Give yourself the rewards fit for royal ladies, princesses and queens- PAMPER yourself!

This page is dedicated to the busy woman who juggles professional and personal life so efficiently but seems to frequently forget to include herself in her timetable. Women superheroes look gorgeous on TV, magazines and comics. So can YOU -you're the daily superhero who comes unnoticed and most of the time, disregarded! It's time to come out.

Give yourself the rewards fit for royal ladies, princesses and queens- PAMPER yourself!

No, keep your wallets and step out of those walking shoes. You are not going anywhere. Stay glued right in front of your screens for a few minutes and you'll soon be on your way to that awaited luxury.

Tidying up is one of the most vital chores every woman accomplishes. Most of the time, she is the one who sees to the cleanliness of the home. Cleanliness protects the family from germs and eventually, sickness. She knows it and so, cleanliness has to start on herself.

It is typical for a woman to stay so long inside the bathroom. Many say it is her domain. Yes! And the other place where you see her reign is The Kitchen. These parts of the house are the certified zones for women. The kitchen and the bathroom are the areas you could get on with the treats and transformation processes.

When night finally comes, clear everybody out of your domains and start on with the program. Just make sure that the dishes are all done, the house is clean and the kids are all tucked up. You wouldn't want someone banging on the bathroom door after a few minutes.

It would be marvelous to wake up the next day already looking gorgeous without going to the hairdresser. Starting from the crowning glory - the hair, give it a boost, a life! A homemade shampoo of egg, hot water and an ounce of fresh rosemary would do the first trick. Rinse. Then follow up with deep conditioner of mayonnaise and avocado. Rinse. Then, finally, give your hair the energy it needs with olive oil and vitamin E liquid combined in boiling water. Cover with a hot towel and leave on for 30 minutes.

A hot bath would be one of the best ways to soothe the knots from the shoulders to the feet. Create a relaxing atmosphere by lighting little candles or lamps with your favorite aromatherapy oils. For more calming and relaxing bath, you could add milk and lemon juice to the water to achieve silky smooth skin right after. Or, you could give your skin the vitamins it needs without actually taking tablets or syrups orally. Instead of swallowing the vitamin E capsules, just poke them with a pin and squeeze out the oil to the tub along with regular sea salt and drops of your favorite essence oils for an invigorating soak. Once inside the tub, you might imagine that you are in an expensive spa instead of just in your own bathroom.

However, if you don't have that much time for a dip, you could always have an alternative. Have some invigorating body scrub in the shower. Exfoliate your skin with a combination of finely ground oatmeal and almond oil. Let the pour of water massage your body at the same time cleanse it.

Free your face of worry wrinkles. You wouldn't want to look older than your age, do you? Combine vodka, fennel seeds and honey (let sit for 3 days) and apply as toner with a cotton ball to do the trick. A mask made of mashed ripe banana and honey will give your face a new, vibrant feel. When going somewhere, you might want to highlight your eyes and cheeks for more stunning effect without really going through extensive alterations. You can bring out the natural beauty of your eyes and cheeks by putting the perfect shade of foundation, eye shadow, blush on and lipstick properly. The trick here is to know your skin type and skin color and to determine the colors that would compliment the shape and type of the face. And at the end of each day (or night) do not forget to remove make-up. One secret is to mix castor oil, light olive oil and canola oil. Then with a cotton ball, apply tenderly over the eyes to remove make up. Keep the shine off your face too, by using lemon juice mixed with cold-water toner. When a trace of pimple is showing on your face, prevent it by placing an ice cube wrapped in saran over the threatening pimple. Retain the freshness in your face.

Your feet deserve the total rest they badly need after carrying you anywhere you want to go. Give them a rest for a few moments by propping them on a chair. Then prepare a great footbath something you'd find in a posh spa. Treat them to a deodorizing bath with Epsom salts, white vinegar and warm water. Then exfoliate them with a mixture of strawberries, olive oil, kosher salt and finely chopped almonds. For smooth and soft feet overnight, smear on a mixture of banana, honey, lemon juice and natural margarine. Wear thick socks to bed and rinse the next day. Follow with a foot deodorizing powder made from baking powder and drops of your favorite essential oils. Your feet will love you.

And after doing everything, your hands need the last attention. Make sure that you have done the last of your chores so that your hands could get the treat they deserve. A hot oil hand treatment could leave your hands feeling soft and gentle. Heat olive oil in a dish and soak fingers to soften cuticles and strengthen nails. Combine cold cream, honey and slivered almonds to make a scrub then leave on for 10 minutes. Wrap hands in hot hand towels tightly for 10 minutes. Remove the rinse and apply leftover olive oil. Wrap hand again in towel or inexpensive cotton hand gloves. Then put plastic over gloves and seal with rubber bands and let stay for 10 minutes. You'll feel the moisture as it creates a terrarium effect.

After the program, you'd feel relaxed and almost lulled to sleep. Indulge! And tomorrow, do not be surprised to feel new and energized. Then check yourself out, feel your skin, your hands and your feet - still amazingly smooth and soft, right? It's not so difficult going through all your daily routines when you're especially in good mood - inspired! Did your family notice?

The flattery is quite addictive, right? You could say it's magic. You didn't have to go out of the house to feel great! You didn't even spend anything because, the oatmeal was just on the top cabinet, and the herbs just at the corner table. The hubby wouldn't probably notice that you took a little of his vodka from the bar.

And the best thing there is, you wake up feeling so good, you'd still be delighted enough to make a mouth-watering but un-sinfully delicious dessert! Again, indulge!

And while driving the kids to school or sitting on your desk at your office, have some easy and simple exercises that could trim and shape you up! No need to call on that gorgeous health instructor with enviously sexy body. Have it yourself - at home.

Start now!

So many beauty products, which to buy?

So many beauty products, which to buy? Each of us is different so our suggestions may not work for all but they are a good place to start. We’ve had 20 staff members test each product and then compiled their opinions to give you our 25 best beauty buys.

1. Sue Devitt Pencil Liner is nice and creamy with a velvety texture and is available in 10 shades

2. Mac Eye Shadow has a wide selection of colors. If the color is available from mother nature than Mac has it. Rich texture and blends easily

3. Revlon Eye Shadow is expensive and has a huge selection of shades. The colors are up todate and apply easily

4. Maybelline Great Lash Waterproof Mascara is dependable and affordable. Comes with a nice fine brush that grabs every eyelash and the formula is nice and rich and doesn’t flake

5. Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Filler has a great color selection and applies easily with a brush

6. Stila Convertible Color Blush creates natural looking rosy cheeks. Creamy formula blends well producing a very natural look.

7. Revlon Skinlights Bronzer is inexpensive. It’s rich and smooth texture is easy to apply and it is enriched with vitamins A, C, and E. Available in 6 shades and has a SPF15.

8. Tarte Cheek Stain is an oil free push up blush available in 5 natural tones.

9. Max Factor Erace Concealer is inexpensive with a sheer texture so it can be used around the eyes, but covers well enough to hide those more prominent imperfections.

10. Mac Pressed Powder is ultra translucent and you can be sure no shine will creep through.

11. Mac Lipstick is available in over 200 shades. They won’t bleed and have a good lasting power.

12. Mario Badescu Lip wax is soothing and not waxy. It is enriched with Vitamins C & E and has a SPF15.

13. Lancome Juicy Tubes Lip Gloss can be worn by itself or layered over your lipstick, resulting in luscious glistening lips

14. Cetaphil Facial Cleanser is highly recommended by dermatologists. No perfumes or irritants, powerful mild cleansing.

15. Kinara Lactic Acid facial Exfloiator is a light hydrating serum that easily absorbs into the skin. Non abrasive exfoliant that cleans deep

16. Olay Regnerist Anti Wrinkle Cream is enhanced with pentapeptides and amino acids that encourage production of collagen for firmer skin.

17. Lancome Heavy Duty Moisturizer is a nonsticky cream that contains glycerin, wild yam extract, sea algae, and soy restore moisture.

18. Dove Facial Cleanser is mild and easily rinses away makeup and oil leaving skin feeling fresh and clean

19. Aveeno Facial Moisturizer is an excellent emoillience but it is scented. Oil-free lotion enriched with skin softening soy extract

20. Murad Acne Kit consists of 4 steps – cleanser with triclosan and salicylic acid to fight bacteria, pore cleaning gel with glycolic and salicylic acids, exfoliating lotion with retinol, and spot treatment with sulphur

21. Kiehl’s Blue Herbal Pimple Healer Spot Treatement is a fast acting blemish fighting gel. Contains Salicylic acid, and glycolic acid as well as herbal incredients such as cinnamon bark and ginger root

22. Lancome Eye Makeup Remover will even remove waterproof mascara. Very gentle so perfect for sensitive skin

23. L’Oreal Home Microdermabrasion is a two part system. Smooth skin with aluminum oxide crystals and moisturize with vitamin E cream

24. Neutrogena T/Gel Dandruff Shampoo is soothing and calms the scalp eliminating flakes and relieving itchy scalp

25. Pantene Pro V Overall Conditioner is inexpensive and hairstylists say its great. Frizz fighting rich nourishing formula rich in vitamins is easily absorbed by the hair

These products are great choices to keep you looking great!

