Off With a Bang
At a distributor meeting held before2011 Cosmoprof, Rick Kornbluth, president and CEO of Cutter and Stiles (an umbrella company that also includes Kevin Murphy), announced the launch of Bangstyle.com, a new, hip website to introduce stylists around the country to the Bangstyle movement.
by Stacey Soble
10 Technologies: Geo-location Programs
One of the newest trends in the social media and marketing arena is the use of geo-location software to connect consumers to the businesses they patronize.
What Should a Stylist Look for in an Assistant?
Top stylists and salon owners are only as good as the people they have working for them. What should a stylist look for in an assistant? How do you “groom” them to be able to eventually move on as successful stylists within your salon? Salon owner Paul Labrecque shares his advice to finding and nurturing his assistants in his salon.
Strategies for Tackling the ST200
In my travels to different trade shows around the country this year, I’ve had the opportunity to discuss with owners their processes for tackling the new ST200 application. I’ve had owners tell me they divide up the categories and assign them to different teams in their salon. I’ve had others tell me they try to tackle a category each week. And, I’ve had others express that although the task is tedious, the application process is always a good exercise in self-examination.
by Stacey Soble
SalonCam: Opening a Window to Your World
When I first interviewed Mitzi Bishop, owner of Bishop's Salon and Day Spa in Nashville, Tennessee, it was the early 1990s and she had just filmed and produced a VHS tape instructing clients how to do a great blowout at home. Back then, it was a great idea for supporting the sale of retail products, helping clients look their best between appointments and differentiating her salon from her competitors. Today, it's still a great idea, but one Bishop has continued to evolve with new technology.
by Stacey Soble
How to Merchandise for Retail Success
A visually pleasing salon will always be more successful than one that is not. You take extra care in ensuring that the lighting is pleasant, the chairs are not only comfortable to sit in, but nice to look at, and that the paint colors on the walls are trendy and hip. Shouldn’t you take just as much time and care in making sure that your retail section represents the same attitude that your salon area does?
The Miracle Hair Worker
I was so excited when my 16-year-old daughter Rachel tried out for and made the high school diving team. But two weeks after practice started, and she could no longer pull a comb through her hair, I was rethinking that decision. Two hour, daily practice sessions in a chlorine-saturated pool left her blonde strands tangled, dry, dull, gummy and a little green.
by Stacey Soble
Thoughts with Joplin, MO
I grew up in Tornado Alley, just 149 miles from Joplin, Missouri. Although I was fortunate to never have come too close to a tornado, I remember watching one from afar from my fourth-grade classroom as we assumed the 'position' long practiced in regular tornado drills. I remember many Spring nights spent in our basement listening for an all-clear announcement from the local radio station. And, I remember once touring a family friend's country home that was literally lifted off its foundation, rotated 180 degrees and set back down--leaving the back door where they front door used to be. Naturally, my thoughts are with the people of Joplin this week, and I'm not alone:
by Stacey Soble
What to Do When You Hired the Wrong Person!
She’s peppy, fun, she gets along with everyone at first meeting, and she’s smart! Nothing could go wrong with her—or, so you thought! After two months, she’s not as happy as the first couple of weeks of employment. Then, she starts telling everyone how “bored” she gets during the slow times at the desk. She even gets caught up in a few arguments with the stylists. Lately, she’s been booking appointments all wrong!
New Professional Appliance Study Shows Market Growth
Cyrus Bulsara, president of Professional Consultants & Resources, a leading U.S. salon industry strategic consulting, market intelligence and research data company, has just completed a comprehensive study of the 2010 Professional Salon Industry Appliances Market. This study was compiled utilizing the expert resources of veteran executives in the professional salon industry and salon appliances marketplace.
NAHA Announces MBA Finalists
With much fanfare, the Professional Beauty Association announced the much-anticipated finalists for the 2011 North American Hairstyling Awards! As of last year, NAHA, the most prestigious photo competition in North America, celebrates the business savvy of salon owners in addition to the artistry and skill of professional salon industry. PBA invites the entire industry to come together on July 31, at Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas for the 2011 awards ceremony.
by Stacey Soble
Green Your School
When it comes to supporting your local schools, there are a lot of ways you can help. You can offer complimentary services to teachers, offer gift cards for school fund-raising efforts, or talk to interested high school students about careers in cosmetology. Now, thanks to Pureology and Global Green USA, there’s a great new green way you can help your local school.
by Stacey Soble
Front Desk Retail Knowledge Made Easy
Do your front desk professionals know enough about all the styling product carried in your salon? Can they name your top 10 retail sellers? If you asked them the benefits and gfeatures of their favorite styling agent, could they give them to you? If you answered 'no' to any of these questions, I have a few ideas for getting your front desk team involved in your salon's product knowledge.
Matrix's New Momentum
As SALON TODAY follows the leading manufacturing companies in the professional beauty industry, we’ve picked up on a new energy at Matrix. I recently had the opportunity to get to the bottom of that new momentum through a podcast interview with Colin Walsh, Matrix’s vice president general manager.
by Stacey Soble
Why Life is Good
When my daughter Rachel had her Bat Mitzvah a few years back, our party planner pushed us to come up with a theme. Rachel quickly rejected ideas the planner’s ideas of a disco, sports or 60s theme. Perplexed, we went to lunch with some friends. Filling them in on our quandary, the other mom looked at Rachel in her colorful T-shirt, and kiddingly suggested, “What about a ‘Life is Good’ theme? She’s a glass-always-full-kind-of girl.”
by Stacey Soble
Rocks on Your Hair
You may have heard the old idiom, "You've got rocks in your head!" which refers to someone with less that full intelligence. But has anyone ever told you, "You've got rocks on your hair!"
by Stacey Soble
Inspiring Thoughts from the 2011 ABS Business Forum
Presented by ABS, P&G Salon Professional and Salon Today The 2011 America’s Beauty Show Business Forum: Smart Thinking, Straight Talk delved deep into salon business practices and armed salon professionals with the necessary business and leadership skills they need to succeed. See what top beauty magazine editors and successful business owners had to say about their clients needs and wants.