Build Your Salon with Phil Jackson

Planning your salon business for the year ahead can feel overwhelming. This episode gives you clear steps to build a simple, powerful plan that works for your salon.KEY TAKEAWAYSDrop What Doesn’t Serve YouWrite down all the things you won’t do in 2027. Put this list where you can see it, like in the margin of your plan. Examples: opening on Sundays, adding a new treatment just because others have it, or starting a second location. You’re not saying no forever—just not this year.Cut Time-Wasting TasksPhil used to go to 6 a.m. networking breakfasts. They left him tired and never brought in money. He stopped them completely. That saved him half a day each week, about 26 full days a year. Your time is too valuable to waste on things that don’t pay off.Delegate to Free Up Your TimeDon’t do every task yourself. Hand over things like bookkeeping, social media, or scheduling to your team, a virtual assistant, or a trusted accountant. Focus only on what only you can do. If you’re unsure how to start, check out the past episode “why salon owners who won’t delegate won’t survive.”Shrink, Don’t QuitYou don’t have to stop a habit completely. Reduce it. For example, instead of posting on social media every day, do it just twice a week. Or go to networking events once a month instead of weekly. Smaller actions still help, without draining your energy.Use a Real Reflection ToolDownload the free worksheet called Last Year Honestly from theyearsorted.com. It’s just two pages. It helps you look back and see what worked, what didn’t, and what you should drop. It highlights ideas that “probably shouldn’t have started in the first place.”Plan on One PageThe Year Sorted program gives you a single-page plan for the whole year. It takes five hours total to complete. You can use it every day, week, and month. This keeps your focus clear and your goals simple.Block Time to PlanSet a date in your calendar. Make it Wednesday, 18th November. That’s when the Year Sorted program launches. Use this time to plan your next year. November is the best month because December is either ridiculously busy or you take time off.CONCLUSIONThis episode shows you how to build a salon business plan that fits your real life by focusing on subtraction rather than addition. Follow Phil Jackson’s steps with Build Your Salon at buildyoursalon.com to grow your business with less stress and more results.

You’re a salon owner who is too busy to grow your business. This episode helps you take back your time and build a better future.Rebrand Step by StepDon’t wait for the perfect rebrand. Change one thing at a time. Start with your logo, then update your email next month, and finally your jingle. People won’t notice unless you make it a big deal.Focus on What Works MostOnly 20% of your work brings 80% of results. That might be a few clients, a single service, or one type of marketing. If social media takes hours but brings few new bookings, it’s not worth it.Protect Your Top 10 HoursA 50-hour week means 10 hours are your high-impact time. Ask yourself: what are the 10 hours that move your business forward? If you can’t name them, what are the other 40 hours doing?Time Is Not MoneySalons sell time, but that limits growth. When you stop tying your income to hours worked, your business can grow without limits. This shift opens up real potential.Set Your Profit Goal FirstDon’t work more until you know your target. Set the profit number first, then plan how many hours you need. If a task doesn’t bring money in, swap it for one that does.Check Your Costs vs ProfitsA £100 monthly subscription costs £1,200 a year. At 20% profit margin, you need £6,000 in sales just to cover it. Look at your numbers. What costs are eating your profit?Reflect Before the New YearUse the free “Last Year Honestly” download at yearsorted.com. It helps you see what worked, what didn’t, and what you can drop. This saves time and energy next year.You don’t need to do everything. You just need to do the right things. Phil Jackson shares real tools from Build Your Salon to help you stop being too busy and start building something better. Visit buildyoursalon.com to get your free guide and grow with confidence.

