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Adrian Deng | Hairstylist Mentor

@adriandeng_

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I help independent stylists earn more, work less.
20 years behind the chair, now sharing all I know.
Founder @occa.essentials @ancostudionz

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Watching clients leave—and not immediately assuming I’d made a mistake.

That was the hardest part.

At $20, I was an apprentice. People were giving me a chance to practise. When I opened my studio nine years ago, my haircut was $85. Today, it’s $200.

It didn’t happen overnight. And every price increase meant some clients moved on.

I understood. But understanding it doesn’t stop you questioning yourself.

“Have I gone too far?”
“Should I have kept it the same?”

What helped was being honest about what had actually improved.

My consultations. My eye for shape. Knowing what would suit someone’s hair and lifestyle—not just copying the photo they brought in. Being confident enough to say, “I wouldn’t recommend that,” and explain why.

Clients don’t owe me more because I’ve spent years doing this. That experience has to make their haircut better.

But I don’t need to keep charging for the apprentice I used to be, either.

Some clients can’t justify the new price. That doesn’t make them bad clients, or automatically mean the price is wrong.

Hairdressers—have you ever put off a price increase because you were scared of losing one particular client? taken in Auckland, New Zealand by @adriandeng_

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Being your own boss sounds great. But someone still has to reply to messages, order stock, wash the towels, clean up, and work out why next week’s appointments are looking a bit quiet.

When you’re independent, that someone is you.

Then there’s everything you pay for beyond chair rent: products, booking software, payment fees, insurance, accounting—and bottles sitting on the shelf that you’ve barely touched.

Going independent can absolutely be worth it. Just make sure you’re looking at what you actually keep, and how much work it takes to keep it.

If you’re already independent, what’s one thing you wish someone had told you before you started? by @adriandeng_

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2 days ago

I never planned to become a hairdresser again.

When I came back to NZ, I wasn’t chasing a dream. I was broke, starting from zero, and just trying to figure out what to do next.

I didn’t start my first salon because I had some grand business plan.

I started because I was tired of feeling like my future depended on someone else’s decision.

Almost 10 years later, I still make mistakes. Some of them have been pretty expensive lessons.

But I’ve never regretted taking responsibility for my own life.

Because freedom doesn’t mean everything goes your way.

It means you get to make your own decisions, and you accept what comes with them.

I didn’t choose what happened to me.

But I chose what I did next.

Have you ever had a moment that completely changed the direction of your life? by @adriandeng_

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3 days ago

I understand why a stylist looks at their weekly sales and thinks, “Where’s the rest of that money going?”

As an owner, I also see the bills behind those appointments. Rent, products, assistants, booking systems… the amount the salon keeps isn’t all profit.

But having bills doesn’t automatically make the split fair. We should be able to explain what support we provide and how it helps you.

What’s included in your salon’s share? by @adriandeng_

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4 days ago

Multi tasking to the next level 💇‍♀️ taken in ANCO Studio by @adriandeng_

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7 days ago

The hardest part of being a hairstylist isn’t always the beginning.

Sometimes it’s year 4 or 5.

You’re finally doing clients on your own, but the money still isn’t great.

You’re trying to build a clientele.

You’re comparing yourself to people who look way ahead of you.

And it starts to feel like maybe you picked the wrong career.

But this is also the stage where things start compounding.

Your skills get better.

Your clients start coming back.

People start referring their friends.

Your reputation slowly builds.

The problem is, most of that growth is hard to see while you’re in it.

I spent a lot of time doubting myself too.

Looking back now, I probably wasted more time questioning the path than actually walking it.

If you’re in that stage right now, keep improving.

Keep building.

Keep showing up.

You might be closer than you think. by @adriandeng_

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5 days ago

If you’re 4–5 years into hair and thinking about quitting, don’t make the decision too quickly.

I’ve left this industry twice.

The first time, I was an assistant. Working hard, making almost no money, and I honestly thought there had to be something better.

The second time, I was just lost. Bored. No clear direction. I thought maybe hair wasn’t for me anymore.

Looking back, I don’t think I hated hair.

I just hated the version of my career I was in at the time.

Sometimes you don’t need to quit.

You need a new skill.
A new goal.
Different people around you.
Or a different way of working.

And if you try all of that and still want to leave, then leave.

Just don’t mistake being stuck for being finished. by @adriandeng_

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8 days ago

Competitions can sharpen your skills, taste and creativity — and winning an award is something to be proud of.

But an award is not the career.

There was a time when competitions were one of the main ways to build recognition in this industry. Today, there are many more ways to create your own path.

You don’t have to spend your whole career trying to win a game someone else designed.

Build your own game.
Build your own audience.
Build the career that actually means success to you.

Awards can be part of the journey. They don’t have to define it. by @adriandeng_

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19 days ago

Before you move to Australia or go independent, ask yourself one uncomfortable question:

What if the problem is you?

For the last 2 years, I keep hearing the same two things.

“I’m moving to Australia.”

“I’m going independent.”

And yeah, for some people, that’s 100% the right move.

But changing country doesn’t automatically make you better.

Going independent doesn’t automatically make you more successful.

If you can’t build clients here, you might have the same problem in Australia.

If you can’t manage yourself now, having no boss isn’t going to magically fix that.

I’ve seen people move to Australia and come back.

I’ve seen people go independent, then go back to being an employee.

And there’s nothing wrong with that.

But before you make a big move, figure out what the actual problem is.

Maybe it’s the salon.

Maybe it’s the country.

Maybe being independent really does suit you better.

But sometimes…

it’s you.

So before you quit, move, or go independent, ask yourself 3 things:

What exactly is not working right now?

Is changing my environment actually going to fix it?

And what do I need to improve first?

Fix what you can fix first.

Then make the move. taken in Auckland, New Zealand by @adriandeng_

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9 days ago

Not every hairstylist should go independent.

I know that’s not what people want to hear.

Being independent sounds better:
more freedom, more money, no boss.

But some people are actually better inside a good team.

If you hate selling, managing money, finding clients, making decisions and staying disciplined on your own, independence might make your life worse — not better.

There’s nothing wrong with being employed.

There’s nothing wrong with being independent.

The mistake is thinking one is automatically better than the other.

Different people different stages, need different setups. by @adriandeng_

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10 days ago

Colour is probably one of the biggest markets in AU/NZ hair.

But that’s also why it’s one of the hardest to stand out in.

Everyone does colour.
Everyone posts blonde.
Everyone says they’re a colour specialist.

So if your whole plan is just “I’ll become a colourist because colour is popular” — that’s not really a plan.

Look at what you’re actually good at.

Look at the clients you naturally attract.

Look at the work you can keep doing for years without getting bored of it.

Maybe that’s blonde.
Maybe it’s short hair.
Maybe it’s cutting.
Maybe it’s extensions.
Maybe it’s something much more specific.

You don’t need to chase the biggest market.

You need to give people a clear reason to choose you. by @adriandeng_

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10 days ago

The older I get, the more I realise I don’t want a life that just looks successful.

I want time with my family.
I want space to make my own decisions.
I want to work because I choose to, not because I’m trapped by it.

For me, money is just one of the tools that helps create that freedom.

More time. More security. More choice.

That’s what I’m working towards.

What does success look like for you? by @adriandeng_

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17 days ago