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Home » Fitness » Salon owner Michael Azzaro adds personal fitness training – The Columbus Dispatch

By Melissa Kossler Dutton, For Columbus CEO Magazine

When Michael Azzaro had the opportunity to provide space for a masseuse/yoga instructor and an esthetician at his salon, the longtime hair stylist went for it.

He knew bringing in those services would be good for business and his clients. Seeing how the new providers were passionate about what they did also made him realize he could incorporate his own passions working out and providing fitness training at the salon.

To celebrate 40 years in business, Azzaro added a small workout area to the salon and rebranded his business Salon by Azzaro Redesigning Your Hair and Your Body. Now, he offers one-on-one personal training sessions as well as hair services.

Q: What prompted you to change your business?

A: I'm 61 years old, and I've had to change my workout to fit my age. I have to work harder to stay in shape. Working out at the salon was a personal advantage and one I wanted to offer my clients who see the importance of living a healthy life. I firmly believe you owe it to your body to keep it fit and healthy.

Q: Why did it make sense for you to combine your hair and fitness service under one roof?

A: Fitness has always been a part of my life. Over time, clients began asking me how I keep in shape or about the food choices I make. I started showing them stretches and sharing diet tips that work for me. A few eventually asked me to join them at the gym to help them get started and exercise with them to illustrate my pointers. After a while, the light came on: Why wasn't I doing this at the salon? My clients were already there, and offering training at the salon would mean no gym fees for them. I can't begin to say how many times I've heard, during hair appointments, I need to lose weight, and I need to start exercising. Well, now we can start. Right here, right now.

Q: Do you wish you would have done it sooner?

A: I've wanted to do this for a long time, but I waited for the right people and the right fit at the right time. As I started working with clients on their exercise and fitness programs, as we traveled back and forth from salon to gym, it became obvious that it was time to expand the salon services, to bring everything under one roof. I believe life works out the way it should; I'm happy with how and when it evolved. No regrets.

Q: Why do you think listening is a key component of both of your jobs?

A: Listening not just hearing is the key to any service or personal relationship. People want to be heard, and I want to hear what they have to say. I learn a lot from my clients by listening, more so than I do by talking. Learning people's body language and understanding what they mean is the key to making them happy.

Q: How valuable has word-of-mouth advertising been to your business?

A: One hundred percent; word-of-mouth is the best and most valuable advertising. That said, I knew I must adapt to the ever-changing times and technology and interact more via social media. I am in a service industry that can't be replaced. I can't be outsourced, and you can't buy me on Amazon. You still have to get in your car and come see me. How people feel about their hair hasn't changed, just the styles and the techniques. And social-media interaction is now part of the complete picture.

A: Cutting hair and training people are both very personal services. Why are you well-suited to these roles?

A: The roles of hair stylist and personal trainer feel completely natural to me because I don't need to win. I want the client to win. I don't need to prove I'm right, just make it right for them. I have no ego, just people to please. My job is to make them feel better when they walk out the door than they did when they walked in.

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Salon owner Michael Azzaro adds personal fitness training - The Columbus Dispatch

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Home » Fitness » Salon owner Michael Azzaro adds personal fitness training – The Columbus Dispatch