Running a salon doesn’t mean doing everything yourself. This episode shows you how salon delegation can save your time, your sanity, and your business. You’ll learn simple ways to share work, trust others, and grow without burning out.Delegate Beyond Your TeamYou don’t need to hire full-time staff to delegate. Think of freelancers, virtual assistants, bookkeepers, or even AI tools. Phil Jackson notes you’re already delegating when you use software or contractors. Recognising this helps you plan smarter and bring in more help when needed.Use Profit Margin to DecidePaying £40 an hour for social media work only makes sense if your business earns at least £40 profit per hour. It’s not about how much you make per hour, but how much you keep after costs. Phil reminds you to check your profit margin before outsourcing. Learn more at queenofsalons.com.Accept Different MethodsPhil once made a digital stock system but let a team member use printed sheets and a clipboard. Their method was different, but it worked. Colour coding and easy tracking cut down computer delays. The result was an accurate count of the stock.Control, Not Cost, Is the Real BarrierMany say they can’t afford to delegate. But the real reason is fear. You worry others won’t do it right. You think the business needs you. Phil says this is about ego, not money. Trusting others starts with letting go.Use Values to Guide DelegationPhil shares a free cheat sheet called “Why are you in business?” Use it to remember your core reasons for running your salon. This helps you decide what tasks to keep and what to hand over, based on what truly matters.Let Go to Find Better WaysWhen Phil let her team member use a clipboard, she noticed the reception computer was always busy. This idea would never have come up if she’d stuck to her own way. Letting go opens the door to better ideas and smarter processes.Delegation Is SurvivalStaying in the salon alone leads to burnout. You’ll work too much, lose balance, and eventually quit or close. Phil says delegation isn’t optional. It’s needed to keep your business alive and your life healthy.KEY TAKEAWAYSPhil Jackson from Build Your Salon emphasizes that salon delegation is essential for survival. Visit buildyoursalon.com for free resources to help you let go and grow.

Starting a salon membership can change your business, if you do it right. You’ll learn how to build a loyal, profitable customer base that supports your salon long term.KEY TAKEAWAYSDon’t blame the ideaJust because one salon owner failed with memberships doesn’t mean it won’t work for you. Phil Jackson says that failure is often about how it was run, not the idea itself. She’s never worked with the critic she mentions, so their experience doesn’t prove memberships don’t work.Avoid the discount trapTreat memberships like a premium service, not a discount club. Phil says her clients never undercharge or give too much away. Instead, they build value and see higher spending, more upsells, and better tips from membership clients.Memberships bring real profitIn her own salon and the ones she coaches, membership clients bring in the most money. They come more often, buy more retail, and tip more than any other customer group. This proves well-run memberships are not a loss but a gain.Loyalty to your brand, not just staffMemberships build loyalty to your salon, not just to one stylist or therapist. When team members leave, members stay because they trust the brand. This keeps your income steady even with staff changes.Use recurring income to cover billsAt the start of each month, membership payments cover rent, bills, and other fixed costs. Phil says this gives her peace of mind, especially when clients cut back during tough times.Fix problems, don’t quitPhil had her own early mistakes, like a membership that gave unlimited free retail. She admits it was a mess, but she didn’t quit. She refined it, made it better, and now it works.Free guide to avoid common mistakesGet a free cheat sheet called Your Salon Membership is Dead Before It Launches. It’s a quick five-minute read on queenofsalons.com. It shows you the exact pitfalls to avoid so you don’t make the same errors.CONCLUSIONPhil Jackson proves that starting a salon membership can be a game changer when done with the right mindset and support through Build Your Salon. If you’re ready to grow your business, visit buildyoursalon.com and start building your future today.

Running a salon takes more than great skills. It takes strong salon owner boundaries. You will learn how setting clear limits leads to better team performance, happier clients, and a more profitable business.KEY TAKEAWAYSMarketing must match realityPhil’s marketing promised a certain experience, but the real salon felt different. Clients came in excited, then left disappointed. After changing the marketing to match what the salon actually offered, more clients stayed. Fewer new ones came, but those who did stayed longer.People-pleasing hurts team standardsOne assistant manager always said yes, even when it meant ignoring rules. He didn’t want to upset anyone. This made the team think rules didn’t matter. No one took standards seriously, and service quality dropped.Bonuses can backfireThe assistant manager got a Christmas bonus based on how many staff stayed. He kept quiet about poor performance so no one would leave. This stopped progress and made it hard to fix problems.Old clients should not set price rulesBetty had been coming for years. She kept getting old prices even after others paid more. Other clients noticed and started asking for discounts too. Soon, prices felt flexible to everyone.Tolerance breeds latenessClients started showing up 10 minutes late, then 20. No one said anything. Soon, 30-minute delays became normal. Appointments ran behind, and staff got stressed.Leadership needs balancePhil used to shout and scream during team meetings. He only met when someone cried. This scared people and made them quit. Later, he learned to lead with calm and clear rules instead.Boundaries keep your salon strongYou can’t be popular with everyone and stay profitable. Saying no to last-minute cancellations or price talks helps your business grow. It also reduces your stress over time.CONCLUSIONPhil Jackson emphasizes that clarity is the key to balancing popularity and profit in Build Your Salon. Visit buildyoursalon.com to download his free cheat sheet and start setting effective boundaries today.

