How to make it as a…salon MANAGER

1. Get a broad range of experience

“I didn’t ever see myself being a manager. I’ve worked in lots of different environments within the industry including salons, spas, health clubs and as a self-employed therapist. Trying different roles helps you to know which field is best suited to you, and to better understand the challenges when you start managing people who do those roles.

“If anyone knew me when I started out 20 years ago, they’d know that I’m a completely different person now. When people ask to see the manager, I sometimes still can’t believe that means me.”

2. Accept that it’s a learning curve

“I applied for a casual therapist role at Mooeys four and a half years ago but they must have seen potential in me because Amy [Lewis, the owner] decided to interview me for a manager role instead.

“Initially I was unsure. I’d just done teacher training and was thinking of becoming a trainer, but I’ve relished the management role ever since.

“I’m always learning. I cannot tell you how glad I am that I got the job because it has taught me so much about dealing with people, whether that’s handling members of the public, employing staff or managing the team.”

3. Set boundaries

“You need to set guidelines so that your team know what’s expected of them. Be quite firm with that, but be fair too. You have to know the individual limits of each team member.

“A lot of my team are younger than me, so I sometimes have to adapt to how things are done these days, like them texting in when they’re sick.

I still expect them to give me a call.

“We’re all great friends in our salon, but there is a line that they know not to cross, and one I know not to cross too. On a personal level, it can sometimes be difficult being so close to your team and also being their boss, but I think we’ve hit the right balance.”

4. Be supportive

“First and foremost, let them know that you’re there to support them. You never know if an employee has things going on at home. If they know you’re there from the start, they’ll want to give back and do the best they can.

“You have to want to see your team progress and succeed, and you have to help people when they need it. If you work for a manager and all they care about is how much money is coming in, then that’s always a struggle.

“I’m always trying to develop the skills of my team.

We do workshops and training sessions in the salon during quiet periods.”

5. It expands your horizons

“Being a manager is certainly an eye-opener.

It has made me interested in so many things that I wasn’t expecting; for example, the more psychological side of dealing with people. I would love to study psychology more, and to do a further teaching certificate.

“I think if anybody has a managerial role in their sights, they should go for it. It’s a really rewarding job and can lead to other things if you want it to.

Experience with difficult aspects like recruitment, staff management and HR issues will be a great stepping stone if you ever want to own a business.”