Ten Tips For Beauty

It is simple to look and feel more beautiful starting today. You can even put away your pocketbook because these tips are free.

1. Smile... it will brighten your day and others around you will feel your energy.

2. Stretch... cats know that total body stretch does wonders. Follow their example and roll up slowly out of bed and stretch gently. (For more tips on stretching here is a great book: AM/ PM Stretch for Health.)

3. Exercise... at least 20 mins of any continuous activity will boost your energy level and reduce bad stressors. You don't even to pay a membership fee. The key is continuous like a 20min walk or even mopping your floors. You will look and feel better.

4. Drink water. No other liquid is quite like it. Clear your system. 8 glasses are recommended daily. Your skin will radiate.

5. Rest... you need to take breaks during the day and sleep at night. Takes breaks away from work space to keep fresh and focused. Make sure you are getting sufficient sleep at night since your body regenerates while you are sleeping. If you are constantly letting your mind wonder make a conscious decision to put away thoughts till morning. It is amazing how good your subconscious mind listens to your conscious mind (so be careful what you tell yourself)

6. Do good. When you do something for someone else without expecting anything in return you benefit in ways unimaginable. (the key is don't expect anything in return)

7. Exchange... the money you spend on junk food for food that will enrich your body and soul. Start with a simple plan of exchange. Because some think healthy foods cost more, find out your spending pattern by making 2 lists:

. foods you like that are healthy that you normally don't buy

. foods you like that are "junk food" that you normally buy

calculate the cost of the 2nd list then use this amount to fund your "healthy" purchase. (of course you have to say bye-bye to the "junk food")

8. "Stop and smell the roses". Look for good in everything. This is a toughie because most of us are "trained" to look for faults, errors, shortcomings, defects, etc. Begin with yourself. List all your assets (not just physical). Then realize all the good in being you. Move on to other things around you. Work on this consciously every day till it becomes a habit. There is something good about everything and everyone. Once you realize this you will be finding good everywhere without even trying.

9. Learn... something new every day. Pick up a book. or search online. Learn to do something you have always wanted to do. You can even start for free by researching online. Search the subject and start stimulating and enriching your mind today.

10. Reward yourself. Set financial and personal goals and tag them with rewards for accomplishing them. (this one may be something special you have always wanted to do. and not necessarily a purchase.. But if you have done all the above maybe go ahead and splurge a little. You deserve it!
About the Author

Use beauty supplies the right way and yours could well be the face that launched a thousand ships!

Use beauty supplies the right way and yours could well be the face that launched a thousand ships! Growing old may be mandatory, but looking it certainly isn’t. It’s just that one has to do it right. But that’s exactly what’s difficult. The mind boggles with the onslaught of unending types of beauty supplies, countless makeup and enticing brands. Am I using the right beauty supplies? Am I doing it correctly? What about side effects? Thankfully, makeup tips are not very difficult to find.


Trust the beauty supply expert.


Generally, you can always trust a beauty supply expert. And thankfully, one is almost always available without much trouble. The media abounds with beauty supply tips. And then there are brands that you can trust your skin with. Or use exotic mineral beauty supplies that are a great alternative to chemical beauty supplies. They use natural ingredients and causes less damage to the skin. Over a period of time, the presence of wrinkled skin could make that vital difference between skin that used regular beauty supplies and skin that used natural beauty supplies.


Beauty supplies today not only means enhancing beauty that is skin-deep, it also means preservation of skin nutrition. After all, our skin is the largest organ of our body and needs adequate nutrition like any other organ. Consistent, healthy skin care is the best way to avoid wrinkles, sunspots and premature aging. It will pay off in the end. We spend our hard-earned cash on beauty and skincare. Lets make sure that its main beneficiary is our skin, not skin care product manufacturers.

Should You Make Your Own Products

With the huge range of beauty products on the shelves, why do some people still make their own beauty products?

I started making my own skin care products years ago. I got a book about natural skin care. You can actually make masks out of mashed fruit. They are really messy though, but back then, I was really broke. Could not afford to spend on good skin care so I made do with what I could get.

I mashed watermelon and put in on my face. My face felt really clean, but there was a bit of a rash after that. I also read that papaya was used in spas for back exfoliating masks. In fact, the enzymes in papayas and pineapples are often used to exfoliate the skin. These can be rather harsh though, so I never tried that on my face.

One thing led to another. I moved on to make my own creams. I went through a period of time where every body lotion I tried from the stores, from the cheap ones to the $20 ones, made my skin itch. That prompted me to make my own body cream.

The cream recipes I found were mainly for cold cream. These were really heavy, oil based stuff. I wanted something lighter. A water based lotion.

A cream is basically droplets of water suspended in oil, kept in that state by an emulsifier. For my creams, I used beeswax as an emulsifier.

I experimented in the kitchen. After plenty of failed experiments. I finally came up with lotion in a texture I simply loved.

A lotion is made of droplets of oil suspended in water, kept together by an emulsifier. I used lecithin for my lotion. Here are some of the lotions I made.

By varying the water based part, using rosewater or tea instead of plain water, you can make all sorts of lotions. Likewise, you can play around with the oil part of the formula, with various infused oils, or a few drops of different essential oils, to change the lotion or cream. You can make tailor your beauty products to your personal tastes, and needs.

I had lots of fun with that. My skin loved these home made creams when they were fresh.

I even made a batch tailored specially for a cousin, using ingredients that she loves.



Yet, I have since stopped making them.

Why?

Laziness is the main reason. Lack of time is another reason.

So much care must go into making the lotions which don't keep. For me, even if I keep the lotions refrigerated, 2 days after making the lotion, if I use it on my face, my skin breaks out. 3 days later, if I use it on my body, my skin itches.

Preservatives are put in commercial skin care products to prevent these from spoiling. Without preservatives, bacteria, mould and all these nasty things multiply rapidly, spoiling the entire batch, causing nasty reactions on the skin. These home made beauty products don't have preservatives. That meant that I had to make new batches of skincare almost everyday.



Also, care must be taken to ensure all the equipment is sterile so the final product is safe to use. Carelessness could introduce lots of nasty germs into the beauty products you make. The water and oil component must be heated to the same temperature and drops of one are added to the other while mixing thoroughly or the batch might separate.

It is so much more convenient to buy beauty products from brands that agree with my skin condition, than to make them from scratch. That is what I have been doing lately. Plus the reknown skincare lines are way better than what I can make. I mean, with their R & D budgets, they can afford to do plenty of research on creating the most effective beauty products for virtually any beauty need.

At the end of the day, whether you make your beauty products or buy them off the shelf, it is a matter of your personal preference.
About the Author

A beauty salon will help you look your very best

A beauty salon will help you look your very best with a price that will fit in almost any budget. A beauty salon will be able to make your hair, skin, toes, and fingernails look marvelous. In addition, most beauty salons offer their services for a fairly reasonable price. However, sometimes it may be difficult to choose what service you want. If that is the case, simply be on the lookout for any fashion style that you like. Look through magazines and cut out photos of styles and colors that you find pleasing. Take notes so that when you do go to a beauty salon, you will know exactly what you want. However, be aware that some beauty salons are better than others. To make sure that you are in high-quality beauty salon, check to see if it has clean beauty salon equipment and a clean work area. Also, be aware that in most states, beauty salons are required to publicly display their establishment license. If the salon or barbershop won’t show you an establishment license, you don’t know whether the shop’s health and safety procedures have been approved by the state.



Time saving Beauty Salon Tips.



A beauty salon visit can be time consuming. To get the most from your visit and still have time left in your day, try these time-trimming tips. Before you leave your beauty salon, schedule your next appointment. Call ahead on your appointment day to see if your stylist is running on time. If not, you won’t have to waste time sitting at the beauty salon when you could be home. If you want to be quickly in and out for your beauty salon appointment, try to schedule the first appointment for the day.

7 Steps to Great Makeup

1. Avoid wearing too much

Makeup is meant to enhance features not bring negative attention to you. That's what wearing too much makeup will do; it will bring you unwanted attention. Don't wear too much of anything such as:

1. Eyeliner: dark, thick eyeliner will make you look overdone and will ruin the rest of your makeup.

2. Mascara: too much mascara looks fake and will flake. It looks especially bad if worn with thick eyeliner or dark blue eye eye shadow.

3. Foundation: Make sure your foundation is the same color as your skin. Foundation is meant to protect and give the face a smooth look. The magic word is blend.

