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SEARCHHaving grown professionally at Hollywood Hair since graduating from cosmetology school, General Manager Jen Akers shifted from behind the chair, discovering her passion for management. Today, she is instrumental in the business's daily operations and is credited with playing a key role in helping the salon expand into a second and a third location.
At Hollywood Hair, General Manager Jen Akers takes charge of the guest experience, juggles the scheduling for three locations, and tackles the salon's ordering and inventory.
Hollywood Hair
SALON TODAY's Meet the Manager series celebrates the managers, team leads, and directors in the industry who work to maintain the vision and goals of salons, spas, and barbershops. In today's profile, we meet Jennifer Akers, the general manager of three Hollywood Hair locations in Centralia, Illinois. Not only does Akers work closely with the business’s four owners, but Owner Sonya Gettinger says she’s been instrumental in helping the business expand into its second, and now third, locations.
Nominated by: Sonya Gettinger, Jessica Freels, Abbey Jones, and Ally Deering, owners of Hollywood Hair.
Date of Hire: January 2011
SALON TODAY: What about Aker’s background or experience encouraged you to believe that she’d be a good fit for your business?
Gettinger: “Jennifer grew up in our company. She started with us as a salon assistant while she was attending cosmetology school. Once she graduated, she started working as a stylist on the floor. During this time, Jennifer decided that she loved our industry, but not necessarily working behind the chair. Jennifer had gotten to know many of the guests, and we thought she was the perfect person for our sales team. As our company has grown over the years, Jennifer has grown with us and has evolved into a fantastic general manager of three salon locations.”
ST: What personality characteristics does Akers possess that make her a good manager?
Gettinger: “Jennifer is extremely detail-oriented, friendly, and professional, plus she loves each and every guest. She makes everyone who walks through our doors feel welcome. She is also a great trainer for our new staff and teaches patiently and effectively.”
ST: How is she compensated?
Gettinger: Jennifer receives an annual salary and bonuses based on productivity and profitability.
ST: What are the most important tasks Akers takes on at the salons?
Gettinger: “Guest Experience: She makes sure every guest in the salons receives a luxury experience and is offered all of the amenities. Staffing: Jennifer is responsible for scheduling all support staff across all salon locations. She also takes call-ins from stylists and support staff. So, juggling an ever-evolving day to make sure each guest is taken care of. Ordering and Inventory: She makes sure all the salon locations have everything that they need for back bar and retail, and gets inventory moved around to each location.”
ST: How is Akers held responsible for the business’s performance?
Gettinger: “Jennifer is held accountable by the salon’s goals. If a location is not hitting its goals, then she looks into all of the numbers, employees, and staffing to see where the disconnect is. Example: If the profit percentage is low, then Jennifer digs into staffing. Did we have too much support staff? Were they working overtime? Was everything in the computer correct?
ST: How often do the owners meet with this manager?
Gettinger: “Because there are four owners in our company, one of us is meeting with Jennifer daily. Once a week, all four owners and Jennifer have a Zoom call to recap the past week and develop a game plan for the upcoming week.”
ST: What types of continuing education do you offer this manager?
Gettinger: “Jennifer attends High Performance Salon Academy Trainings with our team, as well as continuing education classes provided by Professional Salon Concepts, and Meevo.”
ST: How has Jennifer helped grow the business?
Gettinger: “Jennifer is a HUGE asset to our company, and I can't imagine doing this without her. As an owner, it is so comforting to have someone by our side every day who loves our business as much as we do. I know that she has Hollywood Hair's best interests in mind in everything she does. Jen can take on any task and complete it without me even knowing it has been taken care of. We work closely together on daily operations and special projects. Jen has been able to train many other employees to be as great as she is, which allows her to step up and focus on the bigger picture rather than the little things. This, in turn, means I can take on bigger projects for our business. When I have an idea, I know Jen will be there to ensure it is carried out seamlessly. Having Jennifer as our General Manager has allowed us to open our 2nd and 3rd locations. I can't imagine doing this business without her.”
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