Are You Charging What You're Worth?

This Conversation Never Gets Old

I was scrolling TikTok the other day and I came across something that stopped me in my tracks. A guy pulled up an old Instacart order from around the pandemic — a normal list of regular groceries, nothing fancy. $100. Then he ordered the exact same items today. Over $400.

Four times the price. Same groceries.

Everything has gone up. Rent. Gas. Food. Everything — except, for a lot of barbers, their prices. And that gap is the conversation we need to keep having, because every year you don't revisit your rate, inflation is quietly taking money out of your pocket.

But here's where it gets interesting: pricing alone isn't the full story. If all you're focused on is the number, you're missing the bigger opportunity — building the world around what you sell.

Commodity vs. Experience: Which One Are You?

Right now there are two types of barbers getting loud online. The first group is rage-pricing — slapping up a post saying they raised their rates and daring people to leave. The second group barely talks about their prices at all. You see what they do, the way they move, the energy they bring — and when you finally ask what they charge, you just say okay. Because by then, you already want it.

That's the difference between a commodity and an experience.

A commodity competes on price. An experience makes price secondary.

I've seen this play out across countries and markets. There was a barber charging the equivalent of $300 USD in a country where the average cut is $10-$15. Not because people couldn't find cheaper — they could. But he had demand. He had a social presence. He was an experience, not just a service. People will always find a way to access what they truly value.

The Variables That Actually Move the Needle

Pricing isn't one-size-fits-all. Here's what actually changes the number:

Your market. You can't charge LA prices in the middle of nowhere — but here's the flip side I challenge you to be open-minded about: if you build demand at scale, location becomes less relevant. If people are flying you out or flying in to sit in your chair, your market just got a lot bigger than your zip code.

Your clientele type. The barber with a full book of weekly clients and the barber with a tight roster of monthly clients are running two completely different businesses — and their price points should reflect that. Weekly clients are typically in the $25-$50 range. They're maintaining. Bi-weeklies sit in that mid-tier, somewhere in the $55-$99 range. Monthly clients? They're investing in an experience — that's your $100-$250+ person. Now, there are exceptions in every category, but I'm speaking on the core. And the core is pretty consistent.

Your schedule. Are you fully booked or still building? If you're turning people away, that's a signal. Demand is telling you something. When you can't take everyone, you get to choose who — and that choice should come with a price adjustment. Barbers who skip that step don't just leave money on the table — they leave their joy there too. The burnout, the second job, the quiet resentment toward a career they used to love — none of that has to be the story.

Your brand positioning. Are you a destination or a stop? When people travel from other cities, other states, other countries just to sit in your chair — when they plan a whole trip around getting their hair done by you — you're not a commodity anymore. You're a destination. And destinations don't apologize for what they charge.

The Energy Behind the Price

Here's something I learned early that shifted everything for me: it's not just people with money who pay premium prices. It's people who value what you value.

If you value hard work, craft, and intentionality — you will attract clients who value those same things. They see it in your work. They see it in how you show up. Clients mirror who we are. That's not a motivational poster quote — it's just the truth of how this industry works.

And that's why the shift from low-tier to high-end isn't just a business move — it's a mindset move. It's a vibe. You can't always calculate your way into it. You have to decide who you're building toward, and start moving like that person now.

Most barbers start with volume because they have to — you have to learn, grow, and develop your eye for what higher-end clients actually want. That's not a shortcut you can skip. But at some point, the goal is to graduate from servicing quantity to attracting quality. Both are valid phases. The mistake is staying in phase one when you're ready for phase two.

And remember: every client is not your client. When you're clear on who you serve, you stop chasing everyone and start attracting the right ones.

Your Goals Change Everything

Before you land on a number, you need to get clear on something more fundamental: what kind of barber are you building toward?

If you want to be purely behind the chair — head down, craft focused, building a loyal book in your communities — there's a smart, sustainable way to do that. It looks like charging what you actually deserve, attracting clients who respect your time and your work, and finding that balance where both sides feel good about the exchange. That's a a beautiful career. And you don't need a platform or a brand deal to do it well.

But if you're moving into a hybrid space — barber and creator, barber and educator, barber and brand — your pricing model has to shift to reflect that reality. That's the journey I've been on, speaking from personal experience. When you're traveling, educating, producing content, and showing up for brand partnerships, you physically can't maintain a traditional chair schedule. Maybe at an intro level — but at some point, if you really want something to grow, you know how much energy it demands. The clocking in and out, the full commitment it takes — it simply can't all be done while working at an establishment that's only built around servicing clients. And that's okay. That freedom came from building my price up intentionally over time, so that when the opportunities came, I wasn't stuck in a model that couldn't move with me.

Your pricing has to serve the life you're building — not just the week you're in. So ask yourself honestly: where do you want this to go? The answer to that question will tell you a lot about what you should be charging right now.

And whatever path you choose — ignore the noise. Social media is full of people posting outrage about prices, tearing down barbers who charge more, or making you feel guilty for wanting to grow. That's not your community. Your community is the one that shows up, pays you with respect, and wants to see you win. Build for them. Price for them. Tune everything else out.

But What If You Don't Even Know What to Charge?

Let's talk to the barbers who aren't even sure where to start — because this part matters just as much.

Here's a simple pulse check: if you're not fully booked, you might be charging too much for where you currently are. If you're fully booked and exhausted, you're probably charging too little. The sweet spot is somewhere in the middle — a price that feels a little uncomfortable but is still one people are actually paying.

If your price is so high that nobody's booking, you've gone too far. You'd rather be fully booked at a reasonable rate than sitting empty at a number that sounds good. Momentum matters. Build the book first, then raise the ceiling.

And remember — everyone reading this lives somewhere different. A barber in New York City, a barber in a mid-size Southern city, a barber in a rural town — your numbers are going to look different and that's okay. Think about your market, your clientele, your schedule, your goals. Factor all of it in. There's no universal right answer, but there are right questions to ask yourself.

What really moved the needle for me was playing the long game. Every six months to a year, I raised my price — just a little. It started with $2. Then $5. Then $10, $20, $25 and beyond, depending on where I was, what shop I was in, what was happening in my life and career. Small, intentional steps.

Every raise pushed me to grow. To be worth it. To show up differently. But I never lost sight of keeping it in scale with where I actually was — not where I wanted to be in five years, but where I was right now. Slow, steady, and intentional.

And here's how you'll know when you've arrived at the right number — it feels natural. Not nervous. Not apologetic. Not like you're bracing for someone to say something. The harmony between what you're charging and what you're receiving just fits. When it does, you'll know. You won't feel scared or unworthy. You'll just feel right.

That place takes time. You can't rush it. But you can build toward it, every single raise, every single year.

So Where Are You?

So I'll ask you the same thing I'd ask myself:

Are you a commodity or a destination?

Is your price reflecting the barber you actually are or the one you think people will accept?

Pricing is a journey, not a number. You don't flip a switch. You build toward it over time intentionally, consistently, and without apology. The first step is just deciding which direction you're heading.

This is reoccurring topic so i thought i could share on this as an evolving topics. Something to think about!

-Sof!