5 Ways to Improve Business

Fall is a transitional time of year. With summer over, many businesses review best practices to get ready for the busy holiday season. 

Twylla Jane, owner of Lumos Nox Salon and Redken Artist (@twyllajane) shares five things salon owners can do to give business a boost and end the year on a high note.

1. Have meetings with your whole team and each person individually. Check in with team members individually to help them grow, chat about goals and give them coaching. Also, take the opportunity to interact with them in casual settings at work and listen to them, really hear how things are going while they’re hands on. Staff meetings and outings are important to keep the whole team connected and focused on the team’s goals and the salon’s vision.
2. Hire slow, fire quick. This one took me a long time to realize. We did it backwards a few times, and it hurt our culture — as well as my peace of mind as an owner. Take time to hire the right people and get rid of people who rock the boat or bring you grief.
3. Stay on top of your budget! We use Summit Salon Systems budgeting guidelines to help us turn a profit as often as possible. Staying within your budget for inventory ordering, advertising and payroll can help keep your finger on the pulse of your business. Do we need to promote certain days to attract clients so there is less down time? Do we need to reassess pricing or coaching our team on product usage? Few things cause as much stress as money, so put in the time to do it right.
4. Find ways to reward your team. There are lots of jokes on the internet about pizza parties, but I find that a round of Starbucks and a couple pizzas on a busy day when people have little time to take a break really does make stylists happy. When you run contests, ask what the team would like to win (an extra paid day off can be so exciting). Drop them little messages to let them know they’re doing a great job or you’re glad to have them on your team.
5. Allow your staff to express themselves and be individuals. Strict dress codes and micromanaging are unhelpful. It’s important to maintain a level of professionalism for your business: we don’t allow anything that looks like pajamas, but a few tattoos and ripped jeans never hurt anybody when you have stylists serving their highest form of self and their own sense of fashion.