Cleve Biography

Born: Perth, Western Australia.

Lives: Beverly Hills USA

A leader in the Spa and Salon industry, Cleve is known for developing business systems and optimizing HR functions, team building, and communication in the workplace. Beginning his career in a family-owned salon in Australia, Cleve is an internationally recognized expert in salon marketing, financial management, and business development, and has been featured in print, television, and radio features.

He was twice nominated for the coveted Australian Stylist of the Year award in 1994 and 1995, and he was the national title winner of Excellence in Salon Marketing in 1997. With more than 70 state and national award credits, Cleve remains one of Australia’s most awarded salon owners in the area of salon marketing.

Overview of Career Achievements

Salon and Spa Director of McMillans Hair & Beauty, developing one of the nations highest profile salons and brands. Being awarded more than 70 state and national awards for industry contribution.Developed “Work ON Your Business, Not IN Your Business” Salon & Spa Management System which links accounting, marketing, and a series of internal spa and salon systems.Created a spa and salon business planning software to address the unique needs of the industry in measuring productivity, and monitoring progress.Entered into joint venture to take the McMillans Spa Salon concept to Beijing China. While in a Spa/Salon Director role, built a business with expatriates making up 60% of customer base. Established a team of 24 and turnover of $288K within the first six months and increased by 200% in the following six months.Prepared two major publications for the spa and salon industry scheduled to be published in 2010. “A 12-Step Human Resources Spa and Salon Kit” will guide spa directors and salon owners through the steps necessary to develop and grow a unique business focusing on the HR lifecycle. The second book covers the “Nine Salon-Specific Personality Profiles,” which accurately facilitates team building, communication skills, problem solving, and spa director management training, unique to my addendum.Guided Excela Spa and Salon executives through an eight-part branding process to add power and clarity to their business by defining three key elements: (1) why their business exists, (2) why customers should buy from them, and (3) how to communicate their unique message from the core of their personal and business values.Developed new sales training program using personality typing and psychological selling techniques for Excela.Launched the Cleve Professional Hair Care System, which was sold throughout the McMillans salons, the Beijing Spa Salon, and a number of national drug store locations.Invited to conduct shows, seminars, and workshops across three continents for leading international companies, such as Redken, Schwarzkopf, Goldwell, Wella, Matrix, and Indola.Featured in the British and American Beauty and Hair Journals, Beauty and Hair, Vogue, Elle, Australian Style, Cosmopolitan, Friends, Passion, and many additional local, national, and international publications, presenting my unique approach to trends, salon marketing, financial management, systems and business development, and customer service.Provided Ona Spa with a unique multi-touch, segmented, marketing & communication strategy to recession proof the business.Incorporated an ingenious, yet simple, marketing strategy for Spa Luce Hollywood which increased the internal hotel capture rate to 4.8% from a miserable 1.5% within 6 months.Developed a “Speaker Series” for Spa Luce to connect the spa with the local community of Hollywood improving the external capture rate.

McMillans Hair & Beauty

Cleve founded McMillans Hair & Beauty in 1988 at the age of 20, and his abilities as a hairdresser created quite a buzz! His reformulated business model set a new industry benchmark in salon operations, and his wildly unique approach to the salon menu and client services made McMillans one of Australia’s highest profile salons within four short years. In 1992, he was awarded a National Salon Design Award for his contributions to industry innovation and design.

Development of Salon & Spa Management System

In 1998, Cleve’s passion for business development led him to bring on two additional partners: highly renowned accountant, Des Whyte, and marketing guru Ian Rodwell. Under the mentorship of Mr. Whyte, Cleve worked through a strategic diagnostic accounting process to build what was to become the ultimate “Work ON Your Business, Not IN Your Business” Salon & Spa Management System, which linked accounting, marketing, and a series of internal salon systems.

Cleve’s solid knowledge of budget control and P&L strategies contributed to many capabilities. First, he was able to add integrity and transparency to financial reports. Secondly, he developed leverage in revenue versus expenses. Finally, he was able to analyze service and product margins and manage operational costs to control the overall spa profits and financial growth.

Cleve’s vision for additional business momentum motivated him to create a unique salon and spa business planning software. New financial diagnostics and assumptions were needed for upcoming salon and spa projects, and none of the traditional accounting applications offered solutions specific to the industry. The new software enabled the use of financial plans for tracking trends, measuring productivity, and monitoring progress. Furthermore, it has the capacity to manage up to two years of salon and spa financial forecasts.

The Beijing Spa Salon

In January 1998, Beijing hosted the first International McMillans Spa Salon concept. Cleve’s desire to cater to expatriates first, and then to locals, was a huge success. Approximately 60% of the salon’s clients were expatriates, and an additional 15% were non-local vacationers. However, the salon maintained a strong client base of locals at 25%.

