STEP IT UP: How to Transition from Behind the Chair to Full-Time Owner

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 Featuring Michael Nikolas

*Podcast Available Below*

The majority of salon owners came into the industry as service providers who were passionate about servicing guests and making those beautiful before and after moments happen. As a stylist, your career is focused on you and your goals and on the customer service that you deliver to your guests. It is incredibly rewarding and the amount of positive affirmations that given throughout the day are addictive and highly satisfying.

When a stylist transitions into becoming a salon owner everything changes.
It is no longer about you and your day and your guests, it is about your team. It is about what you are doing to nurture every employee into becoming the best that they can be– and this transition is difficult, to say the least.

Michael Nikolas spent many years continuing to work behind the chair as he ran his own salon company. The day came, however, when he realized it was time to step away from his clientele and step into his new roles and responsibilities.

Michael explains,

“I realized that it was time for me to step away from working behind the chair when I started coaching and mentoring my staff.  I thought less about me and MORE about WE– my salon company started to flourish. I realized that the biggest thing holding me back from making this transition is that my self worth was very dependent on the accolades that my guests gave me. I felt scared to let go of that. I see now that being a successful mentor to the service providers in my company and having the opportunity to watch THEM be successful is much more fulfilling than anything my guests could have said back then.”

So how can you start stepping away from working behind the chair?

Michael Nikolas’ TOP FIVE TIPS to transition from Behind the Chair to Full-Time Owner:

1. Step Back Slowly
   • Consider removing a shift every quarter or every six months.
2. Start a Leadership Team
   • This team will include members from each department: Front desk, Associates, Inventory Team Leaders
3. Have Consistent Leadership Team Meetings and Salon Staff Meetings 
   • No company/sports team can hardly win without having consistent meetings/planning/coaching.
4. Grow Your Team
   • Coach, mentor, and walk each team member through your career path.
5. Do Everything Above with Love, Compassion and Heart!
   • Treat everyone you come in contact with the way you would want to be treated.

What holds YOU back from stepping away from the behind the chair? I want to know!

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