The Client Landscape Has Changed And No One Is Talking About It – With Rach From Halo Hair and Beauty

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Mm. These days, the clients just aren't there.

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based on not rebooking people and just posting at the start of the week, and it was always filled by the end of the week.

And I feel like, correct me if I'm wrong for anyone else that's out there, but I just feel like it's not the same landscape anymore.

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[00:00:28] Samara: yeah.

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to what that haircut actually costs.

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[00:00:47] Rachel: I love sharing.

Like, how are our young generation gonna- Yeah ... come up and be as good as what we are if we don't share with them what we have?

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[00:01:01] Rachel: I just love going through and going back to basics and teaching the knowledge. Like, 26 years of knowledge I have, I wanna be able to share it and empower them to be the best hairdresser they can be as well.

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Go on back, your girls, subscribe now and let's keep rising together.

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[00:01:47] Samara: Hi.

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[00:01:49] Samara: I'm good. Um-

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[00:01:51] Samara: Yeah. So after three years, my divorce is officially done.

Woo. Settlement's all finalized, went to trial Kicked his ass. Yeah. Um, it was great. It's over, it's done, and I can move on, but I feel very hungover from the whole thing.

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[00:02:10] Samara: Yeah ...

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[00:02:11] Samara: Yeah. So I was like, sometimes I'm like, I'd love to like, do a podcast on it, but I just don't know what I can say and can't say.

Like, I don't know what's, like, the legalities of what you can and can't say, but-

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[00:02:28] Samara: Obviously, through the process of the podcast, I've always spoken on things that I'd gone through, but like the actual logistics of the shit show- Yeah

that was the nightmare that was my divorce, sometimes I would, I would love to share because I just... The, how unfair our family court can be in that process. Like, that process is long. Yeah. It was three years, so that process is so long, and it's so drawn out, and for the person that's the one that's having to take it all, it's a lot.

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[00:03:03] Samara: so I would love to talk on it for those reasons and for, you know, that clarity for anyone. But, someone said to me years ago, like, "This will be three, this will be three years." And I remember laughing and being like, "It will not." And it was. It was almost three years.

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[00:03:18] Samara: Um, that I just, yeah, I, you know, I don't, I don't know what to kind of do with my time now.

All I did was speak to my lawyer. She's now become one of my close friends. Like, it's just those things, that's kind of what happens over that kind of trauma- Yeah ... bonding situation. Um, but yeah, it's all over, and we can move forward, and I'm now the sole parent of my children, which that screams volumes- Yeah

I guess to, to the situation. Which is just so exciting because I've always made all the decisions and always put them first, and my children are my entire world. So it's really nice we've gotten to that. Yeah. And even all my family and my friends, like they've gone through such a long journey, and my clients.

Like-

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[00:04:03] Samara: I'm like, "Thank you, clients, for listening to this same story over and over and over again for three years."

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[00:04:09] Samara: Yeah. Even Jen's clients are like, "Where is she at with it?" Yes. So it was really nice. I did a post and, um, on my personal page, and I think we got like 100 comments of just people being like, "Oh my gosh, I've like witnessed you go through this.

This is so exciting that it's over." You know, and even that was really nice, and it's not that you need the- praise for it, but it's nice to be- Yeah ... seen when you're trying to show up in the best way possible. So it was a big thing to go through while still running businesses and- I think- ... trying to live life

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[00:04:51] Samara: trauma bonded over a lot. Th-

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[00:04:56] Samara: Yes.

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[00:05:01] Samara: For so

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through so many years. Oh, so many. So let's introduce the lovely lady next to you.

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[00:05:11] Rachel: Thanks for

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[00:05:13] Rachel: Formerly.

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Canceling." Yeah. "It's mom time." Um, so welcome- Thank you ... to the podcast.

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[00:05:36] Samara: And I think we were just like, Rach was like, "What are we talking about?" And we were like- I mean, we're just having a chat about life ... "No idea. We're just gonna have a chat." Yeah. Yeah. And funny, so Richard stuffed up and didn't have the right equipment, so he had to go out and buy something before we started this.

And we all just started talking, and we were like, "Nope, stop. Good for the podcast." "No, stop. This is too good for the podcast. No, stop. This is good for the podcast." So Rach, tell us a bit about yourself, and then we'll go into the good points that we- Ah ... yeah, had.

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[00:06:03] Samara: don't know.

Tell, like, how long have you been a salon owner?

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[00:06:24] Samara: Oh my gosh, that's flown.

I

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[00:06:27] Samara: It's wild, actually. So you're a

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[00:06:30] Samara: And styling educator. Yeah. And then you also have a family.

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[00:06:43] Samara: Sorry.

