Salon Success Secrets

The Fake Freedom Flyer

• Lindsay Lowe & Jen Booth

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We break down a viral booth rent flyer and show how “surface-level freedom” often turns into chaos. We teach a practical path to real freedom built on clarity, systems, brand consistency, and intrapreneurship so teams gain options, not overtime.

• false freedom versus real freedom
• the math behind pricing power and hours
• structure as a multiplier of success
• brand consistency and guest trust
• attire as part of the promise
• interdependence over isolation
• intrapreneurs versus employees
• turning marketing into attraction, not chasing

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SPEAKER_01:

You ever have one of those moments where something so bad, it's good, stops you in your tracks? You know, I was just at a career fair the other day when a student was walking by our booth, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw this flyer she was holding, and it said, The 12 reasons booth rent might be right for you. And I thought, oh no, here we go again. You know, it was printed on this uh plain white paper, basic bullet points, bad clip art. You know the kind I'm talking about. Um, but as I started reading it out of the corner of my eye, my heart sank a little because even though the copy was pretty terrible, you guys, I could see how the psychology for someone reading this could be spot on. You know, it hit like every emotional point of a service provider who feels stuck, you know, the desire for freedom, the frustration with rules, the illusion of control. And then I realized that this is what your team is, this is what our teams are up against. You know, if and this is not to be a marketing war between commission and booth rent. It's a battle between false freedom and real freedom. And if we as salon owners don't understand how to teach that difference, we could lose good people to the wrong promise. So today we're gonna unpack this flyer. And by the end, you'll know how to teach freedom to your team in a way that gives them power, not pressure.

SPEAKER_00:

I love that. Let's read the first few lines from this flyer together, Jen. So grateful uh you got a copy, just because, hey, it's really important to know what it is that people are getting fed outside there so that so that we can really unpack this, you know. So um, I want you to listen to what we're about to read with a marketer's ear, not as a salon owner that's frustrated by this, but just listen through a marketer's ear, like if you're gonna market to find new talent. So what it says on there is higher earning potential. With booth renting, you keep all the money you earn from services, minus your booth rental fee. It literally says that in I'm oh my gosh, I just can't even believe this. But the next one is no mandatory product sales with booth rent. You are free to sell products or services on your terms without pressure from salon management. The next one is good. Personalized marketing. You can market yourself however you want. I love this one too. No salon per no salon pressure to perform. As a booth renter, you can take your time with each client, focusing on quality over quantity. Sounds amazing, right? Wow. You know, this is what we call surface level freedom. It promises you something that feels good, but it doesn't work in real life, you know? And you know, here's what I told one of our coaching clients the other day freedom without structure isn't freedom, it's chaos in disguise. Because freedom doesn't mean you have no rules, it means you're no longer ruled by fear or confusion or lack of clarity. Because freedom is when you have the clarity, the capacity, and the competence to do what you were born to do inside a system that multiplies your success. We've all seen it. You know, stylists leave believing they'll make more money. And six months later, they're totally burnt out, they're behind on taxes, and suddenly they're realizing that being your own boss means you're also your own janitor, marketer, bookkeeper, therapist, running to the store person. You know, you see the problem is the the promise of freedom is emotional, but the practice of freedom is mathematical. You guys, that's a writer-downer. The promise of freedom is emotional, but the practice of freedom is mathematical. You can't feel free if your finances, schedule, or energy are out of alignment. So when you're leading your team and you hear those little whispers, I just want more control, you don't fight it. You teach them the truth about what control actually costs and what it truly looks like. Because in a great team-based salon, control doesn't come from ownership, it comes from ownership of self, ownership of your mindset, of your skill set, of the results that you're producing. And that's something that a flyer can't give them.

