Day in the life
A Day in the Life of a Salon Manager
What salon managers actually do from the start of a shift to the end: the tasks, tools, schedule and realities of the job.
What is a typical day like for a salon manager?
Review bookings and staffing for the day. From there, the day usually includes hire, train and schedule staff, manage client experience and complaints, and track sales and retail goals. Managers often work evenings and weekends when salons are busiest.
Hour by hour: a typical shift
No two days are identical, but this timeline reflects a realistic day for a salon manager working full time.
- Review bookings and staffing for the day.
- Lead a quick team huddle on goals.
- Train the front desk on the booking system.
- Handle a client complaint about a color service.
- Order retail products.
- Coach a stylist on rebooking.
- Review daily sales and plan a promotion.
Where salon managers work
Managers work in salons and spas, moving between the front desk, stations and office.
Hours and schedule
Managers often work evenings and weekends when salons are busiest.
Tasks you’ll do most often
- Hire, train and schedule staff
- Manage client experience and complaints
- Track sales and retail goals
- Order products and manage inventory
- Run promotions and marketing
- Maintain sanitation and licensing compliance
- Coach staff on rebooking and retail
Tools you’ll use every day
- Salon management software
- POS systems
- Inventory tools
- Social media
- Scheduling apps
- Spreadsheets
The best and hardest parts of the job
What people like
- Leadership in the beauty industry
- Mix of creativity and business
- Path to ownership
- Team environment
What’s hard
- Staff turnover
- Weekend work
- Sales pressure
- Client complaints
You’ll likely thrive if…
- I love the beauty industry
- I like leading teams
- I’m comfortable with sales goals
- I enjoy solving client problems
- I can work weekends
- I might own a salon
Not sure? Take the free Salon Manager fit quiz or the Career Match Quiz.
Staying safe on the job
- Enforce sanitation and chemical safety
- Maintain ventilation
- Keep licenses current
- Prevent slips around wash stations