Stop Doing These Things if You Want a Thriving Business
Are you tired of losing appointments, missing out on revenue, or struggling to grow your customer or membership base? If so, it may be time to take a closer look at the excuses that are quietly costing your business more than you realize.
Have you ever heard a service provider say:
“I don’t like doing that service—it’s just not my thing.”
“It takes too long and throws off my whole day.”
“I don’t want to get stuck doing that all the time if people start requesting it.”
“That service doesn’t make me enough money.”
“The last time I did it, the client was picky and it stressed me out.”
“I wasn’t in the mood for that kind of appointment today.”
“I prefer doing what I’m really good at.”
“That service is too physically demanding.”
“I don’t want to work on certain types of clients—it’s uncomfortable.”
“It’s been a while since I’ve done that one, so I’d rather not.”
While personal safety and professional boundaries are absolutely valid—such as when a client behaves inappropriately—many of these reasons are rooted in personal preference, bias, or a lack of professionalism. And yes, it can be tough to find qualified employees. But it’s even harder to recover from lost revenue when your team turns away paying customers.
Real Talk from Experience
Before I started managing spas, I worked at a salon with ten stylists. Only three were over the age of 40—and they were the only ones who would do men’s haircuts or pixie cuts. That meant dozens of appointments lost every week, simply because the owner let the stylists decide who they would and wouldn’t take.
Even on days when half the team had just one or two appointments, we were turning customers away. And those stylists who didn’t want to do “certain services” were sitting in their chairs, wondering how they were going to pay their car payments. I didn’t feel sorry for them. Why? Because with clear expectations and leadership, those missed appointments could have turned into consistent income.
If you want to grow your customer base, increase your revenue, and build a successful membership-based business, you need to set strong, clear boundaries—starting with the hiring process.
3 Boundaries to Set During Hiring Interviews:
1. Stop Letting Your Team Dictate Their Schedule and Services
Set schedules collaboratively, then hold your staff accountable.
If a service is on your menu, your team needs to be ready and willing to perform it. Of course, if someone isn’t trained yet, that’s valid—but get them trained as soon as possible. Customers shouldn’t be turned away simply because no one on staff feels like doing a service.
And yes, they need to show up—even on slow days. The moment you let them come in only for pre-booked appointments, you’ll miss out on walk-ins or last-minute calls. I’ve lived it. By trying to accommodate my employees, the business always suffered due to lost revenue from not having a service provider there waiting and ready to go.
2. Stop Letting Providers Choose Their Clients
Every paying client deserves respect and quality service.
Your team should not be picking clients based on tipping history, appearance, or personal preferences. This not only leads to lost revenue—it damages your reputation when you’re open for business but a potential customer can’t get a service done you advertise on your menu or website.
3. Stop Neglecting Clear Goals and a Reward System
Set expectations for weekly and monthly metrics:
Retail product sales
Upgrades
Perks, Rewards, Packages, or Membership sign-ups
When employees reach or exceed their goals, reward them immediately. A delayed or forgotten reward kills motivation. Don’t make them chase their recognition—celebrate wins out loud and on time.
💥 The Cost of a “Bad Fit”
From my experience, hiring someone who isn’t aligned with your values or expectations and doesn’t understand your standards from the very beginning is more costly than having an open position. Bad hires cost you time, money, and stress—especially in states where termination requires extra documentation or legal steps. Don’t risk it. Set expectations in writing and get signatures before they ever hit the floor.
What Will Start Happening
Increased Revenue from filled appointment slots
More Sales of service upgrades
Stronger Team Accountability and consistent performance
Higher Client Satisfaction and loyalty through great experiences
What Will Stop Happening
No more turned-away clients due to “preferences”
No more empty calendars while staff sits idle
No more team members refusing to take certain clients
No more disengaged, unmotivated employees
Set boundaries. Lead with clarity. Hire with confidence. When you create a team that understands your expectations for them, you end up being a business that delivers consistent, high-quality service and great things start happening.
FOUND THIS HELPFUL BUT WANT MORE HELP? THEN CHECK OUT MY MINI-COURSE: MIND-BLOWING EFFECTIVE FIRST IMPRESSIOS!
