Acapello Salon
Scarborough, ME
acapellosalonandspa.com
June Juliano
’07: $1,165,000
’08: $1,368.000
INCREASE: 17%
SQUARE FEET: 1,100/2,000/3,300 (three locations)
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 25
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $37.50
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINE: Aveda
COLOR LINES: Matrix, Aveda
SALON SOFTWARE: SalonBiz
ASSOCIATION: PBA
“Education has always been the biggest contributor to our growth. We train our seasoned team on the importance of getting back to the basics—reminding them who we are and what our mission and vision is. We’re not trying to re-invent the wheel, just re-educating the educated.”
Accolades Salon Spa
Saint Paul. MN
accoladessalonspa.com
Brad and Angela Schlaeger, Jon Clifford
’07: $902,000
’08: $1,165,000
INCREASE: 27%
SQUARE FEET: 2,400
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 22
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $46
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINES: Intelligent Nutrients, Arigato
COLOR LINE: All Nutrients
SALON SOFTWARE: Salon Iris
“New employees start out working the front desk to see the business side of the salon. After that, they work as an assistant until they show they are capable in performing all our systems.”
Alluring Designs A Salon
Murrysville, PA
alluringdesignssalon.com
Tracey McHugh
’07: $456,000
’08: $536,000
INCREASE: 15%
SQUARE FEET: 1,900
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 14
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $30
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINES: L’Oréal, Unite Eurotherapy, Brocato
COLOR LINE: L’Oréal
SALON SOFTWARE: Leprechaun
ASSOCIATION: NCA
“Using shelf talkers in our retail area for specials and displaying framed ads from national magazines promoting our professional line of products has helped increase our retail sales by 21 percent over 2007.”
Americana
Alpine, TX
salonamericana.com
Jenny Grisham
’07: $289,000
’08: $356,000
INCREASE: 23%
SQUARE FEET: 2,000
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 4
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $43
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINE: Aveda
COLOR LINE: Aveda
SALON SOFTWARE: Salon Transcripts
ASSOCIATION: PBA
“In an uncertain economy, as long as you are focused on the values your salon stands for you will be able to determine the course of action that will be most beneficial to everyone. If you make decisions based on fear, you are more likely to suffer from the results.”
Anaala Salon and Spa
Madison, WI
anaala.com
Nichole Dyer Moore and Heath Moore
’07: $1,200,000
’08: $1,500,000
INCREASE: 25%
SQUARE FEET: 3,000/1,300 (two locations)
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 40
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $55
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINE. Aveda
COLOR LINE: Aveda
SALON SOFTWARE: SalonBiz
ASSOCIATION: Aveda Lifestyle Network
“In marketing our company, we’ve focused only on programs that actually bring guests into the salon. Now, we do guest referral contests, participate in local fundraisers trade outs and social media."
Arrojo Studio
New York. NY
arrojostudio.com
Nick Arrojo
’07: $5,557,000
’08: $6,957,000
INCREASE: 25%
SQUARE FEET: 13,000
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 80
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $110
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINES: Arrojo Product, Sebastian, Wella System Professional
COLOR LINE: Wella
SALON SOFTWARE: STX
ASSOCIATION: Intercoiffure
“Marvelous Makeovers gives our clients the full experience—consultation and cut with me, a color service, a make-up application and lesson plus four products—for a set price of $700 Booked separately, this would cost more than $ 1,000.”
Art + Science Salon Spa
Philadelphia, PA
artplusscience.com
Stephen Falvo
’07: $909,000
’08: $1,142,000
INCREASE: 26%
SQUARE FEET: 3,500
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 20
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $55
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINE: Aveda
COLOR LINE: Aveda
SALON SOFTWARE: SpaBiz
ASSOCIATION: PBA
“Our most profitable business decision has been the money we spend on education. We have an in-house new talent training program that is run by the artistic director and senior team members. We dedicate eight hours a week to classroom work and eight hours to model work to train stylists from the ground up. This way, they are born into our culture.”
Artbeat Salon and Gallery
Berkeley, CA
artbeatsalon.com
Charlene and Christian Stratton
’07: $3,35,000
’08: $5,64,000
INCREASE: 68%
SQUARE FEET: 2,000
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 12
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $65
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINE: Aveda
COLOR LINE: Aveda
SALON SOFTWARE: STX
ASSOCIATION: PBA
“To keep business growing, we offered our guests 10 percent off for pre-booking until April 15 and called it our Tax Relief promo. We encouraged guests to book as many future appointments as they wanted. If they canceled or rescheduled, they lost the 10 percent off. It was such a great success that we are starting the promotion again.”
Asonipse Spa and Salon
Riverview Brandon, FL
Wanda and Horacio Espinosa
’07: $335,000
’08: $531,000
INCREASE: 59%
SQUARE FEET: 2,400
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 10
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $35
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINE: Aveda
COLOR LINE: Aveda
SALON SOFTWARE: SalonBiz
“The biggest contributor to our success has been focusing on the quality of our services with our existing guest base. Our growth has come through word of mouth. This has helped us to not lose sight—loyal clients are just as important today as they were on their first visit.”
Avantgarde Salon Spa
Destin, FL
avantegradeaveda.com
Joseph Rogers
’07: 1,470,000
’08: $1,920,000
INCREASE: 31%
SQUARE FEET: 4.300/1,000 (two locations)
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 30
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $40
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINE: Aveda
COLOR LINE: Aveda
SALON SOFTWARE: SalonBiz
“Due to the change in the economy, we rethought our advertising strategy. Almost everyone is looking for a bargain and where else to find that than in the local newspaper. We began turning promotions with limited timeframes in several local papers. We have increased the response to our ads and it enabled us to run several small, promotions quickly.”
“In order to grow, we needed to attract new clients. With the economic shift, we decided to add several new talent stylists to our staff and offer some lower price points. We also started offering several ‘last-minute’ appointment promotions, which helped us introduce our salon clients to our spa staff.”
—Joseph Rogers
Avantgarde Salon Spa
The Beauty Lounge
Redwood City, CA
thebeautylounge.bz
Chela Aguilar
’07: $318,000
’08: $381,000
INCREASE: 20%
SQUARE FEET 3,000
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 13
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $60
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINES: Bumble and bumble, Aveda
COLOR LINES: Aveda, Goldwell, Wella
SALON SOFTWARE: STX
ASSOCIATIONS: PBA, YBN
“Introducing online booking to our clientele has been very profitable. It has been much more convenient for our guests to book, reschedule and order gift cards from their office or home at any time of the day or night. Everyone is looking for convenience, and we have gotten great responses from this.”
Bella Capelli Sanctuario
Westlake, OH
bellacapelli.com
Sandy Borrelli and Serina Peck
’07: $2,100,000
’08: $2,440,000
INCREASE: 16%
SQUARE FEET: 4,800
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 39
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $51
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINE: Aveda
COLOR LINE: Aveda
SALON SOFTWARE: Mikal
ASSOCIATION: PBA
“One of the largest contributors to our success has been search engine optimization. The internet is a powerful tool in today’s competitive market. Through SEO, we are placed in the top five names when one searches under specific key words This then drives guests to our website which is chock full of information about us.”
Bella Luci Salon
Poughkeepsie, NY
bellalucisalon.com
Rebecca Lee
’07: $322,000
’08: $383,000
INCREASE: 19%
SQUARE FEET: 2,400
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 7
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $40
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINE: Bumble and bumble
COLOR LINE: Wella
SALON SOFTWARE: Mikal
ASSOCIATIONS: PBA, Strategies
“To maintain growth this year, we stayed positive, always held our heads up high and answered our clients’ questions about the fate of the salon with a positive and optimistic ‘fabulous’. Instilling in clients that we are strong, committed and positive created confidence in us, the salon and their service.”
