Appreciation post: My old teacher told me to charge more for skin fades and I finally listened

He said it about five years ago, that I was leaving money on the table and not valuing my time right. I kept my fade price at $25 for way too long, thinking it would keep people coming back. Last month I bumped it to $35 and, I mean, my book filled up faster. Has anyone else had a client tell them they should have raised prices sooner?

3 comments

3 Comments

joelburns26d ago

Wait, you were doing skin fades for twenty-five bucks? That's wild, man. I know guys charging almost double that just for a basic cut. Your teacher was right, you were basically working for free.

irisowens26d agoMost Upvoted

My old shop in Riverside had a rule, the first hundred cuts at that price were basically my tuition. It wasn't about the money then, it was about getting reps in on real people who just wanted a clean fade. Building that speed and confidence had its own value, you know? I look at those first six months as paid training, just with the customers paying me directly.

cole54926d ago

Yeah that tracks, I read an interview with a barber who said the first year is just buying your hands. You're paying for experience with your time, and cheap cuts are the price of admission. Makes total sense looking back.