Beauty Business Strategies
The podcast where salon, spa, medspa, barbershop, and lash studio owners — just like you — learn quick tips to make more money, inspire your team, and create world-class client experiences.
Beauty Business Strategies
Creating a Motivated and Engaged Salon/Spa Team with Christi Newell
How do you transform a small beauty business into a thriving enterprise? Join us as we chat with Christi Newell, the visionary owner of A Glo Spa and Salon Co, who has done exactly that. Discover how Christi grew her salon from a team of six in 1999 to a bustling business with 45 employees through innovative leadership strategies.
You'll learn how Christi identifies and nurtures individual talents within her team, creating advanced positions that keep her employees engaged and motivated.
Tune in to learn how creating a safe space for idea-sharing and accountability can transform your business environment.
Conversation highlights:
1:02 A Glo Spa & Salon's growth journey
2:33 Developing leaders in your beauty business
4:20 How developing leaders helps with employee retention
6:20 How developing leaders helps your business grow
8:59 Becoming the visionary of your business
11:59 Empowering your team to take the lead
16:57 Creating a culture of accountability
19:56 Christi's advice for salon/spa owners hesitant to invest in leadership development
Watch the video version of this podcast: https://youtu.be/fnZxaxLZ-k0
To learn more about how Strategies can help you create more profit, fun, and growth potential for you, your business, and your team, schedule a free 60-minute strategy session:
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The Beauty Business Strategies Podcast is designed to give salon, spa, medspa, barbershop, and lash studio owners, just like you, quick tips to make more money, inspire your team, and create world-class client experiences.
Welcome to the Beauty Business Strategies Podcast. I'm Christy Hardy and today I am joined with a special guest, christy Newell, so we're double Christy-ing. Today, christy is the owner of Aglow Spa and Salon and we are going to be talking about leadership and creating an incredible environment to enhance and produce incredible leaders within our beauty business. So welcome, christy, I'm so excited to have you here today. Thank you so much for having me, and it's always so weird for me to go hello, christy.
Speaker 2:I know Christy. I know I keep hearing Christy too when I'm turning to look.
Speaker 1:Absolutely. We are so honored to have you here with us. Thank you, I'm so honored to be here to be part of this so we're going to talk a little bit about leadership, but I want to start with tell me a little bit about a glow yeah, how it kind of evolved, what your team is like, because I think that's going to be really important for our viewers and our listeners to understand, kind of like help them paint a picture of how you created this need for leadership.
Speaker 2:Mm. Hmm, we, a glow sw Salon started as a different name in a different location back in 1999 with six employees. We currently have 45 employees. Wow. So yeah, so it's like a ton of growth, but the biggest growth has come in the last 10 years, since we started working with Strategies. Okay, so 10 years ago we had 22 employees, I believe. So 10 years ago we had 22 employees, I believe. So we have doubled. In that amount of time, that is awesome.
Speaker 1:Now you've switched, you've transitioned, you are a team-based pay model, correct?
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:And tell me a little bit about how that impacted your business. Oh, my word.
Speaker 2:So I, if you heard well, when we did the awards last year, I ended up getting on stage telling a little bit about how I bootlegged strategies information for quite some time. So we went team-based pay probably 20 years ago at least 15, 20 years ago and switched over to that model, but I did not have the culture piece at that time.
Speaker 1:The system, yes, yes.
Speaker 2:So 10 years ago is when we actually signed up and did the coaching, and that's when the magic started to happen. Tell us a little bit about that. So it was growth, it was systems, it was looking through the windshield instead of the rearview mirror, and just having that support was incredible.
Speaker 1:That is awesome. Well, we are glad that you are part of Strategies and Team-Based Pay. Thank you. But what we really want to talk about today is I want to hear from Christy about her leadership team and how you have designed very much designed an environment where leadership, not only in yourself but in your team members, is a priority. Why did you feel like you needed to create a leadership team?