Bella Salon and Day Spa
North East, PA
bellasalonanddayspa.net
Darlene Youngs, Cheryl Phillips, Stephanie Hamels
’07: $408,000
’08: $466,000
INCREASE: 14%
SQUARE FEET: 6,000
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 15
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $30
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINES: Eufora, Aquage
COLOR LINES: Jean Alexander. Tocco
SALON SOFTWARE: Leprechaun
ASSOCIATIONS: ESON (Eufora Salon Owner Network)
“Moving the salon to a new location has proven to be invaluable to our growth. Bella can now be found in the center of town in a stunning 7,000-square-foot historic stone and brick building. The sheer beauty of the new space is enough to attract the public.”
Bella Vita Salon and Day Spa
North Andover, MA
mybellasite.com
Giovanni and Cheryl Currao
’07: $1,418,000
’08: $1,640,000
INCREASE: 15%
SQUARE FEET: 4,800
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 38
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $50
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINE: Redken, Pureology
COLOR LINE: Redken
SALON SOFTWARE: Harms/ Millennium
ASSOCIATION: PBA
“The hardest and best decision we made this year was to filter out the ‘bad seeds’ in our salon. We eventually let them all go. What a team we have now! There is such a positive and wonderful energy that you can literally feel it when you walk into our salon.”
Belle Epoqae An Atelier Salon
Kansas City, MO
belleepoque-kc.com
Rusty (Russell) Phillips
’07: $359,000
’08: $469,000
INCREASE: 31%
SQUARE FEET: 1,900
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 11
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $42
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINE: TIGI
COLOR LINES: TIGI, Schwarzkopf
SALON SOFTWARE: Shortcuts
“When I first heard about the recession, I panicked. Usually my philosophy is to stay focused on what I want and to let everything else fall away. After a few sessions with my business coach, that is what I did. I refocused my goals and I focused my team on their goals. It’s working!”
Birds Barbershop
Austin. TX
birdsbarbershop.com
Michael Portman and Jayson Rapaport
’07: $748,000
’08: $1,260,000
INCREASE: 68%
SQUARE FEET: 1,400/1,700/1,200 (three locations)
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 50
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $31
BEST-SELUNG RETAIL LINES: American Crew, Difi, Modern Organic Products
COLOR LINE: Schwarzkopf
SALON SOFTWARE: Salon Iris
“After three years of being in business, people understand what we’re all about, which is a mid-priced option that offers a salon-quality cut at an affordable price. In this mid-price category, we are beneficiaries of people both trading up and people who are looking to spend a little less but not sacrifice quality.”
Blo
Raleigh. NC
justblo.com
Silvia and Bryan Nunes
’07: $954,000
’08: $1,153,000
INCREASE: 21%
SQUARE FEET: 2,200
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 22
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $39
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINE: Redken
COLOR LINE: Redken
SALON SOFTWARE: STX
ASSOCIATIONS: NCA. PDA
“My wife and I went from producing $303,000 of Blo’s revenue for 2008 to less than $21,000 for the entire year to date in 2009—and we’re still above last year’s numbers. We managed to have increases in each quarter from the previous year while transitioning away from the chair into more of a full-time management role.”
Breeze X. Salon and Day Spa
Georgetown, TX
breezesalon.com
Breanna Harriott
’07: $1,336,000
’08: $1,618,000
INCREASE: 21%
SQUARE FEET: 3,000/2,500 (two locations)
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 45
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $39
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINE: Aveda
COLOR LINE: Aveda
SALON SOFTWARE: SalonBiz
“We are in the newest and nicest center in a growing community in the Austin suburbs. This area has recently exploded in population due to new-toll roads. The center is a combination of power-center stores daily errand destinations and restaurants. The accessibility and tenant mix gives us repeat exposure with prospective clients.”
Centre Salon and Spa
Arvada, CO
worldclasssalons.com/centre
James Pacifico
’07: $1,042,000
’08: $1,318,000
INCREASE: 26%
SQUARE FEET: 3,600
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 26
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $37
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINE: Aveda
COLOR LINE: Aveda
SALON SOFTWARE: SalonBiz
“A commitment to developing our men’s business has boosted by 18 percent. We hired an educator to focus on men’s hair cutting, we sent our management team to a men’s business class and re-structured our men’s pricing to be equal with our women’s hair cut pricing.”
Changes Hair Studio and Spa
Kamloops, British Columbia
changesstudio.com
John and Leianne .Anderson
’07: $757,000
’08: $1,024,000
INCREASE: 35%
SQUARE FEET: 1,400
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 11
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $44
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINE: Aveda
COLOR LINE: Aveda
SALON SOFTWARE: Milano
ASSOCIATIONS: America’s Beauty Network, CC
“In January 2008 we moved to a new location that was almost twice the site, added a spa with three estheticians and one more stylist to our staff. With the increase in staff and the addition of the spa, we had to increase our retail. It has been very profitable as we increased our sales and profits.”
Chrome: A Salon Experience
College Station, TX
experiencechrome.com
Charlotte Gardner Green
’07: $497,000
’08: $779,000
INCREASE: 57%
SQUARE FEET: 1,900
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 16
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $44
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINES: Redken, Pureology
COLOR LINE: Redken
SALON SOFTWARE: Envision
ASSOCIATIONS: NCA, Business Networks International
“We recognize how hard our support staff works, so service providers happily tip them a percentage of their daily tips. This increases add-ons for the stylists because the support staff suggests more services when a guest calls to schedule. This has dramatically increased morale and attitude.”
Daybreak Salon and Spa
Woodhaven, MI
daybreaksalon.com
Gary and Mary Rushlow, Jerad
Rushlow, Jenee Osborne
’07: $726,000
’08: $1,129,000
INCREASE: 56%
SQUARE FEET: 3,500
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 26
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $35
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINE: Aveda
COLOR LINE: Aveda
SALON SOFTWARE: SalonBiz
ASSOCIATIONS: PBA
“Our most profitable decision this year was our e-mail blasts with daily promotions and events. This has helped to bring in guests by offering small incentives, such as, ‘Come in today for 15% off any nail service.’ The e-mail blasts allow us to communicate directly with our guests and cater to those service providers who may have open books that day.”
Dionysus Salon-Spa
The Woodlands, TX
dionysussalon.net
Dennis and Terri Clendennen
’07: $1,629,000
’08: $1,961,000
INCREASE: 20%
SQUARE FEET: 2,900/2,740 (two locations)
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 32
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $75
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINE: Aveda
COLOR LINE: Aveda
SALON SOFTWARE: SalonBiz
ASSOCIATIONS: PBA
“We require five first-time requests per month from our team members; this has made them accountable for the overall contribution to our growth. They must retain a percentage of those new guests. We calculate salary increase and future advancements by these numbers. When our team reaches an 80 percent booking ratio for three months consecutively, they can then increase their prices.”
DK Hair
San Diego, CA
dkhair.com
David Valencia, Kenneth Bradshaw
’07: $313,000
’08: $941,000
INCREASE: 16%
SQUARE FEET: 3,000
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 14
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $68
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINES: Bumble and bumble, L’Oréal, True Cosmetics
COLOR LINE: L’Oréal
SALON SOFTWARE: Elite. NACS
"The introduction of the L’Oréal Series Expert line for use within the salon has been very profitable. It includes indifferent “power dose” hair treatments that have allowed each stylist to increase their average ticket by 20 percent, and up to 40 percent in some cases—without increasing the price of our basic services in this difficult economy.”
