033 The beginning of the new normal!

The beginning of the new normal! I think that we all agree that the last couple of weeks have been like an out of control rollercoaster ride, or perhaps like a being in a tumble dryer on full speed. There has been a lot of uncertainty, and we are all living in a state of constant change literally by the day, and in some cases by the hour … In times like this, we need leadership, and we need a sense of calm as we try and work through this. It affects pretty much the population of the entire planet and salon owners and hairdressers, in general, are as vulnerable and as exposed as anybody is… And I don’t just mean our own physical health but the health of our businesses… In today's podcast, I am interviewing salon owners Robert and Mary Cromeans and Sue Arens. All of whom are successful salon owners to see how they are dealing with the current situation and to start looking at what the future will be like, and how we can prepare for when we come out the other end of this… In This Episode: [01:31] Robert and Mary, thank you so much for being on the show. [02:02] They discuss having to close their salon on March 17th and not knowing when they can reopen. [02:48] How are you communicating with your team, and how are they handling it? [05:11] Robert and Mary share how they are meeting with their team on Zoom. [06:59] Mary believes that her team worries about their paychecks more than anything, and since the laws changed in CA, they are employees and can get unemployment. [08:58] What kind of strategy do you have in place to communicate with your clients? [11:58] Robert shares that they will have a grand opening party when they reopen and have a fresh start. [14:19] They discuss the loans the government is offering and how you have to pay it back, so be careful. [17:59] What is your take on the take-home kits that are being offered through the big-name distributors? [21:02] Robert shares his insight into his clients getting a box color at the supermarket, but he believes they can’t get the same results as they can in the salon. [24:10] Robert speaks about getting the listeners to start calling their clients and get them excited about what can be done once this is all over. [27:08] Robert shares that Mary is going to grow her roots out and put it on Instagram and show people the creative ways they can camouflage it, just have fun with it. [30:22] What can salons do to get creative and to make changes that will help their business now and when this is over? [33:02] Mary shares how she stays positive during this crazy time. [33:53] Robert chats about hanging out with visionaries to stay positive because they are always looking forward. [35:50] Robert and Mary, thank you so much for being on this episode. [36:13] Welcome to the show, Sue! [36:43] What is the current situation in your salon group? [37:24] Sue shares how her team took the news that they were closing down. [39:23] Sue speaks about keeping the lines of communication open with her team. [41:42] What do you find is your team’s daily worries, and how are you dealing with them? [46:04] Sue shares how they are staying in communication with their clients and preparing them for when the salon reopens. [47:52] Sue chats about the online store they implemented until the government shut them down. [49:33] What do you think the long-term impact will be on salons in general? [51:40] Sue shares what they are going to do once the salon reopens and how the opportunities are evolving. [53:43] Sue gives some advice to salon owners and hairdressers listening to the podcast. [56:28] What are you doing as a leader to stay positive? [57:51] Sue, thank you so much for being on the show today! Robert Cromeans Salon Facebook | Instagram Sue Arens Studio B Salon Facebook | Instagram