12 Questions Every Salon Owner Should Ask Themselves If They Want to Grow
If your salon feels stuck — or if you feel like you are stuck — it’s not your talent holding you back. It’s not your team. It’s not the economy.
It’s usually a lack of clarity, confidence, or commitment — and that can be fixed.
In Episode 54 of The Mirabella Mindset Live, I shared 12 essential questions that every salon owner, stylist, or industry leader should ask themselves if they want to grow. These aren’t fluffy, surface-level prompts. These are real questions to help you get honest, take control, and start leading like the CEO of your future.
1. What’s Your Ultimate Goal?
Without a clear, driving vision, you’ll end up busy but directionless.
“If you find yourself getting lost or discouraged, you have to ask — what’s the main goal, and are my daily actions aligned with it?”
Set a big, audacious goal — then break it down into bite-sized, believable steps that build your confidence as you go.
2. What’s the Biggest Obstacle in Your Way?
Grab a piece of paper. Write two columns:
- What’s moving you toward your goal
- What’s pulling you away
Then circle the #1 thing that, if removed, would move you 80% closer to your dream.
“That one thing is your focus. Remove it. Replace it. Let it go.”
3. What Would You Do If You Had Zero Fear?
This question is a game-changer. Would you:
- Fire that toxic team member?
- Raise your prices?
- Start building your own salon?
- Finally go all-in on content?
“If success were guaranteed, what would you do differently? Do that.”
4. What Does Your Salon Look Like a Year From Now?
Close your eyes. Visualize:
- The team you lead
- The client experience from check-in to checkout
- Your schedule
- Your income
- Your impact
“See it. Feel it. Make decisions today that move you toward that version.”
5. What If You Could Achieve Your 1-Year Goal in 3 Months?
What would you:
- Stop doing?
- Start doing more of?
- Delegate?
- Who would you need to help you?
“You don’t need more time — you need more focus.”
6. What’s On Your Plate That You Should Delete or Delegate?
Break your tasks into 3 buckets:
- ❌ Irritates me
- 😐 I’m okay with it
- ✅ I’m excited to do it
Delete or delegate anything in the first bucket.
“80% done by someone else is 100% better than YOU being stuck in the weeds.”
They might even do it better than you.
7. Is This a People Problem or a Process Problem?
If things feel chaotic, the root issue is usually:
- A people problem (wrong team, no accountability), or
- A process problem (no systems, poor structure)
Solve the right problem, not just the loudest one.
8. Who’s Missing From Your Team?
Are you missing:
- A right-hand leader?
- A strong assistant?
- A marketing or guest experience person?
Or… is someone on your team slowing the whole thing down?
“It’s not ‘how will I do this?’ — it’s ‘who will help me do this?’”
9. What 3 Things Do You Need to STOP Doing Immediately?
Bad habits and routines are momentum killers. Stop doing the things that:
- Drain your energy
- Distract your focus
- Disrespect your boundaries
Progress starts with subtraction.
10. What Advice Would You Give Someone in Your Exact Situation?
Imagine a salon owner with the exact same challenges as you:
- Same team drama
- Same financial situation
- Same limiting beliefs
What would you tell them to do?
“The advice you’d give them is the advice you need to take.”
11. Are You Tracking Your Numbers — Or Avoiding Them?
Numbers tell the truth. Period.
- Know your cash flow
- Read your profit and loss
- Track retention, rebooking, and retail
“You can’t pay rent with passion. You pay it with profit.”
If numbers scare you — hire a bookkeeper. That’s leadership.
12. What’s One Thing You’ll Commit to — Regardless of Fear?
This is the big one. What’s the ONE thing that would change everything — if you just had the courage to follow through?
“Commit. Go all in. Burn the plan B.”
Fear doesn’t go away. But neither does your potential.
Final Thoughts: Progress Starts With the Questions You’re Avoiding
These 12 questions are more than mindset work — they are strategy starters. They help you step out of reactive mode and into intentional action.
🎯 You don’t have to figure it all out today — just take the next courageous step.
💡 Progress builds belief. Belief builds momentum. And momentum builds everything.