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[00:06:44] Samara: Build a business while-

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raising

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[00:06:46] Rachel: Yeah. Kalani was 10 months old when I bought the business. So I went from being a stay-at-home mom to working full time. Just like that. It was crazy. Normal. Absolutely crazy. But I don't know, aren't we all a little bit crazy in this- Yes ... world of small business? It's- Yes ... it kinda makes you into this crazy work- Almost a workaholic

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We were saying, um, before, like one of the things we started talking on, because obviously Rich was like, "I've gotta go get..." Well, actually Richard said, "I'll be one minute," and he was- ... 20-something minutes. Oh. Um, but we all just started working because I was like, there is, especially on a Monday before the salon opens- Yeah

it's the time where you're, like booking appointments and- Yeah ... doing the things. Also, Jen, I just wanna say, you look very skinny today. Ooh.

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[00:07:39] Samara: Oh, you're welcome. I appreciate you. I keep looking at you being like, you look very snatched and skinny.

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[00:07:43] Rachel: That is the best compliment- Yeah

any woman can- Thank you, best

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[00:07:47] Samara: You're welcome.

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[00:07:49] Samara: You look it. And sorry, back to welcome to my brain. And we all started independently working, so I was- Yeah ... doing the appointments, and Gem was doing appointments, Rach was doing appointments. We're in our emails, we're doing the things.

Because when you have those small pockets of time- Yeah ... it's like you can't waste them. Yeah. You gotta

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[00:08:08] Samara: And for me, so last week was trial, so I had the whole week off. We finished trial on the Tuesday, so I still had a few days. Um, of course the baby was home sick and things like that, but I actually- didn't want to touch the business last week, which is not normal for me.

So I did all the appointments on the Sunday night before we left on the Monday, and I just, because there was such a big thing going on in my personal life, normally I might cross both, and I was like, "You know what? My girls have got this this week. I am actually completely-" Yeah ... "checking out." Mm-hmm.

"They're so good." And there was only two of them in here last week, but I was like, "They're fine. I'm good." And it's crazy how much our brains need that. The first time I jumped in is today. Yeah. And I was saying to you guys, I'm very much now, after being a salon owner as long as you, I'm very much like, I will jump in, do what I need to do, and jump off, jump out, because I don't want my whole life to be-

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[00:09:03] Samara: my job anymore.

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[00:09:05] Samara: And we, I feel like we say work-life balance, work-life balance, but none of us really know what that means, and so much of our spare- Yeah ... time is spent that I'm like, we actually need to relearn to teach ourselves to be bored, watch a movie-

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[00:09:18] Samara: think it's- ... do some coloring ...

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it's actually really powerful also to go, "Nope, I'm just gonna focus on what I need to focus on." Mm. And then you come back better next week- Mm ... and you're more productive and you get

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Yeah. Mm. And you've just gotta evaluate the balls that you've gotta handle for that week- Yeah ... and be like, okay.

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Like, I'm like, yep, I could probably look in the book and move some things around and get more appointments in. I couldn't give a shit. Like, I'm- Yeah ... glad that you guys are working. That's all I'm grateful for. Just cover the wages and the rent and we're good, and I don't care about anything else this week.

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[00:10:14] Samara: You know? It's-

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[00:10:27] Samara: Yeah.

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[00:10:28] Samara: Exactly

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[00:10:29] Rachel: true.

Yeah.

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[00:10:36] Rachel: Mm. Yeah.

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[00:10:39] Rachel: Yeah. I was saying to Jen how, you know, say 10 years ago you had a new apprentice, you could help build their column, their clientele easily.

Mm. These days, the clients just aren't there. Mm.

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[00:10:51] Rachel: It's not as easy to build their columns up as w- what it used to be years ago. '

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Yeah. And I, you know, we'd been talking about it, we're fully booked, but we're fully booked because we've had a business for-

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[00:11:11] Samara: a very long time. Like an

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[00:11:13] Samara: client base- We've got a- ... to call on ... such a strong- Yeah ... existing client base. But I was, when I actually reflected on it, and I was talking to you about this as well-

When I actually reflected on it, when I look at the messages and the DMs, they used to be nuts. Yeah. Like, you used to get into your messages on a Monday and your DMs on a Monday, and it was mental. And I'm very, very grateful it isn't for me now, because I would find it too much, especially when I'm already always on the floor.

But that, you used to get in and be like all these requests and all these things, and it's just not. I feel like it's just, it's a lot quieter. You'll get one or two clients here and new clients here and there. But I think we used to look after something like 18 new clients a week.

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[00:11:54] Samara: Wow. Mm. You know?

Like, and it was just a constant. Yeah. And we would post and it would be constant. Whereas even now, just with this three of us, if someone last minute cancels and we post Generally it's not filling, whereas I used to run a business-

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[00:12:07] Samara: based on not rebooking people and just posting at the start of the week, and it was always filled by the end of the week.

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[00:12:14] Samara: And it, I feel like, correct me if I'm wrong for anyone else that's out there, but I just feel like it's not the same landscape anymore.

