Business consultant Phil Jackson from Build Your Salon, offers these tips for managing your money within the salon.  

We are living in turbulent times and even world events occurring far from home are having an impact on your business.  Energy prices are on the rise and it won’t be long before our manufacturers have to pass increased costs along to our salons. 

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed. So much seems outside of your control. There are, however, a few simple moves you could be making to protect your business and ensure you remain profitable. 

Firstly, review your prices. I’m hoping you do this regularly anyway, but I’ve heard of a few salons that are delaying their pricing review ‘until things settle down’. To be blunt, things won’t settle down any time soon and you run the risk of running on reduced profit in the meantime. Holding out to see what your suppliers are doing could mean delays of weeks or even months. Far better to decide your prices on the information you have now and make an educated guess on what might happen in the next couple of months. Then implement any changes sooner rather than later. 

Price reviews can cause a little upset with your customers (though few will expect your prices to remain the same, particularly in the current climate). You can take some of the sting out of the increases and ensure your prices are set where they should be by reviewing prices more frequently. Six-monthly price reviews tend to mean smaller increases and some services may not need reviewing at all. In times of drastic change don’t be afraid to increase sooner than that. I am certain your customers would rather that than see you operate at a loss or even have to close your doors for good. 

Changing prices is far easier if you have made the decision to finally ditch physical price cards. Make your pricing available online or alternatively, if you have something you want to physically give your customers, exclude the prices and instead provide them with a link or QR code where the latest prices can be accessed. That means that changing your prices is a simple two-minute job rather than paying hundreds of pounds for a print run of price cards. It’s also friendlier to the environment than binning a box of unused cards. 

Encourage online bookings. Not only does it mean you can take bookings 24/7, it means your customers are shown the latest, up-to-date prices at the point of booking too. It will never suit everyone but it can make a huge difference to your business, particularly if you implement a booking fee to reduce no-shows. 

Finally, take the opportunity to review your costs. Some increases are unavoidable but shop around as much as you can for utilities and other supplies. Even 1% of costs saved can make a massive difference to your profits over a year. Sadly, we can’t exclude wages from this review. If you set your commission to an affordable level a few years ago but your fixed costs have increased, either your variable costs (including commission) will need to reduce or you are going to have to reduce your profit margin. Remember to take legal advice before making changes to contracts or pay. 

There is currently an affection for small businesses and salons that means your customers are less price sensitive. The best way to weather a financial storm is to remain nimble, adapt quickly and keep a firm grip on those things you can control. 

The Fellowship PROJECT: Men Team headed to RB Training in Stoke-on-Trent for the most recent training day to spend time with this month’s mentor, Gary Machin. 

Gary Machin, director of the Rogers Barber Shops, Founder of RB Training & Chairman of the Barber Council, has been a barber for more than 30 years. His recent work has taken him around the globe representing the British Barbers Association as lead educator, judging competitions, educating and supporting major companies. 

The team were joined by their team leader, Simon Shaw, and they spent the day learning all things men’s grooming – the art of shaving and skincare.  

Team member Tammy Reynolds said: “Our shaving day with Gary Machin was phenomenal. We were so well looked after by his team and after being taught three different shaves we even came away with a goodie bag of British Barber Association products. The Academy and barbershop were incredibly professional and faultless.” 

Scott Musgrove added: “Gary’s day focused on a shave day, which was completely new to me – so all the techniques and methods were all fresh ideas. It was a great day!” 

Blayre Turnbull said: “We had an amazing day with Gary Machin. I learnt so many things I didn’t know about shaving and the way he made an open razor shave look so effortless was brilliant.” 

Lucy Melvin added: “We learned about the different tools of shaving and the different quality of brushes and how to look after them. We learned about shaving facial hair and what problems we should look out for when shaving such as bad skin and thin hair. We were taught about the importance of head positioning when cutting the beard and how we should always use gloves when cutting beards and applying product. It was so much fun, interesting and educational and I can’t wait to try this service at some point.” 

Janene Hawkins concluded: “We received amazing hospitality from Gary and Racheal! Precision service for shaving delivered, BBA signature shave, fabulous to watch and I learnt so much more about products and the shave itself, ensuring my service is elevated to the highest of standards.” 

