Team

Episode 203

At one end of the salon spectrum, you have budget or value salons. At the other end, you have premium or luxury brands. They all serve a purpose, and they all attract a clientele and a team that represents what the business offers.

In a city like London, the luxury end of the market is very competitive, and brands regularly come and go. But occasionally, you come across a business that stands the test of time. The Michael Van Clarke salon in Marylebone is an example of a luxury salon that, after 35 years in business, is going stronger than ever!

My guest on today's podcast is the founder of this iconic luxury brand, Michael Van Clarke.

In today’s podcast, we will discuss:

• What it takes to create a luxury brand
• The Michael Van Clarke limited liability partnership model
• The importance of training your team…

And lots more!

 

In this Episode:

[02:25] Michael shares some of the highlights of his 45-year hairdressing career.

[08:30] How Michael curates a luxurious experience in his salons.

[14:46] Prices you can expect to pay for hairdressing services at the Michael Van Clarke Salon.

[16:26] The deli component of the Michael Van Clarke Salon and the value it adds to the business.

[20:20] Lessons learned from Michael’s coffee shop experiment.

[23:31] The importance of carefully considering the titles given to salon staff.

[25:43] How Michael educates his staff about the cultural elements of his business.

[27:44] Apprenticeship to partnership: Michael’s explains how his business model works and the high staff retention rates it has resulted in.

[33:09] Skills that are essential for sustainable success in the salon industry.

[36:09] Michael’s thoughts on work/life balance.

[39:36] The record-breaking number of awards won by the Michael Van Clarke Salon.

[41:23] Michael’s experience of creating a product line and how it has benefited the salon.

[48:04] How the pandemic altered Michael’s approach to marketing.

[50:23] The difference between an industry hairdresser and a client-focused hairdresser.

[53:54] 3“ More Inches; the inspiration behind the name of Michael’s products.

[58:59] The most important lesson Michael has learned during his career.

 

Thanks so much for joining me this week. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated!

They do matter in the rankings of the show and help other people find my podcast.

I also love to hear what’s been helpful and what you love about the podcast! Just click here to review, scroll to the bottom, tap “Ratings and Reviews” tap to rate with 5 stars and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favourite part of the podcast is. Thank you for your support!

Special thanks to Michael for sharing his insights with me for this week’s episode.

Until next time!
Antony

 

Links and Resources:

Grow My Salon Business

Website | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok

 

Michael Van Clarke Salon

Website | Instagram | YouTube | TikTok |

Episode 192

There is no doubt that the salon industry (and the world as a whole) has changed since the COVID-19 pandemic. Today’s guest, Virginia Meyer, has demonstrated that as scary as change can be, it can also be the best thing for your business!

Virginia is the co-founder, along with David Adams, of the Fourteen Jay salon in downtown New York. She has more than 40 years of experience in the product and education spheres of the salon industry and is passionate about helping hairdressers and salon owners reach their full potential.

Her business is an example of one that has thrived in the wake of the pandemic because of her willingness to embrace change, continuously work on her leadership skills, and adapt to the desires of her employees and her clients.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How to make good business decisions
• The importance of developing a strong salon culture
• Keys to recruiting and retaining talent in a post-COVID world…

And lots more!

In this Episode:

[02:27] Where Virginia’s journey in the hairdressing industry began and how it has evolved over time.

[06:18] How the COVID-19 pandemic altered Virginia’s business, Fourteen Jay, in ways she could never have imagined.

[10:27] Virginia’s commitment to helping her hairdressers curate their ideal work schedules.

[15:24] Growth that Fourteen Jay has experienced over the past few years and what she attributes this to.

[19:03] How Virginia goes above and beyond to accommodate her clients.

[23:17] Fourteen Jay’s three biggest expense categories.

[23:43] Why Fourteen Jay has such a good employee retention rate.

[26:10] How Virginia’s approach to recruitment has changed since the pandemic.