4. Powder: The same holds true for powder - not too much. Also, be sure to blend your makeup so there are no obvious lines.

2. Lips

Apply lip liner to completely cover the lips, add color and your lipstick will stay on much longer. Make sure your lip liner doesn't show. Also, your lip color should match your skin tone; wear cool colors if you have cool coloring and warm colors if you have warm coloring. If you want to make your lips look smaller, keep your liner on the inside of your lips. However, if you decide to make your lips look larger, going outside the natural outline of you lips is a mistake. This can look quite messy and unnatural.

3. Appropriate makeup

Wear makeup that is appropriate for the occasion. If you are going to the beach you shouldn't wear the same or as much makeup as you would if you were going dancing. Also, when you are in daylight your makeup should be a lighter than when you are out for the evening.

4. Too little or no makeup

Some women don't wear makeup because they are not sure how to use it and are afraid of being overdone. If you are unsure, start will light colours in your shade. Start slowly and add one product at a time. Maybe start with foundation, add mascara, blush or lipstick. If you are not used to wearing makeup, using a lot a first may be a little too much for you, so start slowly. The bottom line is a little is better than none. If you are still unsure seek professional advice.

5. Overall look

When your makeup is completed it should look natural. That means avoiding colours that clash. If you have dark skin and hair you will look better in darker shades; light colours will make you look washed out. If your hair and skin tone are light, light colours will look better on you. Dark makeup will make you look older and harsh. If you have oily skin, first use oil control moisturizer and foundation. Then be sure to wear loose powder, keeping pressed powder with you for touch ups.

6. Hair color

Your hair color should also be in harmony with your skin. If you have dark hair and you want to add color, keep it close to the same shade. If you have light hair, use light colors. As you age your skin will lighten, so should your hair color. One last thing about hair color - if you do color you hair be sure you keep it up, don't let your roots show.

7. One last thing

Keep makeup looking fresh all day by doing regular touch ups. Don't let your makeup fade or crease. Smile!!!

HEY, PROFESSIONALS!

What's the deal with the beauty schools?

Why can't we find any hairdressers to fill the empty chairs in our salons?

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but here are the facts. The beauty schools in the US are at an all time low with enrollments, schools are closing, grants are cut and as a result fewer than 22,000 students graduated from beauty schools in the US last year. That's an average of 440 per state! So, the question is, what do you plan on doing about it?
As a Business Coach with Maly's I have worked with hundreds of salon owners and independent contractors over the past 3 years. One of the single greatest issues that face salon owners today is the low number of stylists looking for work. This issue cuts across all lines, regardless of whether you are a booth rental, commissioned or an hourly pay salon. In effort to counter this issue, it is imperative that we face it head on. I have recently conducted a random survey with 120 salon owners to find out their personal experiences. The results were not terribly surprising - many salons need to implement solutions, or face the consequences… how do you rate?
Is your salon rental/commissioned/hourly?
90 rentals, 28 commissioned, 2 hourly.

Are your stations full?
19 full, 101 have one or more empty stations.

How do you find new people?
2 newspapers, 32 beauty schools, 82 referrals, 2 other ways.

Do you have in writing: assistant training program, policy & procedures, handbook and operations manual?
101 no to all, 19 yes.

Does your staff work together as a team?
31 yes, 82 no, 4 other.

Is your salon what you originally envisioned?
24 yes, 96 no.

What would you change about your salon?
The answers varied, however, 50% would like to keep more money. Should the owner not be able to be behind the chair, the business would be forced to close.

Realizing the truth hurts, ouch! The survey reveals that most salon owners are booth rental, have empty chairs, have no training for new team members, do not have a team atmosphere, do not have the successful salon that they originally envisioned, and many of these owners are not getting paid. As you can see these problems are not simple and cannot be simply fixed by hanging a HELP WANTED sign in the window.

So, what do you have to offer a stylist? Training? Clients? Marketing skills? Is all that you are offering a chair and a place to cut hair? You may say in response, "I'm a booth rental salon and that is all I'm responsible for offering." Yes, that is fundamentally true, but in reality maybe that is why you have empty chairs. Think about it.

As the owner of two salons I have hired, fired and managed countless stylists, and eventually sold my business for a profit.

"Probably the biggest cause of failure is people are good at what they do but haven't learned to run a business," said Bill Deliman, director of services for Maly's. His advice, echoed by other business specialist, is this: Educate yourself on the essentials of starting and running a business, do market research and write a business plan. If you conclude that don't have the skill to pull it off, team up with someone who does.

To date, Maly's Business Coaching has graduated 58 salon owners and stylists. Due to these partnerships, salon owners and independent stylists across the country have been given the information necessary to fill their chairs, train their people,
write operations manuals, market their stylists, and most of all make money for themselves.

A recent graduate Kim Livermore of Red Carpet Salon has seen a 19.73% increase in total business. She joined Maly's Business Coaching because she needed help motivating and training her staff. John Maly incorporated this comprehensive business-coaching program because he understands that you need information that will make long-term changes for your business.

If you are concerned about your future, or just have questions about our program, don't be bashful. Call to learn how we can help you take your business to the next level.

Software, Hard Truths!-By Steve Gomez

I read somewhere that all of the knowledge in the world doubles everyday! Think about that! There is so much out there to learn on the information super highway!

Sometimes, you can feel that you are behind. I did. I owned my business for eight years. I never owned a computer, let alone have a software program for my business. I used to say that I was old school, that I dealt with people face to face and that I didn't have a computer or software because it would be to impersonal.

Blah! Blah! Blah! I never had a computer or software because I never learned how to use it! I didn't for years because I thought it would be hard and I was just too lazy to try to learn, so I kept going about my business life doing the same old thing expecting to get different results. That's the definition of insanity!

Only when I met the CEO of our company did I see the impact of how much money it was costing me to not have a computer, software and a website. He showed me how much money I was losing by not being connected to my clients at the click of a button, how much I lost by not having a software program to track my sales and expenses and how much harder I was working because of it. I went out the next week and bought a computer and started to learn. What a difference it has made and it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be!

Over the last three years, I have coached dozens of salons and spas throughout the USA and Canada. I have met many owners that think like I used to. Most salon owners that do not have a computer and software usually will not get one because of the same reasons I did. I am here to tell you, it is time to step up to the plate and take on your business at a whole new, accelerated level!

First, purchase a computer or laptop. Second, register for a night class and learn how to understand the basics of using a computer. Third, purchase salon software! Do you want to make more money, save more time and have more peace of mind? Software will help support this! Here are just a few important benefits:

• Schedule & confirm appointments on line. This allows you to control your books, increase client retention and cut down on no shows. All of which will save you money!

• Inventory control. You can manage your inventory and purchasing to stay on budget and increase profitability!

• Software can have the capability for you to track your accounting and billing, to teach you how to save more money, allowing you to save extra time.

• You can track your sales quicker and support your team to hit their goals.

• Save time in scheduling appointments and eliminate needless paper trails!

Once you get your software in place, I recommend that you invest in having the company that you purchased it from train you and your staff on how to use it. Get

as much support as needed to help you. Time and again, I see owners who buy the software and don't spend the money to get the proper training and then complain when their software “doesn't work”. Invest into learning everything about this vital investment.

The bottom line is if you want to increase your bottom line then you have to spend the time and money to implement a software program that works. Everyday that you do not have one will cost your business valuable time and money.

Marketing - What does this mean to me?-By Debbie Miller

I know nothing about marketing. My friends went to college, I went to beauty school. Then I began to think about what I do all day long in the salon. Everyday, I market myself to not only my clients, but those who will soon be my clients and all those who don't belong to someone yet. I looked up marketing in the dictionary and their definition is: the process or technique of promoting, selling, and distributing a product or service.

Well, I do that all day long! So what I would like to share is how we market ourselves to clients- whether you are a technician, booth renter, commission or even owner. You don't need a degree, manual or even a bankroll, but what you do need is a vision and a desire to help others experience what you have to offer.

Where to start

What do you want people to associate you with? Color, design, style or all of the above. It all begins with you developing your image or what I call your story. This is what clients will identify you with. Maybe you will be known as a great cutter, or fabulous colorist, or maybe like myself, you'll be known for developing a styled look for clients. One of the first steps to marketing yourself is knowing what you have to offer to your customers. If you can't define who you are and what you do, how are your clients going to?

Once you have defined your story, now we can start to market you. The easiest way to start is through building a Look Book. A Look Book is a book of pictures, cut from magazines, that tells your story. It is a collection of looks that I believe in, that I want to spend my day doing and I have spent my time learning how to do. This is one of the most effective ways to market my craft- through a visual journey of my interpretation of today's trends.

Found inside my Look Book is another great marketing tool. It is a menu of specialty services or add-on services. Each extra value service is given a name and has a visual (picture) that allows me to communicate with my clients. We use this menu as an opportunity to solve our client's challenges. Our menus have so much information for our clients to learn more about what we have to offer, however, one thing they don't have and that's prices. We focus on service, not pricing.

