Build Your Salon with Phil Jackson

t's Friday the 13th. The unluckiest thing you can do today? Ignore your numbers. You might tell yourself a few fibs about how your business is doing—your numbers won't. Let's dive in.In this episode, Phil Jackson walks you through four critical numbers that tell you everything about your salon's health. These aren't weekly metrics—these are quarterly deep-dive numbers that show you exactly what needs fixing and where to focus your strategy for the next three months.What You'll Learn:The four numbers that expose your salon's true healthWhat healthy benchmarks look like for each measureWhy "money in the bank" doesn't mean profitableHow to spot pricing vs. capacity vs. retention problemsWhen being "busy" just means busy being poorThe Four Numbers That Matter:Number 1: Net Profit MarginFormula: (Net Profit ÷ Revenue) × 100Healthy: 10-15% minimum (target 15-20%)Below 10%: You're in troubleWhat it reveals: Pricing too low, costs too high, or bothNumber 2: Revenue Per Client VisitTotal revenue ÷ Number of visitsHealthy: Higher than your most popular serviceWhat it reveals: Pricing structure, retail conversion, profitable vs. busyThe question: 100 clients at £30 or 60 clients at £60? Same hours, more profitNumber 3: Client Retention RatePercentage returning within expected timeframeHealthy: 70% minimumBelow 50%: Churning clientsWhat it reveals: Service quality, pricing alignment, team issuesNumber 4: Utilization Rate(Billable hours ÷ Available hours) × 100Healthy: 85-90%Below 70%: Capacity problemAbove 90%: Pricing opportunityWhat it reveals: Marketing problem or pricing problemThis Week's Action:Calculate all four for January. Track quarterly to see trends. These show you what to work on next.The Brutal Truth:Numbers are facts. If they're bad, fix the business model or keep pretending until you run out of money.About Phil Jackson:Phil Jackson is a salon business coach with 27 years of industry experience and a Creative Head Most Wanted Award. He helps salon owners in hair, beauty, and aesthetics build profitable businesses without the hustle BS.Work with Phil:If you need help fixing what these numbers reveal, that's what Ultimate Clarity does:1:1 Ultimate Clarity Coaching: 90-day intensive delivering your 5-year lifestyle-first business plan, 12-month profit & pricing strategy, and 12-month marketing planBook a free consultation: https://tidycal.com/philjackson/1to1-enquiryEmail: phil@buildyoursalon.com

February is when you notice the gaps in your diary. Those clients who couldn't get enough of you in December aren't rebooking. You don't have one big retention problem—you have three specific leaks in three specific places. Let's plug them before March.In this episode, Phil Jackson identifies the three critical points in your client journey where you're losing people and gives you one practical fix for each that you can implement this week.What You'll Learn:The three specific points in the client journey where you're losing customersWhy "better customer service" is too vague to fix retention problemsHow pre-booking appointments can jump retention rates dramaticallyThe power of one personal touch per visit (and how to systematize it)Why 48-hour follow-up messages work (and how to template them)The Three Retention Leaks:Leak #1: Before They BookProblem: Great experience, intended to rebook, just... didn'tFix: Book next appointment before they leave (every single client)Script: "I need to see you in four weeks time. Let's get that booked now for you."Follow-up: Get permission to text if they don't book onlineImpact: Creates consistency, removes friction, positions regular visits as normalLeak #2: During Their VisitProblem: Service was "fine" but nothing memorableFix: One personal touch per visit that shows you remember themExamples: "How did that job interview go?" / "I thought of you when I saw this product"Implementation: Note one personal detail per visit, reference it next timeImpact: Personal connection beats perfect technical deliveryLeak #3: After They LeaveProblem: Happy client leaves, you never contact them againFix: 48-hour follow-up message (every client, every time)Templates: "Just checking in after yesterday—how's your hair/skin settling in?"Advanced: Product tips, midpoint check, booking promptImpact: Shows you care beyond transaction, keeps you front of mindThis Week's Action:Pick ONE leak to fix (Phil recommends pre-booking—easiest, biggest impact). Team meeting today. Track for one week.Reality Check:If your service is good and you're still losing clients, these are your three leaks. Plug them before March.About Phil Jackson:Phil Jackson is a salon business coach with 27 years of industry experience and a Creative Head Most Wanted Award. He helps salon owners in hair, beauty, and aesthetics build profitable businesses without the hustle BS.Work with Phil:If retention is a symptom of bigger structural issues (pricing, service design, business model), that's what Ultimate Clarity addresses:1:1 Ultimate Clarity Coaching: 90-day intensive delivering your 5-year lifestyle-first business plan, 12-month profit strategy, and 12-month marketing planBook a free consultation: https://tidycal.com/philjackson/1to1-enquiryEmail: phil@buildyoursalon.com

