My Lessons Learned in Coaching Salon Owners in 2025.

By Jay Chapman

Over the past year, my coaching business has gone through a transformative journey. The challenges we faced, the strategies we tested, and the lessons we learned hold powerful takeaways for any salon owner looking to evolve their business. So, I am going to take you on a journey through the highs, lows, and everything in between, with the hope you’ll find something here to inspire your next move.

Starting with the Mess! The Power of Refinement

Last year, we threw everything at our marketing manager, Tyler. If you’ve ever felt like you’re drowning in the chaos of juggling too many tasks, you’ll know the feeling. Tyler was doing an incredible job, but our lack of structure and clarity in her role meant results were inconsistent.

By stepping back and defining her key performance indicators (KPIs) and building a clear weekly rhythm for her role, we transformed everything! (Including her sanity!) Mondays now start with clear intentions for the week, and Fridays end with reflection and adjustments. This simple change of bookending the week has helped us refine her workload, scrap unnecessary tasks, and focus on highimpact activities.

For salon owners, the lesson is simple but powerful, clarity in roles and structure isn’t just for big companies.

Free vs. Paid: Challenging the Norms of Value

We kicked off 2025 with three lead-generation strategies, two of which required potential clients to pay to participate. But the numbers weren’t coming through. In true Oprah style (except with a few more swear words), I decided to say, “Let’s make everything free!” While I was terrified that people wouldn’t take free offers seriously.

The volume of engagement skyrocketed. Giving away value for free didn’t cheapen the experience, it amplified the number of meaningful conversations we were having with potential clients.

In your salon, I’m not suggesting that you need to make everything free. There is a lot of talk in the industry at the moment about discount marketing and how it can destroy your brand. It’s not true if it is done right. Free/discounted services doesn’t mean you’re undervaluing yourself! It’s about opening the door for people to experience your expertise, and if you’re good at what you do, they’ll stick around.

Chasing Consistency: The Challenge of Follow-Through

Salon owners, you know what it’s like when a new client walks in, you wow them, and then… they disappear. Retention is the eternal battle, isn’t it? One of the strategies we teach our clients is the “lost client” follow-up, reaching out to clients who haven’t returned in 12 weeks.

Here’s the truth! most salon owners hate this task. It exposes the fear of rejection and forces you to confront areas of your business that aren’t working. But those who embrace it see results. Retention isn’t glamorous, it’s a slow burn. Yet it’s one of the highest-return activities you can commit to.

If you’re resisting follow-up tasks in your salon, ask yourself…. is your discomfort worth the missed opportunity?

Breaking Free from Mediocrity: Building the “Wow” Factor

When we describe our coaching program to potential clients, they’re often blown away by the level of detail, thought, and support we provide. And yet, in 2025, we’re challenging ourselves to go from “bloody good” to “oh my god, this is amazing.”

We’ve started by overhauling our resources, re-recording every piece of content to make it easier to consume, more concise, and up to date. We’re incorporating personal development elements, creating communitydriven challenges, and celebrating client milestones like never before. It’s all about delighting our clients at every step of their journey.

You can borrow this idea too. What would it look like to take your client experience from good to unforgettable? Whether it’s a handwritten thankyou note, celebrating their birthday or introducing unexpected perks

Numbers Tell a Story, But Don’t Obsess Over Them

One of the toughest lessons for us in the past year was realizing that client numbers don’t always grow as fast as we’d like. It’s easy to panic when the numbers don’t look good but obsessing over growth for the sake of growth often leads to bad decisions.

Instead, we focused on upgrading and retaining our existing clients. We introduced flexible options to keep clients engaged, even when they were struggling financially or mentally. We packaged one-on-one coaching sessions to solve specific problems, making it easier for hesitant clients to say yes.

Leaning into Collaboration

One of our biggest breakthroughs came from recognizing that we don’t have to do it all ourselves. Whether it was partnering with a digital marketing agency or leaning into collaborations with product companies to boost retail sales during our challenges, we realized that when you focus on collective success, everyone wins.

This applies to you! Could you collaborate with product reps, partner with local businesses, or join forces with other salons for training events or promotions? Collaboration doesn’t dilute your brand; it strengthens your position as a connected business.

Lessons for 2025 and Beyond

Looking back, the journey wasn’t smooth. It was messy, full of trial and error, and peppered with moments of self-doubt. But every setback gave us an opportunity to refine, simplify, and improve. The salon world is no different. It’s fast, chaotic, and always evolving.

Jay Chapman is the co-founder of Your Growth Coaches. Visit www. yourgrowthcoaches.com.au for our events, freebies and links to our podcast