How important is advanced education in your salon? Is it important enough for you to foot the bill? Take a look at how these three salons fund their funds…

Funding Advanced Education
MARY RANDOLPH
Co-owner of Randolph's Salon
(randolphssalon.com) in Waterford, MI

TAMARA BENNETT
Co-owner of HQ Salons Apa
(hqsalonspa.com) in Westlake, OH
Funding Advanced Education
GEORGE TSINOKAS
Co-owner of Valentino's Grande Salon
(valentinos.ca) in Whitby, Ontario

Do you have an education fund for advanced education opportunities?
Mary: Yes, employees are given an education allowance annually. The exact amount varies according to their level.
Tamara: Yes, $6,000 per year per salon.
George: Yes, we have an education fund.

How does the salon fund the fund?
Mary: Education is budgeted in, and is just as important as any other expense.
Tamara: It is part of our HQ benefit program.
George: We fund advanced education through our retail sales.

What can the money be used for?
Mary: Primarily tuition, but upon approval, travel expenses may be covered. Also, we only cover a percentage of the costs of outside education. We feel that a financial commitment by the stylist gives them ownership of their professional growth.
How do you distribute the fund?
Tamara: Approved classes, seminars and workshop tickets.
George: Tuition, travel and hotel.

How do you distribute the fund?
Mary: On an annual basis we take time to re-visit each employee's personal and professional goals for the year. We explore how to best utilize their education dollars to maximize their growth. A stylist new to the floor could benefit from a weekend of hands-on technical training at a local venue, while a high-level stylist might be encouraged to attend class in NYC.

Tamara: Stylists and spa service providers receive an educational calendar with their paychecks twice a year. Stylists and spa technicians make a "wish list" of the classes they would like to attend in the order of their first choice, second choice and so forth. Classes are submitted along with a description of why they would like to attend and how they feel the information will help their growth in the salon spa environment.

George: It's based on their retail sales performance. For example, if they average .5 products per client annually or more, they receive a fully paid trip. If they are short of their goal, they would have to pay a portion of the cost. Any of our staff that averages one product per client receives two paid events.

Roughly, how much is available per employee?
Mary: $300
Tamara: Educational requests are viewed on a first-come-first-serve basis, and approvals are basted on a number of factors.
George: Between $1,400 and 2,500

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