Do you remember the old song, “April showers bring May flowers?” It’s a classic rhyme taught to children in preschool as a way to help them remember both months of the year as well as the important yet subtle changes in the seasons.
While March is often known for being “in like a lion, out like a lamb,” most people know April as being a generally mellow month. The only complaint is the potential for rain, and even that isn’t always the case depending on where you live.
For me, “April showers” held a second meaning. Not many children enjoy rainy days. They hate being stuck indoors, unable to play. Yet, despite that, April showers are necessary. The rain in April helps makes flowers grow. Flowers, in this case, represent a benefit.
Every single industry has its own equivalents of shower days. Sometimes, it’s doing that deep clean of tanning beds or dealing with a nightmare client. Other times, it’s actually having to work hard to get word out about your new salon or deal with a PR issue associated with the industry.
It’s never fun to have to do the drudge work. We all want to seize the “flowers” of great profits and a good reputation in the community. Thankfully, “showers” are always temporary. Even in rainforests, you’ll have days that are dry and ready for exploration.
At every stage of your salon ownership journey, the “shower” may change. If you’re brand new to the world of business ownership, getting all the certifications, funding, and paperwork done can be the biggest challenge you face. There’s a lot of waiting in that particular part of business.
If you’re a veteran, looking at expansion and developing new products can be a major issue to face. Finding the right candidates for a new role can turn into a major challenge as well—one that often takes time, effort, and patience to complete correctly.
Whatever the hurdle you’re facing may be, it’s important to get through it. Working through it can mean playing the waiting game or actually applying effort to fix it. The struggle is temporary. The “flowers” you get from overcoming those challenges, however, can last a lifetime.
Until next time,
PROFESSION A L PRE & POST SPR A Y T A N ESSENTI A LS KIT
STEP 1: PREP SKIN FOR SPR AY TA N
Pre-Tan XL ATA N pH Balance Spray primes & balances skin pH levels to accelerate tan development.
STEP 2: LIFT, HYDR ATE A ND LOCK-IN COLOR
NE W & Improved Formula! Post-Tan Hydrofirm
Setting Spray sets, seals and extends your spray tan w ith no color transfer w hile helping to firm, lift, and nourish skin for a radiant glo w
STEP 3: FINISH W ITH LUXURIOUS DRYING PO W DER
Post-Tan Tan-Lucent Drying Po w der is the perfect w ay to end your spray tan session. Light- w eight, fragrance-free, talc-free and translucent drying po w der for a fla w less finish.
Image by Mikhail Nilov
Radiantly Red
Light
By SKristin Smithers
Light is more than just illumination; it’s energy, a biological catalyst that fuels life itself.
In recent years, red light therapy (RLT), also known as photobiomodulation (PBM), has gained traction for its ability to enhance cellular function, support healing, and combat oxidative stress.
But how does it work, and why should tanning salons take notice? Let’s explore the science and benefits behind this radiant innovation.
Understanding Free Radicals And Oxidative Stress
Our bodies continuously produce free radicals—unstable molecules that can damage cells, DNA, and proteins. While some free radicals are necessary for immune defense and cell signaling, an excess leads to oxidative stress, accelerating aging and contributing to chronic diseases like cardiovascular issues, neurodegeneration, and inflammatory disorders.
Free radicals originate from both internal (illness, stress, inflammation) and external sources (pollution, smoking, radiation). When the body’s antioxidant defenses become overwhelmed, oxidative stress sets in, leading to cell damage and impaired function.
The Role Of Mitochondria And Cellular Energy
Mitochondria, often called the powerhouses of the cell, convert oxygen, glucose, and fatty acids into adenosine triphosphate (ATP)—our body’s primary energy source. However, mitochondria are highly susceptible to oxidative stress, particularly in high-energy organs like the brain, heart, and muscles. Red light therapy directly impacts mitochondria by stimulating cytochrome c oxidase (CCO), an enzyme in the electron transport chain responsible for ATP production. This process:
• Enhances cellular energy output
• Promotes efficient oxygen utilization
• Reduces oxidative stress
• Supports overall cellular repair and regeneration
How Red Light Therapy Works
Red and near-infrared (NIR) light wavelengths (620nm-700nm) penetrate the skin, reaching cells and mitochondria. The absorption of light by CCO releases nitric oxide (NO), which:
• Improves circulation by relaxing blood vessels (vasodilation)
• Enhances oxygen and nutrient delivery to tissues
• Boosts ATP production, promoting cellular healing
• Reduces inflammation and pain
The physiological effects of RLT create a cascading impact on health, making it a powerful addition to tanning salons and wellness centers.
Benefits Of Red Light Therapy In Tanning Salons
Now that we have gotten into how RLT works and its effects, let’s talk about why it’s becoming one of the most sought-after services in salons. It has all to do with the benefits below.
1. Skin Rejuvenation & Anti-Aging
Red light therapy supports skin health by:
• Stimulating collagen and elastin production
• Reducing fine lines and wrinkles
• Improving skin tone and texture
• Fighting oxidative stress that contributes to inflammation and redness
2. Pain Relief & Inflammation
Reduction
By blocking pain signals and
reducing inflammatory cytokines, RLT can:
• Alleviate muscle and joint pain
• Improve mobility and flexibility
• Support recovery from injuries or chronic conditions like arthritis
3. Immune System Boost & Cellular Repair
RLT enhances the body’s natural healing processes by:
• Modulating inflammatory responses
• Supporting antioxidant defenses
• Promoting DNA and RNA repair for long-term cellular health
•
The Science of Proper Dosing
More light isn’t always better— timing and dosage are crucial. Overexposure can lead to a biphasic
response, where too much light overstimulates cells, leading to oxidative damage instead of healing.
Recommended Dosage Guidelines:
• 5-15 Joules per session: Enhances skin health and reduces wrinkles
• 15-30 Joules per session: Supports emotional well-being and mild pain relief
• 30-60 Joules per session: Reduces inflammation, promotes tissue repair
• 60-100 Joules per session: Addresses chronic pain, nerve regeneration, and severe inflammation
Caution: Avoid exceeding 100 Joules per day. Overuse can trigger detox reactions (Herxheimer response), causing
Designed by Freepik
flu-like symptoms, fatigue, and inflammation. Some clients will have this reaction at lower doses, it is wise to start low and build up slow.
FDA Guidelines & Responsible Use
The FDA recognizes RLT for:
1. Reducing inflammation and pain
2. Increasing circulation
3. Stimulating cellular regeneration
These are recognized and can be talked about any red light device. However, claims must remain within the scope of FDA registration. Salons should avoid using medical terminology such as “patient”, “prescribe”, “treat,” “cure,” or “diagnose” unless they are licensed medical professionals who have been cleared by their overseeing board to provide these services in a healing environment. Stick to approved benefits and educate clients responsibly.
510(k) FDA Registration And Advertising Benefits
Not all devices are made equal. If you are going to invest in an RLT system for your salon, it’s best to make sure that it is 510(k) FDA registered. It’s not just a matter of efficacy. It also is a game-changer for your advertising.
Devices with 510(k) FDA registration allow salons to advertise specific, approved benefits beyond the general recognized advantages of RLT. If a device has received clearance for certain conditions— such as wrinkle reduction/collagen production, hair loss, or arthritis relief—those claims can be used in marketing materials.
However, it is essential to stay within the scope of the registration and avoid making unsupported medical claims. Ask your device manufacturer to show their FDA registration to see what you can or can’t say. When selecting an RLT device for a salon, choosing one with
FDA clearance ensures credibility and compliance while offering clients scientifically validated benefits.
Incorporating Red Light Therapy Into Tanning Salons
For tanning salons, RLT offers an additional wellness service that complements traditional UV tanning. However, salons should:
• Ensure red light devices emit sufficient Joules for effective results
• Educate clients on realistic benefits without overstating claims
• Recommend hydration and skincare products that enhance light absorption
Final Thoughts: Embracing The Future Of Light Therapy
The integration of red light therapy in tanning salons represents an evolution in holistic wellness. With its scientifically backed benefits, RLT is not just a trend—it’s a transformative tool that enhances beauty, health, and longevity. By understanding its mechanisms, applying proper dosing, and adhering to regulatory guidelines, salon owners can harness the power of light to offer cutting-edge wellness solutions.
