Financial Planning —- Start Now!

" A big part of financial freedom is having your heart and mind free of worry about the what-ifs of life." ---Suze Orman A New Year is an excellent time to develop an action plan for securing your financial independence and financial planning. I think you’ll all agree that the cost of living keeps escalating, and with the way things are going, you may have to wait to retire until age 70 before claiming social security benefits. Another challenge that’s confronting hairdressers is the rising [Click here to read full article...]

2017-01-31T09:15:59-08:00January 30th, 2017|

Benefits of an Employee Handbook

"When everyone shares the same vision and goals , a positive and professional salon environment will be your reward." -- Jon GonzalesOne of the leading causes of staff turnover and lack of communication between staff and management is the absence of an employee handbook. Many of your challenges towards improving staff performance and growing your business could be eliminated with an effective and well defined employee handbook.How can you expect your team to perform if they do not understand what is expected and how [Click here to read full article...]

2022-04-12T10:04:27-07:00November 13th, 2016|

Developing an Effective Customer Communication Strategy

  "If you are unable to get your message across about the benefits of your services and products,your marketing efforts won't work." Salon owners that know how to develop effective communication strategies with their current customers and know how to connect with future customers for maximum effect will instantly improve their bottom line by keeping their clients informed. Salons that not only connect with their customers but also strive to cement  long time relationships that are long lasting and beneficial to both will clearly stand [Click here to read full article...]

2017-11-07T17:42:23-08:00November 6th, 2016|

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|

Your Road Map to Financial Independence

"Two ways to get rich ---spend less than what you make and make more than what you spend."  Jon Gonzales Your Road map to Financial Independence. I know this is a topic that most people in the beauty profession ignores;but in my opinion, this is  topic that is critically important,a topic usually ignored in the beauty profession One of the pitfalls we face as hairdressers and salon owners is that, more often than not, our jobs do not provide us with pension plans, medical insurance, [Click here to read full article...]

2016-06-24T01:16:58-07:00June 26th, 2016|

Excelling at Customer Service

"High end and well managed salons place a high priority on customer service."  Jon Gonzales Your Competitive Edge Top salons set a high priority on excelling at  customer service. Salon owners and hairdressers  know that excelling at customer service gives them a competitive edge. Think about your own experiences when you patronize a business. Have you ever ever experienced poor customer service experiences at a clothing store, bank, grocery store, or restaurant? If so, you probably decided not to patronize that business again based on [Click here to read full article...]

2016-06-19T11:37:32-07:00June 19th, 2016|

Booth Rental:Is It Right For You?

Booth Rental: Is It Right For You? I'm sure many people, especially those of you who are booth renters or salon owners who rent booths will not agree with article,but with over 49 years experiences as an salon owner, educator,business consultant, motivational speaker, seminar leader, and author , I feel I have earned the right to voice my opinion  and  speak out on this  very controversial topic. If honesty and integrity is wrong, then I plead guilty. There is no substitute for basic honesty and [Click here to read full article...]

2018-05-18T10:39:21-07:00May 22nd, 2016|

A Time for Beauty Industry Education Reform

"Today's professional will need to know more than how to develop their artistic skills." ~ Jon Gonzales To raise the standard of living for hairdressers and improve salon profits for salon owners in this tough and uncertain economy, then we as salon owners must raise the standard of educational excellence...we must create beauty industry education reform.  And, we must unite and address the many obstacles and challenges facing our salons, our  careers, and our profession.  Good is not enough anymore! As a salon owner and [Click here to read full article...]

2016-04-09T22:23:34-07:00April 10th, 2016|

Tips on Growing Your Business

" Progress begins with getting a clear understanding of your obstacles." Jon Gonzales As many of you are aware, the beauty industry has changed dramatically these last few years,salon owners are facing many challenges; the costs of owning your own business will continue to escalate; new wage and overtime regulations,many of our beauty schools are being either shut down or being targeted by the department of education and the department of labor.  Proposed government and state tax increases, government  targeting the beauty industry for audits,and [Click here to read full article...]

2019-05-30T08:46:57-07:00April 3rd, 2016|

Balancing Your Life and Business

“Tomorrow will be a better day if we begin today to improve it” Salon owners, do you sometimes feel overwhelmed by the pressures and challenges of owning your own business? Are you combating burnout? Is your business affecting your personal life? Is stress affecting your health? Do you manage your business or does your business manage you. Do you manage your staff or do they manage you? I think you know what I’m talking about. I’m sure everything that has happened to you has happened [Click here to read full article...]

2016-11-28T10:13:46-08:00March 13th, 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|

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|

The Greedy Salon Owner? Why Can’t We All Get Along?

  "You may not think you have the perfect boss at times, then again you may not be the perfect employee at times."   There seems to be a growing contempt and jealousy towards pharmaceuticals, oil companies, financial institutions, wall street, rich people, or anybody who is successful. Surprisingly salon owners are also victims of this contempt I was recently reading some chat room comments where hairdressers were commenting on their salons and owners I was alarmed by the degree of animosity, misunderstandings, and negative [Click here to read full article...]

2014-06-26T20:29:17-07:00July 1st, 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|

My 2018 Wish List for Hairdressers

" If we are to raise the standard of living for hairdressers,then we must raise our standard of educational excellence." - Jon Gonzales Last week I created a wish list for salon owners in an effort to help them become better business men and women. There ability to develop strong leadership skills and become astute business men and women,will benefit our hairdressers personally, professionally,and financially. I also want to help salon owners bridge the gap between management and staff,so we could better understand and communicate [Click here to read full article...]

2021-09-30T11:59:03-07:00January 5th, 2014|

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