I work in a salon, my best friend is a home/mobile hairdresser. We trained together years ago and while I have kind of continued my training, she sees it as she has ‘done’ her training therefore doesn’t need more and certainly isn’t going to pay for courses etc. She hasn’t really progressed in her work quality over time, and still mainly does very out of date hairstyles like stripey highlights and graduated bobs, with a mostly older clientele. We just have different types of businesses which is fine. The problem is, I’ve always had my hair done by her (for free), and she always has me, we do it at the same time. She lives quite far and I always go to her home salon and we spend most of the day doing each other’s cut and colours, we’ve always done it this way. Because of her limited skill set I’ve always just gone for very basic haircuts and just an all-over tint , and just accepted that she can’t do things like balayage or modern layered looks. Even though I go for basic styles, she has messed it up more than a few occasions, which I’ve just accepted and grown it out. I’ve politely tried to teach her new things, but she gets offended as if I’m trying to say I am better than her. She won’t come on courses with me as she says they’re too expensive. I have seen photos of when she’s attempted anything more complicated and she just isn’t up to it, if you know what I mean. I’m now getting really bored with my hair and would love something more interesting and ‘hairdresser’ looking than just my one length trim and tint, and obviously I have plenty of stylists at my work who would be willing to do my hair. I don’t know how I would break it to my friend that she isn’t right for my hair anymore , and I want someone else to do it, she takes it SO personally if a client goes to someone else and has even fallen out with other friends over it. The other issue is she has no one else to do her hair, and I would be stuck continuing to do hers for free, when I pay rent for my chair. What would you do?!?!