Quick Stats
Owner: Heather Silva
Location: Norwell, MA
Opened: 2008
Sq Ft: 1,200
Number of Locations: 1
Summit Salon Consultant: Tim Fisk
Pre-Summit
Total Annual sales: $470,664.25
Average Retail/month: $3,931
Average Services/month: $31,855
One Year after Summit Salon Systems (2015)
Total Annual sales: +27%
Average Retail/month: +46%
Average Services/month: +25%
TOTAL GROWTH (3 years, 2017)
ANNUAL SALES: +86%
Total Growth Retail/month: +97%
Total Growth Services/Month: +82%
Favorite Products: Over the Top, Intelligent Verbiage, Associate Program
Four Years to One Million
Heather Silva
TEASE HAIR BOUTIQUE
Heather Silva fell in love with the beauty industry in 7th grade after an older neighborhood girl did her hair and makeup. It was the first time she felt beautiful and it gave her confidence overnight. This confidence sparked a passion for her to fall in love with the beauty industry and apply to the cosmetology program at her High School.
As a chair renter, Heather noticed that the salon culture and environment tended to be more unprofessional and at times frustrating. She craved a work space that had higher standards and that could motivate and inspire the stylists to reach their full potential, she dreamed of the chance to create a salon environment that was truly different. When her long time co-worker saw the opportunity to purchase Tease Hair Boutique, Heather went all in with her.
FEAR
Heather felt proud of where she had brought Tease on her own but she was very aware that she needed more knowledge on how to grow a business if the salon was going to thrive. She explains:
“I felt scared because I was completely exhausted of working harder behind the chair to make ends meet. I felt I owned a job not a business and I was overwhelmed and felt stuck. I was afraid to make changes that would clearly help the business grow in fear of upsetting my staff. I avoided serious issues until I could no longer do so. I didn’t have the knowledge (or intelligent verbiage) on how or when to handle issues in a way that would create positive results.
I ran the salon completely out of emotion and it was draining me and the company. I was working more hours to compensate for a lack of business. I was an exhausted, overworked cheerleader and no one was able to make more money because of it. The overall atmosphere was friendly but with absolutely no structure and stylists who were not making that much money.”
The biggest challenges facing Tease Hair Boutique, were:
- A lack of systems, structure and career path.
- A lack of leadership, team motivation and accountability.
- Financial Planning.
ROCK BOTTOM
Heather realized that things could not continue going this way when her father passed away. “I lost that sense of security of having an adult in your life who is always there to help you.” Heather says, “I knew that I had to step up and take ownership for myself, my staff and the company’s future security.”
Heather was no stranger to business coaching and had made previous investments in business classes and consultants. She heard about Summit Salon Business Center through a private salon Facebook page and knew that she needed someone who specialized in the professional beauty industry in order to really start seeing a difference.
“When I attended The Summit,” Heather says, “I realized that you can run a successful business with integrity and in a way that helps people grow financially and personally- all while having a work/life balance. I didn’t leave feeling like I had to change my personality or lose who I am in order to run a strong company. I just needed to make a few changes and find a little more inner strength to deal with my fear. I left feeling excited to get started.”
ASSOCIATE PROGRAM
The Summit Salon Associate Program elevates the salons hiring process. Through practicing mentoring and empowering your high level stylists, not only do they get an extra set of hands to continue to grow and build and maximize on their time- but the new stylist also gets introduced to the salon culture, standards and best practices. This creates accountability and opportunity for everyone within the salon company.
At Tease Hair Boutique, prior to implementing the Summit Salon Systems, Heather was the only stylist in the salon to train new hires. She explains, “Now that I am not the only person training it has helped the salon grow faster. The program also teaches the young stylists how to grow, build clients and give excellent customer service.”
Summit Salon Business Center offers the Associate Program Seminar as well as an in-salon Associate Program visit which works hands on to illustrate how to maximize this opportunity.
