Are you ready to take your salon + your team to the next level? If you’ve ever struggled with staffing or building a team, or you are a stylist hoping that dream team will come along, read on because I’ve got some amazing tips and insider information straight from the lips of one of the best – the one and only, Stef Fox!

Stef Fox is a true powerhouse in our industry. A former salon owner and a board member of the National Association of Women Business Owners, she’s also a motivational speaker, a leadership expert, and the founder of Talent Match.

Never Stop Learning

Even though she dropped out of college, Stef is a self-described “education junkie.” So much so that her biggest piece of advice for anyone in the industry, especially students looking to start a career within it, is to learn as much as possible.

So, how do you keep learning post-graduation? Stef’s advice is this:

Try reaching out to people you admire and who are more established in your field. We can learn so much from those that have come before us. Build a network and find a mentor.

If you’re nervous about sending a cold email or DM, try to push through it and just shoot your shot. You’ll be surprised by how generous people are with their time and expertise.

And if *ahem, when* you snag that coffee meeting, here are a few questions you could ask:

●      What do you think I should focus on at this point in my career?

●      What’s your take on this problem I’m struggling with?

●      What has surprised you about your career path?

Don’t Be Afraid to Be a Data Nerd

Have you ever been surprised when a team member quits? You’d be shocked at how easy it is for a toxic salon environment to go unnoticed by the salon owner.

Stef found this out the hard way when she was blindsided and left heartbroken after she lost a couple of very valued staff members at her own salon. This led to the realization that her team had been struggling for a while, yet she had zero knowledge of it.

She decided to dig deeper in order to get to the bottom of and correct this problem. Using data, she started to keep track of how her team members were feeling at work. And if there was something they needed or wanted from her that she wasn’t giving, she did everything she could to deliver.

You can do the same thing by doing performing periodical check-ins with your staff to find small problems before they grow into bigger issues. Talk to your staff, and try asking them these kinds of questions:

●      How do you prefer to receive praise and criticism?

●      How could I support you in your career goals?

●      Do you feel like we’re all working together as a family here? Why or why not?

Identify Your Dream Team

Stef’s deep dive into this type of data revealed one key thing – most people want to work with people that they love on a team that feels like family.

You spend so much of your time at work, so it is so important that you work with and for people that care about you and support you. After all, you don’t want to hire people who don’t care about you, because that means they probably won’t care about your business either. At the same time, you don’t want to work for someone who doesn’t value you, as that leads to a toxic work environment and a decline in overall happiness.

And no matter which side you fall on, no one has time for that!

If you’ve been struggling with finding the right people for your team, ask yourself these questions about potential hires before extending an offer to join your team:

●      Do I feel a connection with this person?

●      Would I feel passionate about helping this person grow?

●      What does this person want from a salon, and am I a good fit?

Listen to Your Team

Stef’s advice for salon owners? Be flexible! Adapt to the needs of your workforce. Listen to the wants and needs of your team, and try to accommodate them as best you can. These days, people are focused on a healthy work-life balance. It’s about the quality of work. So, if you push too hard against what your current team and the trends of the workforce are telling you, you won’t attract the best talent.

So stop blaming your team and start embracing change. It takes courage to evolve. The most successful salon owners are brave and ready to make changes in order to fit their team's preferences.

Want to Work with Stef Fox and Talent Match?

Ready to create the supportive team you’ve always wanted for your salon? You can connect with + follow Stef at @stef_fox on Instagram and on Clubhouse, or you can learn more and get free access to her research by visiting her website.

Listen to my full conversation with Stef here!