Employee Management

One of the biggest fallacies of the industry is the belief that those salons with schools attached will be awash with genius, newly licensed cosmetologists. But it simply isn’t true. We run two schools yet our intake from our own schools is less than 10 per cent. We give people …

The next few years are predicted by some to be a bumpy ride. The explosion of the freelance economy along with the challenges facing cosmetology schools will mean an ever-shrinking pool of qualified, experienced people for salons to fight over. We are facing nothing less than a war for talent …

Happy guests equal a happy business. Satisfied clients fill up future appointments and buy more product. But I’ve seen some salons spend so much energy on perfecting the ultimate client journey they forgot to consider the experience of their service providers – the men and women on the salon floor …

Whether it’s running another mile because our watch will reward us with an additional point, or taking it easy on the speedometer in Sweden so we get entered into a national lottery, gamification has moved mainstream, here and in Europe. It’s not a new concept. The term gamification originated more …

Every young person entering our industry brings a set of challenges unique to them and their generation. But more recently, the post-Millennial generation has perhaps posed a greater challenge to employers and managers. As we discussed at our conference breakout session on the stylist mindset, the seismic shift in the …

It is interesting how our memories can deceive us. At this year’s conference, I chaired a fascinating masterminds session on understanding the mindset of Millennials and post-Millennial generations. Compared to those who came before, they fare badly. Apparently, pre-Millennials had the work ethic – willing to put in 12 to …

Our industry is in the middle of a revolution that requires a major mindset change to survive. Millennials and those growing up in the post-technical world are driving this revolt. Completely at home with every communication platform, innately confident and with high expectations, they are impatient with tradition and the …

We live and breathe in a world consumed by technology. For many, days are dominated by instant messaging apps and checking Facebook timelines: life lived through an Instagram filter. Our clients expect to contact us on Snapchat, befriend us on Facebook and hear all our latest news on Twitter. We …

It’s been building up popularity for years now, but some states have denied the consumer driven trend of mobile hairdressing based on flimsy rules around licensing in their states. As of last month, the State of Massachusetts knocked down previous barriers to mobile hairdressing, allowing licensed barbers, cosmetologists, hairdressers, manicurists, …

You can employ people with wildly different personalities, but if they embrace the same core values, the team works. Why? Core values remove emotion from the equation, says John Palmieri, director of education at Keune Academy by 124. CALLOUT? According to Palmieri, “Culture is everything.” Concurred keynote speak Gerd Leonhard, …