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[00:12:23] Samara: the- And I feel like a lot of people are doing their colors at home.

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[00:12:27] Samara: A lot of people are going more natural, and everyone will still always

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There's a lot of this, you know, the gray, the gray blending is really on trend too. Yep. I think since COVID. Well,

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[00:12:41] Samara: Yes.

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Like- Yes. Yeah ... I just don't want to.

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[00:12:47] Rachel: But there's- Yeah ... s- like such a big, like, a huge amount of younger clientele that don't want their hair colored anymore. Yes. They can't be bothered. Yeah. Yeah. And because, you know, it's probably not a priority within their budget, their home budget. And I

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My hair's completely natural.

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[00:13:02] Samara: And I absolutely love it. Like, for the first time, I actually really love my hair, and it's- Yeah ... completely natural. Like, so a lot of people are doing that, and a lot of people are going more natural. Jen and I,

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[00:13:14] Samara: Yeah ...

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[00:13:15] Jen: My natural's completely white. Yeah.

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[00:13:18] Jen: I love my mum, I just don't want to look like her. Yeah. Mm. And I would.

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[00:13:27] Jen: Yeah, yeah ...

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Exactly. Like, we tried to take you- Yeah ... light for a while, and we were just like, "It just doesn't look like you."

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[00:13:34] Samara: Yeah. So I think we've got to also be okay with... Yeah, and I love, y- and you guys will both be like, "Amen, sister," I love my four weekly regrowth clients. Oh,

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[00:13:45] Samara: Yeah. 100%. They pay the bills.

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[00:13:47] Samara: I enjoy them thoroughly. Like, they know, like, they're so grateful, and the work is easy, and like- Yeah ... consistent and calm and just, like, you know what they like. They're all in all the time. They become your really close friends. Like, I love gray, like that, like-

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[00:14:03] Samara: you two are my type of clients, baby girls.

Yeah. If you were not hairdressers- Well, for years- ... you are who I want in my chair ...

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[00:14:16] Samara: our- Because, well, still, even all the lived-in color and stuff, they're only in every three to four months.

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[00:14:21] Samara: Like, it's just- Yeah ... it's a lot harder. Like, it's like, if, also, if you still want to be a platinum blonde, come to me. I'm happy with- W- ... making you a platinum blonde every 10 weeks.

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[00:14:30] Jen: back. I have this with- It's always done ... one of my sen- my senior that's trying to build her column, and so, like, we do, like, the checkpoint where she messages in, you know, like, to see how the color's going and all that sort of thing, and she has the time at the moment 'cause she's not busy.

But she gets, I'm just like, "Damn it." too good at lift in look, 'cause they're like, "It's honestly, it's still so amazing. Like, it's like, it's just so seamless- Yeah ... and I don't need anything done." She's like, "Need to go back to doing, like, foils that need to be done

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Yeah. And it's, it is still an art. What a compliment, though. Like, we had a client the other day like that. She'd just had her foils done, not with us, and came in, 'cause she's like, "I hate it." And all it needed was the shadow- Yeah ... and the, the zone toning, and it was flawless. It wasn't that the, the foiling was bad, it was that the toning wasn't good.

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[00:15:19] Samara: And if you get the tone wrong, that's how you stuff up a lived in. Yeah. And she was like, "Oh, it's perfect. It's gonna be, last me months and months and months and months and months." Months and months and months. And again, that's what people are doing these days. Yeah. Because it's not cheap out there.

We were just talking about- Yeah Yeah ... housing and-

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[00:15:35] Samara: you know, like you've gotta pull back on other things, and it's really hard, 'cause even for me, I'm like, "But I wanna go out with the kids, you know, and get sushi and get gyochi." But, you know, when your mortgages are so high- Yeah ... you've gotta make different priorities.

But

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[00:15:50] Samara: Yes.

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[00:15:52] Samara: segue, baby girl.

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[00:15:59] Samara: yeah.

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to what that haircut actually costs.

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[00:16:10] Rachel: You know, there's the, well, we all know the expenses, insurance- Yes ... super, tax, rent, stock. If

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[00:16:20] Rachel: Yeah. Yeah.

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[00:16:21] Samara: But when, when so much of it goes on those things- Mm. Yeah ... and then you're like... And also- Hair is just not hair anymore.

You're not just walking in for a 20-minute haircut across the bottom- No ... whack in some stuff, and people walk out. It's the same thing with color and with cutting. You know, everyone wants with... A lot of people want with cutting all of the... You know, and if, even if they're having straight across the bottom, they want all their, like, split ends cut off, and- Yeah

they want the perfect roller blow-dry finish. Yeah. And, you know, it's all of those things.

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[00:17:01] Samara: Yes,

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[00:17:08] Samara: Yes.

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[00:17:10] Samara: And then your cost increases because you're like, "I have an hourly rate I have to reach."

