“Frick… I’m exhausted” When you first open your Salon, you’re excited! Excited to be your own boss, have your own space, your own team… and make your own money! But the excitement wears off and 3 years down the track you feel completely exhausted. You begin to feel like a glorified stylist that also has the stress paying people.  I felt like this too. And it was hard because you feel emotionally drained, you’re working 60 hours a week and you're not growing! But the difference between a $1...

December is often your busiest month… every single client you have ever served comes to your Salon right before Christmas! Which is great, but it means January and February are very quiet! And it can be quite stressful. You’re on a high, just had your best December and then you kick off the New Year very gappy and struggling to get clients booked in. But what if there was something that you could do to boost your Salon’s cash flow by $20 - 30k in January and February? Something that is easy...

Only 6% of your followers will see your Instagram post!  Crazy, right? We put so much time and effort into taking the perfect picture and writing the perfect caption… and then almost none of our followers get to see it! And what’s even crazier… it takes 6 months of emails or DMs before a client even books their first appointment with you. Marketing seems like a lot of work to have to wait 6 months for one new client! But what if there’s something you could do to make your social media...

I can’t go on holiday… what if someone is sick? Or a client complains? And what will my team do if a pipe bursts?!  The thought of leaving your team can be super stressful and that’s before you’ve even booked any flights! But sometimes, a holiday away from your team is actually the best thing you can do for your business…  You come back feeling refreshed, with new fresh ideas on how you’re going to elevate your Salon (I mean… it’s hard to completely shut off and not think about your...

She had $70K in her everyday account but still tried to barter!  Everyone may be talking about the economic crisis, but not everyone is affected by the economic crisis. Your clients can afford to come to the Salon and pay full price for their service… and buy a product or two before they leave.  And if they're not, it’s because you’re not marketing your value! Have you stopped buying fresh flowers for reception? Moved from shelves full with products to only a handful for clients to buy?...

Anyone else an overwhelmaholic? Like all you do is stress about work, creating a winning culture and how you’re going to pay the fricken bills!   And yes it would be nice if you could relax, have three massages a week and learn how to chill out… but it’s not that simple. How can you figure out what’s overwhelming you when EVERYTHING seems overwhelming.  So instead you let the overwhelm continue and you get this weird internal feeling that everything is irritating you! Then one day it...

Do you stay awake at night thinking about cash?  I know I have definitely had many sleepless nights thinking about how I’m going to be able to pay the team, how am I going to pay the bills… how am I going to pay MY bills at home? It can be a non-stop conversation that goes on in our heads! But, I have the answer to solving all of your money problems… and it’s not redesigning another package or offering a discount…  In fact, the answer is something that a lot of other industries do already…...

I used to worry that people would judge me for being successful… But over time, I learnt that it’s ok if people judge because money makes the world go around. I’m a big believer that profit is a choice. There are many decisions we make as a business owner that will ultimately impact whether or not we are profitable. And having a Million Dollar Mindset makes all the difference.  And to grow your Salon… you NEED to have a Million Dollar Mindset. In the Salon Mastery Program, I like to say...

When is the right time to just jump and expand your Salon? Your team is booked and busy, clients are coming in and things are starting to feel a little cramped. Do you expand into a larger space, or even open a second location! But what if you stop growing and suddenly you’re stuck paying rent you can’t afford…  Or what happens if, out of the blue, someone offers to buy your Salon!   Do you take the first offer you receive? Try and negotiate? Or shop around and see if anyone else is...

“Nothing I do makes my team happy!” It can be tricky to juggle what’s best for you and your Salon whilst also balancing what’s best for your team as individuals… but sometimes, you have no idea what to do. Your team wants to earn more money… you show them how BUT then they complain about working... you can’t win! As a Salon Owner, there are 3 keys YOU need to be doing as the leader of your business if you want a motivated team that helps you reach your Salon’s goals.  I promise it’s a lot...

How many times do you talk to your accountant? Just during tax time, right? And then maybe once or twice more throughout the year when you’re making a big business decision. But, you should be talking to your accountant every quarter at the very least… if you want to fast track your Salon’s growth! I’m going to say it again, your number will always tell you what to do and what leavers you can pull to grow.  If you’re not looking at your numbers on a regular basis, how are you going to know...

Jenny is disengaged, disruptive, she’s not hitting her KPIs and the team are starting to notice… should I fire her?  When a team member is negatively impacting the energy and motivation of the team, you need to take action to get everyone back on track. But you can be left wondering if something is wrong. You talk to her but she keeps saying everything is ok… what do you do?  Can you afford to let her go? Can you afford to keep her even though her attitude is affecting the rest of the...