[35:14] The importance of developing a strong salon culture and advice for leaders on how to achieve this.

[36:52] How salons can add more value to their guests’ lives.

[40:57] Why your business model doesn’t matter as much as your salon culture.

[45:03] What it takes to become the best leader you can be.

[49:12] Factors involved in creating a truly memorable guest experience.

 

Thanks so much for joining me this week. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated!

They do matter in the rankings of the show and help other people find my podcast.

I also love to hear what’s been helpful and what you love about the podcast! Just click here to review, scroll to the bottom, tap “Ratings and Reviews” tap to rate with 5 stars and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favourite part of the podcast is. Thank you for your support!

Special thanks to Virginia for sharing her insights with me for this week’s episode. Until next time!

Antony

 

Links and Resources:

 

Grow My Salon Business

Website | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | Episode 32

 

Virginia Meyer

Email

 

Fourteen Jay Salon

Website | Instagram | Facebook

Episode 190

A universal challenge experienced by salon owners is recruiting and retaining talented team members. And because hiring great people is the most effective way to drive revenue, this is a challenge that deserves attention. 

My guest on today's podcast is Stefanie Fox, hair colourist, MBA graduate, and the founder of Talent Match, a team-building agency focused specifically on helping beauty industry businesses recruit and retain talent! Her debut on the show is one of our most downloaded episodes, and today she is back in the hot seat to share more of her wisdom. 

In today’s podcast, we will discuss:

• Trends that have taken place in the salon industry in recent years
• What has been happening in the world of recruitment in this post-pandemic world 
• What salon owners everywhere need to be doing to attract, inspire and motivate today’s workforce

And lots more! 

 

In this Episode:

[02:57] Stefanie shares an overview of her educational and career trajectory to date.

[04:25] What her company, Talent Match, does. 

[08:18] Trends that have taken place in the hair and beauty space over the past few years.

[11:47] The value of storytelling as a recruiting strategy. 

[19:49] The most effective way to drive revenue. 

[20:18] Defensive versus offensive business strategies (and why you want to employ the latter!).

[22:35] Data that highlights the relevance of social media in the salon industry.

[27:33] The five main reasons that motivate people to choose to work at particular salons.

[30:09] Why Stefanie believes that resilience is the most important skill for leaders to cultivate. 

[34:34] Stefanie’s thoughts on why new and experienced hair stylists alike are attracted to the salon suite model (and what the team-based model can do to garner the same levels of support). 

[40:20] Why, in Stefanie’s opinion, autonomy is no longer on the list of the top 5 factors that draw people to work at particular salons. 

[42:54] Three key qualities of a great leader. 

[44:56] A real-world example of a hairstylist who made the transition from a team-based to a suite model. 

[55:56] What Stefanie would change about the salon industry tomorrow if she could: pricing! 

[1:03:16] Stefanie’s hopeful predictions about the Alpha Generation (those born between 2010 and 2024).

 

Thanks so much for joining me this week. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! 

They do matter in the rankings of the show and help other people find my podcast. 

I also love to hear what’s been helpful and what you love about the podcast! Just click here to review, scroll to the bottom, tap “Ratings and Reviews” tap to rate with 5 stars and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favourite part of the podcast is. Thank you for your support!

Special thanks to Stefanie for sharing her insights with me for this week’s episode. Until next time!

Antony

 

Links and Resources:

 

Grow My Salon Business 

Website | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok

 

Listen to the previous podcast Episode 113 with Stefanie Fox

 

Stefanie Fox

Instagram | LinkedIn

 

Talent Match

Website | Instagram

Episode 180

These days we hear a lot about the changing culture in salons and the changing needs and expectations of today's workforce. In order to stay relevant in the salon industry today, salon owners need to be open to cultural progression. 

