Gray blending taught me a lot about pacing.
When I first started doing it, I learned fast that I couldn’t hurry it. It isn’t a regular highlight. I had to take my time and get used to it until it became second nature. Even now that it is second nature, I still put the time in, because every client is in a different place with her gray and I have to meet her where she is. When I slow down, I have less stress.
That goes double for consultations. Mine are 45 minutes and they’re paid, because they take my time and a lot of thought.
I’m gathering everything I can so I can give her the best service.
We talk about her goals, her expectations, and maintenance, and we’re honest about all of it.
The consultation is also where I figure out if we’re a good fit for each other. If I’m not the right stylist for her, or my schedule can’t take her on right now, I can refer her to someone I trust. Either way, she walks out with a strategy and knows what to expect. The consultation has value on its own.
I got a reminder of this recently. A client came in so excited. The first thing she did was hold up her hair and say, “This is what you’re working with.” It kinda caught me off guard.
She came in assuming that a consultation meant she had an appointment, and she moved fast. I never got a clear answer to the most important question, which is why she wanted gray blending.
Was she tired of coloring every four weeks and ready to grow it all out? Or did she want a softer line so she could stretch her appointments and keep some color?
Those are two very different plans.
I got caught up in her rush without realizing it, and it stressed me out. It followed me home. So I wrote to her afterward and explained what a consultation is really for, and that I want her to get what she needs, whether that ends up being with me or with someone else. I’m still working through it with her.
What I took from it is that it’s my job to slow the room down, especially when the client is moving fast. A rushed consultation is stressful for both of us, and the stress can follow you home, as it did for me.
That’s a big reason I made Stress Behind the Chair.
Stress starts small and it builds, and it’s a lot easier to handle along the way than to dig out of later.
The course is $9, and it’s short, practical lessons for between clients, ending your day, boundaries, and simple systems.
It officially opens October 15, but since you’re reading this, you can sign up now:
Consultations are also a big part of my full course, Gray Blending Foundations, which opens in early 2027. Slowing down and getting the consultation right is where it all starts.