Creative HEAD February 2018

TAKE
THE
NEXT
STEP
WANT TO TAKE A BACK SEAT IN YOUR SALON BUSINESS, BUT RETIRING ISN’T YOUR STYLE?
NHF AND ITS AMBASSADORS, HOOKER & YOUNG, OFFER SOME ADVICE…
HANDING OVER THE reins is never easy.
After all, your blood, sweat and tears have
gone into the business and now you’re looking
at potentially handing over your dream to
someone else. However, NHF chief executive
Hilary Hall, along with salon owners and NHF
ambassadors Gary Hooker and Michael Young,
offer tips on how to make the transaction as
smooth as possible.
PROMOTING A STYLIST
There are two types of potential candidate:
internal and external. While an internal
candidate may be the perfect choice, Michael
Young, NHF ambassador and co-owner of the
award-winning Hooker & Young brand, has a
word of warning. He says: “Think twice about
promoting a busy stylist. It seems like a way of
rewarding loyalty and hard work, but in many
cases, this is a bad move.”
While you’ll need someone you can trust
who understands the business, to be a good
manager “you need time to actually run a
salon and observe staff and situations”, adds
Michael. “If you feel the stylist is the best
candidate for the job then great, but expect a
drop in takings. If their take doesn’t reduce
then I would be concerned they aren’t fulfilling
the role to its full potential.”
If you’re looking externally, remember that
the interview process is vital, advises Gary
Hooker. “Prepare by creating a description of
your ideal manager, which you can use as a
basis for the job description,” he says.
SKILLS AND PERSONALITY
Running an employee-only hair and beauty
business can be very different to, for example,
running a salon with a mix of employees and
self-employed chair renters.
“Make sure you choose a manager who
understands the difference and has the skills,
personality and experience to manage your
particular business model,” advises Hilary. And
make sure you prepare your employees and/
or chair renters of the plan “well in advance, to
help them get used to the idea”, she adds.
BE PREPARED TO LET GO
“It can be hard to give up control,” says Hilary.
“You’ll need to accept things will change and
your new manager will do things differently.
But as long as they are working effectively,
resist the temptation to intervene.”
Finally, it’s vital to have alternative
plans in place. “This ensures you won’t
be tempted to simply ‘hang around’ in the
background,” she says.
HOW THE NHF
CAN HELP YOU
The NHF offers a range of
business support services for
salons, from legal, employment
and financial advice to brilliant
ideas for managing people
and boosting your business.
For less than 75p a day, member
benefits include:
• Free 24/7 legal helpline
• Free employment and chair
renting contracts
• Free health and safety advice
• Valuable discounts on
industry-specific insurance
JOIN THE
NHF BEFORE THE
END OF FEBRUARY
AND QUOTE CHF25 TO
GET £25 OFF YOUR
MEMBERSHIP FEE
To find out more about the NHF and what it can offer you, call 01234 831965 or visit nhf.info
CREATIVE HEAD
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