” Failure will never overtake me if my determination to succeed is strong enough” ~Og Mandino
The Corona Virus has proven fatal in many industries due to the economy shutdown but particularly for salons and hairdressers. Many of our salons will not reopen.
Why you might ask? Because many salons were already vulnerable, due to several underlying long-standing obstacles due to apathy, poor business management skills, and other ongoing challenges even before the corona virus hit us, any economic hit was bound to cause complete chaos.
Despite these challenges, well managed salons will flourish, adversity always provides opportunities.
As our country struggles to get out of this government mandated shut down, salon owners and our profession will be facing many challenges and obstacles after we reopen our salons after the Corona Virus is defeated. Our profession will never be the same.
This will require new thinking, new ideas, and innovation in education.
We have to find new ways to adapt to a changing economy as well as combating rising business costs, new labor laws, price and commission wars, turnover, and the challenge of finding and more importantly keeping committed hairdressers on staff has put exorbitant pressure on owners.
These obstacles are symptomatic of larger scale issues that include a lack of education on business management and staff management.
Many hairdressers, and especially our new wave of young talent,end up under prepared in the work place with very little hands on experience after they graduate.
Due to new labor laws, paying new staff members to learn on paying customers seeking higher wages than many salon owners can not afford to deliver; creates a growing challenge to many salon owners. Lack of an apprenticeship program would have solved many of our challenges. Because we as salon owners have no voice and ability to voice our concerns, we will continue have difficulty hiring talent.
Conversely, salon owners who lack the leadership and business skills, will not be able to adapt to the many changes that will occur when we reopen our salons.
While other industries are finding solutions to adapt to changes in the marketplace, the beauty industry and salon owners in particular continue to struggle and sadly many will not be able to stay in business.
New generations of young hairdressers and the small working salon owners will be especially vulnerable in these difficult times ahead. On the positive side, when you’re small, it will be easier to go build a successful business, you can only go up.
I urge you to keep a positive attitude, develop strong business management skills, persevere with a competitive spirit, and let Hairdresser Career Development Systems be your partner in addressing your concerns. As a former salon owner/hairdresser of 43 years and ten years as an educator and business consultant, speaking to thousand of salon owners throughout the U.S. and Canada I understand your educational needs and challenges, but I’ve also focused on solutions.
I urge you to visit my business only web site . My book Crating Your Salon will help you rebuild your business. Click here.
Any seminars in Spanish?!!!!
Not yet, working on it
Esther , have non planned s yet but working on it
Lack of knowledge fueled by abject fear of failing. My funds are limited, my passion insane (love it), and expecting people to do it and do it right. Work ethics sucks these days. I have had booth renters who don’t pay right or at all, also young kids who are full of drama and excuses. I am feeling like a fool but I will persevere !!!! I am giving and getting zip.
Wow! I am a booth renter starting on my 2nd month rent is set at $105. weekly that isn’t so bad as long as you have clients. But when they throw a birthday party you have to put in $5 plus cost of food split up usually $20. The owner wants an additional $20 for floor service monthly. I knew the booth rent fee going in but the rest was told to me during the 1st month. We had three birthdays the 1st month! Also, the shop dictates the price of your services. This is my first time at booth rental and I think its not so good.
I have been involved in this profession for over forty years. It saddens me to see the professionalism being traded for survival dollars. Many salon owners have lowered their management standard and now cater to the demands of their employes. I refuse to employ any person who did not leave their last salon on good terms. No new employee is permitted to contact the previous salons customers for the purpose of building a clientel. Call me crazy, but I have no respect for those who would do so. They would be terminated immediately.
You are not crazy, you set a standard everyone should follow, I respect you for your honesty and professionalism,you are not alone,I do hope that you join our movement towards unity among salon owners,an equal playing field will benefit everyone. Please feel free to call me at my toll free number, again I commend you for wanting to bring back sanity to our profession. I do hope other salon owners will join you in your efforts for wanting to return to a code of ethics.
Jon