ForumsBusiness Classifieds

What are you paying your hair stylists, Welcome

Good question. I am in New York, You are in Detroit

Do you have an Accountant?? Good place to start. Are you a Member of (or part of) of the local hair salon owners?? Have you tried reaching out to SCORE online and talking to a local salon owner who is also a
SCORE Counselor??

Good luck, LUCKIEST

Your points are interesting - utopian, but interesting. Most customers naturally see the business through the eyes of the stylist and don't really understand the business at all from an owners perspective. After all, the average customer sits in the chair for 1 - 2 hours hearing about the world according to their stylist, unaware that the seat they are sitting in, the lights above them, the heat, the airconditioning, the coffee, the beautiful decor, the receptionist, everything around them, is provided at the owners expense.

The fact is that revenues continue to drop due to the economy - ESPECIALLY in the Detroit market. I track my numbers daily, sometimes even hourly so yes, I have been addressing the decline in revenues. Unfortunately, my cost continue to rise including utilities, rent, supplies, products, insurance, wages, advertising, etc. The cost of doing business continues to rise regardless of revenues. Perhaps one option would be to raise prices to increase revenues but alas, price elasticity of demand is extremely inelastic and a large number of customers WILL go elsewhere to save a buck - despite their loyalty to the stylist. In addition, our stylists refuse to charge the higher prices fearing they will lose clientele. Another option might be to hold a promotional event similar to your suggested "hair fair" that would benefit a local charity or include special discounts or both. Again, the stylist will gladly do this IF it does not come out of their pocket AND it is done during their normal work schedule, i.e., Sunday is completely out of the question for 95 percent of our people.

In general, stylists are very independent minded people who for the most part look out for themselves above all else. Their number one goal in life is to maximize their profits. And as you so succinctly pointed out, they know that they can go down the street to another salon any time they please if the owner does not continually placate or treat them in a manor that is befitting them. It is extremely rare to find a stylist who understands the business and/or cares enough about the shop they work in, and is willing to make the kind of sacrifices that may result in a short term loss for a long term gain. I know this because I've got a couple of these exceptional people working for me and they continually go out of their way to do what's best for both them AND for the salon. In most cases, these are the folks that will become owners themselves one day. They just get it. So hopefully the next time little Suzzie tells you how terrible the place is and/or how horrible the owner is, just before she packs up her scissors and moves again, you might remember that there's her world and then there's the business world.

Little Susie did not have to tell me about the crazy owners...I got to see it for myself....first hand. I watched as one owner paid 11.00 an hour while I was paying 125.00 for a cut & root touch up, and watched as another owner would come into the salon screaming about HOW BAD the world was and OMG she just did not know if she could make the salon work.... stylists were quitting left and right. I found my current gal as she was the third one that salon had put me with, when she quit, I walked as well.

My Mom styled hair and had her own shop, I have seen it from both sides. Keep the stylists happy, the customers will come and the bills will get paid. If your stylists are so independent, then you as an owner have to get them into a team. My stylist and I both like the salon where she is now. When we decided to change my color another stylist in the shop gave her his recipie for this wonderful grey/blonde. Teamwork. That's what makes money.

As a small business technology start up I know full well the costs of doing business, it's not cheap and it hurts, but a dedicated TEAM will pull you through. However utopian that sounds.

So that was funny, they cut off a whole paragragh about the computer system i bought, guess because i named the system. But the point was the stylist called my partner and demanded that they not have to use the system. And my reference to my partner being old school was about not wanting to bring new technology into the store if it ment he might lose some of the stylist before the buyout is complete.