Darren Jamieson: On today’s episode of Engaging Marketeer, I am joined by Natasha Britton. Natasha is a marketing and business consultant specializing in salons. Having previously owned a salon herself, she transformed it from a struggling business into a thriving enterprise. Now, she helps other salon owners who are overwhelmed, stressed, and struggling with profitability—particularly those on the verge of the VAT threshold, where prices may have to increase by 20%.
We’ll discuss how she helps these businesses systemize, market themselves, free up time, and push through that VAT barrier to become profitable. This should be really interesting!
Darren Jamieson: Natasha, welcome!
Natasha Britton: Hello! Good morning, Darren.
Darren Jamieson: You have a very specific niche, don’t you?
Natasha Britton: Yes, I help salon owners earn more and work less. Many of them are overworked and don’t pay themselves enough.
Darren Jamieson: Why aren’t salon owners paying themselves more? Is it just a profit issue?
Natasha Britton: Yes, salon overheads are high—rent, equipment, staffing. If an average salon makes a 20% profit, they’re doing okay. But many suffer from ‘shiny object syndrome’—constantly buying expensive new machines without a proper marketing plan to make them profitable.
Darren Jamieson: I completely relate to that. I may or may not have a collection of gadgets behind me…
Natasha Britton: Exactly! Salon owners get sold a dream by manufacturers, but without the right marketing, these machines just gather dust.
Darren Jamieson: So do you find that many salon owners are buying equipment they don’t really need?
Natasha Britton: Yes! Trade shows like Pro Beauty at Excel are full of temptations. If they don’t know how to market their existing services properly, they get caught in a cycle of thinking the next machine will be the key to success. Instead, they should focus on marketing what they already have.
Darren Jamieson: From a business perspective, what’s the biggest mistake salon owners make in terms of revenue and customer retention?
Natasha Britton: Not asking for help when they need it. Many business owners suffer in silence, trying to figure it out alone. But when I was running my own salon, I realized the power of getting outside guidance. That’s when things turned around for me.
Darren Jamieson: You started as a salon owner yourself. How did that come about?
Natasha Britton: I set up my salon with a business partner because I didn’t have the initial investment. We opened in a busy shopping center in Greater London with massive overheads—just our business rates alone were the equivalent of a rent payment!
Darren Jamieson: So you needed to make money fast. How did that go?
Natasha Britton: It was difficult for the first two to three years. I had to figure out marketing strategies without much budget. Plus, my business partner and I had different goals—he focused on high turnover and low prices, while I wanted a high-end experience.
Darren Jamieson: How did you feel when things weren’t going well?
Natasha Britton: I blamed everyone—staff, customers, even the VAT man! But I realized I wasn’t actually doing what needed to be done.
Darren Jamieson: What changed?
Natasha Britton: Leadership. I had never managed a team before, so I started implementing proper KPIs, regular staff meetings, and systems. I also learned how to market and close sales better. One major turning point was optimizing Google My Business, which skyrocketed our visibility.
Darren Jamieson: You said Google My Business transformed your salon. What impact did it have?
Natasha Britton: We went from minimal visibility to over 64,000 impressions a month—without spending on ads! Many salon owners don’t realize their Google My Business profile is a free, powerful tool.
Darren Jamieson: And now, when you work with salons, how well-optimized are their profiles?
Natasha Britton: Most don’t even know their login details! Many haven’t updated their profile in years. I teach them to treat it like a social media platform—update it regularly and see real results.
Darren Jamieson: Many salon owners are stuck in their business, working long hours. How do you help them escape that cycle?
Natasha Britton: I coach them to reduce hours and build a team that mirrors their values. It’s about shifting from working in the business to working on the business. If you don’t, you just create a stressful job, not a business.
Darren Jamieson: Some salon owners fear that if they train their staff too well, they’ll leave and start competing businesses. How do you handle that?
Natasha Britton: It’s a valid concern, but staff will leave eventually anyway. The key is to build incentives, create growth opportunities, and use contracts to protect training investments.
Darren Jamieson: Can you share a client success story?
Natasha Britton: Jamie joined my program just after registering for VAT. She was at breaking point—her bank balance was dwindling, she was a single parent, and her staff were stealing from her. Within eight weeks, she was working fewer hours, earning more, and making £8,000 a month in profit. By the end of the year, she had a 191% revenue increase.
Darren Jamieson: Many business owners don’t think about exit strategies. How do you help with that?
Natasha Britton: I encourage salon owners to think 10 years ahead. Where do they want to be? If they ever want to sell, the business needs to run without them. We also look at investments like property to build long-term wealth.
Darren Jamieson: If a salon owner is listening and wants to work with you, how can they reach you?
Natasha Britton: The best place is Facebook—search for Nat Britton and message me. I’ll get them to fill out a quick form, then we’ll do a business audit to see what they need.
Darren Jamieson: Fantastic! I’ll add the link in the episode description. Natasha, this has been brilliant—thank you!
Natasha Britton: Thank you, Darren! It’s been a pleasure.