PROJECT: MEN TEAM LEADER: Simon Shaw 

PROJECT: MEN TEAM MEMBERS: 
Alex Burt – Teddy Edwards Cutting Rooms  
Emma Simmons – Salon 54 
Sophie Fedoriw – Safy B’s 
George Smith – TONI&GUY 
Tammy Reynolds – Tammy Reynolds for Hair 
Leanne Jones – Leanne Jones Hair Studio 
Janene Hawkins Bush – Sir & Co Barbers 
Blayre Turnbull – Urban Hair & Beauty 
Scott Musgrove – Scott Musgrove Hair 
Ian Young – Pompadour 
Roisin Murphy – Hairven Salon Group 
Lucy Melvin – Diamond Appearance 

Join the founders of LV3 and special guests for the barbering seminar of a lifetime on May 8th 2022!

Expect to leave this masterclass with innovative skills, knowledge and inspiration.

Whether you’re an aspiring barber or an OG in the game, this event caters to all.

Learn how to build your own brand, social media and business from some of the industry’s finest.

Watch live cuts and learn the latest cutting techniques from the world famous A-ROD, the LV3 UK ambassadors, and special guest barbers.

With an impressive Instagram following of 2 million followers, A-ROD is the world’s most followed barber.

VIP ticket holders get exclusive access to Meet & Greet A-ROD, front row seats and a goodie bag packed with $50 worth of LV3 products!

Enjoy an interactive podcast style presentation, and the opportunity to engage in a live Q&A with the team.

There will be competitive battle-offs, giveaways and much more!

End the day at the Chris and Sons Pop-up shop, where you will find plenty of LV3 gear, alongside many other exclusive and well-sought after brands!

For more information or to book your tickets, visit https://greenwichtheatre.org.uk/events/chris-sons-l3vel3-founders-tour-uk.

Vivid, bright colour isn’t the domain of long, wavy hair – nothing looks more dramatic that a short vivid pixie crop – and if you follow the advice from Pulp Riot Artist Christabel Legrand, it’s easier than you think. 

“Vivid colour isn’t going anywhere – and for summer 2022 the brighter the better! We’re used to seeing gorgeous colourful waves on Instagram, but a pop of colour can add the wow factor to any short hairstyle. Icy and silver have always been a favourite for short hair, but we are starting to see people becoming more adventurous with pastel blues and pinks fast becoming trends.” 

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Here’s Christabel’s top tips for working with short hair 

1. Depending on what tone you want to achieve it’s important to make sure you have prepped the canvas properly. So, if you want to create a light pastel you will need to lift the hair to a level 9/10. I would then neutralise any unwanted pale yellow tones using either Pulp Riot Moonstone, Icy or Silver (depending on what tone you are creating) this means your pastel will look more true to tone. 
   
2. As hair fades and grows, clients will be able to enjoy it at every step. They will feel like they have a completely different hairstyle within a month.  
   
3. When lifting shorter hair isolate the hair to allow for maximum lift, check your sections and remove when lifted to the desired level.  
   
4. If you’re using Pulp Riot semi-permanent colour to create your vivid, don’t panic if it goes wrong, Blank Canvas will remove it and return it to its original canvas so you can start again! 
   
5. It’s important to look at your client’s skin tone; do they suit warmer colours or cooler tones? Look at their fashion, lifestyle – will the colour fit with their everyday look? Will they be able to maintain it at home? 
   
6. Talk to your clients about aftercare and also how regularly they may need to return for a follow up appointment. 

Barbershops are truly the heart of the community and none more so than TRU Fades in Richmond, VA. They have introduced an apprenticeship program that is beneficial to the participants and the community as a whole. 

The program has been approved to perform free haircuts for the less fortunate, apprentices perform these services allowing for regular practice while providing a public service that is in great need. 

Now the program has been rolled out throughout the state and in do so will introduce so many more opportunities.  

Here is a little background about TRU Fades and the program it has created. 

Perry, also known as P Lee, opened TRUFades Barbershop on January 29th, 2022. The ethos here is ‘Each One, Teach One’, which means that the barbers teach and improve one another. In other words, within the shop, ‘iron sharpens iron’. 

