Owning a salon and spa definitely requires sacrifice. Especially in the early stages, a lot of time needs to be invested – time that is taken away from family, friends, and other activities.
However, there are a few things that you can do to prevent wasting energy, to spend less time worrying about the business, and to have more time doing what you enjoy with the people you love.
Stop Multitasking
But isn’t multitasking a great thing? Well, yes and no. It’s an important skill to have when you need to quickly switch gears. When you’re working on a marketing campaign and a stylist comes to you about an angry client, it's essential that you drop what you're doing and handle the situation.
However, multitasking has been shown to reduce productivity – it slows you down and negatively impacts performance. So don't bounce back and forth from one task to another unless it's urgent. Instead, focus on one task at a time and ensure it gets done properly before moving on to the next.
Stick to Your Plan
Similarly, don't try to jump on every current trend or add every service possible. Only adopt those which align with your business strategy and vision. There may still be a long list of things you want to do add, but prioritize them, create a plan (include a timeline), and follow through.
Demonstrate patience as you launch and fine-tune initiatives. Don’t frantically scrap and re-start if you don’t see results in a few days or even a couple weeks.
As programs begin to run smoothly and require less time and resources, you can then start developing and rolling out your next project.
Implement Software
Invest in software that will simultaneously save you time and grow your salon or spa. By utilizing technology to your advantage, you can then focus your energy and attention to other tasks. Many programs offer features such as:
- Automated marketing
- Online appointment booking
- Payroll calculator
- Inventory tracking and purchase orders
- Appointment confirmations
As Jaci Kottman of Salon Avalon said, “Insight Software has made my life so much easier. I now spend more time with my family rather than praying my taxes and payroll are correct.”
Let It Go
We often try to control everything and worry about anything that we can’t. While it’s normal to do so, we need to learn to let go.
You don't need to be at the salon or spa every minute or on-call 24/7. Whether or not you are there, mistakes will occur and stylists or customers may get upset, but you can let a shift supervisor deal with it. If there are any loose ends, you can take care of it the next morning.
Ultimately, trust your employees to do their jobs. After all, you hired them for a reason! Don’t micromanage them and judge their every action and decision. Whether it’s every week or once a month, you can then review their performance and provide feedback.
Love What You Do
Confucius famously said, “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” Rediscover the passion that led to your decision to start a business.
While there will be parts of the job that you dislike, find a way to make it enjoyable instead of stressful. Maybe you love dealing with people, styling their hair, and making them smile. If that's the case, find a way to spend more time behind the chair. This may mean delegating some administrative or even managerial duties to other employees.
Remember Your Identity
How do you define yourself? Is your identity based solely on the success of your business? While it’s great to have pride in what you do, it’s not healthy to be fully consumed by the business. You are more than a business owner. Consider your talents and skills. Your friends and family. Your hobbies and other activities.
By remembering what’s important in life and not putting too much pressure on the business, you can slow down and think through decisions rationally rather than scrambling around frantically.
Save time, increase productivity, and reduce stress:
