Saturday 21 April 2012
From Me to We
You have learned your trade and by god you are good at it! So you have opened a salon and business is booming! You are working your socks off and have already given up your weekends, Christmas holidays and Easter breaks...so it’s time to expand from a Me to a We... Simple right?! (maybe not)
I am writing this blog because my humble business has grown in size over the past couple of months and I have seen first hand the benefits and heartaches that are caused by relinquishing full control of your business and sharing it with someone.
Hopefully this will be the first recruit of many, but never the less, this first step, moving on from a 1 man band to a duet, is always going to be a big deal and a business milestone!
What’s going to bum you out and get under your skin?
A question of passion
Go back in your mind's eye to the amount of sleepless nights that you suffered when you decided you were going to open your own Salon. All the planning, preparing, researching and designing. If you are in a strong position now, it's probably because you did these steps well! Now the person you want to employ will not have been through all this. That's not a bad thing and does not mean that they are bad at their jobs. Some people just don’t want to set up their own business but are awesome at what they do. Although it can be frustrating, a good leader will give 110% all the time setting an example for your employee to do the same.
Working Hours
Your business is your life and you are willing to work around the clock to make it work. There is nothing more refreshing than a first in last out manager. You can’t always expect people that work for you to show the same commitment. They are paid for set hours and they will be in for those hours. Don’t fear! At the end of the day, you will be benefiting from growing your business and hopefully be rewarded for your efforts. After all, that’s what we signed up for when embarking on the road of entrepreneurship.
Did you sign up for a siamese twin?
We are all social butterflies, we have hundreds of “Friends” on Facebook and enough “followers” to start a new religion (or at least a small cult)! Even so, the change from me to we means that you are forced to spend the majority of your time with a someone new. I know that this is stating the obvious but I am just pushing the point that you are going to be spending more time with this person than with your family, friends, partners and loved ones. Hopefully you will become friends with your colleagues but at the end of the day they are there for 1 reason...make money, and you have employed them for one reason...MAKE MORE MONEY! So this relationship has to be based on giving and taking. Accept people for who they are, their habits, their cultures and form of expression. If you can do this then this new found relationship will be mutually beneficial.
There are some massive benefits too:
A second pair of Eyes
So far every business decision has come from you- from the treatment list to the waiting area sofa colours. Now you have the opportunity to get an opinion from someone who wants to work with you. They may have experiences that could come in handy or fresh ideas that you haven’t thought of. By encouraging your staff to get involved in decision making your salon can change for the better.
Don’t be a Jack of all Trades (but a master of none)
You cannot be an expert at everything as much as you would love to be. I pose the question to you “what is the point in training to give a good manicure (if you are a hairstylist) when there are thousands of great nail technicians out there?” I would never discourage learning a new skill but if you want expand the treatments offered bring in an expert. Your customers will thank you for it.
Take the pressure off
The weight of the world no longer has to fall on your shoulders. Bringing a fresh face into your business means you can help each other out. The fact is there have been times where I have simply been unable to get to an important meeting. Sometimes I can reschedule but having an employee means that someone can cover for me. This is not beckoning to become lazy. You should still be worked under the table! However sharing general responsibility with someone else can really take some of the pressure off! After all what is the point in running a business when the stress will send you to an early grave
Hopefully I have not put you off the idea of bringing in a member of staff to grow your business but instead prepared you for some of the potential risks and made you realise how beneficial it can be.
Growing your business is a good thing! If you have reached this level it means you are doing something right and the fact is having someone else around can help shape your business for the better. So don’t be afraid to delegate some responsibility, just make sure the person you employ has something new to bring to the table and yet has the same fundamental brand beliefs as you do.
Do you any positive, negative or plain weird stories about growing your business! Please enlighten us by leaving a comment below.
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