Ivy Hartman: Hiring and keeping good employees is a constant challenge for many small businesses. Pete Nettle has owned his own salon from 35 years. He now owns two salons and he has discovered the secret to attracting and keeping good employees.

Training…

Pete Nettle: Challenges are keeping good people. Giving them the benefits they need. We do give them a 401k. We’d give them vacation and continue their training absolutely training, training, training.

Ivy Hartman: Pete has a two pronged approached to training his employees.

Pete Nettle: There’s this international show in New York once a year and then we travel to Chicago that’s once a year as well.

Ivy Hartman: In addition to sending his stylists to those international hair shows, he also utilizes training on the job.

Pete Nettle: Then we can bring people in from different companies to train people in the salon.

Ivy Hartman: Now the salon industry is a very specialized industry and requires some artistic talent and teal seed for it to be successful. It also requires that stylists maintain a cutting edge in their technique and creativity.

Pete Nettle: In fact, this is probably the most—one of the most personalized service people have nowadays.

Ivy Hartman: Jim is a former salon owner and long time hair stylist. He got his start in graphic arts before becoming a hair stylist.

Jim: But I really think you need to be in some kind of arts to make this work. Yeah, it’s an art all by itself person in my chairs like this. Without her, I can’t make any money or without him I can’t make any money. That’s my real boss!

Ivy Hartman: Training in any industry is available. You can hire a professional consultant for training or begin your own skills training in house. The most important thing about providing training to your employees is that it shows a vested interest in their success and your commitment to their long term wellbeing with you company.

I'm Ivy Hartman reporting for sbtv.com. Small business is our only business.