You Don't Own a Salon. You Own A Business.
In his latest blog, Leon Alexander Ph.D., challenges industry conventional thinking to help owners add more to their bottom lines.
Q&A with Elline Surianello
LeMetric Hair Center provides solutions for women suffering from hair loss.
by Web Editor
July 10, 20113 min to read
Elline Surianello
LeMetric Hair Center
New York, New York
Q. How did you get your start in the hair replacement industry?
A. I originally got my start due to my need to fix my own hair. I started losing my hair in my early teens due to andro-genetic alopecia and I was astonished by the lack of options available. After trying all of the lotions and potions out there, refusing to settle for the traditional men's hair replacement options, and not wanting to wear a wig, I realized there were no suitable solutions for women who suffer from hair loss, so I decided I had to stand up for women like me. It was then that we patented the LeMetric system and opened our headquarters in New York City.
Q. How is the system different from traditional options?
A. When a woman has hair, you have a lot of flexibility in what you can do with her style. When a woman wears a wig, her hair is not part of the equation. So when she still has some hair and she needs additional hair, what do you do? The key to natural-looking hair is that is has to have movement. The hair we use is authentic human hair imported from Italy-hair that is not as readily available as the common hair that you buy from most distributors.
Q. What is your business philosophy?
A. Build it and they shall come. When you love what you do, you're good at it, and if you're doing it for all of the right reasons, you will always find the client who wants your product or services, and the people who want to work with you. With a delicate industry like this, quality is the top priority.
Q. What has been the greatest challenge in your business?
A. Trying to educate the hair and salon industry about the difference between clients who want hair, and clients who really need hair, and getting the right information to the end-user so she can benefit from our business.
Q. How have you overcome this obstacle?
A. I will never completely overcome this issue because there are thousands of salons in the U.S. and not enough of them really know about additional hair and the various hair-loss conditions that women have. Forty-six
million women in the U.S. suffer from some form of hair thinning or hair loss, and many of them don't know where to turn.
LeMetric Hair Center
Established: 1992
Website: www.lemetric.com
Salon stations: 9
Square feet: 3,000
Employees: 19
Prices: hair systems start at $800
Equipment/furnishings: custom
Primary hair lines: LeMetric
Q. What are your plans for your business in 2008?
A. My goal is to continue to educate the industry and the consumer, and to find other salons and/or stylists around the country who believe in the same thing I do: That the client deserves the best available information and solutions for her particular hair problem.
Q. How do you market your services?
A. I tour the country speaking out on the topic to as many women as I can. I am also getting into blogging and video blogging so I can answer as many questions on women and hair loss as possible.
Q. What is your favorite part about your job?
A. When we finish a woman's new hair system for the first time, and she looks in the mirror and says to herself ‘I cannot believe I look this good.' Watching a woman feel beautiful for the first time in her adult life is a phenomenal thing.
Q. What is your advice for someone looking to get involved in hair replacement?
A. We really need talented, compassionate,
patient and gifted hairdressers, and we always will as we continue to grow and educate the market. I welcome any interested stylists or salons to contact me if this is something that they are interested in doing.
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
More Salon Management
Are Your Stylists Doing Free Hair on Your Time? Introducing the 'Win-Win' Staff Services Playbook
In her latest blog, Amy Pal helps you develop your own clear guidelines around complimentary free employee services.
Caring for Your Caregivers at the Front Desk
From managing air traffic on busy days to handling frustrated guests' complaints, your front desk team often serves as the salon's emotional shock absorber. From a customer service lesson from the DMV to a list of strategies for caring for your front line, our experts offer ideas for alleviating stress, celebrating wins, and setting goals.
by Stacey Soble
What's Really Happening with Salon Retail and How to Reclaim Your Revenue
According to the KIM Report, top-line salon revenue appears steady or slightly up, but that growth is driven primarily by service price increases. Beneath the surface, retail performance and client visit frequency (appointment drift) are under real pressure. In his latest blog, Alain Audet offers strategies for keeping your salon's retail sales strong.
Trimming Your Tax Bill by Putting Family on the Payroll
Putting your family to work in the salon offers some real tax benefits, but you have you have to play by the rules of the tax code to claim them. Azarvand Tax Law's Leticia Skrabut, Esq., shows you how.
The Art of the WOW Experience
Discover how to create a true “WOW experience” for every client by first building a culture where your team feels engaged, empowered, and inspired. Drawing on Calvin Stovall’s Iconic Framework, this blog explores how salon, spa, and clinic leaders can strengthen culture, elevate customer experience, and build a business that stands out for the long term.
Sponsored by Phorest Salon Software
Why Wellness Belongs on Your Salon's Growth Plan
The wellness industry is growing fast, and salons and barbershops already are an important part of it. In her first blog, Tracy Rado shares where the wellness dollars are heading, and how salons can grow with this movement.
Why Your Revenue Looks Good But Your Business Feels Stressed and What to Do About It
While salon sales are increasing, owners often feel they're working harder for the same or less profit. Leverage Q2 data from The KIM Report, Alain Audet reveals some of the structural changes that are dampening your growth and why your region and your salon size matters.
Why Your Holiday Season is Won in September
Weaknesses in your business are amplified during the Holiday Season. Spark Pro Global's Lucy Randall shows you five things to do now to have the strongest holiday season yet.
Appearance Standards are the New Dress Code
In Kati Whitledge's latest blog, she shares how salons have moved away from dress codes and embraced appearance standards. But by removing strict dress codes, some businesses may have unintentionally lowered their appearance standards. Whitledge helps you explain to your team why an appearance standard is important and how to smoothly implement a new appearance policy.
Working Through the Gray Areas of the Small Business Health Care Tax Credit
The Small Business Health Care Tax Credit is a non-refundable tax credit for for-profit businesses that provides a financial incentive for eligible employers who offer health insurance coverage to their employees. Leticia Skrabut, Esq., walks you through how to claim that credit.
5 Things Every New Stylist Should Learn Early
Developing strong work habits early in one's career supports long-term success in the salon industry. Jesse Linares offers new stylists his top five tips.
The Four Numbers Every Salon Owner Should Know
Most salon owners have no idea what these numbers are. You can hit record sales and still have a profit problem. The difference comes down to four numbers almost nobody was taught to track.
Sponsored by Strata Salon Systems™
Your Salon Can't Survive Without You. That's the Problem.
A five-area audit every owner-dependent salon needs to run. You built something that looks successful. Now find out if it can survive without you.
Sponsored by Strata Salon Systems™
Waiting for the Right Time Is a Decision. Here's What It's Costing You.
Every month you put off fixing the problem, it gets bigger, more expensive, and harder to solve.
Sponsored by Strata Salon Systems™
A Partner in Business and in Life
At Janet St. Paul Studio for Hair and Beauty, Director of Operations Natasha McMillen helps bring her wife Janet St. Paul's vision to life, elevating every system from education to operations.
by Stacey Soble
Back to Business with the Pinstripe Trend
Expand your color service menu with the Pinstripe technique. Brooks and Brooks' Marlon Hawkins walks you through the technique.
by Stacey Soble