During all of my recent talks with salon industry educators, there has been a consistent theme which states that beauty professionals who are consistently educating and improving themselves will thrive and prosper.
The benefits when you create a salon training program are massive. You attract new clients, expand your service menu, organically increase your expertise, hone in on your ideal clients, create a culture of high-end service, and bring in exceptional talent to your salon and spa.
Coming out of the lockdown, the hairstylists who have been delving into the masses of free online salon education are coming out armed and ready to improve and prosper. As my friend and Huddle Time guest, Sonna Brado stated, “Creativity is what gets people through hard times.”
Although it will cost money to implement, this is an investment. At the end of the day, the return on your time and money will be worth every penny.
I’ve asked some of the top industry educators and past guests on Huddle Time with Ronit what their take on implementing a salon training program looks like:
What is the first step to implementing a salon training program?
Vivienne Mackinder, Founder and CEO of Hair Designer TV:
“I would contact some of the top membership websites, ask for a tour, and look at the product and see if it matches your brand. So for example, when we have a salon that wants to join HairDesignerTV, we show them a tour, we give them complimentary access, and we find out what are your needs.
Are your team really strong in consultation? Do they have five star communication skills? Where do they live there? What is their sense of style? What level do you want to play at? Are you generalists, are you specialists? And that helps clearly understand where you’re going to go.
And then of course the standard of the education. Is it just some boring video that’s saying, “Hold the hair at 45 degrees,” and it’s got elevator music? Or is it a conversation? Is it engaging you? Philosophical? Fun or entertaining? Does it captivate you or are you fast forwarding through it because the narration is so boring? Go and look at all of those things.”
How do you decide what kind of salon training programs are right for your salon?
Candy Shaw, CEO of Sunlights Balayage:
“You have to create your own Brand and Culture. So many talk about having an education program, but taking a class once a quarter is not enough . You must make it a part of your everyday routine.
For instance, if someone works with a hairdressing apprentice, or salon assistant, it is their responsibility to train and work with them every day. Our salon pays for half of their salary in exchange for their mentorship and coaching.
But in the end, they do not earn a chair on the floor and a full book without taking all their tests, assisting me so I may dot their i’s and cross their t’s before graduating and for them to buy into our message.”
Describe the most important thing to consider when creating a salon education system?
Vivienne Mackinder, CEO of Hair Designer TV:
“I think that time is the biggest factor. How much time do you want to invest and what level do you want to play at? So, if you think about climbing the mountain, do you want the easy trail that just takes you to a certain place or do you want to climb to the summit?
There’s a totally different strategy for going along a trail versus climbing to the summit. The riches and the rewards at the top of the summit are larger. The trail may not go as high and therefore it’s easier and less demanding.
So with that in mind, how many hours per week will you invest in the training? Who will lead your training? What will be the consistency of the training? And what do you want as the outcome? Do you want generalists? Do you want specialists? What kind of price do you want them to be charging? Because obviously skill has value. And if you have mediocre skills, you can’t expect a high ticket.”
Some salon owners are hesitant, what is some advice to give them?
Ivan Zoot, Owner of The Clipper Guy:
“It is a lot of work to create and a lot of work to manage and execute. Advice – It is easier and cheaper than firing, recruiting, training, firing and doing it all over again.”
Vivienne Mackinder, Founder and CEO of Hair Designer TV:
“We have had people invest in the training emotionally and physically, but not financially. They would take the training and then they would quit and go off wherever they came from. And what we discovered was we were training everybody for free.
So we did put a dollar value to it or a pound value to it, and after two years, if they left before the two years, they had to pay the value of the education.
My suggestion is a percentage is taken off of the salary so that they have skin in the game. And that way it’s much more serious. And obviously you have to grandfather it in for those who came into the business before this, or you work out a different deal, but with the new hires you make that definitely part of the new package.”
What are some of the more discreet perks of creating a salon training program that you wouldn’t expect?
Candy Shaw, CEO of Sunlights Balayage:
“Consistency of your Brand is a perk for great training. Then if someone is out on maternity leave or leaves your salon, you can place your guest in the hands of another stylist very seamlessly. Since they are trained the same way in all aspects of your salon, your guest stays loyal to what she knows and not always just who she knows.”
Vivienne Mackinder, Founder and CEO of Hair Designer TV:
“Well, the value is that you create a culture, and you create a unity, and you create a team. And the clients, if they can’t get in with one stylist, they know they can go to another stylist and there will be an equal standard.
There may be a different style, but an equal standard. So it gives you consistency in the products that you’re offering. It builds your team. It obviously raises the bar. I believe that when you’re confident in what you do, you’re happy.
And if you’re looking for the shine and the sparkle, and you’re looking for the motivation and the happy factor, education and the excitement of learning something new, the thrill of trying something that makes the routine work more exciting, has to be wonderful. And there are many facts about.
