Building strong recruitment and training programs today establish a sustainable, growing salon and spa tomorrow. We invited ST200 applicants to write to a graduating student and describe their mehods for cultivating candidates, their interviewing processes and expectations, and the unique stages of their training programs. Extra points went to salons that developed sophisticated relationships with area schools, scientific systems for screening candidates, and creative ways to ensure new hires were ready to hit the floor.

Aveda Academy Denver & Pure Talent Salons
Denver, CO
avedaacademydenver.com
Kevin & Tiffany Krauklis
SQUARE FEET: 9,100
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 68
TRAINING PROGRAM: 8 months
WEEKLY INSTRUCTION: 8 hours
AVERAGE # OF TRAINEES: 14
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $45
BEST SELLING RETAIL: Aveda
COLOR: Aveda
TECH SUPPORT: SalonBiz, SpaBiz, Demandforce
ASSOCIATIONS: The Day Spa Assocation, I/SPA, PBA
“The Puretalent program is a 36-week salon professional training program designed to provide essential salon experience. The program focuses on developing technical and business skills through expert mentorship from the Academy team.”

Bella Lago Salon & Spa
Mooresville, NC
www.bellalagosalon.com
Gabe & Merrisa Barnhardt
SQUARE FEET: 7000
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 23
TRAINING PROGRAM: 6 months
WEEKLY INSTRUCTION: 10 hours
AVERAGE # OF TRAINEES: 3
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $50
BEST SELLING RETAIL: Kerastase, Aveda
COLOR: Aveda, L’Oreal
TECH SUPPORT: Millennium, Demandforce, Reach Local
ASSOCIATIONS: PBA
“If a stylist is hired and stays for at least six months, the stylist who referred will get a $150 bonus and a $200 salon credit for products and services. This keeps our stylists motivated to find the best and brightest to join our ranks.”

Bella Salons and Spas
West Des Moines, IA
bellasalons.com
Joseph & Kimberly Heemstra
SQUARE FEET: 3000, 3200, 2400
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 56
TRAINING PROGRAM: 20 months
WEEKLY INSTRUCTION: 20
AVERAGE # OF TRAINEES: 4
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $42
BEST SELLING RETAIL: Bumble and bumble, Kerastate, ProColor
COLOR: Wella
TECH SUPPORT: Millennium, Demandforce
“We visit almost every school within a 45-mile radius at least once a year and teach advanced education. In addition, we have an in-salon mentoring program to meet cosmetology students.”

Gary Manuel Salon
Seattle, WA
garymanuel.com
Gary Howse, Manuel Benevich
SQUARE FEET: 6,300, 2,400
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 95
TRAINING PROGRAM: 18 months
WEEKLY INSTRUCTION: 10 hours
AVERAGE # OF TRAINEES: 12 trainees
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $60
BEST SELLING RETAIL: Aveda
COLOR: Aveda
SALON SOFTWARE: STX
ASSOCIATIONS: PBA
“Our team member selection process is designed for the Gary Manuel Salon team and the candidate to get to know one another and determine if our salon is the ideal environment for the candidate.”

Ihloff Salon and Day Spa
Tulsa, OK
ihloffspa.com
Marilyn Ihloff
SQUARE FEET: 6000, 4000, 2500
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 130
TRAINING PROGRAM:
WEEKLY INSTRUCTION:
AVERAGE # OF TRAINEES:
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $43
BEST SELLING RETAIL: Aveda, Spa Ritual
COLOR: Aveda
SALON SOFTWARE: SalonBiz, Demandforce
ASSOCIATIONS: I/SPA, PBA
“Education does not stop when the training program stops. An education is not limited to the technical staff. We want all of our team to grow their minds, which is why a commitment to continued learning is part of our culture.”

John Robert's Spa
Mayfield Heights, OH
www.johnrobertsspa.com
John DiJulius, Eric Hammond
SQUARE FEET: 7,000, 2,400, 1,800
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 140
TRAINING PROGRAM: 12 months
WEEKLY INSTRUCTION: 12 hours
AVERAGE # OF TRAINEES: 16
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $60
BEST SELLING RETAIL: Aveda
COLOR: Aveda
SALON SOFTWARE: SalonBiz, Demandforce
“From attending career fairs to teaching classes, we take great pride in the fact that we have a very strong rapport with local cosmetology students. Whether we are visiting them at school or hosting them at one of our salons, we invite them to experience JR on multiple platforms throughout their schooling in an attempt to acclimate them with our brand early on.”

