 Humans by nature tend to flock to other like-minded humans. This tendency can be beneficial in many situations, but in the workplace, it can lead to cliques. Because salons are rather personal establishments, with stylists often forming long-term relationships with their clients, it’s especially easy for salon employees to fall into the clique habit. What’s The Problem With Cliques Among Salon Employees? While you certainly want to promote friendships among your salon employees, it’s important to discourage the forming of any strong groups that exclude others. These kinds of relationships lead to gossip and conflict in the workplace, which is detrimental to business. Here are a few more reasons to prevent salon cliques.
Open communication is key. Let your team know your door is always open should a problem arise. It’s also important for management to avoid becoming involved with any one clique in the salon. Owners and managers should treat everyone with equal respect and avoid showing favoritism. Leading by example is especially important when it comes to preventing cliques at work. In addition, be sure to establish a firm chain of command and specific steps toward promotions that every employee is aware of and trained on right from the start. Doing so keeps stylists from believing that “getting in” with the right crowd will result in professional growth. Another sure way to encourage teamwork and discourage cliques is by holding regular staff meetings. During these meetings, do more than simply go over numbers and objectives. Devote a few minutes each meeting to open the floor for comments. Then after each comment, go around the room and allow every employee the chance to suggest a solution. This opens the door for salon-wide teamwork. Take a look at this list for more ideas on breaking out of the clique environment:
See how booth rental salons and commission salons compare by downloading our free infographic! 
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 When it comes to running a hair salon, one of the most important decisions you’ll make is whether to hire employees or work with independent contractors. While each method has its perks, each also comes with its own set of downfalls. Here are the major differences between commission-based employment and booth rental agreements. What Is The Commission Salon Model? The commission-based setup is one in which you, as the salon owner, hire employees to take care of your clients. This is a performance-based model, meaning pay is based on results. Salon employees who work on commission don’t receive a base pay. The Benefits The good thing about the commission model is that you’re getting what you pay for. There’s no dishing out money for someone to stand around and look pretty. It’s a great way to encourage your employees to help build your client base and provide excellent service. As an added bonus, hiring employees instead of independent contractors builds company morale. Everyone’s working toward the same goal, which leads to growth for your salon. The Drawbacks With operation costs continually rising, it’s difficult for many salons to offer a competitive commission-based pay. This means it may be a challenge to find quality employees, and turnover is often higher with the commission model. Employees leave to start their own businesses, believing they’ll make more money independently. What Is The Booth Rental Salon Model? When you offer space in your salon to beauty professionals on a rental basis, you’re hiring independent contractors. These people aren’t your employees but, rather, your colleagues. The Benefits Independent contractors are responsible for handling their own taxes, clients, paperwork and supply needs. This saves you money because you aren’t paying salaries, and the overhead costs don’t land solely on you. It also prevents you from needing to supply benefits like health insurance and retirement plans. Additionally, you can rest assured that your salon will stay busy, because your stylists are business owners themselves and want to grow their own client bases. In fact, it was reported in 2014 that nearly half of all beauty industry licensees are independent contractors. The Drawbacks While you can certainly implement general salon-wide guidelines, you aren’t able to control exactly what goes on between stylists and clients when you rent booth spaces. This type of setting can also occasionally lead to a competitive environment within the salon, rather than a teamwork-oriented one. The Takeaway Whichever method you choose, be sure you have a thorough understanding of the differences between employees and independent contractors. The Salon by Lora Brown is a commission-based salon. Our salon culture encourages healthy competition, teamwork, dedication, and most importantly, education. To inquire about becoming a successful stylist, contact The Salon by Lora Brown and see what our own stylists have to say about working in commission salons and booth rental salons by visiting our Employment Page. See the pros and cons of booth rental salons and commission salons by downloading our free infographic!  The booth rental business is growing. According to recent reports, booth rentals now make up 47% of the hair salon business and 36% of salon revenue. While the growing numbers would suggest it is a great way to work, there are a number of downsides to the booth rental business. If you are planning to move from a commission salon to a booth rental, or you are just starting out in the business, you should know the downsides before you make the decision.