You're a Salon, not a charity…   The world of marketing can feel overwhelming… you have emails, newsletters, the ever growing list of social media platforms and of course, ads! But is the time and money you’re spending on these marketing channels really worth it?     Or are you pouring money down the drain?   Marketing channels are there to market your Salon, but if they’re not bringing clients into your door (that rebook too!)… you may need to re-evaluate your marketing strategy....

If your Salon hits a growth ceiling… It's because of you! Clients are coming in, your team is busy, you’re finally profitable but you’re not sure if you should jump and recruit a new team member before you need it. If you recruit team members too early, your growth might slow down and suddenly you can’t afford to pay them OR you recruit too late and your team feels overwhelmed and overworked… whilst trying to train someone new. It takes 3 months to recruit and train someone… So, in a...

You need to know your purpose and your brand!   As a Salon Owner, you often go into business because you love doing hair and beauty, right? But you can lose yourself along the way. You get caught up in spreadsheets and recruitment and can start to forget why you even started…    Knowing your purpose plays a key role in your Salon’s success!   Your personal drive and motivation, your clients eagerness to rebook and your ability to balance motherhood with work… all relies on you knowing...

What would you do if your team was offered a pay rise at another Salon?   During a time where it feels like everyone is leaving to go solo… retaining your team is crucial. But not all Salon Owners post a job ad that says ‘We’re Hiring’. Instead, they choose to directly contact stylists and therapists to offer them a job!    Do you let your team go? Try to convince them to stay? Or offer them a pay rise even if you can’t afford it?   I have a different idea… there is a way to hold onto...

Your clients are secretly unhappy…   How many times have YOU gone to a Salon and thought “they just don’t do it exactly how I like!”? So you go home and you re-curl your hair, maybe give it another trim, scrub your brows trying to take some of the tint off…    Your clients are doing the exact same thing when they leave your Salon!   And yes, at the end of the appointment we ask what they think and they say they love it and it’s perfect, but have you ever thought they just don’t want to...

It’s time to move on…    This generation of apprentices are different to how we were 10 - 20 years ago. But, they are the backbone of our industry and we NEED them. So yes, times have changed, which is why you need to change too!   Apprentices are crucial in your Salons growth.    When you have a strong apprentice program, you’ll find that your apprentices are motivated and excited to learn. They’ll want to stay in your Salon long after their apprenticeship, they may even become your...

I wanted to sell my Salon 5 times! It’s normal for Salon Owners to feel like selling when times are tough because it can be a huge load on your mental health… even at the best of times. When you have a list of shiny objects that you want to pick up, but can’t even tick off the basics… you feel terrible.  But I’m so glad I didn’t sell when I thought I wanted to!  Yes, it can feel tough to be a Salon Owner right now, but you can and will push through… success is waiting for you on the other...

“Being in business just feels heavy… I’m ready to give up” I’ve noticed more and more owners are having these feelings of giving up and just selling their Salon… are you?  You're coming to the Salon feeling really flat looking for your team and clients to uplift you and make you smile, but instead they’re feeling the same way too! But the thing is your Salon will never grow if YOU don’t energise your team and clients…  Salon Mastery The Boardroom coach, Joel and I have a fast hack that we...

“I’m only just breaking even week-to-week!” It feels like every Salon Owner is either struggling to keep their doors open or has already closed them! But let me tell you something… this recession does not mean the end of your Salon, in fact, you Salon can and will grow. You just need to learn how to work smarter, not harder!  I know I did! Working smarter meant that I grew my Salon by 20% in the 2008 recession.  I recently shared the exact strategies you need to know to grow your Salon, your...

“Clients are spending less (or not coming at all) and the clients that do come… never rebook!”   Have you ever looked at your team's column and it’s empty but then suddenly, almost overnight, they’re fully booked? It feels like those ‘Last Minute Appointment’ Instagram stories are the only thing bringing clients through the door.    But… what if told you that clients not rebooking isn’t completely your teams fault?    As Salon Owners we need to pay attention to the changing trends of...

Have you ever tried sprinting on a treadmill? Now, not just any treadmill… one where you’re sprinting but can’t slow down or stop? I know what you're thinking,”Larissa, there’s no way that is happening”. But, the truth is, whilst you may not be physically sprinting on a treadmill non-stop, there’s another treadmill you’re sprinting on right now. The treadmill of a Salon Owner!  I’m talking long hours, seven days a week, struggling to fit in time with your family (let alone your friends) and...

My Salon just won’t grow…   Have you ever felt stuck in your Salon’s growth? You feel like you’re doing all the right things… you’re hiring rockstar stylists and therapists, you’re posting on social media, you’re hitting KPIs… but the needle just won’t move? So you begin to feel lost and not sure what to do next because you’re doing everything ‘right’, it’s just not working!   A Salon Owner recently said to me “Larissa, I thought I knew how to grow my business but since covid… I’ve been...