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Hi everyone!
Greetings from Yellowstone.
First of all, I want to thank everyone for being patient with me as I’ve taken some much-needed time off this past month.
I wanted to put together an update for a few reasons. One, I’ve noticed fewer folks being actively on social media. I’m envious!! Because this industry (for the foreseeable future) goes hand-in-hand with social media, that will still be the fastest way to contact me, learn about any last-minute openings, and be the first to see any policy updates. I will look into sending one of these newsletters out more regularly for those who aren’t online as much.
At this time, there aren’t a huge number of updates, but I wanted to take some time to reiterate some of the more recent ones. Below is a list of topics I’ll be touching on if you want to jump to specific sections:
Appointment Times
Possible Schedule Changes
Days Off
Columbia City
Sliding Scale, Gratuity, and Prices
Booking Ahead
Magnolia Pride
Appointment Times
One of the biggest business changes I’m working on is finding the correct booking structure. I’ve found that my previous timing structure is no longer working due to the volume of clients and responsibilities at the shop. I’ve been experimenting with a few different setups and, while I’m still figuring out what I want it to look like, I will ultimately be shifting to a base service time of one hour to hopefully simplify the process for everyone. This won’t affect anyone’s immediate appointment due to how far out I’m booked, but I will keep you updated as I continue to refine the process.
Possible Schedule Changes
No big changes here, but I’ve been filling up so far out that I’m considering picking up a half day on a weekday to help alleviate some scheduling difficulties for my more time-demanding services, such as perms. I’ll let you know if and when that takes effect.
Days Off
Just a reminder: my days off are currently Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Please be aware that any messages sent on those days might receive delayed responses. If this is the case and you still haven’t heard from me by the weekend, feel free to send a follow-up message. For any rescheduling or appointment changes, you should be able to go through my site and take care of the majority of scheduling issues yourself, as it might prove faster.
Columbia City
While I’m still open to doing pop-up days at Hatch in Columbia City, the schedules of myself and the stylist I coordinate with have not lined up over the past few months. With a few events I’m managing this summer, I do not currently have another pop-up day scheduled. Since a majority of my Columbia City clients aren’t on social media, I’ll most likely reach out through a newsletter like this if and when that changes.
Sliding Scale, Gratuity, and Prices
I recently polled my social media followers to ask whether they preferred the gratuity-included pricing over the past year. It’s been an experimental system, but the majority voted to keep the all-inclusive pricing. I will continue to keep you informed if that changes.On my end, it creates a higher entry point and can make it tricky to figure out how to price some of the smaller services while still keeping them approachable, but the world is weird right now and, at the end of the day, it works. If you like it, I’m happy to continue it.While the collective price is higher, I will continue to offer Klarna and other payment options, including the 50% service deposit. These prices have also been calculated to allow for more stable pricing without a lot of foreseeable increases. With the switch to a one-hour base service time, there might be a small increase in the near future, but I plan to keep that minimal.
Booking Ahead
Folks, I’ve been absolutely blown away by everyone’s support and by how much growth and interest the business has had. I feel like I blinked and have been booked out a month and a half (if not more) for months now. THANK YOU! I could not do this without you, and our connection is what makes this work worth doing.As a rule of thumb, I recommend planning around two weeks out for a haircut and potentially up to a month for a perm. Keep in mind that when things get jam-packed, schedule shifting is normal after a while. If you can’t find anything available, don’t hesitate to jump on the waitlist and keep your eyes peeled for notifications about openings as they happen.I also post on my Instagram @nics_and_cuts when openings happen or when foreseeable booking limitations are coming up. If possible, I strongly encourage pre-booking at the time of your next appointment, and for those who really like having a regular schedule, I’ve been booking two appointments out to stay ahead of the curve.I’m also going to be closing my books to new clients in an attempt to make it easier for all of you to get in. I will still accept new perm clients, but I plan on prioritizing new haircut clients based on referrals and on a case-by-case basis.
Magnolia Pride
I’ve been quietly planning a neighborhood picnic Pride event for Magnolia.I’m still working out the details, and the budget isn’t huge, but I’ve reserved Ella Bailey Park in Magnolia for Sunday, July 12th. We’re looking at offering tie-dye t-shirts and face painting. The park itself can’t serve alcohol or have “loud music,” but we’re hoping to create a chill time and space to gather as a community for a few hours.Due to the neighborhood, we anticipate kids and families, but all ages are encouraged to come and say hi. I’ll post more once everything has been finalized, but you’re all invited if you feel up to coming.I’m also organizing a rummage sale at the salon on Saturday, May 30th to help fundraise for the picnic. If you have anything you’d like to contribute to the sale, please let me know by the 20th!
Lastly…
We’re still a few months away, but I’m nearly at my one-year anniversary of salon ownership this summer!It’s been a whirlwind, and I can’t believe it’s almost been a year. I wanted to take a second and thank every single one of you. I could not and would not be doing this without you.Thank you for your continued support. It’s been a lot of big transitions, learning, and trial by fire, and I’m so appreciative of your grace and patience during my human moments.While I’m personally looking forward to having a bit more time for myself and a little more stability this next year *crosses fingers*, I have plenty more events and ideas planned for you all, so please keep your eyes peeled. <3