Speaker 2:We were growing quickly. I was completely overwhelmed and just couldn't do it on my own. Also, just, I love the idea of pouring into others, watching others be able to grow, use their gifts and talents, and so I started to just approach everything like how do we develop leaders? Yeah, and yeah, so that was really the start of it anyway. Yeah, so how do you develop leaders? Yeah, so I don't have an exact science to it. Okay, I like it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's really just a watching people's performance. You know how do they rise to the top, like who are the people? And then literally creating a position for them. That is an advanced position.
Speaker 2:Love it, and so then, strategies has allowed that to happen because they're paid hourly so you can give them projects, you can do everything. They don't have to be hands-on and you're worried about pulling them off the books and things like that. That's been great. So, watching that and then also knowing what always looking at when Neil talks about like what's your exit strategy Like, what am I doing all by myself? What do other people like? What can your exit strategy Like? What am I doing all by myself? What do other people like? What can they take? Take off my plate? So lots of discussions about what's on your plate. What now can you push off onto someone else that will help them to grow, and so that's been so like the most rewarding part of being an owner now, yeah.
Speaker 1:I love that. We did that, something similar, and I was a general manager, so I got to work side by side with an owner who did something very similar, where she would find what our strengths were and then do exactly what you said create a position of leadership and growth opportunity within the business. Because what we were recognizing, and as we continued to grow, was people can get stuck. They can get stuck behind the chair, they can get stuck in a treatment room, they can get stuck in a cycle and then fall out of love?
Speaker 1:with what?
Speaker 3:we do.
Speaker 1:So when we can pull that information of where is their strength and be able to create something that is opportunity.
Speaker 2:Yes, yes, you're so right, because that's where they would start to get kind of bored and you would see it and I'm like they're going to leave, like because they're going to want more. So how do we create that here? So that is one little filter. We started to run things through like what would make this your dream job to stay? Here forever you know, or or as long as it still fits you and your, your life, and what you're craving and hungry for.
Speaker 1:Now, are most of your leaders service providers as well, or do you have some that are strictly in leadership? How did they evolve? To your leaders it's all different.
Speaker 2:It's been through front desk and we've created guest care managers. It's been service providers. So initially it started with department like your little leader in each area. So we do hair, skin, nails, massage, and then have a guest care team and so just like letting like, their first little responsibility would be do the order and, you know, help train the people in that department, and that's how it started. Well, that expanded even more and so then, as they were growing, then they were pushing that they were seeing the next person that would come up that could do that, and then they were moving higher into the company, being involved in more administrative things too. So most of them who were service providers do still service provide, but much less less than half time.
Speaker 1:So how do you feel personally that having these key leadership roles have made you a better leader and have made the growth for a glow really happen?
Speaker 2:I get to have a lot more fun. So just I feel this release of well, there's a few things. It's the pride in watching them grow, yeah.
Speaker 3:And having those like proud mama moments, yes, where I'm just like oh my goodness, it's so neat to see that.
Speaker 2:And then also the release. We've experienced incredible growth like quadrupled our business since we started coaching and doing all that and I do believe it's from the leaders being involved and being able to spill it, because you can grow exponentially when you've got more people doing the work. Like if it was just me, still I'd be a stressed out mess and we wouldn't have grown like we have. Absolutely.
Speaker 1:When we think about trying to do it by ourselves, it is completely overwhelming. It's totally overwhelming Rolling that boulder up the hill.
Speaker 2:You cannot do it by yourself.
Speaker 1:You have to have that team with you.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and I've joked how I used to try to quit my job all the time, like I'd walk in and try to put in my two weeks notice at the team meeting because I was just so overwhelmed. And to be 25 years in now and be loving it more than I ever did, even in the beginning, I'm like giddy. So I'm getting called squirrely by people because I'm having so much fun and so proud. And it's not always like that. Like there's people that come and go and then you're like uh-oh, what are we going to do? And then so some people are like I put a leader in place and then they leave and that happens.
Speaker 2:People come and go and so holding on loosely has been really wonderful, knowing like we get them for this part of their journey and if it's not us forever, that's okay, because something else will happen and it's room for other people to move into things. And we've literally had like a general manager that I loved move away and we took her position and divvied it out to everybody until the next person rose to that role. That's huge.
