The Hybrid model of Salons, Spas and Barbershops are a blend of hourly, commission, 1099 and or rental employment options all in one place of business.
This concept is growing more popular in effort to give the “right” people in your salon no reason to look elsewhere if they are happy. If the culture is right, you provide a happy and stable environment, employees are fulfilled then you have been successful and want to keep the staff that has grown with you. The Hybrid employer wants to give valued employees the best of all worlds.
Commission owners fear the exodus from stylists wanting independent employment over losing them to another commission salon.
Non-competes provide workable restrictions and ultimately do not discourage the determined self-sufficient employee. No one wants to lose a good employee, some end up clinging to those who aren’t as stellar because they make the salon money and provide the owner security. You cannot and should not try to hold on to those who want something different than what is provided to them by you as an owner. You can always reevaluate what your business model is and accommodate those stylists who yearn for “freedom” or hold your ground as a strong commission employer.
Booth rental salon and suite owners fear losing stylists to the next best thing, better price, more benefits, better location or better atmosphere.
The connection between owner and renter is not typically as strong and involved as with commission, team based and hourly positions. Often rental owners lose stylists, don’t see it coming and never know why or if they could have done something more to keep them. Many times, stylists venture out on their own as a renter after years at a commission salon. Some find they are not suited for this type of independence or something in their lives happens that prevents them from being a successful renter, then they go back to commission.
The Hybrid salon provides the solution to a commission salon owner’s fear of losing stylists to rental salons. Hybrids allow employees to transition and provide support to those wanting the next phase in their career to be with their current employer.
A renter who no longer wishes to “do it all” themselves can go back to commission or find themselves going to a “Full Service” booth rental model such as Timothy Weber in Leawood, Kansas. “Full Service” is a rental option that takes many aspects of renting such as scheduling clients, front desk and buying color that renters find to be stressful and offer it as an alternative rental package. The Hybrid model seems to offer it all both for owner and for employee, so why aren’t more employers embracing this model?
Hybrids do provide the best of all worlds and can be the answer to a struggling commission salon’s prayer.
Hybrids have challenges like any other industry business. Owners of hybrids report issues that salons with straightforward commission and rental structures do not have. Distrust and theft, ineffective communication, stylists experiencing conflict and issues over the dual model of employment are all ongoing problems Hybrid owners can experience.
As the traditional employment structures and ideals for the salon, spa and barber industry change and evolve, the Hybrid model is one to watch. Owners everywhere are re-thinking how they do business and coming up with awesome out of the box ideas on how to grow their businesses and keep the right staff in their place. Come back to read about the “Legacy” model of suite renting created by one of Overland Park’s genius owners which has broken new ground… to be discussed in a future blog.
BROWSE HYBRID OPPORTUNITIES