Paris Parker Salons & Spas
Hammond, LA
parisparker.com
Neill Corporation/ Debra Baker & Edwin Neill
SQUARE FEET: 6831, 1923, 8755, 1802, 620, 2807
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 260
TRAINING PROGRAM: 24 months
WEEKLY INSTRUCTION:  24 hours
AVERAGE # OF TRAINEES: 15
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: 65, 85
BEST SELLING RETAIL: Aveda
COLOR: AVEDA
SALON SOFTWARE: SpaBiz/SalonBiz, Demandforce
ASSOCIATIONS: ISBN, PBA
“New hires go through Fundamentals training where they spend 90 days intensively learning essential style techniques, guest care skills, how to do a great consultation, retail and product knowledge, client recruitment skills, building a portfolio and about the Paris Parker and Aveda brands.”

Peppers Salon
Puyallup, WA
pepperssalon.com
Sally Brower
SQUARE FEET: 2150
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 17
TRAINING PROGRAM:
WEEKLY INSTRUCTION:
AVERAGE # OF TRAINEES:
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $48
BEST SELLING RETAIL: Bumble and Bumble, Deva, Davines
COLOR: Keune, JPMS
TECH SUPPORT: Millennium, Demandforce
ASSOCIATIONS: PBA, South Sound Salon Networking Group, Synergy Networking Group
“We have an education director who is in charge of getting our stylists through the whole Skills Training Program. She trains basic skills and concepts as well as intermediate skills. We also have a creative director who trains refining and detail skills, in addition to trends and new collections. Twice a month she trains staff with various advanced training techniques.”


Studio Wish Salon
Twinsburg, OH
studiowish.com
Rowena and Eric Yeager
SQUARE FEET: 3000
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 12
TRAINING PROGRAM:
WEEKLY INSTRUCTION:
AVERAGE # OF TRAINEES:
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $48
BEST SELLING RETAIL: Eufora, Deva
COLOR: Wella, Pravana
SALON SOFTWARE: Millennium, Demandforce, Web Openings
ASSOCIATIONS: NCA, PBA, ESON
“For those students who stand out in the crowd and are eager for education, we have them interview through our four-part hiring process. This entails an interview with a manager, a shadow interview, an interview with the owner and a presentation of a color/cut model to experience their skill set.”

ZANYA SPA SALON
LAMBERTVILLE, NJ
www.zanyaspasalon.com
ZANYA GISSLER & FILOMENA COOK
SQUARE FEET: 6700
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 52
TRAINING PROGRAM: 18-24 months
WEEKLY INSTRUCTION: 5 hours
AVERAGE # OF TRAINEES: 7
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $80
BEST SELLING RETAIL: Moroccanoil, L’Oreal, Aveda
COLOR: L’Oreal, Wella
TECH SUPPORT: Millennium, Demandforce
ASSOCIATIONS: PBA
“We have developed relationships with all the top cosmetology schools in the area. We go to their career fairs and talk about what we have to offer as an employer in the beauty industry—full service spa and salon, team-based pay, set schedules, departmentalization, paid vacation, health insurance, 401k, in-house education, paid advanced education both on- and off-site, and other benefits.”

Additional Honorees:
Aura Salon & Day Spa, Scottsdale, AZ Blo, Raleigh, NC
Centre Salon, Lakewood, Lakewood, CO
Clive and CO., Dallas, TX
Cutting Loose University Park, FL
Garbo A Salon, Austin, TX
Ginger Bay Salon & Spa, St. Louis, MO
Jolie Salon & Day Spa, Blue Bell, PA
Josephine’s Day Spa and Salon, Houston, TX
Maxime, Hingham, MA
Nuovo Salon Group, Sarasota, FL
Nurtur the Salon and Spa, Columbus, OH
Paul Kenneth Salon and Spasm, Woburn, MA
RED 7 Salon, Chicago, IL
Salon Estique, Phoenix, AZ
Salon JoVon, Brecksville, OH
Salon Soca, Chicago, IL
Serentity Couture Aveda Lifestyle Salon Spa, West Des Moines, IA
The Hair Company, Leonardtown, MD
Von Anthony Salon, Frisco, TX
Warmsprings Salon & Spa, Chambersburg, PA
You Salon, Ellicott City, MD