7 Ways Commission Salon Owners Can Make 2025 Their Comeback Year

Nina Tulio

The salon industry has shifted dramatically over the last few years, and if 2024 left you feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or uncertain, you are not alone. The good news? 2025 can be your comeback year—the year you rebuild stronger, lead with confidence, and create a thriving, profitable salon.

So why is this a comeback year? Because there is a shift in stylists moving back into the commission salon. Why?

1. Job Security & Stability – In uncertain times, stylists are drawn to commission salons for consistent income, stability, and reduced financial risk.

2. Stronger Team Culture & Growth – The commission salon structure emphasizes mentorship, education, and career development, which is appealing to stylists seeking COMMUNITY and growth.

Let’s dive into the 7 key areas shall we!

1. Leadership: Lead with Clarity & Confidence

Strong leadership is the foundation of a successful commission salon. If you want to attract and retain top stylists, you must be the kind of leader that people want to work for.

• Take ownership—Great leaders don’t blame external circumstances; they adapt and strategize.

• Be transparent—Clearly communicate expectations, opportunities, and financials with your team.

• Empower your stylists—Support their growth with education, mentorship, and a clear career path.

• Be the example—Show up with professionalism, passion, and a willingness to evolve.

• Lead With Empathy- Listen, support, and guid your team with compassion and clarity.

  Example: Instead of saying, "You need to do better at rebooking clients," try, "I know rebooking can feel uncomfortable at times. Let’s walk through some simple scripts together to help make it feel more natural and effective for you."

Leadership Action Step for 2025: Identify one area in your leadership style that needs improvement and commit to working on it consistently.

** Enjoy my 8 step leadership framework in my SYNERGY course.

2. Culture: Build a Salon That Stylists WANT to Be Part Of

Salon culture is everything. A strong, positive culture keeps your team motivated, attracts top talent, and reduces turnover. If your salon has struggled with stylist retention, it's time to take a hard look at your culture.

• Do your stylists feel valued and supported?

• Is your team engaged and excited to come to work?

• Have you created a safe, inclusive environment with open communication where they can be themselves?

  **According to a report by Harvard Business Review. 71% of respondents rank employee engagement as very important to achieving overall organizational success

Culture Action Step for 2025: Define your core values, mission and standard and ensure they are reflected in how you lead and operate daily.

3. Brand: Stand Out in a Crowded Market

Your salon isn’t just a business—it’s a brand experience. What makes you different? What do you stand for? Why should clients and stylists choose you over competitors?

To elevate your brand in 2025, focus on:
- Brand Identity: Define your salon’s mission, vision, messaging, personality, and aesthetic.
- Client Experience: Ensure every touchpoint—booking, consultations, services—feels cohesive and high-end. ** create a personalized client experience
- Social Presence: Share behind-the-scenes, team highlights, and client transformations to reinforce your brand voice.

- Your Website = Your First Impression

Stylists looking for a new salon home are checking your website first. If they don’t vibe with what they see, they’re moving on.

Does your site reflect your culture, values, and opportunities? If not, you could be losing top talent before they even apply!

Brand Action Step: Refresh your online presence—update your website, social media bios, and salon messaging to reflect your 2025 vision.

4. Mindset: Shift from Surviving to Standing Strong

Your mindset is one of the biggest predictors of success. If you’ve been operating from fear, burnout, or scarcity, it’s time to shift into a growth-oriented, confident mindset.

Mindset Shifts for 2025:
- Stop operating from fear of losing clients or stylists—instead, focus on attracting the right people. Focus on what you’re gaining not what you’re “losing”
- Let go of old-school leadership tactics that no longer serve today’s stylists.
- Embrace business education—be willing to learn, adapt, and refine your strategy.
- Be open to change and embrace feedback

Mindset Action Step: Start your day with a GROWTH mindset practice—whether it’s goal-setting, affirmations, or journaling about what success looks like for you.

5. Pricing & Profit: Make More Without Overworking

If you’re still guessing your prices or charging based on “what feels right,” you are losing money. In 2025, pricing needs to be fact-based, strategic, and built for profit.

• Do you know your break-even number?

• Are you charging based on product costs, profit, over all business expenses and —not emotion

• Have you raised your prices to reflect inflation, product costs, and industry shifts? Have you simplified your menu to adapt to industry shifts?

• Do you know your price per minute and price per hour?

• Do you know your target profit?

Pricing Action Step: Check out my SYNERGY course dedicated to help you calculate price-per-minute/hour and budget accordingly to ensure profitability and eliminate undercharging. Calculators included.

6. Passion & Purpose: Reignite Your Love for the Industry

If you’ve been feeling drained, uninspired, or unmotivated, it’s time to reconnect with your WHY.

• What made you fall in love with this industry in the first place?

• How do you want your legacy as a salon owner to look?

• What can you delegate or simplify to bring more joy into your daily work?

Passion Action Step: Make time for one thing that fuels your creativity—whether it’s attending an industry event, taking an advanced class, or collaborating with other salon owners.

7. Systems & Processes: Run Your Business Like a BOSS.

If your business feels disorganized or stressful, it’s likely because you don’t have clear systems in place. Systems create consistency, efficiency, and freedom—allowing your salon to function even when you’re not there.

Must-Have Systems for 2025:
- Booking & Client Management System—Reduce no-shows and streamline scheduling by making your cancellation & no-show policy crystal clear!
I suggest Phorest Salon Software.
-Create a digital intake form with your policies clearly stated.
-Require clients to sign off and agree to your policies before booking online.
-Set expectations upfront to protect your time & business!
- Stylist Growth Plan—Clearly define career paths and performance expectations.
- Salon SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures)—Ensure every service, consultation, and team process runs smoothly.
- Marketing Plan—Consistently attract and retain clients without scrambling last-minute with a thought out, branded marketing strategy.

Systems Action Step: Identify one area where you need a better system (e.g., rebooking, inventory, stylist training) and implement a clear process to fix it.

2025: The Year You Take Back Control

Your comeback year won’t happen by chance—it happens by choice. By focusing on these 7 areas, you’ll set yourself up for long-term success.

Now it’s time to take action. Pick ONE of these areas to focus on first and start implementing real changes today. Your future self—and your salon—will thank you!

Looking to price your service with confidence? Check out Make That Money course for suite owners/renters. And in my Synergy course for commission owners.

Psst! MORE Free resources are a click away!

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