We recently connected with Sarah McRoberts and have shared our conversation below.
Sarah, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Owning a business isn’t always glamorous and so most business owners we’ve connected with have shared that on tough days they sometimes wonder what it would have been like to have just had a regular job instead of all the responsibility of running a business. Have you ever felt that way?
12 years ago I did rent a chair, and it was great for a time but than the owners were expecting me to work when they’re own employees would be working so they would have someone there with a managers license. But as a renter I’m only responsible for myself and my clients, so I can build my clientele. I told the owners that it’s not my to watch over their employees. So for about 4 months of renting, they still expected me to be at the salon when their own employees are not there. So I decided that it was time to move on. So I got a regular job at a salon, but as I expected, working for a corporation again was exhausting. I was just a number to them, we were all expendable to them.
Now that I have my own business I did think of going back to a regular job but then I remembered 12 years ago I didn’t like working for a corporate setting salon.
Now that I have my own business it’s been more rewarding as I get to know my clients in a personal level and even become friends with them, listening to their ups and downs, their vacations and hardships in life. Plus it’s so much more peaceful when there’s only 1 blow dryer, that I can actually talk to my clients and hear them when their talking to me!
Sarah, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I grew up in MN, I went to JM and graduated in ‘97. From there I went to Rochester school of cosmetology and got my license in ‘99.
But before I went to cosmetology school, I didn’t know what I wanted to do. So when I was in my senior year of high school on a church mission trip and I was talking to my friends that I might go to beauty School. So one night my friend said I want you to cut my hair, it would be like you’re practicing but on a real person instead of a mannequin head…lol. So from then on I committed to going to cosmetology school after high school.
After being in the industry for 27 yrs+ go to continuing education classes and keep up to date on style’s and trends.
My products I use is Redken and it’s one product I am not allergic to.
My services include: Haircuts, updos, coloring, foiling, perms, facial waxing and I am a certified in Brazilian Blowouts.
So far as handling hair problems for clients I would have to say that some of my clients do lift to a warm/gold tones and for that I usually tone with shades EQ, it helps to tone down the warm tones.
I have been told by clients that I’m so gentle when combing out their hair after shampooing or that I don’t pull their hair as I’m blow drying.
I do have clientele but always Will welcome new clients.
What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?
That would be word of mouth from my clients and social media.
Any thoughts, advice, or strategies you can share for fostering brand loyalty?
Personalized text messages to my clients.
Also listening to what they want, listening is the key and always rebook.
Contact Info:
Image Credits
Hair done by Sarah’s Hair Studio