080 Business Building with Candy Shaw “AKA The Balay Lama”

What this episode covers

No matter where in the world you live, the last 12 months have been a challenging time to be in business, and the bigger your business, the bigger the overhead and the bigger the responsibility that goes with it.    But, it’s also at times like this, when people and business are stretched to the max, that the years of good business management practices, good financial management and leadership will get you through it.     My guest on today's Podcast is Candy Shaw who along with her family has built a great business that stretches from salon to school and product manufacturer.    Candy wears many hats in this industry, and she has inspired and continues to inspire hairdressers everywhere.    Her salon is ‘The Jamison Shaw salon’ in Atlanta Georgia which was started by her father Jamison Shaw and is now a third-generation business that has not just survived the last 60 years but continued to grow and evolve and pivot throughout the years.   In today’s podcast we discuss: Salon productivity levels Running a salon during covid  What it takes to start a product company  Balancing business and family life And lots more!   In This Episode: [02:35] Welcome to the show, Candy! [05:27] Candy shares working with her husband and how they balance life and business. [07:02] What do you do when you aren’t doing hair? [09:25] Candy discusses growing up in a hairstyling family and being around it all the time. [11:47] Candy is planning to revamp and amp up her salon’s apprenticeship program. [13:20] Why is the culture in Georgia different from other areas? [16:29] Candy shares what is different with their business model today versus last year. [18:50] Candy speaks about her staff members being paid during the shutdown and how the salon model has handled the pandemic. [21:06] Why did you go to France to train to be a hairdresser? [24:38] Candy talks about where she got her Balayage training. [26:15] Candy discusses her productivity and how she can do 36 clients a day. [29:12] Because she is now semi-retired, she only does 15 to 18 a day. [31:09] Candy says that her father was the godfather of the hair industry. [33:24] What is a good stylist in your salon doing as far as client count? [36:08] Candy shares where her nickname Balay Lama came from. [37:39] Candy speaks about how her family has handled COVID. [38:56] Candy talks about some things they did after reopening, what worked and what didn’t. [42:10] The Jamison Shaw Salon has gone cashless, which helped greatly during the pandemic. [44:34] Candy’s first client gave her a $1000 tip to share with her staff after she reopened. [45:55] Were you able to capitalize on retail during the shutdown? [49:51] Candy is also a manufacturer, so for them, they have had a leg up because they could ship products out daily. [51:27] Candy talks about why she manufactured her own products and what the catalyst was. [54:37] The production started in her garage, and she shipped it from her home. [57:12] Candy believes that organization is her biggest strength. [57:38] What drives you? [59:46] Candy shares what she wishes she was better at. [1:01:40] Candy gives some advice to young women who want it all, business owners, mother, and wife. [1:03:56] Candy shares some final thoughts. [1:04:54] Thank you for being on the show!   Links and Resources Grow My Salon Business    Candy Shaw The Jamison Shaw Salon Sunlight Balayage YouTube | Instagram