Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Leanne Stephens. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Leanne, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Would you say you are more focused on growing revenue or cutting costs? We’d love to hear how you think about these two critical drivers

Honestly, when it comes to growing revenue or cutting costs, it’s a delicate balance of both. Growing revenue means you’re building a solid client base with plenty of referrals and satisfied customers. All of those are extremely important to sustain a successful business. As a salon, we wouldn’t be anywhere without happy stylists and happy clients.
Cutting costs can be beneficial when reevaluating how your business runs. You never want to cut costs and affect the quality of the product or hinder the outcome. That would compromise the overall experience for both stylists and clients and impact the business negatively. It is good to monitor utility and software costs and shop around for more cost-effective solutions. Cutting costs in the right way can help reallocate finances to support your team and your business for future growth. Monitoring product usage has a game changer. Especially when it comes to our color services. Making sure the correct amount of product is being used and paid for has helped bridge a gap with cutting costs and growing revenue.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My name is Leanne. I have been in the beauty industry for 13+ years. The beauty industry was never an avenue I wanted to go into. I actually started going into the auto body world to do bodywork and custom painting on vehicles. After some time in that field, I decided it wasn’t for me long term and decided to find something artistic that would allow me to build relationships and would be something to keep in my back pocket. I stumbled upon an ad for a cosmetology school and thought I’d give it a shot. It fit all the criteria, and it turned out I was a natural.
My mission as a salon owner and leader is to provide a space for people to feel seen and heard on a deeper level. That includes both stylists and clients alike. I believe everyone was created for a unique purpose and given gifts that only they can give the world. It was important to me to facilitate a space for stylists to thrive in what makes them happy and to feel satisfied in their work. As well as a space for people to get pampered and receive services customized to their lifestyle.
I am most proud of the salon culture I have built. Jade Fox’s core values are respect, growth, time, family, and gratitude. Mutual respect is huge. Between stylists as well as stylists and clients. The team I have also believes that everyone has their own strengths and gifts to contribute to the world. We are all dedicated to helping each other grow in every aspect of life. There is always something to learn with every opportunity we are given. Time is a resource that is nonrenewable. This is why we strive for a work-life harmony for our staff. Family is important both personally and professionally. We take time during holidays to spend more time with those closest to us, and we build community within the salon to support each other. And what is life if we don’t live in gratitude for the things we have? Jade Fox wouldn’t be where it is now without loyal clients who love our Jade Fox team and the services we provide. Taking the time to reflect on past experiences to gain the wisdom given is highly encouraged to support our core value of growth.
I’m a strong believer that we need people and we need community to make it through anything life throws at us. I’ve worked hard to cultivate an encouraging, learning, and supportive environment for my stylists. Through that, their happiness pours out onto their clients.

Has your business ever had a near-death moment? Would you mind sharing the story?

Throughout my journey with Jade Fox, I have encountered many times where my faith was put to the test, and I wasn’t sure how I was going to or if I would be able to make payroll or pay rent. I thank God every day for his faithfulness and grace through everything. The most recent encounter I had with this was at the beginning of December 2024. It was a rent week and payroll week. Which, if anyone doesn’t know, means it is a really big bill week. Every year, I run an online gift card special for Black Friday and Cyber Monday. It usually does really well. This year, with the economy being difficult, sales weren’t hitting like they had the previous years. Looking at bills for over the weekend for the upcoming week, along with appointments that were prebooked, it appeared there was no way I was going to be able to swing it. I prayed. It’s literally all I could do. On Tuesday, December 3rd, my birthday, I woke up to gift card sales that came through the night before that totaled the amount of money I was short to make payroll and rent. It was the best birthday present I could have asked for. There is no way I could have made it this far in my journey as an entrepreneur without the grace of God.

Any advice for managing a team?

It’s important to provide structure and clear expectations from the beginning. It’s hard for people to do their jobs to the standards you are expecting if they don’t know what those standards are. I have found it extremely beneficial to have monthly meetings with the team, both as a team and one-on-one. The team meeting will usually cover any housekeeping items and things that affect the team as a whole, as well as set big goals as a team to propel us forward. The one-on-one meetings help check in with each team member to ensure they know where we are headed as a team, as well as set individualized goals for them to achieve. When we’re goal setting, I always include my staff and encourage them to help set their own goals. If they have a say in what they’re doing, they have more buy-in and are more likely to achieve their goals. The goals we set are to help me support them in the things they want to do in life. Do they want a pay raise? Awesome. I’ll help them set actionable steps at the salon to help them get there. We also set some personal goals for me to help support them outside of work. What happens outside of work affects the work life and vice versa. As an example, I have a stylist who is trying to live a healthier lifestyle, so during our one-on-one, we will talk about how that is going, and I ask her how I can help support her through her journey whether its helping set an actual goal to track or just being a check-in point throughout the week to help hold herself accountable.
I have found that empowering your team to take control of their career path is the best way to cultivate and maintain high morale. No one likes other people making decisions for their life. And whether we like it or not, most of our lives are spent working in one way or another. Why not work somewhere you feel empowered and supported to thrive in a way that suits you?

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.jadefoxbeauty.com
• Instagram: @jade_fox_beauty
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jadefoxsouth
• Twitter: @JadeFoxBeauty
• Yelp: Jade Fox South