Is Being a Loctician Right for Me? 7 Questions for Future Dreadlock Artists in New Zealand

Before you sign up for any course, before you buy a single tool, I want to invite you to sit with a few questions. Not to talk you out of it. To help you go into it knowing yourself.

These are the questions I would ask you if we were sitting across from each other.

1. Do you love working with your hands?

Not just enjoy it once in a while, but love it. Making dreadlocks means small, repeated movements for hours. Some people find a deep calm in that. Others find it unbearable. Both are fine. But you need to know which one you are.

2. Can you be present with one person for a whole day?

A full head of new dreadlocks can take eight to twelve hours, sometimes more. You are with one person the whole time. Can you stay curious and kind in hour nine? Can you also be comfortable in silence?

3. Can you hold space without taking it home?

People share things in the chair. Grief, fear, big changes. You will be trusted with stories. Can you listen without trying to fix, and then let it go when the day is over? This can be learned, but it starts with being willing to learn it. Read more in What Does a Loctician Actually Do? A Guide for New Zealand.

4. Are you willing to take care of your body?

This is physical work. If you want to do it for decades, you need to think about posture, movement, rest and furniture from the start, not after your wrists start hurting. Read How to Work as a Loctician in New Zealand Without Wrecking Your Body.

5. Are you ready to learn slowly and properly?

There are shortcuts in this industry, and most of them show up in the hair a year or two later. Are you willing to practise, to be corrected and to start over when needed?

6. Are you ready to run a business?

Most locticians in New Zealand work for themselves. That means pricing, booking, marketing, tax and insurance. It doesn't need to be complicated, but it needs your attention. Read How to Start Your Own Dreadlock Salon in New Zealand.

7. Why do you want this?

This is the most important question. Is it the hair? The people? The freedom of working for yourself? A feeling you can't quite put into words? There is no wrong answer. But your reason is what will carry you through the hard days, so it is worth knowing.

What if you said no to some of these?

That doesn't mean this work isn't for you. It may mean you need some preparation first, or that you need to start smaller. Many of the best locticians I have trained were unsure about several of these questions when they began.

What if you said yes?

Then perhaps it is time to take the next step. You can start with the bigger picture in How to Become a Loctician and Dreadlock Artist in New Zealand. And if you want to train with me, I come to you in New Zealand for The Professional Loctician In-Person Training ($4,599 USD).

Read more about The Professional Loctician In-Person Training

Did these questions stir something in you? Send me an email at [email protected]. I will answer honestly, even if I think the time is not right for you yet.

With love,
Ann-Marie