I was taught the busier stylist is the more successful stylist. The one double booked all day, working Saturdays and evenings, was making the big bucks. That was the stylist I wanted to be coming out of school. Eventually, I got to the point where I was double-booked every day and booked out for a month or two at a time. What a dream to be working behind the chair and have clients who love my work.
Then I met a man I knew would be my husband one day. We started dating, and he wanted to date me, but I couldn't go to dinner because I was still at the salon at 8 p.m. I couldn't hang out Saturday because it was my busiest day.
I'm sure you are familiar with the TikTok trend: texts from my husband - stylist edition. Hilarious! Our poor other halves are waiting for us when we say we're done at 6, but Jasmine's hair is taking forever to lift, and it ends up being 7:30 p.m. before I'm ready to clean up.
Circling back to my point. My husband said to me, and I'll never forget it…." What you’re giving to your clients, you’re taking away from your family." Ouch! A gut punch into the heart. I was trying to please everyone, only giving everyone my minimum, and starting to feel burnt out.
I had to shift my mindset and treat my business like a business. What hours and days did I want to work? How much did I want to get paid per hour? I worked for myself booth renting and had complete freedom to build the schedule I wanted. Why was it so hard to make a change?
I was extremely close to my clients and knew I couldn't see Andrea on Wednesdays at 5:30 every 6 weeks; that was the only time she could come. That meant the sweet elderly woman I saw for root touch-ups couldn't come anymore because it wouldn't fit her budget.
Ah, the anxiety when you decide to put yourself first and hit the post button on social media, making it official.
Then something interesting happened. I wasn't a huge fan of certain clients because I was shy and let people walk all over me. Those guests didn't rebook.
Andrea could take off work early on certain days, and my sweet elderly client valued me so much that she was willing to cut out an extra cost to spend time with me.
The boundary I created as a professional for my business allowed me to work the hours I wanted, for the pay I wanted, and opened up space for new clients on services that I enjoyed and preferred to do!
Let me encourage you to take a deep dive into your business today. Grab a coffee and a notebook and sit down for a meeting with yourself. Carve out the time to focus on where you are now and what you want your future to look like.
- What is your cost per service vs. what you are charging?
- How much are you averaging per month, and how much would you like to average?
- What changes can you start implementing now?
- What are your ideal hours?
- Are you making enough to reinvest in education and elevate your services?
- Are you saving enough for taxes?
At Peace Hair Co., we want you to succeed and thrive as a stylist. You have the power to change the entire trajectory of your career by making small changes.
XX With so much love & gratitude -Katie