Salon Swagger

Hey there and welcome to salon swagger make bank run the show ditch the chair the podcast
where we dive into the ups downs and literally everything in between when it comes to

running a commission salon or spa.

I'm Brie and as always I have Chandra C here with me.

Hey girl.

How's it going?

It's going good.

We're doing a wonderful software changeover in my salon right now.

So it's been a little crazy, but all is good.

Yeah, don't miss those days.

That's for sure.

Well, this episode today, it's inspired by a few messages that I've actually received from
several commission based stylists who kind of feel like they're just not getting the

support that they need to grow in their careers.

And so I thought it's a little twist, a little turn, but I think it's important to talk
about.

So if you are a commissions salon owner out there, this could be your wake up call.

Your team's success.

it is directly tied to your salon success.

There's no question about that.

If your employees, if they feel unsupported, if they feel overlooked, if they feel stuck,
you've got to fix it and you've got to fix it fast.

So today we are going to dive into how you can identify these issues and take immediate
action to create an environment where your employees, they can excel and in turn your

business can grow successfully.

In order to do that, I think we have to start by identifying the problem.

As a commission salon or spa owner, you might not even realize that some of your
employees, technicians, whatever you have, stylists, that they just feel unsupported.

A lot of times we don't realize it, and it's not intentional.

Maybe they are just too nervous to speak up.

Maybe they've tried to speak up before and they felt unheard, so now they're kind of
closed off in their shell.

The biggest thing you have to know is that ignoring signals, it can cost you, it can cost
you big time.

It can cost your business more than you could ever even think or realize.

So I want to talk about a few red flags that we can watch out for.

One of the things that I would say is if your stylist are disengaged or if they are just
going through the motions, that's a red flag.

If your employees or technicians are rarely asking for feedback or not sharing their goals
with you,

Red flag.

If your turnover rate is higher than you would like, red flag.

If you've noticed any of these patterns, it's really, really time for you to take a closer
look into what's going on.

As the owner guys, it's your responsibility, it's our responsibility to create a space
where our teams feel valued and they feel supported and they feel empowered to grow in

their careers.

When...

These needs aren't met.

It often leads to unhappy employees, inconsistent client experiences.

And what you might not think of is it really can damage your reputation.

But it's not just about spotting these things.

You have to dig a little bit deeper.

So some of the things that I would tell you to ask yourself, and I've been through a
little bit of this recently.

So some of these questions came to me very naturally, but what kind of culture are you
building?

One of the things that Chandra and I say all the time on this podcast is everybody thinks
that their culture is good until you really get down to the nitty gritty.

So really think about what kind of culture you're building.

Do your team members understand what their roles and expectations are?

Because one of the biggest mistakes that we see all the time is owners are telling their
employees things, but they're never really explaining it.

So their employees are left kind of flying blind, which is a really bad thing.

Are you truly investing in their professional growth?

Are you expecting them just to figure it out on their own?

We find this one a lot as well.

Answering these questions and answering them very, very honestly, it can really open your
eyes and highlight areas for improvement.

It's not saying you're a bad boss.

It's not saying you're a bad person.

It just shows you areas to improve.

And as owners, that is something that we should be doing consistently anyway.

Now the disconnect between commission salon owners and stylist, I think it's a really
tough one.

Both sides often feel very frustrated and misunderstood.

And I get it.

I get it from both sides.

Owners tell Chandra and I all the time, I am doing everything I can, marketing, creating
systems, offering education, but my team just isn't stepping up.

Meanwhile, their technicians or their employees share with us, I feel like I'm stuck.

I don't get the support I need.

I don't even know where to start.

The truth is both sides have valid concerns.

They really, really do.

But when there's no clarity or when there's no communication, that frustration is going to
start to build and progress is going to stall.

So we have to learn to tackle these underlying issues head on because that's going to be
key to actually turning things around, not only for your team, but for your business and

for your future.

So, Chandra, what are some other subtle signs that salon owners might miss that indicate
that their team is feeling unsupported?

I think a lot of the disengagement is, number one.

And I think some of the other signs just might be, how do they show up in the business?

Like are they put together?

Do they seem excited to be there?

Do they seem like they care about what they're doing and you know, why they're there?

Cause I feel like when I've noticed this with employees in the past, you notice that
pattern where they kind of start not following the rules all the time, or they kind of

start showing up, not looking the way that they should be looking and ready for work.

And they just don't seem.

like they really care, they're just kind of there.

And I think that's one of the biggest red flags that I noticed for sure.

And then I think just, how are they interacting with each other?

Is it sneaky?

Is it quiet?

Little things like that that you can keep an eye on, because that also is a big red flag.

Yeah, think that's a big one, actually.

That's a really, really good point.

Why do you think so many technicians, employees, stylists, why do you think they hesitate
to speak up when they feel stuck or overlooked?

I think they're just afraid of confrontation a lot of the times and they don't know what
kind of response they're going to get, especially if the owner is somewhat disengaged.

I think that they don't know how to approach it.

They're just afraid.

I mean, even for myself with some of my team in the past, like when I would go up and ask
them, they would finally tell me, but sometimes they just would never, they would hold it

in and it would just fester forever.

They're just afraid to say something.

Yeah, I think in saying that, what do you think some of the biggest communication barriers
are between salon owners and their teams?

Because communication is everything.

So why do you think or what do you think are those biggest barriers that are happening?

I think it's kind of both sides they're afraid.

I think salon owners sometimes are afraid to approach their team because they're afraid
they're gonna rock the boat, people are gonna get upset.

And a lot of us, you know, when we go into this industry don't have really any managing
experience.

We don't really understand how to deal with situations with employees or with people.

And so we're always pleasing everyone.

