Client Retention Guidebook
Everything you need to know about client retention as a salon owner.
Justice and Soul
Using cosmetology to change a corner of the world, Matthew Fairfax and Lauren Ebright launched the Justice and Soul Foundation and developed a sustainable model to teach survivors of sex trafficking the art of cosmetology and esthetics. As they prepare to launch a cosmetology school in Cambodia, Matthew shares how you can help.
Matthew Fairfax・Contributor
1/13
4 min to read
As the owner of the James Alan Salon & Spa in Shoreline, Washington, Matthew Fairfax shares the same concerns as any other salon owner—how to create fabulous and repeatable experiences for clients, how to inspire and motivate staff, and how to give back to the local community. But four years ago, at the urging of a staff member he met for coffee with a client who opened his eyes to a global need and a unique gift he had to offer. That meeting changed the course of his life, and he expects it to change the course for many others as he launches the Justice and Soul Foundation. Here, Matthew blogs about the journey…
Volunteer Brianne Chappell teaches rescued Cambodian girls how to apply makeup.
"I'm sorry, but no! We only do local charity work. I don't even know where Cambodia is!" That was me in 2008 after my stylist April told me about work that our client Carol Korpi was doing in Cambodia. She said they really needed help in the cosmetology arena. Up until that point, our charitable focus (and it was a strong one) was concentrated within our little world of Seattle. April insisted that, because Carol was a client, the least I could do is have coffee with her. Drinking coffee is risky business. Less than four years later, I have been to Cambodia three times and am making plans to move there in June of 2013 for two or three years.
Why? Because 30,000 young women under the age of 18 are being forced into the sex trafficking nightmare. Some of these girls are as young as six years old and have more ‘value.’ Cambodian folklore says that having sex with a virgin will cure your AIDS.
Why? Because I have a granddaughter who, at the time of these discussions with Carol, was barely 11 years old. By the time some of these girls in Cambodia are 11, they have spent the past several years being raped nightly and sometimes several times in one night. To walk away at this point without doing whatever I can to help heal their crushed souls is not an option.
Why? Because I have an expertise that I believe can help to restore these precious lives and stop the vicious cycle, and I believe that the beauty industry can too. Without the ability to make a living and the self-esteem that comes with it, the odds are very high that the girls will end up back on the street or in the brothels, and the abuse cycle will continue.
Shortly after the visit with Carol, my salon team was behind the new vision. Not only that, but one of my teammates, Lauren Ebright, had already been working to stop sex trafficking and help survivors in Cambodia. She was thrilled that we were on the same page. With Lauren's prompting, she and I booked a flight to Cambodia in 2009. After ten days of meetings, visiting with survivors of sex trafficking, and pushing through the culture shock of third world poverty, our plan to change the world one life at a time had begun.
After two more trips and many long strategic planning sessions, Lauren and I created the Justice & Soul Foundation and designed a sustainable model to help teach sex trafficked survivors the art of cosmetology and esthetics. Our plan is to open a school and high end salon in Phnom Penh by June of 2014, targeting the wealthy Cambodian women as our clients. With the help of volunteer stylists, our custom tailored curriculum and a number of partnerships in Cambodia, we will give these young women the opportunity to learn a new craft, work in either our salon or another, and eventually become the trainers themselves. Using beauty to restore inner beauty and wellbeing.
How can you help? Volunteer to teach in Cambodia. Come for two months or come for two years. The people and culture are amazing and you will grow beyond your wildest dreams. If you cannot come to Cambodia, get involved in your own community. Raise awareness and ‘adopt’ one of our girls. Every donation will be spent training and compensating the survivors and providing them with the continued psychological support needed to ensure safe and lasting reintegration.
We believe that every one of these girls is precious and deserves to be loved and feel beautiful from the inside out. Let's take this opportunity to share our gifts and make a significant impact on their lives.
Matthew Fairfax is the Co-Founder of Justice & Soul Foundation, President/CEO of James Alan Salon & Spa in Shoreline, Washington and a national trainer and speaker with Northern Torch Consulting and Context International. He can be reached at matthew@NorthernTorch.com.
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
More Salon Management
Success Grown from Within
Owner Shelby Bills says her general manager, Sydney Osborne, reminds her of the power of leading with heart. Find out how Osborne became a great leader in our lastest installment of Meet the Manager.
by Stacey Soble
How Salon Leaders Can Process the Pain and Lead Forward When a Team Members Leaves Unethically
In her latest blog, Kati Whitledge identifies the five stages salon owners go through when a team member leaves the salon unethically, offering advice for each stage.
