The James Geidner Consultation: Why We Take 15 Minutes Before We Touch Your Hair
The short answer: Every appointment at James Geidner Hair Studio starts with a fifteen-minute consultation before we touch your hair. That is not a sales pitch. It is where we look at your hair dry, hear what you actually want, tell you the truth about what will hold on your hair, and write the plan down before we mix or cut anything. This is the reason clients come back for twenty years.
Why do you consult for fifteen minutes before every service?
Because most bad haircuts and most bad color services do not start at the chair. They start when the stylist skipped the consultation, or ran it for two minutes with a comb in hand, and started working before both people were in the same conversation.
We have been doing this since 1984. The single biggest predictor of whether a client walks out happy is whether we spent enough time talking before we picked up a tool. Not talent. Not product. The conversation.
What actually happens in a JGHS consultation?
Five things, in order.
- We look at your hair dry. Wet hair lies. Dry hair tells us how it moves, where it splits, what texture we are actually working with, and how last month's service is holding up.
- We ask what you love and what you do not love. Not just about the result you want. About the last salon visit. About your morning routine. About what your hair does an hour after you leave the house.
- We ask what your other stylists got right. A new client has usually been to other salons. If someone before us cut a beautiful nape line or found a color that suited your skin, we are not throwing that away.
- We tell you the truth about what will hold. If the photo you brought will not hold on your hair, we say so, and we show you the version that will.
- We write the plan down. For color, the formula goes in the chart. For a cut, we tell you the plan step by step before we start.
Fifteen minutes. Sometimes twenty. On a color correction consultation, sometimes thirty. Then the actual service begins.
Why do you consult before every visit, not just the first one?
Because hair changes. A client we have been seeing for ten years does not need the full first-visit consultation, but she still gets a two-minute check-in. Are you swimming more than usual? Did you flat iron all summer? Did you flag any breakage since your last visit? Did anything about how you wear your hair change?
Two minutes there saves the whole appointment from being off. It is cheap insurance against a service that does not match what you actually need this month.
What questions should you be ready to answer?
If you have never been to us before, come ready to answer these.
- How do you dry and style your hair on a normal day?
- How much time do you actually want to spend on it every morning?
- What did you love about your best haircut ever?
- What did you hate about your worst one?
- What have your last three color services been?
- What do you swim in, how often, and for how long?
- What is one thing about your hair that no stylist has ever gotten right?
The last one is the most useful. It tells us where the past failures were, so we do not repeat them.
What questions should you ask us?
Ask these.
- Will this hold on my hair?
- How long will it last before it needs to be refreshed?
- What is my at-home routine going to look like?
- What happens if I do not love it?
- How much is this going to cost, and is there a version of it that is less?
You will get straight answers. Not sales answers. Straight ones.
What if I do not love the plan?
Then we do not start. The chair is not the point of no return. If the consultation ends with you unsure, that is the signal we have not finished talking, not the signal to pick up scissors.
Sometimes clients come in with a photo, we consult, and they realize a different version is what they actually want. Sometimes they leave without a service booked and think about it. Both are fine. Neither costs you a service you did not want.
Frequently asked questions
Is the consultation a separate appointment or part of the service?
For existing clients, it is built into every appointment. For new clients, it can be either. A quick consultation is included at the start of your first service visit. That process has not changed much since James opened the studio in 1984. A standalone consultation before your first big service (color correction, extensions, a major cut change) is available and encouraged.
Do you charge for consultations?
Not for the fifteen-minute consultation at the start of a booked service. A standalone pre-booking consultation is quoted at booking.
How far in advance should I book my first consultation?
Two to three weeks during our busy months (November through April). One to two weeks the rest of the year.
Can I bring photos to the consultation?
Yes, please. Bring three. One of your current hair, one of what you want, and one of what you absolutely do not want. That last one is the most helpful.
What if a stylist tells me my request is not a good idea?
Listen. We are not saying no to be difficult. We are saying no because we have seen that request fail on your specific hair type before and we would rather send you home happy than lock you into a service you regret.
Can I request a consultation with a specific stylist?
Yes. James, Jean, and Victoria each specialize in different things. If you are not sure who is the right fit, book with reception and describe what you are considering. They will route you correctly.