ist Magazine May 2022

Notes from the Road

It Takes a Village By Lisa Saavedra

We have all heard the old saying, “it takes a village” – but, how does that relate to your tanning business? S mall business owners tend to take on a lot, and one of the biggest downfalls of some owners or managers is their unwillingness to ask for help or delegate tasks. We think if we ask for help or hand over respon- sibilities, things won’t be completed in “the way we would have done them.” The problem with YOU being your only resource is that you have a harder time seeing the big picture and being open to outside ideas and input. We are now in busy season, and we need to take full advantage of this window of opportunity – and maxi- mize it! This is hard to do if you aren’t delegating some of the little things to your team. When you empower your staff to take on management tasks, not only is it taking some things off your plate so you can focus on the big things, but it also allows them to feel pride and a sense of ownership in what they are doing. You would be surprised how many staff members you have who would step up and give you 110% just for the recognition. Performance is not always money-driven. An article I read once stated that statistically, more employees are moti- vated by a title (ex. Manager, Assistant

During this busy time, make sure to maximize your revenue opportunities by utilizing all of your resources. business! There are a lot of different people to bounce your ideas off of – your product distributor, your lotion manufacturer representative, other Manager, etc.) than by monetary in- centives. However you decide to utilize your team to help you during this busy time, make sure you are focusing on the end goal: Get more customers in your door, capture every sales opportunity and give them a reason to stay! If those weekend Costco runs and product orders are distracting you from your main goals, then maybe it’s time to prioritize and delegate some of those tasks to competent staff. It is very hard for some of us in an owner/management role to “ask for help” so, let’s put it this way: Utilizing all of your available resources is very beneficial to you and the success of your

salon owners, etc. Asking for advice and ideas is the best way to help you think outside the box. If you’re thinking about trying something different, most likely your fellow salon owners have done it or know someone who has, and can offer you advice and guidance through the process. Your contacts at lotion manu- facturers and product distributors are great people for you to brainstorm with – every day, they typically talk to salon operators from all over the country about promotions, product selection, staffing, equipment, etc. and have some potentially great ideas for capitalizing on this year’s busy season. Not to sound cliché – but you’re not in this alone! During this busy time, make sure to maximize your revenue opportunities by utilizing all of your resources. It really does take a village. ■

About the Author: As Director of Brand Development for Devoted Creations’ family of brands, Lisa brings 17 years of industry experience, knowledge and

enthusiasm to all aspects of the business, including social media, product development, training, customer relations, public speaking and marketing strategies. Lisa worked at the salon level managing a large chain of salons, which infuses her sales training and brand concepts with real world experience.

Lisa has been chosen the IST Magazine “Person of the Year” five times.

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May 2022