How to Evolve Along With the Self-Care Industry by Michelle Saunders

Don’t fight change — embrace it

Allow me to introduce myself! I’m Michelle Saunders, manicurist and founder of the Saunders and James nail salon in northern California. I’ve been in the self-care industry for so long it’s hard to remember a time when I wasn’t. It’s in my blood; my mother ran a hair salon out of our home, and I got my start doing manicures and pedicures for my sisters.

After more than 20 years in the industry, I’ve seen a lot — I’ve given stars like Michael B. Jordan their first manicures, had my work grace the covers of magazines, and went from running a small appointment-only studio to a bustling high-end nail salon. I’ve recently noticed a shift in expectations among recent beauty school graduates; many of them are embracing the “booth rental” model rather than traditional employment. Here’s how I’ve embraced this change with the opening of our second location, Duo Nail Studio — and how Boulevard has helped every step of the way.

Unpacking the booth rental model

Many self-care businesses use a combination of full-time employees and independent contractors to keep their shops running. For service providers, there are pros and cons to each approach. If you’re a wage based employee at a salon, you don’t have to worry about finding a space or paying rent. At Saunders & James, we offer guaranteed hourly wage, whether you are booked or not, sick pay, and a commission bonus structure where our employees get a percentage on all services. However, you do have to follow the rules of a salon in regards to uniform, a schedule and procedures, guidelines and protocols including a strict attendance policy.

Going with a booth (or chair, or whatever your particular vertical of the self-care space calls it) gives providers more control. They can manage their own time, determine the pricing of their services, and choose their clientele. The flip side is that they have to pay to rent a space — and then pay for supplies on top of that. It’s a risky move, but the payoff is earning 100% of the profits but also no sick pay or corporate protections.

In recent years, I’ve seen experienced providers embrace the latter model. After getting to the highest level in someone else’s self-care business — that’s Lead Manicurist at Saunders and James — many feel the urge to set out on their own. As a business owner, I can certainly understand that motivation! At the same time, I don’t want to lose my most experienced manicurists, so I decided to give them a space where they could embrace the booth model with the full support of Saunders and James. Thus, Duo Nail Studio was born.

Providing education while supporting career development

Opening Duo Nail Studio and going from boss to landlady has been a fascinating learning experience for me. I chose the floorplan and decor, but I’m not hands-on there like I am at Saunders and James, nor do I need to be. Within two weeks, the new space was already self-managing!

It’s fitting that I’m learning a lot because I’ve worked really hard to make Saunders and James a place where fledgling providers could learn and grow. Those who are just starting out have the technical skills to perform the services we offer, but they’re lacking in soft skills like customer service. In an upscale environment, clients have high expectations. Newer providers might take longer to complete a service. They might be more timid with clients. It takes time and experience to reach a level where you’re fully comfortable interacting with all kinds of clients.

When new providers start at Saunders and James, they go through an assessment period that can last two weeks to a month. During that time, I check in to see how they’re doing with customer service, product knowledge, and overall familiarity with our branded service menu. Some people require a bit more time to feel comfortable with everything going on at the salon, so I created a tiered staffing model. You start as an assistant manicurist before moving on to junior, senior, and lead roles. When and if you’re ready to manage your own career, you can choose to rent a booth at Duo. This way, I’m still supporting their ongoing development while giving them room to spread their wings. For my team, it also takes some of the risk out of setting out on their own because they’re not in an entirely unfamiliar and untested environment.

Right now, I consider this endeavor to be in beta testing, but we’re off to a promising start. My advice to other self-care business owners would be to find similar ways to embrace the changing times rather than desperately try to hold on to the past. Experiment with new tiers or business models. One size does not fit all in the self-care industry, and to be successful, you have to be able to adapt based equally on client and employee needs.

How the right software makes it all more manageable

When your team’s livelihood depends on your leadership abilities, you have to be smart enough to know what you don’t know. I didn’t know the best way to manage appointments on my own, but I knew enough to find someone who did. That someone was Boulevard.

I first learned about Boulevard as a client at a hair salon, ironically enough. It was so easy to book my appointment and pay online, and I noticed that the salon went above and beyond when it came to remembering personal details.

When it came time to choose booking software for Saunders and James, I did my research. I was looking for a solution that could match the level of customization and service I provided to my clients, and ultimately the Boulevard platform won out. It has the options I need to curate a customized client experience, as well as front desk and operations support.

It’s impossible not to be booked with Boulevard. There’s online scheduling, a waitlist feature, and text messaging to help us fill last-minute openings. That also means fewer cancellations and no-shows, since clients have to enter their credit card information and agree to our cancellation policy when booking appointments.

I see Boulevard as an investment in my business, and it’s paying off. Having that extra support has been critical as I transition to a multi-location model, especially considering that the two locations use different employment setups. And, just like Saunders and James, Boulevard is constantly evolving and adding new features. That’s the best advice I can offer to aspiring entrepreneurs: Be prepared to evolve and find partners that can keep up.