Owning a salon. Working in a salon being a part of a team. Maybe your renting a chair in a salon have your own business? maybe your a small work from a home salon business. A mobile stylist.
All of these are totally respectable avenues to explore within out industry but over the past years thing have changed hugely.
We have responsibility to our selves our work mates our clients to have a full understanding of all matters relating to health and safety. The legislation governing the safe use and indeed disposal of products keep up to date books and records having qualification, certification, and licenses.
On top of this new products new techniques the challenges of running owning managing a business managing people if quite a lot to deal with. How do you?
Then there is finding time to reflect on. The direction you and your business are going in. The service you offer the standard of work being done. What ever your business model. How often do you take the time to reflect on any of these topic's in an honest reflective manner?
We have to find time take the time to explore avenues to offer help advise guidance.Training up grades
staying current with all aspects of our career and business. Here a few links to check out.
staying current with all aspects of our career and business. Here a few links to check out.
Keeping up with education in our chosen field is so important. Education creates excitement because there is always something new to learn. lose the passion lose the drive.
Education keeps you connected product knowledge is a must nowadays. Clients want to know that the ingredients and formulations are safe and what we recommending for them to use will work and be value for money. we as stylist need to know cause effect understand what we are using and why.
Social Media: LinkedIn, Facebook. Twitter. for examples help connect us with others who are inspire to share what works and doesn't work. Blog site where people share thoughts views opinions reviews.
professional groups and bodies always good to be apart of Linked In is a great place to share and build a business profile.
We have to be aware and have an understanding of changes in the law and regulations pertaining to our profession Now I'm curious to learn more so. I'm not putting anyone (client, work mates and myself) in danger. Just because one is certified in a new technique it does not mean we have the full picture and trust what we are told as truth set in stone!
Law's and regulation are in constant change the information we are given on products how they work and indeed the effects that that can cause are not always clear but the burden to ask the right questions is on us their are no excuses for not knowing or understanding.
With a little time and patient we can research products read reviews get full insight into the good and bad what works and maybe what does not the more we as stylist share net work and connect the stronger we become its part of giving back sharing your experience strengths. It is my personal belief that if we know something but don't share it pass it on then it's a total waste!
I try to share to promote and sometimes pass on warnings . I try to communicate with others in our industry and to this ends in the space of 6 months an now net working all over the world with other like minded people in our industry.
At the end of the day it's up to you what do you want are you prepared to make the changes needed to stay in the now? Its your journey your adventure!
A topic has arisen that is a follow on from my earlier posting ownership management chair rental. It's how we look at salary commission based earning or Chair rental. What is a fair rate? What is a fair way to compensate salon owner and stylist ? Without causing decent work place break down creating unwanted issues.
A topic has arisen that is a follow on from my earlier posting ownership management chair rental. It's how we look at salary commission based earning or Chair rental. What is a fair rate? What is a fair way to compensate salon owner and stylist ? Without causing decent work place break down creating unwanted issues.
For the most part stylists after training will move around a few times trying to find a fit a work place that allows them to build up a good client base a place they can earn what they see is a good wage.
In many cases as time goes bye and experience is gained and our stylist starts to get busier bring in more money to the salon. As this happens resentment can set in with regard to ratio of pay to turnover.
How can this be prevented what are the signs of an unhappy Staff!
In many cases the staff room gossip signs of apathy lateness. Work standard dropping standard of service suffering.
Most stylist will think about and see things that exist within their work bubble a simple world of I do my clients they pay X at the end of the day i have brought in X and sold Y yet my take home pay is
only X and that's before i pay Tax, I do all the work it's not fair my boss should get so much after all what do they do!!
Commission can be mixture of guaranteed basic and commission targets as a productivity incentive or just commission. what is fair well of course as we get busier more established build our client base we can earn more on a regular bases but the thresholds will always be how many clients can we do how much do we charge whilst maintaining standards and service!
It is a natural progression for stylist to look to get a bigger cut of the pie choices start your own business not easier or look at chair rental.
This gets interesting chair rental was when it first came out was quite visionary a stylist pays to rent a chair a space pays X per month and runs a small business within a business. Of course the down side is having to pay that rent whether you are busy or not! having to keep books pay your own tax. stock appointments you are your own little self employed Business.
As an evolution of this a new chair rental business scenario has come to my attention.
A stylist rents a chair fro a monthly fixed fee but also pays a percentage of their take to the salon owner. Hum! for the this owner provides salon reception sales support motivation marketing skills sounds good its seem's to be a blend between commission based and self employed.
But lets look at this with some bogus numbers.
Lets say our stylist is busy and turns over £1000.00 per week
£1000.00 x 4 = £ 4000.00 Month 50% commission stylist earns £2000.00pre tax
now lets look at chair rental
£1000.00 x4 = £ 4000.00 lets say chair rental £800.00 month stylist take £3200.00 out of this they have to pay all expenses and Tax, insurance, stock assistance, everything. but the larger take is appealing.
£1000.00 x4 = £ 4000.00 then chair rental £ 800.00 month share of commission 50% 50% splits
so our £ 4000.00 a month less £800.00 = £ 3200.00 divided x 2 = £1600.00
This would be £1600.00 for the stylist. £ 2400.00 salon owner.
Although the stylist left the salon in our first example paying commission for a better deal more control a bigger piece of the pie the down side is booking keeping paying tax keeping accounts.
From a Stylist point of view strait chair rental is the best deal but involves a lot more work and commitment from a stylist it's time to grow up and take responsibility for your self your actions.
The example that seems to offer the worst deal from a stylist point of view is rental and turnover split!
For this to work the split has to be less on the turnover to make it as appealing as just chair rental the split would have to be Rent + 25% take fro the salon owner.
By nature Stylist will always want to move on find a place where they feel they are making a fair wage for there skill, they will always feel they are working making money for the boss or owner it's natural
not always realistic given the costs of doing business.
In closing I think it is because of the above options many choose to become home based or mobile stylist.
I do however think that there is a fair balance that affords both salon owners and stylist away of coming together to work and create a successful business that provides for all the key is communication honesty, discussing goals oh and not being greedy yep being fair you need each other .
hope this is helpful to all those trying to work out a career or business Move.
None of the above take into account charging VAT and keeping records and paying revenue for this said Tax. you are in essence a tax collector this Money should be put to one side.
Mike. B2MR
