Grow My Salon Business Podcast

How you pay your salon team is one of the most confusing decisions you'll make as a salon owner. Salon owners often compare pay structures with other salons, copying what seems to be working elsewhere.
But the real problem isn't which pay system you're using. It's that most salon owners have never stopped to ask what a good pay system actually needs to do.

In this episode, I cut through the noise around salon pay structures and explain why there is no universal right answer. Instead, I walk through the fundamentals of salon pay structures and why understanding your own numbers matters far more than benchmarking against the salon down the road.

By the end of this episode, you'll have a clear framework for evaluating your own pay structure, a benchmark worth knowing when it comes to employee costs, and a clearer understanding of whether your pay structure is working for the business or against it.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN
Why copying another salon's pay structure without understanding your own numbers is a recipe for financial stress
The one test that tells you instantly if your pay system is broken
Why staff retention problems aren't always about money, and what actually drives people to leave
The 40% benchmark for employee costs, what it means, and when exceptions apply
How to build a pay structure that is simple, transparent, and trusted by your whole team

IN THIS EPISODE:

[00:00] Introduction: The question every salon owner worries about
[00:26] Why salon pay is one of the biggest sources of confusion in the industry
[01:00] The dangerous myth of a perfect universal pay system
[01:32] Who this episode is and isn't for: employed income-producing staff only
[02:07] The seminar exercise that reveals how different every salon's system really is
[03:02] When your pay structure is so complicated nobody else can understand it
[03:58] Why salon owners get themselves into legal trouble with pay
[05:00] Your responsibility as the business owner to know the law where you operate
[06:00] The five things every salon pay system must achieve
[08:00] Why profit isn't optional
[11:31] Why your payroll decisions can't be made in isolation from the rest of the business
[12:22] The 40% benchmark and what happens when payroll climbs beyond it
[14:00] Recap: what a good pay system actually looks like and where to get more help

RESOURCES MENTIONED

The Money Course - the online course covering pricing, wages, profitability and salon financial benchmarks – Find out more

Want MORE to help you GROW?

📚 Check out our Bestselling GROW Books https://growmysalonbusiness.com/books/

RATINGS + REVIEWS

🙏 Thanks so much for joining me this week. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated!
They do matter in the rankings of the show and help other people find my podcast.
I love to hear what's been helpful and what you love about the podcast! Thank you for your support! 🙏
Until next time! Antony
 
👉 FOLLOW US!
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Most salon owners don't have a money problem, they have a ‘lack of understanding’ problem. You can be fully booked, your team can be flat out, and yet you can still be running at a loss without realising it. 

That's what happens when you're managing your business without awareness of a few key numbers. On today's podcast, I'm walking you through the five numbers that, in my experience, determine whether a salon owner feels in control of their finances or is controlled by them.

These aren't complicated. You don't need to love spreadsheets or become an accountant. But knowing these five numbers changes the way you make decisions, and the decisions you make determine the business you build. If last week's episode resonated with you, this one is the practical follow-up you've been waiting for.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:
Why your salon can be fully booked and still be running at a loss and the one number that highlights the reality.
What net profit margin actually means and why checking it once a year with your accountant is already too late
Why copying a competitor's pricing could mean your services are running at a loss.
How a 13-week rolling cashflow forecast removes the financial anxiety that hits every time something unexpected goes wrong
Why these five numbers are all connected and what pulling on one thread does to the rest

IN THIS EPISODE:

[00:00] Introduction: The salon that looks busy but can't explain the numbers
[00:26] Why this episode follows directly from last week's
[00:44] The real reason salon owners feel financial fog
[01:19] Why gut feel is not a strategy for running your finances
[01:42] Number one: your breakeven point and why it matters most
[02:52] You can be fully booked and still be running at a loss
[03:47] Number two: net profit margin and what it actually measures
[04:55] The story of Clarissa: from 2.5% to 8.4% profit margin
[06:16] Number three: staff costs as a percentage of total revenue
[08:11] Number four: which services on your menu are actually profitable
[09:56] Number five: understanding your cashflow over the next 13 weeks
[11:53] Billy's story: from breaking even to £80k profit
[12:08] How all five numbers connect to each other
[13:39] The free 10-question salon financial reality check
[13:57] Free live masterclass: Where Does All the Money Go?