Dolce Lusso Salon and Day Spa
Fort Mill, SC
dolcelusso.com
Robert and Christy DeLong, Melinda Earnheart
’07: $712,000
’08: $1,087,000
INCREASE: 53%
SQUARE FEET: 2,600/3,200/3,500 (three locations)
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 75
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $43
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINE: Aveda
COLOR LINE: Aveda
SALON SOFTWARE: SpaBiz
ASSOCIATIONS: INYU
“Our most profitable business decision has been to use our advertising budget for local charities. We truly enjoy supporting community projects and have spent the majority of our advertising budget doing so. Our community recognizes our involvement and appreciates this as well.”
Dolce Salon and Spa
Chandler, AZ
dolcesalonspa.com
Brandi Nuttall
’07: $10,118,000
’08: $11,723,000
INCREASE: 16%
SQUARE FEET: 12,500/13,000/29,200 (three locations)
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 241
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $45
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINES: Bumble and bumble, Kerastase, Goldwell
COLOR LINES: Goldwell, Redken
SALON SOFTWARE: Harms/ Millennium
“We were able to maintain steady growth by starting Dolce Dollars, which rewards clients for the behaviors that help grow our business. Clients earn points for referrals, pre-booking, booking online, purchasing retail and submitting feedback on their most recent visit.”
Domani Salon and Spa
Watertown, WI
domanisalon.com
Tricia Voigt
’07: $841,000
’08: $1,014,000
INCREASE: 21%
SQUARE FEET: 4,200
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 32
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $36
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINES: Aquage, Alterna, Davines
COLOR LINE: Davines
SALON SOFTWARE: Advantage
“We switched our payroll company and credit card processor, saving us more than $5,000 annually. These changes have been great as they take nothing away from the staff or from the quest experience.”
Elayne James Salon Companies
Middletown/Greenville, DE
elaynejamessalon.com
James and Jessica Galoff
’07: $871,000
’08: $938,000
INCREASE: 43%
SQUARE FEET: 1,700/2,200 (two locations)
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 30
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $45
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINES: Price, Aquage, Sebastian
COLOR LINES: Redken, Wella. Eugene Perma
SALON SOFTWARE: Leprechaun
ASSOCIATIONS: NCA, PBA, YBN
“Pushing add-on services has been essential to our growth—whether it is conditioning treatments or face-framing foils for non-color clients. Specializing in Keratin and extension services has pushed up our average client ticket.”
Elle Marie Hair Studio
Bothell, WA
ellemariehairstudio.com
Colleen Burk, Lorry Green, Jody Bossert
’07: $500,000
’08: $730,000
INCREASE: 44%
SQUARE FEET: 1,600
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 15
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $40
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINES: Redken, Pureology
COLOR LINE: Redken
SALON SOFTWARE: Envision
ASSOCIATION: Summit Salons
"To grow, we focused on building and promoting our company culture. We spent countless hours educating our team on who we are with regards to our values, beliefs and behaviors. We believe that a well-developed culture impacts all employees—productivity, morals, goals, values and momentum.”
Eminently Hair Salon and Pure Artist Studio
Lakewood, CO
worldclasssalons.com/eminentlyhair
James Pacifico
’07: $372,331
’08: $444,000
INCREASE: 19%
SQUARE FEET: 3,300
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 13
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $31
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINE: Aveda
COLOR LINE: Aveda
SALON SOFTWARE: SalonBiz
“We committed a benchmark of $15/client as a retail sales average. Our compensation structure requires that average prior to movement to the next level. Although we have lost good stylists in the past year, we have continued to grow and our foundation is stronger than it ever has been.”
Estilo Salon and Day Spa
West Des Moines, IA
estilosalon.com
Cindy Landa
’07: $1,276,000
’08: $1,559,000
INCREASE: 22%
SQUARE FEET: 5,600
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 39
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $37
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINE: Aquage, Bumble and bumble, private label
COLOR LINE: Scruples
SALON SOFTWARE: Elite
ASSOCIATION: NCA
“To maintain our growth, we continued to advertise and market to loyal clients and offer free in-salon classes. The classes coveted skin care, massages, pedicure and hair styling. This has created an interest in new clients to the salon.”
Fix
Boulder, CO
fixhairsalon.com
Robin Laurel
’07: $554,000
’08: $789,000
INCREASE: 42%
SQUARE FEET: 2,200
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 13
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $47
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINE: Paul Mitchell
COLOR LINE: Paul Mitchell
SALON SOFTWARE: Harms/Millennium
“We send ‘Happy Birthday e-mails’ to clients during their birthday month, which gives clients a percentage discount equivalent to half then age I recently had a guest who turned 86. She was thrilled to receive 43% off her service!”
For Men Only
Williamsport, PA
formenonlyhairsalon.com
Tracy Ferrell
’07: $406,000
’08: $437,000
INCREASE: 20%
SQUARE FEET: 1,000/900 (two locations)
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 14
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $17
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINES: American Crew, Redken
COLOR LINE: Redken
SALON SOFTWARE: Salon Iris
ASSOCIATIONS: PBA, YBN
“The biggest contributor to growth for us has been adjusting our pricing structure, incorporating a return visit incentive for our clients and really focusing on incorporating strict customer-service policies.”
Francisco’s Salon
Corpus Christi, TX
Francisco and Mary Lou Villa
’07: $545,000
’08: $662,000
INCREASE: 21%
SQUARE FEET: 1,300
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 13
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $44
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINE: Redken
COLOR LINE: Redken
SALON SOFTWARE: Leprechaun
ASSOCIATION: Redken Club 5th Avenue Elite
“Over the past 18 months, education has been the foundation of success and the biggest contributor to our growth. What you know, good or bad, help you grow when you learn how to use that information. Profitable businesses embrace the latest our industry has to offer.”
Fringe Hair Co.
Germantown, TN
fringehairco.com
Carla Cutsinger
’07: $941,000
’08: $1,118,000
INCREASE: 19%
SQUARE FEET: 3,700
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 22
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $50
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINES: Enjoy, Kenra, Loma
COLOR LINES: Keune, Redken
SALON SOFTWARE: Elite
ASSOCIATION: PBA
“This year, we focused on keeping the value of our services high. We also introduced lower priced options to keep clients coming in. Our tiered pricing system for different levels of service providers accommodates most any budget.”
Fusion 3 Salon
Pleasanton, CA
fusion3salonspa.com
Deborah Weisberg and Larry Phillips
’07: $1,671,000
’08: $1,910,000
INCREASE: 14%
SQUARE FEET: 2,500/1,200 (two locations)
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 25
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $65
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINE: Aveda
COLOR LINE: Aveda
SALON SOFTWARE: Salon Transcripts STX
“Our most profitable business decision was to expand to a location less than five miles away. Our efforts to pre-book each guest by three months have kept this new location steadily growing. This guarantees we will be busy in the future and we strive to deliver great customer service and treat every person who walks through the door like family.”
Geno Levi Spirit and Style Salon
Bethel Park, PA
genolevisalon.com
Geno and Cindy Levi
’07: $1,701,000
’08: $1,935,000
INCREASE: 14%
SQUARE FEET: 4,300
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 39
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $38
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINES: Geno Levi brand, Pureology, ABBA
COLOR LINE: BES
SALON SOFTWARE: Milano
ASSOCIATION: PBA
“The most profitable business decision we’ve made has been allowing all stylists at all levels, not just the senior stylist, to double book. By utilizing the current nine colleagues as full-time assistants, each stylist is able to see three to five additional clients each day without working extra hours—this maximizes productivity and the salon’s profitability.”
Girl from Ipanema Spa
Summit, NJ
girlfromipanemaspa.com
Rosana and Alex Michail
’07: $380,000
’08: $549,000
INCREASE: 44%
SQUARE FEET: 1,500
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 7
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $50
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINE: Eminence
SALON SOFTWARE: Harms/Millennium
“The most profitable business decision we made this year was using e-mail blasts to promote the spa to our clients. What a huge success. Not only did we save a ton of money, but e-mail proved to be faster, better for the environment and a more effective marketing vehicle than traditional direct-mail marketing.”