ONE ON ONE’S
The Summit Salon Systems include a career path for each service provider. This career path is based on performance compensation. Each service provider is able to know exactly what they need to do in order to earn their next promotion and they are able to see the opportunity ahead of them. If someone is willing, the career path shows how to earn six figures working 32 hours a week. Having these systems empowers the salon owner to hold their team accountable and take the emotion out of it (as much as possible).
When Heather first introduced the Summit Salon Systems she was met with some pushback from her team. However, once a few of them started to notice how much MORE money the other ones were making then one by one the other stylists started to embrace the tracking and the planning. “Meeting with each stylist monthly has helped my leadership skills, the salons enthusiasm, communication and culture.” Heather explains, “it has been very helpful to sit down with each stylist and give them the attention, support and direction needed to make more money and feel successful. I am still nervous when I have to have the tough conversations, but I have learned the importance of them, so I feel the fear and do it anyway and do it as soon as possible!”
They work together as a team now and everyone is accountable for their own growth as well as helping others. The culture is more about customer service and professionally focused- like Heather always dreamt about. Tease Hair Boutique now has structure and as a result the professionalism and pride for the company has grown a significant amount. It’s a much more fun and cool place for clients to enjoy.
BUDGET GUIDELINES
Heathers Summit Salon Consultant, Tim Fisk, has also helped her set and understand budget guidelines.
“I now love numbers and percentages! I do all my own bookkeeping and I understand how to see the health of my business through them and how to budget. I make decisions based on the metrics and the benefit to the salon company. Not off of how I feel anymore. Summit has helped me learn to make changes – staying true to who I am as a person and giving me tools and support to find the courage to lead my staff and company to a better overall place.”
THE TRUTH
The truth is that implementing the Summit Salon Systems is not easy. It takes a lot of hard work, tears and support to build a successful business. You may even lose some people that you thought were your friends. But THE SYSTEMS WORK. Heather says, “I unfortunately had two of my very close friends, who were booth renters, leave when I decided to raise the rent in order for the salon to continue growing sales at the same rate as the commissioned stylists. It was a hard time for me because they were my good friends.
I lost the guaranteed income but the company still grew 18% that year. It became easier having one set of rules and one handbook instead of different agreements with different people.”
The Summit Salon Systems have helped thousands of salon owners find success for not only their salon company’s but for their service providers as well. Don’t just take our word for it, Heather explains, “If you are struggling in any way shape or form as a salon owner, you are absolutely foolish not to take on the Summit Salon Systems. My life, and my staffs lives are so much happier now, and my company showed positive results fast! For the first time I feel proud and in control of my business. I also have a life now!”
To schedule a COMPLIMENTARY STRATEGY SESSION with one our salon industry experts, click here
TEASE HAIR BOUTIQUE STYLISTS:
Suzanne Chapman Level 4, Stylist
“In only two years I was able to jump three levels! The Summit Salon Systems changed the way I sell products and offer additional services. I never understood the importance of selling product in the salon company until the Summit Salon Systems! I have learned so much on verbiage and leadership skills that it has made me so much more confident.
I now have an associate and it was nerve wrecking at first but I am starting to feel more comfortable every day. The Associate Program has taught me the exact steps on being successful with training and working with an associate.
I never imagined making as much money as I do. It’s such a great feeling knowing you can be successful and still do something you love to do. We have only been a Summit Salon for two years and I can’t wait to see where it leads us!”
Sue Lawlor Level 3, Stylist
“The Summit Salon Systems have empowered me to see my numbers in a way I never did before. I have been able to start depending on my paycheck to be CONSISTENT certain amounts. This allows me to plan for things that in the past I thought I couldn’t afford.
The Summit Stylist Planner helps me perfectly plan ahead and track my clients visits, and purchases. I also make notes of what’s going on with them, or what we are thinking of doing next. This level or organization has elevated my customer service skills and therefore skyrocketed my business!”
