Words of Wisdom: Salon Owner’s Q & A
Have you ever wished that you knew more about something before you set out to conquer it? I know I have! We all stand to benefit from words of wisdom. If you are a cosmetology student or a current cosmetologist dreaming of owning your own hair salon one day, this blog is for you.
Jeanne Ademski
Owner, Ultimate Images Salon
Wilmington, Delaware
Website: http://myultimateimages.com
3100 Naamans Rd
Wilmington, DE 19810
(302) 479-0292
Q: What made you decide to go into cosmetology, and then later to co-own and run your own salon?
A: Well when I was young, I used to love doing everyone’s hair. I was a majorette and I used to do everyone’s hair, teasing it up and put in a bun. Then the decision to become a salon owner came from my wanting more of a challenge in my profession.
Q: Did your cosmetology education prepare you well for your career?
A: I got my license in 1976 and back then the schools were so dated. The education gave you the fundamentals but our instructors were teaching us what they had learned 30 years ago. It was pretty much a big experiment and we knew that we had to get out there to really learn. We used to learn a lot at hair shows. Now cosmetology students have online learning opportunities which gives easy access to current trends.
Q: Aside from the skills of cutting and styling hair, what were some of the other things you learned in cosmetology school that have helped you in your career?
A: PR, advertising, how to balance a budget. How to handle ordering—things you need to know to own and run a business.
Q: What were some of the lessons or challenges that you learned right away after becoming a salon owner?
A: Mostly how to manage staff. I also found balancing a budget tough, but my co-owner Beth is really good with banking and billing, so we complement each other very well. I’m better at keeping everything up to date in terms of marketing, advertising, the website, helping my staff build their books—things like that.
Q: What are some of the strengths or qualities that are essential if you want to own or co-own your own salon?
A: Well, first you need a tremendous amount of dedication! You also need to be organized. And you need to constantly advertise. There is very little walk-in business now, so everything is word of mouth. I tell my staff to ask their clients to refer them when they get compliments on their hair. You also need to seek out new methods and keep up with trends and new techniques.
Q: How do you recruit and keep staff? What advice would you give to new salon owners about finding and keeping the right people?
A: Well it’s a catch 22 because you don’t want to take people from other businesses. It’s word of mouth mostly but you need to keep your salon fully staffed. We’ve had most of our stylists for 20 years. You want to find people who are going to be responsible and keep their space nice. We’ve held onto our girls by giving them the freedom to set their own schedules. A lot of our staff have kids and a lot of activities, so that helps them out a lot.
Q: How to do you keep clients coming back?
A: Listen to them, do what they ask you to, and make them look really good! It’s helpful for people to bring in pictures—that way we can see what they want which makes it easier. It can be difficult sometimes to understand the way people describe what they want. Someone might say “choppy” when they mean layers. Technology has really improved that too, because someone can pull an image up on their phone.
Q: How has the business changed or how is it different today than when you started?
A: A lot! When I first started, we were doing Dorothy Hamil cuts—I probably did ten a day! Then it was Farrah Faucet, Jennifer Aniston after that the Victoria Beckham. The popularity of color has also grown a lot.
Q: What do you love about what you do?
A: I love the creativity involved. I like the challenge of the business side of it. I definitely have a passion for doing hair, which is necessary if you’re going to pursue this career. I love working with the public and I like talking to people. And there are other things you can do with a career as a stylist. You don’t need to be behind the chair—you can be an educator or work as a beauty editor on the side, or represent a line of products. You can go as far as you want in this career.