Tom White, the founder of Melbourne-based salon, Same Same But Different, is a salon owner with an interesting, new-age take on what creating a modern salon culture is all about. The four foundational pillars of Same Same But Different are diversity, community, creativity, and honesty, and Tom’s approach is all about simplifying the salon experience and creating something special not just for the guests but for the hairdressers too! 

In today’s podcast, we discuss:

• Brand pillars
• Flexible working hours
• Motivation
• Profit margins 
• Salon retail 

And lots more!

In this Episode:

[03:12] Tom shares where his hairdressing journey began, how it has progressed over the years, and his long-term goals. 

[05:41] The culture that affords Tom’s salon its name, Same Same But Different.

[15:04] When Tom realized he wanted to own his own business, and the forces that continue to motivate him. 

[21:03] An overview of the partnership structure that Tom was previously a part of and the massive learning curve he embarked upon when the partnership ended. 

[24:34] The combination of factors make Same Same But Different unique.

[27:47] The simplified approach that Tom has opted for at Same Same But Different. 

[04:04] Diversity, community, creativity, and honesty; the four brand pillars that Same Same But Different is built upon. 

[29:20] Why gender-neutral pricing is the way to go. 

[34:16] What culture means to Tom and his approach to building the culture at Same Same But Different. 

[40:09] Tom’s obsession with neuroscience and how this benefits him as a salon owner. 

[46:39] Personal development and technical training that Tom provides for his team. 

[49:20] Tom’s thoughts on the positive elements that Gen-Z hairdressers bring to the salon industry. 

[52:42] Ideal profit margins for salons, from Tom’s perspective. 

[55:43] The percentage of total sales that come from retail at Same Same But Different, and how they manage to keep this percentage high. 

[58:21] An overview of the stylist tiers at Same Same But Different. 

 

Thanks so much for joining me this week. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! 

They do matter in the rankings of the show and help other people find my podcast. 

I also love to hear what’s been helpful and what you love about the podcast! Just click here to review, scroll to the bottom, tap “Ratings and Reviews” tap to rate with 5 stars and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favourite part of the podcast is. Thank you for your support!

Special thanks to Tom for sharing his story with me for this week’s episode. Until next time!

Antony

Links and Resources:

 

Grow My Salon Business 

Website | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok

 

Same Same But Different

Website | Instagram | Facebook

 

Tom White

Instagram | LinkedIn

 

Episode 156 with Blake Evans Reed

Listen Here

Episode 162

There are many salon owners who decide to make the journey from one salon to two or more salons, only to then go back to one. 

Obviously, there are many reasons why that might happen, but they do often have certain things in common. 

My guest on today's podcast is a salon owner who has made that journey, and his story could be the story of many others. His name is Simon Matthews from The Simon John Salon in the UK, and in today's episode, Simon shares his journey and the lessons learned along the way.

In today’s podcast, we discuss:

• Why bigger doesn’t mean better.
• How his salon has adopted a 4-day work week… and 
• The benefits of building one successful salon business rather than spreading yourself across multiple locations.  

And lots more!

 

In this Episode:

[00:40] Today’s guest is Simon Matthews.

[01:57] Simon tells us about himself.

[03:18] Simon’s vision when opening his first salon.

[04:27] Why Simon opened a second salon.

[05:51] Simon talks about his third salon.

[08:42] Some of the challenges Simon faced.

[13:33] Simon discusses atmosphere.

[15:35] Atmosphere vs. culture.

[17:09] The key to successful expansion.

[19:59] How Simon got turned out on a fourth salon.

[22:26] Why Simon scaled back down to one salon.

[25:20] How COVID affected Simon’s business.

[27:47] Simon is profiting more now with only one salon!

[29:44] What changes has Simon made to how he runs things?

[32:27] How Simon assigns shifts.

[35:38] Simon’s payment process.

[39:08] What does Simon’s work schedule look like?

[40:41] Where Simon can be reached.

 

Thanks so much for joining me this week. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review. Ratings and reviews are beneficial and greatly appreciated! 

