Should you partner with another salon?

Should you join forces with another business? Two experts weigh in

YES

Partnering with a salon group was the lifeline my business and personal life needed. After running my salon successfully for 20 years, I needed to balance family time with the business.

Colin Mcandrew, managing director of Medusa and I have always had a great relationship and when he suggested like a weight had been lifted. It allowed me to keep my salon but to also be part of something bigger. I felt motivated about the future and this had a positive knock-on effect with my team, the salon and life outside of my business.

“It felt like a that I incorporate my salon into the weight had been Medusa brand it felt lifted”

We joined forces a month before the pandemic struck. If we hadn’t partnered then, my lockdown experience would have been very different. Without the support of Colin and the brand, I don’t think I would have had the energy to make it through the pandemic. Today my team are safe, the salon has been refurbished and I feel rejuvenated. I run my salon but also have time to spend with loved ones and I feel inspired again.

To anyone feeling overwhelmed by their business, I would advise them to consider partnering with a salon that they respect. For some it might feel like a step back but for me it was the opposite. Being honest with yourself that you want more than just a successful business is something that should be celebrated.

By partnering with a brand that shares the same values means you can achieve both.

CRAIG PARVIN, SALON PARTNER MEDUSA

NO

Having worked in a salon partnership previously (I now own my own salon), I have to say that working independently suits me much better. This model delivers on what I want to achieve as a hairdresser and business owner.

“Too many cooks spoil the broth!”

Not only do I have freedom of choice to make decisions for my business, I’m able to make decisions quickly and adapt effectively when needed, without having to run it by anyone else. I can make up my own mind on things that I think will be good for the business and this gives you a great sense of control overall.

In a partnership there is strength in numbers, but I feel that I’m able to cherry pick the very best people to work with, who share my vision and support my business fully. I get to work with people who I genuinely get on with both professionally and personally and again this autonomy over my business is incredibly reassuring. Sometimes too many cooks can spoil the broth!

It can be daunting going it alone, but with high risk also comes high reward. All profits come directly to me, and I can make decisions on how those profits are fed back into the business. I also find I have a much greater sense of personal achievement and I feel incredibly proud of the business I have built. I have my name above the door and everything my salon has achieved is because of the decisions I’ve made and that is extremely gratifying.

TIM SCOTT-WRIGHT, TIM SCOTT-WRIGHT @ THE HAIR SURGERY