“We decided to offer package deals to our clients, and ran a promotion with a 20% discount when a client bought five services. Once clients had a package, we found that their frequency of visits was much higher than when they paid for each visit one by one.”
—Rosana and Alex Michail
Girl from Ipanema Spa
Green Peridot
Frisco, TX
greenperidot.com
Daniel Lewis
’07: $938,000
’08: $1,624,000
INCREASE: 73%
SQUARE FEET: 3,000
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 26
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $60
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINE: Aveda
COLOR LINE: Aveda
SALON SOFTWARE: SalonBiz
“We hired a full-time general manager to run the salon. He helps create budgets, manage the staff on all levels, create systems, conduct one-on-ones and manage the overall success of the entire business. His ability to conduct great huddles and inspire the team has been a huge part of our success.”
Greener Grass Hair Color and Designs
Savannah, GA
greenergrasshair.com
Jay Marshlick
’07: $631,000
’08: $776,000
INCREASE: 23%
SQUARE FEET: 2,500
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 14
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $52
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINES: Bumble and bumble, Keune, private label
COLOR LINE: Keune
SALON SOFTWARE: Korvue
ASSOCIATIONS: MCA, American Board of Certified Haircolorists
“Bringing in a salon coach to teach life lessons, team building and personal goal-setting for the team has been extremely profitable. Ongoing coaching sessions help keep our team focused on avenue production, quality of customer service and overall team morale.”
Hair Benders Salon
Kingsport, TN
hairbenderssalon.com
Shelia Ferguson
’07: $414,000
’08: $487,000
INCREASE: 18%
SQUARE FEET: 2,000
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 12
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $40
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINES: Redken, Pureology
COLOR LINE: Redken
SALON SOFTWARE: Harms/Millennium
ASSOCIATION: MCA
“The biggest contributor to our salon growth has been working with salon coach Lynn Winsell, a salon development manager provided by Redken and Pureology. She implemented a 12-month strategic promotional program, focusing on product and service promotions to retain guests.”
Haircolorxperts-Carmel Commons
Charlotte, NC
hcxcharlotte.com
Deborah and Ken Krupa
’07: $412,000
’08: $529,000
INCREASE: 28%
SQUARE FEET: 1,200
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 12
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $48
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINES: Sebastian, Graham Webb, Eufora
COLOR LINE: Wella
SALON SOFTWARE: Shortcuts
ASSOCIATIONS: MCA, PBA, YBN
“We’ve stayed close to our clients in this economy. We moved clients from full foils to partials or individual foils in order to watch their costs. For good clients who had lost jobs, we gave complimentary haircuts and used them as hair models for educational sessions, free of charge.”
Haircolorxperts-Parktowne
Charlotte, NC
hcx.com
Deborah and Ken Krupa
’07: $317,000
’08: $474,000
INCREASE: 50%
SQUARE FEET: 1,400
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 12
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $48
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINES: Wella system Professional, Sebastian, American Crew
COLOR LINE: Wella
SALON SOFTWARE Shortcuts
ASSOCIATIONS: NCA, PBA, YBN
"The most beneficial and profit generating decision we made this year was the addition of a technical assistant to aid in customer service. Although we incurred additional labor costs, our stylists can service more clients while still providing consistent customer service in line with our guidelines.”
Halo Salon and Color Lab
Ft. Worth, TX
halocolorlab.com
Jennifer Rabideau
’07: $163,000
’08: $312,000
INCREASE: 91%
SQUARE FEET: 800
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 6
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $56
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINES: Phyto, Davines
COLOR LINES: Compagnia del Colore, Davines, Kadus
SALON SOFTWARE: Salon Iris
“Keeping my staff and education current by becoming certified in some of the latest hair extension methods and texturizing systems yield a high profit. While everyone else was hunkering down, we were bringing the services to clients that they read about in magazines…we were one step ahead.”
Harmony Salon Spa
Charlotte, NC
harmonysalon.com
Michael Randuzzo
’07: $1,010,000
’08: $1,178,000
INCREASE: 17%
SQUARE FEET: 3,000
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 15
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $45
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINE: Aveda
COLOR LINE: Aveda
SALON SOFTWARE: Harms/Millennium
“We redirected our efforts away from advertising and put those efforts into internal marketing. We have saved $35,000 in advertising costs, and were still able to maintain customer count and generate higher sales.”
HQ Salon and Spa
Portage, MI
hqsalonandspa.com
Angie Schirripa and Melissa Brockelbank
’07: $566,000
’08: $659,000
INCREASE: 16%
SQUARE FEET: 3,200
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 20
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $34
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINES: Redkeri, Purology
COLOR LINE: Redken
SALON SOFTWARE: Harms/ Millennium
ASSOCIATIONS: CC, NCA, Crystal Focus
“Our salon success coach, Kristi Valenzuela, has such a knowledge and passion for our industry, and it has given us a better understanding of how to coach, mentor and grow our service providers and front desk team. With the guidance of her expertise, we have implemented clear, defined systems for our team and front desk, a structured training manual and sales performance tracking.”
Indigo Home for Hair and Body
San Diego, CA
indigohair.com
Glenn Southgate
’07: $638,000
’08: $757,000
INCREASE: 19%
SQUARE FEET: 4,600
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 20
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $60
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINES: Aveda, L’Oréal. Sudzz Fx
COLOR LINES: Aveda, L’Oréal
SALON SOFTWARE: Milano
ASSOCIATIONS: YBN, Inspiring Champions
“After attending a profit planning training I realized I would never be profitable with the current commission structure. After adjusting the commission level, I lost a number of team members, but I’ve implemented a structure that is a win-win for the team and the salon.”
Indigo Salon and Day Spa
Canton, MI
indigosalonanddayspa.com
Melissa and Christian Huetter
’07: $435,000
’08: $735,000
INCREASE: 69%
SQUARE FEET: 3,200
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 32
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $45
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINE: Pureology
COLOR LINES: Kemon, L’Oréal
SALON SOFTWARE: Harms/Millennium
ASSOCIATIONS: I/SPA, NCA, PBA
“We revamped and restructured our leadership teams toward managing according to our salon’s vision and systems vs. their own visions and what they felt was best for the team. This has really empowered them to make viable business decisions based on facts vs. emotions.
Jón Alan Salon
Nashville, TN
jonalansalon.com
Alan and Jon Snetman
’07: $1,627,000
’08: $2,135,000
INCREASE: 31%
SQUARE FEET: 1,800/1,900/2,500 (three locations)
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 49
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $45
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINE: Aveda
COLOR LINE: Aveda
SALON SOFTWARE: STX
ASSOCIATION: PBA
“Our prices for cuts range from $35-$50, which is quite reasonable for our market. We feel our price structure has really paid off in this economy. We talked to our staff a lot about not buying into the news, making a conscious decision not to participate in the recession and how important it was to be an oasis for our clients.”
Karen Allen Salon and Spa
Riverside, CA
karenallensalon.com
Van Khanh Nguyen
’07: $2,759,000
’08: $2,319,000
INCREASE: 19%
SQUARE FEET: 2,900/2,400/2,000 (three locations)
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 70
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $55
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINE: Veda
COLOR LINE: .Veda
SALON SOFTWARE: Harms/Millennium
ASSOCIATIONS: PBA, Aveda Network
“Investing the time to work closely with a marketing consultant gave our company a better understanding of what it takes to create and maintain strong and positive brand recognition in the respective communities of our locations. Utilizing marketing tools, such as last-minute reservation e-mail blasts, has increased new guest traffic and service and retail tickets.”
