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
Mount Your Own Economic Offensive
To counteract the natural tendency of business owners and consumers to hunker down until the recovery that analysts predict will come in 12 to 18 months, mount your own economic offensive.
by Web Editor
July 10, 20113 min to read
Yes, the economy has become a seriously hot topic. And all the suggestions on how to survive the recession we're in are not only valid, they are must do's. But as gas prices soar over $4.00 a gallon, home values drop, foreclosures rise, and our sitting president and the presidential candidates squabble over what should be done while they do nothing - this economic thrill ride we're on becomes even more hair raising. Add in reports of flat Mother's Day Gift Card sales and last week's Katie Couric story on the CBS Evening News on a nail tech who's drop off in business has her bringing her lunch to work - it's time for a shift of thinking.
To counteract the natural tendency of business owners and consumers to hunker down until the recovery that analysts predict will come in 12 to 18 months, mount your own economic offensive. If you believe in the law of attraction, continuing to "think" recession will only bring more recession. Why not think "recovery," get proactive and bring a return of the good times that much sooner? Simply put, smart business players will seize the moment while the competition waits for the storm to pass. And getting aggressive in your strategies and tactics today will help you emerge from the recession fit and strong while others survey the damage and regroup.
Here are some red-hot strategies to mount your own economic offensive:
* Business as usual is as bad as hunkering down: How many gas crises does it take for the big automakers to learn a lesson? Now they're stuck with massive inventories of gas-guzzling hulks when they should have been leading the charge to hybrids and electric. If you think clients will just keep coming and spending because you're great - it's time to sound the call to battle stations. There's no difference between gas-guzzling hulks and an appointment book full of white space.
* There's another 20% - if you go for it: I've been preaching this thinking for years. There's always more business to be had when the leader shifts to no-compromise thinking and behavior. But that means rallying and energizing the troops with a bold vision backed by clearly defined expectations. Want to add another 20% to revenues? Then jettison the "they won't buy in" thinking and get unstuck. Employees want to be led and they want to perform. It's time for that no-compromise leader in you to emerge and make things happen.
* Create 90-day mini-games: Mounting an offensive means taking action that you can track and measure right now. Build two or three mini-games for June, July and August. Focus on record-breaking pre-booking, up-selling, retail sales, productivity rate, most package sales or highest salon or spa sales. Build your scoreboards, super-charge your daily huddles, make accountability the rule - and watch the recession as it passes by.
So is it hunker down or go on the offensive to vanquish recession thinking from your business? As the leader, it's a choice that you and you alone must make. Decide and everything else is all about taking action and accountability. And don't forget to celebrate and have fun. You and your team will deserve it.
-Neil Ducoff, Strategies founder CEO
To discuss this week's Wake-Up Tip, visit here to jump to the Strategies Discussion Board.
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
More Salon Management
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
5 Essential Hair & Beauty Industry KPIs And How to Master Them
The strongest salons, spas, and med spas know which numbers tell the real story of their business. In this practical guide, Phorest breaks down the five essential KPIs every business should track to improve retention, boost revenue, and make smarter decisions with confidence.
Sponsored by Phorest
Bella Style Salon's Ride or Die
At Bella Style Salon in Slidell, Louisiana, Director of Operations Angela Meyer tackles inventory, team management, and guest relations. Read all about her in our latest Meet the Manager.
by Stacey Soble
The Constant
Starting at Impressions front desk in 2006 when he was 19 years old, General Manager Paul Petrowsky is a seasoned professional who owner Sarah Taylor says is responsible for much of her own success.
by Stacey Soble
The Most Wonderful Time in Salons and Spas
Planning is in full swing for the most anticipated events and promotions for the 2026 holidays. As owners share their favorite ways to celebrate, they prove that a carefully planned event can also build culture, increase client loyalty, boost sales, and set a business up for a successful 2027.
by Stacey Soble
Leading with Empathy, Humility and a Mastery of Systems
When things run amok at Mane Attraction Salon, Owners Chris and Jenny Knudsen say General Manager Sami Hernandez is their go-to resource and ultimate sounding board. Meet Sami in this installment of Meet the Manager.
by Stacey Soble
Pagoda Brings AI-Powered Operations to Skinovatio Medical Spa Locations
Pagoda, a new AI-native operating system for scheduling, payments, patient records, marketing, and client communications, launches at Skinovatio Medical Spa in Arlington Heights, Illinois.
by Staff
How Women are Rewriting the Rules of Grey Hair
At a panel discussion hosted by L’Oréal Professionnel in Paris in early July, French Philosopher Sophie Galabru explored the cultural shift where women are increasingly choosing natural, personalized color results over traditional grey coverage. In an exclusive interview with SALON TODAY, Galabru and L’Oréal Professionnel Colorist Pierrick Beringer discuss this shift and how salons and colorists respond.
by Stacey Soble
Warm Leadership and Analytical Precision
At Salon Blonde, Director of Operations treats the staff as the salon's most important guests, while her wonderful 'nerdy' side, loves data, systems, and numbers. Find out how she makes Salon Blonde tick.
by Stacey Soble
Trotting the Globe, Forging Connections, Fostering Artistic Creativity
In an exclusive interview with SALON TODAY, Salon Owner Salvatore Minardi reflects on his past 18 months as Intercoiffure America Canada's World Talent Exchange Ambassador and how his experiences will help encourage cultural and artistic exchange and support greater engagement between ICA and the global organization Intercoiffure Mondial.
by Stacey Soble
Client Retention Guidebook
Everything you need to know about client retention as a salon owner.
Success Grown from Within
Owner Shelby Bills says her general manager, Sydney Osborne, reminds her of the power of leading with heart. Find out how Osborne became a great leader in our lastest installment of Meet the Manager.
by Stacey Soble
How Salon Leaders Can Process the Pain and Lead Forward When a Team Members Leaves Unethically
In her latest blog, Kati Whitledge identifies the five stages salon owners go through when a team member leaves the salon unethically, offering advice for each stage.
How AI Is Closing Revenue Gaps for Salons and Spas
The beauty and wellness businesses pulling ahead aren’t just working harder—they’re using AI to capture demand, personalize pricing, and convert more of every guest interaction into revenue. Here’s what the benchmark data reveals about the growing gap between AI adopters and everyone else.
Sponsored by Zenoti
The Premium Talent Magnet: The Modern Salon Playbook for Attracting Six-Figure Stylists
Stop chasing recruitment ghosts on generic job boards and start curating an elite team. Discover the framework that top-tier salons use to bypass phone tag, automate visual portfolio vetting, and attract high-earning, culture-first beauty professionals directly through real-time messaging. Turn your recruitment process into an exclusive brand invitation that keeps your highest-ticket chairs permanently filled.
Sponsored by Beautista
Five Revenue Leaks Hiding in Your Salon
Your calendar looks full, but is all of that demand actually converting to revenue? From phantom rebookings to underpriced peak hours, the 2026 Benchmark Report exposes five revenue leaks that most beauty and wellness businesses don’t even know they have.
Sponsored by Zenoti