The physiological effects of RLT create a cascading impact on health, making it a powerful addition to tanning salons and wellness centers
The Glo Spotlight
Glo Tanning New Salon Opening
by Quinn Cooper
When you start a salon, you’re not just starting up a business. You’re starting a journey. Every salon has its own unique starts, lessons, and quirks that make them worth celebrating. Glo Tanning is currently experiencing a massive growth spurt. To help new salons take flight, we’re shining a spotlight on the newest locations in town. This time, we were able to sit down with Riley Fischbacher and Angelique Borgerding as they discuss their new opening in Paragould, Arkansas. Let’s see what they had to say!
Quinn: How many Glo locations do you currently have and what are your future plans?
Riley: We currently own three Glo Tanning locations and plan to expand to several more locations in the coming months and years. We’re passionate about bringing Glo’s innovative sun, spray, and spa concept to new communities, ensuring each location delivers exceptional service and maintains the high standards the brand is known for. Expansion isn’t just about growth; it’s about creating lasting impact and opportunities.
What is your favorite thing about Glo?
Riley:Our favorite thing about Glo is bringing something new and exciting to a community. It’s incredibly rewarding to introduce people to a luxurious yet affordable space where they can take care of themselves, both physically and mentally. I also love how Glo combines cutting-edge services with a welcoming, inclusive atmosphere, making self-care accessible to everyone.
What inspired you to become a franchisee?
Riley: Onyi and his vision for Glo were pivotal in inspiring us to become franchisees. The concept of integrating sun, spray, and spa services under one roof was innovative and immediately stood out to us.
Angelique: Additionally, the luxurious environment of it all and how different Glo is from anything else in the market made it even more compelling. The brand Glo has created for itself stands out amongst its competitors, setting a new standard for the industry.
How has your community responded to your Glo location since the opening?
Riley: The community has responded with excitement and has shown up to support us. They
realize Glo is unlike anything else and have fully embraced what we have to offer. Their enthusiasm has been overwhelming, and we promise to continue providing phenomenal service that exceeds their expectations.
What advice would you give to someone considering opening a Glo Tanning franchise?
Riley: The growth potential with Glo is exponential. If you’re considering opening a franchise, be ready to immerse yourself fully in the business, especially if you don’t have an operator. Your commitment and involvement will directly impact your success.
Angelique: Take full advantage of the resources and support Glo provides—it’s a partnership that truly sets you up for success. Finally, focus on building strong relationships within your community and creating an environment that prioritizes client satisfaction.
What goals do you have for your location this year, and how do you plan to achieve them?
Angelique: Our main goal is to continue dominating the markets we’re in while shifting the perception of what Glo offers. We want people to see that Glo is more than just tanning—it’s a full-service sun spa.
To achieve this, we’re focusing on targeted marketing campaigns, community events, and educating clients about the broad range of benefits we provide. By creating memorable experiences and emphasizing our wellness-focused services, we’re confident we can expand our reach and solidify our presence in each market.
How has being part of the Glo Tanning franchise network impacted you personally and professionally?
Riley: Being part of Glo Tanning has been life-changing in both personal and professional ways. Personally, we’ve gained lifelong friends and a strong sense of community through the franchise network. Professionally, it gives us the possibility to place a successful and high-traffic business in one of our own commercial spaces, allowing us to not only invest in Glo, but our real estate portfolio as well. The combination of business and real estate has been instrumental in our growth and opened up exciting possibilities for the future.
The concept of integrating sun, spray, and spa services under one roof was innovative and immediately stood out to us.
Selling It Has Everything To Do With Love
By Steven Labruna
In today’s sales environment, having the most product knowledge and the best pitch or presentation can only take you so far. What really makes prospects and clients eager to buy from you is the amount of love they feel from you.
Yes, Love.
While most people think that love has no place in business–especially in sales–quite the opposite is true. In reality, love is like a magnet. The more love you put out to others, the more you’ll attract positive outcomes (in this case, sales).
Today, person-to-person contact is often limited to emails or texts, so developing a real bond with others and showing love by acknowledging them is more important than ever.
However, that doesn’t mean you
have to pull out a bouquet of flowers. The love required is not the romantic type, so don’t flirt with them.
Rather, love in sales is more about caring, showing compassion, and being genuinely interested in the other person. These kinds of emotional factors carry a lot of weight in today’s selling situations.
Savvy salespeople know the value of love and display it to their clients daily. Here’s how you can too.
Acknowledge your prospects and clients.
It’s common for clients to go with a more expensive product or one with fewer features simply because they like the salesperson. If you think that doesn’t make sense, consider that the greatest human need is to feel appreciated. Often, those who sell the winning products simply made their clients feel special.
For example, Tina sold merchant credit card services. There was one large company she really wanted to get in with, but the
decision maker continually told her “no. He said he was happy with their current merchant services provider.
But even though he said no, Tina continued to follow up with him, always taking the time to talk with him about things other than her product. During one of those conversations she learned when his birthday was and she notated it in her calendar.
When his birthday rolled around, she sent him a very funny, yet tasteful, singing telegram. He called her on the verge of tears, thanking her for the kind gesture
and revealing that no one–not even his wife or kids–remembered his birthday.
The next day he signed up and became one of Tina’s best clients. A little acknowledgement goes a long way.
Help others with no strings attached.
Zig Ziglar once said, “You can get everything in life you want if you just help other people get what they want.” That sentiment holds true in sales. The more you help your clients without expecting anything in return, the more
business you’ll eventually receive. Therefore, show your love by doing things that help people in their business and in their personal life. Recommend other companies—even your competitors—if you aren’t the best fit for their needs.
Make introductions to businesses and individuals your client may enjoy knowing. And above all else, do something nice for your clients just for the sake of being nice.
Phil sold radio advertising for a small station. One of his prospects owned an advertising agency
Designed by Freepik
Designed by Freepik
who bought ad space for large national companies. Each time he approached his prospect, she told him “no,” saying his station was too small for their large accounts which demanded higher ratings before committing to advertising.
Phil knew she had an eightyear-old daughter, as did he, so when he won four tickets to a One Direction concert, he asked her if her daughter would like to join his family to the show. The prospect was thrilled, but she suspected that Phil would expect her business in exchange.
He assured her that was the furthest thing from his mind; he simply thought her daughter would enjoy the concert. The prospect knew her daughter loved One Direction, but she couldn’t imagine going to the concert and listening to all the screaming girls, so she took Phil up on the offer.
While the prospect didn’t buy from Phil due to her need for higher ratings, she did refer some colleagues to him who were looking for radio advertising time, and many of them bought, ultimately resulting in more business than he ever had. By giving without expecting anything in return, Phil got paid handsomely.
love in sales is more about caring, showing compassion, and being genuinely interested in the other person. These kinds of emotional factors carry a lot of weight in today’s selling situations.
Treat your prospects and clients like friends.
When you hang out with your friends, do you force yourself on them and only talk about or do things that interest you? Or do you think about their likes and needs and talk about and do things you both enjoy?
Chances are that you take your friends’ needs and likes into consideration and do what you can to make your time together enjoyable. The next time you meet with a prospect or client, show them love by treating them the same way you’d treat your friends.
Let them talk about things that interest them, even if it’s not about what you’re selling. And when you discover something they enjoy, find a way to help them get what they want.
Chris was a successful call center technology salesperson who drove a sporty new Corvette—a gift he bought himself when he reached a major sales goal. One day he learned that a prospect he had been calling upon for the last few months would be in town for a conference. He knew this man was a car enthusiast, so he offered to pick the prospect up from the airport
in his Corvette. The prospect agreed. When Chris pulled up, he immediately noticed the big smile that came across the prospect’s face.
