If we were to describe the past few months in a handful of words, it would be “constant change”. With each new day, many of us also wake to new guidelines – some salons never shut down, some are now opening, and still, some remain closed until further notice. While it might feel as though you’re chasing a moving target, planning ahead is the most advantageous thing you can do at the moment.
We applaud you for digitally diving into education like KM.TV, tuning into webinars and podcasts to refresh your skill sets and virtually connecting with the community through social media. Moving forward, we can only hope that as you begin to transition into new routines you’ve learned as much about yourself, your salon, and your staff as we have about ourselves as stylists, educators, and as a brand.
We aim to be by your side every step of the way, which is why we’ve created the REBOOT.REOPEN and Always By Your Side programs. To guide you through the basics – from changing your mindset to what you can expect as we all head back into the salon – we chatted with KEVIN.MURPHY HEAD.MASTER Nathan Gorman about what to expect and the best way to REBOOT and REOPEN.
BEGINNING, MIDDLE, & END
Nathan is the first to admit it, there’s a phrase he uses often that rings even truer at the moment – “When it comes to anything that needs to be ‘born in life,’ there’s going to be a beginning, middle and an end.”
THE BEGINNING
From the beginning, Nathan has known that this pandemic would change the industry and force us all to pick up a new perspective to keep it going. Far different from the way the industry responded to the economic turmoil in the past, it is almost impossible for hairdressers to respect social distancing guidelines in their high touch profession.
Click below to see him talk about his thoughts about this from the beginning and be sure to tune into Nathan’s webinar to see how things have changed since then.
THE MIDDLE
In some areas, stylists, salons, and clients are beginning to embark on the “middle”. If you listen to this informative podcast with Kevin Murphy, Nathan Gorman and Tim Abney, Global Education Development Director – SALON SUPPORT: Finding a New Way To Stand By Embracing Change – Both Nathan and Tim will agree that “You can’t change, change – it’s constant.” What we can do as both an individual and an industry is to learn how to REBOOT and move forward. Nathan says, “We’re getting a lot of opportunities to REBOOT our industry, REBOOT our minds, and REBOOT ourselves – there are a lot of possibilities in this.” What he goes on to discuss in both this podcast as well as his KM.TV is that while we might all feel as though we are in the “middle” of it at the moment, this is actually an exciting time for our industry to reinvent itself. We have been given the opportunity to pause, to think more creatively, and come up with new approaches that will only make us stronger and, as Kevin agrees, “more resilient” in the end.
THE END
While many would agree that we are a far way off from “the end,” what we can do is make a plan for it. Seeing this time as a period of renewal and growth, we have been given the opportunity to as Nathan says, “take the touchpoint outside of the salon and transform it into a digital connection.” As we propel forward, KEVIN.MURPHY is always by your side. We are launching REBOOT.REOPEN to give you, your salon, stylists and distributors the support you need to thrive as a business in a new digital world as well as connect on an empathetic level with your peers.
REBOOT.REOPEN and BEYOND
Located in Sydney, Australia, Nathan has just begun a soft reopening of his salon. He admits that his perspective has changed greatly from shutting down his salon only a few weeks ago. “Reopening Head Over Heels was something that took planning and foresight. Although we felt anxiety before the day of the actual reopen, it was a homecoming of sorts for staff and clients because we had a plan. We had communicated all of our expectations for guests and staff and we managed to turn the conversation around from a place of sickness to a place of wellness. The relationship we have with our clients is now stronger than ever and they have been appreciative, understanding and grateful, as have we in the salon.” As salon models have shifted, so have the mindsets of those both in and behind the chair. We are entering a new era of optimism within the hairdressing community. One that Nathan says is, “a time of reassessment to look at success, productivity, and achievement in a new way.”
As we shift the conversation from “sickness” to “wellness,” communication and connection are some of the most important tactics in successfully moving forward from this pandemic. To give you the tools necessary to implement necessary tactics, the REBOOT.REOPEN and BEYOND webinar touches on:
- Tools to Navigate The Changing Client
- Managing Client’s Expectations
- Presenting How You’ve Changed
- Managing Staff Changes
- Changing Your Business In Response
- Finding The Opportunities
No matter what stage your salon or studio is in, KEVIN.MURPHY HEAD.MASTER Nathan Gorman takes you through what you need to keep moving forward. Touching on how to communicate with clients and staff, the importance of checking in on the safety and mental health of those around you, the resources you need to open the salon safely, and the digital framework for communicating these changes online.
Tune into REBOOT.REOPEN here and check out Always By Your Side here for the latest resources for a safe and successful salon opening.
