For the most successful service providers, employee education is a career-long process. The best salons develop systems to strengthen the skills and confidence of their newest team members while encouraging their seasoned staff to continually stretch by bringing education into the salon and by supporting those who venture out to seek new skills.

AVEDA ACADEMY DENVER
Denver, CO
avedaacademydenver.com
Tiffany Krauklis
SQUARE FEET: 9,100
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 46
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $48
TRAINING PROGRAM: 9 months
EDUCATION $ PER PERSON: $800
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Aveda
COLOR: Aveda
SKIN CARE: Aveda
TECH SUPPORT: SpaBiz, Demandforce, ZeeZor
ASSOCIATIONS: The Day Spa Association, NCA, PBA
“We have six certified trainers who are each specialized in a specific domain and work full time behind the chair with us here at the Aveda Academy.”

BESPOKE BEAUTY BAR
Wexford, PA
bespokebeautybar.net
Christian and Alicia Blazevich
SQUARE FEET: 1,800
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 11
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $44
TRAINING PROGRAM: 9 months
EDUCATION $ PER PERSON: $500
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: R+Co, Pureology
COLOR: Redken
TECH SUPPORT: Millennium, Demandforce
ASSOCIATIONS: PBA, Passion Squared, Summit
“We offer a monetary education fund for stylists to use at their discretion for outside classes. We offer a specific dollar amount depending on their level in the salon.”

CENTRE SALON, LAKEWOOD
Lakewood, CO
centresalon.com
James F. Pacifico
SQUARE FEET: 3,300
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 23
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $32
TRAINING PROGRAM: 6 months
EDUCATION $ PER PERSON: $1,000
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Aveda
COLOR: Aveda
SKIN CARE: Aveda
TECH SUPPORT: SalonBiz
ASSOCIATIONS: Demandforce, ZeeZor, WebOpenings
“We enroll new hire stylists in a 24-week master’s program for hair, our Pure Artist program. We value this program at $18,000.”

FRINGE SALON AND COLOR BAR
Houston, TX
fringesalonandcolorbar.com
Ashley Toliver-Williams
SQUARE FEET: 3,000
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 21
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $92
TRAINING PROGRAM: 24 months
EDUCATION $ PER PERSON: $750
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Eufora
COLOR: Aloxxi, Eufora
TECH SUPPORT: STX
 PBA
“We host a monthly master class for the whole salon in which the team decides what topics will be covered and team members volunteer to teach the topics. If necessary, we will bring someone in to teach an unfamiliar topic.”

GERVAIS SALON & DAY SPA
Eugene, OR
gervaiseugene.com
Sharah Madrone
SQUARE FEET: 4,300
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 54
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $50
TRAINING PROGRAM: 12 months
EDUCATION $ PER PERSON: $1,500
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Aveda
COLOR: Aveda
SKIN CARE: Aveda
NAIL CARE: OPI, CND
TECH SUPPORT: SalonBiz, Saloncloud
ASSOCIATION: PBA
“Gervais covers 75-100% of the cost for classes. This is not a common benefit I see in the salon world. For my company, it sets the tone and shows that education is valued and supported.”

HEADLINES THE SALON
Encinitas, CA
headlinesthesalon.com
Gayle Fulbright and David Linde
SQUARE FEET: 2,900
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 42
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $65
TRAINING PROGRAM: 8
EDUCATION $ PER PERSON: $2,000
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Eufora, Davines, Oribe
COLOR: Kemon, Eufora
SKIN CARE: Comfort Zone, Yonka Paris
NAIL CARE: Smith & Cult
TECH SUPPORT: Mindbody, SnapSnip
ASSOCIATION: PBA
“Once a month, we include a business class on listening skills, amazing guest service, retailing, re-booking and social-media networking. Stylists are responsible for building their own business as they hone their technical skills.”