Speaker 1:That was so, instead of trying to pinpoint someone else or we now have an opening for a general manager.
Speaker 2:Someone apply. We didn't do it, we just divvied it out. We do the same thing when someone goes on maternity leave. Take your duties and choose who are the best people you think to do that, and it gives an opportunity for people to come forward with. I would love to do that, or I'm very interested in that, and it's so much fun.
Speaker 1:That's awesome. I think the most important thing for a leader, a business owner, is to continue to be the visionary. Yes, and with having the leadership team in place, it allows you to be the visionary. I know you joke about, like you know, and I get to be squirrely and have fun, but it's really that you get to keep that vision alive for your entire team. Yes, and I think, without really keeping the vision, it doesn't matter what people we have in place, right, if we don't have a destination. Yes, and you get to be the I. There's our destination, here's the star on the map, and you get these wonderful leaders in place that are like I got you.
Speaker 1:I got your GPS I see what you're seeing and I can help you get there. Yes, that is incredible.
Speaker 2:It's. It's so great and I do. I have a like. My brain is now allowed to go into more visionary because they are taking care of the daily tasks. They're taking care and it's also um recognizing where, like what part do I not thrive in when I'm doing that?
Speaker 3:So I'll give an example.
Speaker 2:Please do One-on-ones for me. I love people. I could chat all day long with people one-on-one, but to do the consistent, like follow-through, and meet with them, I would find myself incredibly drained. And so my general manager, laura, ended up saying I think you're the person to do the one-on-ones and she said I would love to the growth that has happened from that. Recognizing her gift and allowing that to be done by her and she's thriving and gains energy from it, where I was drained, has been the best thing ever.
Speaker 2:And so then I can just bring little things to her that I see, and then she implements and does all the she's much better with follow through.
Speaker 1:I love it, yeah, because you get to be the visionary.
Speaker 2:Exactly. Then I get to still do the visionary things, and so another thing that I've done. So we do leadership meetings weekly and we are very faithful with those. They're two hours long, we have five people in the room. We invite people for portions of it instead of having them sit there the whole time if it doesn't pertain to their job. They're so honored to get to come in that leadership meeting so it's really fun.
Speaker 2:And then we go through everything that we need to go through for the week and so everyone's informed, at least if there's questions out on the floor. They have an idea of what's going on and where the company is going, and then they can lead that way. And I joke with them when I say my goal is to be the dumbest person in this room, because if I know more than you do with the job that you're leading, then I'm doing something wrong, because I don't have to do the daily operations anymore. I could. If I had to, I would step in when the need is there, in case of emergency you break glass in case of emergency Christy can call back out.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:And I won't be great at it, I'll be really slow, but I'll limp along and be able to have just enough knowledge to be able to do it. But I don't need all the nitty gritty of all of it, and then I can just let them, and then I also don't micromanage them. So, yeah, so the process of the whole thing is and I don't know if I should go here- or not.
Speaker 1:Yeah, let's go, people want to hear about it.
Speaker 2:Okay, so to share, like you know, as owners, sometimes you're, like you know, are you a control freak? Do you have too much control? I literally went and had went to a counselor and had temperament testing. Oh wow, Like it was. Like this whole other thing. Other thing I know there's so many cool assessments out there too. Those have been so valuable for our team and for our leadership team and how to communicate with our team.
Speaker 2:But anyway, I did this one and realized I was not a control freak, but I just needed to be in the know and I said that's it. I just need to know what's going on as the visionary, and I ended up doing that. So then I was like, okay, just inform me what's going on, and then I'm going to let you run with it and then, as you're learning how to do it, we're going to review it together and then I'll release you when I know you've got it, and then, when the weird things come up, just bring it to me and we'll go through it together. There's nothing better than being able to throw your hands up and go good, you've got it. Go like, just go.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it's so empowering.
Speaker 1:It is. You know you really watch people thrive and grow themselves when they are empowered to make change, yes, and to have a part of leadership. It's, it's. It was a game changer for me too. I felt like I. I knew I wasn't the owner of the business.