Without missing a beat, Chris asked, “Hey, would you like to drive it?” The prospect jumped at the opportunity. As the two of them drove down the highway to the prospect’s meeting spot, the conversation was about everything other than call center technology – cars, sports, food, etc. Chris treated his prospect the same way he treated his friends, and the next day the prospect called and asked Chris for a detailed proposal for his products. A few months later, the deal was closed. Oh, and Chris had not only a new client, but also a new friend.
The more you give, the more you get!
When your prospects and clients think of you, you want them to have positive feelings. You want them to think of you as fun and friendly, not a pushy salesperson. So if you want to attract sales and become a top producer, start with love. You’ll find that the more love you give, the more sales you’ll get.
Designed by Freepik
FULL BODY SKINCARE IN UNDER 2 MINUTES
FOUR SKINCARE SOLUTION OPTIONS...
PROVIDES 24 HOUR HYDRATION
DESIGNED TO PROVIDE SOOTHING RELIEF FROM EVERYDAY ENVIRONMENTAL IRRITATIONS
FORMULATED TO REPLENISH VITAL AMINO ACIDS AND PROVIDES INSTANT COOLING
HELPS TO STIMULATE COLLAGEN PRODUCTION AND REDUCE CELLULITE
Let’s lead the way in this new era of beauty. Elevate your salon, inspire your clients, and celebrate the transformative power of full-body radiance. Together, we can redefine the tanning industry as the ultimate skincare solution, one spray tan at a time.
Designed by Freepik
Spray Tanning
As A Celebration Of Full-Body Glow
By Nadine Carter
Capitalize On The Tanning Trend: How To Stay Ahead In A Growing Market
Tanning is no longer a seasonal service—it’s becoming a year-round trend, driven by a shift in consumer priorities toward wellness and beauty. As a salon owner or tanning artist, this presents an incredible opportunity for growth. Here are a few ways to position your salon as a leader in this evolving space:
• Invest in High-Tech, Customizable Solutions: Consider offering spray booths or products that allow you to personalize each tan to a client’s specific skin needs.
• Upgrade Your Product Lines: Introduce skincare-infused tanning solutions to appeal to
As professionals leading the charge in the tanning industry, you have a unique opportunity to redefine how tanning is perceived. This spring, let’s re-imagine National Spray Tanning Day—not just as a day to celebrate a tan, but as a day to promote the radiant, skin-enhancing benefits of fullbody glow.
Encourage your clients to view spray tanning as an essential part of their beauty and wellness routine. Use this day to educate your clients about the deeper benefits of tanning: it’s not just about looking good—it’s about feeling good, too. Showcase how your customized spray tans and skincare-infused products like WELLFIT SKINCARE SOLUTIONS can boost their skin’s health and confidence.
clients who want both a glowing tan and healthier skin.
• Introduce Wellness-Focused Services: Pair tanning with other skin treatments like hydration facials or skin rejuvenation services to attract new clients and deepen loyalty among existing ones.
Your Role in the New Beauty Era: Empowering Clients with FullBody Radiance
As a tanning professional, you’re no longer just applying a tan—you’re helping your clients enhance their skin and confidence. You’re a beauty
expert, guiding clients through the process of achieving radiant, healthy skin from head to toe.
This year, use the opportunity to educate and inspire. Show your clients how spray tanning can be a skincare ritual that complements their overall beauty routine. Highlight how a customized tan—combined with nourishing ingredients—can provide them with glowing skin that not only looks beautiful but feels incredible.
By embracing tanning as a holistic skincare solution, you’re not just offering a service; you’re transforming lives, one spray tan at a time.
A Tale Of Two
Business Owners
By Ossiana Tepfenhart
As a writer who caters to a wide range of different industries and services, I get the honor of meeting a massive range of people. Many, if not most, are business owners. That gives me a glance into the world of life as a business owner, or in some cases, life as a couple who own businesses.
Lately, I’ve been thinking about two business owners owners I know. For the sake of this article, we’ll call them Chris and Nick. Chris was, up until recently, happily married to Tessa. Nick and Tina had a similar story up until recently.
How these two men took care of their businesses and relationships taught me quite a lot about businesses and relationships. Let me explain.
by
Designed
Freepik
Two Relationships, Two Businesses
Going into business with a spouse can be the best or the worst thing you can do. Don’t believe it? Look at these two stories below.
Chris And Tessa’s Story
Chis isn’t doing too well. After he caught his wife cheating on him, they got into a divorce. Both Chris and Tessa officially owned their business—a candle company. It was doing fairly well until the discovery of the infidelity.
Though Chris was the one to initially start up the business, Tessa demanded to take it as hers because she was usually the one doing most of the day-to-day work. A courtroom battle ensued, but not before drama happened in the business.
Tessa continued to work at the company, often calling it her company. Chris tried to fire her and was quick to explain to customers that he wanted Tessa gone because she cheated on him. At one point, it even got onto their social media accounts—including the ugly details of Tessa’s infidelity.
The battle between the two raged on, all over the ownership of the business. The bickering got so acrimonious, employees started to feel pressure to pick sides. Some
sided with Chris. Others with Tess. At least one unlucky employee was let go over “picking the wrong side,” and another chose to leave because they couldn’t handle the drama.
By the time the courts agreed to let Chris keep the business, there wasn’t much left to keep. The entire mood of the candle shop was ruined. Clients were worried about walking into the shop’s doors only to find Tessa and Chris at each other’s throats. Their delivery schedule became unreliable because the employees who were in charge of the delivery and production line left. Chris tried to salvage the company after letting Tessa go, going so far as to invest thousands of dollars in advertising, but is was just not working.
The company ended up shuttering after about three months postdivorce proceedings. Since then, both Chris and Tessa have started up their own companies—both of which are not quite successful.
Nick And Tina’s Story
Now, let’s take a look at Nick and Tina. This was a couple I met while working as a journalist in the world of food critiquing. Nick and Tina started off as high school sweethearts. They had every reason to believe they’d be together forever.
Both of them started off as young entrepreneurs, with each of them having their own business. Nick inherited a bar from his dad. Tina, on the other hand, had a small business
creating custom nail polishes she sold online. They decided to go in together on another business: a luxe bakery.
Unfortunately, their relationship didn’t fare too well. After about 10 years together, the two just noticed their love life fizzled out. Eventually, they quietly acknowledged each other as best friends rather than husband and wife. They chose to divorce.
While they parted ways, the truth is they impressed me with the way they handled everything. Prior to going into business together, they sat down with a lawyer and came up with a plan on how to split everything in the event that a divorce occurred.
Their plan involved a buyout option, a mediation option, and an arbitration option. They also had hired a coach to help them work through the divorce while keeping the business intact. Part of them working together was realizing that they had to put aside their differences for the sake of the business.
Tina and Nick both knew how much effort it takes a business to succeed. That’s why they were so careful when they first got into business together. As Nick told me, “If I didn’t feel like she could put aside our personal issues for the sake of the business, I wouldn’t have gone into business with her.”
Tina took over the luxury baking business, and it blossomed into a fairly popular venue. Ironically, they both got together again within a year of being apart. Nick now co-owns the same baking company he helped Tina launch, and they seem to be doing quite well together.
What You Can Learn
Businesses are all about relationships and partnerships. If you don’t have a good partner, you’re not going to have a healthy business later on. This is doubly true if the partner you’re in business with is your spouse.
While some might argue that having a business run by two spouses is not a good idea, I believe it can be done wisely. However, you’re going to need to keep an eye out for the dangers and pitfalls that can come from a literal “mom n’ pop” business.
Here’s what I learned from the stories above…
Don’t get into business if you’re emotionally immature.
A lot of the issues that Chris and Tessa had all stemmed from emotional immaturity. Tessa was greedy, self-centered, and often dramatic. She couldn’t, for the life of her, put the business first. Needless to say, people who worked with her decided that she was too much of a risk to work with.
Chris wasn’t without fault, either. His explosive temper and constant grumbling about the divorce was what drove away his star employee. For him, he had an ego problem. Had they both gotten a grip on themselves, they likely would have saved their business.
Plan for the worst.
