Shop Hopping:
Before You Change Barbershops: Are You Moving Forward or Starting Over?
Changing shops can sometimes be the right career decision, but repeatedly moving without a clear strategy can keep a new barber from building the reputation, relationships, and clientele required for long-term success.
“He who plants a tree plants a hope.” Lucy Larcom
Let’s talk about when to plan your next move and why your next move may be warranted.
New barbers sometimes switch up shops looking for the perfect fit or better pay. While it might seem like a shortcut to level up, frequent changes can actually slow you down. Every time you start somewhere new, you’re back to learning new routines, matching up to different coworkers, and rebuilding your client base.
As a new barber ask yourself
- Have I stayed long enough to fairly evaluate the shop?
- Have I discussed my concerns with the owner?
- Am I avoiding the process of building?
- Will the next shop provide a measurable improvement?
- How will this move affect my clients?
The strongest buildings have solid foundations. Treat your barber career the same. Patience is a requirement for success. You can’t plant a seed today and expect to produce a garden tomorrow. Work needs to be done to bring forth a harvest.
Does the shop promote a healthy working environment? Shops that work as a team and makes education a cornerstone of employment can be considered GRADE A. Then you have barbershops that only care about the bottom line and production. The advancing of your knowledge isn’t a concern and will put your career in a place of stagnant water. Not every shop owner will have it figured out and will need you to voice your concern. Before choosing To leave make your concerns be known. Give the owner a chance to address your concerns before opting out of the opportunity to grow roots.
Anything worth having is worth waiting for. success doesn’t come over night. The building process will give you the knowledge in what it takes to create a successful career. This will benefit you the day you are looking to become the owner. Being able to share these lessons with the next generation of barbers you decide to work with will guarantee a business built to win.
Jumping to the next shop because promises of gold can be costly. Leaving a 60 percent cut at a location that has a heavy walk in clientele for a place that promises a bigger cut at 70 percent but has less opportunity will produce less earnings. The grass isn’t always greener on the other side.
Customers will one day turn into clients. You’ve been consistent, reliable, and available for service. Your book is growing to a reliable base of retention and making a move can impact that retention.
Your skills may attract clients, but convenience often determines whether they book an appointment—and whether they return.
How will this move impact this relationship? Will this move make the possibility of them following you inconvenient? Be prepared for a sizable drop off if the move you make puts them unable to follow. Keep the ones you serve in mind when you make these types of decision. We aren’t able without those who support us.
When you remain dependable and consistently serve people well, you become a familiar face. Clients begin to trust you, coworkers learn they can rely on you, and shop owners become more willing to invest in your development.
This could mean a more flexible schedule, higher commissions, or advanced training opportunities. Loyalty goes both ways and sticking around often gets noticed.
Build a reputation for leaving at the first sign of conflict or whenever business slows down, and shop owners may become reluctant to invest in your development. Growth requires patience, resilience, and a willingness to put down roots.
Impatience shouldn’t drive your decision to up and leave an opportunity to build. Provide loyalty to the arena that treats the public with respect, gives you tools to succeed, and places education to the forefront of building. If a barbershop does not provide a safe and supportive environment for growth, it may be time to leave it in your rearview mirror.
There will be times to make a move and a time to stand firm and grow roots like a tree placed by the river. Don’t make the mistake of hopping around from shop to shop. The right shop is out there waiting to add you into its fold. Lasting success begins when you find solid ground, plant your roots, and give yourself time to grow.