When a Good Worker Goes Bad

"I personally do not believe some hairdressers perform poorly on purpose; they just did not receive proper guidance and education." - Jon Gonzales "He seemed like the right choice when I hired him. Now he refuses to be part of my team or follow our salon’s employee handbook and contribute to my salon's  team culture. He is always the ring leader in negativity, salon gossip, and pettiness." Do you fire him? The answer may surprise you. You probably have faced this challenge at one time [Click here to read full article...]

2017-01-26T09:44:46-08:00September 18th, 2016|

Compensation Guidelines

"It is not how much you earn that matters,it's what you do with what you earn." Jon Gonzales Compensation Guidelines As I travel throughout the United States and Canada meeting salon owners and managers, I am often asked about compensation. Suffice to say that if you are a salon owner, your view on this topic is probably opposite that of many hairdressers, and vice versa. Unfortunately there is a lot of misunderstanding about compensation, especially with hairdressers. This article will attempt to help guide [Click here to read full article...]

2022-04-12T11:33:18-07:00August 21st, 2016|

Providing Staff Incentives

 "A pat on the back accomplishes much more than criticism." Jon Gonzales Incentives for Improving Staff Performance and Productivity There are many ways to improving staff performance and productivity. Strong management, a strong employee training program,  a very busy salon, strong leadership and mentoring, a positive and professional salon environment, a shared team vision, continuing education, business stability and growth to name just a few guidelines There are many other ways to reward peak performers based on performance as well; I will review some other guidelines [Click here to read full article...]

2016-07-31T09:51:28-07:00July 31st, 2016|

Renew Your Passion of Owning a Successful Business

"Persistence and determination will give you the power to prevail over all obstacles." Owning a successful business is a daunting experience and can seem overwhelming at times. As a salon owner you must wear many hats. The many challenges of salon ownership in a very volatile economy can be overwhelming. I’m sure everything that has happened to you has happened to me in my 43 year career as a working hairdresser/salon owner. You certainly will experience many peaks and valleys owning a successful and profitable [Click here to read full article...]

2016-07-18T19:59:53-07:00July 18th, 2016|

Staff Retention Tips

 "A trial and error approach to staff retention is just costly!" The following guidelines will help you address this very critical business challenge: Poor Hiring Decisions --- is  one of the leading causes of staff turnover and internal salon challenges facing salon owners? Make sure you develop your staff development program to minimize making hiring mistakes. My book Creating Your Salon will help you tremendously. Click here No Educational Guidelines --- how can you expect your staff to perform if they do not know what [Click here to read full article...]

2016-04-22T13:34:02-07:00March 27th, 2016|

Seven Business Mistakes Salon Owners Must Avoid

"Some of the best lessons we ever learned,we learned from our mistakes and failures." The beauty industry is rapidly changing. Business costs continue to rise, it seems like it is getting more difficult to find quality hairdressers, an economy that is struggling, staff turnover, price and commission wars, and the list goes on and on. With the abrupt closing of 56 beauty schools by the Dept.of Education due to alleged fraud and other violations,which I feel is just the beginning, beauty schools are jeopardizing the [Click here to read full article...]

2016-03-10T11:55:46-08:00February 14th, 2016|

Developing Your Own Apprenticeship Program

Developing Your Own  Apprenticeship Program I think as salon owners you will all agree that there is a tremendous need to develop cost effective apprenticeship program for on job training when adding a new member to your team,especially newcomers right out of beauty school.  All other professions have an apprenticeship programs except the beauty profession. Nine or ten months of beauty school is just not enough time to teach  other job market skills that are needed to compete in a very competitive job market,especially if [Click here to read full article...]

2016-04-22T13:25:53-07:00February 7th, 2016|

New Year Resolutions for Salon Owners — A New Beginning!

New Year Resolutions for 2017 --- A New Beginning! I do hope that all of you enjoyed a Very Merry Xmas and Happy New Year. Now that the holiday season is behind us, let us plan and prepare for a new and successful year for your salon and team. 2017 is expected to be a difficult and challenging year for both hairdressers and salon owners, due to an uncertain economy and rising business costs. There will be a lot of doom and gloom, especially during [Click here to read full article...]

2016-11-28T10:24:09-08:00January 4th, 2016|

Keys to Improving Staff Performance and Productivity

"I do not believe hairdressers perform poorly on purpose;they just have not been properly educated."  Jon Gonzales Assuming that you have taken the time to hire the right people who share your vision, goals, and educational concepts; your next step to improving your salon's greatest asset will be in educating and leading your staff to higher levels of performance and productivity. This will require strong leadership skills on your part as leader,mentor, and coach of your team. Your challenge is to  earn the trust and [Click here to read full article...]

2015-12-12T20:27:01-08:00December 13th, 2015|

Happy Thanksgiving –Let Us Give Thanks

"If the only prayer you said in your whole life was "thank you," that would suffice." Meister Eckhart Thanksgiving is always an appropriate time to give thanks for all our blessings. In our hectic schedule; trying  to find time for our business, struggle with a difficult and volatile economy, and trying to find  quality time with our families, we sometime take for granted  the many gifts and opportunities that are available to us. Personally I want to thank all my colleagues for the trust and [Click here to read full article...]

