Horrible place to work - Stylist SmartStyle Employee Review

1.0
29 Dec 2014
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

You'll meet the most hardworking stylists, if not, they don't last long. Paid vacation after a year, even though it's not much. Most tools are provided, such as hot irons and blow dryers.

Cons

Stylists are discounted to death. You have to work your butt off to make an alright paycheck. They won't let us have mats. Stylists have to be receptionists also, and clients get very angry that we spend so much time at the front desk or answering the phone. Tips are not as good as they should be, some people don't know to tip or they come in for a "cheap" cut and give very poor tips. People can be very hateful and rude to get things for free. Dress code changes way too much. Not a family oriented place, everyone has to work weekends, only getting off every other sunday, as far as weekend days. You get 2 days off together every other week. That gets very tiring. And everyone has to work some morning shifts and some night shifts, you can't work just morning shifts or just night shifts. If a neighboring salon with the company is not fully staffed, they will send stylists from other salons to fill in. Personally i apply at a place to work at that place not go to another area that i was not hired to. They have us fill out a wig board which is suppose to allow us to hold ourselves accountable for goals and bringing in business. Frankly, it's a joke. After working for the company for many years, it plays havick on the mind and spirit, i hope to move in a new direction shortly.

Explore other reviews about SmartStyle

5.0
17 Nov 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Lenient dress code, ample access to new clientele, video library to expand skills and product knowledge, PTO and benefits

Cons

The salons are almost always short staffed

1.0
26 Jan 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

None, none, none, none, none

Cons

This workplace runs on vibes, guesswork, and unanswered messages. Upper Management had an impressive talent for being completely unreachable while simultaneously expecting miracles. Responses took days — sometimes weeks — but urgency was always your problem. Hiring approvals were blocked or endlessly delayed, leaving teams severely understaffed while leadership sat comfortably on the sidelines asking why things weren’t running perfectly. Accountability flowed strictly downward. Authority? None. Support? Cosmetic at best. Problems were ignored until they became emergencies, at which point they were blamed on the people who had been begging for help all along. Communication was inconsistent, expectations were unclear, and burnout was treated like a personal weakness instead of a predictable outcome of chronic mismanagement. If you enjoy being set up to fail, blamed for systemic issues, and gaslit into thinking you didn’t “try hard enough,” this is absolutely the place for you. Otherwise, save yourself the stress and look elsewhere.

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