Phil Jackson, your Queen of Salons, discusses the importance of effective quarterly strategic planning for salon owners. He guides viewers on how to properly map out actions beyond just setting revenue goals, emphasising that good planning is crucial for business growth. This video encourages salon owners to develop a clear strategy and focus on goal setting for a thriving business.━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━📊 RESOURCES:1:1 Coaching: https://buildyoursalon.com━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━💬 WORK WITH ME:1:1 Coaching: https://buildyoursalon.com━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━🎧 LISTEN:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BuildYourSalonSpotify: https://go.philjackson.me/SpotifyApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3MZp6jP━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━CHAPTERS:0:00 - Introduction to Q2 Planning1:00 - Why Q2 is a Big Opportunity2:00 - The Problem with Reactive Planning2:50 - How to Set Your Q2 Revenue Target4:10 - Breaking Down Monthly Revenue Targets5:20 - Identifying Your Marketing Gap6:20 - Key Q2 Marketing Moments to Plan7:40 - Checking Team Capacity and Finances9:00 - How to Create Your Simple Q2 Plan9:40 - Next Steps: 1:1 Coaching with Phil#SalonBusiness #SalonStrategy #SalonPlanning #Q2Planning #BuildYourSalon━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━Questions? phil@buildyoursalon.com

RESOURCES:Memberships Made Easy: the programme for building a salon membership that actually works. https://queenofmemberships.com

Falling out of love with the work that built your business is not failure. It is evolution. And a membership might be the most elegant way to make that transition without abandoning the clients you actually want to keep.

This week I am answering a brilliant question from Summer at Flourish Beauty and Academy in Devizes, who wants to use a nail membership to pivot toward skin treatments. The answer applies to any salon owner who wants to reshape their column without burning down what they have built.

WHY THIS INSTINCT IS RIGHTMost salon owners who want to change direction either do nothing and stay stuck, or go cold turkey and lose the clients they built their business on. Summer has found a third path. A membership is the bridge that lets you honour those long-term relationships while reshaping your column on your terms.

THREE THINGS A TREATMENT-SPECIFIC MEMBERSHIP MUST HAVE

1. ABSOLUTE CLARITY ON WHAT IS INCLUDEDTie it to one service or one group of services. One structure, no exceptions.The acid test: you must be able to describe your membership in one sentence. If it takes more than one sentence, it is too complicated. That is probably why a previous membership did not convert.
2. A PRICE THAT REFLECTS THE RELATIONSHIPThis is not a bargain basement discount membership. These are your best long-term clients and they are getting VIP access to a specific team member. Price it accordingly.A 10-15% loyalty reward makes sense. Beyond that, you are undervaluing what you are actually offering.Consider raising your standard prices at the same time as launching the membership.
3. A TRANSITION TIMELINE WITH BOUNDARIESLet your favourite clients hear about it first. Give them a reason to join: locked-in price, continued access, priority booking.Four to six weeks is enough of a launch window. Get your founder members in and locked in.Then hold the line. If someone has not joined the membership, they do not get to book those services. Do not be swayed.

THE ONE RISK TO WATCHThe membership manages the exit. Something else has to manage the entrance.If you launch the nail membership but do not actively fill that freed-up space with skin consultations and new treatment offers, you will end up with white space and panic. Get the new menu ready at the same time.

WORK WITH ME:1:1 Ultimate Clarity: https://tidycal.com/philjackson/1to1-enquiryFull details: https://buildyoursalon.com

LISTEN:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BuildYourSalonSpotify: https://go.philjackson.me/SpotifyApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3MZp6jP

CHAPTERS:0:00 - Evolving Away From the Work That Built Your Business0:24 - How March Is Going and the Listener Question1:12 - Introducing Summer's Question (Flourish Beauty, Devizes)2:51 - Why the Instinct Is Right3:39 - The Third Path: Memberships as a Transition Tool4:30 - Even Solopreneurs Can Use This Approach5:17 - Thing 1: Absolute Clarity on What Is Included6:06 - The One Sentence Test for Membership Clarity6:56 - Thing 2: Price That Reflects the Relationship (Not the Discount)7:38 - Thing 3: Transition Timeline and Holding the Line8:23 - The Risk: Make Sure You Fill the Space You Free Up9:13 - Memberships Made Easy at queenofmemberships.com

#salonmembership #salonbusiness #beautysalon #salonowner #saloncoach

Questions? phil@buildyoursalon.com

The clients you are most afraid of losing when you raise your prices are usually the ones you cannot afford to keep. Here is how to put your prices up properly, before the spring rebooking window closes.

This episode gives you the maths, the method, and the exact three rules for communicating a price rise without losing the plot or the clients.

