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Herding Cats? A Salon Contract Can Stop the Madness
Have you ever had one of those days at the salon when you feel like you’re herding cats?
Yes, these people are your tribe and they are like family.
But some days they are like your dear Aunt Millie and other days they remind you much more of your crazy Uncle Shirley. And that’s just one stylist.
With some people you never know which of their many personalities is going to show up for work on any given day. And in a salon you’ve got a lot of personalities to work with. Trying to get everybody moving in the same direction sometimes like…. herding cats.
Herding cats has it’s upside. Everyday is different. Sometimes exciting. Always interesting to watch.
But it can be rough on your business. And on your state of mind. If everybody is running in different directions, its difficult to move forward. So mostly, you stay in the same place. Albeit, a little bit frantically.
What if you could get your whole salon moving in the same direction? What could that do for your business? Stop for a second and consider the possibilities.
*You could organize a successful Locks of Love cut-a-thon with press coverage.
*You could, as a salon, sell 200 gift certificates during the holiday season.
*You could use your skills to help homeless women feel good about themselves while they are looking for a job.
*You could double your retail sales.
*You could do a promotion that actually works.
*You could become the biggest and best salon in town.
*You could double your clientele.
*You could triple your income.
*You could ___________________ (fill in the blank with your own idea of wonderfulness).
So why is owning a salon so much like herding cats?
Because everybody has their own agenda. And (forgive me if this is beginning to sound like the zoo) they are lone wolves. Masters of their own destiny. And they care more about their stuff than your stuff. Oh, and the salon? It’s part of your stuff.
Don’t get me wrong. They care. Just not like you do. They aren’t as invested. They can put in their time and leave to buy Happy Meals without giving the salon another thought.
You can’t. Your name is on the door (and your house is probably mortgaged to keep the place open). It’s your baby.
So how can you get everybody moving in the same direction? Towards one goal? As a, you know, team?
Invite them into the conversation. Ask them where they want to see the salon going. Ask them where they aspire to be.
Ask them how the salon can work together to help them get there.
Because they are booth renters, they aren’t thinking we. They are thinking me. It has probably never occurred to them that the talent in the room can help them achieve their goals.
And if as a group you are working towards their goals, guess what? Suddenly they care. It’s about them. Now it’s their stuff, too.
When you are working on everybody’s stuff, it has a funny way of actually getting done. People take ownership in the project. Things begin to happen.
The really good news is that this works for everything you are trying to accomplish in the salon. Quit trying to do it all yourself because its easier than herding cats. Bring everybody into the conversation and work together to find a way to get it done.
Make it your stuff their stuff, too.
Totally doable. But maybe a little bit scary. This may be uncharted territory. Maybe having a roadmap would help you walk through the process of getting everybody working towards some common goals.
Restore Your Peace and Sanity to Create the Salon of Your Dreams – The Savvy Salon Owner’s Guide to Writing a Polite, Effective Booth Rental Contract is just that roadmap.
It’s not a traditional booth rental contract. It’s a tool to help you bring the whole salon together to achieve your goals. To create a team where there used to just be a bunch of people working in the same room.
To help you stop herding cats.
Click here for more info about how Restore Your Peace and Sanity to Create the Salon of Your Dreams – The Savvy Salon Owner’s Guide to Writing a Polite, Effective Booth Rental Contract can help you acheive your goals and live a saner, more peaceful life.
