354 Why Hairdressers Don't Earn Enough (and What to Do About It)

[upbeat music] Let me start with a question. What's the single biggest negative stereotype about being a hairdresser? Now, some of you will already have a list in your head, but my best guess is that no matter where you are in the world, the most common answer is something along the lines of hairdressers don't earn enough money. Now, you might not say it that bluntly, but you don't have to scroll very far on social media to find that exact sentiment being repeated again and again. So is it true? Well, as a generalization, yes, it probably is. But it's also true that there are plenty of hairdressers who do earn very good money. So the real question becomes, if both of those things are true, why is it that so many hairdressers don't earn enough? I'm Anthony Whittaker, and welcome to this week's episode of the Grow My Salon Business podcast. Why hairdressers don't earn enough and what they need to do about it is the topic of this week's episode. Now, the number one reason that they don't earn enough is not often talked about, but there is a simple explanation for it. They don't earn enough because they don't produce enough, and what you earn is always directly connected to what you produce. So if you want to earn more, you have to produce more. Now, I'm sure that I've already ruffled a few feathers, but hear me out and listen with an open mind. You can only produce more if a few things are in place. First, there needs to be demand for you. In other words, you need to have clients who actually want to book in with you. I'll come back to that in a minute. Secondly, you need to be willing to work the hours required to meet that demand because in many cases today, hairdressing has become a part-time career for a lot of people. And sometimes that's a conscious decision, and other times they're part-time because they need a second job because they're not productive enough as a stylist to earn a good income. But if working part-time is a conscious decision, and for many people it is, then that's often because they have children that they need to work around. And I get it, and that's another reason why hairdressing is a great career choice because typically it allows you that flexibility. But less hours will usually also mean that you simply can't generate the same revenue as someone working full-time, and therefore in most cases you'll earn less. And I think that most people understand that's a reality. Now, here's the important part. The stylists I know that earn a great living behind the chair, and by great living, I mean an income that is significantly above the average income. And no matter where you live, those well-paid hairdressers all have a few things in common. To start with, they work full time, meaning 35 to 40 hours a week, and importantly, they're in demand, they're busy, and they're booked solid. And that doesn't just happen. So why is that? Is it because they're the world's best stylist? No, obviously, they're good at doing hair, but being good at doing hair on its own is no guarantee of financial success. Is it because they have an extraordinary amount of followers on social media? Definitely not. Is it because they charge a lot for