The Beauty Industry in 2025: A Discussion With Meg Ann Lee, Part 1
Hey everyone, it's Meg Ann Lee. This blog post is for my beauty industry girlies! Honestly, we have been a hot topic online lately and I have so much to say on this subject so this is going to be a series. We are talking all about the TikTok drama, client reviews, the breakdown of running your own small beauty business, how you can stay busy with clients in this economy and more! If you run a small beauty business or are curious about the behind the scenes, you're going to want to catch each installment of this series.
First, I want to say I'm no Britt Seva, I'm not a business coach nor do I have employees, but I have been in the industry for 8 years and absolutely LOVE my job. I am here to share my experiences and thoughts with you on the current climate of our industry. In part one we are going to be talking about the rise of social media drama in our industry and what we should take away from it.
The Viral Online Client Reviews AKA a Reality Check For Hairstylists
If you've been on social apps lately, I'm sure you have seen the "over toned" client drama, the PTO controversy and the price gouging complaints from clients. As hairstylists we go hard on social apps because it's how we market our businesses! Gone are the days of business cards and newspaper ads. But seeing clients share their experiences and speak so negatively about our industry is a REALITY CHECK. The clients who are paying over $200 with no blow dry included, waiting on their stylists who are running 20-30 minutes late, sitting in a chair for 6 hours paying an hourly rate that doesn't include the 20% tip; they are over it! And as they've mentioned in their Tiktoks they can't afford it in this economy( we will dive into client budgets in part 2).
It reminds us that having good customer service, clear communication about pricing and being professional is still so important. Many service providers have lost that while going independent in their careers. Having professional systems and practicing integrity within running your business is so key to creating a loyal clientele.
Obviously, some reviewers are trolling and will complain about anything for views but if any of these situations have happened to you personally in your business, I think it's time to step back and reflect on the clients' words. Â They are telling us what they want and need. Let's give it to them! Your clients want faster services? Take a class on 10-minute express colors. Your clients want less expensive services? Create a mini service list for them. You can't fill your chair from 8am-2pm? You probably need to change your hours because there's no demand for your services during those hours. Change your service menu to reflect the market that you serve or create a demand for your services. I know a lot of stylists don't want to hear that but at the end of the day everything is about supply and demand. You have to a create buzz for your business so people know about you and what you offer.
Reflect on Perceived Value
The main take away from all of these viral review videos is that there is a disconnect between the way we value our services and how clients value our services. Â Now, if your books are FULL and your clients are happy then you have a matched value perspective from both sides, which is the goal!
In the next installment of this series we will go over understanding a clients budget and how to know what each service costs you in your small beauty business <3