Neither Nick nor Chris had any reason to believe their wives would leave them when they first got together. However, they both ended up divorcing. While one couple eventually made up, the truth is that they still had the foresight to come up with solutions that would work if the two split.
Assuming that you’ll always be on good terms with your partner is great…until it’s not. Even if you think it’ll never happen, have a backup plan. You have everything to gain and nothing to lose by doing so.
Talk to a talented lawyer.
Businesses are not the type of thing you should try to “guesswork” your way into and out of. State and local laws can make a huge difference in how your business partnership can be dissolved.
A good lawyer can help you navigate the laws in your area so that you can come up with a courtadmissible plan should things go south. Obviously, if you are married to your partner, consulting with a family lawyer who specializes in families that have businesses together is ideal.
Remember that the business should always come first.
Most of us remember the fable about the “goose that laid the golden egg,” and how it went. For those not in the know, townspeople got greedy and killed the goose in hopes of getting eggs faster. The goose then
died, but the eggs were no more. In other words, greed isn’t good.
If you let your greed overcome your common sense, there won’t be much of a business left for you to get by the time you’re done bickering. On a similar note, you can’t allow the fighting or separation to get in the way of normal business behavior.
For example, in the case of Chris and Tessa, it was incredibly unprofessional for them to air out their dirty laundry on their company’s social media platforms. It pushed away both clients and employees. At the end of their fiasco, they basically upended their business and made their hard work worthless.
If you focus on trying to wreck your former partner, it’s going to turn out bad for you—even if you do win. Even if you lose a large share of the business, there’s no reason you can’t rebuild if you keep things professional with your other business connections.
If you lose that professionalism, people will rethink working with you on later projects. So consider your calm, professional, or even stoic demeanor an investment in your future.
Being The Bigger Person — Or Fly Solo
If you are going into a business as a two-person, mom n’ pop shop, then you need to remember that it pays to be the bigger person. Compromise, careful planning, and working to choose the right business partner matters a lot in this world.
Of course, there’s an easier way to handle this stuff. If you choose to open a business, being the sole owner tends to be the easiest way to reduce drama. After all, it’s far easier to eliminate squabbles or breakup problems if you’re the only one who owns the business.
by Freepik
Designed
The Art of
Sales
By Lisa Saavedra
We’ve all been there, right in the middle of a sale, with a customer who’s on the fence. We feel that if we just “sell” a little harder, they’ll make the purchase. Less experienced salespeople may hesitate at this moment, fearing they’ll come across as too pushy. But here’s the real issue: the concept of “pushing” in sales has been misunderstood for too long.
by
Image
Karolina Grabowska
The problem? Sales has traditionally been focused on the wrong thing—the salesperson’s needs:
• “What’s my pitch?”
• “I need to sell this product!”
• “I have a goal to hit!”
But that mindset is exactly why customers resist. It’s not about them. It’s about you. And that’s the mistake.
The True Role Of A Salesperson
Top-performing salespeople don’t just sell a product or service; they bring value, solutions, and excitement to their customers. They create a vision, guide the customer, and help them make decisions that align with their personal goals. Pushing is essential—but only when done the right way.
The key is customer-first selling. When your focus is on helping and educating, not just selling products, you won’t come across as pushy. Instead, you’ll be seen as a trusted advisor. Pushing doesn’t stop at the introduction—it continues throughout the buying process, helping customers: Choose the right products and services and stay focused on achieving their goals
The Balance Of Push And Pull
Push and pull work together. Push is the salesperson’s responsibility, guiding the customer toward the right decision. Pull happens when the customer starts to engage, embracing the idea and seeing the value. When push is done correctly,
pull naturally follows, creating a mutually beneficial relationship where both sides win.
Handling Pushbacks
Most sales conversations involve pushback—when a customer resists for any number of reasons. Great salespeople see pushbacks as opportunities, not roadblocks. Below are some of the most common objections and areas where role-playing with your team can help develop effective responses:
• “I don’t use lotion...”
• “I tan fine without lotion...”
• “Lotion is expensive...”
• “I already have a bottle...”
• “I have sensitive skin / allergies...”
Training your staff to handle these objections with confidence, knowledge, and engagement will improve both sales numbers and customer satisfaction.
The Takeaway
Being a great salesperson isn’t about being “pushy”— it’s about being helpful, informed, and engaged. When you shift the focus from “making a sale” to guiding the customer toward the best decision, sales feel natural, and customers feel valued.
Remember: pushing a sale doesn’t make you pushy. It makes you successful.
Designed by Freepik
by Sun Capsule
Where Focus Goes Energy Flows
By J.R. Homer
The 5-Minute Rule
The concept sounds simple, and it really is. And yet, it applies to your life, your relationships, your health, and your business. Happy People focus on happy things not depressing things or things that make you upset.
It’s such a simple rule, but putting it into practice can be hard. After all, life happens. When it happens, it’s not always good stuff. Bad things happen, and how you react to that can make or break your ability to create a better life for yourself.
Let’s talk about a simple yet effective rule I’ve learned to live by. One of the best pieces of advice I ever got is the 5 Minute Rule. If something bad happens, you have five minutes to kick, scream, and cry about it.
Then after you get it out of your system, you move on and start focusing on the solution instead of the problem. It’s normal to be upset, but if you focus too much on the problem, that problem will expand more than it will contract.
Focus Where You Want Your Energy
Think about it. Couples in healthy relationships focus on making each other feel appreciated and loved. Disgruntled couples focus on what they don’t like
about their significant other. Healthy people focus on exercising, supplements, proper sleep habits, and healthy eating. Unhealthy people focus on fast food, desserts, and being couch potatoes.
Think about what it takes to be a Champion Salon Owner. They focus on the opportunities to improve their business. Bad salon owners focus on the challenges that arise from running a small business.
If you focus on growing your EFTs, you will start to find countless ways on how to improve your presentation and close rate. If you focus on growing your LPPA (Lotion Per Person average), you will start to find numerous ways to increase your lotions’ sales.
If you focus on growing your Red Light business,you will start to find more and more ways to grow your Red Light business. Same goes for the spray portion of your business. Think about growth!
Designed by Freepik
If you focus on annoying customers, then you will find more annoying customers.If you focus on headache employees, then you will find more and more employees who cause you aggravation.
If you focus on having a great team of employees, then you will start to find more and more great team members. You naturally become more productive and grateful when you see the upsides of life.
But Focus On Something
Did you ever meet someone who was a ball of talent, but could focus enough to tie their own shoes? That’s just as big of an issue as focusing on the wrong thing. Bad salon owners often do unfocused tasks or just focus on the ugliest, bleakest part of their lives.
This also can be seen as a lack of focus or focusing on things that in the large scope of things aren’t very important or don’t bring much productivity to your business.
For example, a salon owner who’s struggling with training one particular new hire might end up thinking of 50 different ways to admonish, train and deal with their hire.
The thing is, this same salon owner might have a bunch of rockstar salon attendants already on the team. What makes a Champion Salon Owner is their ability to control their focus through good times and bad.
What also makes a champion a champion is the ability to acknowledge and then focus on improving weaknesses. But you can’t do all that without having focus on the right things. Focus on being a Champion Salon Owner.
Happy People focus on happy things not depressing things or things that make you upset.
Designed by Freepik
The Power of Payment Efficiencies
By Melissa Damiani
We know that consumers are selective on how they spend their money due to the current economic uncertainty, so what can we do? We need to ensure that customers continue to prioritize health and wellness—and patronize the services that our industry offers. If you haven’t already implemented a “card on account” option for your customers allowing for the processing of monetary transactions even if their credit card is not present and they don’t have a case on them, you may want to do so sooner than later.
Get That Card
Having a card on file is the easiest way to streamline your life. Not only does this minimize the physical handling of credit cards or cash, but it will also encourage additional purchases. Think about it. We all have moments when clients want a little bit extra on their normal services, right?
What if one of your members would like to upgrade their session to a higher-level equipment type or purchase a product but they don’t have their handbag or wallet with them? If you have a “card on account” function available within your current system for your EFT members, you can easily charge the cost of a service or product to the customer’s account on file!
