8 min read
How often have you been halfway through a project only to be sidetracked by unexpected obstacles? Can you count the times you have witnessed valuable resources being wasted from inefficient planning? I imagine we have all experienced the project where we were met with unexpected delays and an expanding budget. Waste, unexpected costs and delays can be minimized or completely avoided with proper planning. My favorite quote on this subject is from Abraham Lincoln where he suggests, “Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.” Read More
- Published in Employee Relations
2 min read
"Initially when I started having staff meetings, I would ask a question or for everyone's thoughts on a particular subject. But, I'd end up only getting blank stares from my employees. So, I made sure to have notepads and pens available at my next meeting, and instead I asked everyone to take a minute to write down ideas, thoughts, et cetera about the topic I brought up. After a couple of minutes passed, I then asked who wanted to go first. By setting up the expectation that everybody will have something, nobody gets to sit out of the discussion." Ashley Albus, aesthetician for The Courtyard Spa & Salon Read More
- Published in Employee Relations
10 min read
Anyone with modest experience setting and pursuing goals can confirm that unexpected obstacles are part of the process. These obstacles often represent delays, detours, forks in the road or even a potential dead end, to the pursuit of our goals. An established set of priorities allow us to maneuver past these obstacles and minimize our distraction. I have often heard the phrase, "most people major in minor things." I believe the implication is that people tend to be distracted by circumstances rather than focus on the priorities that will produce intended results. A simple (emotional) conflict between desire and need can easily cause us to use time and energy inconsistently with our priorities. Read More
- Published in Employee Relations
10 min read
How did we find our way from being uncivilized hunter gatherers to become the cultured, suburbanite, air-conditioned, technology driven, smartphone using, Facebook consumers we are today? While the "big picture" answer might be complex, the simple truth is we got here by repeating a process. Everything humans have created originated from identifying a possibility, need or desire (motive), and pursuing a solution or satisfaction to that need or desire (goal or volition). The common definitions are; Motive: a need or desire that causes a person to act Goal: the end toward which effort is directed: aimVolition: the cognitive process by which an individual decides on and commits to a particular course of action Read More
- Published in Employee Relations
8 min read
Do you know what you really want? What determines the choices you will make? Do you know people who act on compulsions, emotions or habits that fail to provide the results they want? Understanding motivation is one of the most empowering factors in achieving goals. And whether you are pursuing your own agenda or managing that of many, it is an indispensible tool. Our motivation not only helps us achieve goals, it also touches everything from intent to result. It influences the outcome in every area of our lives and ultimately defines us. Read More
- Published in Employee Relations
3 min read
I purchased my first skin care center just a little over a year after taking my state boards. I barely knew how to be a good aesthetician, non-the-less a good business owner! But for some wonderful reason, running a business came naturally to me and my business grew very fast. But hiring staff? That was a totally different experience! I was not a natural at all. There is definitely an art to interviewing and hiring the right person. Here is what I have learned from trial and error over my 25 years in this industry. Read More
- Published in Employee Relations
9 min read
You have invested in the most comfortable aesthetic table available, selected a sleep-inducing soundtrack, and adorned your treatment room with calming colors and décor… You have created the consummate tranquil environment. Clients will surely slip into a deep relaxation the moment they set foot in your treatment room. But there is still one component that could thwart your efforts. Clients, particularly first-time clients, typically come in with a host of worries and self-deprecating thoughts that will most definitely impact their experience. From lumps to bumps to stubble to wrinkles, they are subconsciously focused on their skin or body condition. It is also common for first-time spa visitors to experience some trepidation. Part of our job as aesthetic professionals is to ease any of these discomforts and eliminate anything that might be keeping the client from relaxation. Read More
- Published in Employee Relations
12 min read
Building Strong Relationships to Create Strong Sales What is your ethic? The word means "habit", and what we do every day, in work and at play, deeply defines who we are. Every business these days says that it is in the "relationship"-business; this claim has become part of the marketplace jargon. And while it is trite to say, it could not be more true. It is also never been more important, as our marketplace becomes more and more crowded with parity commodities. Read More
- Published in Employee Relations
10 min read
The most effective businesses today create what I call a "community of value" – based on both touch and technology. It is a cultural evolution which requires integration of left and right brain functions. We are gadget-mad these days, and as a skin therapist or spa owner, it is essential that you be fluent in the language of the next century. But what is even more critical than artificial intelligence with you and your hardware and software is creating emotional intelligence between you and your clients. This E.I. is the basis of customer connectivity, which builds loyalty. Read More
- Published in Employee Relations
8 min read
If you are growing your spa do not forget about staffing and employee retention. Entrepreneurs riding out the economic ups and downs may not have spent much time wondering whether to add new employees. As the economic recovery begins to take shape, however, they may want to start thinking about it. But it raises a question: How can a small-business owner know when it is time to add staff? Read More
- Published in Employee Relations
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