A,B,C's of Marketing Your Business .

A is for attention. Pay attention to what your clients are having challenges with and what their successes are. Pay attention to what they read, where they go and what they like. Pay close attention to what they wear, what they drink, where they have dinner. Pay attention to where the clients that you want go and go there yourself.

B is for building your business with the Look Book . This is one of the most important tools I have. You can take my shears, combs and clips but I cannot work without my Look Book. My name and my story is all over my Look Book and it can communicate far more than my words or even my talent. It is the invitation to my talent and it gives my clients the opportunity to experience many looks.

C is for communication. Use your clients or your friends and family to communicate or market your talents for you. Ask anyone who has spent mega bucks on advertising, or as some say, put your money where your mouth is. If you are interested in being the best colorist in town- tell people. If you are looking to build your business- tell people.

The art of marketing yourself is to communicate what you do for your clients and then let your clients do the work for you. Help them tell your story to others by teaching your clients how to recreate their looks. If your clients look good- then so do you. When you send a thank you card to your clients for sending in a new referral- you are marketing. When you call your clients and confirm their appointments with you- you are marketing. When your clients ask you “what's new”, remember to use this opportunity to market your business.

Leadership Begins with You-By Deb Hunt

Leadership truly does begin with you, leadership starts with being the example and taking ownership of who you should be. It's so easy to do as I say not as I do which sends a contradictory message to your team because if your leader is not representing the values, vision and excellence of the business, how can you expect your team to follow your lead.

You can't hold people accountable to anything or nothing that you are not willing to do and be as a leader. Who you are as a leader is directly reflected in your actions, and how you conduct yourself within each moment determines what is acceptable or what is not. Who you are being shows in that example because everything you do reflects inside your leadership and that has such a huge impact on your team's attitude, productivity and the success of the business.

Being a leader is more than just calling yourself a leader, leadership is actually demonstrated. Effective leaders establish the culture and tone of the work environment. Leadership has maturity and substance, emphasis is focused on creating quality and innovation to be concerned about the development and growth of your staff. This commitment and integrity exemplifies leadership excellence, thereby, creating the potential for building excellent organizations.

Other important attributes which leaders possess includes being a horizon thinker, seeing beyond the everyday yet living each day with open communication, broadly dispersing support to your team by being part of the solution process without solving all the problems. Leaders know how to delegate responsibilities to their team without being a dictator. A leader does not have to do or know it all, just to concentrate on the major things rather than worry about the abyss of everything.

Leadership can perpetuate good management but the two are not synonymous. Leaders must choose powerfully exercising control and influence yet still empowering their staff to become strong leaders. Your team does not necessarily have to like you but it is essential that they respect you. To earn respect is to hold people accountable to the principles, vision, results and priorities established by the leaders of the business. Leadership is an evolution for each individual, being empowered to discover their own strengths and technical capabilities.

Leadership skills should not be driven but what you don't want to be, as associated from other previous less desirable experiences but rather take ownership in becoming a competent leader. Who I am as a leader is to be supportive, stop trying to be the perfect leader because to err is human, thus no leader is ever perfect just refined. Nobody is above growth in their personal and professional life, so be true to whom you are without creating stories and making justifications for not having all the answers.

Remember, good leadership should bring cohesiveness and unity not disruption because when the owner gets agitated, overwhelmed, frustrated or angry, that is filtered down to your team who then fosters that negativity and fear which breaks down communication, affects team spirit and their willingness to get involved to make a difference.

As a salon owner or manager, you chose to be a leader whether or not you intentionally wanted to be or simply realized your role as having that responsibility, nonetheless, embrace it because leadership really does begin with you.

How many clients did you lose?

W here did they go? Why did they go? Are the clients you are currently doing business with as profitable as the ones you lost? Don't know the answers?
Whether you are an independent contractor or a salon owner, every client deserves the best possible customer service. Our clients move from salon-to-salon seeking change and newness. So, my question to you is, are you offering your clients the hairstyles and techniques to keep them from straying? Maly's Business Coaches would like to offer you two simple solutions that make sense.

Solution #1 Client Profile Card
The client profile card is not necessarily new, many of us likely use something similar, but does your system help you make more money? When used effectively, this card provides you the ability to increase your retail sales and recommend an add-on service. Updating this card during the first 5- minutes of your each appointment will allow you to recommend a new service: highlights, scalp treatment, demi-color, etc. Most importantly, it says to your client, "I care about you", not to mention it reinforces a higher standard. Keeping our clients informed will keep them from straying. Many of our graduates feel that this simple step, yet important step has increased client retention.
[This solution requires storage; we recommend a 3x5 index box, available at any office supply.

Solution #2 Client Prescription
The client prescription card quite simply amplifies retail sales. It gives the client the choice to purchase the products that were used during their service. As stylists, many of us do not like to sell products; therefore the client prescription card is the perfect solution for any stylist with an aversion to recommending product. Our graduates have informed us that this generic client prescription card has increased their retail sales by 200% in many cases. Both of these solutions are available by calling Maly's customer service agent or speaking with your Maly's consultant.
These solutions were provided by Gaye LeFebvre, Maly's Senior Coach and co-author of Maly's Business Coaching Manual- A Practical Guide to Getting Work Done in a Changing Workplace.

GET COACHED and GET AHEAD

Why are so many salon owners choosing Business Coaching? Survival. The staggering statistics say it all.
In 2000, 6% of the salons in North America went out
of business. Why? Let me count the ways - stylists constantly leaving salons for greener pastures, no systems to recruit new stylists, lack of customers, no effective marketing, beauty supplies eating into retail sales, and obviously, no money to pay the rent.

Well I'm not a dentist, but have I hit a nerve?

Now hear this, it's not going to get easier, it's only going to get harder. Droves of salon owners around the country are slowly beginning to wake up and smell the coffee and are asking themselves, "Where am I?" They find themselves saying, "This is not the salon of my dreams, this is not the creative and profitable environment that I thought it would be." Are any of you living this nightmare? If you are, and you would like to wake up and get off this perpetual roller coaster, grab a cup of coffee, and read on.

Pretend for a minute that the salon of your dreams exists. What would it look like? Would your dream salon be filled with people whom really loved doing hair, would you have a computer to reconcile the retail purchases, track sales, identify VIP clients, pay commissions? Would you have a skilled receptionist to orchestrate your business, would young and eager stylists look to your salon for future employment or to rent a chair? Do you have any idea how to make your dream become a reality? Do you know whom to turn to for answers to these concerns?

Business coaching is a craze that is sweeping the nation. In these difficult times, salon owners all could use an expert to help steer our boat through these choppy and uncertain waters. In every industry, trained coaches are helping CEO's, entrepreneurs and small business owners through the process of formulating realistic goals and usable systems that cannot be found by reading a book or listening to a self-help tape. There is no substitute for the one-on-one partnership available through coaching.

Is every salon owner in need of a coach? Probably. Is every salon owner ready to bite the bullet and fix the problems that prevent theirs from being a profitable business? Some are. In a recent interview with a graduate from Maly's Business Coaching, Peggy Jacobi, owner of Horizons Salon in Portland, says "I would recommend business coaching to salon owners who don't know where to turn. I personally implemented the Four-Steps I learned through the program and achieved substantial results. Finding reliable stylists is tough today, and the recruiting chapter helped me to implement a proactive hiring system to recruit the best talent." When asked her about her relationship with her coach, she answers, "Gaye is supportive and holds me accountable to my goals; she has taken my business in directions that I never would have imaged."

Testimonials like this point to why John Maly, President of Maly's, so enthusiastically supports this innovative service. He states, "My goal with Business Coaching is to help salon owners harness business practices that produce profitable revenues. The wonderful thing about Coaching is that it produces both immediate gains as well as long-term security, which is more important than ever during the economic hardship that we face today. Maly's Business Coaching has one intention: to offer you clear-headed global thinking with solutions and systems that are specific to the salon industry, yet laced with business perspectives to produce measurable results. I believe it is just what our industry needs to get ahead."

As John so aptly put it, Maly's wants to help you GET AHEAD. We are ready to be your partner and help you revitalize your business. It's a New Year filled with opportunity- it's time to look inward and heal thyself.

Extra… Extra… Business Plan to the Rescue!-By Louis Mattassi

In all sincerity, you should create your business plan before you set up your company, etc. Trust me when I make this statement “being passionate and results- driven takes a plan of action to get accomplished. However, I find that plenty of salon owners lose momentum in writing their business plan, so in the understanding of keeping you excited and motivated, I will give you the option to write the business plan after you get your preliminary groundwork running. There is something very fulfilling about getting your salon going, and this will give you the drive and momentum to put together a meaningful business plan.