And so I think that's a big barrier is we're just afraid to have those conversations and
then we don't know how.

to have them in a constructive way that isn't be mean or too nice, you know, like they're
just kind of on both sides.

think the employees are afraid, then the owners are afraid, and then it's like nothing
happens.

Everybody's mad and everyone's mad.

right, everybody gets mad, everybody gets upset.

I think one of the best things that we can do is kind of talk about what the owner's role
should look like, but also talk about what the employee role should look like because

commission salons are different.

I know we have a bad rep.

I don't, I don't understand it.

We're going to talk about that a little bit too, but we each have roles to play.

And so I think if we can talk about those roles, it may open up the communication just a
little bit.

So let's start with the owner's role and the impact of lack of support, because if you're
not supporting your team, it's going to impact you and your business big time.

When employees don't feel supported, it doesn't just affect them personally, it affects
everything around.

It affects all of the other employees, it affects the clients, it affects your business
numbers, it affects everything.

Unhappy stylist, it can lead to low morale.

We all know this, we've all seen it.

It can lead to those inconsistent client experiences.

And I think, Chandra, this is one of the things that's missed out the most because we
think everyone is following that client journey.

But I know that I've had bad days in the past when I was behind the chair and it affected
my client journey.

It didn't mean to, but it did.

Right.

And ultimately it's going to lead to a loss of revenue.

Clients can sense when people aren't fully engaged and that is going to result in fewer
rebookings, fewer referrals, all of those things that are going to impact your business.

Here's the thing.

It's not just about the business's impact though.

It is about the human impact.

A stylist who feels unsupported, they may start doubting their skills, their value, and
even their decision to stay in the beauty industry.

That is a tragedy, not only for them,

But for you, no salon owner wants to lose talented team members because they didn't feel
valued or encouraged.

Now on the flip side, when your team feels supported, they are more likely to stay loyal
to your studio, provide that excellent client experience, take initiative to grow their

skills and build their client base.

So speak positively about your business is what's going to happen when they feel
supported.

They are going to enhance that reputation.

As a salon owner, you hold the power to create this environment.

If you're not doing your part, you're not just letting your team down, you are letting
your entire business down, which means you are affecting your future.

So what does stepping up your game actually look like?

Well, it starts with creating an environment where growth is not only possible, but it's
encouraged.

And here are a few ways that you can do this.

Number one, marketing that brings in new clients.

Your technicians can't build their books if your salon isn't bringing in foot traffic.

So you want to make sure that you are investing in marketing strategies that actually
work, whether it is social media ads,

referral programs, partnerships with local businesses, whatever it is, just make sure that
you are investing in those things.

Next, a guest journey that sets the standard.

That's going to be super, super important.

Every client should have an incredible experience, no matter who they see in your studio.

This means setting up systems for consistent consultations, service delivery, and really
follow-ups.

It's your job to train your team on what excellence really looks like.

Then education.

And I am talking education that goes beyond just techniques.

Training isn't just about haircuts and hair colors.

You want to teach your team how to market themselves, how to communicate with the clients,
how to increase their average ticket, how to sell retail.

Because this kind of holistic education, it is going to help your stylist grow their
careers.

And what happens when that happens?

you grow your freaking bottom line.

And this one is huge.

Your career growth plans with clear benchmarks.

Chandra and I talk about this quite often because I don't think people realize how
important they are.

Your technicians, they have to see a future with your studio.

They have to.

So you have to lay out specific paths for promotion, skill advancement, and income growth.

Benchmarks, they're not just motivational.

They're actually a roadmap to success.

And I don't know why so many people don't like them.

And then regular honest communication.

So don't wait for annual reviews to check in.

You have to schedule those one-on-ones.

You've got to talk about goals.

You've got to talk about progress.

You've got to talk about challenges.

You have to show your team that you are invested in their success.

With that being said, Chandra, how can salon owners actually create a culture where their
team feels valued and motivated?

I think it starts from the top.

when that's the type of culture that you're wanting to build, you need to really put in
the work and the effort to show your team that you are fostering that culture, like really

scheduling those one-on-ones, making sure you're communicating with them, having them
model your behavior to some degree to where then they feel comfortable and safe to have

those conversations with you, to collaborate with each other.

instead of kind of that separation that a lot of salons and spas end up with where the
owner is so separated from the team, it's not a collaborative environment.

So really, like that's what we do.

Our culture is really strong with a lot of that stuff.

And we really make sure that everyone knows everybody's valued, everybody's heard.

We're all working towards the same goal and we're working together.

Even though you're the owner and you're a little bit higher here.

You're still working together with your team to make sure that they are hitting their
goals too, and that they're also going to in turn hit the salon's goals.

And so I think building that strong culture really comes from you and you have to put the
work in.

It's not easy to build a culture.

You can't do it for a week and then decide you're not going to do it anymore, which is
what happens a lot.

I think owners start out with those good intentions and then they get frustrated because
it doesn't happen overnight and then it falls by the wayside.

So.

You have to really keep at it for a long time and then it will just start to build itself
and it gets easy.

Yeah, and I think you brought up a couple of good points.

So in saying that, that, you know, how you build the culture, what is one area where you
think salon owners often fall short when they are trying to support their team?

We talk about things that they need to do all the time, but rarely do we talk about where
they fall short.

I know I have a lot of areas, but what do you think are some of those areas?

Consistency is a big area.

Like if you are saying you're going to do something and you don't keep doing it, I think
that that consistency is what breaks those bonds a lot and like starts to deflate your

culture.

And so I think those areas where you really do need to be supportive and care and they
need to be a very important part of what you're trying to build.

And I think if you can do that, then that makes it so much easier.

But owners fall short there.

They forget.

they don't stick with it and I think that consistency is key.