When I think back to my decision to start Strategies, I had a very simple vision of what I wanted Strategies to become. My vision was to build a business coaching and training company for the salon/spa industry. That was almost 26 years ago.

Much has changed in the industry and technology, especially the internet. Even though my start-up vision required a few strategic course corrections, my initial vision remains solidly intact.

I knew from the beginning that turning my vision into a functioning and profitable enterprise was going to test my leadership abilities. And it most certainly did. Like all entrepreneurs, I sacrificed a lot to build my company.

As I look back, and as many have told me over the years, I never wavered from my core beliefs on the systems and approaches to lead and grow a successful and profitable salon/spa business. Most notably is Team-Based Pay and Strategies team-based business model that is the core of all we teach.... Read More

What does being and staying the best mean to you?

For me, there are three answers:

1. I need to challenge myself to deliver my personal best. Even at 69 years of age, there is still room for improvement as a leader, businessman and decision maker. This also applies to my passion for cycling. I still want to ride faster and climb hills stronger.
2. I need my company to stand out from the competition. There are many coaching companies and independent coaches in this industry. For me, being and staying the best means coaching salon/spa owners to achieve the results they seek and expect. Saying and thinking your company is the best doesn’t make it the best. Delivering consistent results creates value. The more value you offer, the more your company stands out from the competition.
3. Lastly, and most importantly, my company needs to perform at a level that infuses pride in all we do. Shared pride is what shapes and reinforces our company culture. Shared pride gives every member of our team a sense of ownership and responsibility to deliver their best efforts. This far exceeds the inherent need to win. It represents the shared value that pride in accomplishment is hard earned every day.

Here are some No-Compromise Leadership thoughts to help you and your team be, and stay, the best company you can be:... Read More

FACT: For owners, it doesn’t matter where your salon/spa is today, your brain is always processing those “what if we went for it” thoughts, ideas and visions.

As an owner, it’s always about getting to a better place. It’s about getting to that next level of business success.

It’s important to remember that these “what if” thoughts aren’t about the little stuff. They’re about achieving profound gains in operational, financial, customer service, technical excellence, facility, market position and more.

These “what if” thoughts sound like:

• What if our salon/spa was seriously profitable?
• What if we had a big cash reserve?
• What if the best employee candidates were coming to us?
• What if we doubled or tripled the number of first-time clients — and retained them?
• What if we could afford great benefits like health insurance?
• What if we had a killer in-house skill development program that ALL employees were required to complete and maintain?
• What if we doubled our space, bought a building or opened more locations?
• What if I could pay myself well as the owner so my pay isn’t dependent on my personal service sales?
• What if our level of customer service was second to none?
• What if every client received a prebook date and retail recommendation?

But these “what if we went for it” thoughts have one big nemesis. It’s called leadership and it’s more complicated than most salons/spas ever realized.... Read More

Official Definition: Predictability is the degree to which a correct prediction or forecast of a system’s state can be made either qualitatively or quantitatively.

The Entrepreneur’s Definition: Predictability is knowing your business will perform as planned so you can sleep well at night.

Creating predictability in a salon/spa means doing the work of leadership. You have to do it. You have to find it, or at least get as close as you can to it.

The problem is that things can be predictably good or bad. Whenever you say, “I knew that wouldn’t work,” what you’re really saying is the planning and preparation was flawed or inadequate. That the commitment, effort and execution were not equal to the task.

In contrast, when things go predictably well, it means that planning, preparation, commitment, effort and execution were dialed in.... Read More

It’s no wonder why many salon/spa owners have an insatiable appetite for learning about “best practices.”

Best practices are best described as the methodologies, systems and behaviors that distinguish the “great” salons/spas from your “not-so-great” counterparts.

But learning about best practices, then implementing them, and then getting these transformative business approaches to stick, is another story.

It’s tough to get best practices to stick in a service business like a salon/spa.

Why?

Because nearly every aspect of the customer service experience is human dependent.

And because best practices are human dependent, living them consistently every day is 100% dependent on you, the leader.

As the leader of your salon/spa …

• You are the keeper of your company vision.
• You create and protect your culture.
• You maintain accountability
• You inspire your team to achieve breakthroughs

Here are five No-Compromise Leadership strategies to help you and your team implement and live best practices in your salon/spa every day.... Read More