Lemon Lime
Cohasset, MA
lemonlimesalon.com
- Adrian Morris
’07: $707,000
’08: $920,000
INCREASE: 30%
SQUARE FEET: 1,800
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 16
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $50
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINE: Aveda
COLOR LINE: Aveda
SALON SOFTWARE: SalonBiz
ASSOCIATIONS: PBA
“The most profitable business decision I made was attending Aveda Business College, with Keri Davis and Scott Buchanan. Figuring out what the culture of my salon and our commitment statement should be completely changed my perspective. I now take two days a week to step out from behind the chair to work on my business, instead of in it.”
“The most profitable decision we made this year was to work with a media company to enhance our website. We have drawn more traffic to the site by making specific aspects of our salon known to the general public through internet search engines. As a result, new clients have been prompted to visit our salon after discovering the site. People are more likely to search the web than pick up a phone book, and now we are just a Google click away.”
—Michael Alber and Les Hoiberg
The Loft Salon and Day Spa
Liquid Hair Salon
East Brunswick, NJ
liquidhairsalon.com
William and Lilly Distelcamp
’07: $330,000
’08: $419,000
INCREASE: 27%
SQUARE FEET: 900
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 9
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $40
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINE: Aveda
COLOR LINE: Aveda
SALON SOFTWARE: Harms/Millennium
ASSOCIATIONS: PBA, World Class Financial
“We ran a New Year New You guest appreciation program that rewarded clients for every new guest they brought to the salon. We picked the top 5 guests with the most referrals and awarded them a $100 gift card.”
The Loft Salon and Day Spa
Boston, MA
theloftsalonanddayspa.com
Michael Alber and Les Hoiberg
’07: $444,000
’08: $541,000
INCREASE: 22%
SQUARE FEET: 1,200
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 11
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $55
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINES: Aquage. Moroccanoil, L’Oréal
COLOR LINES: Matrix
SALON SOFTWARE: Hairmax
ASSOCIATION: PBA
“The joint efforts of our salon coordinator and PR assistant have caused our salon to be recognized in more than 20 publications this past year alone. When marketing, they work together with our stylists, discussing the latest hair trends, beauty tips and products.”
Luxe Salon
Denver, CO
luxesalon.com
Laurie Helmick and Jody Martinez
’07: $1,351,000
’08: $1,625,000
INCREASE: 20%
SQUARE FEET: 1,700
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 23
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $51
BESTSELLING RETAIL LINES: Kerastase, Oribe, Bumble and bumble
COLOR LINES: L’Oréal, Wella
SALON SOFTWARE: SalonBiz
“To maintain growth, we have continued our constant marketing blitz, and spent less money than last year, as well as keeping our print ads with our top regional magazine, our internet partners, constant contact and direct mail. This has paid off tremendously, as service sales are up in 2009 over 2008!”
Mango Salon
Richmond, VA
mangosalon.com
Roberta A and Patrick D Heaney
’07: $2,747,000
’08: $3,186,000
INCREASE: 16%
SQUARE FEET: 5,800
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 56
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $60
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINE: Aveda
COLOR LINE: Aveda
SALON SOFTWARE: Harms/ Millennium
ASSOCIATION: PBA
“We reduced our back bar costs from 4.5% to 4% of sales through waste savings. That not only improved our financial statement but also contributes to the green environment strategy of our salon.”
Marshall and Company Hair Design Studio
Jefferson City, MO
marshsllandcompanysalon.com
Kim Marshall
’07: $271,000
’08: $362,000
INCREASE: 34%
SQUARE FEET: 1,000
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 11
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $39
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINES: Paul Mitchell, Matrix, Aquage
COLOR LINES: Goldwell, Paul Mitchell, Matrix
SALON SOFTWARE: Spa/Salon Manager
ASSOCIATIONS: CC, NCA, PBA
“After reviewing our growth over the last few years and researching other top salons’ business strategies, we realized our pay structure was the cause of some of our lack of profitability. We revamped and are now on a sliding structure that is fair and rewards hard work and effort.”
Matt Wayne Salon
Omaha, NE
mattwaynesalon.com
Matt Wayne
’07: $525,000
’08: $714,000
INCREASE: 36%
SQUARE FEET: 2,500
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 20
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $42
BESTSELLING RETAIL LINE: Aveda
COLOR LINE: Aveda
SALON SOFTWARE: SalonBiz
ASSOCIATION: PBA
“We pay Google a monthly fee that directs new and existing clients to our website. One of the great benefits of the internet is the ability for our clients to post comments about their experience. These comments are now available to any viewer on multiple webpages. This helps grow our business as well as the salon team.”
Matthew Michaels Salon and Spa Experience
Orlando, FL
matthewmichaels.com
Michael Stefonauage, Steve Webb and Ned Clair
’07: $1,058,000
’08: $1,457,000
INCREASE: 38%
SQUARE FEET: 5,500/3,800 (two locations)
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 55
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $45
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINE: Aveda
COLOR LINE: Aveda
SALON SOFTWARE: Harms/Millennium
ASSOCIATION: NCA
“To maintain growth during this tough economy, our salon focused on maintaining quality guest service, increasing our aggressive internet marketing and implementing a rewards program.”
Mauricio Fregoso Salon
Tucson, AZ
mauriciofregososalon.com
Mauricio and Norma Fregoso
’07: $390,000
’08: $496,000
INCREASE: 27%
SQUARE FEET: 1,200
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 12
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $44
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINES: L’Oréal, Aquage
COLOR LINES: Artego, L’Oréal, Pravana
SALON SOFTWARE: Star System
“We held a meeting and all came up with ideas for our Client Care System (CCS). Some ideas mini-facials with barber wraps, complimentary jewelry cleaning and make-up touch-ups, complimentary polish changes after a service, etc. These small, cost-friendly ideas really got our clients talking—to their coworkers, friends and family!”
Misbehaven Spa and Salon
Walla Walla, WA
misbehavenspasalon.com
Jeanese LeFore
’07: $282,000
’08: $925,000
INCREASE: 226%
SQUARE FEET: 4,500
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 25
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $44
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINES: Redken, Pureology
COLOR UNE: Redken
SALON SOFTWARE: Envision
“The biggest contributor to our growth was a shift in thinking from all about ‘us’ to being guest-centered, and listening to our guests’ needs and wants. We began to do in-house promotions, giving back to our guests by rewarding them for referrals.”
Modern Wave Salon and Spa
Cary, IL
modernwavesalonandspa.com
Brett and Dana Turskey
’07: $534,000
’08: $675,000
INCREASE: 26%
SQUARE FEET: 3,200
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 25
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $35
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINE: Aveda
COLOR LINE: Aveda
SALON SOFTWARE: Leprechaun
“We stay very involved in community events keeping our name out there all the time. We work with other businesses in the community and bundle our services for holidays such as Mother’s Day and Christmas. We support 5K Fundraisers, Pink Hair for Hope, Locks of Love and many more. It is important to stay involved in the community with the hopes that in return the community will come to us for their salon and spa services.”
Natural Alternatives Salon and Spa
Knoxville, TN
naturalalternativessalonspa.com
Sandra J Hampton
’07: $3,924,000
’08: $4,462,000
INCREASE: 14%
SQUARE FEET: 3,500/1,600/3,700/3,000 (four locations)
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 97
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $40
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINE: Aveda
COLOR LINE: Aveda
SALON SOFTWARE: SpaBiz
“To maintain growth, we streamlined expenses, controlled payroll and focused heavily on customer service. We didn’t allow any economy talk in our locations.”