2014-11-26T17:28:16-08:00November 26th, 2014|

Salon Owners Two Day Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada

" Unity among salon owners is strength ---when their is collaboration and teamwork among salon owners,wonderful things can happen." Salon Owner Conference. For too long, salon owners have struggled in meeting the many challenges and obstacles of salon ownership in isolation. Your not alone anymore. As salon owners we share a common bond in trying to build and grow our businesses. Many of our associations that are well meaning are not addressing the deep rooted challenges that are causing hard ships on owners or helping [Click here to read full article...]

2014-09-09T18:10:05-07:00September 8th, 2014|

Beauty Industry Educational Reform: The Time Is Now

If we are to raise the standard of living for hairdressers, and improve salon profits for salon owners and everyone involved with the beauty profession, then we as salon owners must raise the standard of educational excellence. We must unite and address  the many challenges  salon owners face daily if we are to grow our business, improve profits, and help our hairdresser’s raise their standard of living. "The job of an educator is to teach students to see vitality in themselves."  -- Joseph Campbell As [Click here to read full article...]

2014-05-22T18:45:19-07:00May 15th, 2014|

Is Everybody on Your Staff on the Same Team?

"The key to successful leadership today is influence, not authority." - Ken BlanchardOne of the many challenges facing salon owners who are trying to grow a successful and profitable business will depend on the salon owner's ability to create a team culture.When a staff member refuses to share your vision, your goals and be part of your team, you can expect this negative attitude will spread to other members of your team.Hairdressers who develop negative attitudes, complains about everyone and everything , are usually the [Click here to read full article...]

2022-04-12T10:13:45-07:00May 15th, 2014|

Tribute to a Fellow Salon Owner/Hairdresser— who was also my Brother

"To a loving brother, confidant, and my very best friend, you will be missed"   I first want to thank everyone who offered their prayers and their support for me and my brother who passed away April 9, battling cancer. I do hope that you forgive me for posting this post. I know many of you have lost loved ones or are currently helping your loved one through their difficult times. We sometimes forget what is really important in life as we sometimes  are overwhelmed [Click here to read full article...]

2013-05-19T12:00:11-07:00May 19th, 2013|

A Special Happy Mother’s Day

" Mothers hold their children's hands for a short while,but their heart's forever." - This week’s blog posting is dedicated to all  Mother’s working in the beauty profession. Trying to earn a living,be a good mother or owning your own business is a gigantic challenge for all women ; especially single mother's  who want a better life for yourself and your family. It is my wish that my blog from my new book I will be publishing soon, A Women’s Guide to Success and Happiness, [Click here to read full article...]

2013-05-12T12:00:28-07:00May 12th, 2013|

My Wish List for Salon Owners

Although I am expressing my own views and opinions based on my 43 years of real world experiences as a working hairdresser/salon owner, and as president of my educational company, I know my views are shared by many salon owners who I have had the privilege of meeting while a guest speaker at many top hair shows throughout the United States and Canada. "What do we live for, if it is not to make life less difficult for each other?" The Following is My Wish [Click here to read full article...]

2018-11-30T11:33:20-08:00March 16th, 2013|

Time is Money — Overcoming Time Restraints

" Ordinary people think merely of spending time. Great people think of using it."Salon owners wear many hats in trying to build a profitable and successful business. Salon owner, marketing expect, human resource expert, managing people, book work, and usually working behind the chair 10-12 hours a day. The heavy duties and responsibilities of owning your own business can be overwhelming, especially if you want to become astute business men and women.How does one find time to accomplish all these tasks? In the beauty industry [Click here to read full article...]

2022-04-12T10:35:26-07:00March 4th, 2013|

Salon Owner’s Summit Conference — A Great Success

  " We will never find solutions to our challenges by ignoring the questions that have to be asked."   First I want to report that our Salon Owner’s Conference Cruise to the Caribbean was a huge success. The friendships and  camaraderie among salon owners along with the  great discussions that identified the many challenges we face and discussing  ways to combat these challenges were exciting and rewarding. What a fun week we had,  building friendships, having a great time relaxing and  visiting St.Thomas, Princess [Click here to read full article...]

2013-02-17T00:32:47-08:00February 17th, 2013|

Combating Poor Work Habits

"The chains of habit are usually too small to be felt until they are too strong to be broken."Many of us are creatures of habit, some of us are able to form good work habits, while others develop poor work habits. This is a challenge many salon owners face everyday. It is much easier to prevent bad habits than to break them, especially when you are trying to instill a team culture in your salon. Tardiness, absenteeism, negativity, keeping customers waiting, poor customer service, salon [Click here to read full article...]

2022-04-12T11:27:57-07:00January 27th, 2013|

Tips to Control Your Spending

 "If you think nobody cares if you're alive, try missing two car payments."I know this is not a popular topic for hairdressers and salon owners, but it is a topic we all should pay more attention too, especially in today’s difficult and uncertain economy.Most hairdressers and salon owners have no pensions, health insurance or a benefits package like other professions, in fact far too many of our colleagues live on a financial tight rope.Staying out of debt is the first step towards saving for your [Click here to read full article...]

2022-04-12T10:31:42-07:00January 20th, 2013|

Title

Go to Top