As a salon and spa owner, I know that great results start with a motivated and inspired team. In today’s world, keeping a team engaged is more challenging than ever, but I’ve learned that when we cultivate a culture of fun, transparency, vulnerability, and open communication, anything is possible. At Soleil Salon & Spa, we’ve endured four years of back-to-back challenges. Yet, through creativity and strategic use of technology—particularly Phorest Salon Software—we have built a team that thrives on growth, even in the most difficult of circumstances.
The Power of Transparency and Trust
When the pandemic hit in 2020, our industry was shaken to its core. I reopened my salon with just eight staff members after the pandemic, down from 22. After two years of rebuilding my salon, a devastating flood in February 2023 damaged 80% of Soleil—the walls, floors, office, and equipment were destroyed. Just three months earlier, my home had flooded, too. It was exhausting.
Instead of hiding these challenges, I chose transparency. Speaking from the heart, I acknowledge that we needed help. I motivated my team by being transparent about our situation, speaking from the heart, and acknowledging that I needed their help.
They trusted me, and with their help, we created policies, challenges, rewards, and goals which encouraged growth, success, and teamwork even in the darkest of times. Despite our financial challenges, I made sure to reward their wins. Now, my team takes pride in Soleil, knowing where we were and where we are now.
Setting Up My Team for Success
By utilizing Phorest Insights Dashboard in Reports for the owner to stay on track and Staff Goals for the team, we break down yearly goals into 13-week sprints, where goals at the end of the 13 weeks are broken down week-by-week into smaller, more manageable tasks.
This repetition, combined with coaching and encouragement, helps our team stay connected to their goals while also delivering an exceptional guest experience. And now, with the evolution of the Unicorn Challenge, which I’ll explain later, tracking these goals has become more engaging and rewarding than ever.
How Do I Motivate My Team?
First and foremost, I see my team as my first guests—their experience at Soleil matters just as much as our clients’ experience does. Creating this positive experience means:
- Regular one-to-one meetings to understand their aspirations and challenges
- Vision boards using the QLife Map to visualize goals across five key areas (Financial, Physical, Professional, Relational, and Spiritual)
- Eight strategic summits yearly to celebrate wins and realign our focus
- Recognition through birthday celebrations, anniversary gifts, and public acknowledgement of achievements
- Investment in education–in-house, external, and online training opportunities
- Implementation of Qnity’s weekly growth tracker to help staff visualize their progress and stay accountable
For new team members, we introduce the “ME vs. ME” concept–focusing on beating their own numbers from the previous week rather than competing with others. This builds confidence and creates a supportive culture where everyone celebrates personal growth.
Using PhorestGo, we track weekly goals across four key metrics:
- Service Sales
- Retail Sales
- Client Count
- Average Ticket
These intentional actions create an environment where my team knows they’re valued and supported — transforming everyday work into something meaningful.
Maintaining a Healthy Work Environment With Agreements & Policies
Beyond technical skills, we emphasize technology, financial literacy, advanced education, mental health, and nutrition—ensuring holistic growth and development. To maintain a healthy work environment, we uphold a No Drama, Boundaries Agreement, and Be… Policy, which fosters clarity and shared purpose.
Our No Drama Agreement ensures Soleil remains a “Drama Free Zone” where guests feel the high-quality, serene experience they expect. Key principles include:
- Don’t get involved in gossip—walk away from any drama.
- Use “I” statements instead of “You” to avoid accusatory language.
- Support your colleagues without getting involved in personal matters.
- Maintain professional boundaries with guests, avoiding personal topics.
- Provide feedback respectfully and ask for permission when appropriate.
- Report persistent gossip to management for resolution.
Our Boundaries Agreement establishes clear expectations and non-negotiables that focus on cultivating a respectful, healthy, and thriving work environment:
- Respect for Time: Arrive on time for shifts, meetings, and appointments.
- Professional Communication: Communicate openly, honestly, and respectfully with teammates, management, and guests.
