When the passion starts to go

[hairstylist2010]

So Ive been in the industry now 12 years, I've got my own successful business - booking around 6 weeks in advance as standard, I've got a 90% customer retention and earning a good salary. But I'm losing the passion. i'm adjusting my hours to now suit my small family more but a regrowth tint just doesn't excite me. I don't feel excited about seeing clients and am starting to dread working. Help me! xx

 

[Lukas K]

Are you a salon owner or?

Being around other stylists can really help with inspiring you and learning.
When you feel stuck in a rut, it's time to switch things up! Take some classes.. or go to one of the trend color shows put on by the color houses.
Find new ways of doing the same thing!
Try different products..
Instead of doing that regrowth touchup horizontally, do it vertically!
Talk them into some balayage pieces..
Clients always appreciate a fresh outlook as much as you do, instead of just saying 'the usual today?'
Most of the time when we are stuck in a rut, it's also because other aspects our lives are lacking also. Look inside yourself and see what you feel could use improvement in your life?

 

[hairstylist2010]

I work from home, I think about doing courses but at the same time don't want to spend money on something i'm not passionate about. My clients aren't balayage clients - they like their 5.0 root tint thats a cheap top up in between a yearly full head tint - I never ask if we are doing the usual - I was taught that from day 1 xx

 

[hairstylist2010]

I'm a very hands on stylist - always there for people by phone, email, facebook - just feel suffocated by them xx

 

[Lukas K]

Working form home can be a double edged sword. Sometimes when you're not around people who are in the industry, you tend to lose passion faster and shy away from what's currently going on in the hair world.

I'm not surprised that you're bored tbh. Anyone just doing a 5.0 root retouch all the time is bound to get bored. Anything that is monotonous and repetitive gets boring in life.

What helps me personally, is the little things.. like buying myself some new brushes, products to try and such. It makes me actually excited to try them out and i look forward to my next client that way and trying it out!


The day that you feel like you've done it all and you don't need to learn, is the time that you need to learn the most!

I've been doing hair for 11 years, and I still feel like I learn something new everyday. There's so many ways to do one thing.
And there's always areas I find I can improve on, and things that I don't feel like I'm good at all and need to work on a LOT.

It sounds like there's a mismatch between your personal life, and professional life. When you work from home, you're expected to be available at all hours, and it sounds like you do. Not leaving enough time for your family.

Especially when people are coming into your home.. you feel like you never really "walk away from work" so to speak. And it's constantly crossing that professional line when you're inviting people into your home.

Most importantly.. find things you ENJOY doing. Say if you enjoy doing a certain style of hair..like rainbow hair let's just say. Find models through social media who want that look and give them signature look, letting people know that is your "brand" and let them be your walking advertisement! and that way you can find clients and do things you enjoy doing, that will excite you and won't feel like work!

I know those root touchups are your bread and butter right now, but try to find a better balance between your professional and personal life while still opening yourself to new clients, and doing the type of hair that excites you and challenges you, and it will never get boring!

 

[RED STAR]

We can be all singing all dancing, creative, passionate stylists......but its finding the client base, happy and willing to pay for that type of service that's becoming a challenge.
Rainbow hair, for instance will be an expensive service and ongoing commitment.
Time, products, home care.........
Finding clients willing and able to pay £150+ is tough, and to make money from such work, you can't do it cheaply.
I think we really are in difficult times in this profession.
What we think we're worth, taking into account experience, ongoing training costs and overheads, versus what Joe public think is a fair price are often very different.

 

[Lukas K]

While I agree totally agree and realize that we are indeed in difficult times. I have to say that that clients will pay any price if they think your service is worth it. It may depend on your demographics and area, but there are many stylists who have clients that pay $500 for a simple full cut and color. I charge $175 for a full head highlight only + toner extra, and have never had a shortage of clients. Because I enjoy what I do, and I transcend this into my work and it speaks for itself.

No one said that we have to be laughing and singing all the time and doing rainbow hair. It was an example. I was just stating that she should find a niche and do more of things she enjoys. Which will snowball and attract more of what she actually wants to do and actually inspire her to want to see her clients.