SPEAKER_01:

So good. So let's keep reading. Because if you were like, what in the world is happening? We want to we want to break this all down for you. So another thing that it said was ability to choose your own products and tools. Um, it's a no salon limits on working hours. Get this one. So you will never, word from word, you will never have to work nights or weekends, which are often based on a salon's needs. What? They also said ability to set your own prices and policies. Okay. And they also said the opportunity for creative control over your space. Okay, you guys, let's pause right there. You know, because this is what we call, I like to call the illusion of independence, right? It's when someone confuses autonomy with authority. You know, they think, hey, if I make all these decisions, I'll finally be happy. But making all the decisions doesn't make you free, it actually makes you tired. Um, so let's take one example where they said, set your own prices. Well, of course that sounds empowering empowering, right? But what most stylists don't realize is that pricing isn't just about charging more, it's about what the market will sustain. You know, it's the guest, it's what the guest experience will support. And it's the brand credibility that backs it up. If you don't have the systems, the marketing, and the reputation, you don't have the pricing power. You have the guessing power. Or the other one where they said, no limits on working hours. That sounded amazing too, right? But it's not freedom to work whenever you want. If you have to work all the time just to make ends meet, freedom isn't more hours, it's more options. You know, it's when your structure inside your salon supports your team's goals so that they can choose how to live. And here's something you might want to write down and share with your team is freedom isn't about removing limits, it's about redefining limits that serve their life. And you guys, when you create that system that protects your team's time, it helps them reach them income goals and gives them a clear growth path. You're not taking freedom away, you're actually building it in.

SPEAKER_00:

You know, let's look at another one, Jen. I think uh one that stood out too is opportunity for creative control over your space. You know, that sounds fun until you realize that great brands aren't built on randomness, they're built on consistency. Because a powerful brand experience, it requires like the sameness, like so much sameness that it feels sacred. You know, it's why Disney can have hand you a churro at any park in the world and it tastes the same. You know, it's why guests come back to your salon again and again because they know what to expect. Because freedom inside a system is what gives you power. And freedom outside a system gives you confusion. It creates a lot of confusion. You know, so as a leader, your job isn't to restrict, it's to reveal, you know, show your team how every system, every standard, every scorecard, you know, everything that you're doing actually is a path to more freedom. Because when stylists learn the math of mastery, they stop fighting structure and really start craving it. You know, a lot of times we'll we'll say, hey, it's almost like if you go to a really great restaurant and you have a really great steak dinner, and all of a sudden uh the person who served you the steak was like, you know what? I saw how much this ticket was. I'm gonna go and open up a steak dinner restaurant in my backyard. You know, I've got a picnic table, come on over, enjoy a steak dinner. Like the clients feel the difference, you know? And so gone are the days where um where truly people were going to just one person. People crave that whole team experience. And so when you're able to to reveal to your team, like, hey, it's this isn't about, I think that's another thing too that stands out about this fire, this flyer to gin to me is that it's like they're pitting this the service provider against a salon and they're forgetting that the whole reason we're in business is to serve the guest and to create that amazing experience. And so it's like the salon is the enemy, but truly the hero here is the guest, and nothing has been said about that. And so when you reveal to your team how every system, every scorecard that you have is truly, you know, that path to, like we said, creating more freedom, but like also what gives them that locked-in career and helps them get that six-figure income. You know, when they really start to understand that, they really start to crave it and see why the guests love it and are willing to pay top dollar when they visit us.

SPEAKER_01:

So good. You know, the one that stands out to me the most was uh, I think it was number one. It said higher earning potential. That reminded me of the waiter that um would go out on their own, like, oh, I can keep it all now. I saw this ticket, I'll be able to keep it. Oh, look, my light came on. It was so good. I'll be able to keep it on all right now, just the booth rental fee. That's all I won't have to pay. I'm like, what? That is so interesting. So as we finished reading the last part of the flyer, um, they said things like build, you know, the 12 reasons why booth rent might be right for you. You get to build your personal brand. Um, you have a better work life balance. There's there's no dress code or uniform requirements if you're a booth renter. And so the last one stands out to me as well. It said, no dress code or uniform requirements. And you know, this one you guys always makes me smile because it shows how confused our industry has become. You see, service providers think dressing however they want is freedom. But the truth is, when you step behind the chair or the table, it's not about self-expression, it's about guest impression. Let me say that again. When you step behind the chair and the table, it's not about self-expression, it's about guest impression. Like we don't dress to express ourselves, we dress to impress our guest because your appearance is part of your promise. You know, it communicates that professionalism before you ever say a word. And in a luxury environment, consistency creates comfort. So freedom isn't wearing what you want. Freedom is showing up in a way that earns trust, that builds credibility and elevates your value every single day. And that's truly how we move from that me-centered expression to mission-centered excellence.