Salon client loyalty isn’t just nice to have. It’s essential for survival in a crowded market. In this episode, you’ll learn how to keep your regulars coming back, even when competition is fierce.KEY TAKEAWAYSSalon client loyalty is a zero-sum gameThere are not more clients out there. You get them by taking them from another salon. Every new client you win is someone else’s lost client. This means your focus should be on winning loyal customers, not just adding names to your list.Retaining clients saves 12 times moreIt costs 12 times more to bring in a new client than to keep an old one. Sending a simple “we miss you” message to someone who hasn’t booked in a while can bring them back without spending big. This is one of the smartest uses of your time and money.New client numbers don’t measure real successRewarding stylists for bringing in new clients leads to empty appointment slots. Clients leave because of small issues, not big ones. If you only focus on new names, you’ll end up with gaps in your schedule and no real loyalty.Small salons are rising fastMore part-time stylists now run mini-salons on two or three days a week. They’re not full-time, but they’re still competing for your local clients. This means more choices for your customers — and more pressure on you to keep them.Small frustrations break loyaltyClients don’t leave because of one bad haircut. They leave because of small things like being late, price changes with no warning, or feeling like just a number. These add up and make them feel unimportant.Use “we miss you” to win back lost clientsWhen someone stops booking, send a text or email saying “we miss you.” It’s simple, cheap, and works. Reconnecting with a lost client is far easier than finding a new one from scratch.Build loyalty with salon membershipsDon’t rely on luck or chance. Use a membership system to keep clients coming back every month. It creates a steady flow and builds trust. Get a free cheat sheet at queenofsalons.com to avoid common mistakes.Loyalty is not magic. It’s built with small, consistent actions. Phil Jackson of Build Your Salon reminds us that when you focus on keeping your regulars, your salon thrives. Visit buildyoursalon.com to start building those smart habits today.

AI in salons is changing how you run your business. This episode shows you to use AI to grow your salon, keep more clients, and free up your team.KEY TAKEAWAYSUse AI as a team memberCallpad acts like another staff member, not a robot replacement. If a client says “Nicola,” it connects them straight to her. This means your front desk team can focus on guests in the salon, not on answering phones.Frame AI as online booking with your voiceClients can ask things like “When is my appointment later today?” even when the salon is closed. The system uses your past records to give quick, correct answers.Prioritise reliability and consistencyCallpad answers calls after 4 to 5 rings, before voicemail kicks in. It now has a steady pause length, making the conversation feel natural and smooth.Allow gradual adoption with flexible setupYou can start by letting AI handle just blow-dries, not colour treatments. Test it for weeks or a month before going all in. This builds trust step by step.Measure success by client interaction ratesOnly 20% of voicemails get listened to. Callpad gets 70 to 80% of clients to reply. Over time, with good experiences, that can rise to 80 to 90%.Address resistance through educationSome clients don’t like AI because of bad past experiences. Conrad notes that people often have had negative interactions with other AI systems, but invites skeptical owners to experience a well-designed one to see the difference. This turns doubt into a chance to see it work.Position AI as a tool to protect revenueSalons miss 100 to 200 calls each month. The average salon using Callpad books an extra £30,000 a year through the service. It stops business from fading away quietly by turning missed calls into real bookings.AI in salons is not about replacing people — it’s about giving you more time and more clients. For more tips like this, visit buildyoursalon.com and learn from Phil Jackson’s real-world salon stories.

