Thriving Stylist Podcast #423 — The 9-Factors of Pricing! We Changed Our Pricing Method!
Host: Britt Seva
Date: February 2, 2026
Episode Overview
In this episode, Britt Seva unveils her newly updated “Nine-Factor Pricing Method” for hairstylists and salon owners—a significant evolution from her widely adopted “Seven-Factor Method.” Britt provides an in-depth breakdown of the pricing factors that position stylists for rapid growth and profitability in today's ever-changing beauty industry. She addresses why outdated pricing strategies (like one-size-fits-all increases and “charge your worth” mentality) no longer serve stylists, emphasizing data-driven, dynamic pricing designed for real-world results.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
Why Pricing Strategy Matters in 2026
- Over the past decade, relying solely on reputation and referrals is "dead" as a business strategy.
- Despite industry challenges, many stylists see record growth (50%-300% in 2025), but only after adopting modern strategies—not by just raising prices or becoming influencers.
- The new pricing method is about “pricing for profit and rapid growth without price gouging or discounting.”
“Being overpriced and being underpriced are equally as bad. Obviously being overpriced, it’s going to be slow to build and grow. Underpriced can be the same.”
—Britt Seva (07:15)
Critique of Other Pricing Methods
- Outdated Models: Hourly/session-based, legacy, level system, and “charge your worth” models can misfire or be overly simplistic.
- Salon-wide Increases: Blanket price increases fail both high- and low-performing stylists.
- Separation of Pricing & Promotion: Pricing should not be solely based on seniority or promotional status, but on business reality and demand factors.
The Evolution from 7 to 9 Pricing Factors
- The Seven-Factor Method has helped nearly 20,000 stylists but needs an update for today’s climate.
- The brand new Nine-Factor Method includes two essential new metrics to ensure more precise, dynamic pricing.
The Nine Factors of Pricing (with Explanations & Context)
[14:40]
Britt details each factor, explaining why each is included and how they interrelate in the new dynamic calculator.
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Local Annual Income of Community Served
- Pricing should reflect the actual economic conditions and average annual income of the clients, not just the region.
- Small changes in demographic served (even 25 minutes away) can drastically alter appropriate price points.
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Maximum Available Service Hours
- Stylists working fewer hours must price higher if demand exists; the calculator dynamically adjusts for changes in schedule.
“If one stylist only works two days a week and one works five, and they have similar demand, the stylist who only works two days a week might need to be at a significantly higher price point.”
—Britt Seva (18:05)
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Services Offered
- Specialization in time-consuming services (blonding, extensions, vivids) must be priced differently than frequent, fast-turnover services.
- Prevents unfair comparisons or pricing between stylists with different service mixes.
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Total Guests Seen Per Month
- The number of clients a stylist serves impacts profitability and pricing—critical for those offering longer services with fewer guests.
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How Far Out You’re Booked (Demand Factor 1)
- Acts as a proxy for retention; helps gauge if your demand supports a price change.
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Monthly Referrals (Demand Factor 2)
- Measures external demand and new business flow; taken together with how far out you’re booked, this offers a full picture of your desirability.
“When we add those things together, we get a good sense of your demand factor…”
—Britt Seva (24:23)
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Product Cost
- Fully integrates the true cost of products used, supporting pricing transparency and eliminating forgotten charges.
- Encourages “baking in” average product cost to every service for easier transactions.
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Service Timing
- How long a client spends in the chair determines price adjustments, with special consideration for session- or hourly-based models.
- The upgraded tool now shows stylists a la carte, session-based, or hourly pricing options side-by-side.
“What’s exciting about the new calculator is it now does it in the column format so you can take a look at what your prices would be if you were charging a la carte, session based, or hourly, because they would be completely different.”
—Britt Seva (33:50)
- Utilization
- NEW for 2026: Recognizes and quantifies “gappiness”—unfilled slots between appointments that reduce earnings.
- Adds precision by accounting for lost revenue in schedule holes, refining recommended prices.
“Utilization takes care of that. So that little bit of gray area has now been tightened up with utilization.”
—Britt Seva (38:40)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
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On moving away from experience-based pricing:
“Experience is no longer a factor in pricing. Do you know what changed that? Social media… It was like, wait a minute, my stylist has been doing hair for 20 years, but they’re not pulling off color like this stylist who’s only been here for four.”
—Britt Seva (28:57) -
On pricing for profit and positioning, not out of emotion:
“This method takes out all of the emotion and it does not work in things like structured level systems. That is by design.”
—Britt Seva (13:40) -
On salon owners’ mindset shifts:
“If your stylists are charging more than you are, that’s called living the dream. If you want to scale as an owner, you need stylists who are charging more than you are. That’s a good thing.”
—Britt Seva (31:50)
Practical Takeaways
- The “dynamic” nine-factor method supports profit and sustainable growth, replacing gut-feeling or one-size-fits-all pricing.
- Most stylists (about 70%) will find classic a la carte pricing is still the fastest-growing and most profitable, but the new calculator provides personalized recommendations including when hourly or session-based pricing does make sense.
- Accurate pricing requires periodically reconsidering all nine factors, especially after significant changes (schedule, services, demand).
Important Timestamps
- [02:00]: Introduction to the new nine-factor method
- [07:15]: Being overpriced vs. underpriced and the psychology of pricing
- [14:40]: Deep-dive into the purpose of the new method
- [18:05]: Importance of available service hours
- [24:23]: How demand factors (booked out, referrals) shape pricing
- [28:57]: Why years of experience aren’t priced in anymore
- [33:50]: Upgraded calculator features for comparing pricing models
- [38:40]: Introduction of utilization as a key pricing metric
Final Thoughts
Britt encourages every stylist and salon owner to evaluate whether their prices reflect all nine critical factors. She emphasizes that pricing should be regularly reassessed and grounded in data, not trends or emotion. For those not using the calculator, simply reflecting on these nine areas can illuminate opportunities for better profit and client alignment.
“Just give a little additional thought. As I always like to say, so much love, happy business building, and I’ll see you on the next one.”
—Britt Seva (End)
For more, including access to the new pricing tools and calculators, visit thrivingstylist.com.