Want MORE to help you GROW?

➡️ 10 Question Salon Financial Reality Check – A free 60-second quiz to identify exactly where your financial knowledge gaps are – Find out more

➡️ Free Live Masterclass: Where Does All the Money Go? – Monday 11th May, one hour, completely free – deeper than this episode and the logical next step if this resonated – Register here

RECOMMENDED NEXT EPISODE

If you enjoyed this episode, you'll also like: Episode 345: Where Does All the Money Go? The 10-Part Financial Framework for Salon Owners Listen here 

RATINGS + REVIEWS

🙏 Thanks so much for joining me this week. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated!
They do matter in the rankings of the show and help other people find my podcast.
I love to hear what's been helpful and what you love about the podcast! Thank you for your support! 🙏
Until next time! Antony

👉 FOLLOW US!
Instagram | Facebook | Website

Hopefully your salon is busy, clients are coming through the door, and money is being taken at the till every day, so if that's the case, then why is salon financial management still such a struggle? This is the reality for a lot of salon owners: the numbers just don't add up, and the stress that comes with that is real. 

In this episode, I walk you through a 10-part framework for following the money trail in your business. This isn't a finance lesson, and it's not about spreadsheets. It's a practical way of thinking about your business that gives you clarity and control, because right now, with costs up and clients spreading out their appointments, you can't afford to keep guessing.
IN THIS EPISODE:
The difference between knowing your numbers and understanding your business in real time
Why budgets aren't about restriction,  they're the single most important tool for weekly profitability
What cashflow forecasting actually looks like and why a 13-week rolling forecast changes everything
How to think about productivity-based pay so your team's performance is tied to the salon's financial health
EPISODE TIMESTAMPS

[00:00] Introduction: The reality of a busy salon that still isn't profitable
[00:50] Why the financial picture behind the scenes rarely matches the front
[01:14] This isn't about how hard you work, it's about structure
[01:38] The biggest misconception: thinking someone else is watching the numbers
[02:22] Why understanding your finances is your job, not your accountant's
[03:10] What following the money trail actually means in practice
[03:53] Introducing the 10-part financial framework for salon owners
[06:47] Why budgets matter more than most salon owners want to admit
[08:07] Cashflow forecasting and why 13 weeks ahead changes everything
[09:32] Pricing for profit and why "charge your worth" isn't a strategy
[10:47] Recap: how many of the 10 points are you actually doing?
[13:01] The free webinar: Where Does All the Money Go?

RESOURCES MENTIONED

Where Does All the Money Go? (Free Webinar) Antony breaks down the 10-part framework in full and shows you how to apply it practically in your salon - Register here

Want MORE to help you GROW?

📚 Check out our Bestselling GROW Books https://growmysalonbusiness.com/books/

RATINGS + REVIEWS

🙏 Thanks so much for joining me this week. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated!
They do matter in the rankings of the show and help other people find my podcast.
I love to hear what's been helpful and what you love about the podcast! Thank you for your support! 🙏
Until next time! Antony

👉 FOLLOW US!
Instagram | Facebook | Website

Salon profitability is under more pressure than it has been in years, and the hard reality is that being busy isn't the same as being profitable. In this episode, I get into the financial fundamentals that too many salon owners avoid, because understanding your numbers is the only way to get in front of the problem before it becomes a crisis.

By the end of this episode, you'll know exactly where to look in your business to find the leaks, whether you have a pricing problem or a productivity problem, and what your real options are for increasing profit margins. This isn't about cutting everything to the bone. It's about making smarter decisions with the facts in front of you.

