Catching up with Pattern+Matter, Birmingham’s most eco-friendly hair salon

Pattern+Matter is a 100% eco-friendly hair salon in the heart of Birmingham, where founder Anthony Pytlinski uses sustainable beauty products to help his clients look and feel their best – all while sharing tips on how to practise eco-conscious living. 

Dive into our Q&A with Anthony for the full story on how he successfully launched and grew his environmentally-friendly hair salon, despite the challenges of the pandemic, and what Fresha features he used to do it.

Tell us about your journey as a salon owner.

We launched Pattern+Matter in August 2021. I’m passionate about sustainability, so the goal was always to create a 100% eco-friendly salon where we minimise our environmental footprint and educate clients, while making them look and feel their best.

Despite the challenges of starting during a pandemic, we’ve built a great local reputation and attracted a wide range of loyal clients. I couldn't be happier with our progress.

How do you make sure your salon stands out?

Our dedication to sustainability sets us apart. We’ve also partnered up with high-quality hair care brands, which helps position us as a leader in the world of sustainable beauty. Clients who value eco-friendly beauty know that, when they come to us, their treatments are healthy for both them and the environment. 

What do clients love most about Pattern+Matter?

Coming to the salon offers a moment of peace in our clients’ busy lives. The team is made up of just myself and one other stylist, so our salon has quite a calm, intimate atmosphere, which really helps clients to relax. Plus, they always leave with hair that helps them present their best selves to the world. 

What’s the secret to your success?

On top of our strong belief in sustainable beauty, we recognise that everyone’s hair is unique – so each of our clients gets personalised treatment that matches their hair and their needs. We’ve put a lot of research into our craft, focusing on how to offer the highest quality hair services and help clients express themselves with their own iconic styles. 

What’s been your biggest challenge so far as a salon owner?

Starting right after the pandemic was both a challenge and a risk. People were still cautious about face-to-face interactions, and sourcing sustainable products was tricky with all the supply chain disruptions. But we took the leap nonetheless, and through dedication to our craft, support from our clients, and help from tools like Fresha, it paid off.

What led you to start using Fresha?

We needed an online booking platform that would let our clients book 24/7. Since we don’t have a receptionist, it was important that the platform would clearly show our availability and give clients the flexibility to make appointments themselves, whenever they want. It’s allowed us to take even more bookings, while saving us valuable time that we can spend on serving clients and running the business.

How easy was it to get started with Fresha?

Even with so many powerful features to play with, learning how to use Fresha was really straightforward. The interface is so simple that it takes just a few clicks for us to manage our entire day, send our entire client base a marketing campaign, or see how the business is doing at a glance. It’s just as convenient for us to use as it is for our clients.

How has Fresha helped you grow your business?

Fresha’s reports help us uncover vital information like which services are bestsellers, how much stock we have left, and which clients book most often. We can use all of that to improve our marketing strategy and keep growing.

Also, the ability to collect and display reviews has been great for attracting new clients. People searching on the Fresha app or even Google are drawn in by our positive reviews – and once we get new clients through the door, we’re often able to turn them into regulars with unforgettable hair treatments. 

What’s your all-time favourite Fresha feature?

We love Fresha’s appointment notifications – they’re simple, yet effective. Clients get automatic reminder emails and texts before their appointments, so nobody forgets to show up; we have zero no-shows now. Plus, the automatic ‘thank you’ messages right after appointments enhance our client care, and helps us get even more reviews. 

One word of advice salon owners need to hear?

Celebrate your clients’ individuality. In an industry often influenced by what’s popular, helping clients find and express their own unique styles will set your salon apart. And always treat each client with respect – great customer service never goes out of style.