The Sothys Menu

After spending two years on the Beijing Spa Salon project, Cleve turned his focus to offering an original menu. Following extensive research in France, he opted for Sothys, also a first for Beijing. Drawing upon the spa’s harsh city setting, he focused on creating hydrating treatments, which took into account the spa’s location and environment. Cleve created, produced, and wrote the business plan, which included all financials, budgets, and construction costs. He held vigorous monthly management meetings with his board of Chinese directors and investors. During the 12 months Cleve lived in Beijing, he spent the first 6 months as the Construction Supervisor and HR Director. He developed a recruitment kit and implemented ongoing training programs. Once the salon opened, Cleve directed the full marketing cycle, including strategic planning, image development, promotional planning, branding, and external communications.

The Cleve Professional Hair Care System

In 1999, after 10 years in the making, Cleve launched his signature range of hair care, “The Cleve Professional Hair Care System.” His mission was simple: to create products that “feel good” and that have the most up-to-date scientific elements, which put stylists behind the chair with products that perform. Boasting the most lucrative profit and revenue performance within the entire business model, the Cleve range was sold throughout the McMillans salons, the Beijing Spa Salon, and a number of national drug store locations.

The professionally formulated hair care range offered the best that science and nature has to offer. Working with two accomplished Australian cosmetic chemists, the product was perfected for texture, viscosity, longevity, fragrance, and color. After testing hundreds of formulas, they settled on the optimum product combinations.

Industry Speaking Events

Cleve’s proactive “no-nonsense” approach to developing publicity opportunities has given him a continuous voice. Throughout his career, he has been invited to conduct seminars and workshops across three continents for leading international companies, such as Redken, Schwarzkopf, Goldwell, Wella, Matrix, and Indola.

Cleve has been featured in the British and American Hair and Beauty Journals, Beauty and Hair, Vogue, Elle, Australian Style, Cosmopolitan, Friends, Passion, and additional local, national, and international publications. Furthermore, he has had his own weekly television segment and has conducted numerous radio interviews covering industry-first topics. An accomplished and entertaining presenter, Cleve used the public speaking circuit to share his knowledge in the beauty field, as he is often asked to present his unique approach to salon marketing, financial management, systems and business development, and customer service.

Publications

After 26 years in the industry, and following his arrival in the U.S. in late 2006, he prepared two major publications for the spa and salon industry. Both of these works are in the final editing stages and are due for publication in mid-2010.

The first publication, “A 12-Step Human Resources Spa and Salon Kit,” will guide the salon owner through the steps necessary to develop and grow a unique business focusing on the HR lifecycle. The kit will lead readers from “Step 1 – The pre-advertising stage” through “Step 12 – The Exit Strategy.” The second book is designed to assist in team building, communication skills, problem solving, and management training. Tailored for spa and salon environments, readers will gain a greater awareness of diversity, thereby improving work relations. The book covers the “Nine Salon-Specific Personality Profiles,” based on what Cleve has observed about how the typical spa and salon employee thinks, feels, and behaves.

Excela Salon

Cleve accepted a position with Excela Salon, a software and business solutions company focusing on the day spa, salon, and beauty industry. As Marketing and Brand Developer, he guided executives through an eight-part branding process, which defined three key elements: (1) why the business exists, (2) why customers should buy from them, and (3) how to communicate their unique message and business values. Cleve also added tremendous value by developing a new sales training program using his personality typing and physiological selling techniques, which will be featured in his upcoming publication.

Spa Luce Hollywood Spa Director – Team of 32

Spa Luce is a 6700 Sq ft urban oasis within the fast paced excitement of the world's most famous city situated poolside of the Renaissance Marriott Hotel in Hollywood.

Incorporated an ingenious welcome packet marketing strategy for hotel guests further increasing the spa internal capture rate by an additional 3.3%, (over 75 additional guests per week)Shaved thousands of dollars per month off P&L line items by renegotiating with vendors, staff wages, hourly staff, and cross training team members Within 3 months, produced the best ever negative revenue results by a massive positive $14K turnaround per month on the P&LRebuilt confidence, integrity, energy, within each department by realigning the teams values and vision by developing a value based, star focused working environmentCreated a unique Monthly Membership program adding value to external questsDeveloped a monthly guest “Speaker Series” to connect with the local community of Hollywood improving the external capture rate.

Ona Spa Spa Director – Team of 18

Ona Spa is a luxury full service medical day spa with ancient traditional wellness practices. Ona spa is owned my world-renowned plastic surgeon Dr Stanley Frileck.

 Conducted full business diagnostics including hr, customer service, client satisfaction, technology, financials, marketing, branding, systems, training, and inventory to obtain greater productivity and ROIDeveloped the Ona Spa multi-touch, segmented and marketing, pr and communication, strategy to recession proof the businessIntroduced daily, weekly and monthly PTT SystemsImplemented the Self Run System to aid in the seamless functionality of the spa.

Awards

National Excellence in Salon Marketing award (1997).

National Excellence in Salon Marketing award Finalist (1994, 1995, 1996 and 1997).

Australian Salon Business of the Year Nominee (1994 and 1995).

National Salon Design Award (1992) for contributions to industry innovation and design.

An additional 70+ state and national award credits.