Unless you are using your business plan to get a loan, find investors or apply for some other type of outside assistance, the primary audience of your business plan is YOU, and anyone else who joins your team. Therefore, don't get hung up in the parts of the business plan that are not useful or meaningful to you. Use good sense about how much detail, time and effort you want to invest up front.

A tad of advice, your business plan be reasonably light at first, and then, as you become more skilled in your new business, start to evolve your business plan with added details.

I also recommend that your business plan become a "living document," versus some mountain of papers that you file away. Therefore, as you are writing it, think about how you will use the information later on, and make sure that it can easily fit that purpose.

For instance, in the beginning of your business plan, you will explain the purpose, mission and vision of your salon and spa. As you write these sections, recognize that you can incorporate this lingo into your marketing materials later on. Also, the words you use should turn into the answer to the question, "So what does a salon business owner do?" Do yourself a favor, and make the writing of your business plan your way of turning yourself into a living, breathing successful salon and spa owner.

The benefits of implementing a business plan include understanding how to operate, manage and build your business from all necessary angles. Just to mention a few major areas as referenced from Salon Training International's Management Tools includes: how to create and use budgets regularly, implement operational systems, establish quality control for customer service, policies for employee evaluations, front desk trainings and procedures, strategic planning and goals.

So, as a suggestion for continued support there is a book called, the E-Myth Revisited: Why most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It . Buy it …it will change your outlook about business planning for a small business and share a wealth of information that is valuable for anyone building their dream workplace.

Often times when people decide to go into the salon and spa industry, they fail to see it for what it is, a small business that has all the potential for growth but needs a big commitment. To be effective, it is imperative that you start thinking about managing your business in these terms, if you want to fully establish your business competitively with the world around you.

As an owner, you should take this responsibility seriously to create, modify and follow a descriptive, complete business plan. Failing to see yourself as a small business owner can sabotage your future success. So, my recommendation to you is to take actions and utilize resources to develop your business plan fully, in order to up the ante on your success today

Do you know your numbers?

What percentage of your clients are new?

What percentage of services are chemicals?

What is the salons' average ticket?

Your average ticket?

Average service ticket compared to retail ticket?

Better yet, what does it mean???

Whether you are a salon owner, independent contractor or technician in a business you should know what your numbers are and how they affect your business. Whether you are writing down numbers on a tracking form or pulling reports off the computer you need to know what that information means for your business. As a coach at Maly's it is my passion to help salon professionals understand what numbers mean and how tracking specific measurements will increase revenue, productivity and client retention.
The first number you should be aware of is client count. We need to be consistently recruiting new clients. Every year you lose 15% of your business whether you like it or not. Clients move away, get bored with us, upset, and there are those we hope to lose. Let's say we have built a great clientele and are booked to capacity. No need to recruit new clients right? Wrong! If you sit back after the first year those 100 clients you had is now 85. The second year they are down to 70 and so on. And we can't figure out why business is slow or why some technicians never quite build their clients to capacity. In addition we need to know if our clients are advertising for us. What type of incentive program do you have in place for your clients to refer new clients? Is it working? How do you know if you don't track it? Clients who have been coming to you for years are not as excited as someone who just came to you and loves their new cut and color. This is the client who is going to tell everyone how wonderful you are and that they must go to this salon to see you. Every year 2/3 of businesses have to close their door and the number one reason is marketing. Whether you are a salon owner, independent contractor or commissioned employee you must be marketing yourself to stay in the game.

The second number you need to be aware of is service count. What services are our clients having and is it making me money? The tracking forms that our coaching clients use break down the services for the day so each technician can see exactly what services have been performed. Some days it feels like you have done a lot of color. That is not always the case. Chemical work should account for 30% of your business. If not you are doing all haircuts and small services and you are working too hard. Your clients should be chemically dependent on you and having multiple services.

The third number is average ticket. How much money are your clients spending? To get your services per client take the total service dollars divided by the total clients for the day. This will give you on average what each client is spending with you. If your service average is $23 and your haircut price is $25 then you have got a problem. Top stylists in our industry have their clients spending 3 times their haircut price. What are your clients spending? The other average you need to determine is retail. If your average retail per client is less than $12, your clients are walking out with less than 1 bottle. The average person has 11 bottles of products in their bathroom. Where are they getting them? They are not purchasing them from you. In addition, in a Modern Salon study they found if a client purchases 1 product there is a 30% chance they will return to you, if they purchase 2 products there is a 60% chance and if they purchase 3 products there is a 90% chance. Making sure your clients are purchasing their haircare products from you ensures they will keep coming to you. This ensures your future.

Looking at your numbers for the first time can be a little scary and overwhelming. Maly's coaches are here to show you the difference it can make in your business. If you have any business challenge or would like to take your business to the next level, the Maly's Business Coaching Program can help

Choosing an Accountant that is Right for You! -By Kim Lento

Salon owners looking for an accountant usually rely on friends to make recommendations. I recommend doing your homework before making that decision. What do you need from an accountant? Why do you need one? And, how do you hire one? Remember, people come to us because we are the professional, so hire a professional accountant to do what they do best!

Since you know the most about what you need, make a list of the services and areas most important to you and your business. Choose an accountant who specializes in small business issues and has experience particularly in the salon industry. Think about the type of accountant you want handling your financial well being. The choices range from retail companies to one-person practices to full service firms. Consider your urgency, your financial future and your specialized needs when making your choice.

Remember, not every person who offers accounting services has the same education and training. There are Accountants, Bookkeepers, and Certified Public Accountants, Enrolled Agents and Licensed Tax Consultants or preparers.

An Accountant is a professional who is trained in the classification, analysis and interpretation of financial records prepared by a bookkeeper. A Bookkeeper specializes in maintaining the records of financial transactions for a business. A CPA is an accountant who is licensed by the state and is best for corporate accounting, tax audits and business consulting. An Enrolled Agent is licensed by the IRS and best for complex tax issues, tax audits and responding to tax collectors. Lastly, a Licensed Tax Preparer may be licensed by the state and is best for handling straight forward consumer tax returns for a fee.

Decide on the type of relationship that you want with your accountant. A good accountant isn't just a number-cruncher who prepares tax returns. How available do you need them to be? You need to feel comfortable asking any question about your finances. Do you need someone to assist you through out the year or once a year just at tax time? You may want an adviser who will anticipate your needs and give you the options you may not have already thought of.

Get referrals! That is how we get our best customers, so to can you find the perfect accountant. Knowing and understanding what you are looking for in an accountant is a good place to start but also call friends and other salon owners for their recommendations. Ask your Attorney or Financial Planner or your Bank to suggest someone who might be a good match. Always ask for references and pick an adviser you feel you can trust, since he'll be privy to your deepest financial concerns including money management and assessing your business needs.

Interview at least two accountants and ask a few of their clients how well they have performed for them. Ask what there specialties and services are. Do they have experience in the salon/beauty industry? How are they paid, hourly or flat rate? It is important to have face-to-face interviews. You want to feel comfortable that your personalities and goals are compatible.

When choosing the right accountant for you, make your choice based on solid information. Do your due diligence and learn what you need to know, find the right-sized firm with the appropriate qualifications, be sure you get several referrals and interview your top candidates face-to-face. With all of this in place, you will be set up to build financial security with an accountant that you trust.

Coach Helps Salon Owner Turn Her Ship Around Program puts salon back on course.

W hen Kim Livermore purchased the Red Carpet salon in Salem, Oregon, in July 2001, she had been working in the salon as a stylist for 14 years. She desperately wanted her business to be a success, but when she attempted to make any change in salon, she found that her staff viewed her as a co-worker rather than a boss.
Stylists were coming and going as they pleased, retail sales were low, and staff members weren't getting along as well as they should. "I had worked for the original owner, then another stylist from the Salon bought it, and I watch it get completely out of control," Livermore recalls. "The second owner was great but just wasn't a boss type. I wanted to bring the salon back to where it was under the original owner."

Uncertain of how to achieve this goal, Livermore shared her dilemma with her Maly's sales representative, and he told her about the company's new Business Coaching Program. She enrolled in the program October 2001 and completed the 12-week course in January 2002.

Throughout the program she was given weekly telephone coaching, complete with detailed homework assignments, by Gaye LeFebvre, a senior business coach and founder of the program.

During the course Livermore was taught how to create a set of rules and regulations within the salon, how to build up her staff as a team, how to establish an assistant's training program, hoe to implement monthly staff meetings, and how to increase her retail sales.

"The program helped me as an individual," she says. "It helped teach me how to communicate with the staff with out sounding greedy. There was a misconception that I was getting half the money that was brought in because the girls work on commission and get 50 percent. What they didn't realize was the cost of running a business".

"Kim needed to understand her people better, so I had her analyze he staff". Says LeFebvre, who owned two highly successful salons in Utah for seven years prior to becoming a business coach three years ago. "She needed to understand what motivated the staff. Some were career-oriented, some were money oriented, some were part-timers who didn't want to book extra services. A couple of 'some-timers' who weren't motivated by anything.

