How to earn money as a hairdresser in Split

Where customers in Split look for hairdressers

People in Split find hairdressers through several routes. Online search - Google Maps, local service sites, social media - brings customers who know they need a haircut or colour but do not know which provider yet. Word of mouth from friends and family is still common, especially for services like haircuts and styling. Customers also book through local marketplaces where they can see multiple providers in one place, read about services and prices, and book online.

Workplaces with employees, schools, and residential areas with regular foot traffic generate customers who pass by or get recommendations from colleagues. In a city the size of Split, your first customers often come from people you already know, from online profiles where your name and services appear in search results, and from anyone who can tell a friend or family member about you.

A Websta profile works for this because it appears in online searches by people nearby looking for hairdressers in Split, and it gives you a page you can send to anyone - a customer, a friend, someone who asks for your details. Payments go straight to your own bank account through Stripe, so you keep control of your money.

Setting your first prices as a hairdresser

Price-setting is one of the hardest decisions when you start. You need to cover your costs - product, tools, time, transport - and earn money for your work. Charging too little means you work many hours for little return. Charging too much may push away the customers you need to build a reputation.

In Split, the best approach is to look at what other independent hairdressers charge for the same service - a cut, a colour, a style - and set a price in that range. You can check local salons, ask other hairdressers, and look at online profiles in your city. Your price should reflect your experience and the quality of your work, not be the lowest price available.

Start with honest prices based on your costs and skill level. You can adjust later once you see what customers book and how much time each service takes you. Do not undervalue your work just to get customers quickly. The customers you attract at very low prices may also expect a lot of changes and complaints, which costs you more time in the end.

Your first customers usually look like this

Your first ten customers are rarely a mix from everywhere. Usually they come from close to you - people who know you, friends of friends, someone who found your profile online and lives in your neighbourhood. They may be younger people comfortable booking online, or older customers who got a recommendation from someone they trust.

Early customers often stay if they are happy. They come back and tell others. A single customer who books from you every four or six weeks is more valuable than one customer who books once. This is how you build a steady income - not from thousands of customers, but from enough regular ones to fill your schedule.

Your first months will be quieter than you want. This is normal. Building a base of regular customers takes time. In that period, every customer matters - not because they bring huge money, but because they represent real demand and give you reviews and word-of-mouth that brings more customers.

Money and tax in Croatia when you work independently

When you take money from customers, you must follow Croatian tax and employment rules. The exact requirements depend on your situation - whether you have another job, whether this is your main income, whether you register as self-employed. Croatia has different legal statuses for independent workers, and the rules for each are not the same.

Before you take your first payment, contact the Croatian Tax Administration (Porezna uprava) or a local tax advisor to understand what you must do. This might involve registering as self-employed, keeping records of income and expenses, and paying the right tax. Getting this right from the start prevents problems later.

Websta lets you take payments through Stripe into your own bank account. You choose the prices and get paid directly. But you are responsible for declaring that income to the Croatian authorities. Do not skip this step because you think the amount is small - it creates problems if you are checked later.

What usually goes wrong in the first months

New hairdressers often price too low because they are nervous about losing customers. This leads to working many hours for low pay, and it is hard to raise prices later. Set a fair price from the start.

Inconsistency with availability and response kills early business. If a customer books an appointment and you cancel, or does not respond to a message, they book someone else and may not come back. When you start, treat every customer as important and be reliable.

Not having a clear description of what you offer confuses customers. Write down the services you do - cuts, colours, treatments, styles - and what each one includes and costs. A Websta profile lets you list these clearly so customers know what to expect.

Starting without sorting out tax and legal requirements creates stress later. Handle this before or as soon as you start earning, not after six months when you realize you should have done it earlier.

A Websta profile as your work tool

A Websta profile works as a page that shows your services, prices, photos of your work, and lets customers book appointments online and pay through your bank account. You do not need your own website or business manager - the profile does this for you. Customers in Split and nearby can find you through the Websta marketplace when they search for hairdressers in your area.

You can send the link to anyone - a customer, a friend, an employer at your other job if you are doing this part-time. It gives people one place to see your work, read about what you offer, and book without calling or messaging back and forth.

The payments go straight to your own bank account, so you see exactly what you earned and can keep your money separate from personal spending. You control your prices and can change them anytime. This keeps things simple when you are starting out and learning what works.