The Heart of a Salon or Spa Owner
If it was that lifelong dream of building a company that stands above all others …
Never let go of that dream.
If it was building and leading a team of extraordinary, like-minded and talented individuals …
Never let go of that dream.
If it was finding financial success and the freedom to do the work you love …
Never let go of that dream.
If it was simply your ambition to challenge yourself to build something great …
Never let go of that dream.
Choosing the path of becoming an entrepreneur in the salon/spa industry is as exciting as it is challenging.
- Building out your space is exciting.
- Hiring that initial team is exciting.
- The joy of seeing young talent mature into true professionals is fulfilling.
- Experiencing your first cash-flow crisis is not so exciting.
- Getting stuck in a cash-flow crisis is a living nightmare.
- Building up staff only to see them leave with a chunk of your business is gut wrenching.
Through it all, it is the heart of a salon/spa owner that gives your business life, meaning and purpose. It is the heart of the owner that empowers employees to follow and share the dream. It is the heart of the owner that keeps the business strong through tough times. And when the heart of the owner loses sight of the dream … the business wanders dangerously off course.
It’s the heart of the owner that ultimately defines the salon or spa’s culture and how intensely it pursues success.
Here are some No-Compromise Leadership insights on how the heart of a salon/spa owner is truly the heart of the business:
- The owner’s heart gives passion to the work: I don’t know about you, but I could not continue doing the work of Strategies if I wasn’t deeply passionate about it. I could not expect others to be passionate and care about the outcomes we create if I were less passionate. Work is always less work when people are passionate and believe in the work of the company. In so many profound ways, the owner’s heart IS the business.
- If you’re passionate about the work of your company … dial it up more. Your employees will notice and respond in kind.
- If your passion has faded or taken a few hard hits … seek help in coaching to find your passion and path again. Chances are, your employees have already noticed how disconnected you’ve become.
- The owner’s heart is committed to go the distance: A determined, focused and tenacious owner is going to make progress. It simply means that the owner’s heart is in the game and they will do whatever it takes to achieve the company’s vision.
- These owner’s hearts don’t live in fear. They continue on … they forge ahead. They gain ground … or find a way to gain ground.
- If your heart isn’t in the game … why should anyone follow you?
- The owner’s heart creates sense of urgency: Vision and dreams only go so far when merely talked about. To harness the collective energy of a team and make progress, owners must create a sense of urgency. Too many salon/spa owners wait for service providers to figure it out and start growing. The result is that some grow and too many don’t. It is wildly frustrating to everyone.
- Vision, team goals, team scoreboards, team huddles, open communication and information flow begin with the urgency created by the leader.
- The owner’s heart … and its connection to the company’s goals and vision is what unites a team and energizes it with the urgency to win.
- If your heart lost its sense of urgency … so has your team. It’s time to reconnect with your dream that got you into business and the leadership game.
- The owner’s heart creates or destroys teamwork: Leading people to a common collective goal is challenging even under ideal conditions. Add in stylists, estheticians, massage techs, nail techs and others that deliver client services … and you have a concoction of behaviors that exceed the leadership limits of most owners. (I tried really hard not to say, “It’s like herding cats” … but, forgive me, I just did.) The fact is, leading a salon or spa is not for the faint of heart.
- The owner’s heart must be balanced and fair to all employees at all levels. No double standards. No favorites.
- The owner’s heart must inspire and challenge employees to achieve their full potential … while keeping the company’s goals and vision the focal point. The minute one or more employees put self above team, the culture fragments and crumbles.
- If your heart detached from the disciplines of creating and maintaining teamwork, it will be evident in the consistency of how work is done at all levels … especially in your company’s critical numbers and ability to regularly achieve monthly goals.
- The owner’s heart makes the tough decisions: You can’t be an effective leader and grow your company without making tough decisions. People will need to be fired. Expenses will need to be cut. New systems and procedures will need to be implemented that, although critical for growth, may not be popular.
- The owner’s heart pushes through the fear, anxiousness and discomfort that accompany all tough decisions.
- The owner’s heart openly communicates the “why, what and how” behind every tough decision. Clarity and understanding throughout your company eases the discomfort that accompanies change.
- If your heart is less involved in the making of tough decisions, don’t be surprised when you encounter employee pushback. They’re pushing back because they perceive that the change is more about what you want than what’s good for them.
Here’s my challenge for you: I often state, “My heart beats along with my company.” When my company doesn’t feel well … I don’t feel well. It’s as simple as that.
If you’re the owner of a salon/spa, you know exactly what I mean.
Use this list to check in on how in touch your heart is with all aspects of your engagement with your business.
It’s a simple check-up that could and should connect with all the likes and dislikes about being a salon/spa owner.
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