Tampa, Fla. — 03/23/2020 — As the growing threat of Coronavirus COVID-19 impacts states and cities, reshaping communities, both local businesses and their clients are finding themselves caught somewhere in the middle. Clients are torn between wanting to hire for professional services and taking precaution to avoid putting themselves in harm’s way. Meanwhile, those service providers are finding themselves in a race to ramp up existing measures to ensure a clean, safe environment and raise awareness about it. It takes engaging in honest, two-way discourse between professionals and their clients to set expectations and dispel any fear or confusion, says Monica Ponce, owner and operator of Muse the Salon, a member of the South Tampa business community offering hair color, cut and style services as well as skin care and other beauty services for over a decade.

“People should follow the advice of the CDC and be diligent about their health, and they should not be afraid to ask their stylist for what precautions they are taking in the salon,” she says. “Share your concerns with your stylist, ask for lower maintenance services and in some areas, home services may be an option. But of course, if you are not feeling well, you must stay home. For your recovery and for the safety of the staff and other customers.”

Ponce, who has been a professional stylist for over 20 years, has been a frequent supporter of Bay area programs and given back to the community across a variety of causes meaningful to her including organizations like Dress for Success and the Alpha House, and even launched her own Style Stimulus program in 2009 to offer free haircuts to job seekers who had lined up interviews. She recently sent to all of her current clients and email news subscribers what steps her salon has taken to ensure the safety of clients and team members through accelerated sanitizing practices. Trying to continue to operate a business during the Coronavirus pandemic can be difficult, and Ponce is discovering that while some are afraid to stop by their favorite salon, many of her fellow stylists are uncomfortable diving into the subject matter with clients.

“It’s critical to notify your clients before their visit of the extra safety measures you have put in place, and you must stay up to date with the CDC’s latest guidelines,” Ponce says. She urges stylists not to be nervous answering questions honestly to avoid any confusion. Prevention is the key, so salons must be firm that clients who are sick or starting to experience symptoms must reschedule. “If we are all taking the adequate precautions and being considerate and careful with ourselves and others, then the snowball effect of panic can subside,” she says. “Your salon has always been the place where you go to feel better. That doesn’t need to stop.”

The public’s fear of the Coronavirus COVID-19 has led to many industries being forced to close its doors due to crowd size or distance between people including restaurants, bars and boutiques. “My priority has always been safety, of my clients and of my staff, and if we must isolate and practice social distancing for everyone’s protection, then that’s what we will do. But we do not have to emotionally distance ourselves,” Ponce says. “If this virus teaches us anything, it should be that when one is affected, we all are impacted in some way, because we are all connected.”

For Media Inquiries:
Monica Ponce, owner and operator of Muse The Salon, 813-258-2558
(by text at 813-451-3796)
monicaponce@musehairgroup.com
[URL]http://musehairgroup.com[/URL].

About Muse The Salon
For over 10 years, Muse the Salon has established itself in the South Tampa community as a leader in innovative hair color, style and design. The talented team of hair care professionals at Muse The Salon provides specialty services including keratin complex smoothing therapy, makeovers and hair texturing. The salon also carries industry-leading quality hair products in the industry including MATRIX, Redken, Amika and Olaplex, as well as its own Muse Hair line of professional formulated hair care products that are vegan and cruelty free, free of sulfates, silicones, parabens and phthalates. For more information about Muse The Salon, go to [URL]http://musehairgroup.com[/URL].

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