It's February. Maybe you've just had the worst January you can remember, and you were Googling "how to sell my salon business" at 1am. Before you call a business broker, answer these five questions.In this episode, Phil Jackson walks you through the critical questions every salon owner needs to answer before deciding whether to sell or fix their business. Selling might be the right answer—or you might be running from fixable problems.What You'll Learn:Five questions to determine if you should sell or fix your salonThe brutal reality of salon business valuations (and why most owners overestimate)What happens to your income when you sell (and why £30k isn't as much as you think)What you're actually selling (hint: it's probably worth less than you believe)Why "I've tried everything" usually means you haven'tHow fixing your business first maximizes sale price even if you do decide to sellPhil's Perspective:"If you're at your lowest ebb, you've got nothing to lose. Be bold with your marketing, your pricing, your strategy. What's the worst that can happen? It can't get any worse. And remember—UK salon owners, we've had six months of rain. This isn't your busiest time. Hold on for the sunnier days."About Phil Jackson:Phil Jackson is a salon business coach with 27 years of industry experience and a Creative Head Most Wanted Award. He helps salon owners in hair, beauty, and aesthetics build profitable businesses without the hustle BS.Work with Phil:1:1 Ultimate Clarity Coaching: 90-day intensive programme delivering your 5-year lifestyle-first business plan, 12-month profit strategy, and 12-month marketing planBook a free consultation: https://tidycal.com/philjackson/1to1-enquiryWebsite: https://buildyoursalon.comEmail: phil@buildyoursalon.comConnect:📧 Email: phil@buildyoursalon.com🎙️ Podcast: Build Your Salon (available on all platforms)📰 Magazine: Salonpreneur MagazineEpisode Timestamps:0:00 - Introduction: February Reality Check1:22 - Question 1: Selling or Running From Problems?2:11 - Question 2: What's It Actually Worth?4:02 - Question 3: What Happens to Your Income?5:34 - Question 4: What Are You Actually Selling?7:55 - Question 5: Have You Actually Tried to Fix It?9:41 - The Fork in the Road: Which Path Is Yours?10:25 - Encouragement: You've Got Nothing to Lose11:17 - Closing & CTA#salonbusiness #salonowner #sellingabusiness #saloncoach #beautybusiness #hairdressingbusiness #businessvaluation #salonmanagement #buildyoursalon #entrepreneurship

48% of salon owners say staff management and motivation is the hardest part of running their business. For many, February is when this hits hardest. Right after the January buzz comes the February funk.In this episode, Phil Jackson cuts through the cheerleading nonsense to give you five practical motivation strategies that actually work, cost almost nothing, and don't require you to become a rah-rah motivational speaker.What You'll Learn:Why throwing money at motivation problems doesn't workThe five things that actually motivate salon teams (and it's not commission)How a £500 training session beats a £500 pay rise every timeWhy your team members might leave over an £8 mopThe difference between standards and micromanagementHow to make your team feel valued without breaking the bankThe Five Motivation Drivers:Feeling Valued (Not Just Paid) - Recognition and specific acknowledgmentGrowth and Learning Opportunities - Internal skill-sharing and consistent trainingAutonomy and Control - Standards vs. micromanagementClear Expectations and Communication - Crystal-clear targets and monthly one-to-onesCulture That Doesn't Drain - Nurturing environments and work-life balanceKey Takeaway:Money isn't why people joined this industry in the first place. Real motivation comes from feeling valued, growing professionally, having autonomy, clear expectations, and a culture that doesn't drain them.Quick Win:This week, give each team member specific acknowledgment for something they've done well. Not "good job"—actual specific recognition of their contribution.About Phil Jackson:Phil Jackson is a salon business coach with 27 years of industry experience and a Creative Head Most Wanted Award. He helps salon owners in hair, beauty, and aesthetics build profitable businesses without the hustle BS.Work with Phil:1:1 Ultimate Clarity Coaching: 90-day intensive delivering your 5-year lifestyle-first business plan, 12-month profit strategy, and 12-month marketing planBook a free consultation: https://tidycal.com/philjackson/1to1-enquiryEmail: phil@buildyoursalon.comConnect:Website: https://buildyoursalon.comEmail: phil@buildyoursalon.comPodcast: Build Your Salon (available on all platforms)

