Hi! I am a very experienced hairdresser and have been thinking of opening some kind of salon for tv's and tg's, both own hair and wigs, I am not sure whether to go mobile or rent a salon, and I would like some feedback on what you would want. I like to think I am discreet, empathetic and professional, and would like to offer a quality hairdressing service that can both personalise your hair/wig and help you style your own hair, as you would expect from any good professional salon, but I need tips and info, especially if there is a requirement for this service in and around Aberdeen less
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sounds fantastic, but might be a huge risk, mail as many tgirls as much info before and do a ton of homework, id guess start off doing home/mobile first and work upwards

Thanks, I understand what you mean about risk, I am still figuring things out, I would like to do a special, like having a day where t girls could come get their hair, maybe make up nails and have afternoon tea or something like that with maybe photo's, it wouldn't be open to general public, does that sound like something that would work? I really need as much advice as I can getx

i have links to a few beauty salons in my area, trans visits are small in numbers even though they are very welcome some of my ts friends either have mobile hairdressers or go to salons, like everyone it comes down to price and recommendations tv will more than likely just go to the barbers if they have short hair.

you should put a picture up and give info on your profile

Thanks, that's helpful

in my opinion you would be off your rocker if you opened a salon for this sort of project. Firstly the TG 'scene' is predominantly made up of part time folk, i.e those who live as a fella and do a bit of the woman thing in their spare time. This group want to be perceived as males in society so are probably happy with their tenner trim in the barbers. Those in this category will spend a varying amount of money on a wig, but given what I have seen on the countless hours I have wasted on TG sites over the years, they will generally opt for a cheap synthetic wig (under £25) which will be worn until the knots get too much. Then you have TS who live as women. These will be more than happy just to go and get a haircut in a womans salon as thats what they identify with. Theres also oddballs like me who identify as both sexes all rolled into one, way too confusing. There is a market for more expensive hairpeices but i wouldnt expect it to be that big, as its a section of what is already a very small niche market (TG). Before I started writing this I was going to say a Salon would be bonkers but mobile might work. Now I've thought about it a little more I think this is not a viable business at all. So for that reason I'm out
This post was edited by Mia Wallace at January 21, 2015 1:51 PM GMT

Maybe there is a market. The bigger problem is exploiting the market. (Seperate post to avoid thread hijacking)

I think i'd go with what Gail said about set up home/mobile 1st and make a firm client base x as a T.girl who has her own very long hair i would find that the best way to go x x x

obviously there is a market Janet , its one things selling wigs mail order on the internet as you could, if marketed correctly, with the right prices from the right suppliers, set up a profitable and sustainable business. A mobile hairdresser however is dealing with a very immediate market in terms of geography. With petrol, time etc factored in and the amount of TG folk who actually want their hair cut...(see above) there aren't going to be very many. So either the prices would have to be sky high for Gail to make it even remotely worth her while or Gail will be working from a purely ideological perspective, for love all of things transgendered as she would never make a living out of it. If she did the occasional haircut for the occasional tranny who wanted the service because she was advertised as tranny friendly whilst she actually persued a market she could actually make some money from, thats fair enough. So yes I agree theres a market but I'd say it was absoluteley tiny. Offering services for nails would be equally as pointless for similar reasons. I think the only scope for making any money would be offering makeup, photography style transformation services. However I'm a fully qualified beauty therapist and I think the money involved would be so minimal I wouldnt waste my time with it. These are only my points of view of course. I'm afraid I look at things form a real/cynical persepective, not a fluffy ideological warped perspective which I suspect from the replies could be quite prevalent on sites like this. No offence meant its just what I think
This post was edited by Mia Wallace at January 21, 2015 5:58 PM GMT

I would like to add to what Gemma has said.

I know of one transformation business - makeovers, photo sessions etc - here in the North West of England which has switched to photographs of dogs and babies. Why? £££s. The TG community is too small and money has been very tight for the last 6 years to sustain business like this any longer. I do know that the lady who ran the business had to change because she could no longer make enough money out of the TG community. And from friends who used her services - they said it wasnt expensive.

If Gail wants to make a mobile service work and be profitable in my opinion her target customer base should be women, and then maybe she can offer a service of some kind for TG people as an add on. Clearly TVs buy wigs and there could be a market there; as to servicing of wigs - how much money can you make from that?

Maybe Gail should call Dee Selecta who runs a dressing and make over service in Bolton - she advertises here on the web site - and ask her about her idea. As she is in Aberdeen they would not be competitors.

