Asking the Audience: Advice for my Wife (Haircutting?)

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To borrow a term from a particular game show, I need some advice and am hoping there's some insight out there for us...

My wife (who has AS) is a licensed cosmetologist. She's amazing at what she does with cutting hair. She has a knack of knowing exactly what to cut if someone needs advice, too.

Years ago, she worked as a hairdresser, primarily cutting women's hair but also working with men, too. The reason she no longer is a hairdresser full time is because she struggles greatly with small talk.

This especially seems to be true for her with women. She struggles to make and maintain friendships with female peers. Her ability to understand gossip, drama, female friendships, the rationale for something like a bunch of bridesmaids (she had none at our wedding) is where it is obvious she's not a NT woman. (Frankly it's also something I love about her--my pals complain about their wives and their drama and I'm like "nope, not here").

She also doesn't really like a lot of current shows/movies because she prefers wholesome family-type shows or children's cartoons...anything more PG than Seinfeld is a no-go for her).

She's a little better with guys and actually has a really good knowledge of football, yet she doesn't follow it as much as she used to and only knows the older or bigger name players now. That being said, she wouldn't be a good "barber shop therapist" when guys come in to complain about their wives and girlfriends like so many do at barber shops when they're not talking sports, investments, cars, etc. (She also doesn't know anything about investing or cars, among other topics that always popped up at the barber shop back when I went there).

Like I said, she's amazing at what she does with hair. She has given some amazing cuts, from the artsy pompadours to basic cuts like the one I have. (Funny enough she's the opposite with herself and likes a one-length cut to her shoulders). I haven't mentioned this to her yet, but I'm starting to wonder if she would be best suited in any of the following:

1. Finding a way to open a salon for people with special needs (I have heard about sensory friendly barbers)
2. Cutting hair for children exclusively (she's good with kids)

She's going to keep her license active no matter what and has floated the idea of going back to work in some capacity with this, especially since her last two jobs weren't her cup of tea (she was consistently bored when she tried custodial work and just quit a retail job because she didn't feel safe in the store, which wasn't in the best area of town).


Does anyone here think these options are viable given both the current business climate and my basic description of her with regards to vocation? I don't know a ton about the salon industry and don't even know if these are niche jobs or something that could be a major business sometime. There is a "Sola" salon up the road from us where space can be rented without some big contract and she's mentioned maybe going up there to give it a try sometime, perhaps for the upcoming holiday season or back to school next year.

I worry mostly about clients not coming to her because she's so quiet and intensely focused at times and will blank or just say a "default" phrase when someone is making small talk.

From what you say, I think she would do better with men. Of course that would mean working in a establishment that mostly caters to men. She could wear a Ravens jersey on the job as a way to inspire conversation of a type that doesn't require a lot of the sort of empathy she probably struggles with.

One needs a licence to cut hair?