Natural Concepts Salon and Day Spa
Greenwood, IN
naturalconceptsaveda.com
Jim Powell, Pat Lottes, Linda Eickleberry
’07: $323,000
’08: $718,000
INCREASE: 122%
SQUARE FEET: 4,000
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 20
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $35
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINE: Aveda
COLOR LINE: Aveda
SALON SOFTWARE: SalonBiz
“We redesigned our interior and exterior of the salon. We began with the interior, bringing in new equipment and blighter colors on the walls. New wood flooring and tile in some areas added to our new look. New plants inside and outside completed the look we desired.”
Neroli Salon and Spa
Glendale, WI
nerolispa.com
Susan Haise
’07: $1,592,000
’08: $2,306,000
INCREASE: 45%
SQUARE FEET: 8,000/5,000/5,000 (three locations)
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 190
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $43
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINE: Aveda
COLOR LINE: Aveda
SALON SOFTWARE: Harms/Millennium
ASSOCIATIONS: Intercoiffure, I/SPA, PBA
“The induction of Stephen R. Covey’s 4 Disciplines of Execution has been our success of getting things done on time, with excellence. We’ve introduced all of the four disciplines into our culture.”
New Reflections Spa Salon
Plymouth, MN
newreflectionssalon.com
Diane Keller
’07: $4,992,000
’08: $5,813,000
INCREASE: 16%
SQUARE FEET: 6,000/3,000/2,000 (three locations)
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 100
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $50
BEST-SELUNG RETAIL LINE: Aveda
COLOR LINE: Aveda
SALON SOFTWARE: Harms/Millennium
ASSOCIATIONS: NCA, PBA
“We introduced a new ‘Girls Night Out’ event Guests invite eight to 10 friends to come in for a few hours and experience mini spa services with a focus on booking full services and retail purchases. These have proven to be very fun and successful.”
“We keep our team focused on the guest that they are caring for today. Instead of posting expensive billboards to attract new business, we use those dollars to offer complimentary services, such as a peel with every facial or a glossing treatment with any color service, to dramatically enhance the experience for every guest.”
Susan Haise
Neroli Salon and Spa
Oasis Salon and Day Spa
Joplin, MO
oasissalonanddayspa.com
Darlene Shepherd, Adrian Petticrew and Aubree Templeman
’07: $1,499,000
’08: $1,346,000
INCREASE: 23%
SQUARE FEET: 8,700
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 48
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $31
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINES: Redken, Pureology
COLOR LINE: Redken
SALON SOFTWARE: Envision
ASSOCIATIONS: KRS Summit Salons
“Our associate program has expanded significantly, drawing new clients and dramatically increasing our sales. Ultimately, we found chat targeting and building upon our providers’ strengths proved remarkably beneficial both for their professional confidence and for our overall sales growth.”
Panache Salon and Spa
Erie, PA
panacheerie.com
Edna Siegel
’07: $907,000
’08: $1,150,000
INCREASE: 27%
SQUARE FEET: 2,200
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 18
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $45
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINES: Oribe. Bumble and bumble
COLOR LINES: L’Oréal. Wella, Redken
SALON SOFTWARE: Harms/Millennium
ASSOCIATION: PBA
“We developed a ‘Shifting System’ to book twice the amount of appointments. We used to only be able to book eight hours per chair, now we can book 13 hours. We also opened our salon on Sundays—great for spa days for our working clients. Growth within a limited space does not always focus on expensive marketing or sophisticated advertising schemes.”
Paul Kenneth Salon and Spa
Woburn, MA
pksalon.com
Paul Costa and Jackie Maniaci
’07: $663,000
’08: $781,000
INCREASE: 18%
SQUARE FEET: 1,700
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 16
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $58
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINE: Private label, Nioxin, Profound Beauty
COLOR LINE: Matrix
SALON SOFTWARE: Milano
ASSOCIATIONS: Intercoiffure, PBA
“We instituted a program that teaches the service provider to be balanced on the outside as well as the inside. This teaches and holds the provider accountable for delivering consistent high-quality customer service. They also have to track then numbers so they can earn the next level and make more money.”
Payton Place Salon
North Little Rock, AR
paytonplacesalon.com
Angela Justice
’07: $447,000
’08: $575,000
INCREASE: 29%
SQUARE FEET: 1,600
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 11
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $40
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINE: Aveda
COLOR LINE: Aveda
SALON SOFTWARE: SalonBiz
ASSOCIATION: PBA
“The most profitable decision this year is keeping all of our eggs in one basket. We are an Aveda Concept Salon and I think staying with one school of thought has really, really helped us. When you can focus your energy on one thing at a time, great things can happen.”
Phia Salon
Columbus, OH
phiasalon.com
Elizabeth and Mike Bella
’07: $318,000
’08: $526,000
INCREASE: 65%
SQUARE FEET: 1,200
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 28
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $43
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINE: Aveda
COLOR LINE: Aveda
SALON SOFTWARE: Salon Iris
“We had a local builder design trolleys to match our decor, allowing stylists to operate at any open station. This flexibility allows us to easily double-staff each chair every day. We currently have 10 chairs, 13 shift and more than 20 stylists all in a little more than 1,200 square feet.”
Planet Salon
Beverly Hills, CA
planetsalon.com
Ginger Boyle
’07: $2,717,000
’08: $3,411,000
INCREASE: 29%
SQUARE FEET: 3,500
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 25
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $88
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINES: Aveda, Bio Ionic
COLOR LINE: Aveda
SALON SOFTWARE: SalonBiz
ASSOCIATION: PBA
“I offered a 10-year buy-out of Planet Salon to one of our highest performers. It created an opportunity for him to have ownership of something he has worked very hard to attain, and it seemed a perfect way for me to venture into other areas of the professional beauty industry.”
Pure Natur Salon and Spa
Fairview Heights, IL
purenatursalon.com
Rodney Rohlfing and Amber Waltemate
’07: $860,000
’08: $1,084,000
INCREASE: 26%
SQUARE FEET: 1,200/2,400 (two locations)
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 30
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $42
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINE: Aveda
COLOR LINE: Aveda
SALON SOFTWARE: Salon Iris
ASSOCIATIONS: NCA, PBA
“This year, we decided to focus 80 percent of our attention on the top 20 percent of our employees. In years past, we have noticed that 80 percent of the time we continually tried to push up our bottom 20 percent. By investing in the top good performance trickled its way down through the employees and we have spent less time trying to ‘force’ change.”
Pyara Spa and Salon
Cambridge, MA
pyaraaveda.com
Christine Perkins and Elizabeth Payne
’07: $2,717,000
’08: $3,411,000
INCREASE: 29%
SQUARE FEET: 3,600/12,000 (two locations)
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 86
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $60
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINE: Aveda
COLOR LINE: Aveda
SALON SOFTWARE: Harms/Millennium
“We consistently deliver complimentary rituals to make guest visits pleasurable. We try to make use of every opportunity and spend that extra time with guests to ensure that out service is something they continue to fit into their budgets.”
“It might sound crazy, but the fact we got so overextended during our beginnings forced us to get creative. With debt past our eyeballs and an unwillingness to pack it in, we’ve had to think outside the box—from double-shifting every chair to flexible schedules to proactive marketing to pro-consult calls. We are constantly evolving and improving our programs, and it’s working.”
—Elizabeth and Mike Bella
Phia Salon
Richard Salon of Smithtown
Smithtown, NY
richardsalon.com
Richard Daly
’07: $270,000
’08: $316,000
INCREASE: 17%
SQUARE FEET: 900
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 7
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $50
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINES: Pureology, Moroccanoil, Unite
COLOR LINES: Wella, Redken, Tocco Magico
SALON SOFTWARE: Salon Iris
ASSOCIATIONS: America’s Beauty Network, NCA, PBA
“Brazilian Keratin services have increased our average weekly totals tremendously. We post our certification, discuss safety issues openly and always take the necessary health precautions. We have recently invested in a commercial-grade portable fume extractor.”