How AI Is Closing Revenue Gaps for Salons and Spas
The beauty and wellness businesses pulling ahead aren’t just working harder—they’re using AI to capture demand, personalize pricing, and convert more of every guest interaction into revenue. Here’s what the benchmark data reveals about the growing gap between AI adopters and everyone else.
Sponsored by Zenoti
The Premium Talent Magnet: The Modern Salon Playbook for Attracting Six-Figure Stylists
Stop chasing recruitment ghosts on generic job boards and start curating an elite team. Discover the framework that top-tier salons use to bypass phone tag, automate visual portfolio vetting, and attract high-earning, culture-first beauty professionals directly through real-time messaging. Turn your recruitment process into an exclusive brand invitation that keeps your highest-ticket chairs permanently filled.
Sponsored by Beautista
Five Revenue Leaks Hiding in Your Salon
Your calendar looks full, but is all of that demand actually converting to revenue? From phantom rebookings to underpriced peak hours, the 2026 Benchmark Report exposes five revenue leaks that most beauty and wellness businesses don’t even know they have.
Sponsored by Zenoti
The Heartbeat of Zandi K's Success
After moving to Colorado and teaching at a cosmetology school, Allison Stock joined Zandi K as a stylist, eventually becoming part of the Leadership Team, Education Team and Master Bridal Team. Today, as Director of Operation, Stock is Owner Nicki Wenz's right hand, managing human resources and operations, education and career development, and coaching and culture.
by Stacey Soble
Rethinking Retail in the Era of E-Commerce
In a world dominated by e-commerce, salon owners push back with proven strategies to increase retail sales while motivating team members to educate their clientele and delighting clients with retail-themed events and clever merchandising displays.
by Stacey Soble
The Harper Ellis Hair Co. Certification Program Teaches Stylists a Smarter, Safer Way to Install Extensions
The company's Concealed Bead Method is raising the bar for what professional extension education can deliver.
by Staff
The Micro-Salon Blueprint: How Kat Scott Quadrupled Income by Maximizing Her Suite
Scott maximized her micro-salon by transitioning from stylist to strategic owner, focusing on recruiting and station-sharing. By prioritizing her ownership role over behind-the-chair work, she grew her team to six stylists within the two-chair, 150-square-foot space before eventually moving to a larger facility.
by Staff
Competing for Revenue: Veteran Business Owner Shares a Framework for Growth
The former CFO of Perdue Farms and owner of Hardy Seafood, Terry Owens delivers a wealth of wisdom and strategies for entrepreneurs in his new book, "Business is Simple."
by Staff
Built to Sell: How One Owner Turned Zero Salon Experience into a Multimillion-Dollar Exit
After scaling her single-location salon business, SALON TODAY 200 Honoree Amy Pal recently sold her six-location Whip Salon for seven figures. Using the six Ps for maximizing a business's value, she's ready to help her peers do the same.
Shedding Light on Solar Tax Credits for Your Beauty Business
Buried inside the One Big Beautiful Bill Act are federal solar tax credit changes that deserve your attention now. Two of the credits that matter most to commercial property owners, the Investment Tax Credit and the Production Tax Credit, are still available, but only if you move fast. A third, the Commercial Building Energy Efficiency Deduction, has a hard termination date that is closer than most people realize.
The Salon Ghost Report: Stop Wasting Hours Chasing Unqualified Applicants
Up to 40% of hair stylists ghost the salon interview stage, leaving owners trapped playing endless phone tag with uncommitted applicants. This data-driven report breaks down why traditional job boards create recruitment friction and reveals the modern messaging strategies high-growth salons use to get pre-qualified talent to actually show up. Learn how to transition from cold calling to high-conversion conversations that protect your time and fill your chairs.
Sponsored by Beautista
When the Client ISN'T Right!
Spit fests, hostile threats, and even an overachieving matchmaker--SALON TODAY readers share their craziest client tales and how their team handled these tough situations with professionalism and grace.
by Stacey Soble
2026 Beauty & Wellness Summer Marketing Calendar
Keeping your appointment book full when clients are in vacation mode takes more than a good Instagram post. It takes a plan. The 2026 Summer Marketing Calendar from Meevo gives salon, spa & med spa owners a month-by-month roadmap with sharp themes, key opportunity dates, and campaign ideas specifically designed for the beauty & wellness industry. Here’s to your summer season working as hard as you do!
Sponsored by Millennium Systems International
AI in Beauty: What It Means for Your Team, Your Clients, and Your Business
AI is transforming the beauty and wellness industry, and the future is about empowering people, not replacing them. Discover how Phorest AI helps salons, spas, and med spas across North America respond faster, personalize every visit, and keep human connection at the heart of the client experience.
Sponsored by Phorest