We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Lisa Robertson a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Lisa, thanks for joining us today. Alright, so you had your idea and then what happened? Can you walk us through the story of how you went from just an idea to executing on the idea

I’ve been in the Hair Salon industry for a long time, and always found it challenging to find staff. At the end of 2023 I found myself frustrated with this situation. Traditional job platforms did not represent our industry, so I thought … I’ll create one! This started the brainstorming process. I came up with the name, Staff My Salon, easy and to the point, and the domain was available!

After coming up with the name and securing the domain, I began to research and plan out the features and functionality of Staff My Salon. I wanted it to be user-friendly for both salon owners and job seekers in the industry. I also wanted job seekers to have the choice to make their profile visible or private. I had the ideas, now it was time to make them a reality.

I reached out to my network of salon owners and industry professionals for feedback on the concept and potential features. Their input was invaluable in guiding the development of Staff My Salon. I also did market research to identify any existing competitors and determine what sets Staff My Salon apart.

Now the hard part! I worked with some really smart guys to get the site up and running. They spent countless hours writing code, designing the layout, and testing functionality. I wanted Staff My Salon to be visually appealing and easy to navigate for both salon owners and job seekers.

As of May 2024 Staff My Salon is live and ready make connections. I am now focused on marketing and spreading the word. I have received great feedback and am constantly improving and adding new features based on user suggestions

My ultimate goal is connecting salon owners with top talent and helping job seekers find their dream jobs. I believe that by streamlining the hiring process and providing a user-friendly platform, I can make a positive impact on the beauty industry.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I fell into the salon industry by chance in 2001, and fell in love. It was fast and fun and I was learning something new every day. I’ve led teams of up to 40 people, opened and managed salons, and learned the ins and outs of the industry.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

At the end of 2023, the salon I was working with closed it’s doors. I found myself unemployed for the first time in my life. What now? Do I go to another salon? Do I open my own salon? I was close to signing a lease on a new salon when the building owners decided to make the space a coffee shop. I was frustrated, I’d been working with the agent for months. But then I realized, maybe this was a sign. Maybe it was time for me to pursue my staffing idea.

This realization sparked the beginning of my journey towards building my own brand and business. With the help of online resources and networking with other supporting people in my life, I went for it.

I learned the importance of branding myself as an entrepreneur and establishing a strong online presence through social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook. These platforms allowed me to showcase my portfolio, connect with potential clients, and promote my services.

I’m still a work in progress, and always will be. But I am proud to say that my staffing agency, now called “Staff My Salon” is live and making connections.

But it’s not just about the success of my business; it’s also about the impact I am able to make on people’s lives. As a staffing platform, we match talented individuals with their dream jobs and help businesses thrive by finding them the perfect fit for their company culture.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

I’ve managed some of the top salons in Dallas for the last 20+ years. I was at a career event at one of the hair schools and ran into some one who worked with me in the past. He owns his own salon now and I was telling him how proud I was for him. He told me I was a great leader and an example for him to immulate. Lisa, he said. You are the reason so many people that worked with you are successful.

As I continued to chat with my former colleague, I couldn’t help but reflect on my journey in the salon industry. It’s been a long and challenging road, but one that has brought me immeasurable joy and fulfillment.

But it wasn’t just about managing numbers or making sure everything ran smoothly. For me, it was always about creating an environment where stylists could thrive and grow both professionally and personally. I made it my mission to not only lead by example. but to also inspire and motivate my team to reach their full potential.

And it seems that my efforts have paid off. Seeing my former colleague now as a successful salon owner, attributing his success to the leadership he experienced while working with me, was truly heartwarming. It reaffirmed that all those late nights spent brainstorming new ideas, investing in professional development courses for my team, and fostering a positive work culture were worth it.

Being a leader is not about being in charge; it’s about taking care of those in your charge. And I am grateful for the opportunity to have been a mentor and guide for so many talented individuals. It brings me great pride knowing that they are now leaders themselves, making their own impact in the industry.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.staffmysalon.com
• Instagram: @staffmysalon
• Facebook: StaffMySalon
• Linkedin: Staff My Salon