I hope that helps

hugs

Pauline xxx
This post was edited by Pauline Smith at January 21, 2015 6:23 PM GMT

some common sense at last. thanks P I was losing my will to live for a second there

It could be a sideline, womens hairdresser and part time trans hairdresser, all hairdressers will cut a wig btw, lots free if its a just a fringe and they are your stylist. most successful business involving trans is done firstly out of a personal interest and will be likely internet based or linked to a home or a linked business

but theres no money it in doh!!!!

Madame Sin,

I have a gay friend who has had a successful hair dressing salon in Manchester, for over 20 years. He "employs" maybe around 6 girls to do hairdressing and front of desk, effectively they are self employed and he takes a percentage of their takings. But his heating costs (hairdyers and washing and drying towels) are about £ 2.000 per month, and his total overheads £4.000 per month.

He also sells wigs at reasonable prices. Please be aware that 95% of his core clientele for wigs are women and 100% of his hair dressing clients. And he needs lots of clients and repeat business to make his business work ....and make a profit.

2 years ago he thought seriously about opening a trans shop in the centre of Manchester, which would offer a range of services - clothes, wigs, make overs etc - and eventually decided...... he could not make a living. I even talked with him about working in his shop.

Sadly there is not enough money in the TG community to make a living. There are very few trans women and the vast majority of TVs do not want this kind of service.

He is happy to sell wigs to the TG community and have a room at Sparkle to do make overs, etc. But that is NOT a viable business model for someone who is as successful as he is. So he has quietly shelved his idea (his dream even).

hugs

Pauline xxx
This post was edited by Pauline Smith at January 21, 2015 7:31 PM GMT

Thanks for the opinions definitely some good advice even the vvery cynical stuff lol, I'm not thinking of opening a salon 5 days, I work already, and I have been thinking myself, not totally brainless! That the aberdeen tgirl community wouldnt support a career. But what about a day a month, where girls can be who they want to be in a pampering environment, instead of an hour, I get the money thing as hair/beauty services don't come cheap, but aberdeen is a wealthy city and doesn't seem affected by recession, does that make more sense as a sideline perhaps???

Hi Gail

As a sideline maybe it could work? But only as a sideline and as a service. To be honest it was not clear from your original post that you were looking at this as a part time venture.

Yes Aberdeen is wealthy but the TG community tends to be clustered around areas that are TG friendly - like Manchester and Brighton, and both have groups of wealthier T girls. However someone made the first steps in those places and maybe you can be one of the forerunners in Scotland.

Sadly no T girls from the Aberdeen area have replied to your thread as yet. My only Scottish friends live further south in Scotland than you do, but I will forward them the link to this forum.

Right now that is the only concrete help that I can really give you. I would advise though that you really research the market in the Aberdeen area for this kind of service.

Hope that helps you

Pauline xxx

I for one, would happily go to a TV friendly place where you could try on all sorts of wigs when dressed, to see how they looked. I did so, and was happy to pay over £200 for the one that looked the best. So there is a market, it might be small, but it could be a good sideline

Hi Pauline, I'm really not sure I knew what I was asking when I first posted, but thanks for yours and everyone else's posts, all info welcome, I am originally from Liverpool and worked in Exeter too

Hi Gail

I think you have to make the cake and maybe the icing out of the RG (Real Girl) community as your core market. The TG community is the cherry...which is a nice extra, if you can offer a good service and get enough clients.

Whatever you decide to do.. I wish you success

hugs

Pauline xxx

Oh that's good to know Joanne, I can cut wigs too,, it's not the same as cutting hair, and they can be a little more tailored to the person rather than off the peg so to speak! Thanks

That's lovely Pauline thank you xxx

I just think that hairdressing services and trans just doesnt work as most wear cheap wigs and the ones who dont would just go to a high street stylist, i use toni and guy and last time i went i said i wanted a birds haircut but realise that 'i can only piss with the cock i've got' so didnt expect miracles. And no miracle was forthcoming, it looked cute mind. One 'beauty service' however that would be far more in demand (so long as it isnt a closet HPW) is body waxing. Not every fella has hair on their body, but legs is a must for everyone. And with a fella thats a full leg not a half like most women. The thing that gets me though is there are so many men now going to get eyebrows done, manicures, waxing etc and these are fellas not trannys or gay chaps, so I cannot understand why most 'Tgirls' are too scared to get anything like that done?
This post was edited by Mia Wallace at January 21, 2015 9:18 PM GMT

Yes I get that too, I've talked this over at work with the beauty girls, hair removal is big business, some women are more hairy than the guys! And yes guys get their brows done, some even wax their neck

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