LeFebvre asked Livermore to write down her goals, and create a mission and vision statement. "Kim is a busy stylist working behind the chair. She has lots of knowledge to share, but she didn't have and assistant's training program in writing, so she was constant having to reinvent the wheel." Explains LeFebvre.

Claudia Heimbuch, red Carpet's receptionist of nine years, says she has noticed dramatic changes within the salon. "I watched Kim grow as a person. She is stronger, more balanced businesswoman, and we are all very fortunate to have her leading us", Heimbuch says. "There is a more structured environment in the salon, and she has opened up many opportunities for these girls. It's exciting to see the vision she has planned."

Under LeFebvre's tutelage, Livermore and her staff made up the salon's rules and regulations together, helped make the staff more accountable. If they break the rules now, it's their own rules they're breaking, says Livermore. "Salon Owners and stylist need to understand that help is available to he, and that they aren't alone in this. They don't have to learn through the school of hard knocks like I did"

Once the rules were in place, Livermore was coached on how to let a few staff members go. "We had some theft problems, and there issues of people cutting hair for free. Gaye showed me how to avoid that in the future." Says Livermore.

As the momentum began to build, Livermore and her team were taught how to create marketing strategies, financial statements, and contests designed to build business and how to go into beauty schools to recruit new staff.

"Each week we had homework, like comparing numbers by tracking a stylist ratio of old service requests to new request," she explains. "Then Gaye would recommend a specific talk I needed to have with specific stylist, like about low retail sales, for example."

LeFebvre also taught Livermore howe to rethink her money- making strategies. "Hard money is what you make working behind the chair, and soft money is the residual that comes in from commissions, retail and other sources." LeFebvre explains. "Coaching is often about teaching people how to let go of the hard-money mentality, because as we get older we can only work so hard behind the chair. Plus, you have to let the other stylist grow."

Since implementing the strategies she learned from LeFebvre, Livermore says her staff is getting along better, the rules are being followed, retails sales are up, and the salon is getting new clients. "And of course, money-wise, it's improved too," she says.

Red Carpet has enjoyed financial growth. Since completing the program, Livermore has seen at least 16-percent growth in total revenue each month compared with the year before. The lowest growth occurred when she was down three stylists and had not increased her prices. Her largest increase was 26-percent- this during a challenging year for all businesses.

"All I was hoping for after September 11th, was to break even from the prior year," she says. "I would definitely recommend this program to other people, even for those just considering buying a salon. It really helps shoe you what to expect. The cost was minor- it has paid for itself." LeFebvre adds: "Salon owners and stylist need to understand that help is available to them and they are not alone in this. They don't have to learn through the school of hard knocks like I did." A lot of the time it's just a matter of dealing with fears- fears of confrontation, of handling money or anything else. And because the coaching is done over the phone, people can feel free to be completely honest; they don't have to worry about being judged."

Your Attitude Determines Your Altitude -By Erin M. Rhines

Your attitude determines your altitude." Reverend Jackson set the world ablaze with that one. This is actually true for those who believe in the concept, but for too long, too many have been left disconnected and feeling like, "It sounds great, but what does it mean, and how can I make this knowledge work for me?"


Simply put, it goes like this (and in this order as a cycle): beliefs, thoughts, actions, results, beliefs, thoughts, actions… get it?

"Your attitude determines your altitude." Reverend Jackson set the world ablaze with that one. This is actually true for those who believe in the concept, but for too long, too many have been left disconnected and feeling like, "It sounds great, but what does it mean, and how can I make this knowledge work for me?"

Simply put, it goes like this (and in this order as a cycle): beliefs, thoughts, actions, results, beliefs, thoughts, actions… get it?

Let's have a look at your beliefs. Where does a belief system begin? Plenty of people build their belief systems around those of others and in doing so surrender the power to create their own lives. In surrendering the power to create your life, you forget that you are in control here. It is, perhaps, the worst crime ever committed. Interesting as it may be, we have often shaped our beliefs based on a few single moments in time. Something that may have happened to you as a five-year old may have caused you to believe something untrue about yourself. For example, something may have happened to you that caused you to believe that you are ___________. Subsequently, for years and years you believed that you are ___________, but are you? What do you think?

No, really, what do you think? As a person thinketh, a person getteth. OK, that was a joke thrown in the midst of all this newfangled thinking, but the cool thing about that joke is that it's as garbled as it is true. Really, though, what do you think of your business and your life? Why did you go into business in the first place? Are you where you thought you would be by now? If not, why not? No matter what, you can bet your bottom dollar that your thoughts and your actions are no doubt in sync.

Let's have a look at your actions: A smart man once said, "When you choose the behavior, you choose the consequences." Once again, the world is ablaze with news you can't use. But look deeper and you will find a more direct link between the beginning and the end: You choose. If you're at a rough spot in your life or your business, this does not mean that that have been wrong or that your circumstances are your fault. What it does mean is that your life, your business and the quality of each is your responsibility. Unequivocally, the results received are a direct result of the choices made [or not made]. Pursuant to this concept, Universal Law indeed states: “That which you do not choose will be chosen for you.” Whether or not you realize that you choose, you still choose. This means that by not taking action, by not making choices, you then choose not to choose. Life is tricky that way. While the end results may not be what you have wanted, what the universe understands from you is that you do not want to choose. It means that you choose neither the behavior nor the consequences, and in turn, leave your results to chance. What can you do? First, choose. Then choose good choices. You will see immediate results.

Speaking of results, are you happy with your business? Then let me ask you this: Why does Ford make cars? Why does Sony make televisions? Why is any business in business? Here it is: Businesses are in business to make money, and yours is no different. If you opened a salon to beautify your clients and you are not making the money you dreamed of, you are more than likely doing what you set out to do, which is beautifying clients. If you are not doing both, beautifying clients and making money, it is highly likely that you did not believe you could do it, and because you did not believe you could do it, you did not think you could have it, and because you did not think you could have it, you did not act though you could get it, and because you did not act as though you could get it, you did not get it, get it?

Having the business and/or the life of your dreams is not an automatic process. These things do not take care of themselves. Living a good life and a running a successful business is only the result of willful, meaningful action, over and over. The beauty of this is that you are in control. Whenever you feel that you are in rut, draw a diagram like the one pictured above to help figure things out. It is possible to see life (and business) as a-gift-is-usually-wrapped-up-in-a-problem-thorns-have-roses-the-glass-is-half full kind thing. Best of luck to you and your new altitude.

The Proof is in the Results -By Louis Mattassi

It was an ordinary Monday afternoon when the phone rang. “Louis, this is Terry.”

It was not our usual scheduled call, so I became prepared to coach her through any number of the unexpected occurrences that normally accompany owning any salon business.

As it turns out, Terry, the sole proprietor of a full-service salon with fifty employees called to share her good news: numbers were up – again.

For a year and a half, Terry has sought training through Coaching Club, Salon Training International's business and life coaching division. Having seen dramatic results through her own training, Terry reports that she has indeed put all fifty employees through Coaching Club, and implements essential chapters of the trainings as a regular part of recommended weekly staff meetings.

Results Oriented

According to Terry, “The results are tremendous!” Not only has the program been a blessing to her business and her pockets, Terry finds improved morale among her employees. “My employees are happier because they know what to do, which provides a lot of freedom from stress.”

Terry's employees find it best to follow the coaching techniques to the letter. Providing the business with specific guidelines, standards and expectations, Terry notes that training received through Coaching Club has defined a “culture” for her business. “When I hire new employees, they understand and like the way we do things here.”


Talk about Customer Service

Terry's salon is a prime example of Coaching Club's purpose, which is to revolutionize salons and position them for long-term growth and stable profitability through systematization.

“Customers now see my business as more than a salon,” says Terry. Customers see my business as a company, and I will never do business any other way.”

Terry credits Coaching Club with helping to improve the listening skills of her staff, which turns into profitable dollars for Terry, her business and her staff. “My staff now knows the correct way to ask questions, the correct way to promote retail, and the correct way to assess needs of the customer. As a result, we have far less re-dos and few complaints, if any. This way, my clients leave my salon satisfied every time.”

During the conversation, I noticed that Terry has taken on a language of her own. Like any good hostess, she politely refers to her patrons as “guests,” and adds that referring to her customers in this manner makes them feel welcomed into a professional environment with real standards. Similarly, guests know what to expect and how to be treated. Best if all, guests come back.

As a Matter of Facts and Figures

Within six months of participating in Coaching Club, service-to-retail numbers at Terry's salon skyrocketed to 17%, which translates into roughly ten additional dollars per customer. By the end of 2005, Terry's service-to-retail figures were up 20%, which translates into roughly $12.00 per customer. Currently, retail alone is up 24%.

