Futureproof your beauty business | The Pro Beauty Pod S2 Ep4
Listen to Futureproof Your Beauty Business: Strategies for Growth and Success – The Pro Beauty Pod (Season 2, Episode 4)
How can salon owners futureproof their beauty businesses in 2025 and beyond? In the latest episode of The Pro Beauty Pod, supported by AlmumierMD and recorded live at the Professional Beauty Show, two award-winning salon owners share practical strategies for building profitable, resilient and client-focused beauty businesses.
The conversation brings together Jolene Rees, owner of Innovations Advanced Skincare and Beauty in County Durham, and Kelly Shaw, owner of K Spa in Hampshire and a respected business coach for salon owners.
Together, they offer hard-earned insights on everything from pricing and profitability to marketing, recruitment, technology and client retention.
Rising costs and recruitment pressures in the beauty industry
Both Rees and Shaw agree that one of the biggest challenges for salon owners in 2025 is the impact of rising costs. Rees highlights the growing strain of increases in minimum wage, tax and national insurance, all of which cut into margins unless business owners respond proactively.
Her advice is to review treatment pricing regularly and implement price increases with confidence to maintain healthy profit margins.
Recruitment and retention also remain pressing issues across the beauty industry. Rees points out that younger therapists increasingly expect part-time hours with full-time benefits, meaning salon owners must work harder to stand out as employers.
At her business, she invests in free monthly treatments, incentive schemes and clear career progression to attract and retain staff. Shaw adds that workplace culture is just as important as pay, saying that today’s therapists are looking for a sense of belonging and purpose. “If you look after your team, they’ll look after your clients – and that makes your bank balance happy,” she explains.
How AI and technology are changing beauty businesses
Technology is rapidly shaping the way salons operate. Rees is already using AI tools to generate newsletters and manage social media, while Shaw sees opportunities for automation to streamline client booking, consultations and even virtual reception services. For solo operators in particular, these tools can free up hours of valuable time.
Rees also stresses the importance of salon management software, noting that accurate data can highlight rebooking trends, identify gaps in service uptake and guide smarter business decisions. “Your data is everything,” she says. “Use it strategically to futureproof your business.”
Salon pricing strategies and profitability
The discussion also tackles one of the most sensitive topics for salon owners: pricing. Rees advises never to apologise for raising prices, drawing comparisons with supermarkets that increase costs without explanation.
Shaw recalls how reviewing her finances after Covid revealed that her pricing structure meant she was “paying clients to have treatments”.
Since then, she has prioritised profitability by introducing clever service add-ons, such as offering LED facials during massages or sheet masks during waxing.
Both panellists emphasise that profitability sometimes requires difficult decisions, such as discontinuing treatments that fail to deliver a return.
Shaw describes how she removed nail services from her menu to make room for more lucrative skin treatments – a decision that initially upset some clients but ultimately strengthened the business.
Marketing that delivers results for salons
When it comes to salon marketing strategies, both owners stress that small, cost-effective tools can have a big impact.
Rees has seen strong results from adding a WhatsApp button to her website, generating weekly new enquiries and providing an easy way to fill cancellations quickly.
Shaw highlights the power of Google reviews, which she credits with bringing in a steady flow of new clients. She also notes that even negative reviews can be turned to a salon’s advantage through thoughtful, professional responses.
Building client loyalty and recurring revenue
Client loyalty is a recurring theme throughout the conversation. Rees focuses on delivering exceptional treatments, customer service and aftercare as the foundation of repeat bookings and word-of-mouth referrals.
Shaw, meanwhile, has built recurring revenue through membership schemes, which not only guarantee consistent income but also strengthen client commitment. “On the 5th of each month, when my direct debits come in, my wage bill and rent are covered,” she says.
Lessons every beauty business owner can learn
Asked what they would do differently if starting again, Rees explains that she would put robust systems in place from the beginning, including policies, procedures and onboarding processes to prevent problems later down the line. S
haw’s biggest lesson is around pricing: she urges beauty professionals not to base their rates on local competitors but to calculate costs properly and build profit into every treatment.
Why listen?
Season 2, Episode 4 of The Pro Beauty Pod is packed with actionable advice for salon owners who want to run a sustainable, profitable beauty business.
Covering recruitment, retention, pricing strategies, the role of AI and technology, client loyalty and practical marketing ideas, it offers guidance on how to prepare for the challenges of 2025 and beyond.
As Shaw summarises: “Futureproofing isn’t about predicting the future – it’s about preparing for it.”
