marilyn participates in many other events in town. “I donated a $200 gift basket to the Friends of the Library and attended the Moroccan night, their recent Night at the Library. I want to try to support [the library] as much as possible because I think it’s a beautiful place, and a very cool place for an event. They had appetizers and drinks in the main entrance, then a sit-down dinner in the Winn Room. They had storytelling in the area with the books. We were moving all around the library, and it was really cool.”
Salon On First participated in The Cancer Cartel Fashion Resale Event.
Marilyn also organized the first annual Uptown Coronado Walkabout last October.
Finding a Stylist
Currently, seven stylists at Salon On First are completely booked, and about six are taking on new clients. Finding a new stylist can be a daunting task. Marilyn recommends looking at the stylist’s professional social media accounts for examples of their work and to see what you like. Marilyn also offers her own stylist matchmaking. When you call Salon On First, 619-996-3200, ask to speak to Marilyn. She is happy to get to know prospective clients and make a stylist recommendation.
SALON ON FIRST
1134 First Street, Coronado
