In this issue we talk about change. Addressing how your mental and emotional upbringing affect your relationship with change, what that means for your money and one business system you could consider shifting soon.
Mental Health System — Your Attachment Pattern Is Running Your Business
Dedication and attachment feel the same from the inside, the difference is that dedication serves you, and attachment controls you.
We learn how to attach before we're old enough to question it. If you grew up with a parent who withheld approval when you underperformed, who went cold or pulled back when you didn't meet their expectations, you likely developed one of two responses: you either performed to get the connection back (anxious attachment) or you trained yourself to survive on less of it, sometimes by playing the same game and withholding your love (avoidant attachment).
One makes you hold on too tight. The other makes you release too soon. Both patterns show up in your business, and if you've ever kept a service on your menu longer than the numbers supported, stayed in a lease out of loyalty instead of math, or pulled back from a real opportunity because it scared you, you've already seen your attachment style in action. Now you know a little more about it.
The SelfSync System starts with awareness, because you can't adjust what you can't see. The first question you'll need to ask yourself to spark awareness is, when something stops working, what do you do? Do you push harder, get restless, and throw more energy at a problem that needs a different solution? Or do you disconnect, go internal, and abandon a good idea before you've actually tested it? Think about it. Examine the data, it's all there.
Once you see the pattern clearly, you have a choice: accept it with understanding or adjust it with intention. Those are the first three steps in the Control the Controllable series: Awareness, Acceptance, Adjustment.
By the end of this issue you'll know if you're ready to make adjustments and start that change you've been anxiously avoiding.
Money System — Change Starts with One Number
Knowing your numbers is how you know what's working. When something isn't working, the numbers will tell you if you are willing to look at them. Many barbers operate on feelings and intuition, which work only for so long. What happens when the numbers drift so far off that the feelings can no longer be trusted?
The SelfSync System uses a practice called Money Day to urge you to look at the numbers. It's one scheduled day per week for business numbers, one day for personal numbers. You choose the days that work for you. The point is consistency, not the specific day. So pick days that have the space for left brain, analytical work. If numbers aren't your thing, picking the right days becomes that much more important.
Money Day shows you where your money is going and where it comes from. It gives you time to plan for what's coming rather than react to it after the fact. You may be navigating the Money Cycle with ease already, but in my research I've found that there are usually one or two areas of the Money Cycle that are still challenging and need more development.
I define the Money Cycle as Earn, Grow, Protect, Gift, and Enjoy your money. Depending on your Money Mentality you'll be strong in certain areas and underdeveloped in others. Identify which area is most challenging for you, then set one goal to address it. Improving might mean delegating, bringing in a specific professional, or taking a course.
If you don't already know which area of the Money Cycle is most challenging for you, take the free Money Mentality Quiz. I can tell you how to improve with just a few simple shifts if I know your Money Mentality type.
Business System — Add, Subtract, or Pivot: Pick One
Adding, subtracting, and pivoting are the three moves of a healthy business. The most common mistake is not knowing which one is right for your business. This goes back to knowing your numbers. The numbers bring awareness and when you are in Calm Optimal Brain you make sound financial decisions. I'll tell you more about Calm Optimal Brain Session later, it's usually the first session clients experience when they begin the SelfSync System. It gives them an anchor to help them stay grounded when making changes or even resetting after a long day.
Change is not always easy and when you get emotionally attached to something it's that much harder. Another mistake many business owners make is waiting too long to add, subtract, or pivot. On the contrary, some business owners change too much and don't give the numbers enough time to do their job.
This week decide if there is something you need to add, subtract, or pivot. Look at your service menu and identify what nobody is booking. You don't have to immediately remove it, but mentally prepare yourself to take that step soon. If a client requests it down the road, you can always refer them to someone else. This builds relationships and clears space for what your clients really want. If you're afraid of referring because you think your clients won't come back, that's something we need to discuss. Why is that?
While reviewing your menu, consider what you can add. The most natural addition is something your clients are already paying for somewhere else. What is the barbershop a mile away doing that you've been meaning to implement? Think about what you are applying at the chair that they could take home and use between cuts. Adding a product to sell could improve your service and add a revenue stream.
In fact, they could be buying that product at another store. Studies have shown that clients would much rather buy products from their barber because of trust and convenience. While you're thinking about changes, consider what you do well that feels effortless to you and rare to the people around you. Over the next few weeks I'm going to talk about how to turn that gift into a revenue stream.
This issue was full of questions that can bring awareness. Let that awareness spark your inspiration for change. I'll guide you along the way.
Did You Know?
In Ancient Rome, barber shops known as tonstrinae were not simply grooming stops. They were social hubs and political meeting places where decisions were made, news traveled, and influence was built.
The barber in the room was trusted with proximity to power, and that trust put him in conversations with the people who shaped the city. That dynamic did not end with Rome. The chair is still the room where men tell the truth. Be aware of the power the chair holds. You as the barber harness that power.
From the Chair
While you are sitting in your chair this week waiting on your next client be sure:
- You're subscribed to the Prosperous Barber Journal. Click here
- You've shared this journal issue with a barber in your circle.
- Answer the questions and try the exercises I suggest.
- Watch the latest podcast. In this week's What Keeps You Up at Night video podcast, I talk about the power of change and where to start. {Scroll down, link is below}
- Explore this week's less than 30 option. Each week we offer a session that takes less than 30 minutes and we'll offer it at less than $30.
One link, all the resources, click here!
And for quick access: In the video you'll learn more about change as I respond to a listener who may have to close their business. I share ways to get ready for that big shift. Click below to watch. While you're there, subscribe to the channel so you catch the next episode when it drops.
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If this issue made you think of a barber in your circle, forward it to them. They will thank you later. You probably know at least one who needs it. And if you aren't yet subscribed, make it official: prosperousbarber.com/journal
See you sooner. Love you muchly.
Kiné
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