Salon Business Blog | Tips, Strategy, and Insights by Nick Mirabella

The Commission Trap: Why 50% Commission Might Be Bankrupting Your Salon
The Commission Trap: Why 50% Commission Might Be Bankrupting Your Salon
The Commission Trap: Why 50% Commission Might Be Bankrupting Your Salon I'm going to say something that'll make half the salon owners reading this uncomfortable. If you're paying 50% commission... Read more...
How to Calculate Your Chair Cost Per Minute (And Why It Changes Everything)
How to Calculate Your Chair Cost Per Minute (And Why It Changes Everything)
How to Calculate Your Chair Cost Per Minute (And Why It Changes Everything) If I asked you right now what it costs every time a client sits in one of... Read more...
Why Junior Stylists and Master Stylists Should Never Charge the Same Price
Why Junior Stylists and Master Stylists Should Never Charge the Same Price
Why Junior Stylists and Master Stylists Should Never Charge the Same Price I was reviewing a price sheet for a salon owner in Portland last month. Eight stylists. Revenue around... Read more...
You're Charging $85 for a Color That Costs You $92 to Deliver. Let's Fix That.
You're Charging $85 for a Color That Costs You $92 to Deliver. Let's Fix That.
You're Charging $85 for a Color That Costs You $92 to Deliver. Let's Fix That. I got on a coaching call last month with a salon owner in Charlotte. She... Read more...
The Floor Price: Why Every Salon Service Has a Number You Can't Go Below
The Floor Price: Why Every Salon Service Has a Number You Can't Go Below
The Floor Price: Why Every Salon Service Has a Number You Can't Go Below There's a number hiding inside every service on your menu. It's the line between making money... Read more...
How to Price a Balayage Without Losing Money (The Real Math)
How to Price a Balayage Without Losing Money (The Real Math)
How to Price a Balayage Without Losing Money (The Real Math) I had a stylist in my Level Up Academy last year from Nashville. Talented. Booked out three weeks. Her... Read more...
The 150-Point Salon: What It Looks Like and How to Build One
The 150-Point Salon: What It Looks Like and How to Build One
The 150-Point Salon: What It Looks Like and How to Build One Nobody scores a perfect 150 on the Salon CEO Scorecard. I've never seen it. I don't expect to... Read more...
What Happens After You Take the Scorecard (And What to Fix First)
What Happens After You Take the Scorecard (And What to Fix First)
What Happens After You Take the Scorecard (And What to Fix First) You took the Salon CEO Scorecard. You've got your number. Maybe it hit you hard. Maybe it confirmed... Read more...
Why I Built the Salon CEO Scorecard (And What It Taught Me About My Own Business)
Why I Built the Salon CEO Scorecard (And What It Taught Me About My Own Business)
Why I Built the Salon CEO Scorecard (And What It Taught Me About My Own Business) People ask me all the time why I created the Salon CEO Scorecard. The... Read more...
If You're Scoring High on Money but Low on Systems, You're One Bad Month Away From Trouble
If You're Scoring High on Money but Low on Systems, You're One Bad Month Away From Trouble
If You're Scoring High on Money but Low on Systems, You're One Bad Month Away From Trouble I see this pattern more than you'd think. A salon owner takes the... Read more...
The CEO Scorecard Category That Predicts Turnover Before It Happens
The CEO Scorecard Category That Predicts Turnover Before It Happens
The CEO Scorecard Category That Predicts Turnover Before It Happens If I could only look at one section of your Salon CEO Scorecard to predict whether you're about to lose... Read more...
I've Never Met a Salon Owner Who Scored Above 100 on Their First Try
I've Never Met a Salon Owner Who Scored Above 100 on Their First Try
I've Never Met a Salon Owner Who Scored Above 100 on Their First Try In all the years I've been coaching salon owners, through all the scorecards I've reviewed, I've... Read more...
Your Salon Is Running. But Is It Running Well?
Your Salon Is Running. But Is It Running Well?
Your Salon Is Running. But Is It Running Well? There's a difference between a salon that's running and a salon that's running well. Most owners can't tell the difference because... Read more...
What Your CEO Score Says About Your Exit Strategy
What Your CEO Score Says About Your Exit Strategy
What Your CEO Score Says About Your Exit Strategy Here's a question most salon owners never think about until it's too late: what happens when you want to stop? Whether... Read more...
The Difference Between a 90-Point Salon and a 130-Point Salon Is Not What You Think
The Difference Between a 90-Point Salon and a 130-Point Salon Is Not What You Think
The Difference Between a 90-Point Salon and a 130-Point Salon Is Not What You Think Most people assume the jump from a 90 to a 130 on the Salon CEO... Read more...
Stop Guessing How Good Your Business Is. Measure It.
Stop Guessing How Good Your Business Is. Measure It.
Stop Guessing How Good Your Business Is. Measure It. I talk to salon owners every week who tell me their business is "doing well." When I ask what that means,... Read more...
How One Salon Owner Went From 58 to 127 on the CEO Scorecard in Six Months
How One Salon Owner Went From 58 to 127 on the CEO Scorecard in Six Months
How One Salon Owner Went From 58 to 127 on the CEO Scorecard in Six Months Rachel (not her real name, but the story is 100% real) owns a nine-chair... Read more...
Why Marketing Gets the Lowest Score in Almost Every Salon I Coach
Why Marketing Gets the Lowest Score in Almost Every Salon I Coach
Why Marketing Gets the Lowest Score in Almost Every Salon I Coach Out of the five forces on the Salon CEO Scorecard, marketing is the one that consistently scores the... Read more...
Your Team Score Reveals Everything You're Afraid to Admit
Your Team Score Reveals Everything You're Afraid to Admit
Your Team Score Reveals Everything You're Afraid to Admit Nobody wants to hear that their team isn't as strong as they think. I get it. You hired these people. You... Read more...
The Money Section of Your Scorecard Is Where Most Owners Fall Apart
The Money Section of Your Scorecard Is Where Most Owners Fall Apart
The Money Section of Your Scorecard Is Where Most Owners Fall Apart I'm going to say something that might sting: most salon owners are financially illiterate about their own business.... Read more...
If You Can't Take a Week Off, Your Systems Score Is Failing
If You Can't Take a Week Off, Your Systems Score Is Failing
If You Can't Take a Week Off, Your Systems Score Is Failing I want you to imagine something. You book a flight tomorrow. One week away. No laptop. No checking... Read more...
Your Salon's Leadership Score Is Probably Lower Than You Think
Your Salon's Leadership Score Is Probably Lower Than You Think
Your Salon's Leadership Score Is Probably Lower Than You Think Every salon owner thinks they're a good leader. Almost none of them are. That's not an insult. It's an observation... Read more...
Why the Best Salon Owners Grade Themselves Harder Than Anyone Else
Why the Best Salon Owners Grade Themselves Harder Than Anyone Else
Why the Best Salon Owners Grade Themselves Harder Than Anyone Else I can tell within 30 seconds of looking at a salon owner's scorecard results whether they're going to succeed... Read more...
The 5 Forces That Determine Whether Your Salon Thrives or Just Survives
The 5 Forces That Determine Whether Your Salon Thrives or Just Survives
The 5 Forces That Determine Whether Your Salon Thrives or Just Survives Most salon owners I work with can tell me their revenue number. Some of them can tell me... Read more...