If everyone in your salon charges the same price - junior who's just qualified, senior who's been with you 10 years - you're leaving money on the table.WHAT TIERED PRICING ISDifferent team members charge different prices based on experience, expertise, and client demand.Hair salons do this well. Beauty salons? Not nearly enough.THE FIVE REASONS IT WORKSREASON 1: HELPS JUNIORS BUILD CLIENTELEWithout tiered pricing, reception has subconscious bias - senior costs more in wages, needs to stay busy. Junior never gets chance to build regulars.With tiered pricing, price-sensitive clients gravitate to junior. Levels the playing field.REASON 2: IT'S FAIR TO SENIOR TEAMSomeone with 2 years charges same as someone with 10 years? That's not fair.Tiered pricing shows there's a career path - not just a job.If you don't take care of your team's future, they'll take care of it themselves. Usually means leaving or going self-employed.REASON 3: COST-BASED PRICING MAKES SENSESenior team costs you more in wages.If they charge same as juniors, you make MORE profit from junior and LESS from senior. That's backwards.With tiered pricing, profit per service stays consistent.Even if you're solo: Have an owner tier that prices in your marketing and admin time.REASON 4: CONTROL OVER WHO DOES WHATScottish beauty salon example: Expert therapists on £18-25/hour being booked for £10 quick brow waxes. Losing money.With tiered pricing: Exclude cheap services from Expert tier. Quick treatments only bookable with junior tiers.Now the maths works.REASON 5: RETENTION TOOL IN DOWNTURNSJanuary hits. Clients get price-sensitive.Without tiered pricing: They leave entirely.With tiered pricing: "Money tight? Try our junior tier instead - same great service, lower price."Keep client in business. When finances improve, they move back up.THE OBJECTIONS"Team offended being called junior?"→ Use Graduate, Advanced, Lead. Language is flexible. Concept isn't."Clients think juniors aren't as good?"→ That's the point. Different experience = different pricing."Clients will complain?"→ They won't. Like airline seats: economy, premium, business. Same destination, different experience."Seniors worry clients will leave?"→ Good - opens space for premium-priced customers."Team conflict?"→ No - if progression is transparent. Set clear criteria: retention, utilisation, training, reviews.HOW TO IMPLEMENTDefine tiers → Set progression criteria → Communicate with team FIRST → Update systems → Launch publicly━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━📊 RESOURCES:Get Paid Properly: getpaidproperly.com💬 WORK WITH ME:1:1 Coaching: https://buildyoursalon.com🎧 LISTEN:YouTube: https://youtube.com/@buildyoursalonApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3MZp6jP━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━CHAPTERS:0:00 - Leaving Money on Table1:23 - What Tiered Pricing Is2:19 - Reason 1: Helps Juniors3:21 - Reason 2: Fair to Seniors4:19 - Reason 3: Cost-Based Pricing5:14 - Reason 4: Control Who Does What6:09 - Reason 5: Retention Tool7:01 - Objections Answered9:45 - Progression Criteria#tieredpricing #salonpricing #salonbusiness━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━Questions? phil@buildyoursalon.com

