MENU
SEARCHHand-written notes and surprise messages left on cars or inside the lids of products make the clients at Neatbeat in Louisville, Kentucky, feel special. Check out Owner Heather Yurko's Positively Impacting People program.
Scripts and systems keep client retention front and center at Neatbeat in Louisville, Kentucky, but at the heart of the salon are PIP talks.
PIP, or “Positively Impacting People,” talks follow a schedule just like everything else in the salon. Every stylist must write one PIP note per week to the guest of their choice.
The notes are made from construction paper, glitter, glue and other materials the salon supplies, and can be anything from a personal note to an inspirational quote.
The artists typically get a text or call from the guest they sent the PIP to, or the guest mentions it on her next visit. It’s a small gesture that makes a big impact.
“Getting the commitment from the team to discipline themselves to do this has been the coolest thing in the world,” Heather Yurko, owner, says.
Clients will also find little love notes stuffed into the caps of the salon’s top-selling retail products.
“When they open the product, a note will fall out that says something liked ‘you’re valued and special,’” she says.
And the Guest Happiness Team (front desk) has their own PIP talks.
“They make five per day with a quote on each note, and then tape them to car windows in our parking lot,” Yurko says.
“Last week, a big, burly guy walked in the salon and asked who taped the note to his car. One of the women at the front desk told him she did it and he said ‘I just wanted to let you know it meant a lot to me and because of it, I’m going to have a good day.’”
Yurko has many stories like this one related to the PIP talks and firmly believes it’s their responsibility as hair stylists to go the extra mile to love the clients who sit in their chairs.
“So much education is technical,” she says. “I don’t want to discount that, but I strive to shed light on the business we’re in and ask what else my staff is bringing to the table.
“From day one, we’re training our team be the best humans we can be, and in the process, we’ll learn to be the best hair stylists.”
Yurko uses herself as a prime example: “Technically, I was nothing great behind the chair,” she says. “But by my fourth year as a stylist, I brought home six figures. That did not happen because I did the best haircut on the block. I probably didn’t do that good of a haircut at all—I only had four years’ experience!”
Neatbeat guests also get regular mood boosters via social media. The salon highlights its clients on Facebook regularly.
“It doesn’t matter what the occasion is—getting married, a kid winning a softball tournament—it means something to them when we make them feel significant,” Yurko says.
Neatbeat assistants are trained to listen to conversations in the salon so they can note any big moments in a client’s life on the salon calendar. Then, the client’s stylist is responsible for a Facebook post, note or phone call to acknowledge it.
“Those personal added touches make the biggest difference in retaining clients,” Yurko says.
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.
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
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 salon's can grow with this movement.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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™
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™
Every month you put off fixing the problem, it gets bigger, more expensive, and harder to solve.
Sponsored by Strata Salon Systems™
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.
Expand your color service menu with the Pinstripe technique. Brooks and Brooks' Marlon Hawkins walks you through the technique.
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
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.
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.
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.
