WWYD: Are You Booked—Or Is Business Slow?
How Busy Are Hairdressers Right Now?
With every area of the country in a different “phase” of economic reopening, we were curious—how are things REALLY going? Are you busy? Still double booking? Are you seeing a slow down? How’s it going out there? We weren’t alone in wondering, because someone in the BTC Community asked the same question. Keep reading to see what other stylists are experiencing.
“Does anyone see the light at the end of the tunnel? In other words, been able to book in a way where you’re actually making a profit? If you’re back in the salon and with the whole ‘one client at a time?”‘ I haven’t! Just wondering if anyone else has and if they had any thoughts, ideas advice for some encouragement?
Editor’s Note: Some state and local health departments and/or state boards of cosmetology have specific rules over whether or not you should double book at this time. Make sure to check your local regulations!
Super Busy At First, But Now VERY SLOW
A lot of you said you experienced a crazy rush upon initial reopening, but now you’re barely seeing any clients. Don’t panic!
“They are just bunched up. It will stabilize with time. Remember how January is after Christmas—this is just exaggerated by EVERYONE coming at once,” said Dana Gathman on Facebook.
Remember that you WILL get through this. Here are some other stories from the BTC Community:
“As a team we had to each sacrifice hours so everyone can work. So between that and current conditions, definitely making much less. Also those of us with young children have to be absent from the salon more.” – @kittyleroy
“I live in Los Angeles and the first 3 weeks we came back was the highest I’ve made all year…then it stopped. I have a fairly decent clientele, most of them have decided to move out of LA, shave their head (men 😂), do their hair at home because they don’t feel comfortable coming back into a salon or just have embraced their grey and trying something new. Now we are closed down again in Los Angeles and I’m just not sure what’s going to happen from this point forward. Being closed for 3.5 months really hurt and add insult to injury, closed down again and now I’m really going to feel the hurt. 💔” – @dixxiefriedd
“Went from the best year in my career to the worst. Very disheartening. People so afraid to come in 🤦🏻♀️” – Kiki Fotiadis
“Not even breaking even so slow! Making maybe 1/2 of what I used to make.😩 I think people are doing their hair at home. I work in one of the busiest salons in the state of Wisconsin, sometimes we rank the busiest in the nation. We might be doing a quarter of what we used to.” – Heidi Dunn
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“I work in a barbershop that is usually walk ins only but having to do appointments now has thrown us all off. We used to do 3 or 4 customers to the hour and now we do maybe 2 when it’s busy. We’re making 1/3 less than we usually do. 🤦🏽♀️” – Mindi Mayo
“Finding color is hard right now and what I do find is several dollars more than pre-COVID…Due to having to space people out, my daily take away isn’t near what it used to be. A good chunk of my clients haven’t been back yet because they don’t feel safe. This new normal has me spinning my wheels in one place. But I have hope it’ll get better.” – Sondra Billard
“I am doing one to two clients per day. Protective styles only at this time. Braids, crochets, dreads, extensions. I am booked til September. I am making more and working less.” – @vtviibes
“I’m booked, but not as solid as before. I make about $250 less a day than “normal times.” With all the cleaning in between each client, plus the few extra minutes to wait for one client to leave so the next can come in, Everything just takes longer. But, I’m just SO THANKFUL I’m allowed to work! 💜” – @bleach.it.again
“I rent a chair. After rent, PPE and supplies, and saving money for taxes I ended up in the negative for June… the cleaning during and between clients really cuts down how many people I can do in a day.” – Nicole Pomeroy
Still Busy—And Here’s Why
Yes, some hairdressers are keeping their chair full, even during the pandemic. Keep reading to see what these stylists are experiencing across the country.
“I’m weirdly making more money. 🤷🏽♀️ I can’t double book true, but everyone is a project! There’s not really any quick base and cuts right now. It’s summer and no one’s been able to get in so it’s all highlights!” – @paintedbyashleymarie
“My first three weeks back were 3/4 of my highest grossing weeks ever, but I also busted my butt, worked longer days, and one of those was a six-day week. I’ve since had pretty normal weeks, even without double booking or inflating my prices. The biggest thing has been not spending as much time on the back end to curl the hair, and I haven’t taken many pictures of my clients to help save time. Also, right now is more maintenance than trying to do major overhauls.” – @pagingholland
“For a lot of my foiling techniques I spend most of the time with my clients during the whole appointment anyway. I would only take clients in between a single process service for the most part. I honestly don’t mind doing one at a time and having little mask breaks and time to clean. Our salon also raised prices I’m a level 3 stylist and haven’t raised my prices in almost 8 years so I feel I’m working smarter not harder these days. It’s actually quite nice.” – Theresa Haines
“My books are slammed into September. I was picky about the clients I booked after we reopened and kept mainly my extension and balayage clients so I’ve actually been working fewer days and making the same money even with not double booking. Worried we are about the get shut down again though 😔 cases are skyrocketing in Texas.” – Allison Snow Dawson
“I’m busier than the holiday season which I was not expecting. I lost a handful of clients due to my personal strict mask requirements, but I’ve replaced them plus some due to the same reason. I didn’t increase my pricing or change anything. 🤷🏼♀️ just stayed consistent and confident in my wishes!” – Maggie Murphy
“I have never double booked. I was back to work for 6 weeks before I found out I’m shut down again today in California. The six weeks I was back I made more money than I’ve ever seen in a six-week period. People were tipping $40 to $60 dollars extra than what they usually tip and getting extra services too. My ticket prices were huge. Sadly though I’m back to being unemployed.” – Stacy Tinsley
“I’m slammed!! Only taking one at a time!! I was extremely strict during the shutdown!! No house calls or anything but taking care of my loved ones. No hair for three months 😩 but my clients loved the fact I was strict. I even moved locations where I’d have independent A/C unit and even more privacy. 95% of my people returned and I’m getting new ones because they don’t trust that their previous stylist social distanced or isn’t going to infect them. Very sad. 😞 I have let go of 5% because they didn’t take it seriously. And I couldn’t jeopardize the 95% or myself or loved ones.” – Greta Kerr
“Just a pinch more. Had to raise color prices and was time for a haircut raise anyway. I am spending less with supplies being scarce so that helps. I am in save mode in case this happens again. No assistance for me ~ I don’t need another loan. Glad the husband has a great job and I don’t have to contribute to the household right now. Salon money stays in house. I am still not caught up with appts. I’ve had to quarantine due to exposure once. Can’t afford that again. Cancelling on a bride is the worst.” – Nicole Nock Poeppe
“I’m on Long Island in New York…I’ve been back to work for 4 weeks and yesterday was my first ‘slow’ day, seeing only four clients, each only getting haircuts. I’m fully booked (with the new state regulations) until July 20th. I’ve made really good money, but it’s because my clients are coming in and getting the works done. I believe that I’m going to slow down drastically in paychecks once their second appointments back come around. I’m saving every penny I’m getting so I don’t drown when that happens.” – Talia Em
“I’m making more currently. I am in a studio salon and catching a lot of overflow from stylists who either are not going back to work yet or salons that are only working at half capacity. I am not poaching clients but I’m finding myself having to turn people away because of the amount that I have been getting. Think people are feeling more comfortable coming into the studio but I’ve also have a lot of new clients who are offended by what they are current stylist are posting on Facebook. Remember your clients follow you and if your political beliefs don’t match up with theirs they might leave you…I’m not telling you what you can and cannot post on your own personal platform, but I’ve gotten a lot of people recently because they are disgusted by what their stylists are saying…I am located in Connecticut where we are doing pretty well numbers wise so most people are coming in.” – Jennifer Labbe Pilagin
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