BIZ TALK

Salon Management Conference – Roundtable made its debut at the Professional Beauty India Kolkata 2025 Show, bringing to limelight the thought leadership from Eastern India’s thriving salon industry.

Over the years, Salon Management Conference (SMC) has emerged as one of the most important platforms for business and management lessons that are specifically designed for the salon industry. Having benefitted thousands of business owners in Mumbai and Delhi, Professional Beauty India introduced SMC to the eastern front for the first time at the PBI Kolkata show on 22nd April 2025. SMC Roundtable brought together an impressive line-up of key opinion leaders from Kolkata for a series of intellectually stimulating management sessions, moderated by Kanishka Ramchandani, Editor, Professional Beauty Hairdressers Journal. Read on to know the important takeaways of each session:

PANEL 1: STAFFING CHALLENGES: HIRING, RETAINING AND TRAINING

SPEAKERS

1. Priscilla Corner, Creative Director, June Tomkyns Salon 2. Sareena Acharya, Academy Head, ProEdge Academy by CavinKare

3. Retina Saha, Executive Director, Maroon International Salon

• Staff retention is a strategic priority: Retaining staff is crucial as they build strong client bonds; losing them often leads to losing clients too.

• Win-win culture is essential: A balanced, respectful, and growth-oriented relationship between salon owners and employees ensures mutual success.

• Mentorship and shadowing works: Pairing senior staff with juniors helps foster learning, boosts morale and increases retention.

• Create a family-like environment: Building personal relationships with employees encourages loyalty and emotional investment in the salon’s success.

• Focus on attitude over perfection: Willingness to learn and a positive attitude are more important than perfect skills during recruitment.

• Transparent performance metrics: Monthly performance scoring systems help justify compensation decisions and curb unjustified salary demands.

• Leave the door open: Staff may leave, but open-door policies often bring them back with renewed commitment and prior training intact.

• Realistic recruitment goals: Understanding each candidate’s long-term aspirations helps in assigning the right roles and managing expectations.

• Continuous education is key: Ongoing training builds confidence, reduces attrition and boosts the team’s overall skill level.

• Avoid salary blackmail: Structured appraisals and performance-linked incentives prevent emotional and financial manipulation by high-performing staff.

PANEL 2: PROFITABILITY IN A COMPETITIVE MARKET

SPEAKERS

1. Yesh Killa, Education Director and Managing Director,

Head Turners Salon and Academy 2. Vedant Bhotika, Vice President, Scissors & Co Salon

• Profit = cash flow + client satisfaction: Steady cash inflow is essential, but long-term profitability is driven by high client satisfaction.

• Stay EBITDA positive: In case of a salon chain, each branch must be treated as a separate P&L unit and must remain EBITDA positive to ensure overall profitability.

• Word-of-mouth: Real-world conversations and organic referrals are strong indicators of client satisfaction.

• Customer retention and tracking: Metrics such as visit frequency (monthly, quarterly, yearly) and feedback through follow-up calls are used to monitor satisfaction.

• Client feedback: Proactive outreach—calling both visiting and non-returning clients—helps sustain relationships.

• Personalised service: Boutique or artist-led salons often build deeper client relationships, which leads to higher loyalty and retention.

• Brand = artist’s identity: The salon’s reputation is intertwined with the owner’s name, enhancing trust and loyalty.

• Uniform pricing: It helps to maintains consistent pricing within a metro in a chain salon but adapts rates in other cities to match local market conditions.

• Boutique salons: Set menu prices slightly above average; offer seasonal or selective discounts; and offer yearly packages for low-cost, high-frequency services like haircuts.

• Location matters: Owning property is ideal but rare—rental is a significant cost. Ground-floor locations are more visible and preferred by walk-ins. Spending more on rent in the right location can reduce marketing costs.

• Staff salaries: Salaries are volatile and a major cost factor. Internal benchmarks track individual stylist performance. Regular sales reports help evaluate and guide underperforming staff. Additional training and senior consultations can be used to improve output.

• Business analysis: Evaluate issues like low footfall or staff problems case-by-case. Successful strategies can include internal staff transfers and outdoor marketing.

• Social media tips: Use social media ads with WhatsApp integration to generate leads. New Meta features allow collecting client contact numbers. Re-target unconverted leads for follow-up.

PANEL 3: MARKETING ON A BUDGET

SPEAKERS

1. Arpita Ganguly, Owner, Arpitaz Hair and Beauty Family

Salon 2. Dr Ekta Bagaria, Founder and Brand Head, Ekta

Beaute Spa and Academy 3. Sidney Ho, Founder, Mirror n Comb Salon 4. Abhinav Saraf, Founder, Ponyup Salon

• Word-of-mouth remains powerful: All panellists emphasised that satisfied clients who recommend services are the strongest form of marketing.

• Client satisfaction is central: Personal connection, genuine care and customisation of services drive client loyalty and referrals.

• Social media is essential: Platforms like Instagram act as the new ‘word-of-mouth.’ Reels, testimonials and prompt DM replies boost visibility and engagement.

• Customised experiences matter: Every client is unique, and addressing the root cause of their concern with personalised treatments builds trust and retention.

• Human touch over interiors: Clients value being heard and understood more than the ambience or setup of the salon.

• Reels outperform posts: Short, relatable video content has higher reach than traditional image posts.

• Internal teams can handle marketing: Many salons use their own staff to manage social media creatively, without outsourcing.

• Brand personality is key: Importance of having a distinct face and voice for the salon brand on digital platforms.

• Consistency is crucial: Continued presence and client engagement—online and offline—are core to budget-friendly marketing success.

PANEL 4: NEW SERVICE TRENDS AND INNOVATIONS

1. Beverley Pereira, Owner, La Maison Salon by Beverley

2. Sumit Debnath, Owner, Kaixo Academy and Professional Salon

3. Mohammad Shakir Sattar, Partner and Senior Stylist, Cerise Hair and Skin

• Shift in consumer demand: Clients are moving beyond basic services like haircuts and facials to demand scalp treatments, sustainable beauty solutions and customised care.

• Rise of conscious beauty: There’s growing preference for cruelty-free, chemical-free and plant-based products. Clients are more aware and choose eco-conscious options.

• Boom in artificial enhancements: Nail extensions, eyelash extensions, hair extensions and micro-blading are popular and seen as lucrative business opportunities for salons.

• Technology integration: AI and virtual reality tools are increasingly being used to assess skin, scalp and suggest personalised services. Already common in Korea and parts of India.

• AI in hair colour and care: AI can assist in determining suitable hairstyles, colour mixes and scalp/hair health, saving time and improving service accuracy.

• Time-saving texture services: Innovations like faster Botox and nanoplastia treatments are in demand, helping salons serve more clients in less time.

• Importance of human touch: Despite tech advancements, the panel agreed that personal interaction and expert judgment remain irreplaceable.

• Sustainability challenges: While homemade, sustainable products are gaining popularity, true sustainability must include packaging and supply chain awareness.

• Salon-led green initiatives: Innovative ideas like rewarding tree planting were shared, but panellists agreed that India still has a long way to go in creating fully sustainable salons. .