The Downside Of Cards On File
When it comes to credit card payments ( either via an EFT or card on account transactions), there is a notable downside of declined payments. There are a number of different reasons for credit card declines—including cancelled cards due to theft or loss, outdated cards due to expiration, or a change in account info due to fraud experienced by the provider.
The process of obtaining updated info is almost entirely manual and can be expensive, especially from a time perspective. If you have multiple locations, this may even become a full-time position for someone. Obtaining updated account info can require calling customers or sending email
communications. And, if you actually do reach a customer in arrears, when they are presented with your communication they may opt to cancel their monthly recurring membership altogether.
Decreasing Declines
What is your average monthly decline rate? Want help with decreasing this average in a way that will surely minimize the time that you spend attempting to collect updated credit card info from customers whose cards have declined? If your salon management software program has an integrated option that accommodates an automated card updating service then you are in luck!
An account updater payment technology connects with credit card companies to fetch updated account info, and if available will automatically update your customer’s account on file. This means the customer’s membership will process without interruption even if there was a change to the card.
We all know what this meansfewer declines, more revenue and less time spent on contacting customers.
Customers Will Like It
There is also a substantial benefit to your customers. When they subscribe to one of your monthly recurring EFT memberships, they tend to “set it and forget it” and as a result, it’s not going to be on the top of their mind to contact with updated expiration dates, as an example.
Having an account updater program in place will ensure that they can continue to take advantage of their EFT membership, avoid rejection fees, and also to prevent an understandably awkward position of visiting your salon or spa to be told at the front counter that their membership is on hold. All done without having to contact you to manually update their account information.
Now, more than ever before, we need to provide a positive experience for customers.
Offering monthly recurring EFT memberships, the ability to securely charge items to a card on file and implementing the account update feature are easy to do. Not only will your bottom-line benefit, but you can be confident in knowing that the customer journey is a good one.
Designed by Freepik
THE #1 PROFESSIONAL SPRAY TAN BRAND
FULL BODY SKINCARE IN UNDER 2 MINUTES
TREAT YOURSELF TO A FULL BODY GLOW IN MINUTES
APRIL 5-7th, 2025 ROSEMONT, IL
THE FUTURE IS CUSTOMIZABLE.
Sun’s Not All That Bad
Giving Your Skin Vitamin D
By Quinn Cooper
Being in the tanning industry sure can be a trip. On one hand, it’s glamorous and fun and a fairly low-stress type of industry. On the other hand, there is always a little pushback from mainstream media related to our work.
Whether people like to admit it or not, there is a certain stigma behind the tanning industry. It’s been there ever since that study came out citing indoor tanning as a source of melanoma. Word spread like wildfire and soon the public seemed totally convinced that tanning is always a threat to your health. As people in the tanning industry, we often struggle
with this stigma. However, studies are coming out proving that we shouldn’t throw the baby out with the bathwater. A news post by the European Sunlight Association proved that through a set of new studies related to light exposure.
A study published in the Indian Pediatrics Journal recently unveiled the truth of how important daylight exposure is for children. Sunlight exposure is the best way for kids to get Vitamin D, though having Vitamin D supplementation is acceptable in less sunny areas.
Granted, this is not the same as tanning, but it does prove a point. Suntanning (either through
daylight or lamps) is a good way to get Vitamin D. This is also true for people who are fully grown adults.
The news post also took at look at a study from the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, which found that “moderate sunlight exposure on a regular basis is the best way to optimize vitamin D levels in the body.”
During the winter months, many of us aren’t outdoors that much. If you’re an adult who wants a feelgood, bone-strengthening Vitamin D dose, a moderate habit of going to the sunless tanning station can help you do it.
Designed by Freepik
Delivering Bronze Skin Is Not Enough Anymore PSA
By Jeffrey Baughman
There are certain things that never cease to amaze me about the salon industry. One of the most notable things is the way that it evolves. When I first started Twilight Teeth, tanning salons were just that: tanning salons.
Most had two services, max. You could choose from standard UV tanning, or sunless tanning. And that was what they did, 24/7. Some time around the 2010s, something incredible happened: tanning salons stopped being just about tanning and started becoming wellness centers.
Designed by Freepik
Designed by Freepik
The easiest way to offer more services is to work with simple, single-use kits that complement the services you already have
One-Stop Shops
Tanning salons are gaining more business than ever by being a one-stop shop for all things body and skin care-related. While tanning remains their most popular service, companies across America are now offering massage beds, saunas, as well as teeth whitening services.
That’s where Twilight Teeth came in. We were often the first “extra” tanning salons offered back in the day—during times when diversification was just a budding business. It didn’t take too long for Twilight Teeth to become a musthave.
Of course, not every salon owner can afford new massage chairs or new red light therapy machines. The easiest way to offer more services is to work with simple, single-use kits that complement the services you already have.
We’re not too far away from the point where being a “tanning only” salon can be a hazard to your business. Simply put, people want more, more, more!
Understanding The Customer
Outsiders to the industry are often baffled by the partnership between tanned skin and teeth. After all, isn’t that a dentist’s realm? Wouldn’t it make sense for dentists to offer this instead? Well, the answer is both yes and no.
Among tanning enthusiasts, a tan is not always enough to complete the look. If your teeth are yellowed, you’ll look yellow all over. A contrast between your skin tone and teeth helps your tan look more natural as a whole. It helps complete the healthy, glamorous look we all aspire to.
Think about it. When you seen swimsuit models or professional bodybuilders, don’t they always have a set of pearly whites? They do. It just adds that extra pop of contrast that brings out the glow of a good tan.
Why Should Salons Do Tooth Whitening?
So, we’ve already gone into the basics of why tanning aficionados love tooth whitening and why it makes sense for salons to diversify their service menu. But, let’s get to the meat and potatoes: why tooth whitening?
While people can go to dentists, most people prefer to go to a salon for their tooth whitening. Here’s why it’s a smart business move for almost every tanning salon company:
It’s affordable for clients.
Going to a dentist is costly, even for a whitening treatment. Twilight Teeth offers professional results for a fraction of the cost. That’s a welcome break from the rising costs of everything, including dentist services.
It’s affordable for salon owners too.
If you’re not able to afford a new red light therapy machine or a new hydromassage bed, tooth whitening services are a fast and easy way to add new services without installing new machines.
Clients already want this service—and want to save time. It’s true. You can whiten your teeth in minutes. And if you get a UV-based system like mine to whiten teeth, it’s a perfect way to get your clients whiter teeth while they enjoy UV tanning beds.
Did I mention that UV tanning supercharges certain whitening systems?
This is why Twilight Teeth remains such a popular product among tanning salons. It is literally designed to work with tanning beds.
White teeth are one of the most commonly-mentioned traits people want in a date.
If you want to take a look at the benefits people get from a set of pearly whites, look no further than dating. 70% of women and 58% of men believe that teeth are one of the most important physical attributes to look for in a date.
The demand is there. The price of adding a great smile to your offerings has never been lower. The question is, are you ready to meet those needs?
by Freepik
Designed
The Process Trust In (And Create!)
By Ossiana Tepfenhart
Did you ever have a job that didn’t make sense until years after you started working there? I have. When I first started to work at a major tech startup, I was hired as a writer. The then-president of the company was a Wall Street veteran who had a penchant for the arts.
He was impressed by my writing as well as the sheer speed that I would kick articles out. So, despite my lack of a college degree, I was onboarded onto a Wall Street company called Vocal.media.
My bosses? Hollywood movie producer Rick Schwartz and Wall Street legend, Jeremy Frommer. Working there was unlike anything I’ve ever done before. It wasn’t just the random celebrity cameos we’d get from time to time, nor was it the warehouse wonderland of our first location.
Though there were many differences between this company and the others I worked at, there was one that stood out to me the most. I’ve worked in high-pressure environments before, but I never worked in one that was so formal and structured. My job was totally rooted in SOPs.
