All posts by Terri and Steve Cowan

Leadership is tasked with two primary responsibilities: celebrating successes and promptly responding to our initiatives. Celebration is warranted when our efforts align with our objectives, while responsiveness entails taking action, seizing opportunities, and implementing ideas that steer us towards desired outcomes. This strategic approach is ingrained in our playbook, guiding our decision-making processes.

What does this playbook entail? It involves meticulous planning, such as determining the number of weeks in the upcoming year and aligning our strategies accordingly. We must be cognizant of factors like projected weekly traffic and the targets we aim to achieve. Despite the allure of immediate gains prevalent in the beauty industry, it is imperative for individuals to transcend the present and engage in forward-thinking practices. This involves diligent forecasting and goal-setting, actions that require time and effort investment. It is paramount that we dedicate ourselves to this essential task by proactively planning and strategizing for our future success.

I am thinking about all of the business owners that are struggling with a little bit of stress right now. Especially during the busiest quarter of their business.

One of the things you need to look forward to and what I would make a habit of every January is decluttering your business and your mind. You have to plan for it. I always like to say that we don’t miss a plane and we don’t miss a wedding because we can’t negotiate off of those dates and times. However, we negotiate off of things we want to do for our business all of the time and a lot of the time, we put ourselves second.

Decluttering is what your staff needs you to do as you prepare the future for them. They are looking to you for guidance. January is the time to purge. You are not just purging stuff, you are purging information, you are purging change and you are getting to the piles. You will feel so much better afterwards.

How could it not be causing distractions within her business?!

Business is hard enough when everyone is getting along and things are running smoothly. When you have people at odds, don’t think they are not going to try to build camps to prove that they are right. I don’t know that I could tolerate a distraction like that in my business.

I once had the honor of being in the presence of professional basketball player, Magic Johnson. He spoke to a crowd of around 200 and I had the opportunity to ask him a question. I asked him how he would have handled a rookie or someone that had all of the God-given talent but their ego and head got in the way.

When I walk into the business, I have to make sure that everything we want to extend to the guest is visually in place. You listen for the energy. You listen for the music. You look at the lighting. Are you ready?

It is that “grand opening” commitment. Everyone has it when they start their business. Why then two years down the line, for example, do we begin to slack off and get comfortable? Why isn’t music as important? Why isn’t the scent of the business as important? Where is the hustle in your step? How did we lose that? It’s not the same anymore.

Our job as leaders: to protect the “grand opening” commitment to our businesses.

When we do something extra for the guest experience at PSC, some people wonder why we do the things we do. Some even say that it is not necessary to go that far above and beyond what the guest is expecting. Yes it is.

Going above and beyond is huge in keeping loyalty and keeping guests where they need to be, in your business. Doing just what is required or being generic will not help you achieve this. Every business says hello and smiles. Implementing intentional and specific steps in your business will differentiate you from the masses. “We use essential oils for this reason. We have scent air to create an environment. We do this step of the service for your pleasure and enjoyment. In our business, it is necessary to do these things”.

We start with the customer and work back to the team. We do not start with the team and work back to the customer. That is what creates remarkable service.

To guide us to this goal, it is important to create what we call, “Show Up Words”.

• What are your show up words for this year?
• How are YOU going to show up?
• What are the things you are trying to protect?

One of our show up words for this year is “Peace”. Creating more peace, more quiet, more commitment to bringing it down a notch.

Your show up words can be things such as Kindness, Purposeful, Discipline, Teamwork, etc.

This really ties in to the reputation we want to have with our teammates, our leadership, and our guests. It guides us. It’s a word that we can have framed that says, “This is how we are going to show up this year.”

No excuses

The display can feature one or multiple lines and brands. Either way, make sure it something you would want to buy from. This display is an easy way to make noise about the brands you represent. There are no excuses for not being creative during the holiday season. Take this one example, brainstorm and look for the opportunities to create romance with the guest.

Prepare

1. What product do you need prepared/ordered?
2. How will you treat the different holiday offers differently?
3. How will you setup your displays?

Timeline for Holiday; plan it out!

• Holiday Hours
• Celebration Nights
• Holiday Shopping Preview
• Gift Certificate Station/Hours

1. Service