They do matter in the rankings of the show and help other people find my podcast. 

I also love to hear what’s been helpful and what you love about the podcast! Just click here to review, scroll to the bottom, tap “Ratings and Reviews,” tap to rate with 5 stars, and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favourite part of the podcast is.

Thank you for your support! Until next time!

Antony

 

Links and Resources:

Grow My Salon Business 

Website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube

 

Simon John Hair Limited

Instagram | Facebook | TikTok

Episode 159

I'm currently doing a monthly series of Facebook live interviews on behalf of John Paul Mitchell Systems. And both the guests and the content have been great, so I am also repurposing them as my weekly podcasts.

The first one is today's episode where I spoke with Clinton Norris and Lucas Doney who, along with Clinton's wife Lauren, are salon and school owners in San Diego. 

They are also extremely nice people who have some interesting insights into the salon of today!

I know you will enjoy this episode where we discuss:

• Changing salon business models 
• Business in a post-Covid world
• Generational changes
• Life as an educator…

And lots more!

In this Episode:

[03:17] Origins of the name of Clinton, Lucas, and Lauren’s salon and creative space; Citizen. 

[05:22] Unique elements that make Citizen more than just a regular salon.

[07:29] Lucas, Clinton, and Lauren’s approach to curating their creative space. 

[10:45] The very effective hybrid business model that is utilized at Citizen. 

[15:23] How they have built a healthy team culture at Citizen. 

[22:34] An explanation of the tiered rental system at Citizen. 

[29:50] Desires and expectations of new generation hairdressers.

[37:23] The core values of Citizen. 

[40:58] Experimentation that has characterized Citizen’s first few years in business.

[42:51] How Paul Mitchell has influenced the way Clinton and Lucas approach their work. 

[47:09] Why the percentage of Citizen’s revenue that comes from retail is very high.  

[51:40] Exploring the educational component of Lucas and Clinton’s working lives. 

[56:22] Clinton and Lucas share their thoughts on how new generation hairdressers are changing the industry. 

 

Thanks so much for joining me this week. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! 

They do matter in the rankings of the show and help other people find my podcast. 

I also love to hear what’s been helpful and what you love about the podcast! Just click here to review, scroll to the bottom, tap “Ratings and Reviews” tap to rate with 5 stars and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favourite part of the podcast is. Thank you for your support!

Special thanks to Clinton and Lucas for sharing their insights with me for this week’s episode. Until next time!

 

Antony

 

Links and Resources:

Grow My Salon Business 

Website | Facebook | Instagram

 

Citizen

Website | Instagram | Facebook | Book an Appointment

 

VARSITY Hair Education

Instagram | Facebook

 

Clinton Norris

Instagram

 

Lucas Doney

Instagram

Episode 157

“It’s easier to prevent a problem from happening in the first place than to try and solve it once it’s happening.”

Team culture is established whether you consciously create it or not, so to ensure that you and your team members are on the same page and thus avoid conflict down the line, the best time to establish a culture within your business is at the very beginning. Although this isn’t an easy task, it is certainly worth it!

In this episode, we discuss:

• How to create a healthy team culture within your salon.
• The importance of consistency.
• Resources that will help you successfully establish a team culture. 

And more!

In this Episode:

[01:09] How to leave a review for the podcast (which we would greatly appreciate!).

[01:32] The email that inspired today’s episode.  

[03:20] When a business culture should be established.

[04:19] How to establish a culture within your business.

[07:48] The importance of consistency in building a team culture (even though it’s hard!).

[10:08] What you need to accept if you want to change the culture in an established business.

[10:51] An overview of the four ways to prevent workplace conflict relating to culture.

[15:47] The benefits of building a healthy business culture. 

[16:20] Resources that can help you along your journey of establishing a culture within your salon! 

 

Thanks so much for joining me this week. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! 

