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COVID-19. Lockdown Life

Writer's picture: Rachel WalsheRachel Walshe

How I survived a global pandemic. Hairdresser Edition.


Hi everyone! Thanks for taking time to read.

My name is Rachel Walshe, Owner& Senior Stylist of ‘Rachel Walshe Hair’. For those of you who do not know me, I am a self employed hairdresser located conveniently in the heart of Magherafelt in ‘The LMD Salon’.

My days fly and my weeks flash as every single day at my job is flooded with women and girls of all ages wanting to take time out, relax and enjoy the experience of a new hair do. I don’t need to explain how important my job is as after the past 13 weeks every Husband, Dad, Boyfriend and Brother is probably fed up listening to us complain about our roots and brassy ends!! Likeways for the many ‘I want my money back’ Mullets I’ve seen trending the town recently! (I’ll not name and shame).


However, from the day the News broke and Our World came to a hault. I don’t think anyone understands fully, what has been going on, what is right to do and what isn’t. Its been 13 weeks, over a third of 2020 that none of us will forget.

I speak for myself and the rest of the newly self employed when I say that the past 13 weeks has been a long haul struggle with a sparkle.

I kind of liked the idea of a couple of weeks off at the start. Maybe this was the well earned holiday us hair magicians needed but never took. It took me 4 days off, sleeping in and overeating until I was itching for a tint bowl and brush. This seemed surreal. I had so many questions I wanted to ask. I spent my days waiting on the evening news for updates.

A week in and as I checked my bank balance, the realisation hit. My direct debits are still going out, but there’s no income? I checked online read all the government guidelines. Contacted my Accountant. Dissapointment. ‘What do you mean I’m only entitled to Universal Credit?’ ‘What about all those self employment grants?’ ‘I pay rent like every other business owner?’ NOTHING. Unfortunately for me personally, I got the email from HMRC 2 weeks after the deadline to submit my Tax Return. I wanted to throw the phone at the wall.

GUTTED.

I was so negative. My universal credit didn’t cover my direct debits. I just thought ‘why me?’ ‘I work so hard and now nothing?’. I am however very grateful to have a little birdie on my shoulder who pecks at me when she knows I’m shying away or capable of more. That birdie is called ‘Louise’ and if you don’t know my birdie. Just type ‘LMD’ into instagram and you’ll understand why she is the most successful business woman around.

Louise has been in contact with me all of Lockdown, but right from week 1 she text me and said, ‘Chick, how you getting on, get online and sell them shampoo’s you have sitting in the salon.’ Amazing idea. Obviously!! I’m grateful to have a great social media following but an even better clientele who I know if they can’t get to the salon. I’ll make dam sure their hair is in the best condition by the time they return!

I took an evening came on my Instagram and went through every product I had explaining the benefits and hair types they would be best suited to. The response was overwhelming. Before I knew it I had 100 girls from all over looking to up their hair care. I hadn’t even enough stock to cover and began taking pre orders.

I loved this. I felt like I was still able to interact with my clients, I was answering questions every day and I even offered a doorstep drop off service for clients shielding so they weren’t left out. Driving from Magherafelt to Portglenone to Balinderry to Kildress and back soon gets your day in. Then as news broke, isolation continued. All retail business still closed. Online sales and hair retail in particular took off! I suppose with us all so busy in salons every day we haven’t really had time to dedicate to online.

As every hairdresser in the country began building their online retail, stock fell low. Suppliers were struggling to get imports and all of a sudden’ the OUT OF STOCK’ email came through. There was a 3 week waiting list on the most popular products. Negative thoughts flooded my head again. I began to question was it more bother than it was worth. A postage error on my behalf had me undercharging and putting myself out money and the back and forth messaging on my social media platforms was becoming a 14 hour day that was overtaking my personal life. I cried a few times over lockdown, I think I was just overwhelmed, frustrated and generally felt a bit lost.

Again I’m lucky to have supportive people in my life that I can rely on the way my Clients rely on me. This time it was my boyfriend. Forever telling me it was ‘just a bad day’ and knowing how much my job means to me, he handed me a new laptop for my birthday and said, ‘There that’ll make the job a wee bit easier’. Boy was he right! I never appreciated a gift so much and knew I had to make use of it. So for the next 3 weeks while i was waiting on that ‘Back in stock’ email. I thought about what else I could do to better myself. Try and ‘work from home’ like everyone else. So I decided to make my own website. An easy to reach, platform that would bring everything together. A place where clients can easily choose products, shop and contact me with any questions/queries.

Just like another moment of fate, the website was finished as best I could and I got the email from my stockist. I finally had my own wee website fully going and was able to keep the boat afloat for another while. I then decided id create a questionnaire on the website for any clients looking appointments when we would return. Even though a date hasn’t been given surely this will give me a good idea of how I can manage my time more efficiently when we do.

I’ve also used my time off to educate myself. I’m thankful for the many online courses and zoom meetings. Ive been learning and keeping the mind fresh to come back with eager hands ready to get stuck in. Ive been interacting with other hairdressers in Mid Ulster and beyond. Its funny, we all work in our own wee bubbles and its taken a global pandemic for us all to actually appreciate our own work and get time to commend others. I’ve now a list the length of my arm of stylists who I can go to for help locally and who I can recommend to client overflows. Thisss has been great!!

Now on Thursday, the official start back date is being announced. I have no doubt a trip to the salon will never be the same again. We might be wearing masks and you might have to wait outside the door until you’re called, but I know for sure there won’t be a man or woman in the country complaining so long as the greys are being covered and the mullets are being cut.

The coronavirus has affected everyone worldwide. It has been a rollercoaster of emotions for me and many others. Its made me appreciate my job and money more than ever. Its made me realise, I spend far too much on food and eating out, lol; But it has also made me appreciate the close family and friends that I’ve had the pleasure of spending every day with even if its just to chat at a distance.

This might not be a great time of our lives but I can guarantee the best is yet to come!!


While things begin to return to normal, don't forget about the small business' Shop Local and Take Care!


Love Rach xx

398 views1 comment

1 commentaire


melissaaburns01
16 juin 2020

Your so strong 🥰 Your unbelievably talented self will return back stronger and better than ever 💕 See you soon 🙂

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