Beginning the future of S7

My salon manager, Abby, and I went to a 4 day, 40 hour seminar called Strategies: The ultimate Salon and Spa Business Game Plan.  It was exciting to learn so much and it gave me the passion to build up the salon and spa better than ever.  One of the hardest things I learned was that it is going to be more work but it's all the work that I should have been doing in the first place.  We sat in a class with other salon owners/managers and we all learned together.  Abby and I usually ate right after class got out and then we did homework and crashed hard until the next early morning.

Scott and I had been going to a business coach for about 6 months prior to Strategies and this was the next step in our goal setting and business plan.  Since October, Scott has slowly been stepping out of the S7.  I started handling all the office stuff more and more until about February then I totally took over.  It was overwhelming to say the least.  I would sometimes sit in my office and think, "what the heck am I doing?"  I am a hairstylist through and through.  I like numbers but I didn't even really know what numbers I was looking for.  Our business plan was made about 6 years ago and we outgrew it in 3 years.  My math and cash flow skills are out of touch but I knew that if I received the right knowledge, I could do this

With Abby by my side we are determined to grow the salon and spa, not necessarily by employees but by enriching our team with the same knowledge we now have.  It's going to take time, like anything worth doing, but we believe our team will join in the efforts.  It's a matter of delegation, trust, knowing the critical numbers and accountability.  In order to continue to raise the bar high above all the others, like we say in our mission statement, it takes consistent work.  Change isn't easy but with leaders who care and a team with determination and passion, I believe we got this!

I'm an open book business owner.  I have no secrets and no skeletons.  I have learned from my mistakes and I try not to make them again.  God has given me this amazing business to take care of and I'm double blessed that I was given all these wonderful people to help it grow and become something the community can take pride in.

Stay tuned for more fun business updates!

My advice, my two cents-

• don't start a salon because you don't like your boss
• don't start a salon because you want to be your own boss
• don't start a salon because you want to boss other people around
• don't start a salon if you don't play well with others
• don't start a salon if you don't want to work
• don't start a salon if you don't know how to consistently work a cash flow plan
• don't start a salon if you don't know what a balance sheet or profit and loss sheet is
• don't start a salon if you are going to cut corners, rip off customers, rip off employees
• don't start a salon if you need to take out so many loans that you are buried alive in debt
• don't start a salon if you don't like change
• don't start a salon if you don't like to pay taxes
• don't start a salon if you think no one will ever leave or be unhappy
• don't start a salon if you are going to make the salon/spa industry look unprofessional with poor dress, unsanitary practices, expired or improper licensed technicians, lack of education, poor language/no tact, ect.
• don't start a salon if lack in communication skills

There are so many factors to being an owner.  You have to know your own limits, you need a solid guide, you must have patience, you must know how to delegate accordingly, you must be willing to have your feelings hurt and be misunderstood.  You must be willing to learn about yourself, the business, and employees.  Your relationship with your business is like any other relationship. You must nourish it and be in tune to it's strengths and weaknesses. You will love it passionately and you will be frustrated to the point of wanting to break up.  It's a beautiful relationship worth fighting for.  Almost six years into it and I still enjoy coming to Studio7 Salon and Spa.