Happy stylists live 10 years longer, they are three times more creative, and about 27% more productive. So a good reason to have an educational program that has the benefit of creating more happiness, because the actual journey, the learn, is so fun and so rewarding”
Talk about your biggest success story you’ve seen from implementing a salon training program?
Candy Shaw, CEO of Sunlights Balayage:
“There are a lot of success stories with education but none more evident to me than how the “Power of the Paintbrush” changed the course of my entire business and bottom line.
My salon is now 90% foil free and when we began to use the efficiencies of painting hair with our Sunlights Balayage method and our french cutting training, the time spent for each guest in the salon rapidly decreased and the earning potential sky rocketed. This formula of training has allowed me to fast track new protégés to the floor quicker and stronger technically than ever before.
Our protégés go to class every Friday morning and regularly attend my French cutting and Balayage Academies in Atlanta. But what makes this a slam dunk is they finally have confidence early on. What used to take years to develop now happens so much quicker.
Also, training does not stop with just a haircut and a highlight or color knowledge class. We school everything from “How to create a budget” “ How to do a will” to “how to run your Social Media”. When the flower blooms the bees appear!”
Can a salon training program raise morale?
Vivienne Mackinder, Founder and CEO of Hair Designer TV:
“I think when people learn, they are feeling good about themselves. When you have purpose, when you have passion, you feel good. The only way to eradicate fear is knowledge. Because when you know that something’s dangerous, you have the knowledge to say, “I’m not going to do that.”
When you are concerned about doing a certain technique and you have the knowledge, you can say, “That’s not a skill I have. I’d like to recommend this to somebody else,” because it’s not for you.
The fear tells you, “Go forward or go back.” Or the fear says, “You better learn that because you’re not ready.” So knowledge is the most powerful tool that we have, which is why I say, “Be addicted to learning, reinventing yourself, and application.”
How has an educational system helped you navigate the complications raised by COVID?
Candy Shaw, CEO of Sunlights Balayage:
“Because I am an education company that manufacturers a product, not a manufacturing company that hired an educator, I looked at COVID-19 just like I would my classroom.
I broke down every detail needed, created a step by step of our new procedures and only in Candy Shaw fashion, I literally created a “COVID- Brand” for my salon. Once I got everything ready, I brought in our staff and trained in groups. They are so used to class that it made it easy.
Today, 12 weeks after opening, they are still going strong and following it to a T! But I truly believe the reason they are is because they want to be known as the best in our city, education allows you a tremendous leg up in marketing your salon.
Being known for always learning and growing and trying the latest trends has led to a fantastic reputation but it also attracts new employee inquiries to our salon constantly. And in a world of COVID unknown’s and with our ever changing landscape, a reputation for being a great salon that focuses on training and has the formula to prove it helps us stay on top. “
Can you delegate this role within your company?
Ronit Enos, Profit and Mindset Coach at Salon Cadence:
“What it comes down to is you are a salon owner building your business and it takes so much time to do so. If you’re reading this, I already know you’re a high-achieving salon owner looking to improve your company, make more money, and have the life you dream of.
If you are looking to rise up and become the CEO of your company and come out from hours and hours behind the chair, you do not have the time to train and educate every stylist on every technique.
Assign someone from your team to research education companies like Candys or Viviennes. Get input from your stylists, after all they are the ones benefiting from it. And once you decide and implement a salon training program, be confident enough in your decision that you don’t have to micromanage and oversee.
Create an empowerment culture that works for you not against you.”
Candy Shaw, CEO of Sunlights Balayage:
“Salon owners are hesitant because they don’t want to police another thing! They are overwhelmed with every aspect of running their salons. However, part of the reason they are overwhelmed is because they are afraid to relinquish control of training. Find a point person in your salon that can manage your program and then empower everyone including the youngest member on your team to teach!”
In Summary
During my recent Huddle Time with Cherry Petenbrink, she put the emphasis on “structure and systems,” and how consistency is going to be the most productive for an individual to retain information. Being continuously motivated and inspired is important to not remain stagnant, especially in an industry that is every changing and adapting to the latest trends.
Key takeaways for a successful salon training program:
- Cashflow: using Profit First Methodology to create a cash flow management system that will allow you to create and invest in the education training is a no-brainer!
- Consistency: never cancel an education event. Same day, same time; create a habit of it within your salon.
- Planning: Plan your system at least a year in advance. Create a program with a clear structure.
- Delegating: in order to scale your business upward, you cannot be the one leading the training. Delegation to someone else is essential!
If you never stop educating yourself, you WILL come out on top. Even if this translates to your everyday life as a podcast or a Youtube video a day, you will see results.
It’s so wonderful to have a wealth of knowledge and inspiration at our fingertips, and its been even greater interviewing some of the top leaders in our community. On Huddle Time with Ronit we aim to educate, inspire, and innovate our community of salon and beauty professionals.
If you’d like to hear how one salon owner opened a brand new location with a complete set of salon training programs, you can read the full article.
At the end of the day as Mick Jagger would say “time waits for no one.” I say, “it is your choice of what you want to do with your time.”