Most salon owners leave thousands of pounds on the table every year because they hate selling retail.You feel pushy. You don't want to be that aggressive salesperson. You're afraid of rejection.So products gather dust and you miss massive profit opportunities.Here's the truth: NOT recommending products is doing your clients a disservice.THE MINDSET SHIFTStop thinking of retail as "selling products." Start thinking of it as completing your professional service.You're a professional. Your client isn't. You know which products protect their work, maintain treatments, and extend results.If you don't tell them, you're being SELFISH about your fear of rejection instead of thinking about what's best for the client.PRESCRIBE home care. Don't "sell" products.WHAT DOESN'T WORK❌ Product displays (people don't browse)❌ Vague mentions ("We have some great products...")❌ Waiting until checkout (they're mentally done)❌ Selling features instead of resultsWHAT WORKS✓ Get agreement in CONSULTATION (before starting service)"To create this style, you'll need these products at home. Is that okay before we start?"✓ Show product DURING service (let them experience it)✓ Prescribe BEFORE checkout (not at till)✓ Make it easy to say YESPhysically pick up products. Walk to checkout with them.✓ Handle objections professionally"Expensive?" → "£1.50/week to protect a £120 colour service""I'll think about it" → "Wrong products = results fail sooner = back spending £120 sooner""Next time" → "Damage happens in first few days - next time is too late"ADVANCED TACTICSPRICE IT IN: For extensions or colour correction, include products in service price. Guarantees results, breaks bad habits.TEAM FLEXIBILITY: "Budget tight? If you take all three products, I can do the third half-price."BUILD STORIES: "Sarah struggled with frizz until she started using this. Now smooth all week."THE REJECTION MINDSETWhen McDonald's asks "Would you like fries?" and you say no, do they take it personally?No. Next customer.Same attitude here.WHY THIS ISN'T OPTIONALThis used to be optional. Not anymore.Massive profit opportunity you can't afford to decline.If YOU won't retail, your team definitely won't either.━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━📊 RESOURCES:Salon Spark: https://salon-spark.com💬 WORK WITH ME:1:1 Coaching: https://buildyoursalon.com🎧 LISTEN:Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3MZp6jP━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━CHAPTERS:0:00 - Why Leave Money on Table1:18 - Why We Hate Retail2:15 - Mindset Shift: Service Not Sales3:10 - Being Selfish About Rejection4:12 - What Doesn't Work5:15 - Get Agreement in Consultation6:03 - Have Products in Stock6:50 - Prescription Framework7:37 - Price It In Strategy8:22 - Handle Objections9:23 - Not Optional Anymore#salonretail #salonproducts #salonprofitability━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━Questions? phil@buildyoursalon.com

Most salon team targets don't work. Either they don't exist, they're random numbers that sound good, or - here's the killer - everyone hits their individual targets and the salon STILL misses its numbers.That's because individual targets don't add up to the salon target.THE FOUR MEASURES (Track these, nothing else)Stop tracking 17 things. Your salon software has too many reports and it's confusing. Track these four for every team member:MEASURE 1: SERVICE REVENUEHow much money each team member puts in the till from services.Work BACKWARDS from your salon target:- Salon needs £50k/month- 4 team members- £50k ÷ 4 = £12.5k per personIf everyone hits £12.5k, salon hits £50k.MEASURE 2: RETAIL (Units, not revenue)How many products did they sell?Why units? Selling 15 shampoos is harder than selling one set of expensive straighteners. We're measuring the HABIT of retailing.MEASURE 3: UTILIZATIONPercentage of column full with paying customers.Target: 80-90% (85% is sweet spot)- 100% = no breathing room, stressed model- Below 70% = not making moneyMEASURE 4: REBOOKING OR RETENTION (Pick one)Rebooking: Percentage who rebook before leavingRetention: Percentage who return within service cyclePick REBOOKING - you see results faster. Most retention reports are unreadable.Target: 60%+THE THREE-LEVEL SYSTEM (Makes it motivating)Each measure needs THREE numbers:TARGET: Challenging but achievable (15 retail products/week)CELEBRATION: Above target (20 products/week)When they hit this, recognize it publicly. Gives high performers something to stretch for.MINIMUM ACCEPTABLE: Below target (10 products/week)Don't mention in 1:1s. It's YOUR internal line - when coaching isn't working and you need a capability or disciplinary conversation.THE 1:1 STRUCTURE (10-15 minutes max)"Your four numbers from last week:- Service revenue: £1,300 (target £1,250) ✓- Retail: 12 units (target 15) - slight miss- Utilization: 87% (target 85%) ✓- Rebooking: 58% (target 60%) - closeWhat challenges? What should we focus on?"Done. 10 minutes.Frequency: Monthly if performing well (around payday). Fortnightly or weekly if struggling.THE COACHING TOOLKITFor each measure, have 3-5 tactics to coach:Service revenue low? Upsell treatments, extend appointment times, fill gapsRetail low? Prescribe like a doctor, show product during service, explain resultsUtilization low? Increase rebooking, reduce cancellations, fill last-minute gapsRebooking low? Pre-book at till, create urgency, review service qualityTargets without coaching toolkit = pointless.THE BIGGEST MISTAKEIndividual targets don't add up to salon targets.ALWAYS work backwards from salon target. If everyone hits individual targets, salon should hit its targets.COMMISSION VS TARGETSDon't coach people toward commission targets. Commission should MOTIVATE them. If you have to coach them to hit commission, the commission structure isn't working.Coach them toward SALON targets - what YOU need them to achieve.━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━📊 RESOURCES:Salon Spark: https://salon-spark.com💬 WORK WITH ME:1:1 Coaching: https://buildyoursalon.com🎧 WATCH:YouTube: https://youtu.be/o5ErCGsd2w8CHAPTERS:0:00 - Why Most Targets Don't Work1:20 - Problem 1: No Targets2:12 - Problem 2: Random Targets3:02 - Problem 3: Don't Add Up3:52 - Problem 4: No Coaching4:44 - Four Measures Only5:42 - Why Separate Service/Retail6:39 - Retail: Units vs Money7:32 - Utilization (85% Sweet Spot)10:03 - Rebooking vs Retention10:56 - Three-Level System12:39 - Minimum Acceptable Line13:37 - Coaching Toolkit#salonteamtargets #salonKPIs #salonmanagementQuestions? phil@buildyoursalon.com

