Your team's been cooped up together all winter. Three people not talking, one being a bitch, one being passive-aggressive. You're hiding in the office. Today: How to actually handle the drama.

In this episode, Phil Jackson tackles the uncomfortable truth - staff drama doesn't resolve itself, it festers. Late February cabin fever is real. Here's how to handle it instead of hiding.

What You'll Learn:

• Why drama ages like milk (longer you leave it, worse it gets)
• Two types of drama (and how to tell which one)
• Four-step process to handle it
• Why your avoidance makes it worse
• When YOU'RE the problem

The Two Types:

Type 1: Legitimate Grievances Badly Expressed

• Real issue: Unfair scheduling, favoritism, broken equipment, lack of training
• Bad expression: Bitching, passive-aggression, attitude
• Fix: Address issue AND coach better communication
• Younger teams especially struggle with face-to-face communication

Type 2: Personality Conflicts & Drama-Seeking

• Just drama: Gossip, cliques, excluding people, undermining
• No legitimate grievance
• Fix: Hard boundaries, consequences, possible exit

About Phil Jackson:Phil Jackson is a salon business coach with 27 years of industry experience and a Creative Head Most Wanted Award. He helps salon owners build profitable businesses without the hustle BS.

Work with Phil:If drama is symptom of deeper problems (unclear expectations, poor systems, lack of leadership):

• 1:1 Ultimate Clarity Coaching: 90-day intensive delivering your 5-year lifestyle-first business plan, 12-month profit & pricing strategy, and 12-month marketing plan
• Book a free consultation: https://tidycal.com/philjackson/1to1-enquiry
• Email: phil@buildyoursalon.com

Take a look at next week's diary. Still seeing gaps? That's hope as a business model. You're hoping clients will rebook, hoping they'll spend enough, hoping March will be better. Today: The opposite of hope. Memberships for predictable income, loyal clients, and better cashflow.

In this episode, Phil Jackson (the "Queen of Memberships") walks you through how to start salon memberships without overwhelming yourself. After 10 years teaching memberships, Phil knows what works.

What You'll Learn:

• Why hope is killing your February
• Memberships vs. subscriptions (and when to use each)
• How memberships create predictable income
• Why membership clients have 95-100% retention
• How to start with ONE service
• Who to target (your 7s and 8s, not your 10s)

The Two Types:

Memberships (Unlimited)

• Pay monthly, unlimited use
• Works for: Hair services, waxing
• Not for: Services with no natural limit

Subscriptions (Defined)

• Pay monthly, specific allocation
• Works for: Beauty, holistic, aesthetics
• Example: £90/month = 1 luxury facial

The Three Benefits:

1. Predictable Income

• 20 members × £50 = £1,000 guaranteed
• Phil's business: Memberships cover ALL fixed costs
• Plan, breathe, sleep easier

2. Loyal Clients

• Retention: 95-100% (vs. 60-70% regular)
• Don't ghost in February
• Committed, organized, not shopping around

3. Stand Out

• Still relatively unusual
• Value, consistency, convenience (not discounting)

How to Start:

Step 1: ONE Service

• Most popular, already profitable, ongoing
• 12-month ideal (6 months works, avoid 3)

Step 2: Target Right Clients

• Your 7s and 8s (not best, not worst)
• Good clients who could be amazing

Step 3: Make Easy

• Direct debits/recurring cards
• Gift options (Black Friday, Mother's Day)

Step 4: Deliver

• Treat as best clients
• Extras, bonuses, special

What NOT to Do:

• Discount club
• Too many tiers
• Services people don't want
• Launch unlimited (sell 10 first)

Did someone just hand in their notice? Or maybe you're stuck with staff who just aren't good enough, but you're too scared to let them go. Good news: good staff exist. You're just fishing in the wrong pond.

In this episode, Phil Jackson breaks down the five-step recruitment process that actually works in 2026. This is Build Your Salon's #1 most-watched topic—updated for portfolio working, flexibility expectations, and where good people actually are.

