Tales from a hairdresser:
how a client cut his own hair

In the work of a hairdresser, sometimes situations occur that are initiated by clients with the makings of an entrepreneur. They actively seek and find suitable moments to use their extraordinary mental abilities. Usually these are energetic people who are in a hurry and ask to be served immediately.

A handsome young man came to the hairdresser to get his hair cut - he was not a regular client, but sometimes he reminded me of himself. During the service, he willingly shared his many years of observations of the work of hairdressers and advised the most appropriate techniques for working with his hair. The reader needs to take into account that they did not ask him for advice - they simply listened, giving him the opportunity to speak out.

On his next visit, without waiting for the master to finish the work, he asked for hairdressing equipment and showed on his own head how he could cut hair quickly and efficiently. His actions looked convincing and were the beginning of a demonstration of experience, imagination and dexterity. At that moment, the hairdresser had no idea about the scale of his abilities and talents - for her he still remained a pleasant and sociable young man.

The next time he came with a friend and unexpectedly asked to rent a hair clipper for a fee. The hairdresser, not expecting such a turn of events, was slightly surprised, but agreed. A former client was served by a friend of his - it turned out that she wanted to try on the profession of a hairdresser. The master became interested in the visitors’ invention and did not object, because for the use of her work chair and tools she received the cost of a haircut.

The young man’s next independent service was shaving his beard with a hair clipper. The hairdresser saw this operation for the first time in her professional career. A consoling bonus for her was the informative information about a new type of service and a story about why shaving with a machine suited him. To the credit of the former client, he voluntarily paid money for the work done. The master slowly expanded her horizons about human capabilities and mentally complained about her limitations.

At parting, the client joyfully announced that he would constantly come and shave his beard with the master’s clipper. In the long term, the hairdresser was not happy with this idea - it was arbitrary, and her consent was not asked at all. She listened to him calmly, wished him good luck, but decided that this visit from his former client would be his last.

She will no longer agree to his innovations and intends to work as before. In her opinion, the logical solution for a savvy young man would be to buy hairdressing tools and perform self-service at home. What to do and what to do is up to him to decide for himself. We can only wish him success and maintain a positive attitude and enthusiasm.

The fairy tale is a lie, but there is a hint in it… And now seriously, conclusions and further thoughts.

7 things hair salons should stop doing immediately

1. Gender pricing. There is no such thing as a men’s haircut or a women’s haircut. Requiring people to pay more for a service because of their gender/sexuality is discriminatory and is considered a “pink tax” because it disproportionately affects those who identify as women. Paying by the hour (pay for time) is the best way to eliminate discriminatory practices and make real money as a hairdresser.

2. Services for children. If you’re a hairdresser, you know that working with children is much more difficult (usually) than working with adults. They squirm, cry and scream - charging less for children’s haircuts is just another form of cutting yourself off from profits. Another solution is to charge for time; this eliminates confusion and creates a much more profitable environment for hairdressers.

3. Accept tips. Tipping was created for two main reasons. The first reason is a workaround for white employers to pay out-of-town workers less than local workers. Tipping also allowed employers to pay women less than men. Tipping is rooted in racism and sexism, and by eliminating them, we are eliminating the performance-based pay they created. Here’s a simple way to look at it:

• Tip = you determine my value and cost
• No tip = I decided what I was worth and how I valued myself.

4. Discount. Discount is a word that says: “My services are not worth what I charge for.” When we make a discount, we devalue ourselves as a professional. Discounts historically do not create clientele, they destroy it. Building a clientele comes from genuine connection, talent and, more often than not, saving someone’s hair from a former disaster. Discounts are a competitive way of making money that forces you to work much harder for much less money. Stand your ground; stop giving discounts.

5. Stock your shelves with retail items. This was the "Destroy the Barber" mission from the very beginning. Manufacturing companies have convinced hairdressers and salons that their inflated cash flow is profit, but it is not. Profit is the remainder after expenses, and when you do the full math equation, you don’t make as much money as you think you do, and sometimes you don’t make any money at all. Clearing out the shelves, adding more work stations, eliminating retail and moving to affiliate links and online marketplaces is the best path forward for salons and barbershops. There is a way to make money in retail, but that doesn’t mean you have to listen to the big product companies.

6. Transition to rental salons. Consignment stores are the future. We know this sounds crazy. But commission is a pay structure, and a great one at that, but only if used correctly. Many terrible salon owners charge their employees inappropriate amounts of money. This doesn’t mean that commission structures are bad; it’s just what happens when people open salons without any idea of what they’re doing. Many high-paying jobs are based on commission because when done right, both parties win. At Destroy the Hairdresser we offer commissions of 46%, 47% or 48%. Anything above or below this level is not acceptable for either the hairdresser or the salon - no sliding scales, no "additional product charges", just a straight number.

7. Benchmarking. Nobody cares less about benchmarking than hairdressers. Of course, to run a business we have to look at the numbers and make smart business decisions, but at the end of the day, happy hairdressers build businesses. There is generally a link between happiness in the workplace and business profitability, which is why we focus all of our business strategies on developing emotional intelligence. Continue to monitor your performance and set goals, but stop comparing your employees (they don’t care).