Meet Terry Folawn. Terry is a self-driven salon success story. In just 15 years Terry has created a $2.4M salon business with over 8,000 clients. She is always keeping up with the newest trends and she lives by the motto: "You have to be willing to risk it all to gain it all."

Name: Terry Folawn
Salon: The Day Spa at Folawns
Phone: 210.844.5099
Address of Salon:
14353 Blanco Rd
San Antonio, TX 78216
210.408.0101
Annual Revenue:$2.4M

How many years in business: 15
Your Staff: 43
Split Shifts
2 people per station
8 stations/hair
4 pedicure stations
4 nail stations
3 massage rooms
3 facial rooms
1 hyrdotherapy/vichy room

What made you go into the salon industry?
I was a hairdresser by trade. I wanted the salon run the way I want it run.
I wanted structure, and everyone could get along and we could all be friends.

Describe your work ethic and what it took to move up to where you are now?
You have to be willing to risk it all to gain it all. I am always looking at the next challenge. This industry is not only my job, but my hobby and my life. I love to know the industry news and keep up on it.

What is your mission statement?
‘Where your image is our image.’
When our clients leave us they reflect who we are.

What was the biggest challenge you faced and how did you overcome it?
Professionalism-Our industry is very young. We train our staff to give five-star service to provide the rich client experience. Employees need to work on their self confidence to be able to provide great service.

What is your client retention strategy?
We currently have a clientele base of 8,000. At first, we spent a lot of money on advertising. Now we focus more on the clients that we have, offering above and beyond services. We make appointment confirmation calls, calling the client two days prior to their appointment. We offer last minute appointments and discounts for coming in Mon, Tuesday and Wednesday. We communicate weekly with our clients via email. We mail out thank you cards. And we run promotions every 30 days for staff and customers.

How do you keep up employee morale?
Everything is day by day, morale is kept up with education and constant conversation, being straight forward and keeping my staff busy. Education is always ongoing, my technicians long for education. They ask for challenges and more to learn, and ways to improve themselves. I need to keep them busy with customers and education.

What is your secret to retailing more successfully?
Retailing is HUGE to our business, HUGE, HUGE, HUGE!
We learned the importance of retailing through Milady’s Business Fundamentals for Salon and Spa Professionals- We use the Needs Assessment program. We equate the products to the solution. We explain what products we use during their visit. We practice the ‘basket system’ in which we bring all of the products used up front, and explain that these are the products that we used on the client that day.

25% of our sales are derived from retail!

If a client purchases 1 product, you have a 30% chance they will return to you
If a client purchases 2 products, you have a 60% chance they will return to you.
If a client purchases 3 products, you have a 90% chance they will return to you.

What plans do you currently have in place to make your business even better?
It is really marketing focused. We are completely booked in our split shifts. Open 6 days a week 8:30-8pm. Every hour on the hour my salon is full.
8-3 and 3-8.

We are also working fine tuning our VIP programs. Honorary board members, pays $2000 and gets $2200 dollars worth of service. They are on our website, and they receive a full size product. They also receive special robes during their visit...we make their visits simple -
no check in and check out.

Are you involved in the community, if so…how?
This is our 5th annual Princess and Me Celebration. 100% of the donations go to St. Peters and St. Josephs children’s home. It is held at a hotel. We have over 400 volunteers to put on this event. It is an event where little girls come in with their princess costumes. Vendors are there selling books and jewelry, and they donate 100% of their profits to the home.
The Ball room is designed like a castle. All the girls get hair and makeup done and they enjoy cake and punch. Photos can be taken. Children from the home come in a limousine, we provide their dresses and shoes and they blend on.
200 hair and makeup artists volunteer.
We raised $10,000 for the children’s home last year!

Have you won any awards in your work?
Technician Awards
Three time, Salon Today Top 200 Salon award winner

If you could offer advice to a new salon owner to ensure success,
what would it be?
1) Financial-utilize your space split shifts helped us to maximize our one location
2) Keep your sense of humor
3) Keep your eye on the prize

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