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[00:17:15] Samara: Otherwise, we're not walking away with- Exactly ... any money that goes with it.

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[00:17:23] Samara: Yes ...

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[00:17:24] Samara: Yes. And I don't think, I think, yeah, our industry still struggles with those things, and I think we bring...

Other things can come in, right? And I, this was a prime example I noticed in beauty when I was, like, when I coach beauty clients, is brows and tints are hard to pull up, but a lash lift is really easy to charge a price because they all j- And a lash lift costs less and takes less time in some certain situations.

And I'm like, "Why is this more?" I don't know. Everyone just does it. And I'm like, "Interesting." Yeah. And I feel like it can be like that for our industry as well. You think about things like nanoplasties and stuff like that. It's not necessarily that that costs more than what, say, a full head does, but you can charge- Yeah

more because it came into the industry more.

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[00:18:09] Samara: Whereas things like foiling and coloring and stuff like that started at a lower market. Yeah. It's hard to pull it up, whereas things that started as a higher market, even extensions and things like that- Yeah,

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[00:18:20] Rachel: coming

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Yeah.

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[00:18:22] Samara: Whereas the things that are lower, everyone's like, "But it's just a haircut." It's like, do it yourself then. Yeah. You want a perfect bob? Go and cut your own perfect bob.

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[00:18:35] Samara: Yes ...

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[00:18:40] Samara: Yes.

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[00:18:45] Samara: Yeah. You know?

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[00:18:46] Samara: But it becomes harder to build- When you wanna build a clientele- Yeah ... that is the higher market clientele that sees value, and it's not just about paying the price, it's seeing the value in- Yes

how you love them, how you look after them- Yeah ... how you feel about the situation, the environment you create for them. You know, the, all of those things go into that. It's that's what you want from a client. Yeah. Not just a client that's like, "Well, I'm gonna get a quick haircut here and there," and-

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[00:19:14] Samara: it doesn't matter.

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[00:19:24] Samara: Mm ...

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[00:19:27] Samara: What have you noticed? So you and I have been friends for a really long time. We've actually traveled, felt like- Yeah ... we've traveled the world together, you and me.

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[00:19:35] Samara: have. Um-

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[00:19:36] Samara: and what have you noticed specifically in the last five years with business-

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[00:19:42] Samara: um, good and bad? I think sometimes it's so valuable to see somebody else's perspective on, like, this has felt really good, this is bad, this is what I've changed. Yeah. Like, those things specifically.

I

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[00:19:56] Samara: Mm.

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[00:20:15] Samara: Yeah ... as well.

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[00:20:22] Jen: And wages-

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[00:20:24] Jen: managing people. Mm.

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[00:20:27] Samara: Like- And it has to, like people think that, you know, even when we're putting targets with our team, if everybody is just doing, you know, you've got a bigger team and everyone's just sitting below where their target's hit, it means the profitability's not there.

Yeah. Yeah. It's really hard. It hurts, hurts more. It really hurts. Yeah. Because, you know, if everybody is, needs to make four and a half- Yeah ... and everyone's sitting on three and a half and you've got six staff members, that's six grand under. So pretty much you're just paying at least one to two of those people- To do nothing

for no reason. They may as well do nothing. Yeah. Yeah.

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[00:21:00] Samara: So when you have smaller teams and everybody's hitting where they need to hit, it just feels like a less pressure, less stress- Yeah ... if you've got clients that don't show up. It's enjoyable, isn't

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[00:21:11] Samara: Yeah. You're like, "Oh, well, we've got a couple of hours, but who cares?

Like, we'll cover... it will be covered in a different way." Whereas when- I

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[00:21:26] Samara: nice. Is

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[00:21:28] Samara: nice? It's nice. But again, we've gotten to this point and we can say to you, "Don't hire again."

Oh, no, no, I know. Just get to that point- Yeah, yeah ... that euphoria is nice, just stay there. Yeah. Because I just really truly think you get into business and you build, and you build- Yeah ... and you build, and you build, and you build, and then you go, "Oh, where is it meant to be? Where is it meant..." And I think very much so when you're younger as well, you've got more oomph, and that sounds so dumb- 100%

'cause, like, it's not like we're fucking 70. I know. But, like, when you're younger, you've got all this- You've got so

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[00:21:56] Samara: oomph. Like- Well, you know- ... whereas now I'm like, I just wanna enjoy. Yeah. Just wanna enjoy.

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[00:22:08] Samara: Yeah,

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[00:22:19] Samara: Yeah. And I just, even for my team, just to enjoy it. Yeah. Yeah. Like, I just, I really just wanna come to work and, like, laugh and enjoy them and love them and, and be good with that.

Have fun with them. Have fun

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[00:22:29] Samara: Yes ... yeah ... and be good with that. You know, and I know that we'll eventually add someone else in, but even for me, I'm like, I'm just in no rush for that.

