In September, salon owners gathered at the Unite Academy, located within the company’s headquarters in Vista, California, for Paramount Business I and II, three days of business classes that walked owners through every aspect of business.

Unite CEO and Founder Andrew Dale welcomed attendees with an eye-opening statement. “Forget you own a business from this moment on, you own a brand,” he said. “Brands with culture have longevity—should you have a walkout, you want your clients to stay loyal to the brand,” he said.

Over the course of the first two days, Dale walked owners through Paramount Business I, a comprehensive class which addressed topics, such as creating a vision/mission statement, building and retaining a strong team, creating optimum profitability, successful goal setting, marketing, systems and policies, health and safety, creating manuals for assistant stylists, receptionists, art directors and salon managers, and understanding P&L statements.

Unite Founder Andrew Dale cautions salon owners, “Your brand is your promise, so it should be your organization’s singular driving force.”

As a former salon owner himself, Dale integrated personal examples into the lessons which resonated with the audience. For example, when talking about branding, Dale asked owners if they come in the back door of the salon or through the front where guests arrive. “Stand across the street and take a close look at your salon—examine every detail and see it as clients see it,” he suggested.

While the take-home manual is designed to help salon owners implement the new ideas when they get home, Dale cautioned owners about rushing change too quickly. “You need to think about it for about 90 days, develop a thought-out plan, then begin implementing the ideas in the workbook, one chapter at a time,” he says. “It might take up to a year, but the plan will grow your business, and help you become more profitable and sustainable.”

On the third day, Paramount I graduates who wanted to continue their business education gathered for Paramount II. Dale encouraged participants to choose fictitious, non-beauty businesses for the day—such as a cupcake bakery or wine shop—and go on another entrepreneurial journey of recreating a brand and honing in on management skills with a global approach, without the influence of pre-conceived ideas.

Unite’s Paramount Business continues its tour this year with a date planned in London October 6-7. New dates in the United States to be announced shortly. For more information visit unitehair.com.

Paramount Business Exercise
“When you go into a department store or a restaurant you might want to ask the person that is helping you, ‘What is your mission statement?’ See if they know it,” Dale advises owners. “We did this experiment in a top-rated hotel restaurant, and the waiter was able to pronounce it right there on the spot. Consider starting every staff meeting by reciting your salon’s mission statement.  It’s a constant reminder of who you are, what you do and how you do it.”