What You'll Learn:

• The five points where your recruitment process breaks down
• Why "nobody wants to work" means you're looking in wrong places
• Where good staff actually are (not Indeed or Facebook)
• How to make your offer compelling in 2026
• Proper interview process that prevents expensive mistakes
• Why onboarding determines 90% of recruitment success

The Five Steps:

Step 1: Know What You're Looking For

• Written job description before you need it
• Required vs. desired skills, culture fit criteria, deal-breakers
• Desperation hiring = expensive mistakes

Step 2: Fish in the Right Pond

• Good staff are already employed, ready to move for right opportunity
• Where to fish: Instagram, college tutors, industry events, your clients
• Always be recruiting (even when fully staffed)
• Build pipeline: "When you're ready to move, call me"

Step 3: Make Your Offer Compelling

• 2026 staff want: progression path, training, flexibility, low drama, transparency
• Include: Training budget, 4-day week options, success stories
• Good people have options—they're choosing you too

Step 4: Interview Like You Mean It

• Phone screen → interview → practical → trial (paid) → references
• Call references, don't just email
• Real example: "Car crash" hire because no references checked

Step 5: Onboard Properly

• Shadowing, training on YOUR systems, clear expectations
• 12 weeks probation minimum
• Regular feedback (weekly for first month)
• Most failures happen in first 90 days

This Week's Action:Write that job description before you need it.

About Phil Jackson:Phil Jackson is a salon business coach with 27 years of industry experience and a Creative Head Most Wanted Award. He helps salon owners in hair, beauty, and aesthetics build profitable businesses without the hustle BS.

Work with Phil:If recruitment struggles are symptoms of bigger issues (pricing, culture, systems):

• 1:1 Ultimate Clarity Coaching: 90-day intensive delivering your 5-year lifestyle-first business plan, 12-month profit & pricing strategy, and 12-month marketing plan
• Book a free consultation: https://tidycal.com/philjackson/1to1-enquiry
• Email: phil@buildyoursalon.com

t's Friday the 13th. The unluckiest thing you can do today? Ignore your numbers. You might tell yourself a few fibs about how your business is doing—your numbers won't. Let's dive in.

In this episode, Phil Jackson walks you through four critical numbers that tell you everything about your salon's health. These aren't weekly metrics—these are quarterly deep-dive numbers that show you exactly what needs fixing and where to focus your strategy for the next three months.

What You'll Learn:

• The four numbers that expose your salon's true health
• What healthy benchmarks look like for each measure
• Why "money in the bank" doesn't mean profitable
• How to spot pricing vs. capacity vs. retention problems
• When being "busy" just means busy being poor

The Four Numbers That Matter:

Number 1: Net Profit Margin

• Formula: (Net Profit ÷ Revenue) × 100
• Healthy: 10-15% minimum (target 15-20%)
• Below 10%: You're in trouble
• What it reveals: Pricing too low, costs too high, or both

Number 2: Revenue Per Client Visit

• Total revenue ÷ Number of visits
• Healthy: Higher than your most popular service
• What it reveals: Pricing structure, retail conversion, profitable vs. busy
• The question: 100 clients at £30 or 60 clients at £60? Same hours, more profit

Number 3: Client Retention Rate

• Percentage returning within expected timeframe
• Healthy: 70% minimum
• Below 50%: Churning clients
• What it reveals: Service quality, pricing alignment, team issues

Number 4: Utilization Rate

• (Billable hours ÷ Available hours) × 100
• Healthy: 85-90%
• Below 70%: Capacity problem
• Above 90%: Pricing opportunity
• What it reveals: Marketing problem or pricing problem

This Week's Action:Calculate all four for January. Track quarterly to see trends. These show you what to work on next.

The Brutal Truth:Numbers are facts. If they're bad, fix the business model or keep pretending until you run out of money.

About Phil Jackson:Phil Jackson is a salon business coach with 27 years of industry experience and a Creative Head Most Wanted Award. He helps salon owners in hair, beauty, and aesthetics build profitable businesses without the hustle BS.

Work with Phil:If you need help fixing what these numbers reveal, that's what Ultimate Clarity does:

• 1:1 Ultimate Clarity Coaching: 90-day intensive delivering your 5-year lifestyle-first business plan, 12-month profit & pricing strategy, and 12-month marketing plan
• Book a free consultation: https://tidycal.com/philjackson/1to1-enquiry
• Email: phil@buildyoursalon.com

February is when you notice the gaps in your diary. Those clients who couldn't get enough of you in December aren't rebooking. You don't have one big retention problem—you have three specific leaks in three specific places. Let's plug them before March.

In this episode, Phil Jackson identifies the three critical points in your client journey where you're losing people and gives you one practical fix for each that you can implement this week.

