In case you didn’t know, we salon a little differently. 

Not just for our clients, but our team too.  It wasn’t always this way, we followed a certain curve, and then we were thrown the biggest curve of all; the pandemic.

The pandemic hit every person, every business differently; whether you were forced to not work, or forced to work harder.  For us, the salon was closed for more than 7 months in a single year. The salon personal service industry was one of the longest closed businesses during the height of the pandemic.  While we were forced to be closed, we hit the ground running behind the scenes.  We wanted to, but we also had to….pivot.
(Insert GIF of Ross Ghellar trying to move the couch up the stairs! If you know, you know!) 

Charging an hourly rate changed things.  How? Well, for our team, it allows each stylist to value their own selves and create their desired future path.  This allows for growth, both professionally and personally.   It removes the “needed” double booking to squeeze all the clients in and make their time “valuable”.  It removes the idea that a stylist needs to work and be available all the time, and work 10, 12, 14 hours a day. (because this literally is what happens!) 

It gives them freedom to decide how often they wish to work, when they can take time off, vacation, and live life outside of work.

It allows them to be able to customize every client’s wishes for their dream hair, but also within their budget without emotional haggling or back and forth.  It allows them to choose what is best for the clients hair, rather than needing to suggest adding on a service and price, such as a deep conditioning treatment.  If it can fit within the time booked, it can be done! There is no trying to figure out what to charge, the pricing is consistent, no surprises and no add ons. 

For our clients, it allows dedicated one on one appointments with their stylist without needing to potentially wait while their stylist finishes another client during their processing time.  No more double booking is also a great thing for our clients! It’s all about you, 100% of your appointment time! Hourly rates are all encompassing, which means that what can be done in the time booked, can be done.  Need Olaplex? Deep conditioning treatment? Want face framing highlights? Want a cut with your colour? None of these are add ons! Your appointment can be completely customized to what you are looking for, in the allotted booked time, and provided without any hidden add on cost. 

Our stylists calculate their hourly rate to allow them to live their lives, which means that the “customary” tipping is no longer a necessity.  Our stylists don’t have to rely on the kindness of others to fund their lives, because their income isn’t enough. It takes the guesswork out for our team about how much they will make each day.
For our clients, you don’t have to worry that you have to tip on top of your appointment costs, no calculating, no reducing your appointment time because “adding in a tip will put you over your budget”.  It removes the societal awkwardness of tipping; the shame, the apprehension, the wonder if you did a good job if they didn’t tip or even the resentment that a service provider (not just stylists) may feel when they aren’t tipped.
(For more information and insight on Tipping, check out our blog post about it!)

At the end of the day we want every team member to feel happy, fulfilled, accomplished, successful, isn't that the dream for everyone?