MENU
SEARCHA one on one interview with Neil Ducoff on his latest new book, Wake Up!, a collection of his blog posts full of use-em-now strategies for business success.
“Prepare to be re-woken,” warns Neil Ducoff, even if you’ve been a subscriber to his three-year-running Monday Morning Wake-Up blog series, which starts business owners' weeks off with practical strategies to get their businesses on the course to success. Now Ducoff, the founder of Strategies and the author of No-Compromise Leadership, is repackaging the collection of posts into a fast-read book packed with great business-building ideas.
On the eve of his book launch, he sat down with Stacey Soble, editor in chief of SALON TODAY to talk about the new book:
CLICK HERE to listen to the podcast.
ST: You’ve become a little famous for not only inspiring leaders, but also removing their blinders and making them confront the tough issues. When it comes to salons, what’s the number one issue people need to wake up about?
Ducoff: “The thing that I encountered most often is a term I called ‘Intolerable Toleration,’ where you see things that are happening in your business and are driving you crazy, but you’re not engaging in doing anything about it. For example, when your people arrive late, or don’t recommend product, or take 15 minutes too long to do a service, or don’t show up for meetings—when you allow it to go on too long, it becomes normal. It becomes acceptable. Then it’s really hard to change.
ST: You have a section in the book called “The Pressure Test, Manager Meltdown.” Tell us more about that.
Ducoff: “I always ask owners, ‘On a dial from one to 10, what’s your sense of urgency?’ And, they’ll usually respond with an 11 or 12. Then when I ask where the rest of their team is, they’ll say five or six. You’ve got to rock the boat and pressure test your business. For example, we all know the key to selling retail is a professional recommendation. But stand in front of your salon and see how many clients come to checkout without a recommendation and without making a purchase. So the pressure test would be: Can you hold your team accountable that a recommendation is made both verbal and written, that the front desk team understands the recommendation and is scripted to ask the guest if she want to buy. Are you holding them accountable? The pressure test is: pick a system, implement a system, and stick to it with the right accountability.
ST: Your new book is full of what you call ‘use-them-now’ strategies. Can you share one?
Ducoff: I have one called the “Entrepreneurial Manifesto,” which is a list of bullet points about things that an owner needs to lock into their thinking to run a successful business. Things like considering the phrase meeting expectations. Well, to meet expectations, you’re just average. If you buy hamburger at McDonald’s and they do everything right, they’ve met your expectations. If you’ve met a client’s expectations, then your just average. If you exceed expectations by one percent, then how much better are you than the rest of the competition? But I also built some balance into the manifesto. For example, I even threw this crazy thing out about if you can’t take a 90-day sabbatical away from your company, then your company isn’t strong enough to survive without you being there on a daily basis. Again, that wakes people up!”
The book can be found at Amazon.com or Barnesandnoble.com or by calling Strategies at 800-417-4848.
After moving to Colorado and teaching at a cosmetology school, Allison Stock joined Zandi K as a stylist, eventually becoming part of the Leadership Team, Education Team and Master Bridal Team. Today, as Director of Operation, Stock is Owner Nicki Wenz's right hand, managing human resources and operations, education and career development, and coaching and culture.
The company's Concealed Bead Method is raising the bar for what professional extension education can deliver.
Scott maximized her micro-salon by transitioning from stylist to strategic owner, focusing on recruiting and station-sharing. By prioritizing her ownership role over behind-the-chair work, she grew her team to six stylists within the two-chair, 150-square-foot space before eventually moving to a larger facility.
The former CFO of Perdue Farms and owner of Hardy Seafood, Terry Owens delivers a wealth of wisdom and strategies for entrepreneurs in his new book, "Business is Simple."
After scaling her single-location salon business, SALON TODAY 200 Honoree Amy Pal recently sold her six-location Whip Salon for seven figures. Using the six Ps for maximizing a business's value, she's ready to help her peers do the same.
Buried inside the One Big Beautiful Bill Act are federal solar tax credit changes that deserve your attention now. Two of the credits that matter most to commercial property owners, the Investment Tax Credit and the Production Tax Credit, are still available, but only if you move fast. A third, the Commercial Building Energy Efficiency Deduction, has a hard termination date that is closer than most people realize.
Up to 40% of hair stylists ghost the salon interview stage, leaving owners trapped playing endless phone tag with uncommitted applicants. This data-driven report breaks down why traditional job boards create recruitment friction and reveals the modern messaging strategies high-growth salons use to get pre-qualified talent to actually show up. Learn how to transition from cold calling to high-conversion conversations that protect your time and fill your chairs.
Sponsored by Beautista
Spit fests, hostile threats, and even an overachieving matchmaker--SALON TODAY readers share their craziest client tales and how their team handled these tough situations with professionalism and grace.
Keeping your appointment book full when clients are in vacation mode takes more than a good Instagram post. It takes a plan. The 2026 Summer Marketing Calendar from Meevo gives salon, spa & med spa owners a month-by-month roadmap with sharp themes, key opportunity dates, and campaign ideas specifically designed for the beauty & wellness industry. Here’s to your summer season working as hard as you do!
Sponsored by Millennium Systems International
AI is transforming the beauty and wellness industry, and the future is about empowering people, not replacing them. Discover how Phorest AI helps salons, spas, and med spas across North America respond faster, personalize every visit, and keep human connection at the heart of the client experience.
Sponsored by Phorest
Owner Michaella Blissett-Williams credits her General Manager Gloria Hortua with [salon] 718's year-over-year, double-digit growth and says she's been able to scale the company to eight locations because she can rely on Hortua to manage daily operations.
Shine Time: Aluram’s High Shine Line Delivers Moisture and Shine with Clean Ingredients
Sponsored by Aluram
Elyse Rogers is an uplifting presence at The Headroom who makes the team feel heard even in stressful situations. Owner Danielle Cherewyk sings her praises in this installment of Meet the Manager.
Despite a slight and predictable decline in client traffic for Q1, resilient pricing power is driving year-over-year revenue growth in salons. The KIM Report's Alain Audet reviews the data and what it's telling us about the state of professional beauty.
Same-store revenue grew just 2% for the second straight year—and new guest visits declined across every segment of the industry. The 2026 Benchmark Report reveals where growth is actually happening, which verticals are pulling ahead, and what the data says about where your business stands right now.
Sponsored by Zenoti
Hair restoration is entering a new era driven by regenerative science. This paper explores how Exosome technology is transforming treatment outcomes by targeting hair loss at a cellular level. Discover why EXOGROW is leading this shift.
Sponsored by Dermapenworld
A salon brand is much more than a logo. In this thought-provoking blog, Leon Alexander, Ph.D., walks you through the difference. SALON TODAY suggests sharing this article with your team and leading a discussion at your next huddle, asking the team to define your business's brand.