Speaker 1:That was not my job, but I felt that this business was also part of me and I was part of this business and I spoke of it. If I wasn't in our team environment, I would speak of it as my salon and spa. I took pride in it and I took pride in ownership when I didn't have the name at the bottom, but it was what it was. Excuse me was that I was empowered yes, I was empowered to be a leader, to grow additional people, and that empowerment is a game changer. It's a game changer. How do you communicate with your leadership team? You said you have a meeting once a week, so you're kind of all together in that, but how did you help them grow as individuals into leadership?
Speaker 2:Yeah, Honestly, that leadership meeting that we did we take the first half an hour still to this day and we do a podcast together with a study guide and we just continue to develop that way. It has allowed us to then get to know each other better because, oh my goodness, coming off of COVID which I don't even like to talk about that, but that was a game changer for us too. When we came off of that, a whole new leadership team formed. Even though we didn't lose any staff, stuff shifted like like priorities and what really mattered and how we're going to do things, and found the need to meet and get together a little bit more as we're navigating all of this. And then that's where the really committed people rose to the top.
Speaker 2:But but doing that podcast and just going because how do I get with everybody to develop them when we could do it all together? And then the way the team became very unified was so neat because we were getting to know each other better and it became a safe space too, where I said I don't want all yes, people in this room. I want you to challenge me, I want to hear your ideas. And at first they were like, okay, yep, and then pretty soon now, I said I love when I can get a little rise out of people and get them actually talking like. No, I don't agree with that and I'll be like now we're talking Like let's talk, let's do it, let's really get in this.
Speaker 2:I want to, I want to really hear from you and I want to hear your ideas, and it might not be what we do, but it might be what we do.
Speaker 1:Right, or the evolution of it. When we put all the cards on the table, holy cow, we can make a full deck.
Speaker 2:Oh, and it's been just beautiful to watch that safety happen there too. And how, then, they're spilling that out further, where people feel safe in the space to grow and to make mistakes and know that nothing bad is going to happen and we're going to help you grow. Just keep trying and we'll get there, don't you really?
Speaker 1:feel like safety is something that sometimes, as leaders, we forget is a priority. Yes, we're so focused on outcomes. Yes, we have to be better in this. We have to be better in that we need to have more financial stability, whatever it is, and we forget that there's the human aspect of it.
Speaker 2:Yes, and we have swung. We did a little bit where we swung all the way the other direction, where we were sort of forgetting the outcomes and letting it just be about a little coddling a lot of that going on, and so then in our leadership meetings we talk about that too.
Speaker 2:Where are we at with all these business drivers and are we holding people accountable enough? Or are we just doing it all based on emotion? Like sometimes people actually need that, that accountability, because then they'll feel purpose in what they're doing and know that they got through to the other side and they made it and they're safe still, yes, even with that Exactly, and then they're so proud, they're so proud of where they've come with us doing that appropriate push, like where is that? So we do a lot of discussion on that too.
Speaker 1:Yeah, in your meetings with not necessarily just your leadership team, but maybe your leadership team, with all of your team. How do they hold one another accountable? How do they?
Speaker 2:hold one another accountable. Just, you mean like in the department, like each department, yeah, or around different systems and stuff like that.
Speaker 1:Do you find that there's different means of communication to help hold your team accountable.
Speaker 2:Yes, so we implemented Slack back in October Great yeah. And you know from our coach here, melanie, she suggested it, I think, two years ago, and heard me complain session after session about how Let me tell you one more time, because 43 people, you can't just keep sending out emails. We needed something. And so we felt like that piece was really floundering for us and that'm not kidding within two weeks, we were like how did we live without this? And so we are very consistent with utilizing that to communicate in the way we created channels on there. Okay, stuff that doesn't need to be face-to-face, yeah, we just allow it all to go on there photos, audio video, whatever we need to do and people really participate in it. That's great and it's not negative. It's really just like it might be. Who left the dishes in the sink? Please don't do that anymore.
Speaker 2:But, we do that and then with the leaders we stay in touch. But one of my goals truly is to have a little more one-on-ones with the leadership team and not like one-on-one, because we do accomplish a lot in our group meeting so it's not as necessary but not to lose that piece of individual development of them too. So I'm making a commitment right now.