At the heart of everything we did, there was an SOP—or, Standard Operating Procedure.
Everything was a process: how we came up with article ideas, who we asked for critique, how our articles were structured, how we ask for advice, and how decisions were made. Moreover, everything was totally codified as part of a protocol.
As a person who’s a full-on creative, SOPs drove me nutty. Everything had a process, even when it came to article headline pitching. Creatives don’t like this because we tend to thrive on a lack of structure. We just want to hear, “Do whatever you wanna do.”
That didn’t fly there.
Every other day, I’d butt heads with the higher-ups.
I can’t name how many days were spent with arguments that sounded like the one below:
“I wanna write this article.”
“No, don’t write it yet. Pitch us. We’ll tell you what works.”
“Why can’t I say what I think works?”
“Because you don’t know what we’re seeing.”
“Then show me! How am I supposed to pitch if I don’t know the full story?”
“We hired you to write, not to think about headlines.”
“BUT I CAN DO IT! YOU’RE NOT LETTING ME DO IT.”
“WE HAVE A PROCESS!”
Eventually I kind of just gave up and just followed their processes. I wasn’t pleased all the time. With a little jockeying and goading, I was able to get my own processes agreed-upon with the higher-ups. Even so, I thought I hated the processes.
Slowly but surely, I started to notice a couple of things.
Prior to my Wall Street job, I never really had a very structured job, per se. Everyone was always running around, willy-nilly, trying to collaborate, pitch, and climb their
way to the top of a very amorphous food chain.
Everything was a chore in a chaotic place. There was always quickthinking you had to do, time wasted on hunting down the right person, and a lot of details that always got missed. As I continued to work there, those memories of a splendid chaos faded to the background.
I started to notice some perks— perks that I generally didn’t want to admit existed:
• Most of my questions could get answered by looking at the SOP.
• There was never any question about who to escalate questions to.
• My work was getting better results and my team was slowly educating me on how to pick headlines.
• Work got done fast, almost like an assembly line, because we were so structured.
• Many mistakes that used to be commonplace were nonexistent here.
• There was always a way to keep track of who did what,
when it happened, and what we were supposed to do.
There were times I’d get angry at my coworkers because, even then, some SOPs didn’t make sense. Over the two years I worked there, they would tell me, “Trust in the process, you’re doing fine.”
When I started working for others, the chaos of other companies hit me like a baseball bat to the back of the head.
My first job after my time at Vocal was at a small ad agency run by a friend of mine. I started to outline SOPs so that we could streamline his process…all of which were promptly ignored by everyone. It turned into chaos, fast.
“Why aren’t you abiding by the processes I put in place? These are there so that we can make everything less chaotic. That way, you can work on more clients,” I said.
He waved his hands, “Well, I don’t want to follow them. Can’t you do something else to make things easier?”
I sighed and realized something:
SOPs were not there to hinder us. They were there to help us.
They made that company run like a well-oiled machine without a snag in the world. Everyone knew their role, who to turn to for help, and how to ask when they wanted to gain more knowledge.
SOPs gave everyone a way to hold one another accountable while also keeping things simple—in a complex way. Had we kept everything chaotic, there was no way we could have achieved what we did at Vocal. And now that I lost that structure, I missed it.
SOPs are there for a good reason.
If you are part of a franchise or a highly established company, you’re going to see a lot of guidelines and rules about what to do in almost every situation. Sometimes, those procedures even get specific about how to greet others or when to close a door. It can be baffling for those of us who generally stick to our rightbrained artist work. But, hear me out. Even the most colorful, fanciful, and talented salon manager needs to have some structure to the way they do business.
These protocols are not just there to exercise power. They’re there because they were written after seeing what works best. They’re there to prevent miscommunications, smooth out your workflow, and take out the guesswork that can turn a smooth operation into chaos.
When you’re working at a major salon (or really, any large-scale operation), you can’t be a bastion of chaos. It’s unprofessional. It causes things to get lost, time to be wasted, and gives your clients a bad impression of your company.
Having Standard Operating Procedures acts as a way to install guardrails on your business so that you can keep things running smoothly and also conform to the uniform expectations of a good franchise.
With that said, SOPs are not built in a day.
Even the most talented business owner won’t have a perfect set of protocols when they first start out. Great SOPs are forged through experience, communication, and the occasional mistakes. It takes time to hammer out the smaller
details—often after noticing a mishap at work. From there, it’s our job as business owners to create a series of procedures that turn running a successful business into a formula for success.
As a former employee turned business owner, it was a process that could make or break your company. The larger the company, the more important SOPs are to your business model because they make running a business into a successful, reproducible endeavor.
So, you might not always “get” why SOPs are there. But, that doesn’t mean you should ignore them. Trust in the process, and you’ll go far.
These protocols are not just there to exercise power. They’re there because they were written after seeing what works best.
What Would You Do?
A Veteran Salon Staffer And An Upset Guest
By Quinn Cooper
In the world of tanning salons, I can’t help but notice how often fellow business owners tend to ask one another for advice. This is doubly true with difficult guests. I recently received this email from a salon owner who has asked to stay anonymous because he doesn’t want to be publicly disrespectful to a guest; so, I’ll call him “Jeff” here.
by Freepik
Designed
Jeff wrote to me:
We have a few customers who insist that having our staff check eye protection is not needed and that the law doesn’t actually require it. The wording of the code is a bit ambiguous to me. It clearly says eye protection is required, but it doesn’t say that the salons in our state MUST check each time.
I wondered if you had something we could use to better defend the eye protection requirement. I recently got a complaint email from a guest. Our guest claims she uses them, but us checking is “insulting” and she doesn’t want to be “treated like a child.”
Any help is appreciated.
Jeff wrote to his “insulted” tanner (in part):
We understand that not everyone likes to use or show eye protection, but it is Federal Law that FDAcompliant eye protection must be worn to use a UV tanning bed. Anything other than FDA-complaint eye protection does not comply with the law. Even if there were no official government requirement, we would still require it. It is my feeling this safety requirement comes with nearly no downside.
Due to COVID, we no longer offer communal eye protection. This means each person must have their own pair. It also means that before we can let someone into a room, we need to physically see that eye protection. Our intention is simply to follow the law and encourage the safest tanning environment that we can.
To be clear, on each visit you will be required to show FDA-compliant eye protection, or you will be refused service. To make it easier for you, I have added $0.50 to your account so you can redeem it for a free
pair of disposable eye protection. If for some reason you prefer not to tan rather than show your eye protection, please let me know and we will refund you.
I thought Jeff’s response was great. When we spoke on the phone, I learned that he had 17 years of experience in tanning. He shared, “The hardest thing about responding to this customer was that I wanted to be respectful, but firm. I thought it was important for her to understand why we require eye protection (for her safety) while not trying to hide behind a policy or pass the blame. The reason I added fifty cents on her account was to remove any barriers she might have, such as, ‘I didn’t bring any money’, etc.”
Here are some additional thoughts I provided to Jeff…
First, I’m sure your insurance carrier requires you to check age,
skin type and that the tanner wears eyewear for every session. If a guest had a vision issue, they could sue you and you could lose your business! Not worth it to appease a couple of people who don’t want to be asked. You can also say, “Our goal is to protect you. UV is bad for our eyes. It causes cataracts, night blindness, color vision damage and much more. We certainly want to do our part to protect your vision and reduce our liability.”
Also, if you have taken the Sun Is Life® Training, they insist that you ask to see every guest’s eyewear. You can mention it’s part of your staff certification process.
Unfortunately, Jeff’s “insulted” guest didn’t return. Would you have said something different?
Let us know your approach and you may be featured in a future column.
Designed by
Freepik
BECOME CERTIFIED WITH NORVELL UNIVERSITY
THE ORIGINAL AND #1 PROFESSIONAL SPRAY TANNING CERTIFICATION PROGRAM
PARTNERING WITH NORVELL PROVIDES THE BRIDGE BETWEEN SELF-TAUGHT SKILLS AND A CERTIFIED PROFESSIONAL SPRAY TANNING MANUFACTURER CURRICULUM.
