If you're a barber, loctician, cosmetologist, nail tech, lash tech, or even a tattoo artist, You know that you gotta be in the shop to make that munyun. This drives you to want a fully booked out week. In becoming fully booked out, that means you have to coordinate times with clients, organize schedules, constantly post on instagram, and always be on your phone. But where does that leave you mentally? Drained, depleted, and in some cases lacking a social life.
Barber school taught me a shit ton about retaining clientele, but not so much about retaining my mental health. Of course there are days off, but in some shops you can work 7 days a week from sun up to sun down. That right there begs the question; are you really working for yourself?
Entrepreneurs want to feel like they have a say so in their daily activities. Now I can say that if you're just starting out, you gotta put in that time. Especially in the hair industry, you have to be the first there and the last to leave for the first 6 months to a year. That's the best way to build a steady and consistent clientele. After that year mark however, you don't want to fall into the cycle that you've become comfortable with, and that's always being in the shop. You want to have a choice in what you do with your time. You also want to be able to prioritize your physical and mental health.
It's too easy to eat something quick when you just finished up a client and you have another one in 30 minutes but this is the only lunch break you'll get. It's a little less easier, but still easy to accept that client when you told yourself that this day would be your personal day, because the money is right there in your face. Sometimes you have to take a step back and just sit down. Allow yourself to breathe. The clients will always be there blowing that phone down but the days where you put yourself first will be numbered if you're always doing for someone else and neglecting yourself.
School doesn't teach you how to balance work and personal life as an entrepreneur. You have to turn that business phone off, set goals for your personal development, or even just have a day to kick your feet up and not do anything. Love on yourself as an entrepreneur. Learn about who you are outside of your business. Take time to reflect on your growth as you are now. Your future self will thank you for it.