JAMISON SHAW HAIRDRESSERS
Atlanta, GA
jamisonshaw.com
Candy Shaw
SQUARE FEET: 5,000
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 50
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $65
TRAINING PROGRAM: 18 months
EDUCATION $ PER PERSON: $500
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Jamison Shaw, Moroccanoil, Olaplex
COLOR: Sunlights, Wella
SKIN CARE: Pevonia
NAIL CARE: OPI
TECH SUPPORT: Millennium, Demandforce
ASSOCIATIONS: Intercoiffure, PBA
“Twenty years ago, we founded an advanced training academy that dovetails with our in-house program. It is now The Academy at Jamison Shaw, where we teach an Americanized version of French cutting and balayage highlighting techniques.”

KAREN ALLEN SALON AND SPA
Riverside, CA
karenallensalon.com
Khanh Nguyen
SQUARE FEET: 2,500; 2,300
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 42
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $60
TRAINING PROGRAM: 6-8 months
EDUCATION $ PER PERSON: $500
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Aveda
COLOR: Aveda
SKIN CARE: Aveda
NAIL CARE: Spa Ritual
TECH SUPPORT: Millennium, Demandforce
ASSOCIATIONS: ISBN, PBA, 2 to 10 Network
“All of our interns are assigned a mentor—either a senior stylist or long-time team member—who leads them through their internship and assists them with their classwork and hands-on experiences.”

MANGO SALON
Richmond, VA
mangosalon.com
Pat and Bobbi Heaney
SQUARE FEET: 4,000; 2,000; 2,900
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 110
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $80
TRAINING PROGRAM: 2 months
EDUCATION $ PER PERSON: $950
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Aveda, Bumble and Bumble
COLOR: Aveda
SKIN CARE: Aveda
NAIL CARE: OPI, Essie
TECH SUPPORT: Millennium, ZeeZor, Relate Loop
“Mango has developed a leadership program that gives our guest-services team a comprehensive career path to secure management roles within the company. They spend time on the floor each week with our management team to get hands-on experience in a leadership role.”

ROCK PAPER SCISSOR SALONSPA
Santa Fe, NM
rockpaperscissorsalonspa.com
Melodi Wyss-Feliciano and Aaron Feliciano
SQUARE FEET: 3,600
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 12
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $51
TRAINING PROGRAM: 6 months
EDUCATION $ PER PERSON: $1,000
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Aveda, ColorProof, Nicolas
COLOR: AlfaParf
SKIN CARE: Aveda
TECH SUPPORT: SalonBiz
ASSOCIATION: PBA
“In addition to customer service skills, designers learn the language of Sassoon’s cutting techniques and Alfaparf’s color designations. This facilitates their ability to communicate with each other about our guests needs.”

Additional Honorees
Allure Designs, Libertyville, IL
Aveda Institute Denver, Denver, CO
Avant Salon Spa, Austin, TX
Celebrity Spa & Salon, College Station, TX
Centre Salon, Lakewood, Lakewood, CO
Chameleon Haircolor Café & Spa, North Haven, CT
Chemistry Hair Salon, Shreveport, LA
The Chopping Block Salon Company, Louisville, KY
Craig Berns Salon Spa, Delafield, WI
Eric Fisher Salon, Wichita, KS
Ginger Bay Salon & Spa, Kirkwood, MO
Gordon Salon, Highland Park, IL
The Hair Company, Leonardtown, MD
Impressions, Mequon, WI
Joli Salon and Spa, Lexington, KY
Josephine’s Day Spa & Salon, Inc., Houston, TX
Juut Salonspas, Minneapolis, MN
Mane Attraction Salon, Phoenix, AZ
Nurtur the Salon, Columbus, OH
Nuovo Salon Group, Sarasota, FL
Omagi Salon Spa, Louisville, KY
Paris Parker Salons & Spa, Hammond, LA
Paul Kenneth Salon & Spa, Woburn, MA
Progressions Salon Spa Store, Rockville, MD
Red Stella Salon, Austin, TX
Salon Estique, Phoenix, AZ
Salon Gloss, Woodstock, GA
Salon Laurie & Company, Baltimore, MD
Sky Salon, Strongsville, OH
Samuel Cole Salon, Raleigh, NC
Vanity Salon, Houston, TX