They do matter in the rankings of the show and help other people find my podcast. 

I also love to hear what’s been helpful and what you love about the podcast! Just click here to review, scroll to the bottom, tap “Ratings and Reviews” tap to rate with 5 stars and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favourite part of the podcast is. Thank you for your support!

 

Until next time!

Antony

 

Links and Resources:

Grow My Salon Business 

Website | Facebook | Instagram

Grow Resources

Grow 2: Management | Grow 3: Team | Grow Management: Online Course

Episode 156

As a former salon owner and business coach, I am very aware of the ever-evolving business models in the industry and the challenges that these create for some people.

I have often thought about why more salons haven’t tried to grow in the same ways that law firms, accountancy firms, and architecture firms do; by having a partnership model that not only creates a career path and profit sharing for the partners but also allows the company to keep growing.

My guest on today’s episode is Blake Evans from Shear Art Salon in Tampa, Florida. Not only do they have a very impressive partnership model, but Blake is happy for me to dig in and ask exactly how it works.

So, in today’s podcast, we will discuss:

• How do you decide who will be invited into the partnership program?
• How do they buy into the partnership?
• How is their shareholding valued?
• What happens when partners want to sell their shares?

And lots more!

In this Episode:

[03:08] An overview of Blake’s transition from marketing student to hairdresser.

[06:02] Blake’s advice for finding the right salon for you, and why he chose Shear Art.

[08:36] The evolution of Blake’s career at Shear Art, from assistant to owner.

[11:21] Benefits of a partnership model.

[13:26] Factors that drove the founder of Shear Art to implement a partnership/shareholder model in the salon.

[19:00] What Blake loves about the shareholder model at Shear Art.

[21:11] Blake explains how an employee can become a partner at Shear Art.

[25:53] The different investment options that incoming partners can choose between.

[31:43] Examples of the different roles that are held by Shear Art shareholders.

[34:30] How Blake’s marketing background has impacted the way he does business.

[37:13] Blake explains how partners are paid.

[41:53] How Shear Art shares are valued.

[46:33] Some of the clauses in the Shear Art shareholder contract.

[50:32] Blake shares some examples of how decisions are made in Shear Art’s partnership/shareholder model.

[54:34] The challenges of a partnership/shareholder model.

[1:00:21] Final words of wisdom from Blake about living in an ever-evolving world!

 

Thanks so much for joining me this week. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated!

They do matter in the rankings of the show and help other people find my podcast.

I also love to hear what’s been helpful and what you love about the podcast! Just click here to review, scroll to the bottom, tap “Ratings and Reviews” tap to rate with 5 stars and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favourite part of the podcast is. Thank you for your support!

Special thanks to Blake for sharing his insights with me for this week’s episode.

Until next time!

Antony

 

Links and Resources:

Grow My Salon Business

Website | Facebook | Instagram

 

Shear Art Salon

Website | Facebook | Instagram

 

Blake Reed Evans

Instagram | Facebook | TikTok

Episode 155

There are a lot of people that will talk about how tough the past couple of years have been, and rightly so in many cases. 

But if there’s one thing I’ve learned in my 40 years in this industry, it is that to succeed, you have to continually evolve. You can’t stand still and dine out on yesterday’s glories, and you can’t be afraid to continually reinvent and evolve your business… 

My guest today very much shares those sentiments. Her name is Mia De Vries, and amongst other things, she is a salon owner, business coach, and founder of ‘The Secret Fox’ online education company.

In today’s podcast, we discuss:

• No longer working Saturdays and embracing a 4 day work week.
• The importance of finding life and business balance
• Motivation and people management

And lots more!

 

In this Episode:

[02:27] Mia shares an overview of her business and personal life.

[04:54] Business “meltdowns” that Mia has experienced and the biggest lesson that she learned from them.

[09:11] Mia’s joy-seeking approach to business. 

