Salon Management
Patricia Owen with Stacey Soble
When Patricia Owen, owner of Faces DaySpa in Hilton Head, South Carolina, became involved with her local Chamber of Commerce, she never dreamed she'd serve on the Board of Directors for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. In this podcast, she shares that journey and offers advice for other owners who'd like to get involved.
by Stacey Soble
Following the Yellow Brig Road
It’s not often you see this particularly glowing shade of canary yellow hair on a woman’s head. But women like Brig Van Osten don’t come along very often and become creative role models to a whole industry. Of course, in the beauty industry, you can be anyone you want to be. Brig, as I found out, just wants to inspire others, bake better cupcakes than Betty Crocker and have tons of fun.
Perspectives: Playgrounds for Creativity
In an innovative panel session at America’s Beauty Show March 13, four forward-thinking salon owners will be partnered with consumer beauty editors from Allure, T.C.W. (Today’s Chicago Woman), Marie Claire and Self to define and explore a different client segmentation, during “Smart Thinking, Straight Talk: A Salon and Spa Owner Dialogue,” hosted by ABS and P&G Salon Professional and powered by media partner SALON TODAY. To get the owner participants warmed up for the panel, we invited them to participate in a special version of “Perspectives.” This month, we asked each owner: “As a leader, how do you help your team members stretch their creative muscles, and how do you translate the power of that creativity into new sales for your business?”
The Next Best Thing to Being at ABS
Nothing beats an innovative business class to fuel your future salon growth. Nothing beats an inspirational tradeshow to jumpstart your creative engine. But sometimes attending live just isn't an option.
by Stacey Soble
Cultivating and Harnessing Creativity
LET’S FACE IT, sometimes when guests come in asking for “just a trim,” your über-creative and forward-thinking styling staff lose it a little bit, at least internally while they continue smiling into the mirror. It’s not that they don’t want to make clients happy—in this economy, who can afford not to give a client what they want—but doing the same basic cuts day after day can defeat artistic imaginations.
March 2011 Editor's Note: Snow Day
IN CHILDHOOD, the proclamation of a “snow day” brought shouts of joy. But for too many salon owners across the country, Blizzaster 2011 ushered in client cancellations, staff absenteeism and forced closings. While sales are typically sluggish post-holiday, this extra wintery hiccup caused a ripple of panic, as owners studied their monthly projections.
by Stacey Soble
Balance is Good for Your Business
At “Smart Thinking, Straight Talk: A Salon and Spa Owner Dialogue,” the smart, new business forum at America’s Beauty Show, most of the speakers will help attendees understand their target clients, hone their business skills, and boost their profit potential. But the final speaker, Jim Lafferty, will help attendees focus on themselves.
One on One with Suze Orman
SUZE ORMAN, expert in all personal money matters, will be appearing onstage at International Salon and Spa Expo/ Midwest (ISSE/MW) on March 27, 2011 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois. She recently took time from her hectic schedule to chat on the phone, but she gave away no hints about her ISSE/MW presentation. That’s because Orman shoots from the hip—no notes, no prompter, no canned message. She reads the audience and intuits what they need and if you’ve seen her on her CNN show, or on countless other venues, you know she delivers. All she’ll say is that she wants the audience at The Style of Money—Making it Work for You to leave “feeling and looking financially stunning.” But she did take a moment to field a few questions for SALON TODAY:
The Light at the Tunnel's End
FINALLY, THERE’S SOME SOLID EVIDENCE that the economy is recovering for the professional beauty industry. Professional Consultants & Resources, the leading strategic consultant and industry data source in the beauty industry, recently released its 2010 Professional Salon Industry Study, which reports overall salon industry growth at 4.5% and salon hair care growth at 4% in 2010.
by Stacey Soble
Neil Ducoff with Stacey Soble
Neil Ducoff, the CEO and founder of Strategies and the award-winning author of "No-Compromise Leadership" will help salon owners at the ABS business forum go home with no compromises. Here, he talks about what that means.
by Stacey Soble
Florida Salon Hosts Photography Competition
Michael Angelo Hair Studio has been selected to host a special two-day series of professional Passion Stylebooks Hair color & Men’s photography competition sessions on Sunday & Monday, March 20 & 21. Numerous hair designers and make-up artists will create fashion forward hair cuts, hair color and hair design artistry on almost 100 local and out-of-state models.
Mark Komanecky with Stacey Soble
As manager of shopper-based design for P&G Salon Professional, Mark Komanecky talks about why in this day and age it's so important for salon owners to understand the concepts of shopper-based design and what advantages a salon has over other retail outlets.
by Stacey Soble
Exploring Shopper-Based Design
The traditional salon retail areas don’t sell product the way they used to because the beauty shopper has changed, says Mark Komanecky, manager of shopper-based design for P&G Salon Professsional. “Today’s beauty shopper has more choices in where and how to buy beauty. More than 200 beauty brands have launched in the last decade, so shopper are more confused. But they’re also savvier—they’re researching products online, studying magazines and discussing with friends.”
by Stacey Soble
Jerseylicious Stars Next to Back the Be-Cause Event
Jerseylicious stars Gayle Giacomo and daughter Christy Pereire are the newest industry celebs to back the Millennium Be-Cause.
Digging Out from Blizzaster 2011!
As the Blizzaster of 2011 swept through the country, it left salon closings, client cancellations, staff absenteeism and even broken water pipes in its wake. While salon and spa sales are typically sluggish in January and February anyway, this wintery hiccup is causing a ripple of panic as owners study their monthly sales projections. But we've found many owners won't take it while sitting buried in the snow, and they're actively communicating with clients and extending hours and days to keep guests on schedule, developing special winter promotions and even helping guests dig out their cars out. Follow this running blog, as owners share their stories, and owners and salon coaches offer suggestions for recouping lost sales.
by Stacey Soble
PBA's Salon/Spa Performance Index
Driven by stronger service and retail sales, the Professional Beauty Association’s (PBA) Salon & Spa Performance Index (SSPI) rose to 103.5 in the fourth quarter, up 0.2 percent from the third quarter and the second highest level on record. The SSPI is a quarterly composite index that tracks the health and outlook of the U.S. salon/spa industry.Following a modest decline in the third quarter of 2010, salon/spa owners are now becoming more optimistic with the future outlook of the beauty industry.
Transform Your Business With Coaching
Inspiring Champions is a business training and coaching company working in the professional salon and beauty industry. Founded by Lauren Gartland, Inspiring Champions has a team of coaches who have worked with thousands of beauty professionals over the years to literally transform their businesses and their lives.