As with any customer-facing personal service business, the success of your salon or barber shop depends on the skills and expertise of your employees. Your business offers hands-on, one-on-one services, and your employees are likely to develop personal relationships with clients. The way they treat those clients will affect the level of repeat business that is so crucial to your bottom line.
Depending on the size of your salon or barber shop and the day-to-day responsibilities you take on, some of the positions you might consider filling include:
- Manager – A qualified manager can be invaluable to a small business. He or she can handle recordkeeping, administrative duties, employee scheduling and inventory management.
- Hairstylist – Stylists are your lifeblood. Keep in mind that they must be licensed by your state to perform a specific service. You can pay stylists a salary, on commission, or a combination of the two.
- Assistant – This person does not need to be licensed, but often this position is filled by a newly licensed stylist who is looking for experience in the field or someone who hasn’t completed enough hours to be fully licensed.
Mitigation Measures
- Follow good hiring practices to find the employees with the skills you require and to make sure your hire will be a good personal and cultural fit with your business.
- Always check credentials to ensure the person you’re considering has the proper licensing for the services you want him or her to perform.
- The competition for talent in the salon and barber shop business is fierce. It’s not uncommon for competitors to attempt to lure stylists away by offering more money or better working conditions. Stylists may also use their personal relationships with customers to book private appointments or start their own business. Consider offering incentives, such as bonuses or employee benefits, to keep your best talent on board.
