Advice for Salon Owners - Embracing the Holiday Reset
Take a moment. Really take it. If you're a salon owner reading this, you've just survived another whirlwind year of managing clients, staff, creativity, and countless behind-the-scenes challenges that nobody else sees. Congratulations!
The upcoming Christmas period isn't just a holiday, it’s your brief moment to catch your breath and reimagine what's possible.
The Industry You Love and Hate
Let's be brutally honest. The New Zealand hair industry can be a challenging beast. With staff and talent shortages and barely any time to really focus on anything outside of your day-to-day, you're not just running a salon—you're swimming against a current of constant recruitment challenges. To make things a bit more complicated, the "poaching wars" aren't just industry gossip and every skilled stylist who walks away takes with them a piece of your salon's heart and potential.
Your day doesn't start when the salon opens. It begins in those quiet morning hours, preparing stations, managing bookings, ensuring every detail is perfect. Lunch? Sometimes. More often a series of calls and staff management interruptions. Your day is filled with tasks to just keep things ticking (and sometimes your evenings too). Why is anyone still doing this? Because of passion, hard work, and a genuine love for making people’s days, weeks and months better!
Anyone who has come this far clearly loves this industry. We love it too: its people, its challenges and, most of all, its potential to be great. We already have so many amazing people in it, all anyone needs right now is a bit of realignment.
Turning the Festive Pause into Your Strategic Advantage
This quiet period is your secret weapon. While others see a shutdown, we see an opportunity for strategy and reinvention. But we're not talking about endless spreadsheets or overwhelming to-do lists. We're talking about purposeful, meaningful preparation that actually gives you breathing room.
If you're not shutting down, fear not! This advice isn't just for those taking a complete break. Even if your salon remains open, the festive period naturally brings a different rhythm. This is your moment to strategically reflect, even if it's in small pockets between appointments. Those brief pauses between clients? They're your windows of opportunity for meaningful planning and reflection. It’s time now, for less time later.
Consider taking a moment to evaluate key aspects of your business:
Reflect on your team's performance and potential in 2024.
Review your most successful service offerings.
Assess your current recruitment and retention strategies.
Identify any skills gaps in your current team.
Explore potential training or development opportunities.
Remember, these aren't tasks to stress over—they're insights to help you set a clearer direction for 2025. Once you have direction, everything is easier!
Recruitment: Beyond Just Filling Chairs
Finding the right team member isn't about ticking boxes. It's about discovering a professional who understands your salon's soul. People out there value this massively! Did you know that a huge 71.1% of job seekers consider salon culture and atmosphere a deciding factor when choosing their next role?
After all, the best stylist isn’t someone who just does hair, but someone that creates experiences, and they want to be part of a space where everyone is committed to that. Understanding what stylists truly value is the first step toward aligning your salon with their expectations and attracting the right talent. For more of these candidate expectations, we have a free Industry Survey Results Whitepaper you can download for some crucial insights!
What Really Matters in Your 2025 Recruitment Strategy
Cultural Fit Over Certificates: While qualifications matter, we know the magic happens when a stylist genuinely connects with your salon's vision. We don't just match skills; we match spirits. Attitude and personality matter: they sell and they keep everyone upbeat, more productive, more cheerful. It’s a snowball effect – in a very, very positive sense.
Understanding Your Unique Challenges: Every salon has its own heartbeat. Your recruitment needs are as unique as your creative vision. Not everyone needs more people. Sometimes you just need the right people or the right training.
Reducing Your Recruitment Stress: No more money down the drain on an online job ad. No more hoping someone experienced enough applies. No more endless interviews. We do the deep work, so you can focus on what you do best—creating incredible hair and unforgettable client experiences.
What We Offer Beyond Traditional Recruitment
Targeted candidate matching
Deep understanding of industry-specific challenges
Support in developing compelling job offers
A partnership that goes beyond transactional recruitment
A Word of Genuine Understanding
We know you didn't just become a salon owner to manage paperwork and navigate recruitment challenges. You're here because of your passion for creativity, for transformation, for making people feel extraordinary.
We want to help you reclaim that passion. We’re here to turn recruitment from a source of stress into a strategic advantage.
Your Next Step
This festive season isn't just a pause. It's your opportunity to breathe, to strategise, and to set the foundations for a breakthrough year.
Ready to make 2025 the year your salon doesn't just survive, but truly thrives? Let's talk.
Until then, we’re wishing you a Merry Christmas and happy New Year!