Next time you are thinking about planning out the financial future of your salon, spa, or clinic, ask this simple question; Do I earn enough money from my business to live the lifestyle I want and to plan my financial future and retirement?* The Importance of Intentional Financial Planning Planning is often overlooked or done too hastily, with many business owners quoting that they don’t have the time or energy to plan. Furthermore, a massive 47% of salon owners state that financial planning is the most difficult aspect of managing finances for them. However, reviewing your goals and examining ..read more

Choosing the right business model for your salon or spa can be difficult, as there are just so many options to choose from! Even after deciding on a pay structure that suits your business, navigating your way around paying commission can be confusing. I mean, is there a ‘best way’ of paying staff? If so, what would that look like? To shed a bit of light on this dense and difficult subject, let’s break it down into four main salon pay structures. There are advantages and disadvantages for each, along with concrete examples and my personal opinion on the matter. Hourly Pay vs Salary Ho ..read more

“Everyone is not your customer,” according to best-selling author, marketer, entrepreneur, and public speaker Seth Godin. And he’s right. As a business, trying to be everything to everyone can cause you to lose your core operational values, abandon the things that make your business unique, and compromise the quality of your services. Trying to market to everyone can result in you reaching no one— in fact, hear salon owner and educator Erin Raber on the topic as she shares her experience on the PhorestFM podcast. The people you want in your salon or spa need to be able to relate to your busine ..read more

With the long winter months finally over in the Northern Hemisphere (sorry, Aussie & Kiwi friends!), now is the perfect time to refresh, rejuvenate, and rethink your salon business’ spring marketing ideas. For many businesses, Easter promotions are their main focus, however, we recommend you don’t put your eggs in one basket (ahem…), and broaden your marketing efforts to make them work for you throughout the season. Here’s how! Bring Clients Out of Hibernation With an Invitation to Reconnect Many clients tend to reduce their visits to the salon or spa in winter, with cold weather and post ..read more

Where to start when introducing Sharmadean Reid? ‘Powerhouse’ does not begin to describe this woman, who has led community movements and built a slew of successful business ventures, not to mention being awarded an MBE from HRH Queen Elizabeth II for her services to Beauty and Women, all before reaching her 40th birthday. But it is her experience building a pioneering nail salon, WAH Nails, that led to the topic of her main stage talk at the Salon Owners Summit 2024. Travelling across Asia after University, Sharmadean brought the idea of specialised nail art salons back to London with WAH Nail ..read more

It’s an unfortunate reality that bullying and harassment issues can arise in any workplace. The close-knit nature of the salon industry means that the impact can be felt even more acutely. Creating a safe and supportive space is not just about enhancing the work experience for our teams; it’s also about ensuring that our clients step into a welcoming and positive atmosphere. In this post, we will cover:  What bullying and harassment actually are  Some practical steps to address and prevent these behaviours  How to take a proactive approach to fostering a culture of respect and ..read more

In the professional hair and beauty industry, seasonal marketing campaigns can be a significant revenue booster and a way of encouraging clients into your salon or spa. Each notable occasion on the calendar marks a window of opportunity for your business, and Mother’s Day is no exception.  That being said, Mother’s Day can be a difficult holiday for many people, including your clients. Some might have faced the loss of their mothers or could experience strained or non-existent relationships with them. Others could be new mothers struggling with the challenges of parenthood or coping with ..read more

David Meade, renowned organisational facilitator, business coach, researcher, and broadcaster, blew the crowd away at the 2024 Salon Owners Summit. Meade shared insights on growing great teams, with plenty of audience participation, games, and mind-bending magic thrown in for good measure.  Beginning his talk, Meade explained that his job is “looking at the small ways that we can change how we think, act, and behave… showing you how that change can skyrocket results.” Inspired by psychological theory, Meade’s advice is easy to implement and practical.  Starting the session, Meade ask ..read more

Tom Kuhn, CEO of Qnity – an organisation offering education and tools for economic empowerment in the beauty industry – ran an excellently practical workshop at the 2024 Salon Owners Summit.  Addressing the room, Tom asked, “Who here is an ‘ideas person’, but finds their ideas rarely make it to fruition?” Unsurprisingly, in a room full of creative minds, most people raised their hands. If this sounds like you too then keep reading – in this recap blog we’ll share some of the tools and tips Tom covered in his workshop, aimed at helping the creative ‘ideas person’ get ideas out of their hea ..read more

Following on from the success of last year’s “Success Stories from the Salon Floor,” Phorest’s Head of Research, Verna Wall, and Lead Product Designer, Rich Cullen, took to the 2024 Salon Owners Summit stage once again to present more incredible stories from some of Phorest’s top salons. Over a year in the making, 2024’s “More Success Stories from the Salon Floor” saw Verna and Rich conduct a range of interviews with salon and spa owners worldwide to help them answer the burning question; “How do the best salons create and maintain a high-performance team?”  With so many incredible insigh ..read more