Get certified with a 3-year diploma to boost staff confidence and sales, deliver flawless results and top-tier customer care every time, empower your team with expert training to maximize revenue.
ASBA SCHEDULE
4/14/25 4/28/25
5/12/25 5/19/25
VERSASPA MYSTIC® UNITY® VERSASPA MYSTIC® UNITY®
SCAN TO SIGN UP!
WINE DOWN WEDN ESDAYS
JOIN US FOR WINE DOWN WEDNESDAY AS WE CHAT ABOUT ALL THINGS SPRAY TAN BUSINESS!
THE LAST WEDNESDAY OF EVERY MONTH, 7PM EST
Planning For Trouble With Merchant Advances
By Denis Urkevich
Designed by Freepik
Let’s talk about the proverbial elephant in the room: our economy is fairly hectic right now. No one, not even the most intelligent economists, seems to know what to expect from our country right now.
In the past couple of weeks, thousands of people have lost their jobs, had their lives turned upside down, and even lost funding for major projects. At first glance, this shouldn’t affect the tanning industry. After all, salons are private businesses, not federallyfunded projects.
Yet, the turmoil we’re seeing federally can and will have an impact on every business— tanning included. With more families losing their paychecks comes more people tightening their belts, conserving money, and working to find new ways to save on money.
In other words, there’s a decent chance that your salon might lose customers during this time. Some of those customers may also be regulars who once used to splurge on add-ons. Depending on your area, this can be a major portion of your clientele.
Thankfully, there are ways to add a buffer to your profit margins and also give yourself an out. As a person who’s worked with the Slice Merchant Services team to learn about how a good merchant team can help you out.
Get lower rates and more predictability
Are you tired of having to wonder how much your merchant services will cost month after month? If you’re bracing yourself for major income fluctuations, you need to be able to estimate your overhead better.
Services like Slice payments got rid of merchant processing fees, turned terminal rentals into a flat-rate fee, and helped slice (get it) transaction fees fast. This gives salon owners like you a steadier, more predictable monthly bill for accepting credit card payments.
That alone can offer major peace of mind.
Consider using merchant services to streamline and cut operating costs
If there’s one thing I’ve learned to love about modern merchant services, it’s the new vanguard of payment terminals. Take Clover brand terminals, for example. They don’t just look good. They also are capable of running a slew of apps that you can pick and choose from on a private marketplace.
These apps can do a little bit of everything. So far, I’ve seen salons slash overhead costs by using apps that do the following right off their own terminals:
Employee Scheduling + Hour Tracking
Most salon owners already have software they use to track and schedule their employees. Clover has several apps that allow you to do that from your terminal and
With more families losing their paychecks comes more people tightening their belts, conserving money, and working to find new ways to save on money
then send the finalized hours to your accountant.
This can save serious time and effort if you’ve had to do a bunch of after-hours work in order to keep track of your employees’ hours. They can simply sign on, sign off, and get their schedules sent to them right from the terminal. Neat, right?
Several apps cover these functions, including Homebase and Time Clock.So, you can work to find the app that best suits your workflow.
Tax And Payouts
It’s true. Terminals can now connect to everyone’s favorite accounting software, Quickbooks. (Others, such as Sage, are also available on the marketplace, too.) Trust me when I tell you that your accountant will thank you for this new, streamlined process.
Analytics
Did you ever wonder how your newest products are doing? Is that new red light machine working overtime? What about your new hydromassage station—should you get another? Analytics can help you see the real, hard numbers behind your sales.
Of course, analytics don’t just help you figure out what products and services sell. They also show you your hottest salon hours, help you predict future sales, and can even help you pinpoint if your trainee needs extra training.
If you’re dealing with heavy market fluctuations, analytics can also help you figure out where to tighten your belt first. For example, if the software shows that you have a new hire that just isn’t passing muster with sales, it may be time for a layoff paired with better hours for your all-star cast.
Designed by Freepik
Customer Profile Tracking
To a point, customer profiles have become standard in tanning salons. If you don’t have this or have been paying extra for a separate customer tracking system software kit, transferring your records over to a Clover terminal’s app could help you decrease overhead.
Booking Software
If you’re a major spa in your town or city, you likely have moments when you can’t always fit all your clients into a service. This is true, even when you stick to basic tanning services. Unsurprisingly, this means that booking software is a must-have for most salons.
Clover has multiple booking software kits to choose from, including ones that allow your clients to book online and automatically alert you to new bookings. Best of all, some of those apps are free of charge.
Choose a merchant services company that allows you to get a merchant cash advance if you want one
Most retail companies and corporate financiers tend to have a bad opinion about merchand cash advances, also known as MCAs. They’re mostly known for having unusually high rate which can be difficult to repay with current overhead. However, it would be a lie to say they don’t have a good role to play in modern business.
Cash advances have several advantages—including the ability for you to use the money you get on anything you want. If your business doesn’t earn money, you don’t have to pay the advance back. Moreover, payments are reflective of your earnings, so it never squeezes you too hard.
Even so, most people are reticent to get one. As a person who has worked in finance, I understand that concern. You should never take out a loan or an advance without a lot of deep thought on the subject.
With that said, things happen. It’s good to work with a merchant services company that works as a one-stop shop for your financial needs.
Why Advances?
Advances can save companies during difficult times. Over my time working with Slice Payments, I’ve seen people use advances as a way to “stay” their business
while insurance money pays for destroyed interiors due to flooding, as a way to help launch a major salon-saving advertising campaign, and as a way to help replace vital equipment that would have been impossible to purchase otherwise.
Most other forms of funding have limits on how you can use those funds. Advances don’t. If you want to buy a bunch of uniforms for your staff, you can. If you need to pay a deep cleaning service or a plumber, you can. Advances work with you.
When Loans Say No
The big reason why I advise people to have a way to access a cash advance is simple: advances say yes when banks say no. The current government is mulling over canceling many grants, funds, and SBA loans. If you are the beneficiary of a specialty loan from the federal government, you may need to have a backup plan. Advances, though not ideal, are a good place to start your alternative planning. Even if you never use an advance, it always is peaceful to have that option if you need it.
Experience Ultimate Relaxation
Treat yourself to luxury and comfort with Fujimi – where relaxation meets sophistication!
Indulge yourself in unparalleled comfort with our exclusive promotion on the Fujimi Luxury Massage Chairs! Introducing the EP9000MAX and EP7000S models, designed to bring the spa experience right to your home or business. Elevate your relaxation with advanced 3D massage technology, customizable settings, and heated therapy options for a truly transformative experience. Enjoy soothing massages with a sleek design, zero gravity recline, and a variety of invigorating programs to relieve tension and rejuvenate your body.
Don’t miss this opportunity, take advantage with the information provided below.
Designed by Freepik
Feeling Flooded?
Prevent Water Damage In Your Salon
By Quinn Cooper
With news headlines still flashing about the flooding happening throughout the Southeast, it’s hard to ignore how many business owners are starting to sweat over floods. Kentucky’s February floods were the most famous, causing massive destruction to everything in their wake.
As a business owner, it’s normal to get a little worried about flood damages. One major flood can be enough to put a salon out of business—at least for a couple of months. Thankfully, we are not powerless to limit the amount of water damage we experience in some cases.
Flooding doesn’t always happen during inclement weather. It can also happen in areas that are dry as a bone. All it takes is one single mishap to cause water damage. Prevention is always key. These tips below will help you avoid major water damage without too much of a hassle…
#1: Rent (Or Buy) Wisely
You know what they say! It’s all about location, location, location. If you rent or own a salon in a floodprone area, you’re putting yourself in the crosshairs of water damage. When picking out your location, check to see what the flood risk assessment says about the region.
If you can, try to get a venue in an area that has a low flood risk. Better still, try to find out the history of the building. Has it been flooded before? Was there water damage or mold? Pick a place that isn’t flood-prone and has little history of flooding. On a similar note, flood zones aren’t the only thing you have to keep your eye out for. If you are seeking out a new venue to rent, it’s vital that you choose a good rental agent as well as a good landlord company. A company that reputable will address major issues before it turns into a problem for your company.