- Work-Life Balance: Stick to scheduled hours and avoid using personal time for work unless approved.
- Ownership of Responsibilities: Own your tasks, but be supportive of others when needed.
- Commitment to Growth: Participate in training and development opportunities.
- Client Interactions: Provide top-tier service and address guest concerns professionally.
- Salon Space Etiquette: Keep work areas clean and organized.
- Positive Environment: Avoid negativity—Soleil is not the place for complaints or gossip.
- Conflict Resolution: Address issues directly with management for constructive solutions.
Be… Principles guide daily behavior with values like:
- Be Present: Engage fully and contribute.
- Be Kind: Treat others with empathy and respect.
- Be Professional: Keep a polished, solution-oriented attitude.
- Be Creative: Embrace innovation and your unique talents.
- Be Accountable: Take responsibility for your actions.
- Be Supportive: Celebrate your teammates’ successes.
- Be Adaptable: Embrace change with an open mind.
- Be Grateful: Appreciate the opportunity to serve and grow.
- Be Inspired: Seek inspiration from colleagues, work, and craft.
- Be Exceptional: Exceed expectations in everything you do.
- Be Fierce: Approach challenges with courage, confidence, and determination.
These frameworks create clarity and consistency, allowing our team to focus on growth.
The Unicorn Challenge: A Game Changer
In 2023, we launched the Unicorn Challenge, a gamified, goal-setting initiative powered by Phorest Salon Software’s Staff Goals feature that transformed our workflow.
The concept: Each team member sets targets for service sales, retail sales, clients count, and average ticket. When they exceed their goals, they earn a unicorn icon in the PhorestGo app. What started as a simple visualization tool became a powerful motivator–team members became obsessed with earning their unicorns!
How obsessed? When I accidentally adjusted a retail sale that caused a staff member to lose her unicorns, she texted me that night: “I don’t care about my commission, I want my DAMN UNICORN!” That’s when I knew they were truly invested in the challenge.
The results speak for themselves. Instead of finishing the year at a projected -60% deficiency, we closed at just -14%. By 2024, the Unicorn Challenge evolved with Unicorn Bingo and new icons like the Robot (400+ growth), Ninjas (200-400%), and Golden Unicorn (150-199%).
Looking back, the Unicorn Challenge was a turning point, encouraging growth, success, and teamwork even in the darkest of times. Despite our financial challenges, I made sure to reward their wins. Now, they take pride in Soleil, knowing where we were and where we are now.
Creating a Culture of Connection
Having a positive company culture is another important part of making sure the team is growing in every way. Every Saturday, our huddles serve as a moment to #ACCE—Appreciate, Challenge, Care, and Encourage—our team. We stay connected through Slack, Facebook Messenger, and face-to-face check-ins to ensure we always “take the temperature” of our team culture.
At the end of each week, I review performance, send screenshots, celebrate wins, and on Mondays, I text projections along with personalized suggestions for improvement. The team loves seeing these numbers and projections. We have a chart where they write guest names and service opportunities, along with Mini Menus and upgrade pads to support add-ons.
If they miss their goals, we focus on the gain, not the gap. Inspired by the book The Gap and The Gain, I remind them not to dwell on what they didn’t achieve, but to celebrate any growth—even if it’s just $1 more than the previous week. That perspective keeps everyone motivated and positive.
For persistent challenges, we explore solutions together through more education, coaching, or training days. And when a little extra motivation is needed, I enlist peer support to create a culture where everyone lifts each other up.
A Thriving, Drama-Free Culture
At Soleil Salon & Spa, we are more than a team—we are a family of professionals who support, challenge, and celebrate each other. We’ve been through the most difficult challenges, and celebrated the biggest successes together. By leading with passion, vulnerability, and vision, we’ve created a thriving, drama-free environment where everyone wins. Layering fun, recognition, and goal-setting helps us build something special—one magical unicorn at a time.