“I wish I had done this years ago,” Terry states. While many salon and spa owners may share her sentiments, it is never too late to become profitable or even more so.

Everyday, Coaching Club trains salon and spa owners for profitability and success through tested and proven business-building techniques and strategies that produce results.

The personal training design of Coaching Club is structured in a manner which requires full participation from salon and spa owners who believe that success is possible. For salon and spa owners who are looking to grow as a successful, stable business, consider this: Change is simple, not easy. What we are teaching here is not rocket science, however we ask you to take a hard look at aspects affecting your business that you may not have wanted to see.

Though some 85% of salons operate at a deficit, success is possible. Ask Terry, whose initial assignments included taking a good, hard look at her figures. “When it comes to operating as a loss or a profit, I just looked at the numbers, and numbers don't lie.”

With 16 years experience as a spa owner and master artistic nail technician for entertainment heavyweights, Louis Mattassi is also a leading multi-lingual trainer and business consultant for the salon and spa industry. Widely known for his creative brilliance and technical business skill, Louis is renowned for his ability to empower industry professionals. In receipt of at least 20 industry awards, Louis' targeted educational programs win favor from industry experts throughout North America, South America and Europe. Louis Mattassi may be contacted at Salon Training International.

The Impact of a Leader Versus the Effect of a Boss-By Deb Hunt

No matter what your job title in the company you are a leader; your actions and reactions are looked at by others and can cause positive or negative behaviors in them.

At Salon Training International and YBN, no matter what your job title, everyone is expected to act and react as a leader, and is held fully responsible for the impact we have on team members and our customers (you). To do this on a day-to-day basis is possible and probable because our belief is that when people love their work, it is as natural to them as play and rest. We also believe that people who love their work are self directed and committed to success; that they will accept accountability and seek more responsibilities, and that all people have potential, creativity, imagination and problem-solving capabilities. Mostly, we know that people want to succeed and our job is to help them do so.

Your view of your staff, your business and/or your teammates has a direct impact on your effectiveness as a leader. If you view your employees as having an inherent dislike for work, your perspective becomes that your employees avoid doing any more than is absolutely necessary. If you believe your charges must be coerced, controlled, directed or threatened in order to get them to follow company goals, your team is more than likely reflective of your leadership. Perhaps you think that most do not want responsibility, and have little or no ambition. If this is the way you view others, it will be almost impossible for you to have a positive impact on them because no matter what they do because you choose to SEE them this way!!! Much like a sport, if you were to look at these same people and your thoughts were that your employees are a bundle of potential that can be unleashed through your coaching, then you have a team.

Your management and leadership role is to develop the potential in your people by helping them to see the end game and help them to create what success looks like in the end. Good leaders know that good leaders are made, not born. Good leaders recognize that life is an unending journey of self study, education, training, and experience. Thus, through desire and willingness to learn, you, too, can become an effective leader.

Dictionaries describe a leader as one who heads a political party or organization; one who has influence and power; one who is in charge or command of others. To inspire your staff into higher levels of teamwork, there are certain things you must be, know and, do. These aspirations do not come naturally to most of us, and are acquired through continual work, study and personal commitment to improvement.

Leadership is a process by which others are influenced to accomplish the goals and objectives of the company and to achieve their own dreams. Contrarily, leadership is not a process of forcing, manipulating, making wrong, demanding or controlling. Leaders lead with their beliefs, values, character, knowledge, and skills. People follow good leaders based on these values and what they see possible for themselves through your virtues. Although your position as an owner or manager gives you control, your simple authority does not make you a leader...it simply makes you a boss. Leadership differs in that it makes the people want to achieve high goals, reach farther, and live into something larger.

When a team member is deciding if they respect you as a leader, they do not consider your attributes. They observe what you do, which to them, becomes who you really are. They use observation to determine if you are honorable and trustworthy or, conversely, self serving. Self-serving leaders are generally ineffective because their employees are driven to obey, not follow.

The basis of good leadership is honorable character and selfless service to your organization. In the eyes of your employees, your leadership encompasses everything you do, which ultimately affects their well being as well as the organization's objectives. Respected leaders concentrate on what they are ( such as beliefs and character); what they know (such as job, tasks, and human nature); and what they do (such as implementing, motivating, and provide direction).

What makes a person want to follow a leader? People only want to be guided by those they respect and those who have a clear sense of direction. To gain respect, a leader must be ethical. A sense of direction is achieved by conveying a strong vision of the future.

Hay's study examined over 75 key components of employee satisfaction. Findings of the study revealed:

Trust and confidence in top leadership was the single most reliable predictor of employee satisfaction in an organization.
Organizational trust and confidence are achieved through effective communication by leadership in three critical areas:
Helping employees understand the company's overall business strategy.
Helping employees understand how they contribute to achieving key business objectives.
Sharing information with employees on both how the company is doing and how an employee's own division is doing - relative to strategic business objectives.
Most importantly, a leader must be trustworthy and able to communicate the vision of the future of the company, as well as how to get there.

A quote to leave you with!

The six most important words: "I admit I made a mistake."
The five most important words: "You did a good job."
The four most important words: "What is your opinion?"
The three most important words: "If you please."
The two most important words: "Thank you."
The one most important word: "We"
The least most important word: "I"

- Author unknown

Developing Your Retail Fortress-By Steve Gomez

According to the Green Book, a yearly industry research magazine, retail in the salon and spa industry grew by only 1.5% from 2004 to 2005. In our industry, the average retail-to-service percentage is only 17%, attributed only to color products and conditioning treatments. Why is this?

Although there is validity in these circumstantial occurrences within our industry, it truly appears that lack of systemized retail strategies within the business is the growth-stunting culprit. Diversion, conversions and mergers are a natural facet of business, and in our ever-changing industry, we can not personally alter what is happening. We are, however, capable of controlling our reaction to these changes. In terms of retail, our relationship to it directly impacts the results produced.

Knowing now that you have the control over what occurs within your business, I invite you to walk you through what you can do to take control inside of your four walls to create a retail fortress.

Step one: Know your Numbers

Not knowing your numbers is as reckless as driving down an icy road at 100 miles per hour. Knowing your numbers means achieving full awareness of your inventory budget as well as what retail inventory is purchased based on your budget. Ideally, a solid retail budget is 50% of retail weekly sales. Additionally, retail success involves knowing your current retail-to-service percentage as well as the value of your average retail tickets. Once you learn your numbers, you can then put them in place to ensure proper education of retail sales goals for your team.

Step two: Product Knowledge

True, you may be using the best products in the universe, and it is important that you, your team and your clients know why. Product knowledge involves understanding critical ingredients of your retail line and communicating their features and benefits to your clients. Keep in mind that features separate one product from another; they involve details such as a fragrant scent, an attractive container. Similarly, benefits reflect what the product does for the customer in the end. Benefits may include softness, color maintenance, manageability, etc. Here, it would be helpful to develop a training schedule that requires every one of your employees to learn about each product and their features and benefits, line item by line item.

Step three: Tests and quizzes

Retail is important to the success of your business, and tests and quizzes are effective methods which help your team learn product knowledge information. The use of tests and quizzes illustrates that you will hold your employees accountable for product knowledge, and they are excellent tools that make certain that your team is actually learning product knowledge information.

Step four: Goal Setting and Tracking

On a regular basis, setting clear goals with your team helps your employees break their goals into manageable parts so they are aware of what needs to be produced each day, and silently declares that your team is responsible and accountable for their numbers. To boost retail sales, contests and prizes are particularly effective at maintaining goal awareness and fostering an environment of friendly competition. Additionally, checking the numbers at daily or weekly intervals allows for effective coaching from you. Lastly, share the results with everyone to keep your team aware of its progress. This inspires them to continue to grow! Reinforce goal setting and tracking with incentives to reward employees for good performance, and you will create effective momentum for your business as well as great morale for your employees.

Step five: Retail Communication Techniques

Teach your team one uniform system for consultations. Salon Training International offers the "Money Mastery" series, which supports sales growth through powerful consultations. The "Money Mastery" series helps you become aware of where retail fits during the transaction. Hint: Retailing at the end of the sale is killing your retail profits.

Step six: Language

Successful salons use the same "lingo" as the product line. This can easily be found on the inserts that accompany the products as well as the text found on the products themselves. This language identifies the products, and describes what the products are, as well as what they do and contain. Not only does the use of this language connect you with the products, in the end you and your team will speak as the savvy, professional beauty consultants you are. Your clients come to your salon because you are the professional. Use of the manufacturer's language helps to reaffirm the client's decision to come to you because yours is the best salon with the best products. Moreover, use of product language quietly confirms why your salon uses the product at all.

Step Seven: The Visual Experience!

A verbal experience is made more powerful when accompanied by a visual experience. One without the other is similar to watching television with no sound, or listening to the television without the picture. Consider this: What do your display racks look like? A solid display is clean, neat and organized with the “push products” front and center.

