Create Your Business Day! Time Management for Working On Your Business!

So, you want to make the leap and start working “On” your business, not just work behind the chair. Good For You!!!

You might be asking yourself, “Now what?” What do I do?” HELP!

As a coach I have supported many salon and spa owners successfully through this transition. As you start this new structure of running your business you will be on a major learning curve, so here are four tips to help you along:

1. Be Patient: Being that you are on a learning curve, you have to be patient with this process! You are so used to having to “do” something, every minute you are in your salon, it will feel strange at first to not be “doing” what you are used to. Curve balls will come your way and at first you will be tempted by last minute client requests, etc. Do not get sucked in.

2. Your Business; Your Most Important Client: Your salon or spa needs your attention! Shift your thinking to your business as your most important client; because it is! Remember this when you walk into your salon or spa for your business day! Be prepared and shift your mindset.

3. Coach Your Team: Coaching your team to understand that you are not available for clients at all and to not interrupt you is crucial. If you do not set this up they will be all over you. They need to understand what you are doing, why you are doing it and the benefit it will have for them in the long run. Without this knowledge you may have people on your team confused and wondering why you are not “working”.

4. Plan Your Day: Write out a set schedule from 9-5, including breaks and a lunch and HONOR YOUR SCHEDULE! Set the example to your team and stay fresh.

Here is a sample list of items you should be doing On Your Business Day:
- Return messages and emails
- Open mail and pay bills
- Reschedule when you meet with your distributors so they meet with you on your business day so you have time for them
- Project time: Each week on your business day schedule two hours where you will be looking specifically at one area of your business broken into four areas: Sales, Operations, Marketing & Finance. Take this block time to research and analyze current systems and figures, look at results, research trends and use this as time for you to study, read and understand these crucial areas in your business.
- Schedule all interviews on your business day and block out time in your schedule for this. If you come to this part of your day and no one is scheduled you just got another hour or two to work on other things.
- Always schedule time on your business day for observation and being on the floor, watching the customer service experience from a fresh perspective, listening to your teams interactions with their customers and assessing their technical ability
- Schedule all meetings, reviews, education and one on ones with your team on your business day so you are fresh, prepared and ready to lead!

As you can see there are so many important components that you need to focus on to run a successful salon or spa business. Take the time you need and get organized, invest in your business to grow and it will improve at a pace you wouldn’t have thought possible!

Milady Business Coach, Steve Gomez