IN THIS EPISODE:
Why being fully booked doesn't mean your salon is profitable, and what that means for your business right now
How to use your profit and loss report to separate the facts from the feelings and make better financial decisions
The difference between a pricing problem and a productivity problem, and which one your salon actually has
The three ways to increase salon income, and which one delivers results the fastest

EPISODE TIMESTAMPS:

[00:00] Introduction: Why salon profit margins are under pressure right now 
[00:27] The things you can control when times are tough 
[02:07] Why competitive pricing creates a crunch point for salon owners 
[03:04] How to use your profit and loss report correctly 
[04:29] What the numbers in a typical salon P&L actually look like 
[05:42] Pricing problems vs productivity problems: knowing which one you have 
[06:21] How to approach cutting costs without losing what matters 
[08:05] Why the miscellaneous line in your P&L deserves more attention 
[09:22] The three ways to increase your salon income 
[11:44] Why a price rise is the fastest lever available to you 
[12:38] Which services are actually profitable when you look at the real margins 
[13:25] Using technology and AI to create efficiencies in your business 
[14:16] Recap and your next action step

RATINGS + REVIEWS

🙏 Thanks so much for joining me this week. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated!
They do matter in the rankings of the show and help other people find my podcast.
I love to hear what's been helpful and what you love about the podcast! Thank you for your support! 🙏
Until next time! 
Antony
 
👉 FOLLOW US!
Instagram | Facebook | Website

Running a successful salon for nearly 40 years in one of the most competitive cities on the planet takes more than talent. It takes the willingness to keep evolving your model, your mindset, and even the words you use with your team. 

My guest today, Scott Buchanan of the Manhattan-based Scott J Salons, has done exactly that. With around 90 employees across two locations, Scott's story is one of grit, reinvention, and a business built around culture and community.

In this conversation, we get into the real numbers behind a thriving employee-based salon, why he treats his team as partners rather than employees, and what it actually takes to keep an employee-based salon competitive in today's market. If you want to build a business that still works 40 years from now, this is the episode to listen to.

✅ Why calling your team "partners" changes the way they show up every day
✅ The KPIs Scott tracks obsessively and why guest count matters more than top-line revenue
✅ How Scott uses "wellness check-ins" instead of performance reviews to drive better results
✅ How Scott thinks about AI, retail, and the future of the salon experience in the next five to ten years
✅ The one piece of advice from a 40-year career that every salon owner needs to hear

IN THIS EPISODE:

[00:00] Introduction: 40 years in Manhattan and what longevity really takes
[00:50] Scott's current business: two locations, 93 staff, and a long road to get here
[03:29] Is the age of the big salon over? Scott's honest take on boutique vs. large
[05:37] Why Scott considers his team partners, not employees
[07:18] Wellness check-ins: reframing performance reviews to drive real change
[10:25] How to keep an employee-based team in the age of salon suites
[13:55] The blowout story: why you have to be there when the client wants to be there
[20:11] How Scott is using AI now and where he sees the salon industry heading
[27:33] The key numbers Scott watches most closely, and what they reveal
[37:07] Intercoiffure America/Canada: building a community for employee-based salon owners
[43:57] Scott's one piece of advice for lasting 40 years in this industry

Want MORE to help you GROW?

📚 Check out our Bestselling GROW Books https://growmysalonbusiness.com/books/

🆘 Management overwhelm!? Download our free checklist! This checklist will help you get clarity on where you're at https://growmysalonbusiness.com/management-checklist/

RATINGS + REVIEWS

🙏 Thanks so much for joining me this week. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated!
They do matter in the rankings of the show and help other people find my podcast.
I love to hear what's been helpful and what you love about the podcast! Thank you for your support! 🙏
Until next time! 
Antony

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

🎓 Intercoiffure America/Canada – A community for employee-based, salary-based salon owners in North America – Find out more

👉 FOLLOW US!
Instagram | Facebook | Website

👉 FOLLOW SCOTT BUCHANAN!
Instagram 

👉 FOLLOW SCOTT J SALONS

Instagram | website