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[00:22:39] Samara: I love that, smaller team. What else?

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[00:22:43] Samara: What's the big lesson you've learnt in business?

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[00:22:54] Samara: I know. Sorry.

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[00:23:04] Samara: I think even in that though, right? Yeah. That, that is like, you've been in business 14 years, the amount of things it would go through.

Yeah. Yeah. And then you get to, and you're like, "You know what? Nothing's more defining. Nothing broke me. Nothing-"

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[00:23:17] Samara: Yeah. Yeah.

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Yeah. Yeah. "How do we move forward? How do you not let it happen again?"

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[00:23:34] Rachel: Like, nothing's hugely the worst thing in the world. I just always look at it as, how can I learn from it? How can I change? What solutions, what am I gonna put in place so that doesn't happen again?

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Sorry, excuse me. There's nothing that I'm gonna get to that I haven't already overcome or done. Mate, I think

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[00:24:01] Rachel: episode? Yes.

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[00:24:05] Rachel: I feel like we got through COVID- Yeah ... in small business. Yeah. Like, I think if you can get through that-

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[00:24:12] Rachel: everything else seems very minimal-

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[00:24:15] Rachel: smaller these days.

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[00:24:17] Rachel: Like, without a doubt.

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[00:24:19] Rachel: Like, we keep going back and reflecting, like, we actually, the salon was physically closed down for five whole weeks in New South Wales. Yeah. Nothing, not taking away from anyone in Victoria. Yeah. But, like, we went with no income for five whole weeks.

That's huge.

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[00:24:36] Rachel: And we're still able to pay the rent and all of those things too. Like, I think, yeah, it's, it's easy to overcome big hurdles now because that was- Yeah ... a huge hurdle.

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[00:24:53] Rachel: Small. Yes. Yeah.

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But it's kind of like you get- Yeah ... like, the only way that you're going to get to a medium-sized business is to be doing multi-millions, you know? Yeah. And then you just have to remember, what does that look like for me? What does that look like for my life for me? What does that... Like, how involved am I? Can I sit and, you know- Can, can

read my book and- Can I

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[00:25:27] Samara: You know, like- Yeah. Ever? And we feel like it's so hectic in small business, but what I think there is, there is such a joy in the fact that when you get to the point where you're like, "Oh, I just want a small-"

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[00:25:38] Samara: business and a small business feels like the right fit.

Whereas I think when you're a small business, you're like, "No, but I've gotta keep going. I've gotta go make more." Yeah. "I've gotta hit this, then I gotta hit

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[00:25:49] Samara: Yes.

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Yep. You know, you need one for your apprentices. One for your bookwork, one for... You can't do all that on your own

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[00:26:03] Rachel: I've learnt that.

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[00:26:05] Rachel: It's too much.

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[00:26:08] Rachel: Six.

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[00:26:09] Samara: nice. See? So nice.

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[00:26:11] Jen: good. How many apprentices?

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[00:26:13] Jen: Yeah. Yeah. What level?

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[00:26:16] Jen: Yeah. So when you're saying, like, you're finding it hard to build apprentices' columns, are you feeling like, like the training aspect of it or them actually building their clientele?

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[00:26:27] Jen: Yeah,

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And if you don't put time aside or have it actually for that day, well, then it's never gonna happen.

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[00:26:40] Rachel: It just has to happen that way. But building their clientele is a lot harder.

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[00:26:46] Rachel: That's just like we said earlier, there's not the people around.

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[00:26:56] Rachel: Yeah

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[00:27:01] Jen: Yeah.

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[00:27:14] Jen: yeah.

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[00:27:18] Jen: See, we've had the opposite because, and I think perha- potentially it's the locale of where we are that has been easier to build apprentice columns than it has to build a seniors column- Mm ... because we are across the road from the university. We have university accommodation above us. I find my apprentices tend to build quite stable columns, but building a senior has been hard.

Is

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[00:27:46] Samara: Yeah. See, where you are, it's not. It's a lot of families.

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[00:27:49] Samara: Like, a lo- um, Rachel's in Tweed, so a lot of family building in that point. There's, it's not like- Absolutely ... it's, like, surrounded by unis and things like that. And the

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[00:28:00] Jen: Yeah. But it-

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I think that's awesome, though. If you've got a university above you, then keep building up apprentices- Mm.

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[00:28:10] Rachel: and go from there. It just takes longer, that's all, because, you know, you've got a three-year apprenticeship first. I reckon that's, that's exactly how I'd build my business model on.

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[00:28:23] Rachel: Like, utilizing what you have around you is powerful.

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[00:28:29] Rachel: Yeah. Ra- yeah.

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[00:28:45] Rachel: Yeah.

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And I'm like, "That was the same day that my husband's like, 'I can't believe you're not putting that sign out.'" Yeah. Mm. I'm like, "Fine." Mate, I'd be like- I hear you ... do extra

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[00:29:10] Jen: Yeah. Get those, like, balloon men. Yeah.