What You'll Learn:

• The three specific points in the client journey where you're losing customers
• Why "better customer service" is too vague to fix retention problems
• How pre-booking appointments can jump retention rates dramatically
• The power of one personal touch per visit (and how to systematize it)
• Why 48-hour follow-up messages work (and how to template them)

The Three Retention Leaks:

Leak #1: Before They Book

• Problem: Great experience, intended to rebook, just... didn't
• Fix: Book next appointment before they leave (every single client)
• Script: "I need to see you in four weeks time. Let's get that booked now for you."
• Follow-up: Get permission to text if they don't book online
• Impact: Creates consistency, removes friction, positions regular visits as normal

Leak #2: During Their Visit

• Problem: Service was "fine" but nothing memorable
• Fix: One personal touch per visit that shows you remember them
• Examples: "How did that job interview go?" / "I thought of you when I saw this product"
• Implementation: Note one personal detail per visit, reference it next time
• Impact: Personal connection beats perfect technical delivery

Leak #3: After They Leave

• Problem: Happy client leaves, you never contact them again
• Fix: 48-hour follow-up message (every client, every time)
• Templates: "Just checking in after yesterday—how's your hair/skin settling in?"
• Advanced: Product tips, midpoint check, booking prompt
• Impact: Shows you care beyond transaction, keeps you front of mind

This Week's Action:Pick ONE leak to fix (Phil recommends pre-booking—easiest, biggest impact). Team meeting today. Track for one week.

Reality Check:If your service is good and you're still losing clients, these are your three leaks. Plug them before March.

About Phil Jackson:Phil Jackson is a salon business coach with 27 years of industry experience and a Creative Head Most Wanted Award. He helps salon owners in hair, beauty, and aesthetics build profitable businesses without the hustle BS.

Work with Phil:If retention is a symptom of bigger structural issues (pricing, service design, business model), that's what Ultimate Clarity addresses:

• 1:1 Ultimate Clarity Coaching: 90-day intensive delivering your 5-year lifestyle-first business plan, 12-month profit strategy, and 12-month marketing plan
• Book a free consultation: https://tidycal.com/philjackson/1to1-enquiry
• Email: phil@buildyoursalon.com

It's February. Maybe you've just had the worst January you can remember, and you were Googling "how to sell my salon business" at 1am. Before you call a business broker, answer these five questions.

In this episode, Phil Jackson walks you through the critical questions every salon owner needs to answer before deciding whether to sell or fix their business. Selling might be the right answer—or you might be running from fixable problems.

What You'll Learn:

• Five questions to determine if you should sell or fix your salon
• The brutal reality of salon business valuations (and why most owners overestimate)
• What happens to your income when you sell (and why £30k isn't as much as you think)
• What you're actually selling (hint: it's probably worth less than you believe)
• Why "I've tried everything" usually means you haven't
• How fixing your business first maximizes sale price even if you do decide to sell

Phil's Perspective:"If you're at your lowest ebb, you've got nothing to lose. Be bold with your marketing, your pricing, your strategy. What's the worst that can happen? It can't get any worse. And remember—UK salon owners, we've had six months of rain. This isn't your busiest time. Hold on for the sunnier days."

About Phil Jackson:Phil Jackson is a salon business coach with 27 years of industry experience and a Creative Head Most Wanted Award. He helps salon owners in hair, beauty, and aesthetics build profitable businesses without the hustle BS.

Work with Phil:

• 1:1 Ultimate Clarity Coaching: 90-day intensive programme delivering your 5-year lifestyle-first business plan, 12-month profit strategy, and 12-month marketing plan
• Book a free consultation: https://tidycal.com/philjackson/1to1-enquiry
• Website: https://buildyoursalon.com
• Email: phil@buildyoursalon.com

Connect:📧 Email: phil@buildyoursalon.com🎙️ Podcast: Build Your Salon (available on all platforms)📰 Magazine: Salonpreneur Magazine

Episode Timestamps:0:00 - Introduction: February Reality Check1:22 - Question 1: Selling or Running From Problems?2:11 - Question 2: What's It Actually Worth?4:02 - Question 3: What Happens to Your Income?5:34 - Question 4: What Are You Actually Selling?7:55 - Question 5: Have You Actually Tried to Fix It?9:41 - The Fork in the Road: Which Path Is Yours?10:25 - Encouragement: You've Got Nothing to Lose11:17 - Closing & CTA

#salonbusiness #salonowner #sellingabusiness #saloncoach #beautybusiness #hairdressingbusiness #businessvaluation #salonmanagement #buildyoursalon #entrepreneurship

48% of salon owners say staff management and motivation is the hardest part of running their business. For many, February is when this hits hardest. Right after the January buzz comes the February funk.

In this episode, Phil Jackson cuts through the cheerleading nonsense to give you five practical motivation strategies that actually work, cost almost nothing, and don't require you to become a rah-rah motivational speaker.