Rituals Salon-Spa
Midlothian, VA
ritualssalon.net
Pete and Sheri Polignone
’07: $1,201,000
’08: $1,619,000
INCREASE: 35%
SQUARE FEET: 2,500
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 28
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $30
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINE: Profound Beauty
COLOR LINES: Keune, Wella, Redken
SALON SOFTWARE: Harms/Millennium
ASSOCIATION: NCA
“Measuring increase in revenue per service hour produced vs. actual revenue increase gives us a better overall picture of our real sustainable growth. When it drops we know we need to sharpen our skills and possibly weed out the drag seeping into our business. Fortunately this has not been the case.”
Ryan Thomas Hair Studio
Encinitas, CA
ryanthomashairstudio.com
Ryan Collingwood, Frank and Cathy Riggs
’07: $247,000
’08: $414,000
INCREASE: 68%
SQUARE FEET: 1,500
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 6
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $75
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINE: Kerastase
COLOR LINE: Redken
SALON SOFTWARE: Shortcuts
ASSOCIATIONS: YBN
“Having idle employees is not healthy. We chose to terminate employees who did not market their services to build their books, or who exhibited low retention rates of clients. This downsizing has created an accountability system that has rewarded the staff we kept with fuller books.”
“We have maintained a huge e-mail database for communication via newsletters as well as Facebook, Twitter and blog sites to help us stay connected. We hope that by giving guests 24-hour insight into our salon, our staff and our personal lives, they continue to visit us and refer their friends.”
—Richard Daly
Richard Salon of Smithtown
Salon Orange Moon
Indianapolis, IN
salonorangemoon.com
Cindy Zoellner and Mike Miltenberger
’07: $84,000
’08: $367,000
INCREASE: 337%
SQUARE FEET: 1,000
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 11
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $45
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINE: Aveda
COLOR LINE: Aveda
SALON SOFTWARE: SalonBiz
“We created a protégé program for all new hires to instill our service practices and culture. This has helped in creating service consistency and verbiage that all team members understand—such as jumping in at any time to help another team member provide service to the client.”
Salon Truth
Springfield, MO
salontruth.com
Courtney Schindele
’07: $470,000
’08: $579,000
INCREASE: 23%
SQUARE FEET: 2,000
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 10
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $35
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINE: Aveda
COLOR LINE: Aveda
SALON SOFTWARE: Salon Iris
ASSOCIATION: NCA
“By ordering monthly from our distributor (two states away) we only pay shipping once and have learned to order enough retail and color to last us until our next order is placed. This became profitable when we ordered too much retail and did not have anywhere to store it, so it was placed all throughout the salon. Our retail went up 7 percent from then on,”
Salon West of Largo
Largo, FL
thespaatsalonwest.com
Michael L Peters
’07: $1,456,000
’08: $2,414,000
INCREASE: 66%
SQUARE FEET: 1,700/2,800 (two locations)
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 45
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $39
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINES: Redken. Pureology
COLOR LINE: Redken
SALON SOFTWARE: Envision
ASSOCIATION: Florida Association of Beauty Professionals
“On Mondays and Wednesdays we offer cut and color services with New Talent stylists for $59. We have had a dramatic increase in guests returning to our salons who had to stop coming to us for financial reasons.”
Salon YaYa
Nashville, TN
salonyaya.com
Marilyn and David Lipsey
’07: $225,000
’08: $307,000
INCREASE: 37%
SQUARE FEET: 600
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 8
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $48
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINES: Redken, Pureology, Nioxin
COLOR LINE: Redken
SALON SOFTWARE: Harms/Millennium
“We expanded our budget for our Citysearch-sponsored ads to $400 per month, for $100 per chair per month. We are now getting 70-80 new clients per month from these efforts.”
Samuel Cole Salon
Raleigh, NC
samuelcole.com
Jack and Joelle Ray
’07: $1,196,000
’08: $1,635,000
INCREASE: 37%
SQUARE FEET: 2,800
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 33
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $64
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINE: Bumble and bumble
COLOR LINE: Redken
SALON SOFTWARE: Harms/Millennium
“We switched from our coaching/leadership team collecting individual stylist data and reporting it to the stylist to the stylist tracking all their own numbers and reporting it to their coaches. The one-on-ones have moved from the stylist waiting to hear the news to them delivering it. This change has led to more ownership of their careers, which results in higher performance.”
Satori: A Salon/Spa/Shopping Experience
Ithaca, NY
satoridayspasalon.com
Lynette Grider and Chrisfi Boothe
’07: $696,000
’08: $876,000
INCREASE: 26%
SQUARE FEET: 3,000
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 14
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $33
BEST-SELUNG RETAIL LINES: Bumble and bumble, Aveda
COLOR LINES: Goldwell, Aveda
SALON SOFTWARE: Harms/Millennium
“We created a spa party/manipedi area that could host parties of any size. We host bridal parties, baby showers, holiday parties and birthday parties for ages 4-70. We can provide an amazing celebration for groups of two-100 because of our unique design.”
Schardein and Co.
Oklahoma City, OK
schardeinandco.com
Steve Schardein
’07: $1,280,000
’08: $1,649,000
INCREASE: 44%
SQUARE FEET: 3,000
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 26
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $45
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINES: Kerastase, Shu Uemura, Bumble and bumble, Goldwell COLOR LINES: Goldwell, Wella, Paul Mitchell
SALON SOFTWARE: Milano
ASSOCIATIONS: Intercoiffure, NCA, PBA, YBN
“We got very involved in putting on fashion shows and charity events. Scripting our referral program for the team made it easier to ask clients to send in friends and family educating the team on the financial benefits has made it easier for them to see, ‘What’s in it for me?’”
Shibui
Palm Beach, FL
shibuipalrnbeach@bellsouth.net
Julio lguchi
’07: $361,000
’08: $1,065,000
INCREASE: 195%
SQUARE FEET: 1,800
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 12
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $125
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINES: Phyto, Nigelle, Crede
COLOR LINE: L’Oréal
SALON SOFTWARE: STX
“As a very upscale salon, the best decision we made was not putting a sign on our salon. It creates an appeal to our clientele that they are part of a select group of people. It keeps our environment exclusive and therefore allows us to offer our clientele our complete time and attention.”
Simplicity Salon and Spa
Hagerstown, MD
simplicitysalonandspa.com
Patricia A. Sylvester
’07: $784,000
’08: $1,054,000
INCREASE: 34%
SQUARE FEET: 4,000
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 28
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $37
BEST-SELUNG RETAIL LINES: Redken, Pureology
COLOR LINES: Redken, L’Oréal
SALON SOFTWARE: Harms/ Millennium
ASSOCIATION: PBA
“We developed reward and incentive program for both existing and new clients. Existing clients are rewarded for referring new clients, as well as signing up for our salon’s new “Client Club,” and new clients receive discounts when returning for future services.”
Spa Ni ’Joli
Methuen, MA
njoli.com
Nicole DeRosa
’07: $1,541.000
’08: $1,661,000
INCREASE: 21%
SQUARE FEET: 5,500
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 48
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $40
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINE: Bumble and bumble
COLOR LINE: Wella
SALON SOFTWARE: Harms/Millennium
“This year we decided to go back to basics and create new systems to promote better customer service and consistency. We set up a specific career path for three of our full-time front desk coordinators. Each of them has a different role retail inventory control manager, supply inventory control manage, and guest relations manager. This has worked out great!”
Spa-dee-dab, too!
