Creative HEAD February 2020

#BusinessEdit
LIFE
LESSONS
KEN’S CLINIC
GOT A BUSINESS HEADACHE?
LET KEN WEST, DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS
EXPERTS 3•6•5, OFFER A PERSONAL PRESCRIPTION
MELISSA
TIMPERLEY
MELISSA TIMPERLEY
Be focused. Know who
you want to attract into the
salon and focus your offer.
I’m learning that you can’t
be all things to everyone,
and trying to do so just loses
your brand identity.
Learn from those who
have ‘been there’. I’ve
learned to get feedback
from mentors and not
be defensive about the
comments made. The key
is not to let your standards
slip, but to keep pushing for
an even better version of
yourself and your business.
Recover from setbacks
quickly. There’s no point
in dwelling on a problem or
feeling sorry for yourself;
the quicker you can pick
yourself up and move
forward in a practical way,
the sooner you can start to
make changes.
Maintaining the morale
of the team is paramount.
The team takes its tone and
attitude from the leader, so
it’s my job to role model the
behaviours I need to see.
Learn the signs and provide
feedback on an ongoing basis.
KEN’S DIAGNOSIS
First of all, congratulations for being in
business for 50 years. This is something
to be really proud of and often in our world
of ‘shiny new toys’, it’s easy to think that this
isn’t something to boast about. I believe it
is. It shows that you have managed to move
with the times, remain current and have run
a successful and profitable business.
So how can you celebrate this? Well the
last salon that I worked closely with that
had reached such a milestone produced a
wonderful book that it gave to its clients and
friends. It was a beautiful pictorial journey
of all that it had achieved over the past 50
years. Now, we don’t all have that salon’s
track record of international success, but you
have your own history, photos and a story
that would be lovely to share. It’s relatively
simple to produce a book nowadays and
there are many websites that can help.
While you are celebrating, share your plans
for the future – this will inspire both your
clients and your team. Salons only become
‘fuddy-duddy’ when they allow themselves
to become complacent. Constantly keep your
salon looking amazing. Nice is not enough.
Keep your team educated and the best they
can possibly be. Good is not good enough
and the challenge for a long-standing
“It’s our 50th
birthday in 2020
– how can we
celebrate while
illustrating that our
salon is full of life
and soul and not
a ‘fuddy-duddy’
sort of place?”
MADELINE JOSÉ
FORSDYKE, WILLOW
HAIR DESIGN
salon can often be that the team becomes
complacent. They are successful and ‘know
what they know’ but skills is the one area
where you absolutely must keep up with
‘the shiny new thing’. Experience and age
hopefully bring knowledge but can also
bring comfort and complacency. The fact is
we never know enough. Even the most senior
and experienced stylists should constantly
update their skills. Dinosaurs become extinct.
Make the most of your social media
platforms to ensure that you celebrate
everything that is new in your
salon. Praise and celebrate
success and education so that the
public are aware that you believe
in constant education and growth.
Lastly, involve your community
in your celebrations. Without
them you would not have
survived. Hopefully you
are already involved in
community projects,
local charities and
consumer groups.
Clients, both old
and new, love to
support a business
that gives back.
DO YOU HAVE A BUSINESS HEADACHE YOU’D LIKE KEN TO HELP WITH?
Email KenW@365Hair.com or tweet @creativeheadmag
22
CREATIVE HEAD