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Salon & Spa Owners: Seize this Moment!

Salon Spa Owners Seize the Moment

The more owners I talk to, the more I hear them saying how tough business is these days.

Topping the list is the fear of losing staff to the lure of suites.

Then it's rising costs.

Then it's hearing clients say they can buy the same professional products cheaper from Amazon and other internet sites.

And on and on it goes.

Over the last forty years, I’ve written countless articles that included the statement, “These are tough times to be a salon/spa owner.”

Guess what? Growing a successful business IS tough. It doesn’t matter if we’re talking forty, ten, five years or one day ago, business has always been described by one word: Tough.

When the universal word to describe business is "tough," the worst strategy is to stay in the same boat with owners that refuse to change. They're all hoping things will get better. Guess what? "Hope" is not a strategy. Hope doesn't stop a boat from sinking.

The second worst strategy is to "go with the flow," which means taking the path of least resistance. This strategy has owners scrambling from one crowded sinking boat into another.

The rapid expansion of suites and suite franchises is a perfect example of going with the flow. In just a few short years, suites are at or nearing the saturation point in many markets forcing lease rates down.

As stylists and other service providers discover that "100% of revenue" never meant "100% personal income" … plus the responsibilities of running a solo service business … suites have their own battle with "tenant" turnover.

If you want more than "hope" … If you want to turn "tough" into "awesome" … the absolute best strategy is to "seize the moment."

Seize the moment means … taking definitive and assertive action to change your current reality. It means setting a course that's different from the competition.

I have long believed that the traditional salon/spa business model is flawed. Here's why:

  • Employee turnover: Any business model that is known for notoriously high turnover rates is flawed. Any business model that lends truth to the statement, "If you haven't had a walkout yet - you will," is flawed. Any business model where employees would rather work alone in a booth or suite - is flawed.



  • Customer loyalty: Any business model that is designed from the ground up to build client loyalty to a single service provider… and not the brand - is flawed.



  • Profitability: Any business model with a long history of being barely profitable is flawed.


The good news is that all of the above flaws are curable … but only if you, the salon/spa owner, make the decision to seize the moment and take your company in a new and better direction.

Here's my challenge to you: If your approach to leading your salon/spa has been more like "walking on eggshells" than being a fearless leader … it is definitely time for you to seize the moment. It's time to make some bold decisions on how awesome you want your business to be … and where you want to take it.

As I always say, "It's time to rock your boat and wake everyone up." It's time to define what "awesome" would look like if it was describing your salon/spa. It's time to be the decisive leader that your company and your team have been waiting for.

Guess what? Some of your employees may not like boat rocking or have anything to do with creating some serious awesomeness. Guess what? Those employees don't care about your company, your investment, their teammates … or your vision. They only contribute two things to your company … some service revenue and a whole lot of resistance to change. You don't need them.

Take a deep breath. Stretch your vision for your business, past the horizon, to new opportunities. Get excited again. Re-ignite that passion you once had for your business.

Seize the moment. No Compromise. Want some help getting started? Let's do a free strategy session.

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