Referrals are the best source of new salon clients - but most salon owners get it completely wrong. They put up a poster saying "Refer a friend, get 10% off!" and wonder why nothing happens.Here's the problem: referral programs fail because you run out of steam.You can't maintain referral-focused energy year-round while also running your salon, doing your marketing, managing your team, and actually doing hair.So referral programs die by March. The poster fades. Nobody notices it anymore.The solution: Split your referral strategy into TWO parts.PART 1: ALWAYS-ON FOUNDATION (Background referral generation all year)- Shareable transformations (before/after photos sent automatically to clients)- Branded Instagram templates (make it easy to tag you)- New client welcome system (acknowledge who referred them)- Thank you texts (when someone refers, thank them immediately)Set it up once. Runs forever. Generates referrals passively.PART 2: FOCUSED REFERRAL CAMPAIGN (One month, high energy, then STOP)Pick ONE month per year (or two maximum).Week 1: Announce the campaign- Email everyone: "This month only - refer a friend, you both get [REWARD]"- Make the reward generous (not 10% - that's not enough to change behavior)- Stacking rewards (one customer sent us 13 referrals in one month!)Week 2-3: Push hard- Mention to EVERY client in salon- Post about it on social media- Send reminders by email- Create urgency ("This month only")Week 4: Final push- "Last week! If you've been meaning to refer someone, now's the time!"Then STOP. Campaign over. Back to normal.WHY THIS WORKS:✓ Focused energy for one month is sustainable (year-round isn't)✓ Creates urgency (if it's always available, nobody acts)✓ You don't burn out (the always-on foundation keeps ticking over)✓ Referrals have minimal wasted marketing effort (your clients pre-qualify who they refer)The mistake: Running referral campaigns for 3-6 months. You'll run out of steam by month 2.Better: One month of brilliance beats six months half-arsed.Pick your referral month (February is great if January was quiet, August works if you need summer boost).━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━📊 RESOURCES:Salon Spark (Weekly Accountability + Community): https://salon-spark.com→ £75/month, cancel anytime, try it for £1 first month━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━💬 WORK WITH ME:1:1 Coaching: https://buildyoursalon.com→ Book a call for help implementing referral systems━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━👋 WHO I AM:Phil Jackson. Ex-salon owner (award-winning, since 2001). Now I coach salon owners who want profitable businesses without the hustle BS.This podcast is for the ones who take their business seriously.━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━🎧 LISTEN:Spotify: [your episode link]Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3MZp6jPWebsite: buildyoursalonpodcast.com━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━CHAPTERS:0:00 - Why Referrals Are the Best Source1:18 - The Problem: You Run Out of Steam2:14 - Why Referrals Have Less Wasted Effort4:05 - The Poster That Doesn't Work4:51 - Two-Part Referral Strategy5:44 - Part 1: Always-On Foundation6:27 - Step 1: Shareable Transformations7:21 - Step 2: Branded Instagram Templates8:01 - Step 3: Acknowledge New Client Referrers8:49 - Step 4: Thank You System9:41 - Part 2: Focused Referral Campaign10:22 - Make It Rewarding (One Customer Sent 13!)11:17 - Mention to EVERY Client12:06 - Don't Extend It - You'll Run Out of Steam#salonreferrals #salonmarketing #salonreferralprogram #salonbusiness #wordofmouth━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━Questions? Email: phil@buildyoursalon.comNeed help with salon marketing? Reach out - let's chat!

