Hello everyone.  I need some advice from those of you that have been in this business for a while.  I graduated school last Feb. at the age of 51.  My first salon was busy, but the owner was not professional and totally humiliated me in front of clients, downing my education.  So, I left.  I started at a small local salon in September, the owners are really wonderful, I feel much more comfortable, however, I am not busy.  I am going crazy with the down time.  In 2 months, I have 11 repeat clients, but I am making only about an average of $100 per week - from clients and tips.  I can't afford to continue like this............and feel like quitting...............thought I'd seek advice here before I do so.  Thanks for the ear.

on my downtime I when around the current neighbourhood and met all the local storeowners.  After introducing myself many of them asked what I thought about their current hairstyle etc.....hand out the business cards like candy and in time you'll reap the rewards of your efforts.....

I've also offered those who express interest a complimentary consultation in salon...takes just a few minutes and gets them comfortable in your surroundings....

Good Luck!

This business is really hard to start out in if you need to make enough money to support yourself. You might want to consider talking to the salon owner about getting paid hourly to assume other responsibilities in the shop while you build your clientele.

Maybe you can start out assisting or doing reception three days and being on the floor only on weekends. The owner signs your checks, and should easily see that you will not be able to work for them if you're checks are so low. Just make sure that the days that you take clients are totally seperate from the other days, you should never be doing both jobs at once.

Also, don't get trapped in to being paid hourly for the days you are on the floor. In a short period of time this will work out to their advantage, and can be very hard to get out of in the future. Sell it to them as two part time jobs under their roof.

If they won't go for it, cut your hours to weekends only and take a part time job doing something completely different. The goal is always to maximize your time in the salon, there is no sense at all in sitting in a chair for 30 hours a week and only working 5.  

Dear seurich,

                  I cannot agree more with the previous comments.Ours is a wonderful industry.Stick with it. I also think that 11 repeats in two months is v.good.I think I too about a year to get that many.

   My suggestions would certainly be to ask for referalls with some kind of incentive and to thank your clients.

Are you building up a database? Very useful.We send out flyers 3/4 times a year as well as christmas cards.

  I heard of a stylist who wrote a postcard to each client after each visit.It seemed to work for them.And it sounds like you have the time.

    I would also recommend some of the books /dvds on the site.If you can't afford to but on your own maybe you could share with some one.

  One of the best things I was told was to be different. If you do what everyone else does you'll get what every one else gets

All the best,

Brianj

Everyone has given you great advice, but I just wanted to add one thing that worked for me. See if there is a mommy club/play group in your area and advertise in their newsletter, or hand out business cards to all the members of the group. As someone that has done a LOT of kids before I got where I am now, I'll tell you that it takes a special kind of stylist to do kids' hair and do it well and patiently. If you can master it, you will reap the benefits.

When I first started at my salon I had no clients because I had just moved from another state. My boss started giving me all the kids cuts and all it took was me being patient and friendly and chatting with mom during the cuts for me to start getting a reputation as a great stylist for kids. Well it didn't take long before I caught wind that a client in a local mommy club was singing my praises and sending everyone in the group to me! Yeah, I started out doing mostly toddlers, and yes some of them scream and cry and thrash around, but I always kept my cool and impressed the pants off these moms! It all payed off though because now all those moms are coming to me as well, several of them are color clients, and I even have some of the dads!

So...it's definitely something to think about :)

 Hi , I would like to give you my opinion of this discussion . I'm a 20 year veteran of the hair dressing industry ! I have owned salons in the past and worked for many . Today's hair designing industry has taken a 360 from what it was when I first started in the business in the 80's -- Vidal Sassoon was hot -- GQ hair cuts were all the rage for men - the BUZZ cut was a no no and frowned upon by most people . Today the 35 dollar mans hair cut has flown the coop replaced by 6 to 8 dollar buzz cuts . This scenario has been caused I feel by the change in economy and the economy does have influence in our style, and the fact that the US is at war . For instants, the BUZZ cut is now a popular IN STYLE cut for men ,where as in the 80's you would have been frowned upon and called a jar head ( sorry, just a figure of speech , I support our military !) by your pears for wearing that style. Today its cool to where a military type cut because of the fact that we are at war, and its cool to be a marine ( or a member of any other military service ).

So, I feel that unfortunately right now its a hard business to be in, but , we have been here before ( before Sassoon brought professional hairdressing to the US ) there were mostly only barber shops to go to for your hair , even the woman had to go to the barber . So,  theoretically things should return to the days of high style - high priced hair dressing and the hair dresser/cosmetologist will once again be looked up to .

Everything in this universe rotates including style  :)

what goes around will come around again , usually with a slightly different twist to it .

Well, back to the lab !!   see ya   -- Franko/Jose

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