3 Ways To Change Your Business Strategy + Mindset From Sophia Hilton
Coronavirus: Change Your Business Strategy & Personal Mindset
Let’s get together and feel alright. From our friends on the West Coast to all the way across the pond, we’re all facing similar adversities: temporary closure, lack of information surrounding government aid and guidelines specific to our industry, no clients, the list goes on. That’s why it is super important that we stay positive, prepared and connected with our community—to protect our businesses together!
If you’ve been on Instagram lately, you’ve seen that BTC’s Mary Rector (@marybehindthechair) is going live with other industry leaders to share real advice in real time. Here’s what we learned from her recent conversation with Sophia Hilton (@hiltonsophia)—UK-based award-winning colorist, salon owner, social media strategist galore!
First, let’s break down the three different businesses Sophia runs:
- Owns Not Another Salon, opened four years ago.
- Second most-followed UK salon in the first six months open.
- Academy that expands across 8 different countries.
- Owns a social media company with 150 clients.
Here is how Sophia’s salon immediately responded to COVID-19:
- The UK government released a two-meter social distancing policy. The first challenge, whether to close or not?
- Not Another Salon voluntarily closed about a week ago to protect the safety of their clients and employees, three days before the government officially told salons to close.
- Sophia’s social media business is still open. She is offering creative solutions for added value during this time (more on this below!).
1. Rethink Your Business Strategy
Where can you add value without reducing costs?
Real talk. Whether you’re a hairdresser, salon owner, educator or all the above—your work is your livelihood. As the owner of three separate businesses, including a social media company that has 150 clients in the book, Sophia is thinking about where she can add value without necessarily reducing costs. Here’s how and why.
Before giving away any services for free, consider this: “As an educator [or business owner], you need to keep the value in your services—or what do you have on the other side of this?” For example, when our clients are struggling financially (which many of them are now), we don’t give away our services for free. We find ways to give extra, make them feel special, maintain and add value to their experiences.
Added Value—Ask yourself these important questions.
- What more can I offer right now? More content? More face time?
- What extra things can I give in different ways?
- How much more of me can I give without reducing costs?
- It’s the same in the salon. What can we give extra? How can we make them feel special?
2. Staying Positive While Social Distancing
Change your mindset—what can you do with this time at home?
“If you are out of work, diving into your savings, on a reduced income—whatever is happening to you—it is a great cost,” shares Sophia. Think to yourself, “This is costing me so much money, so I am going to get value in it.”
Sophia shared her own personal experience:
“[This situation] is costing me a fortune to be at home, so I am going to get my money’s worth out of this,” shares Sophia. “If I am going to pay for this, I’m going to make sure I find every beauty in this. I am going to spend time with my child, read, breathe, meditate, walk in the park—I am going to do all of those things that a person with 20 staff [members] and three businesses never get to do.”
You’re not alone, so where’s the community?
Share the wealth of knowledge, positivity and support during this time. It’s time to cultivate a greater salon community that encourages communication. Salon owners, DM other local salons and say, “Hey, should we join forces and talk about this together?”
3. Focus Your Energy On Getting Prepared
Think of your worst case scenario and work backwards.
It’s time to strategize, but where do you start? “Go to your worst case scenario and work backwards,” shares Mary. “When you prepare, you have control over your life.” Why? “There is no better alarm clock than losing everything,” adds Sophia. “If you imagine the worst case scenario and really settle with it, anything else is a bonus on top.”
Ask Yourself:
- What are your what-if strategies?
- How are you going to be better?
- How are you going to better your business when you reopen?
Turn these anxieties into actions. Hang onto this inspirational quote from @marybehindthechair: “Every crisis situation has a rainbow on the other end. Growth happens on the other side of fear. This fear has been thrown upon us and there’s a lesson in this. People who go through big things are meant for big things.”
Here are some resources to get prepared:
- Salon Owners: What To Do When You Have To Close Your Salon
- Temporary Salon Closure: Do you Still Charge Booth Rent?
- Small Business Financial Resources
- Coronavirus: 5 Proactive Things To Do Right Now
You’ve got this fam! If you’re having a hard time, think about this: “So much of your life is out of your hands right now, so surrender,” shares Sophia. “Admit and appreciate all of the danger and put it just there, by the side of you. See it, but don’t engage in it. Find the beauty elsewhere. At a time where we are desperately holding on to what we had, do not forget to see what we have gained.”
Watch Sophia’s recent IGTV for more motivational words! 💪
