If you’re a barber or hairstylist, you know that marketing is a huge part of attracting and retaining clients. But as old-school promotion tactics such as passing out business cards and flyers become of a thing of the past, establishing a strong digital brand presence is how StyleSeat Pros become more successful.
Beauty professionals who list their businesses on StyleSeat see exponential growth within the first 12 months. Not only do we provide a competitive marketplace, but StyleSeat offers marketing tools and tips to help Pros create the perfect profile, showcase top client reviews, and earn badges that will increase their customer base and ultimately increase revenue.
This Black History Month, StyleSeat is shining a light on Pros who are building lucrative, purpose-driven brands. Read their stories below, including which StyleSeat tools help to keep their small businesses organize and connect with new clients every day and the small ways they’re making a big impact within the Black community.
Reginald Crawford, Barber
Barber Reginald Crawford’s grooming services is a cut above the rest. Photos: Courtesy of Reginald Crawford
Memphis, TN-based barber Reginald Crawford has 20 years of experience, and he considers each service on his menu to be a “top service.” He’s a master at doing everything from the classic fade to beard trims, boy’s cuts and even women’s eyebrow arches. With a 5-star rating and reviews that speak to the “very professional, friendly, cool, and relaxing environment” he creates at Pro Style Grooming Lounge, Crawford’s work speaks louder than words.
What inspired you to become a barber?
What inspired me the most was the art and creativity. I also was inspired by love and camaraderie amongst the people in the shop environment. I love how the barbers were looked at as some of the great pillars and leaders of our community.
What makes you feel and look your best?
What makes me feel my best are my children. They are everything to me. It’s also when I’m able to uplift my clients with a good cut and words of encouragement. What makes me look my best is when my business partner Percy Ward gives me a fresh each and every week.
What motivates you to get out of bed in the morning?
That fact that God gave me another opportunity for another day is what motivates me to get out of bed each and every day. I have another opportunity to live, love, and laugh and to also encourage someone else to do the same.
How has StyleSeat helped you to grow your business?
StyleSeat has greatly helped me organize and structure my business. I didn’t like the aspect of appointments until my life dynamic changed and I had to adjust. I’m glad I did. StyleSeat has helped me grow exponentially. I already had a very good clientele, but StyleSeat allowed me to take my business in the right direction.
What are your favorite StyleSeat features and why?
The automatic communication is one of the best features of StyleSeat. I’m also ecstatic to showcase my reviews from clients. That has really allowed me to be seen by so many other potential clients.
How does StyleSeat help you to connect with new clients and keep them?
Because I’m one of the top barbers in the area, StyleSeat allows me to be noticed more by those that are searching to connect with a barber that can fit their particular need or desire. I’m able to be featured amongst the top of the list, which is really cool.
What advice would you give to Pros embarking on their business journey?
To anyone embarking on the journey of business, keep in mind that you are a brand and your service is your product. You have to stay at the forefront and be dedicated to the revolution and evolution of what you want to bring to the table. Continue to be ever-present within yourself and with society to greatly have an understanding of what you are doing and how you can stand out.
How important was the Black community to you in 2020? And how do you hope to continue to pour back into your village?
The Black community has been very important, but especially, in 2020. We as a people have gone through so much but to see the injustices further come to a head in the manner in which they did was very heartbreaking. Not only have we had to deal with murder at the hands of those that are supposed to protect us, but also those that believe they are either above the law or that the laws that are upheld in this country are only for a particular group of people. It also frustrates me to no end to see the strife amongst the people in our own community. I lost three members of my family to gun violence in the last 10 months.
I’m here fighting for unity in the Black community, one young man at a time, starting with my sons. I also encourage my daughters to become the queens they are destined to be and to be an exemplary figure to themselves and others. Because I have mentored and cared for so many over the years, I decided to become an advocate of mental and emotional health in the Black community. I also furthered my education to become a life coach and founded Rich Beyond Belief, which speaks to realizing the richness of life through quality not quantity.
What do you want your legacy to be?
I want my legacy to be that I was more than just your favorite barber, but to know that I made an impact in the lives of those that I served. I want to be known as a maker of change and a pusher of progress.
To learn more about Reginald Crawford, check out his profile on StyleSeat and follow him on Instagram.
Asia Bey, Hairstylist
Hairstylist Asia Bey is building a beauty empire that puts clients at the heart of her business. Photos: Courtesy of Asia Bey
Asia Bey may wear many hats as a businesswoman, but she wears them very well. As the owner of Hair Diaries Studio in Philadelphia, PA, she transforms her clients with head-turning styles using hair extensions and quick weaves. And at the root of every treatment is a focus on natural hair growth. Bey’s attention to detail and relatable demeanor has earned her a covetable 5-star rating on StyleSeat and lasting client relationships.
What inspired you to become a hairstylist?
Beauty has always been something I admired. When I was younger, I used to go to the hair salon with my mom while she got her hair done. Watching the stylist use the hot tools and apply chemicals inspired me to do that someday.
What makes you feel and look your best?
Having my hair, nails, and outfit on point motivates me to look my best, and a good night’s rest makes me feel my best.
What motivates you to get out of bed in the morning?
My daughter and my goals motivate me to get up and out of my bed daily.
How has StyleSeat helped you to grow your business?
StyleSeat helped grow my business by providing a basic platform for my customers to book an appointment. Prior to me having StyleSeat, customers had to wait for me to text them back and it was a huge headache. Now my customers can just send the link to someone and book and that has helped tremendously for me.