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[00:29:14] Samara: Yeah. Um-

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[00:29:17] Samara: Yeah, that's... It, like, and a- again, you've gotta look at your business and where it is.

Yeah. Like, you're like, "I find it easy." Yeah. And you're like, "It's tough." It's like where do you need to market within where your business is located? Yeah. What's around you? How can you... Because I'm the same suburb. We're so suburby, but lots of private schools.

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[00:29:35] Samara: You know, so lots of private schools, lots of private school parents.

Like, um, you know, so I think you've just gotta like look at what area demographic you're in- Mm-hmm ... and try and market to that specifically.

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[00:29:52] Samara: Yes.

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[00:29:53] Jen: Um, even more so because I think I remember a time, and not too many years ago, where we would have clients come from far and wide.

Far and wide. You know, we'd have clients driving down from the Sunshine Coast. Yeah. We'd have, like, like, we'd have... I feel like that's not happening as much now. I feel like a lot of the people are looking-

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[00:30:18] Jen: We're all more time

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Yeah. Like, I wouldn't drive... And we still, we still have clients that come from everywhere because of our clientele that we've had forever. Yeah. Um, but I'm like that. I'm like, my doctor, I, is literally just across the road from my house. If I'm looking for a new orth- I'm looking for a new orthodontist for the kids, I'm like, "It has to be in Robina."

Like- Yeah ... I'm very much like everything needs to be close- Mm ... because the to- time poor-

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[00:30:42] Samara: situation.

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[00:30:47] Samara: Yes.

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Yeah.

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and it's building your life. And even if it's hard for you to take because you're like, "I don't wanna pay that out of my own pocket," it's like, but if I'm gonna pay that out of my pocket, how do I support a business? Yeah. Yeah. There's this little business. How do I support someone? And I think everyone needs to think more like that, especially if- Yeah

and everyone that's listening is a small business in our industry. Yeah. So same thing on the other side. If you get a review, you write a review. Yep.

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[00:31:39] Samara: Like, if someone sends you a five star, you think about a business and you do a five star. Yeah. I actually got one last night, so I've gotta do one today.

Um, because even my lawyer- It attracts that ... I said to her, "Oh-" "Did you see the review I put up?" And she was like, "Oh, Samara, it was amazing." She's like, "You don't understand how many people come for the reviews." Yes. Mm. Um, and that's for a lawyer. You know? So it's like those, you, if you get one, you give one.

Yeah. Yeah. You know? Or if you give one, then you can ask for someone to give, like to ask for someone back, because I think it's so important to continue that. And it's the same thing. Yeah. Go in your local area and spend money in those local areas. You know, if there's a- Support them ... if you can af- afford it- Yeah

if there is a local pasta sh- you know, pasta shop, go there. If there's a local butcher, go there. Mm. Like, go and support these businesses where you know the money you're spending is putting food on their table.

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[00:32:30] Rachel: And Jen and I were just talking about renovations too. Like it- Like, I, I never, when you use these people that you know, it's not even about the mates rates or anything like that.

You just wanna support- You just wanna support that person. Yes. You wanna support- Yeah ... the people in your local area.

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[00:32:47] Rachel: You know, you wanna help bring them up because other people are helping bring our business up, too, and it's- And-

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our, one of our really long-term clients who never bats an eyelid, she's, she was a hairdresser herself. She's the same way. She spends a fortune here, but her husband's a mechanic. So all our cars- Yeah. Yeah ... the whole, the whole salon's cars go to him. It doesn't phase me in the sl- I don't, I don't want mates rates.

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[00:33:12] Samara: But I want to pay- To support you ... to support you. Yeah, to support you. Yeah. And 'cause you do the same back for us.

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[00:33:18] Samara: So, you know, it's really important to know what your clients' partners do, and what their businesses are, and how you can use them. And if it costs you an extra $500, spend the money. Yeah.

Yeah. Like, because those clients will spend the money back with you, knowing that- Yeah ... you wanted to support them. Like- Yeah ... those little things make such a difference.

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[00:33:36] Samara: Yeah.

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[00:33:38] Samara: Yeah. 'Cause then they're like, "Well, I feel supported by them."

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[00:33:42] Samara: You know, and I think we're so easy to jump and spend money at, you know, these big places.

But even with buying your clothes, don't go... You know, go to the little, you know, little shops- Little boutiques ... in, like, James Street, because they still have the same product as other places have, but they don't, they're just this one mom and dad that are selling clothes that they love, you know? Yeah. Mm-hmm.

It's those type of things. You've just gotta be really, like, conscious of how you spend your money, because you're supporting a whole network of people, you know, paying their kids' sports- 100% ... and all of the things. Like, we know what that looks like. So I think it, it's really important. And also to say to your clients, "Thank you."