If you're working harder than ever and not making profit, there's a good chance your prices are too low.But raising prices feels terrifying. What if clients leave? What if nobody books?Here are the 3 signs you're definitely undercharging - and exactly what to do about it.WHY YOU'RE STUCK AT LOW PRICES:Fear #1: Clients will leave(Spoiler: The ones who leave over £5 weren't your clients anyway)Fear #2: Columns will be empty(Reality: When you charge properly, you need FEWER clients to make the same money)Fear #3: You don't feel "worth it"(That's imposter syndrome talking. You're worth more than you're charging.)THE 3 SIGNS YOU'RE UNDERCHARGING:Sign #1: Fully booked but not making money- Columns rammed, working 50-60 hours, barely scraping by- You're discounting your time - making £10-15/hour after costs- The market is telling you that you can charge moreSign #2: You're attracting price-sensitive clients- They ask "How much?" before "What can you do?"- They negotiate, cancel frequently, don't tip, complain constantly- Cheap prices attract cheap clients- Premium prices attract people who value quality- "Every time you price someone out, you price someone in"Sign #3: You're cheaper than competitors (and shouldn't be)- If competitors charge more and you're equally good (or better), you're leaving money on the table- Don't obsess about competitors when setting prices- Don't let someone else's business model dictate your charges- Premium pricing = premium perception (and better coffee, training, decor)HOW TO RAISE PRICES WITHOUT LOSING EVERYONE:Step 1: Run the numbers- Understand WHY you're charging what you do- Set prices based on the profit YOU want to make- Make it a no-brainer for the right customersStep 2: Announce it properly- 4 weeks notice minimum- Small sign on reception: "From 1st March, new prices"- No apologies, no drama- Current clients can rebook today at old prices (increases rebookings)Step 3: Handle pushback- Most people complain but don't change behavior- Listen, but don't negotiate- Tiered pricing helps retention (can't afford top stylist? Book someone else)Step 4: Replace the clients who leave- That's a marketing problem- The right clients will find you at premium pricesYOUR ACTION PLAN:Put a date in the diary. If it were me: 1st March.That gives you 2 weeks to set new prices and get the announcement up.RESOURCES:Get Paid Properly (Profit & Pricing Program): https://getpaidproperly.com→ The complete system for setting profitable salon pricesWORK WITH ME:Salon Spark: https://salon-spark.com→ £75/month, cancel anytime, try it for £11:1 Coaching: https://buildyoursalon.com→ Book a call for intensive pricing and profitability helpWHO I AM:Phil Jackson. Ex-salon owner (award-winning, since 2001). Now I coach salon owners who want profitable businesses without the hustle BS.In my own salon, we promised to be the most expensive haircut in town. If anyone matched our prices, we'd immediately increase ours. Some people came to us BECAUSE we were the most expensive.WATCH/LISTEN:YouTube: https://youtube.com/@buildyoursalonApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3MZp6jPWebsite: buildyoursalonpodcast.com━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━CHAPTERS:0:00 - Working Harder, Not Making Profit1:12 - Why You're Stuck at Low Prices2:02 - Fear #1: Losing Clients2:55 - Fear #2: Empty Columns3:48 - Fear #3: Imposter Syndrome4:35 - Sign #1: Fully Booked, Not Making Money5:31 - Sign #2: Attracting Price-Sensitive Clients6:23 - The Groupon Story8:01 - "Every Time You Price Someone Out, You Price Someone In"8:50 - Sign #3: Cheaper Than Competitors10:29 - How to Raise Prices Without Losing Everyone11:06 - Step 1: Run the Numbers11:50 - Step 2: Announce It12:35 - Step 3: Handle Pushback, Step 4: Replace Clients#salonpricing #salonprofitability #raisingprices #undercharging #salonownerQuestions? Email: phil@buildyoursalon.com

