Issue link: https://www.ahpindiestylist.com/i/1511260
42 indie stylist Volume 4 Issue 2 THE CONSULTATION If you're ready to take the leap, your pricing is just the starting point. Once the guest is in your salon or barbershop, there are ways you can change your interactions to remove bias and open up dialogue. Some guests who come to you might fall outside the gender binary. It's also likely that some have been frustrated by the way the hair industry has priced their cuts and made assumptions in the past. Your job is to make them feel comfortable when they're booking their appointment, sitting in your chair, and discussing their hair. It starts the second they open the door. "The whole way my shop was designed was so that the moment someone walks in, they're greeted and feel comfortable— fostering a sense of belonging—so that by the time they get into my chair, they're a haircut that's booked for a man and it's someone who needs more time, or someone who booked a woman's service and they don't need as much time," SophiaMarie says. This could be doing hair professionals a disservice when time is their most valuable asset in business. The concept of charging based on time isn't new. "There are so many service providers that charge for their time. It's not groundbreaking; this doesn't even have to be progressive," SophiaMarie says. Cab drivers charge you based on the length of time and distance you're in their car. Massage therapists charge sessions based on the minutes you're experiencing their touch. Personal trainers charge by how many hours you want to spend in the gym. Why would you limit your income by not charging what you're worth in time and effort exerted? SophiaMarie and client Bre Garger laugh during a consultation. jas kitterman