The apprentices begin performing the services of barbering and grooming all over the state within the community for the most in need. This is also giving the apprentices an opportunity to practise and also grow their own skillset. P Lee has expanded on this idea by evolving it into a regular program, with various locations in Richmond, and with plans of increasing the number of apprentices, clients, and venues in the upcoming months. 

This program also caters to those who are not able to afford basic necessities, let alone personal grooming. During the events of the program, those that participate are not only provided with a free haircut but are also given a free meal and a safe place to be at peace.  

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This program takes care of a major concern for apprentices, and that is not having an established clientele. With this program, not only are they providing an excellent service to their community, but they are also gaining experience and confidence in their abilities. 

In the words of “Each one, Teach one” hopefully barbershops all over will follow suit and use this program to give an expedited path to success for future barbers, as well as bringing our communities together and making them stronger. 

If you as a barbershop owner or barber would like to get involved with the program, please contact P Lee at Trufades_by_plee

Many congratulations to the newly announced winners of this year’s NAHA awards.  

The North American Hairstyling Awards is the most prestigious professional beauty competition in North America, and honors the salon industry’s top artists.  

The winners are:  

Avant Garde: Migena Furxhi 
Barber of the year: Navin Ramgoolam 
Editorial stylist of the year: Shirley Gordon 
Educator of the year: John Mosley 
Haircolor: Sean Godard 
Haircutting: Reno Prezio 
Hairstylist of the Year: Cassie Carey 
Inspiring salon of the year: Steller Hair Company 
Makeup artist of the year: Jalia Pettis 
Master hairstylist of the year: Ruth Roche 
Student hairstylist of the year: Ali Talamantes 
Styling and finishing: Robin LaChance 
Team of the year: Ulta Beauty Design Team 
Texture: Jamal Edmonds 
#NAHAMOMENT2022: Kim Rivka Elbaz 

GET ready FOR NAHA 2023 

ENTRY OPEN JUNE 6 – SEPTEMBER 14, 2022 

The North American Hairstyling Awards is the most prestigious professional beauty competition in North America and honors the salon industry’s top artists – who push the boundaries of skill and creativity. 
 
For over 30 years, thousands of talented artists have used NAHA as a platform to showcase their work to win a coveted NAHA award. 

To enter click here.

Something incredible has opened in LA. The Bike Shop MOTO opened it’s doors in April. Yes, it’s a barbershop, but it’s so much more. The concept is based on the London strategy of The Bike Shed Moto, the LA location has a full restaurant, café, bar and lounge, multi-brand retail emporium with multiple concessions for gear, apparel, top brands and motorcycle sales, private dining, private members bar and mezzanines, the Paint Shop tattoo studio, event space and galleries AND the Parts and Labour Barbershop.  

With on-site parking for more than 100 motorcycles all set in a building that was built in 1945, it is based in the heart of the LA Arts District. 

 

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UK barber, Paul Hewitt, a consultant on the project, said: “It’s an incredible space, combining all the owner’s passion projects under one roof, motorcycles, tattooing, barbering and great food. It’s huge, with a dedicated retail space, mezzanine platform to overlook the whole location, and it is open to members and non-members.” 

The owners of the new LA location, Vikki and Dutch Van Someren, said: “We are incredibly happy and excited to announce that the Bike Shed Los Angeles is now open.⁠ 
“After years of hard work, not helped by two years of global chaos, and countless messages from excited members of our community asking when we’ll be open, we are incredibly proud of the final results, and cannot wait to welcome you to your new LA home.” 

Parts & Labour Barbers LA are looking for more passionate and driven fully licensed barbers to join their team. All enquiries please email: Dutch@thebiksshed.cc 

BIKE SHED MOTO, 1580 Industrial Street, Arts District DTLA. Follow the progress here.

Green Salon Collective has partnered with sustainability consultancy The Liminality to offer a unique accreditation system for salons and other businesses in the hair and beauty industry. 

As the original authority on holistic sustainability throughout the UK and Ireland, Green Salon Collective is perfectly positioned to offer advice, support and guidance to businesses looking to improve their green credentials. Achieving GSC accreditation demonstrates to clients, staff and the wider industry that a business goes above and beyond when it comes to looking after people and the planet by creating a sustainable salon experience.