Bancroft, IA
spa-dee-dah.com
Ellengray Kennedy and Andrea Bernhard
’07: $202,000
’08: $254,000
INCREASE: 28%
SQUARE FEET: 2,600
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 6
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $28
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINE: Privé
COLOR LINE: Goldwell
SALON SOFTWARE: Milano
“To maintain growth in this economy, we were determined to build even stronger relations with our guests, keep very dose contact and communicate with our clients, focus on providing extraordinary experiences to each guest and strengthen our referral program."
Square One Salon and Spa
Dayton, OH
squareonesalon.com
Josh Stucky, Doug Henderson and Brett Johnson
’07: $2,155,000
’08: $2,517,000
INCREASE: 17%
SQUARE FEET: 5,200/4,700 (two locations)
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 60
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $43
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINE: Aveda
COLOR LINE: Aveda
SALON SOFTWARE: SalonBiz
ASSOCIATION: ISBN
“Our newest customer-service program involves calling all new guests two days after their service and thanking them for choosing Square One. The service providers check to make sure the client is satisfied with the service they received. If they aren’t, we ask how we can correct the problem at no charge.”
Tangerine Salons
Coppell, TX
tangerinesalon.net
Brandon and Janet Hensley
’07: $1,392,000
’08: $2,682,000
INCREASE: 93%
SQUARE FEET: 3,700/2,600 (two locations)
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 50
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $47
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINE: Aveda
COLOR LINE: Aveda
SALON SOFTWARE: STX
“The most profitable decision we made in 2008 was moving our flagship salon into a new 3,700 square-foot facility. This enabled us to add styling chairs, spa rooms, pedicure areas and 400 extra square feet of retail area. The initial impact was a 20-percent increase in revenue the first month.”
Totally Chic Salon and Spa
Calabash, NC
totallychicsalonspa.com
Karen and Shane Hardee
’07: $505,000
’08: $576,000
INCREASE: 14%
SQUARE FEET: 2,800
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 11
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $40
BEST-SELUNG RETAIL LINES: Joico, Nioxin, DeimOrganic
COLOR LINE: Joico
SALON SOFTWARE: Harms/Millennium
ASSOCIATION: PBA
“We have been successful in maintaining growth by running monthly specials and giving discounts to our loyal customers for services and purchases. Also, our referral program has been key to gaining more clients.”
Tribeca ColorSalon
Tampa, FL
tribecasalon.com
Brandon Wagner
’07: $670,000
’08: $813,000
INCREASE: 21%
SQUARE FEET: 1,800
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 21
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $35
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINES: Schwarzkopf, Sudzz Fx, Osrno Essence
COLOR LINES: Schwarzkopf, Paul Mitchell
SALON SOFTWARE: Insight
ASSOCIATION: PBA
“The single biggest contributor to our growth is search engine optimization (SEO) SEO has allowed our website to rank locally on all of the major keywords used to search for hair salons in Tampa. We do this all organically and do not pay for any web ad services.”
Urban Trends SalonSpa
Sturtevant, WI
urbantrendssalonspa.com
JoAnne Peterman
’07: $424,000
’08: $690,000
INCREASE: 63%
SQUARE FEET: 2,200
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 15
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $35
BEST-SELUNG RETAIL LINES: Redken, Pureology
COLOR LINE: Redken
SALON SOFTWARE: Envision
“I decided to reduce my time on the floor with guests to spend more time growing my people and the business. I met with each service provider and support staff member for monthly coaching and mentoring sessions, along with daily check-ins. This has allowed for a more focused approach to running the business.”
Vanity Salon
Houston, TX
vanity-salon.com
Glenms Tolunay
’07: $1,277,000
’08: $1,659,000
INCREASE: 30%
SQUARE FEET: 2,200
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 24
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $60
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINE: Aveda
COLOR LINE: Aveda
SALON SOFTWARE: SalonBiz
ASSOCIATION: PBA
“We had a number or clients who were affected by the economy. We felt it was very important to take care of the people who had always taken care of us. We offered complimentary services to any guests who were experiencing economic hardship due to the loss of a job. Also, we asked clients to call us when they were preparing for a job interview, and we would set them up with a complimentary blow-out, style and make-up application.”
Vero Salon and Spa
Middleton, MA
verosalonandspa.com
Elizabeth Verro
’07: $248,000
’08: $514,000’
INCREASE: 27%
SQUARE FEET: 2,700
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 17
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $42
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINE: Aveda
COLOR LINES: Goldwell, Aveda
SALON SOFTWARE: Hairmax
“The biggest contributor to our growth was moving across the street into almost triple the square footage. This move allowed us to become one of the largest salons in the area we purchased all new equipment, from the blow dryers suspended from the ceiling to a beautiful new color bar, we’ve got it all.”
Veronica Stone Salon
Alpharetta, GA
veronicastonesalon.com
Veronica and Richard Stone
’07: $289,000
’08: $455,000
INCREASE: 57%
SQUARE FEET: 2,400
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 8
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $49
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINES: Pureology, Redken, Moroccanoil
COLOR LINE: Redken
SALON SOFTWARE: Salon Iris
“Our most profitable business decision was hiring an in-salon coach from KRS Summit Group. We have gained so many ideas to keep our profits high and our turnover low. Our stylists are growing strong and client pre-booking and retention has never been better.”
Wildflowers Salon
Greenwood, IN
wildflowersaveda.com
Jenm Bashaw and Teresa Estell
’07: $762,000
’08: $982,000
INCREASE: 29%
SQUARE FEET: 2,000
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 20
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $42
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINE: Aveda
COLOR LINE: Aveda
SALON SOFTWARE: SalonBiz
“The biggest contributor to our growth has been more visibility in the community. We launched a salon site, created pages for Facebook, Twitter and MySpace, and increased our participation in local special events and sponsorships for charities. We use our newsletters to inform, amuse and connect with our guests.”
William Edge Hair.Skin.Body
New Braunfels, TX
williamedge.com
William Edge Turner
’07: $1,462,000
’08: $1,625,000
INCREASE: 11%
SQUARE FEET: 5,500/2,500 (two locations)
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 38
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $59
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINE: Aveda
COLOR LINE: Aveda
SALON SOFTWARE: SalonBiz
ASSOCIATIONS: MCA, PBA
“We deliver a program called “Hairdresser-Friendly Financials” that really empowers our team to focus on the light behaviors and answer the ‘why’ for them. This helps in all of the intangibles around efficiency and waste. It also drives their commitment to their own success which optimizes our service and retail productivity.”
You Salon
Ellicott City, MD
yousalon.com.com
Robin Gribbin
’07: $755,000
’08: $855,000
INCREASE: 13%
SQUARE FEET: 2,400
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 13
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $42
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINES: Redken, Pureology
COLOR LINE: Redken
SALON SOFTWARE: Harms/Millennium
ASSOCIATION: Better Business Bureau
“Having a strong inventory, control system has led to carrying fewer items that we don’t use and more of the ones we do. We educated staff on how to control costs by mixing less so there is less waste, the training taught them how much everything costs per application from color to gloves to shampoo to back-bar styling products.”
Zender’s Salon and Spa
Iowa City, IA
zenderssalonandspa.com
Donna Zender
’07: $1,366,000
’08: $1,394,000
INCREASE: 17%
SQUARE FEET: 8,500
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 38
AVERAGE CUT AND STYLE: $40
BEST-SELLING RETAIL LINE: Aveda
COLOR LINE: Aveda
SALON SOFTWARE: Harms/Millennium
“Being located in a college town, Facebook is a great tool to connect with a large client base in our area. Our consistency of updating our data information is key in growing our bottom line. Utilizing current technology through our database of e-mails and Facebook has increased services and retail.”
“When clients began stretching appointments, we focused on our branding and launched a marketing campaign with regional magazines and a local radio station. As a result, we won a few readers’ polls and one of the DJs visited the salon for our New Guest Experience and talked about it on-air.”
—Robin Gribbin
You Salon, Inc.
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