Finding good people for your salon feels impossible. Zero applications, ghosted interviews, or people who show up for one day and disappear. Recruitment in 2026 is brutal - but some salons are still finding brilliant people.Why it's harder now:Post-COVID shift: People want flexibility, development, culture (not just a job)Gen Z researches you on Instagram before applyingCompetition is fierce: Everyone's desperateIf your strategy is "post an ad and hope", you're screwed.In this episode:The 3 mistakes killing your recruitmentAlways-on recruiting (build your pipeline BEFORE you need people)How to make your salon visible to potential employeesWriting job ads that actually attract good peopleWhat flexibility actually means in 2026Your January action planStop desperate scrambling. Build your employer brand and pipeline.Work with me:Salon Spark: https://salon-spark.com£75/month, try for £11:1 Coaching: https://buildyoursalon.comWatch/Subscribe:YouTube: Watch on YouTubeApple Podcasts: Listen on AppleWebsite: buildyoursalonpodcast.com

Most salon team meetings are a waste of time. They're either non-existent or just you moaning at your team for 45 minutes while everyone stares at their phones.Neither builds a better salon. Here's how to get them right.The three camps:No meetings at all (no cohesion, everyone in silos)Occasional roasting sessions (owner's frustrated, nobody wants to come back)Rambling chaos (starts late, runs 90 minutes, nothing gets decided)In this episode:Why I got this horrifically wrong for yearsThe 45-minute structure that worksMonthly minimum (when to increase frequency)What to include: Product training, promotions, winsWhat to exclude: Negativity, roasting, ventingThe agenda trick that prevents sabotageYour January action planTeam meetings build culture and keep everyone aligned. Get them right.Work with me:Salon Spark: https://salon-spark.com£75/month, try for £11:1 Coaching: https://buildyoursalon.comSubscribe:YouTube: Watch on YouTubeApple Podcasts: Listen on AppleWebsite: buildyoursalonpodcast.com

I've been coaching salon business owners for almost a decade. Want to know the problem that keeps coming back? Owners working their asses off and barely paying themselves.If you put yourself on your team's wage structure and couldn't afford to pay yourself, you're not building a business - you've built an expensive hobby that happens to have staff.In this episode:The 3 reasons salon owners don't pay themselves (guilt, fear, confusion)Worker vs Owner: Why you need TWO types of incomeWages for the work + Dividends for the riskReal 2026 numbers: Small salon (£36-54k), Medium (£54-80k), Large (£80-160k+)How to set it up in January and stop subsidizing your businessYou deserve to get paid what you're worth. Let's fix this in 2026.Resources:Get Paid Properly: https://getpaidproperly.comComplete profit & pricing systemWork with me:Salon Spark: https://salon-spark.com£75/month, try for £11:1 Coaching: https://buildyoursalon.comSubscribe:YouTube: Watch on YouTubeApple Podcasts: Listen on AppleWebsite: buildyoursalonpodcast.com

You don't need 100 members to make salon memberships profitable. You might not even need 50.After helping 100+ salons launch membership programs, I can tell you exactly how many members YOU need - and it's probably fewer than you think.In this episode:How to calculate your membership target based on YOUR actual numbersWhy most salons need 30-60 members (not hundreds)Small salon vs. large salon targets - what's realisticThe reverse engineering strategy: start with your overhead gapWhy "more members" isn't always betterStop guessing. Start with the real numbers that will transform your cash flow.Resources:Salon Memberships Made Easy: https://queenofmemberships.comThe complete system for launching profitable membershipsWork with me:Salon Spark (weekly accountability + community): https://salon-spark.com£75/month, cancel anytime, try it for £11:1 Coaching: https://buildyoursalon.comSubscribe:YouTube: Watch on YouTubeWebsite: buildyoursalonpodcast.com

