5 Things to STOP saying as a hairstylist in 2024 and beyond

Our industry has evolved tremendously over the last few years. For such a long time we were looked down upon and even looked over when it came to being a respectable career. Well, times have changed for the better. And if there is one thing I stand on it’s this: if we want clients to believe in us, we have to believe in ourselves first. We must respect ourselves and each other first.  

Here are my top 5 statements to retire moving forward, to reflect this change.  

1. Charge your “WORTH”- I stopped saying this years ago because worth is something very personal. It’s tied to how we personally feel about ourselves but oftentimes doesn’t reflect our talent. I swapped out "charge your worth" to “charge your VALUE”. Why? Value is tied to your skill set, what you deliver BTC. It’s your talent, total client experience, and quality of work.  
    
2. I’m JUST a hairstylist - We are way more than just hairstylists. We don’t want to keep perpetuating this narrative. And although we have gotten so much better, we still have some work to do. I would suggest starting by listing out how many lives you’ve changed over the last year. How many hugs and tears you shed with clients to support them. How many smiles and happy cries that happened when they saw themselves in the mirror for the first time. Focus on that.   
   
   
3. My salon has ONLY 2 chairs- No matter how big or how small your salon is. It is important and you matter. Words matter and the way we talk about ourselves, and our businesses matter too. You took a risk to open a business whether it’s 2 chairs or 15. You did it. Celebrate that and never minimize the amount of courage you had to take that leap. 
   
   
4. Sorry! My books are CLOSED- Listen I totally understand the overwhelm of being booked and busy. Imagine you go to your favorite restaurant, and they had a sign on the door that said: “We are no longer seating new customers.” Would you go back? Probably not. I suggest creating a waitlist first. Secondly, have clients fill out a digital intake form to see if they are a match for you and your salon. This is great when you are in high demand because it puts you in the driver's seat of your business. I also suggest looking into your prices a bit further as well. Blog on pricing here.
   
   
5. THEIR prices are too high- It’s’ time. It's time to stop price shaming other stylists for what they charge their clients. I see this way too often on social media and it really brings down the energy and respect level. Focus on your prices and if you’re charging enough to make a profit. And let's just celebrate other stylists and what they charge for their services or just keep on scrolling.