WHY THE FEAR IS WRONG

• Most clients will accept a well-communicated price rise without complaint
• Price-sensitive clients who leave were going to go eventually anyway
• Raising prices does not just lose clients at the bottom, it attracts better clients at the top
• An underpriced salon cannot afford to look after its clients, its team, or its future
• You are not raising your prices. You are correcting them.

HOW MUCH TO RAISE BYIf you have not raised prices in 12 months, you are already behind. A 10% rise covers inflation, wage increases, and product cost rises, and is small enough that most clients accept it without question.

The maths: if your average bill is 60 pounds and you do 30 clients a week, that is 18 pounds more per client. 540 pounds a week. 28,000 pounds a year. From a decision you are currently too scared to make.

Do not do it in tiny increments. Two price increases a year, done properly, beats six small awkward ones every few months.

THE THREE RULES FOR COMMUNICATING IT

RULE 1: BE DIRECT, NOT APOLOGETICWrong: "We are so sorry, due to rising costs we have had to make the difficult decision..."Right: "From 1st April, our prices will increase by 10%. Check our price list online."If you apologise, you signal that you think the rise is wrong. You do not. So do not apologise.

RULE 2: GIVE NOTICE, NOT AN ESSAYFour weeks is enough. Six weeks is generous. Any more and you are just giving people more time to object.You do not owe anyone a line-by-line breakdown of your overheads.

RULE 3: TELL THEM PERSONALLY BEFORE YOU TELL THEM PUBLICLY

• Brief your team first so they are not caught off guard
• Notice on reception before the prices go up
• Update your price list and online booking
• Do not post it on social media. Social media is for good news.

WHAT TO DO IF A CLIENT PUSHES BACKMost will not. For the rare one who does: "Our prices have not increased for X months. This brings us in line with where we need to be to stay profitable." If they threaten to leave, let them. That chair will be filled by someone who values your work.

RESOURCES:Get your pricing properly sorted with Get Paid Properly:getpaidproperly.com

WORK WITH ME:1:1 Ultimate Clarity: https://tidycal.com/philjackson/1to1-enquiryFull details: https://buildyoursalon.com

LISTEN:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BuildYourSalonSpotify: https://go.philjackson.me/SpotifyApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3MZp6jP

CHAPTERS:0:00 - The Clients You Are Scared to Lose0:20 - How March Is Going and Why Pricing Still Matters1:08 - Why the Fear Is Real But the Logic Is Wrong2:06 - Breaking Through Price Barriers (and Who It Attracts)2:48 - You Are Not Being Greedy, You Are Being Sustainable3:36 - Why Now Is the Right Time (Even If March Feels Ropey)4:22 - How Much to Raise By (Do the Maths)5:57 - Do Not Do It in Tiny Increments6:44 - Rule 1: Be Direct, Not Apologetic7:30 - Rule 2: Give Notice, Not an Explanation8:16 - Rule 3: Tell Them Personally Before Publicly9:05 - What to Do If a Client Pushes Back

#salonpricing #salonbusiness #salonowner #hairsalon #salongrowth

Questions? phil@buildyoursalon.com

January was all big plans. February was survival mode. And now March has turned up and most salon owners are drifting. Three weeks later it is April, the rush hits, and you are already behind.

This episode is your wake-up call. March is the last calm window to make strategic decisions before spring takes over. Here is how to use it.

WHY MARCH IS DIFFERENT January is about intention. February is about reality. March is about decision. By now you know what Q1 actually looks like, which staff are performing, and whether your January plan is working. And you still have time to respond. From April onwards you are in reactive mode. Do not make your biggest decisions under pressure.

THE THREE DECISIONS TO MAKE THIS MONTH

DECISION 1: ARE YOU PRICED RIGHT?

• Easter is coming. Your books will fill at whatever price you are currently charging.
• March is your last sensible window to raise prices before clients rebook for summer.
• A price rise in April lands badly. In March, with good communication, it lands cleanly.
• If you are avoiding this conversation, it is not going to get easier.

DECISION 2: IS YOUR TEAM IN THE RIGHT SHAPE?

• You have had 10 weeks of 2026. You already know which conversations you have been avoiding.
• A staff issue left until summer becomes a crisis in your busiest period.
• March is the time to review, give honest feedback, and make the call.
• You cannot build a profitable business on a team you have not been straight with.

DECISION 3: DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE SELLING IN Q2?

• Not do you have a price list. Do you have a plan to drive revenue April through June?
• Most salon owners do not. They wait to see what happens.
• Waiting to see what happens is a plan. Not a good one.
• Spring promotions, Mother's Day, rebooking strategy. What does April actually look like?