What You'll Learn:

• Why throwing money at motivation problems doesn't work
• The five things that actually motivate salon teams (and it's not commission)
• How a £500 training session beats a £500 pay rise every time
• Why your team members might leave over an £8 mop
• The difference between standards and micromanagement
• How to make your team feel valued without breaking the bank

The Five Motivation Drivers:

1. Feeling Valued (Not Just Paid) - Recognition and specific acknowledgment
2. Growth and Learning Opportunities - Internal skill-sharing and consistent training
3. Autonomy and Control - Standards vs. micromanagement
4. Clear Expectations and Communication - Crystal-clear targets and monthly one-to-ones
5. Culture That Doesn't Drain - Nurturing environments and work-life balance

Key Takeaway:Money isn't why people joined this industry in the first place. Real motivation comes from feeling valued, growing professionally, having autonomy, clear expectations, and a culture that doesn't drain them.

Quick Win:This week, give each team member specific acknowledgment for something they've done well. Not "good job"—actual specific recognition of their contribution.

About Phil Jackson:Phil Jackson is a salon business coach with 27 years of industry experience and a Creative Head Most Wanted Award. He helps salon owners in hair, beauty, and aesthetics build profitable businesses without the hustle BS.

Work with Phil:

• 1:1 Ultimate Clarity Coaching: 90-day intensive delivering your 5-year lifestyle-first business plan, 12-month profit strategy, and 12-month marketing plan
• Book a free consultation: https://tidycal.com/philjackson/1to1-enquiry
• Email: phil@buildyoursalon.com

Connect:Website: https://buildyoursalon.comEmail: phil@buildyoursalon.comPodcast: Build Your Salon (available on all platforms)

If everyone in your salon charges the same price - junior who's just qualified, senior who's been with you 10 years - you're leaving money on the table.

WHAT TIERED PRICING IS

Different team members charge different prices based on experience, expertise, and client demand.

Hair salons do this well. Beauty salons? Not nearly enough.

THE FIVE REASONS IT WORKS

REASON 1: HELPS JUNIORS BUILD CLIENTELE

Without tiered pricing, reception has subconscious bias - senior costs more in wages, needs to stay busy. Junior never gets chance to build regulars.

With tiered pricing, price-sensitive clients gravitate to junior. Levels the playing field.

REASON 2: IT'S FAIR TO SENIOR TEAM

Someone with 2 years charges same as someone with 10 years? That's not fair.

Tiered pricing shows there's a career path - not just a job.

If you don't take care of your team's future, they'll take care of it themselves. Usually means leaving or going self-employed.

REASON 3: COST-BASED PRICING MAKES SENSE

Senior team costs you more in wages.

If they charge same as juniors, you make MORE profit from junior and LESS from senior. That's backwards.

With tiered pricing, profit per service stays consistent.

Even if you're solo: Have an owner tier that prices in your marketing and admin time.

REASON 4: CONTROL OVER WHO DOES WHAT

Scottish beauty salon example: Expert therapists on £18-25/hour being booked for £10 quick brow waxes. Losing money.

With tiered pricing: Exclude cheap services from Expert tier. Quick treatments only bookable with junior tiers.

Now the maths works.

REASON 5: RETENTION TOOL IN DOWNTURNS

January hits. Clients get price-sensitive.

Without tiered pricing: They leave entirely.

With tiered pricing: "Money tight? Try our junior tier instead - same great service, lower price."

Keep client in business. When finances improve, they move back up.

THE OBJECTIONS

"Team offended being called junior?"

→ Use Graduate, Advanced, Lead. Language is flexible. Concept isn't.

"Clients think juniors aren't as good?"

→ That's the point. Different experience = different pricing.

"Clients will complain?"

→ They won't. Like airline seats: economy, premium, business. Same destination, different experience.

"Seniors worry clients will leave?"

→ Good - opens space for premium-priced customers.

"Team conflict?"

→ No - if progression is transparent. Set clear criteria: retention, utilisation, training, reviews.

HOW TO IMPLEMENT

Define tiers → Set progression criteria → Communicate with team FIRST → Update systems → Launch publicly

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

📊 RESOURCES:

Get Paid Properly: getpaidproperly.com

💬 WORK WITH ME:

1:1 Coaching: https://buildyoursalon.com

🎧 LISTEN:

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@buildyoursalon

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3MZp6jP

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

CHAPTERS:

0:00 - Leaving Money on Table

1:23 - What Tiered Pricing Is

2:19 - Reason 1: Helps Juniors

3:21 - Reason 2: Fair to Seniors

4:19 - Reason 3: Cost-Based Pricing

5:14 - Reason 4: Control Who Does What

6:09 - Reason 5: Retention Tool

7:01 - Objections Answered

9:45 - Progression Criteria

#tieredpricing #salonpricing #salonbusiness

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Questions? phil@buildyoursalon.com