Australian influencer and hairdresser Mia Langley has reduced the price of a social media class she is set to host with fellow content creator Sam Guggenheimer after facing intense online backlash for initially charging $250 for the event.
Event Details and Initial Pricing
The 20-year-old, originally from Perth, has amassed a following of 122,000 across Instagram and TikTok and claims to have taught hairdressing skills to hundreds of women across Australia. Langley is teaming up with Guggenheimer for an event titled 'Not Just A Hairdresser,' aimed at teaching budding influencers and entrepreneurs how to grow their social media presence and build a standout brand.
Langley promised to share her secrets on making videos go viral, editing tips, and gaining confidence in front of the camera. The event was scheduled for June 22 at Bondi cafe North 44, with tickets initially priced at $250.
Online Backlash
The ticket price sparked outrage online, with many accusing Langley of 'daylight robbery' and charging a 'premium price.' TikTok user Cate Small, who has 17,000 followers, posted a video expressing disbelief at the cost. 'If there's more than five people attending that, I'm leaving the country. I can't,' she said. 'It's also being held in the eastern suburbs. I live in the eastern suburbs, have lived here my whole life. I know a lot of people in the eastern suburbs, and I don't know a single person that would spend $250 on that.'
Amber Paul, founder of Influencer Updates Australia, described the price as worrying, noting that at the time of the event launch, the location wasn't even confirmed.
Langley's Response
On Monday, Langley clapped back at the criticism, saying she wished she had an event like this when she was starting out. 'You can make f...ing bank on social media if you have the passion for it, and this is where to start. Thanks for the free marketing, girly,' she said in response to Paul's video. 'Sam and I are giving you step by step on how to get into social media, how to get paid from social media from a business owner's point of view. We know a lot of girls who are young and want to get into this industry but are either too scared, don't have the confidence, or they don't even know where to start.'
Price Reduction
However, on Tuesday, Langley announced a 21% discount on ticket prices in celebration of her upcoming 21st birthday. The new prices are $140 for adults and $100 for minors attending in person. Virtual tickets are available for $180 for adults and $140 for minors. 'Tickets are cheap as f..k,' Langley added.
Impact on Langley
Langley admitted the online backlash has affected her mental health, sharing on Instagram that she felt 'upset and exhausted.' 'I've never experienced something like that before...to me it felt like the whole world, the whole internet was annihilating me,' she said. 'Thank you to everyone who did say nice things to me; it made me feel so much better. I'm not gonna lie, this has f..ked with my head a little bit, it has made me super upset... I just wanted to get on a flight home to Perth. I'm going to work on my mental health now because it's really upset me what's happened.'
Supporters and Critics
Langley's supporters defended her, calling her haters 'just jealous' and 'mean.' One Instagram user said in response to Cate Small's reaction: 'That behaviour is actually disgusting, you just went online and publicly bullied someone.' Another TikTok user added: 'What would you know, it's not reasonable for you to bash someone online who is making a living for themselves. She's a 20-year-old girl who has worked so hard herself and is now wanting to share her wisdom and trying to help others.'
However, critics argued that 'being an influencer was 99 per cent luck.' One TikTok user said: 'There's no course or secret recipe or everyone would be influencers.' Another commented: 'Chatgpt can tell you for free literally.'
