Charlotte Carbery of Hair By Charlotte Tells Us About Salon Environment during the Pandemic

 Charlotte Carbery of Hair By Charlotte shares with us her hairdressing passion and the effects of Covid-19.

How are you and your family doing in these COVID-19 times? 

Charlotte Carbery: All of my family are well and have been able to stay safe & Covid free. Our family-run plantation shutter business has kept us busy whilst my salon has been closed due to COVID Lockdown.

About you, your career, how you founded Hair By Charlotte.

Charlotte Carbery: I worked at Toni & Guy for 3 years after my college training. COVID-19 brought many challenges for all of us in the hairdressing industry. I felt for most of my clients going back into a salon environment wasn’t going to be a comfortable experience, having to wear masks, plastic gowns, no magazines, or a nice hot drink took the whole enjoyment out of what is meant to be an exciting and fun experience. So, I took it upon myself to go solo! To pamper, cut, straighten, curl, blow-dry, color the Hair By Charlotte way!  

How does Hair By Charlotte innovate? 

Charlotte Carbery: Keeping myself constantly focused and at the ‘cutting edge’ of hairdressing is a passion of mine and what I believe sets my business apart from other small salons. Products, produce and productivity. What do I mean by that? I am passionate about the products that I use and what’s in them. I use products that I believe are vegan, cruelty-free, toxin-free and totally yummy.

How does the coronavirus pandemic affect your business finances?

Charlotte Carbery: Covid Hugely impacted my business. Thanks to my fiancé & family, I have been able to stay afloat due to not being eligible for any loans/grants by working in the family business.

Did you have to make difficult choices regarding HR, and what are the lessons learned?

Charlotte Carbery: Because I am opening a salon on my own and have no staff working for me, I have not had any difficulty in dealing with this.

How did your customer relationship management evolve? Do you use any specific tools to be efficient?

Charlotte Carbery: To remain efficient and manage my customer relationships, I use slick (hairdressing calendar portal) and Facebook to keep in touch with information through the COVID pandemic.

Did you benefit from any government grants, and did that help keep your business afloat?

Charlotte Carbery:  No, I did not seem to be eligible for any of them.

Your Website?

https://www.hairbycharlotte.uk