My Wish List for 2020
As we enter a new year, it is my wish that we as professionals take back our profession and our salons and a higher standard of living for salon owners, hairdressers, and beauty professionals.
Unfortunately as a profession, we have not adapted to the many challenges and changes we face in the beauty profession.
Many of our salons are failing, many more are struggling unnecessarily. Sadly many of our hairdressers are struggling to make a decent living. Until we address and find solutions to the many deep rooted challenges many of our colleagues face daily in our profession, we will continue to struggle.
We owe it to our new generation of hairdressers and salon owners to share our vast experience and knowledge and try to help them adapt to a changing market place so we can make their journey easier than ours.
As for those of you who have been in the profession many years I dedicate this article to you. You are the trail blazers who have battled the challenges of salon ownership.
Although we face many challenges I see windows of tremendous opportunities for those of you who are well informed and determined to succeed. You never give up.
As a fellow hairdresser/salon owner who was able to overcome the many challenges you face daily, I formed Hairdresser Career Development Systems as your partner in helping you take your business and staff to a much higher level of excellence.
A good start in turning our profession around would be the following:
An Equal Playing Field — where all salon owners play by the same rules. Honesty and a code of ethics is the only way to do business. Getting ahead at the expense of others is just wrong. We must address and eliminate staff pirating and commission wars.
A Higher Standard of Living — far too many of our hairdressers and salon owners are struggling to make a decent living. The only way we can change this is though excellence in education. The more we learn, the more we earn.
Bridge the Gap — between hairdresser’s and salon owners. We need a better understanding about each other’s needs and develop a greater dialogue between staff and management. Salon owners and hairdressers are all on the same team, let us unite and share the same vision. A higher standard of living will be our reward.
Improved Profits for Salon Owners— without profits salons cannot guarantee job security, create jobs, develop employee training and mentoring guidelines, create a benefits package, provide education, and accelerate marketing and advertising for more customers.
A Benefits Package for Hairdressers — the only way we can offer our staff a benefits package is through business growth, team work, profitability, business stability, and hard work.
Upscale Clientele — if we want to be respected and compensated like professionals, then we must look and act like professionals. We all must work hard to create value in our skills, create a demand for our services, and then raise prices.
Keep our Hairdressers Busy with Customers — as leaders of our team we as salon owners must develop powerful marketing and advertising skills to attract a measured flow of new customers based on performance and productivity, making sure you measure customer return rate.
Upgrade our Beauty Schools — to better meet job market and consumer demands. We need a better partnership with our beauty schools. We all are on the same team. If we create better jobs we can attract more quality people who will want to enter the beauty profession.
Higher Educational Standards — the higher the standards of educational excellence,the higher the rewards.
Understand and Prevent the Causes of Staff Turnover — turnover affects everyone, no salon or its team will move forward with a merry go round of staff turnover
Unity Among Salon Owners — as salon owners we are all in isolation in combating the many challenges and obstacles we face daily. The only way we can demand change is through a united front.
Ease the Heavy Burden of Salon Ownership — especially women trying to balance their personal and professional lives.
Implement an On Job Training Apprentice or Intern program – set up your own quality control guidelines.
Help Salon Owners Become Better Business Men and Women — a recent government study showed that 94% of all business failures were do to poor business management skills on the part of the owner.
The beauty profession does offer many opportunities; unfortunately many of our colleagues are struggling to find answers too many of the above obstacles by trial and error. As a concerned salon owner/ hairdressers I share your pain and struggles and certainly understand your educational and business needs.
As hard working professional I invite you to my 2 day business only seminar in Las Vegas, on August 24 and Tuesday August 25. Start planning and sign up now, don’t be left out.