Welcome back to the Chagrin Falls Merchant Association Podcast where we’re talking all things Chagrin Falls and the businesses who reside here.
Wendy Haverlack joined us in studio this week to share not only her business story but also more on the customer experience there.
(Speaking of which- October is Customer Appreciation Month at the Salon. Look at all they’re doing to celebrate you here?!)
This episode was produced by Megan Moran at Mompreneur Co. Studio.
Did you know there’s a beautiful meeting space and podcast studio right here in the Falls? Take a virtual tour to see for yourself.
How Wendy Brought Changes Salon to Chagrin Falls
My Chagrin based business began 28 years ago when, at 29 years old, I purchased an existing salon here.
I had been a hairdresser for 13 years at that point and happily brought 90% of my clients with me because I just love it here.
We spent 25 years next to Mug and Brush, where Juicy Lucy is now, and then moved into Dazzle’s old space next to CVS and Heinens.
I just saw a vision there and was excited to create the salon I always wanted to work at.
Why the Experience at Changes is Award-Winning
Even though I don’t do hair anymore, I love all the features our new space offers for both my staff and our guests.
It was very important to me that everything is ergonomic for the stylist and the nail techs.
So our dryers hang down from the ceilings so their backs stay straight.
The pedicure chairs are lifted, again so their backs stay straight.
We put in vacuums for hair. So when you're sweeping up you can sweep right into them.
Our shampoo sinks are amazing: they're electric and recline so you lie completely flat and there's a pillow inside the sink that your head rests on so here’s no tension on your neck at all. And the stylist can shampoo from behind so they're not like a pretzel.
It’s people's favorite part about coming into a salon- ours especially.
You know, in this day and age, hairdressers and nail techs are one of the few that have a license to touch, besides doctors and nurses.
While we do our work, we can give an excellent scalp, hand, arm or foot massage- there's just so much more to it than, “I'm going to get my hair done.”
When you walk into my salon, I want you to feel warm and welcome. We have beverages and some type of snack by the cozy fireplace and boutique up front. We even changed our website to reflect more of what's happening in the color world right now.
We now have color experiences, whether it's:
Baby lights
Teasy lights
Or foil lights
There's all kinds of color techniques now that are all available on our website.
I always tell my staff, just love on them. I think that's so important, to leave our guests feeling relaxed.
We talk about the triple win, supporting:
The staff
The company
And guest services.
That's the most important thing.
And these details along with the new location and our amazing clients, won us the Salon 200 Award. So we're one of the top 200 salons in the country because of our growth. When we moved into this new location, we grew 36%.
Transitioning from working in the business to running it
When we moved into our new space, a lot changed. My husband was walking the Appalachian Trail and I went and visited him when I could.
I wasn’t at the salon as much. I always had the intention of running the business and not doing hair anymore, some day. But it happened a little sooner than I thought.
I was no longer the key person which changed a lot for the business.
Now all my marketing and everything is done for my staff and for my business- not just myself. It was a big transition.
Not being behind the chair is something I wanted to do in my career, but I was always fearful of it. I thought if I wasn't behind the chair, the business wouldn’t be successful.
I wanted to be more challenged and this started that. It's been two years and I feel like, the challenge is there but I'm successful at it.
I'm very happy that I'm doing it.
And that I get to help all these young women grow.
Training up and coming hair stylists
As a training salon, we have an associate program where we help them through this career path.
Dayna has been with us for 10 years and now she is our Director of Education.
And then Nicole, who has been with us for 5 years, has just become an educator, so she has an associate now too.
It's a full circle thing, and it's been beautiful to watch all of these women grow. I mean, I have 40 years behind the chair to share with them and that's been great. I am not stuck anymore. I feel like I have a purpose.
And we’re recruiting right now too. I would like to hire about four more hairdressers and would love to create a nail department that's just nail techs. So I would like to hire at least, one or two nail techs by the end of the year as well.
We have a lot of guests that like to have their nails done at the same time that they're having their color done.
We're just so busy and it's great. The salon is growing and I'm blessed and excited we have such a great culture and everyone’s doing well.
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