Your salon or spa may boast a sleek design or a hip energy, but does your town’s top talent want to work there? To evaluate workplace friendliness, we challenged our SALON TODAY 200 applicants to write an essay that told their compensation story to a local reporter doing a feature on top places to work in the community. Owners were invited to clearly outline career paths, salary expectations, and benefits packages. Extra credit went to applicants that demonstrated some creativity in their employee perks, like gym memberships or financial counseling.

Here are the 10 honorees who will be profiled in the Compensation & Benefits category in the ST200 issue:

Center Salon and Spa, Tiffany Plaza in Denver, Colorado, owned by James F. Pacifico

Clive and Co. Hairdressing in Dallas, Texas, owned by Clive Lamb

Dionysus Salon Spa in The Woodlands, Texas, owned by Dennis and Terri Clendennen

Douglas Carroll Salon and Med Spa in Raleigh, North Carolina, owned by Douglas Carroll David

Ihloff Salon and Day Spa in Tulsa, Oklahoma, owned by Marilyn Ihloff

Rejuvenation Spa in Madison, Wisconsin, owned by Gretchen Brown and Tina Morschauser

Sky Salon in Strongville, Ohio, owned by Damon Jaskolka

The Loft Hair Design in Escondido, California, owned by Shawna Cruise

Twist Salon in Virginia Beach, Virginia, owned by James T. Grubbs

Zanya Spa Salon Corp. in Lambertville, New Jersey, owned by Zanya Gissler and Filomena Cook

Additional Honorees

Avalon Salon and Day Spa, Deer Park, IL

Blo, Raleigh, NC

Changes Hair Studio & Spa, Kamloops, BC

Enright and Company, Brattleboro, VT

Eric Fisher Salon, Wichita, KS

Mango Hair Salon, Richmond, VA

Omagi Salon & Spa, Louisville, KY

Paris Parker, Hammond, LA

Paul Kenneth Salon & Spa, Wobum, MA

Pyara Salon and Spa, Burlington, MA

Pyara Salon and Spa, Cambridge, MA

You Salon, Inc., Ellicott City, MD

Grab your issue or access the digital issue January 1st to read our honorees' complete profiles!