The Expense Booth rental can be an expensive proposition, especially in bigger market. Besides the booth rental, stylists who decide to go it on their own also have to provide their own tools and supplies. While it might not seem like a big deal, the expenses can add up quickly and will cut into the bottom line in no time. The expense can be especially high for new stylists who have not yet built up a clientele. As an independent contractor, you'll also have to pay for all your own training and there is no paid time off. This can be a difficult pill to swallow for some workers, and leads many to dismiss booth rental as a viable option for their career. No Guarantees Hair stylists who decide to rent a booth rather than work for a salon owner encounter the same problems that other small business owners encounter. One of the biggest downsides is the fact that there are no guarantees. You can choose to work when you want, however, you only make money when you work, and your weekly and monthly income can vary greatly from one period to the next. Some might find this an acceptable trade-off for working for themselves, but it can be a stressful situation for those who aren't used to earning vastly differing amounts from one period to the next. Marketing Yourself Renting a booth means that you are self-employed. The salon you work through only provides a space for you to work, so you'll have to do your own marketing to bring in your own customers. Often times, new stylists find this aspect of the business particularly difficult, as they do not have a loyal following to rely on. Marketing can be a rather expensive process, and for those who don't have a marketing background, getting the word out can be a rather daunting task. If you have any further questions about working for a salon versus working for yourself, feel free to call The Salon by Lora Brown. We are a commission-based salon offering a mentoring atmosphere and advanced training to our stylists. 
Hairstylists are often faced with two options when they start their career: renting a booth or chair from a salon owner, or working for an employer on a salary or commission-based structure. Both options are good career paths for seasoned pros and those just starting out in the business, but making your choice will largely depend on your individual circumstances. We've collected the pros and cons of booth rental versus commission-based structure to help make the decision a little bit easier.
What Is A Booth Rental Stylist Job? A salon that offers booth rental is similar in nature to an office building. While someone owns the building, they rent out space to individual companies. As the stylist, you will rent a booth or a chair from an existing salon, and pay rent on that space. There are several pros for this type of employment. You can set your own hours and rates, making it easier to fit work into an active and busy lifestyle. You are also your own boss and make the rules for your business. There are also drawbacks to booth rental salons. When working in a booth rental situation, you are responsible for the upkeep of your own business. You will not have the training, marketing, support and benefits of working for an employer. What Is A Commission-Based Stylist Job? A commission-based stylist job is more of a career path than anything else. Under this structure you'll work for a salon. You will be scheduled to work the way you would in any other career, on certain days and certain times. You will be paid a set salary, along with commission in this setting. The pros of this setup are simple to see. Not only will you avoid dealing with marketing, product purchasing for retail sales, growing a clientele by yourself and other pitfalls of running your own business, but you'll have the help and knowledge of the entire salon behind you. Some salons also help provide advanced training to their stylists and will increase stylists’ prices the more education they have. The cons of this model are few and far between, but they do exist. If you are looking to be your own boss, make your own hours, and charge the prices you wish to charge, a commission-based salon may not be a good fit for you. Figuring out whether commission-based salons or a booth-rental salon is the right choice for your career will largely depend on your circumstances, lifestyle and career goals. Many find the benefits and support of a commission-based salon to be the best fit for their budding careers, but everyone is different. The Salon by Lora Brown in Amarillo is a cutting-edge, commission-based salon that’s always on the lookout for talented, motivated people to join our team. In addition to providing in-depth training from one of Amarillo’s most reputable stylists, Lora Brown, and 100 hours of advanced training a year, we also offer you the opportunity to develop a career. As you grow your clientele, The Salon gives stylists the opportunity to have a personal assistant and gain insurance. Contact The Salon by Lora Brown today to learn more about our career opportunities. |
Lora BrownLora Brown is a master stylist and the owner of The Salon by Lora Brown. She has worked in the salon industry for 30 years. Archives
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