02/28/2026
There’s something I’ve been wanting to share. Not to call anyone out and not to guilt anyone, but simply to create understanding.
Imagine waking up, getting ready for work, arranging childcare, driving in, and then being told that for a few hours that day you won’t be getting paid. Even though you planned your entire day around it. Even though you turned other opportunities away to hold that time. And you still have to pay the babysitter. This week alone, I lost over 300 dollars due to last minute cancellations and unpaid cancellation fees. That is not just a number. That is groceries for my kids. That is real life. That is the exact feeling I am describing.
When you book an appointment at a salon, especially with someone who booth rents, you are booking a piece of their livelihood. We do not clock in to guaranteed pay. We do not have salaries, PTO, or sick days. Our income is directly tied to the hours someone is sitting in our chair. When an appointment cancels last minute or someone does not show up, it is not just an empty space in the schedule. It is income that disappears, and most of the time it cannot be replaced on short notice. Sometimes it goes even further than that. We have already paid for childcare so we can be at work. We have purchased product specifically for your service. Instead of earning money that day, we are paying out of pocket to be there. For all of us, that money is not extra. It is diapers, gas, sports fees, dance costumes, rent, food, and electric bills. It is how we provide for our families.
We truly understand that life happens. Kids get sick. Emergencies come up. Most of us are parents too, and there is so much grace for genuine situations. Cancellation policies are not meant to be cold or harsh. They exist because without them, small business owners quietly absorb these losses over and over again.
Behind every stylist is a real person balancing business and family, passion and responsibility. We love what we do. We love making you feel beautiful. We love the conversations and relationships built in that chair. But this is also how we take care of our homes.
We do not make the decision lightly to stop accepting someone as a client. But when someone repeatedly cancels or refuses to honor the cancellation policy, we are being asked to continue showing up without being paid. No one would choose to stay in a job where that keeps happening. So if I stop accepting you as a client, please understand this, it isn't because I don't respect you, it is because YOU don't respect me.
It is never easy to tell someone no. It weighs on us more than you probably realize. Our policies are not about punishment. They are about protecting our time, our livelihood, and our ability to provide for the people who depend on us.
When you respect our time, you are doing more than following a rule. You are supporting a small business and a family behind it. And that kind of support truly means everything. 🤍🙏
