Let’s be honest: managing employee raises as a studio owner can feel like walking a tightrope over a kiln. You want to reward good work and keep morale high, but traditional raise systems? They often reward time spent, not impact made. And that, my creative friend, is a recipe for mediocrity and a burned-out budget.
Most studios default to time-based raises—"you survived six months, here’s a raise." But time alone doesn’t build value. When raises are automatic, employees may expect more pay just for sticking around, not for growing or helping the business thrive. In a customer-experience-driven studio, that mentality can quietly tank performance.
Now, what if we flipped the script? Instead of raises being a right of passage, what if they became a reward for mastering skills and stepping up in ways that directly impact your studio's success? That’s where a skills-based raise system comes in.
Start by breaking down the tasks and responsibilities in your studio. Assign each a skill level—Bronze for beginners, Silver for your growing rockstars, and Gold (or Kiln Master!) for those taking on leadership and revenue-driving roles.
Examples:
As employees master each level, they move up—and get a raise.
Each level should have clear criteria. Don’t make it a mystery. To go from Bronze to Silver, they might need to lead a class, handle opening/closing, and resolve customer concerns. Silver to Gold? Maybe they host an event, teach advanced techniques, or bring in new customers.
The best part? There’s no ceiling. Add a Superstar Level with profit-sharing or bigger responsibilities like launching new offerings or leading marketing campaigns. Even if only one person gets there, its presence keeps everyone aiming higher.
Share the skill path with your team. Better yet, build it together. Host a brainstorm, let them help design it. Use visual trackers or charts in the breakroom to show progress. Celebrate promotions loudly and proudly—public recognition is rocket fuel for morale.
This isn’t just about pay. It’s about creating a culture where effort matters, results are rewarded, and every team member knows their contribution counts. The best part? As your employees grow, they take more off your plate—giving you time to focus on building your dream business.
When raises are tied to contribution, your superstars stick around. They feel seen, appreciated, and motivated to keep bringing their best—and that energy radiates throughout your studio.
So say goodbye to the guesswork of raises. Say hello to a system that rewards value, builds culture, and grows your bottom line.
You didn’t open a studio to manage payroll drama—you opened it to share creativity, community, and joy. Let’s bake smarter financial systems into your business’s DNA and turn team development into a true growth engine.
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Donna Bordeaux, CPA with PYOPAccounting.com
Creativity and CPAs don’t generally go together. Most people think of CPAs as nerdy accountants who can’t talk with people. Well, it’s time to break that stereotype. Lively, friendly, and knowledgeable can be a part of your relationship with your CPA, as demonstrated by Donna and Chad Bordeaux. They have over 50 years of combined experience as entrepreneurial CPAs. They’ve owned businesses and helped business owners exceed their wildest dreams. They have been able to help businesses earn many times more profit than the average business in the same industry and are passionate about helping industries that help families build great memories.
