We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Heidi Smith a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Heidi, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today One of the things we most admire about small businesses is their ability to diverge from the corporate/industry standard. Is there something that you or your brand do that differs from the industry standard? We’d love to hear about it as well as any stories you might have that illustrate how or why this difference matters.

I started as an independent stylist in 2021. During a pandemic and flourished. I had 12 years experience behind the chair when I started my business. Because of my experience I was able to be successful on my own. I have invested a lot in further education to be able to provide the best service I can to my guests. I am also an independent bridal contractor. I work with several bridal companies and that is another really fun part to being independent. I can do something really creative outside of my salon. What I do differently in my business, that I feel is different from industry standard, is providing exceptional service, providing updated looks that I continue to learn through education, I provide a safe, intimate hair salon where we can talk freely. I price my services fairly because I want everyone to be able to have fabulous hair. I use incredible products that are exclusive to professional salons and give the best results when it comes to hair health. I always strive to be the best in speed and efficiency. No sitting in the salon for 5-6 hours. I use techniques to give you beautiful hair in half the time. I believe this is important to respect the time of the guest and make time available to accommodate more people.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I am a mom of three. 4 year old and 10 year old boy and a 16 year old daughter. I have a wonderful husband. He’s also a small business owner, Countritude Microgreens.

I got into the industry after a short stint in college. It wasn’t for me. I thought I wanted to be a doctor but I am more creative than analytical. Hair fit!

I am so lucky to have the best business partner. Shane Smith. We really have a wonderful relationship and he is such a joy to be around.

I do it all! I do color, cuts, chemical and formal hair. I consistently am learning and staying up to date on trends. Grey coverage, blending and blondes are my favorite! But I am well experienced in every color dream.

What sets me apart is I really listen to my guests. I hear their problems and try to solve them to the best of my ability. I give thorough consultations so we have a really good idea of what to expect. I am never late and if I am running behind I always inform my guests promptly.

I am most proud of the space I have provided and salon experience for my guests. We have a lot of fun and they leave very confident. Hair confidence is so important! I always say “it’s not just about the hair”. I make sure my guests know I am there for them whenever they need me and I stick by that.

I am currently working on my skill for ballroom formal looks. They are very different from bridal but very fun and creative. I love the ballroom experience.

I have a very easy booking system and I respond very quickly to texts from guests. It is very simple to make an appointment. My availability is usually far out for weekends but I always try to make accommodations.

We’d love to hear about how you met your business partner.

Shane and I met in hair school! We were hair babies and had no idea we would run a successful business together. Whats really funny is my brother in laws name is also Shane Smith.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

Word of mouth. Having a good reputation with your clientele and asking for referrals consistently is the best because you get the kind of clients you dream of. A few times a year I will run a referral promotion. It really is wonderful. And I love having guests that know each other. I have whole families and neighbors that come to me.

Contact Info:

• Website: Shearsintheshire.glossgenius.com
• Instagram: Shearsintheshire
• Facebook: Hair by Heidi Smith