What are your favorite StyleSeat features and why?
My favorite StyleSeat features are the schedule settings. I love how I can adjust my schedule just in one easy click.
How does StyleSeat help you to connect with new clients and keep them?
The reviews my customers leave and the photos I have on StyleSeat help me connect with new clientele and keep them.
What advice would you give to pros embarking on their business journey?
Stay consistent and always put your customers first.
How important was the Black community to you in 2020? And how do you hope to continue to pour back into your village?
In 2020, the Black community was very important to me. I know it’s hard for us to partake in self-care, especially single mothers, but the hair salon to me is an outlet for us women. However, the pandemic prohibited us from having those biweekly hair salon sessions. Taking the proper safety precautions, I now can open back up little by little so my clients can enjoy the salon setting again. Our mental health is everything, and just having a regular conversation about life or how your day/week went, means the world to us.
What do you want your legacy to be?
I plan for my legacy to include a chain of hair salons. I talk to my 9-year-old daughter about this often … that she would definitely have salons left in her hands when I am long gone for her to pass down to her children and their children.
To learn more about Asia Bey, check out her profile on StyleSeat and follow her on Instagram.
John George, Hairstylist
John George is using his platform as a hairstylist to inform and inspire. Photos: Courtesy of John George
John George has cemented his spot on a list of top StyleSeat Pros. The Chicago, IL-based hairstylist and beauty industry influencer stays booked thanks to his signature silk press. Just take a look at all of the stunning before-and-after photos on his profile. While George is all about giving his clients gorgeous hairdos, he’s also about making sure they’re equip with the right information to maintain healthy hair.
What inspired you to become a hairstylist?
A need to create and an opportunity to have a career that would allow me a certain level of freedom. I feel like my authentic self is accepted within the industry. Becoming a stylist was always challenging for me because I had zero experience with women’s hair. I would barber in high school for extra money and just to hook friends up with dope haircuts. But that was my hair experience prior to attending cosmetology school.
What makes you feel and look your best?
Confidence. You can have a good night’s rest or have all or the designer apparel, but if you’re not confident from within, that can show. I am confident in my presence and I am confident in the information that I know and delivering that to anyone.
What motivates you to get out of bed in the morning?
Every day that I am able to open my eyes motivates me to get out of the bed. It’s another opportunity to grow and experience more of what life has to offer. And for that, I am truly thankful.
How has StyleSeat helped you to grow your business?
StyleSeat has helped my business grow by offering a fully functional platform that can allow a client to schedule appointments from their phone 24/7. Organizing client appointments and sending email/text appointment reminders is huge. Also, StyleSeat has filled last-minute cancellations and has identified popular time slots to boost sales. A couple of years ago, StyleSeat featured me as one of the top stylists in Chicago and that helped me grow.
What are your favorite StyleSeat features and why?
Some of my favorite features that StyleSeat offers are the text message/email reminders that are sent upon booking your appointment and prior to your upcoming appointment. This helps me out tremendously because I can rest assured that the client has been properly notified that their appointment is confirmed.
Another feature that I like is the Smart Pricing system and the auto checkout. With the Smart Pricing system, that puts an emphasis on popular time slots and charging, accordingly. The auto checkout is definitely a must-have for a business in this time of social distancing. This feature allows the client to actually get up and go once the service is complete. There’s no extra interaction with a device, just an easy feeling and less worrying about pulling out a card to swipe and entering PIN numbers.
How does StyleSeat help you to connect with new clients and keep them?
StyleSeat helps me connect with new clients by being able to interact (via the call to action button on IG), and also with StyleSeat having the database of stylists to search through in my area. Clients have told me on several occasions that they found me through StyleSeat using the search engine. StyleSeat helps me to keep clients by sending out follow-up emails.That is huge for all hairstylists. Some of us don’t have the time available daily or weekly to execute the reminders and post service communication that is necessary to [running a] small business.
What advice would you give to pros embarking on their business journey?
This is a marathon not a sprint. A business takes time. Time to be profitable and time to build your business identity. Everything is an opportunity to learn, grow, and to improve upon. Trust the process. Reaffirm your “why” frequently and strive to improve regularly.
How important was the Black community to you in 2020? And how do you hope to continue to pour back into your village?
The Black community has always been a solid source of support for me, and 2020 has really shown me that in abundance. Coming back to work after a quarantine with new operating and socializing rules was quite an adjustment. I wasn’t sure if there would be much business to come back to. But the community welcomed me back to service with open arms. And in turn, I had a deeper appreciation for people. I had a stronger commitment to providing a much-needed service. The level of gratitude is hard to convey into words.
I will continue to pour back into my village by inspiring and teaching. My story is to be told so that others can find motivation in my words to achieve their dreams.
What do you want your legacy to be?
I want my legacy to be that I helped and inspired others to really love what they do and to approach their craft seriously. And that I added value to the industry.
To learn more about John George, check out his profile on StyleSeat and follow him on Instagram.
Try StyleSeat today and learn how to grow your business.
Read more StyleSeat Pro spotlights:
- Black StyleSeat Pros on How to Grow Your Business Even in Tough Times
- Curl Boss Nikki McKinney’s Expert Advice for New Stylists
- Hair Artist Whitney Porter Shares Her Entrepreneurial Journey
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