[10:44] Factors that influenced Mia’s decision to close her salon on Saturdays and how she subsequently restructured her employee’s working hours. 

[16:06] What Mia believes to be the secret to successfully stepping away from the chair without losing clients. 

[18:43] Additional ways that Mia has cultivated a flexible culture in her salon. 

[20:29] Reasons for the big renovation that Mia’s salon recently underwent and the various other changes that have accompanied this. 

[25:20] A story that epitomizes the special relationships that hairdressers can develop with their clients.  

[30:38] The characteristics that Mia believes have been foundational to her success. 

[31:36] Offerings that are available via Mia’s online education company, The Secret Fox (and the inspiration behind the founding of the company).

[36:23] Mia’s thoughts about the influence of social media in the hairdressing and hair education space.

[47:47] Mia’s approach to improving productivity and dealing with conflict in her salon. 

[57:19] A discussion about all things financial in The Fox & The Hair Salon. 

[1:01:00] Reasons why The Fox & The Hair hasn’t been affected by the shift away from traditional salon business models. 

[1:03:27] What Mia wishes she was better at.

[1:05:59] The value in asking for help.   

 

Thanks so much for joining me this week. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! 

They do matter in the rankings of the show and help other people find my podcast. 

I also love to hear what’s been helpful and what you love about the podcast! Just click here to review, scroll to the bottom, tap “Ratings and Reviews” tap to rate with 5 stars and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favourite part of the podcast is. Thank you for your support!

Special thanks to Mia for sharing her insights with me for this week’s episode.

Until next time!

Antony

 

Links and Resources:

Grow My Salon Business 

Website | Facebook | Instagram

 

The Fox & The Hair

Instagram | Facebook

 

The Secret Fox

Website | Instagram | Facebook

Episode 149

As I often say, we are in the ‘people business.’ This means that our primary product is the people who sit in our chairs and the services we offer to make our clients happy. 

But from the salon owners' perspective, we are also in the ‘people business’ in that because our teams are also our product and our most important asset.

The Human Resource (HR) regulation around employees varies from country to country but no matter where you are listening to this podcast there are almost definitely more complexities around managing your team today than there were 5 years ago. 

And managing those complexities takes time, and time is money. 

My guest on today's podcast is Ian Egerton, hairdresser, salon owner, and the founder of Loop HR Salon Software. Ian’s software solution makes the HR component not just much easier to manage, but also extremely professional. 

In today’s podcast we will discuss:

• The role of ‘HR’ in a successful salon
• The benefits of getting more organised, systemised, and automated when it comes to HR… 

And lots more!

 

In this Episode:

 

[02:39] An overview of Ian’s journey from “Saturday boy” in his local salon to the founder of Loop HR.

[08:55] Ian’s approach to business development.

[11:48] Origins of the name Loop HR. 

[14:25] Experiences that motivated Ian to found Loop HR.

[16:24] An explanation of how Loop HR works. 

[24:01] The 4 pillars of business, and where Loop HR fits in amongst them.

[24:52] Elements that make Loop HR unique.

[25:30] Examples of Loop HR in action.

[30:56] How to use Loop HR. 

[32:33] The benefits that Loop HR provides to salon employees.

[37:52] Ian explains how salon owners can integrate Loop HR into their systems (and the assistance that he offers).

[41:15] The 3 subscription-based packages offered by Loop HR.

[43:10] Ian’s greatest joy.  

 

Thanks so much for joining me this week. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! 

They do matter in the rankings of the show and help other people find my podcast. 

I also love to hear what’s been helpful and what you love about the podcast! Just click here to review, scroll to the bottom, tap “Ratings and Reviews” tap to rate with 5 stars and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favourite part of the podcast is. Thank you for your support!

Special thanks to Ian for sharing his insights with me for this week’s episode. Until next time!

 

Antony

 

Links and Resources:

Grow My Salon Business 

Website | Facebook | Instagram

 

Loop HR

Website – Free Trial

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