Consider the displays of a cosmetics department of an upscale department store. Usually, products are sectioned into groups of threes, fives or sevens, with small, boxed products in a pyramid form. Visually, this accomplishes three things: it is visually pleasing to the eye of the customer; based on this formation, it is very easy to determine what needs to be restocked, and best of all, the customer understands the display as a related series, such as shampoo, conditioner, finishing spray. Makes sense, right? Also, look at what colors you are using on the walls behind your product displays. It is recommended that you use rich, vibrant tones and hues because this adds more quality to your displays and makes them more visually pleasing. As a rule of thumb, where you have retail displays, have no white walls!

A last note: Please remember that you control the outcome, not the circumstances. You have it in you to create a powerful retail machine! The choice is yours

Legal Distinctions for your Booth Rental Business-By Kim Lento

Many of us in this industry have contemplated going into business for ourselves.
Some of us want to be our own boss. Some have great ideas and want the opportunity to bring them to fruition. Some want to do it their way. Some can not find the right place to build their careers, and some do not have the financial means to go for the gold and build their dream business and feel Booth Renting is a good option to get there. What most of us do not know are the legal distinctions to grow and succeed in a Booth Rental Business.

Did you know that 78% percent of Booth Rental salons are not profitable?

Here is a checklist to see where you fit in with running a legal and ethical Booth Rental Business:

Do you have a clear and written contract?

Do you have a clear and written contract, if so has it been updated each year? When is the last time you looked at it? It just as much protects you as it does the owner; for the IRS it makes it clear you are your own business.

Do you set your own schedule/hours?

Do you set your own schedule or does the owner, if the owner does, it must be in the contract or it creates a grey area; are you an employee?

Do you set your own prices/menu?

How do you set prices? If the owner does this again it creates a grey area for the IRS. Your prices should be set based on your expenses and what you want to make for profit.

Do you have a separate business checking account?

A clear way to track what is spent and received in your business.

Do you have your own liability insurance?

The owner's liability insurance does not cover you. Also it sets you apart as your own domain.

Do you pay taxes on all revenue/income produced?

The IRS is slow, not stupid. You are only hurting yourself by not being in integrity with paying your taxes.

Purchase your own supplies?

Are you purchasing from the distributor with your own account and meeting with the DSC yourself or is the owner your distributor? Do you purchase your supplies within a budget?

Do you have a marketing and referral program?

Do you have a plan for your marketing? Do you know who you are targeting, how long it will run, your objective and what is your budget? Do you track your marketing as well as your referrals?

Do you have a personal growth plan?

Do you have a plan to get you where you want to be? Is your tongue in your mouth and the tongue in your shoe going in the same direction? Or are you doing a whole lotta hoping and wishing?

Do you have a clear understanding of money in/out?

Do you know what's coming in and what needs to come in to pay the bills? Do you know with the money going out how much of your gross sales/income you can spend on each expense to plan for profit?

Take a look at where you stand inside of operating your business legally and ethically.

And with the information provided how you can use this information to have your business grow and succeed to set yourself apart.

Sometimes we are in the dark because we just don't know; well now you know, who are you going to be in representing our industry?

Knowing is the first step and taking action in your business is the second. So take yourself on, what are you going to work on in your business?

Salon Training International has several ways to support you in these aspects of your business; Booth Rental Manual, Coaching Solutions, Coaching Club and YBN.

How to Create a Custom Network -By April Poster

Typically, building salon and spa business, attracting more clients continues to be a challenge for professionals in our industry. Without marketing and business development as a standard practice, salons can expect to lose at least 20% of your clients every year. Think of it: There are at least three to five people you have not seen in months. As a general rule of business, clients fall away, so we must create ways to keep the pipeline flowing and be ahead of the game.

Knowing this information is a start. Next, you must devise new and innovative ideas to promote yours as the salon of choice and get the clients calling and coming. Finally, you have to make the time to take action and implement your plan. For some, this can be a challenge because the ideas aren't flowing, and if they are your busyness gets in the way of your business while you are waiting for the day you have extra time to do these things. Fear not, you have an advantage here. Since the beginning, time has been on your side. With 24 hours in your day, you can maximize your plans if your plan carefully.

In conversation through servicing our clients, we exchange information. Many of us make recommendations to our clients about what restaurants to go to; what movies to see; which flower shop is best – everything from the new gym in the area to the furniture store on the corner. We are always talking to them and sharing what we know; we actually do our own marketing research, right? We want them to be taken care of, so we check it out and send them where we go. How many of you can relate? I am going to share an idea with you that will grow your business, maximize your time and serve your clients!

Networking is as common and as old as business itself. Your local chamber of commerce or community groups offer excellent business support, though imagine what could happen if you handpicked your networking circle. In creating a custom network, you can check out other businesses that you patronize. Then through an handshake or verbal agreement you may support each other through referrals. Custom networking is completely free by far an excellent means to market yourself. Everyone can win!

The fact that you already talk about different businesses to your clients is second nature to your job. You are a great networker, with a natural influence over your clientele. Because you take care of them and they TRUST you. All that is left to do is to create a custom networking structure that is made to drive your business.

This worked for me:

1. Brainstorm eight to ten businesses that you frequently know and use that will serve the needs of your clients and that cater to the type of clientele you share in common.

2. Create a plan for the purpose of this partnership, including how often you will meet. Of course, you want to be educated of what each offers, and you may wish check in to stay on the same page create new marketing ideas.

3. Go and meet them with your proposal and let them know you want to work together and support each other's businesses, and the benefits of the relationship for them. Be sure to ask for suggestions of other businesses that may benefit from being involved in your custom network.

4. Start talking. You already are doing that; and do so with your primary objective in mind: business building for your community.

5. Many people in business have had this idea, though you can be the one to put it into action. Through you business savvy, your clients will be impressed by your commitment to them and the community. The new clients you will get from your business partners you chose will already trust you. All the while, you are contributing to the growth and future success of many other businesses. EVERYONE wins! Have fun and many successes yourself!

Continuous Improvement: Business Education in the Comfort of Your Own Salon

Below is a list of business articles written by some of the top educators in the salon industry


Continuous Improvement: Business Education in the Comfort of Your Own Salon-By Debbie Miller

It's a little known fact that only 15% of salon and spa revenue is attributed to technical expertise, a figure tiny enough to make you wonder what generates the other 85% of revenue. Business knowledge is what creates the massive divide between the 22% of American salons that are profitable and the overwhelming 78% of salons that operate at a deficit or, loss.

Fortunately our industry blesses us with many trade show opportunities to improve our technical skills and to learn of trends and fashions which affect business. While the “show and tell” makes for very exciting, highly entertaining experiences, perhaps the bright lights obscure the fact that you are in business for profit. Technical skills learned within beauty school are sufficient for a license, and have proven insufficient as a sole educational source for sustaining a profitable business. Continuous improvement, which involves technical skill development coupled with business education, is critical to sustain in any industry, and ours is no different. That is, unless you wish to remain among the ranks of the nearly 80% of American salons that pursue an inverse relationship between business and profit.

Planning a training-style education in your salon can seem daunting, and it is best to be certain this training is well planned with a goal in place, as well as a plan of action and milestones. When in doubt, call a salon business trainer. A good salon business trainer understands the importance of leading a salon to discovery and well as supporting its needs.

As a business trainer for Salon Training International and YBN (Your Beauty Network) I have been privileged and trusted to lead hundreds of in-salon business classes. Sure, the Fashion Week atmosphere and shopping of large trade shows are very exciting, but the actual transformational experience of learning the beauty of business is better accomplished in a private setting. In-salon trainings have higher business educational value than trade show events and offer opportunities to absorb information and ask questions through the comfort and convenience of your own salon. Additionally, it is often difficult for salon owners to provide travel and accommodations for the entire staff. Further, the intimacy of a small class allows the trainer to take learning to a deeper level, which is achieved through personal exercises, such as taking a close look at the salon's sales figures and initiating open discussions with team members.

Being in business, you already know what your goals are. As a primary goal, most salons wish to improve sales. With the above mentioned deficit/profitability figures, there is definite room for growth, and this is possible for any salon. Much like technical skill involved in knowledge of chemical reactions for hair, skin or nail treatments, business is also a science that produces reactions such as profitability or loss. A solid business trainer helps you determine which ingredients are necessary to produce desired results. It's that simple.

Business as a "science" is only a term. The goal of an effective business trainer is not to confuse you, rather to produce a greater understanding that which you already know by allowing you to envision your business and its goals in a different manner. The effects of salon business training are perpetual and serve to position salons for long-term growth and stable profitability over time. Through business training, salon owners and booth renters learn effective techniques for management, marketing, business development, client retention and leadership; lifelong business skills which allow you to never lose the momentum you will create.