The GSC accreditation process comprises six simple steps, beginning with an initial preparation stage designed to ensure that applicants understand what is required of their business to qualify. The measures are stringent, based on everything from a business’s energy provider, waste reduction and food and drink options, to its staff policies and even its approach to diversity and the wider community. 

Following this, applicants should select the relevant fee (£199 for salons, £99 for freelancers) and complete an online questionnaire at a time to suit. GSC’s Accreditation Programme Director will then arrange to visit the primary business location for a personalised audit, during which they will verify the applicant’s claims. If for any reason all criteria is not fulfilled, they will offer personalised guidance on what further steps are required to earn accreditation.

‘We are thrilled to be able to offer salons a thorough and authentic assessment that helps highlight the efforts they have made to take sustainability seriously’ says Fry Taylor, GSC co-founder. ‘Our accreditation process is stringent but easy to understand, with advice that is simple to implement – our aim is to enable as many businesses as possible to become more socially and eco-conscious.’ 

To find out more about GSC accreditation or to apply for accreditation, please click here 

Launching April 2022

Features & Benefits 

• Can be used over tint. Hi-Lifts cut through tint where normal reds won’t. 
• Achieves maximum lift without the need for bleach. 
• Formulated with high levels of colour pigment deliver intensely rich and vibrant results. 
• Contains higher ammonia content for reach supreme lightening levels. 
• Can be used on a darker level to create a vibrant red. 
• Can be added to other reds in the range as a booster. 
• Available in 3 intensely rich and wearable shades. 

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SALON PRICE: £4.25 + VAT each per 100ml 

MIXING RATIO: 1 : 2 Hi –Lift tint can be mixing with 10 Vol / 20 Vol or 30 Vol depending on how much lift is required. Processing time – between 35 and 45 minutes. 

“The NEW OSMO IKON Hi-Lift Red series, give a bright, intense look to darker natural shades that we would typically have to pre-lift or mix into the other red copper choices on the chart to provide the results with a more vivid boost. Being able to add a red lifting choice into an already tinted brown without the need to pre-lift will be a real plus to any salon in busy times. Offering more options and choices to our clients with minimum fuss? Who doesn’t love to over-deliver when going for that loyal customer base! 

Partner this with the OSMO IKON Elevation Additives in Red, which can be added to any favourite shampoo or conditioner choice or even add into the Intense Copper, Radiant Red, and Purple Rouge in Colour Revive. OSMO has gone all out with this launch and have you covered for every red trend, technique wants, and desires for the season ahead.” 

OSMO® Ambassador, Adele Clarke and owner of Spectrum Hair, St Helens.

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The latest issue of BarberEVO North America is OUT NOW.

Get your copy here!

Headline

Check out ‘The King of the Ring’ Jay Majors on our front cover as we focus in on the barber’s Super Bowl, the CT Barber Expo, which is getting everything a little too excited. There are some huge names on the bill and this year’s event is set to knock it out the park. Read all about who is there, what to look forward to and what you can get involved in… are you up for a barber battle? There’s some amazing prizes to be won.

RETAIL

Talk of selling home care products either has barbers raving about the advantages or set them off on a rant about being pushy. That’s why we have focused on the advice from experts like Ivan Zoot who has a bunch of tips and tricks to make adding $$s to your bottom line as easy as snipping off a bad ‘tache.

BARBERCHAIRS

The throne of the barbershop, the barber chair is a place of safety and relaxation for your client, as well as being a big expenditure. We take a deep dive into what should be on your checklist when you go shopping for chairs, talking to those that have learned a few lessons… particularly the old one of you get what you pay for. We do some research on your behalf so that you buy once and buy well.

HAIR ART

Straight from the minds of the industry’s creative geniuses, the patterns, the intricate lines, the combination of hair and art that produces envious patterns, that’s what we are celebrating in this issue. Those barbers that treat the head like a canvas and produce the wildest of creations. We talk techniques, tools and products to take designs to a whole new level.

We hope you enjoy this issue! You can order your print copy here.