The Rise of the Solo Stylist!

By Hayley Mears

The Australian hairdressing industry has been experiencing a transformative shift in recent years as more and more hairstylists choose to break away from traditional salon employment and opt for a more flexible, entrepreneurial approach to their careers.

This trend has given birth to the rise of indie stylists, rent-a-chair hairdressers, and the growing popularity of salon suites.

I remember first hearing about the explosion of salon suites in the US about eight years ago through an incredible documentary about the industry called The Reset, presented and written by Howard McLaren, the co-founder of R+Co.

The documentary offered a glimpse into the future of our industry. We could see where our profession was headed, but the question remained: How quickly would we get there? In my opinion, we would have been deep into the world of Rent-A-Chair culture and salon suites in 2020 if it weren’t for the spicy cough turning the world upside down.

This indie hairdresser business model offers our workforce more autonomy and control over their careers, with work-life balance being a driving force behind the movement.

Like every other profession in the service industry, we were experiencing burnout, and it became evident that we needed to have greater control over our working hours to suit our lives as they change and grow.

After all, change is a constant, so why did we hesitate to disrupt a static business model for so long? For decades, we worked long shifts and weekends without even considering the luxury of a flexible roster.

Clearly, flexibility and autonomy are the key factors at play. Setting their own work hours, pricing their services, and creating space for personal pursuits outside of their career have been a saving grace for many stylists who would have otherwise left the industry by now. Instead of becoming salon owners, stylists can now be their own boss with reduced overhead costs that can be shared among a collective of like-minded talents.

This arrangement allows stylists to really hone in on what they LOVE doing, building a clientele that appreciates their unique speciality without disrupting the status quo of salon culture.

Currently, more than 50% of Australian hairdressers operate as Sole Traders, and this trend shows no signs of slowing down. So, what does this mean for the industry going forward? It means that the business model of the industry needs to be dismantled and rebuilt, a task that should be taken on by salon service support services.

Businesses like mine, which offer marketing services, need to develop an offering tailored for Indie Hairdressers. This could include social media packages that focus on the individual stylist rather than a group or a business entity. Digital resources that allow solo stylists to streamline their appointment planning (be sure to check out Unwritten).

Consultation tools and retail delivery options using TheHair. App. Solo industry memberships with the Australian Hairdressing Council. Individual education modules, and of course, business resources and guidance for all the stylists who are overwhelmed by the transition to solo operator. https://mailchi.mp/72bdb1bb5994/solooperators

Download our FREE 15-page marketing checklist for Indie Hairdressers and set your micro business up for success.

Data from https://www.statista.com/ statistics/618532/number-of-hairdressersin-australia/