
Client Retention Guidebook
Everything you need to know about client retention as a salon owner.
Introducing the 2014 SALON TODAY honorees for Planned Profitabililty.
Generating growing revenues is one measure of success for salon and spa business, but how much does the business and owner retain once all the costs are deduced. Profitability is the true measure of an owner’s business acumen. We asked ST200 applicants to prepare a presentation to fellow salon owners that outlined their long-term strategies for growing a sustainable business and cultivating a profit. Extra credit was awarded to salons and spas that proved they had clear-cut systems for both projecting and meeting their profit goals.
As You Like It
Bonita Springs, FL
asyoulikeitsalonaveda.com
Corinne Kleinberger
SQUARE FEET: 960
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 3
2012 PROFITABILITY: 58%
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $63
BEST SELLING RETAIL: Aveda
COLOR: Aveda
TECH SUPPORT: SalonBiz, Constant Contact
“The best long-term strategy for sustainability and profitability is to develop a salon culture of systems and operations geared to increase revenue, while benefiting the guest and stylist at the same time.
Centre Salon & Spa, Westminster
Westminster, CO
centresalon.com
James F. Pacifico and Cathy Schafer
SQUARE FEET: 3048
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 25
2012 PROFITABILITY: 14%
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $39
BEST SELLING RETAIL: Aveda
COLOR: Aveda
TECH SUPPORT: SalonBiz, Spa Biz, Demandforce
“We track four salon initiatives daily: retail per service ticket, pre-booking, retention of existing and new guests, and percentage of guests purchasing product. The benchmarks give us a clear picture of the habits of our employees and a hands-on approach to coaching.”
Mango Salon
Richmond, VA
www.mangosalon.com
Patrick Heaney & Roberta Heaney
SQUARE FEET: 4000, 2000
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 90
2012 PROFITABILITY: 3%
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $74
BEST SELLING RETAIL: Aveda, Bumble and bumble
COLOR: Aveda
TECH SUPPORT: Millennium, Demandforce, Survey Monkey, Constant Contact
ASSOCIATIONS: PBA
“The concept for our system was conceived from completing the Salon Management Program through the UCLA Anderson School of Business. We combined that concept of ‘key result areas’ with Neil Ducoff’s No-Compromise Leadership to design our performance management system.”
Metro FOR MEN
Irvine, CA
metroformen.com
Krista Martin
SQUARE FEET: 1,900
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 16
2012 SUSTAINABILITY: 20%
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $42, $55
BEST SELLING RETAIL: M by metro FOR MEN, Nioxin, Aveda
COLOR: Goldwell, Aveda
TECH SUPPORT: Millennium, Demandforce, Google Adwords
ASSOCIATIONS: PBA
“I attended a webinar in 2007 that provided benchmarks in the salon industry regarding percentage of income each expense should be within. I instantly pulled my P&L and what an eye-opener. I made a commitment to lower all my expenses by 10 percent and what a difference.”
Modern Salon and Spa
Charlotte, NC
modernsalonandspa.com
Arsalan and Arezo Hafezi
SQUARE FEET: 6200, 6000, 5200, 3500
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 130
2012 PROFITABILITY: 6%
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $56
BEST SELLING RETAIL: Aveda
COLOR: Aveda
TECH SUPPORT: SpaBiz, Constant Contact, Demandforce
ASSOCIATIONS: PBA
“Having goals and budgets has put all of our locations managers on heightened awareness of how the actions in their locations affect the bottom line.. By giving managers ownership of inventory, this has made them vested in what they are ordering, shrinkage and waste.”
Randolph's Salon
White Lake, MI
randolphssalon.com
Mary and Scott Randolph
SQUARE FEET: 1700, 2300
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 55
PROFITABILITY: 22%
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $42
BEST SELLING RETAIL: Redken, Pureology
COLOR: Redken
TECH SUPPORT: Envision
ASSOCIATIONS: Summit Salons, 2 to 10 Project
“Profitability is broken down into monthly increments, comparing last year to the current year and setting goals on growth percentages based on our history. Every month, we meet with our salon directors to examine these numbers, celebrate wins, brainstorm shortages and set up a game plan for next month.”
Salon 124 - Genesis Salons
Grayson, GA
Brian Perdue
SQUARE FEET: 2400, 2400, 2400, 3000, 3000, 1900, 1900
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 220
2012 PROFITABILITY: 11%
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $45
BEST SELLING RETAIL: Redken, Pureology, Moroccanoil, Evo
COLOR: Redken
TECH SUPPORT: Millennium, Demandforce
ASSOCIATIONS: ISBN, NCA, 2 to 10
“To closely track how much we are spending, we began to use a cost-per-chemical calculation instead of a percentage of sales because we use different brands of product and it is a more accurate way to track.”
Salon Soca
Chicago, IL
salonsoca.com
Brigette Sobus
SQUARE FEET: 1500
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 18
2012 PROFITABILITY: 16%
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $60,
BEST SELLING RETAIL: Aveda
COLOR: Aveda
TECH SUPPORT: Millennium, Demandforce
ASSOCIATIONS: Cosmetologists Chicago, PBA, ABN
“One of the most valuable things I have learned is how to lead, coach and manage people. My team is my greatest asset, and with them, even in a down economy I have a growth of 5-15 percent per year.”
Shear Art Salon and Spa
Tampa, FL
www.shearart.com
Joanne Powers, Heather Bagby, Laura Dominick, Valerie Gardner, Terri Thomas, Cathy Arce and Tina McIntosh
SQUARE FEET: 3,000
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 46
2012 PROFITABILITY: 10%
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $56
BEST SELLING RETAIL: Redken, Pureology
COLOR: Redken
TECH SUPPORT: Envision, Demandforce
ASSOCIATIONS: Other PBA, The Beauty Industry Council, Summit Salon
“Two of our original owners don’t perform services, but the salon remains profitable because we exercise our business acumen and complete an extensive budget process on an annual basis.”
Signatures Salon
Lake Charles, LA
signaturessalon.biz
Wendy White McCown
SQUARE FEET: 1500
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 18
PROFITABILITY: 17%
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $40
BEST SELLING RETAIL: Bumble and bumble, Intelligent Nutrients
COLOR: Wella Koleston Perfect, Wella Color Touch
TECH SUPPORT: SalonBiz, DemandForce
Additional Honorees
Aveda Institute New Mexico, Alburquerque, NM
Bell Tower Salon, Medi-Spa and Store, Wyomissing, PA
Ginger Bay Salon & Spa, St. Louis, MO
Josephine’s Day Spa and Salon, Houston, TX
Paul Kenneth Salon & Spa, Woburn, MA
The Hair Company, Leonardtown, MD
Warmsprings Salon & Spa, Chambersburg, PA

Everything you need to know about client retention as a salon owner.

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.

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.

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
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
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

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.

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.

The company's Concealed Bead Method is raising the bar for what professional extension education can deliver.

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.

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."

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.

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.

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

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.

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 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