In other words, you need to view your venue’s location as the major decision it is—and factor in the importance of water-related issues. This won’t always entirely prevent you from experiencing a flood, but it will prevent you from dealing with potentially avoidable damage.
#2: Check Your Washer!
We all love the feeling of crisp, fresh, clean towels that come out of our salon’s washer-dryer setups, don’t we? While washers are a major part of salon life, they also can be a major source of water damage.
Washers can leak—and when they do, they can be sneaky. If
you don’t check your washers on a weekly basis, you might miss a leak for months before it becomes noticeable. By that time, you’re not just dealing with a leak. You’re dealing with mold and water damage on your walls and floor
#3: Check Your Toilets And Sinks
While not as sneaky as washer leaks, your bathroom facilities can also cause quite a bit of flooding if not checked regularly. Toilets and sinks can both cause serious flooding damage—especially when it comes to plumbing mishaps.
Much like a weekly washer check, you should check your bathroom facilities at least once a week. Ideally, you’ll check them daily as you clean them. Unlike washing machines, you might also want to call a plumber if you start noticing a musty aroma within the bathroom. Toilets and sinks have major plumbing lines that run behind walls. If you have a leak behind your wall, you might not know until you notice a musty smell—or even a wet spot. So, if you want to curb water damage, follow your nose. It can “see” where your eyes can’t!
#4: Check Your Spray Tan Systems
Wait, spray tan systems can flood? Yep. Quite a few water damage claims happen when spray tan systems break. These systems pump tanning chemicals, water, and wastewater through those systems.
If your system breaks down,you’ll be left with a bunch of wastewater on the floor of your salon.
Because spray tanners are used so frequently, they should be inspected and deep-cleaned daily. Spray tan solution is highly corrosive and can easily eat away at your piping. To prevent issues, have a storewide shut-off valve that you activate as soon as it’s closing time.
The less water going through your systems, the less likely it is you’ll have a leak in the morning. If you use handheld devices, don’t think you’re off the hook. Smaller machines can also leak if they are not well-maintained and disconnected at the end of the day.
#5: Check Your Water Heater
With all the cleaning, laundry and rinsing a typical tanning salon does, is it any surprise to hear that water heaters often go on overtime? Water heaters, much like all other major pieces of plumbing, are prone to leaks and malfunctions if not maintained properly. To keep your water heater running well, make sure to check it at least once a month for leaks. If you notice difficulties with getting hot water, an unusual noise coming from the heater, or any other mishaps, call a plumber.
Water heaters also suffer from sediment buildup—sand and grit found in water that settles at the bottom of the tank. The standard maintenance here is to have a specialist drain the sediment from your tank every six months to a year.
#6: Hit Your Roof
Even the most solidly-built buildings have the potential to have a leaky roof, especially during storms that have high wind speeds. Rooftop leaks are particularly treacherous because you won’t notice them indoors until it’s far too late—often after mold or structural damage has made an appearance.
If you want to ensure your building stays safe, check the roof of your salon after every major storm. If you notice shingles missing or a dent in the roof, call your insurance company. You might have a claim that can help you fix the damage before it gets too ugly.
#7: Remember To Maintain Your Property
At the end of the day, the easiest way to prevent water damage is to keep your salon well-maintained. If you are a property owner, then it’s important to treat your real estate like the investment it is. A wellmaintained venue will always be more profitable than a venue falling apart at the seams.
If you’re renting, this should be part of your landlord’s job. Having a good line of communication with your landlord is the easiest way to ensure that your business isn’t put in jeopardy by a lack of maintenance.
The more you focus on building maintenance, the less likely it is that you will need to worry about water issues in the future. It’s just that simple!
One
major
flood can be enough to put a salon out of
business
Designed by Freepik
IST Has the Experts!
Sam Neeley
Sam Neeleyis a truly passionate veteran of the salon and tanning world. Ever since 2000, she has been working in tanning salons. By 2004, she teamed up with Designer Skin (eventually called New Sunshine), where she rose through the ranks from a sales manager to corporate trainer to a well-known, highly respected sales director beloved throughout the industry.
JR Homer
J.R. “The People’s Champ” Homer is the creator/owner of InstaTAN, Namaste Natural Skincare, Island Lover Skincare, Level Tan and The Level Family. He is the creator/admin for the “Tanning Studio Forum” and “Used Tanning Equipment Auction” FB groups. A husband and father of two, Homer was Linebacker of the Decade for Brentwood (PA) High School, an undefeated amateur boxer, and is currently a purple belt in Jiu Jitsu via Steel City Martial Arts
Dr. Jim Schleckser
Jim Schleckser is the CEO of the Inc. CEO Project, helping leaders grow their companies. He specializes in the issues that fast-growth firms experience. He is also a member of the Forbes Coaches Council.
Joe Schuster
A 26-year industry veteran, Joe has taught certified salon operator training for the last 15 years, as well as advocating indoor tanning in many capacities. Joe is a sought-after speaker and presenter at both national and regional trade events. During his most recent tenure with the ITA, he served as Director of Membership.
Quinn Cooper
Quinn Cooper has been a professional in the tanning industry for years, showing his passion for wellness at every turn. He is a proud Senior Account Executive of IST magazine and Sun is Life as well as being a salon owner himself.
Jack Dumoulin
Jack Dumoulin is the co-founder of the School of Hard Knocks.The School of Hard Knocks is a social media company that promotes financial literacy and career mentorship by interviewing successful entrepreneurs. The company has over 10 million followers and 3 billion views across platforms in 3 years. You can reach him at schoolofhardknocksinfo@gmail.com.
Lisa Saavedra
Lisa is the Director of Brand Development for Devoted Creations, leading the company’s product development, branding, marketing, and global strategy across 70+ countries. With 20+ years of industry experience, she combines real-world salon management expertise with innovation in skincare and tanning. As a highly respected speaker, trainer, and writer, Lisa is a driving force behind some of the industry’s most successful product launches, Lisa has been recognized as Island Sun Times “Person of the Year” a record six times, making her the youngest and first female to achieve this honor twice.
Alex Zeedyk
Alex brings a fresh perspective and an always-positive attitude to Team Devoted Creations. A University of South Florida graduate with a degree in Marketing, she started as an intern and quickly transitioned into her current role. With 5+ years of salon experience, Alex blends real-world knowledge, a passion for skincare, and a strong marketing background to elevate the Devoted Creations brand. Wearing many hats, Alex plays a key role in curating content, managing the social influencer program, and supporting digital marketing efforts. She has helped propel Devoted Creations’ social presence to the industry leader in engagement ratings, ensuring the brand continues to set the standard in the digital marketplace.
John Farr
John Farr, AKA “The Salon Doctor,” began consulting indoor tanning salon owners in 1990. In his 35+ year indoor tanning career, John has worked with more than 600 salon owners. He has a nearly 50-year retail and executive management career. During that time, he held middle, senior, and corporate officer management positions for five Fortune 500 corporations. He also has a Bachelor of Science in marketing and employment law, and an MBA in Human Resource Management. Tanning salon owners can sign up for a FREE consultation on his website.
Ossiana Tepfenhart
Ossiana is an award-winning author and journalist with a special fondness for business, personal finance, and glamor. When she is not working as an editor, she’s working on her first anthology series alongside Poppy Z. Brite and John Shirley.
Steven Labruna
Steven Labruna is a sales consultant local to the New York City tri-state area, acting as Outreach Manager at his current job. When he isn’t working on creating better sales protocols, he’s a DJ in the underground hard techno music scene.
Nadine Carter
Nadine Carter is the Internal VP of Marketing at Sunless Tanning. Her love of tanning culture as well as encyclopedic knowledge of tanning technology makes her an asset to any project she’s involved in.
Denis Urkevich
Denis Urkevich is a finance marketing professional who has done extensive research and work in the merchant services industry with a major focus in retail setups. His expertise ranges from salon funding to streamlining retail processes.