While doing a full head tint once a year and a few root retouches in between ,is fine for a client for some stylists, and believe me we still need those clients as they are our bread and butter! We shouldn't sell ourselves short when there is more that we can aspire to.

I stated earlier that it can be as simple as purchasing yourself some new tools, like brushes, a new product here and there. Some classes once in a while. Why not reccomend your clients to add a few lighter highlight balayage pieces around the face once in a while with her root retouch? it's super low maintenance. It can be as simple as changing your root application vertically instead of horizontally might be all it takes to excite you that day. Personally, I believe you have to challenge yourself if you want to grow in any aspect. Your clients will notice that you're doing something different and it sparks up a conversation.

It doesnt have to be all out and running a rainbow hair assembly or anything. It's about inspiring yourself and these tricks have worked well for me. I realize that not everyone can have intricate styles that are high maintenance, and my advice won't work for everyone cause we're all different. I just love what I do, and I have bad days too where I want to walk away. Believe me. You just have to find what works for you.

 

[hairstylist2010]

Thats the problem, I don't know if i care enough to invest..

 

[Lukas K]

For some people it's just a job.. and for some its a passion and a career. Maybe you've outgrown that part of your life and it's time to move along. All the best xx

 

[Olive293]

Lukas has some great advice.
Only you know if you are over hairdressing as a whole, or over your clients and the work you do.
My Instagram page was looking very 'bronde' and so I used a model and turned her bright purple. I am now getting a lot more requests for vivids. I seem to do heaps of bobs. So again soon enough I'm going to run a competition and offer a complimentary (different) haircut. Something edgy to branch out to a different client base.
I know how you feel though. I took an 8 year break from a salon. Deep down though the passion was always there and now j love being back in my salon

 

[surf girl]

God I've got so many rainbows I'd love a week of root re touches! I'm a bit bored with foils latley tho, I inderstand how you feel @hairstylist2010 it does get a bit same old same old doesn't it, I found some fantastic Facebook & Instagram groups recently tho that are really inspiring, I find that watching the fashion channel late at night is really inspiring too, there's something about the catwalk that really reignites my passion for hairdressing when I'm bored. Offering your favourite service (mines balyage at the mo) to clients that wouldn't normally go for that sort of thing is good too, you can't beat the look on a 5.0 retouch clients face when they see a gorgeous balyage on their head

 

[Laurajane_85]

I know how you feel.
Iv just started at a new salon and it's only early days but I'm not loving it.
It's pushing me into a way of hairdressing that I don't like. Everything is computer booked and EVERY app apart from full head foils (1hr) is a 30 min app. One thing I hate when getting to know new clients in a new town is rushing. Iv been hairdressing for 14 years only worked at 2 salons and only left due to relocation but this one is testing me. How can I be expected to cut a long layered cut with a curly blowdry in 30mins. That includes shampoo and treatment time too.
I'd love to open up on my own but with a husband with a full time job and shifts and 3 young children it's just not possible at the moment.
Getting ready for work now and I feel stressed at the thought. Xx

 

[Tillie]

So Ive been in the industry now 12 years, I've got my own successful business - booking around 6 weeks in advance as standard, I've got a 90% customer retention and earning a good salary. But I'm losing the passion. i'm adjusting my hours to now suit my small family more but a regrowth tint just doesn't excite me. I don't feel excited about seeing clients and am starting to dread working. Help me! xx

Sometimes you need to push yourself out of your comfort zone to feel alive again and obviously you are doing really well and at a comfortable level. I've been in the business probably double the amount of time you have and I have felt this way too. But there are so many different areas you can expand into eg colour competitions, session styling for tv photo shoots etc or become a part time educator to give back? If you are just in your salon every day it's going to get a bit monotonous but if you did something 1 or 2 days a week that inspired you and mix it up a bit you would find you would feel alive again and your clients would get excited and be inspired by it too.

 

[hairstylist2010]

I've sat and cried today, I'm just in such a bad place with knowing what the answer is

 

[Beetlebumbaby]

Can you take a little holiday to refresh yourself?

 

[Dmeanr]

You do a full head foil in an hour? That's fast!