YOUR MARCH AUDIT Block out 20 minutes this week to work ON your business, not in it. Answer these three questions on paper:

• What did Q1 actually look like? Revenue, profit, team, clients. Honest version.
• What needs to change before the summer?
• What are you currently avoiding?

The answers you are avoiding writing down are almost always the most important ones.

RESOURCES: 1:1 Ultimate Clarity: 90 days, three deliverables, no guesswork. Book a free 30-minute call: https://tidycal.com/philjackson/1to1-enquiry

WORK WITH ME: 1:1 Coaching: https://buildyoursalon.com

LISTEN: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BuildYourSalon Spotify: https://go.philjackson.me/Spotify Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3MZp6jP

CHAPTERS: 0:00 - Why March Is the Month Most Salon Owners Waste 0:23 - January, February and the March Decision 1:18 - Why Q3 and Q4 Are the Worst Time to Make Big Calls 2:23 - Decision 1: Are You Priced Right for the Busy Season? 3:13 - Decision 2: Is Your Team in the Right Shape? 4:07 - Decision 3: Do You Know What You Are Selling in Q2? 4:54 - Your March Audit (20 Minutes, Three Questions) 5:45 - 1:1 Ultimate Clarity

#salonbusiness #salonowner #hairsalon #saloncoach #salongrowth

Questions? phil@buildyoursalon.com

Is your accountant actually LOSING you money?It's tax season, and your accountant should be more than just a scorekeeper. This video explains how to get more value from your accounting relationship, focusing on proactive financial planning rather than just reporting past figures. Learn essential questions to ask your accountant to boost your salon business growth and improve your financial health. Because your small business finance deserves more than just annual accounts.What You'll Learn:What most accountants actually do (compliance vs. strategy)Why you're paying for a historian, not a business advisorThe five questions to ask your accountant this weekWhen to change accountants (red flags to watch for)What accountants can't do (but you wish they would)The gap between accounting and strategy (and how to fill it)What Most Accountants Actually Do:Process your bookkeeping (or tell you off for not doing it)File your tax return, tell you what you oweGive you last year's numbers (when it's too late to change anything)Charge £1,500-3,000/yearThat's COMPLIANCE, not strategyYou're paying for a historian, not a business advisorWhat Your Accountant SHOULD Be Doing:1. Monthly Financial Reports (Not Annual)Monthly P&L (ideally) or quarterly minimumBreakdown by: service type, team member, cost categoriesSpot problems WHILE you can fix them (not 12 months later)HMRC making tax digital = quarterly reporting anywayForecasting: See expenses coming, anticipate shortfalls, plan promotionsGame changer: Stop flying in the dark, start steering strategically2. Profit Margin Analysis"Your margin dropped 3% this month - here's why""Product costs creeping up - time to renegotiate"Proactive advice, not reactive reporting3. Tax Planning (Not Just Tax Filing)"Based on current numbers, you'll owe £X in tax""Set aside X% monthly for tax""Here's legal strategies to reduce your bill"No surprises in January when tax bill landsHelp you AVOID the tax hole, not just get out of it4. Strategic Business Advice"Your wage costs are 45% - industry standard is 40%, here's how to adjust""You should be making £X profit on £Y revenue - you're not, here's why""That new treatment? Not profitable. Here's the math."Industry knowledge (don't need industry-specific accountant, but they need to understand your business size)5. Benchmarking"Here's how you compare to similar salons""Your rent is high/low relative to revenue""Your retail margin is better/worse than average"Context so you know if you're winning or losingAbout 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 beyond what accountant provides (understanding numbers AND what to do with them):Episode Timestamps:0:00 - Introduction: Tax Time Reality Check0:29 - Phil's New Website (Built with Claude Codex in 1.5 Days!)2:49 - What Most Accountants Actually Do (Historians, Not Advisors)4:35 - What They SHOULD Do: Monthly Reporting & Forecasting6:08 - Profit Margin Analysis & Tax Planning7:06 - Strategic Business Advice & Benchmarking8:53 - The Five Questions to Ask10:25 - Red Flags: When to Change Accountants11:14 - What Accountants Can't Do (The Gap)12:00 - Closing: Last Episode of February#salonbusiness #salonowner #accounting #bookkeeping #profitmargin #saloncoach #beautybusiness #hairdressingbusiness #businessfinance #buildyoursalon1:1 Ultimate Clarity Coaching: 90-day programme delivering your 5-year lifestyle-first business plan, 12-month profit & pricing strategy, and 12-month marketing planBook a free consultation: https://tidycal.com/philjackson/1to1-enquiryWebsite: https://buildyoursalon.comNew podcast site: https://queenofsalons.comEmail: phil@buildyoursalon.com

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