I'm a small business- Yeah ... and, you know, I've said that to my clients quite often. I said it to one of my clients the other night who's been with me for years and years and years. I'm like, "You are the reason I'm still in business." And she was like, "Well, I'm not the whole reason." I'm like, "Well, baby, you're here every four weeks."

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[00:34:32] Samara: Like, you put food on my table. You're

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[00:34:35] Samara: You know? Those, that commitment to me as a business literally is the reason why I can raise my children.

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[00:34:42] Samara: Yeah.

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[00:34:43] Samara: Um, education.

[: 00:34:45

[00:34:46] Samara: Talk to us about it.

[: 00:34:47

[00:34:48] Samara: How'd you get into it? Why'd you get into it? How does it make you feel? How did I get into it?

Why do you do it?

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[00:34:56] Samara: Mm-hmm

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[00:35:03] Samara: Mm ...

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[00:35:10] Samara: Why do you do it? '

[: 00:35:11

Like, how, how are our young generation gonna- Yeah ... come up and be as good as what we are if we don't share with them what we have? Mm. Yeah. 100%. And also, another thing is I wanna teach them the basics, the things we do every single day on the salon floor. Yeah. Like, how many times, and it's so inspiring going to some courses, but you never do that haircut again.

You're never gonna use that

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[00:35:39] Rachel: You never do it again, because it's not realistic for- It's- ... our clientele that come in every day ... it's

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[00:35:51] Rachel: Yeah ...

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Yeah. Mm. You know what I mean?

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[00:35:58] Jen: Yeah.

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[00:36:17] Jen: Yeah.

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[00:36:19] Jen: trends change, like they do at the moment, and people can't afford to get their hair cut, that's a real problem.

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[00:36:24] Jen: Mm. That is a real problem.

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[00:36:41] Samara: Mm. Yeah. I love that.

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[00:36:43] Samara: I always ask that 'cause- I think so much in our industry you go like, "I'm doing this and now I wanna be an educator." You know, like- Yeah ... and we've all, I've done it myself and, but it was for reasons, I love sharing what I can share. Yeah. But it was for reasons that I was looking in, you know, I look now and I'm like, it wasn't for the right reasons then.

It was for, you know, it was probably for my own ego instead of going like, actually, what's gonna fill my cup- Yeah ... and why am I doing this? Yeah. And I think it's really important to have that behind it and because, you know, regardless of what every- anyone thinks, generally you make more money being in your salon on the floor.

100%.

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[00:37:22] Samara: You know, so you've gotta have the love that comes with it- Definitely ... so it is worth taking that extra time, you know, flying somewhere- Yeah ... organizing the kids. Like, it is a big demand for someone to come in and educate-

[: 00:37:34

[00:37:35] Samara: your team. Yeah.

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[00:37:38] Samara: Yeah ...

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[00:37:41] Samara: Yes.

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[00:37:53] Samara: Yes. Whereas when you go to the salon, you just fly on in. Well,

[: 00:37:57

[00:37:58] Samara: every day, isn't it?

Someone else can shampoo. Yeah. You know what you're doing. Yeah. You know who you're looking after. Yeah. You know what chats you can have. You've gotta have such a, it's like looking after the new clients. You've gotta have such a different like-

[: 00:38:07

[00:38:07] Samara: pizzazz ready to go. It's

[: 00:38:09

For sure ... of teaching. Mm. Like, because you give so much of your energy, like you give it all because that's what you wanna, want to do, and then you get in the car afterwards- Yeah ... and you're like, "

[: 00:38:21

[00:38:24] Rachel: Yeah. Give me a 12-hour day on the floor- Yeah ... like you're more exhausted doing an education- Yeah

because you are giving so much of yourself and your energy to those people, which is what they deserve to have you- Yeah ... have you there as well.

[: 00:38:38

But a year to two years down the track What do you see for yourself with the business? That's a

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[00:38:55] Samara: I know.

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[00:38:57] Samara: You're like, "COVID could

[: 00:38:57

I

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[00:39:09] Jen: How- Just someone else me ... can you possibly know? No. You know?

[: 00:39:11

[00:39:20] Rachel: Hell no ... "

[: 00:39:21

Like- Mm ... it's so different because I just feel like we're entering a different... I don't know. I don't know if anyone else feels the same as this, but- I 100% feel the same ... even in life, I've just really... And I don't know if it's 'cause I've been in business this long, but then you kinda feel like that as well.

No, I

[: 00:39:41

[00:39:42] Samara: I- Or if it's our age, I don't know, but you get to a point where you're just like, "I'm done chasing, and I'm, I'm just here for living the days."

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[00:39:49] Samara: I'm here for, like, being

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I think the... Yeah, I've had so many things. It might be an age thing.

[: 00:40:06

yeah, that really simple

[: 00:40:17

until you've hit the five-year goal- Yeah ... until- Yeah ... you reach retirement- Then what happens? ... because you don't know.