Speaker 1:You heard it here, it's right here, it's on camera, so when they listen they're like Christy, you said you were going to have our one-on-one. Now we're going to hold you accountable. Yes, exactly.
Speaker 2:And I do beg for that. I think that 360 degree, like all of it's, like leadership and accountability, is really important and that's what they did not do in the beginning and they're finally starting to do that. But it takes time. It's been. You know, that was five years ago that we started this. I would say three years ago is when we really started to turn a corner because we didn't know each other, and so you lose a few people here and there you bring a new one in and you're like okay, this just changed the team a little bit.
Speaker 2:Where are we dynamic and culture just shifted a little bit there's a lot of shifting, there's a lot of adapting, but it's all part of growth, yeah, and so allowing that to happen and knowing it doesn't have to be so structured, but you need to pay attention to what's happening then and there and listen.
Speaker 1:Yes, yeah, it's all about communication. It is Like everything that I've heard you say is communication, accountability, support, trust.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:We're building these key, important factors to build this team. Yes To a nice, strong location. Yeah, this is incredible, I know.
Speaker 2:I love it team.
Speaker 1:Yes To a nice, strong location. Yeah, this is incredible. I love it. So I have one more question for you and I have to put the glasses on because I want to get it right.
Speaker 2:Okay, I might have to put my glasses on to look at the answer.
Speaker 1:So my question for you is what advice would you give to another salon owner who is potentially a little hesitant about investing in leadership development?
Speaker 2:So I did write something down for this because you thought this is a good question.
Speaker 1:I did okay.
Speaker 2:So here's what I wrote um do it because it's less lonely. They become your people that you do, and that is incredible because we are so busy as owners that you don't end up with a lot of friends outside of work sometimes, and so they're. They've become my people, even with 43 employees. A lot of friends outside of work sometimes, and so they've become my people, even with 43 employees. And then it takes time, lots of time. Be willing, don't get discouraged if one shifts and it doesn't change. Just keep going and adjust as you go, and there are setbacks and there's no definite roadmap, but it's so worth it, like the freedom the.
Speaker 2:I can be squirrely now like I said, you know but also still, then you can really like we teach them, like get this off your plate so you can work on this, like getting I was never behind the chair, but getting out from behind the chair like developing a leadership team, it's like getting out from behind the chair you get to do the next like thing that you can really have that vision and that growth and it just continues to grow.
Speaker 2:And then I have one more piece of advice that I forgot about that I was going to mention earlier. There's a couple people that I read John Maxwell had said if someone can do it, 80% as well as you let them. And then this, craig Groeschel, that I follow his leadership podcast and that's one of them that we use a lot in our leadership meetings. He says I know John Maxwell says 80%. He said I say 50% with momentum, and if they have that you can coach them. Then you coach them through that, let them do it, let them have it, and then they will bypass you with that momentum. And that's my goal is that they bypass.
Speaker 2:I love it. Yeah, so incredible leader Christy.
Speaker 1:Oh, thank you so much for doing the work because it is work and thank you for sharing. Well, thank you so much. Somebody out there is going. I'm feeling a little defeated. I'm feeling a little tired. How do I reinvigorate myself and how do I bring people along for the ride? Yeah, so that it's a fun adventure. It is, it really is. Yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, this has been awesome If you want to hear more about how strategies can help your team continue to grow, hopefully just like Christie's team go ahead and text us in our link below you will find a text option, so we would love to hear from you and Christy. Thank you again and congratulations to everything that a glow spa and salon has achieved and will continue to achieve.
Speaker 2:Thank you so much. It's been my honor and pleasure.
Speaker 1:Awesome, you're fabulous. Thank you so much for joining us and we'll see you again soon on the Beauty Business Strategies podcast.
Speaker 3:Thanks again for listening to the Beauty Business Strategies podcast. If you like this episode, be sure to hit follow To learn more about how strategies can help create more fun, profit and growth potential for you, your company and your team. We invite you to schedule a free 60 minute strategy session by clicking the direct link in the description of this episode.