3 Things I Wish I Did When I First Opened My Salon

Hi, I’m Janine, your Salon Auntie. I’m a former salon owner turned salon business educator, and I help colour-focused salons get their stock, systems, and sanity sorted without spreadsheets, burnout, or doing it all alone.

After 30+ years behind the chair and leading a team, I learned (the hard way) that hard work isn’t enough. You need rhythm. Visibility. And systems that actually stick.

This newsletter is where I share the real stuff — the lessons, tools, and mindset shifts that turn chaos into confidence. And to kick things off, here is…

(A gentle guide to stop the colour bar chaos before it starts)

When I first opened my salon, I was full of passion, colour formulas… and zero systems. I thought if I worked hard, everything would fall into place. Turns out, it doesn’t work that way. And if I could go back and give past-me a big Salon Auntie hug, I’d whisper these three things in her ear:

✨ 1. Assign ONE person to own stock each week

Not everyone. Just one.

Because when everyone is responsible… no one really is.

Back then, we’d all assume someone else had placed the colour order. And on more than one Friday — we’d run out of 6.0 halfway through a root touch-up. Stress, substitutions, and redos followed.

So now, I teach this to every salon I mentor:

• 🗓 Choose one person each week.

• ✅ Give them a checklist.

• 🫶 Support them to own it — not just “help.”

Clear roles = calm colour bar.

✨ 2. Create a list of your must-have colours

Your “non-negotiables.” Your “can’t run out of this” list.

Because here’s the thing: Your team might remember to reorder the new toner they loved. But if no one tracks the base shades, that 5.0, 6.0, 7.1, you’re in trouble.

What I wish I had done early?

• 📋 Sat down for 30 minutes

• ✍️ Wrote down the top 15 colours we used every week

• 🟢 Checked that list during every single stocktake

Not everything needs to be high-tech. Sometimes it just needs to be visible.

✨ 3. Use a system that tells you what’s running low

Because your memory is not a stock management system. Neither is a whiteboard. Or a post-it note. Or a “yeah, I think we’re okay.”

In my salon, we used to guess. And that worked… until we got busy. When you're serving clients, managing staff, and running payroll — guesswork stops working.

What helped me (and now helps hundreds of salons I work with)?

• ✅ A system that tracks what’s used

• ✅ A system that shows what’s left

• ✅ A system that reminds you when to reorder

Start with something simple. Even a shared digital checklist is better than memory. Then upgrade as your salon grows.

You don’t need to be perfect. But you do need to get intentional. If you’re tired of winging it at your colour bar, this is your sign to set a new habit this week.

Let me know in the comments: Which of these three steps do YOU wish you did sooner?

With love,
Janine Your Salon Auntie,
Your Go-To-Guide for Better Salon Business