Most salon memberships die in month 3.Not because the concept is flawed. Because of 3 specific mistakes that are completely avoidable.After helping 100+ salons implement memberships, I've seen this pattern play out over and over.In this episode:Why month 3 is the danger zoneThe 3 retention killers (and how to avoid them)The simple system that keeps members past the honeymoon phaseReal numbers from salons who got it rightWork with me:Salon Spark (weekly accountability + community): https://salon-spark.comTry it for one month for just £11:1 Coaching: https://buildyoursalon.comFree guide - 10 brutal truths - YOUR SALON MEMBERSHIP ISDEAD BEFORE IT LAUNCHES: https://www.buildyoursalon.com/memberships-for-salons-page😬 Got a negative review and don't know what to say? Get my free response templates: https://buildyoursalon.com/handling-reviews-pageSubscribe:YouTube: https://youtu.be/C_i5jSMx3xwWebsite: buildyoursalonpodcast.com

Forget the fluff and glitter — this Boxing Day episode is all about turning vision-board fantasies into a plan you can actually stick to. Phil Jackson walks salon owners through his tried-and-true goal-setting process for 2026, showing how to connect your long-term dreams with realistic, value-driven actions. From five-year mapping to quarterly focus and smarter revenue targets, this episode will help you anchor your goals in what truly matters — your values, your team, and your lifestyle. And since it’s Boxing Day, I’m celebrating with some brilliant offers to help you start the year strong — including my Crystal Clear Goal Setting programme and Salon Spark accountability group. 🎁 Head over to buildyoursalon.com to grab your deals before they disappear.Let’s make 2026 the year your salon works for you — not the other way around.

Most business owners jump straight into goal setting in January, only to abandon their plans by February. This episode reveals the crucial, albeit un-glamorous, prep work that will ensure your 2026 salon goals actually stick!In this episode, we cover: Reviewing 2025: A cold, hard look at what made you money, brought joy, felt easy, and what simply didn't work. Your Magic Number: Pinpointing your desired profit for 2026 to inform your turnover targets and lifestyle goals. Feed Your Brain: Stretching your mind with inspiring reads or audiobooks to broaden your perspective and ambition. Values Research: Using a value-setting exercise to ensure your goals align with what truly matters to you, creating a filter for success and happiness.This half-day prep isn't about setting goals yet, but about laying solid foundations so your goals are realistic, ambitious, and aligned with your core values. Block out 2.5-4 hours between Christmas and New Year – your future self will thank you for the clarity!Recommended Reading: Alex Hormozi's 100M Offers Dan Sullivan & Benjamin Hardy's 10x Is Easier Than 2x Any book by Brené Brown Value setting decks (available on Amazon or free online printables)Join us next episode for a quick rundown on the goal-setting process itself!

Want help holding yourself accountable and getting clarity for the year ahead? Join Salon Spark and grab your first month for just £1 – my personal support to help you actually get sh*t done. That December chaos? It’s not just about full columns and frantic clients. In this episode, Phil Jackson uncovers the deeper reason salon owners feel frazzled over the holidays—how your personal values and boundaries get thrown off balance, and what to do about it. Expect a little tough love, a few laughs, and a practical mindset reset to help you glide into the new year calmer, clearer, and more in tune with what really matters.

Join Phil Jackson as he shares expert insights on maximizing salon revenue this December. Discover strategic actions to fill up your appointment book, effectively use gift vouchers, and smart ways to bring forward promotions. Enhance your client experience and keep the cash flow steady even during quieter times. Let's make December more profitable despite the challenges!

What if growing your salon isn’t actually helping your bottom line? In this episode, Phil pulls back the curtain on why more team members, more turnover, and more chaos don’t always equal more profit. Discover how to calculate the real profitability of your team, why small can be smarter, and how to build a lifestyle-first business that truly serves you.

<p style="font-family:Montserrat, sans-serif;"> In this episode, Phil Jackson dishes out some tough love on the true value of salon software. Are you paying for features you don’t even use? Phil explores when salon software is genuinely worth the investment ... and when it’s time to cut it loose and switch to smarter, cheaper tools. Learn how AI, dynamic pricing, and better financial tracking can help you simplify, save money, and keep your business running smoothly without unnecessary subscriptions. </p> <p style="font-family:Montserrat, sans-serif;"> Plus, hear how innovative tools like Booko are helping salons use dynamic pricing to boost profits and fill tricky time slots, all without the old-school bloat of overcomplicated systems. </p>