Step into my home salon with Phie Kirk

Phie Kirk, of Phie’s Salon in Cambridge, explains why she’s always been self-employed and the merits of running a home based salon

Her neurodiverse needs and a desire to treat clients more holistically convinced Phie Kirk that salon life wasn’t for her. A self-employed stylist from the get-go, Phie speaks to Creative HEAD about managing a home-salon, Phie’s Salon in Cambridge, and how she attracts the customers she wants.

CH: Why did you want to be self-employed as opposed to salon based?

PK: I have always been a self-employed stylist because I didn’t like the way salons were run. It was like a conveyor belt, not focusing enough efforts and attention on the client. Salons used to be very loud and not welcoming for neurodiverse people either! We all know that salons can be catty, and as a creative, alternative person I never fitted in anywhere, so it was clear to me that I wanted to do my own thing, one to one. I also have dyscalculia so I am slow at remembering numbers and ratios or any kind of maths, so it was very daunting to me that I was expected to handle money, give change and cash up and do the stock check. I would really struggle in these situations, so I never put myself in them. Thankfully now it’s all digital and card based! I like that I’m only accountable for myself, not an entire salon!

CH: Why did you want to be home-based over mobile?

PK: I tried to do some mobile work, but I found that the clients houses weren’t the best environment for me to achieve my best work. For example, the chair not being high enough or adjustable, or poor light. I think it’s important for the client to relax in a space that is not their own to get away from the house. With my dyscalculia, time management would have been harder, also traffic and car maintenance would not be ideal. I didn’t drive at the beginning of my career, so that’s another reason.

CH: Tell me about your home-based set up, what does it look like?

PK: At the start I used to do hair in my parent’s kitchen. Then I moved to the spare room which was my childhood room! For some reason, I decorated it with brown leafy wallpaper with teal details. My thinking behind it was to just play it safe and neutral but that’s nothing like me or my personality, so quite soon after I changed it to the pink and black salon I have today! I always put my earnings back into my salon. The first thing I got was a non-slip vinyl flooring, I already had a dressing table, then for Christmas I asked for a portable sink! After that I bought my lovely chair. I also have artificial flowers in the entrance and all the way through to the salon, the wallpaper is pink damask. There is a black comfy chesterfield salon chair and an ornate dressing table with a mirror that is painted pink and black. Also, there’s shelving to display my lovely Amika and Only Curls products. I have a portable wash basin and flowers on the ceiling for my clients to admire whilst having their hair washed.

CH: What advice do you have for stylists who are starting an at-home salon? Any dos and don’ts?

PK: Learn how to say no from the word go! Do not emotionally discount! Do have clear policies and boundaries in place, such as cancellation policies. Do get a booking system once you have a client base. Do not let someone pay you later because they live across the road. Do not look at another salon’s pricing to set yours! Do go on a pricing course and get a price calculator to generate the real costs of running your salon. Do get on Google maps and know your worth!

CH: How do you separate the business part of your home with the personal?

PK: The salon is in my parents’ house luckily, so I do have a separate home. But there was a time where I lived and worked from home, and it is a really hard thing to keep them separate. Just make sure that everything is clean and tidy and shut the door when you have finished. Also, it’s important to leave the house, even if it’s just for a walk as there was no reason for me to leave the house when I lived and worked there. The front door leads straight to the stairs and the hallway, so I can shut off the rest of the house. I have set working hours that are clear, and I stick to them, this helps separate home time from work time.

CH: If you have a new person showing interest in becoming a client, what’s your process?

PK: I have a strict form on my website that the clients fill out about their hair journey and they send me pictures of their hair. This stops all the back and forth questions and weeds out the people that can’t be bothered to spend the time on it. At this point in my career 13 years in, I am very particular about the type of client I want to see. These are creative colour and curly hair clients. It can be a little worrying having strangers in your house, but once you meet them you get a feel if they are the type of person you want coming back. I find that low prices attract bad clients, so raise them regularly!

CH: Do you do consultations in your home or over the phone?

PK: Sometimes I do consultations in the salon, but mostly the questions that I would ask are on my online form. Also, I will usually contact the clients by email or WhatsApp if I need further information. I will always do a consultation at the beginning of the appointment to make sure we’re on the same page.

CH: What products/services are you looking to introduce at your at-home salon this summer?

PK: I have just introduced a new treatment called Scrub a Dub Dub. This is a scalp spa treatment. It is very important to not forget about the scalp, I’ve noticed a lot of scalp issues since Covid and wanted to encourage my clients to take more care.

CH: What’s been your most popular/profitable service this year so far?

PK: The most popular service is a cut and blow-dry, everyone needs a haircut! I make sure my clients look after their hair and come back every six weeks or have a cut every other time they come. When the sun comes out, pops of bright colours are in demand as it’s holiday and festival season.