Customer Story: Sakora Salon Defines Best Practices for Growth

Angela Lancina, the owner of Sakora Salon, has cracked the code to success. Questions like: what it takes to keep her salon business moving forward? Or what she values most about owning a business while working behind the chair. Now, let’s take a closer look at how her salon went from being Michigan’s best-kept secret in the downriver area to outgrowing their space in under 3 years.

The Sakora salon was opened in July of 2004 in Brownstown, MI. With their rapid success, they found a new location to support their business. After a 3-month build-out and many nights of working at both locations, Angela opened a 3,200 sq. foot stand-alone space with plenty of visibility and foot traffic.

Angela decided to name her salon Sakora, which is derived from the Japanese word Sakura meaning cherry blossom, the state tree of Michigan. This meaning is significant because it complements the natural products they support as an Aveda Concept salon. They offer a wide variety of services, from hair color, hair cutting, extensions, facial services, massage, nails, and much more. Clients will find repurposed materials (front desk, retail shelving, waiting chairs) within the salon that complement the Aveda mission.

The fast-paced and constantly changing environment is the reason why Angela fell in love with the salon industry. Although the day-to-day life of a salon owner can be busy and unique, she is sure to have fun with her staff. Every day can pose a new challenge or struggle. That is why she values DaySmart Salon Software to help make her day easier.

“DaySmart Salon software has helped make things a little bit easier daily, especially with the app,” says Angela. “The ability to book an appointment from anywhere takes the pressure off the front desk, and we can make our appointments on the go.”

Online booking is not the only feature that helped Angela elevate and streamline her business. With other programs, her business found challenges with the reports, inventory, and consistency. With the Salon Management feature, Angela can generate the reports she needs to track her business accurately. She can even manage individual goal tracking, which helps her staff increase their viability.

Sakora Salons other favorite features include:

• 💬 Contacting clients
• 🗓️ Booking appointments
• 🗂️ Recording client data
  

“DaySmart Salon impacts our day profoundly. Without it, we’re dead in the water because it directs how the day will flow.”

Angela made it a priority to encourage and prioritize education for herself and her employees. Embracing education has helped their salon evolve and stay ahead of trends. Aveda offers online education, and her team also tries to go to a show every year or two or host in-salons classes.

On top of in-salon training, they offer assistant programs, allowing stylists to work their way up as apprentices. That way, the stylist is prepared to handle clients before they go onto the floor and offer salon services. Education has made an impact on the longevity of her staff.

Sakora Salon is continuing to grow every single day. With the help of DaySmart Salon, Angela can count on her software to help her spend less time on daily tasks and more time doing what she loves.

To hear more about what Angela had to say, view the live interview on YouTube. DaySmart Salon Talks business with Sakora Salon.