SPEAKER_00:

So good. Jim, when you said that, it really just made me think about like how funny would that be if you walked into Gucci or Chanel or anywhere like that and they were just wearing whatever they wanted. Like, you know, sometimes I think about like when you go into a nail salon as an example, you know, you might look over and somebody's wearing pajamas, somebody else looks like they just rolled out of bed, you know, there's just like all this going on. And I just think, gosh, you could charge a lot more money if you looked the part, because it's true, like it doesn't build that trust um or credibility like you were mentioning, you know, and that's a big one. And and this is where most salon owners lose the narrative. Because if you don't teach your team what brand actually is, they'll think brand is just their Instagram feed. But a brand isn't just what people see, it's what people feel, it's how you make guests trust you, how it's how they talk about you, and it's and it's even how they return again. Because that's how you create repeatable, predictable success. You know, and the word brand, it actually comes from the old Norse word brander, which it means to burn. So back in the day, they'd take a hot iron and mark what belonged to them. You know, it was a symbol of ownership, identity, something that was like permanent. So when we talk about your brand as a salon, we're not talking about logos or fonts or one person, we're talking about the impression you burn into people's minds every single day. You know, every interaction, every shampoo experience, just like every smile that they get greeted with, it's all leaving a mark. And but the question here is what kind of mark is it leaving? Because a brand is not what you say, it's what people remember. It's the emotion that lingers when they walk out your door. So if the word brand means to burn, then make sure what you're burning into your guests, your team, your community is something worth remembering. You know, that's the part I think that stylists and service providers don't see until they leave. Because you're not limiting their freedom, you're amplifying it, you're handing them the brand of equity, you know, all the structure, mentorship. You've you've got a path that can give them so much momentum. And that's why true freedom doesn't come from independence, it comes from interdependence because we're not meant to succeed alone. We're meant to succeed together. So when your team sees flyers like this, don't get defensive, don't panic, use it as a teaching moment.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, you know, you can show them how your marketing systems or your marketing support gives the freedom from chasing clients. There's a big difference between chasing and attracting clients. Chasing feels kind of icky. It's like reminds me of a police chase. Like, come here, come, I'm gonna get you, I'm gonna do your hair, right? Um, you can show them how education gives them freedom from guessing. You know, teach them how systems give them freedom from chaos and how leadership gives them freedom from isolation. Because freedom isn't found in leaving something, it's found in becoming someone. And that's the message your team needs to hear. And when you teach that freedom isn't doing whatever you want, it's doing what you were called to do with that excellence, that purpose, and that support, it'll shift their entire perspective. You know, and when we do that, that's like truly when service providers stop seeing themselves as employees and they start seeing themselves as intrapreneurs inside your salon. You're like, Jen, what is an entrepreneur? It's like they care so much about the business, they show up every single day, ready to serve, ready to carry out the mission, because they know they have a big part in getting the results that you're striving for. And you know, that's that when you when you create those entrepreneurs inside your salon, that's when you stop managing people and you start multiplying leaders. And that's what real freedom looks like, you guys. You know, freedom with structure, freedom with purpose, and freedom with peace.

SPEAKER_00:

I love that. So the next time you see a flyer like this at a career fair, don't roll your eyes, smile, because it's proof the industry is craving something and you have the answer. You have the systems, the mentorship, and the vision to give stylists, service providers the kind of freedom that actually lasts. And if you want a tool to teach, to really help teach this to your team, we want to gift you a digital copy of our book, Think and Get Rich as a Beauty Pro. It's the exact framework we use to help stylists shift their mindset from I want freedom to I want fulfillment. You know, so just text the word digital. That's D I G I T A L to 469 283 5590. And we'll send you a free copy you can use right away with your team. Because when your team thinks richer, your salon grows stronger. Thanks for tuning in.