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[00:40:48] Jen: Oh, yeah, yeah.

[: 00:40:48

Mm. And I was like, what... We stayed at the W for the, while we were in the trial for two nights, and what that two nights gave me, I can't... I, I couldn't, I couldn't pay that. Like, it sounds- Yeah ... so silly- Mm ... to someone else, but when you have five young children-

[: 00:41:09

[00:41:09] Samara: that you put to bed every single night for your whole life, well, three every single night, five every second night, two ni- two nights where I didn't put them to bed and I just got up and got a coffee and I just ordered Uber Eats and I had a bath, I can't tell you how much- Yeah

that means to me. Yeah. Like, and it's those things that you're like, don't wait for that. Like, Lee's like the fact that we drove up and someone drove our car off to the car- and we just got our bags out, like, those are the things that while you're in there- Luxury. They're

[: 00:41:39

[00:41:40] Samara: And it's not- Yeah

you know, they're the things that you're like, I would rather spend money on that and do that a little bit more often- Then all the huge things that, you know, then buy a luxury bag- Yeah ... or get my car up. Yeah. Those things, you know? Our

[: 00:41:53

[00:41:54] Samara: they? The values are different. Yeah. Yeah.

Really different because you're just really, are really grateful for the moments and the memories rather than the stuff.

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[00:42:03] Samara: Yeah. Yeah.

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[00:42:16] Samara: Yeah.

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[00:42:18] Samara: Oh, Rach is so un- Rach is the funnest person-

in the world to go out with. She will- I'm gone seven hours before Rach is. She's, and no one can back it up like Rach can. She, you just know how to have, live life.

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[00:42:34] Samara: Yeah.

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[00:42:36] Samara: Yeah.

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[00:42:40] Samara: I even thought that last night. We were laughing with the kids when we were putting them to bed, and it was very last minute last night.

We were like, "Let's go to sushi in Yochi." Like, "Who cares? Let's just go out." Yeah. It's those little bits. Yeah. And the kids were so grateful for it, and- Yeah ... then we laughed when we got home, 'cause Alba and I fought each other to the bathroom, and Lee locked me in the bathroom so Alba couldn't get in. But then she was turning the hot water on, so it was cold.

And I just thought to myself, "How can I make life fun for my children this week?" Yeah. Yeah. What can I do this week to make our week just fun? And so now I haven't told any of my family that I thought that, but I'm just thinking, "What can I do each day to make it just a little fun?" So I went and- Yeah ... got into bed with them this morning.

It's just, like, those little things of, like, what could bring joy to just an ordinary week, because an ordinary- Yeah ... week is- Yeah ... still pretty special.

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[00:43:27] Samara: Yeah.

[: 00:43:27

[00:43:34] Samara: client? You need to go.

Rach is running off to go do a client.

[: 00:43:36

[00:43:37] Rachel: She

[: 00:43:37

[00:43:38] Rachel: Halo.

[: 00:43:39

[00:43:42] Rachel: It's a halo. It's a bit bodgy. I need to get it fixed.

[: 00:43:46

[00:43:49] Rachel: Chris thought of it, not me.

[: 00:43:50

[00:43:51] Rachel: Yeah. I'm not, like, for a creative person, could not name the salon to- Yeah ... save myself, and Chris came up with it, and I was like, "Oh, I like that."

[: 00:44:01

[00:44:03] Rachel: Done. Halo. Yeah.

[: 00:44:04

[00:44:10] Rachel: Well, no, it's not there anymore. Oh. But yeah, Rachel's was there for a long time.

[: 00:44:13

[00:44:14] Rachel: Yeah.

[: 00:44:15

[00:44:16] Rachel: I know. It's not my salon.

I know. S- Like, I just think you, you want something unique to you, right? Yeah. Yeah. And then when he said it to me, I was like, "Yeah, I feel like," you know, it sounds really cliche, but I feel like everyone's hair does deserve a halo. Yeah. Yeah. You know? Like, I, it resonated with me, and I've stuck

[: 00:44:36

That's all that matters.

[: 00:44:37

[00:44:37] Samara: Love that. Thank you- I love that ... for coming.

[: 00:44:39

[00:44:40] Samara: Yeah. Thanks for coming. We

[: 00:44:40

[00:44:41] Rachel: do this chat all day long. I

[: 00:44:42

[00:44:42] Rachel: I told you. Holy.

[: 00:44:43

[00:44:46] Samara: Absolutely. Yeah. Let's do it. There's so much information.

[: 00:44:49

[00:44:50] Samara: All right.

Always. Thank you guys for listening. I hope you've gotten-

[: 00:44:53

[00:44:54] Samara: stuff out of that, and, um, we'll be back. Thanks, Rachie.

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[00:44:57] Samara: Rach. Bye.

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