Inspiring Salon Professionals

Every salon has a specific clientele and every client has a favourite salon, so what makes that connection?  In this episode we're covering market position.  This key factor in your business' success is sometimes overlooked by those with less experience.  Be ahead of the game and work out who you are, who you want to be and who your clients will be. Every client has favoured places they go to for...

In this episode I am giving you a starter of what you need to consider when looking to start a mobile salon business, a home salon business and a salon premises business.  For all discerning salon professionals that have an entrepreneurial mindset owning your own business is often the dream.  In today's world this can be on a smaller scale or on a large scale of spa domination, salon franchise mod...

As an industry professional of many years one of the most common questions I see on forums is "what product should I buy" or "I'm having problems with X product how do you find Y product?" Product choice is an individual thing but there are key things you need to consider when making any initial choice or when moving or changing brands.   In this episode I cover my Top 10 on Choosing Products.  Co...

Happy New Year to all ISP listeners ! A little reflection on recent times and moving forward into 2022.  Let this next year be the start of a transition to better times.  

Join myself and Marta Zaczkowska, The Waxing Specialist, talking all things WAX!  Marta took the decision to niche down into being a single service business over 10 years ago when she opened her successful, award winning London salon.  Since then she has pivoted her business to include a waxing academy and has now niched down further to become an intimate & pregnancy waxing speclalist.  Marta shar...

Join me as I catch up with Safer Salon Geek, Sam Blake. Grab a cuppa it's a long one! We both like a chat and so you may need two sittings lol. In this episode we are talking about the client journey and how to incorporate Health & Safety to ensure that your client experience is top notch for your business whether you are a high street salon or a solopreneur. Sam has worked her way through many ca...

Top 10 Salon Christmas Check List Join me on the Inspiring Salon Professionals podcast this week as we head into the 2 busiest weeks in the salon year.  A few hints & tips to keep you safe and growing your business for Christmas 2021! 1. Client Christmas Cards/Email - spreading seasons greetings and keeping on their radar. 2. Client Christmas Gifts - sharing the love and incentives for 2022 3, Chr...

With, hopefully, an uninterrupted Christmas season kicking in as this episode goes to air there is an opportunity in every salon business to gain new clients to carry through to 2022.  We have had a tough time as businesses and individuals over the last 2 years and as we book new clients in this Christmas we need to address the elephant in the room - Rebooking!! A skill not used by every salon and...

As I close the series on Career Pathways, in this episode we look back a little over previous episodes and look forward into where your career can take you and why our industry needs to increase awareness of our value. Join me on the Inspiring Salon Professionals Facebook group or on download my free guides on my website . Please remember to subscribe and share the podcast with your friends and co...

This is the final episode in this mini series of Career Pathways and what a career to finish on.  One of the most rewarding opportunities you can get as a salon professional as you will not only get to enhance your skills in an alternative environment, you get to enrich your travel, social, spiritual and professional experiences as well as earning tax free cash on the way!  A great opportunity for...

In this episode I chat all things Session Work with award winning session nail tech, Nickie Rhodes-Hill.  Nickie has been in the salon industry for coming up 20 years and ventured into the world of fashion and media about 7-8 years ago.  She's about to launch her Session Work Academy and here we talk about how to get into this amazing career pathway which gives you your name in lights and sees you...

In this episode of Career Pathways we cover Reception.  The centre of the universe for many salons, receptionists are a huge asset to any busy salon.  Working across front of house and back of house they connect the clients to the business in a way that the pro team don't always have time for.   Managing bookings and rebookings, retail, client experience, payment, stock management and more these a...

Once you've taken your initial salon qualifications and your career begins many soon realise there are treatments they love and treatments that are loved a little less.  Harnessing that passion can make you a "specialist" and in today's tough marketplace that can make you more employable or help your business grow in a direction that you will enjoy more and will help you become a more profitable p...

This episode gives an overview of CPD (Continued Professional Development) and explains what it is, how you achieve it and how useful it is.   Whether it's practical, business or written skills you are developing you can add to your annual CPD targets required by your trade association and recommended by all industry sectors. Join me on Facebook and Instagram . 

In this episode around developing your career, I'm talking about testing your skills on the competition floor or in online competitions too. As a means of skill growth competitions can make you challenge your day to day techniques, advance them, review them and WILL change how you work going forward.   It shows ambition, drive and willingness to adapt to circumstances.  It shows you can work under...

This week's episode is a big one! You may want to grab a cuppa and a seat as there's a lot of information to take in on the topic of apprenticeships.  A little bit about Sarah   Sarah has been in the hair & beauty business since 2001 & coaches & trains & salon owners to build & grow a loyal & highly skilled teams by accessing government grants & funding to upskill any age & role through traineeshi...

In Episode 9 of Inspiring Salon Professionals join Sue Davies as she talks about the importance of Work Experience placements for the personal care sector.  This valuable resource begins the journey of the industry's future workforce and covered are how to approach seeking a placement, what employers may be looking for and some thoughts from the employer's point of view and what should be sought i...

This week I'm joined by fellow nail industry veteran, Liza Smith, who has had a successful salon business for 35 years.  Crossing hair, beauty and nails Liza has experience many highs and lows in managing a team and in this interview she shares a few of her thoughts on the subject.  Some useful insights on how your salon "brand" can conflict with some team models, ways to grow your team using appr...

Salon ownership is a dream many salon professionals aspire to and in this episode we begin to look at how this journey can begin.  This is a highlights only overview of the big world of salon ownership but if it's on your vision board, there's lots of food for thought, guidance and pointers on how to prepare yourself for one of the biggest roles in the industry.   How many hats do you need to wear...

Join me on this episode where I am talking about the role of Educator.  There are so many opportunities to work as an educator in the industry whether it's as a independent academy, brand educator, college tutor or even as on a freelance basis. It can be a rewarding career pathway and one that requires experience, dedication to continuing your development and helping your students grow into great...

Talking through the pros and cons of being employed in salon after you qualify.  A great way to build up experience and grow your skills.  Learning skills on the job and developing your career in a safe and supported environment is the first step for so many new professionals and getting paid holiday, pensions and more may be more secure than taking a leap straight into self employment going mobil...

This week's episode is all about working from home.  Whether you're in a converted spare room or bespoke garden cabin, working from a home salon gives the ultimate flexibility of working around family and other roles you may have. Home working has risen exponentially over the pandemic lockdowns as many salon owners reverted to a simpler way of working. Is it for you?  Listen in and get the lowdown...

Join me on this episode as I talk all things qualification with Donna  Clayton.  Donna has been in industry for over 20 years and is an expert on academy set up, qualification routes and much more surrounding education within the personal care sector. We talk about regulated, accredited and CPD courses and how each can and should be utilised to help you get the most from your education to take int...

This week's episode is all about working within the salon industry as a mobile worker.  If self employment beckons then going mobile gives you great flexibility and allows your clients to relax in their own home or take a break in their workplace in some circumstances.  Whether you are providing hair, nails or beauty services packing up your kit in your vehicle may offer you a great career away if...

Welcome to the new salon industry podcast "Inspiring Salon Professionals". Join me, Sue Davies, as I host Inspiring Salon Professionals my new podcast where you can join me each week to hear me along with established salon professionals and industry leaders share stories, knowledge and guidance on everything salon and beyond.  The podcast will be a combination of solo shows and industry interviews...