Paying above minimum wage in the salon industry isn’t just kind — it’s smart business. You’ll learn how one salon boosted staff loyalty and profits by choosing pay over perks.KEY TAKEAWAYSPay above minimum wageThis salon paid more than any other in the area, even if it meant cutting back elsewhere. They believed higher pay was a business strategy, not a cost. It helped them keep staff longer and attract better talent.Use self-funded improvementsInstead of hiring a decorator, the team painted the staff room themselves on Sundays. They bought two cans of paint from B&Q and wore old jeans. This saved hundreds without lowering pay.Invest in training, not eventsTheir Christmas party was a simple curry from a local restaurant. Other salons spent thousands on limos and big nights. This salon chose training over flashy events because it knew development matters most.Be clear about your trade-offStaff knew the salon couldn’t afford luxury because it was focused on high pay and training. The team understood the choice. When you’re honest about your plan, people can support it.Reduce turnover with fair payUnderpaying leads to more staff leaving. That means constant hiring and retraining, which costs money. Paying well keeps people longer, saving time and cash in the long run.Raise prices to stay profitableIf you pay more, you must charge more. Otherwise, you lose money. This salon raised prices slightly to cover higher wages without hurting profits.Try new pay modelsThey moved away from simple wage-plus-commission. Now some staff get team bonuses or no commission at all. This lets them pay higher hourly rates and still keep everyone motivated.CONCLUSIONPaying above minimum wage in your salon can cut costs and build loyalty when done right. If you want to grow your business with real results, check out Phil Jackson’s advice at buildyoursalon.com.

You need a clear salon profit target to know if your business is truly successful. In this episode, Phil Jackson shares simple, no-nonsense steps to track and grow your profits.Set a clear salon profit targetMost salon owners don’t know their profit target. Phil says if you don’t set one, you won’t hit it. Use her free cheat sheet at queenofsalons.com to check if your salon is actually making money. It’s not just paperwork, it’s what your business needs to succeed.Track real-time takings reportsYour salon software should show accurate numbers every month. But many reports don’t add up. Takings, services, retail, and vouchers don’t match. Phil says this is nonsense. Real-time data is better than old accountant numbers, and it helps you make smart choices fast.Cancel software that you don’t useIf you’re not using the reports from your software, cancel it. You can get a free calendar app with online booking links for a fraction of the cost. Google Calendar now offers free booking links, so you don’t need expensive software if you’re not using it.Know the true cost of small expensesA £69 monthly website bill needs £4,140 in service revenue each year to cover it. That’s 103 Hollywood waxes at £40 each, or 276 kid’s cuts at £15. Think hard before spending on things that cost so much to break even.Avoid low-return spendingSpending £69 a month on railway station ads costs £828 a year. To break even, you need £4,140 in sales. That’s not smart. People don’t walk into stations and think, “I need a wax now.” That money could go to better uses.Check if your software is worth itPaying £200 a month for software? At a 20% profit margin, you need £10,000 in sales just to cover it. That’s like doing 218 back sack and cracks to pay for it. Only keep software that gives you real, useful data.Track numbers as a daily habitSeeing numbers isn’t a chore. It is the highest leverage habit you can build. When you know your numbers, you know when enough work has been done. You take what your business is meant to earn, not what’s left over.Phil Jackson shows you how to turn your salon into a profitable, clear-thinking business through Build Your Salon. Visit buildyoursalon.com for more guidance.

Social media salon marketing can cost you more than you think. This episode shows you how to save time and boost real results by stepping back from daily posting.KEY TAKEAWAYSTime cost of content creationSpending four hours a week on social media at £60 an hour means £240 a week. That’s £1,000 a month. To break even with a 1:5 profit margin, you’d need £5,000 in bookings just to cover the cost. That’s a lot of time for little return.Low conversion from social mediaMost people on social media are not looking to book a salon. They scroll to be entertained, not to buy. That means your posts get seen, but few turn into actual appointments. Every hour spent on social media is an hour on a channel that doesn’t convert.Ineffective audience intentUsers are there to scroll, not to book. They skip past ads and ignore promotions. Just like turning off a TV ad, they avoid your content. This leads to low engagement and even lower booking rates.Comparison trap and confidence erosionSeeing other salons post perfect photos and happy clients can make you doubt your own work. You start questioning your choices, even when they’re strong. This constant comparison drains your confidence and leads to burnout.Platform dependency and fragilityYou don’t own your audience on social media. Platforms can change rules overnight, hide your posts, or even ban your account. You can’t save your followers or contact details. Relying on these platforms is risky.Privacy trends limit insightMany new followers now have private accounts. You can’t see their posts or even know if they’ve seen yours. Growing your follower count no longer means you’re reaching real customers.Minimal presence recommendedYou don’t need daily posts. One to three posts a week is enough. Update your opening times, share a quick tip, or post a seasonal photo. This keeps your profile active without wasting your time.Stop chasing likes and start building real client trust. Focus on email and in-chair conversations instead as Phil Jackson suggests with Build Your Salon at buildyoursalon.com.