Salon culture is that invisible, yet tangible, energy than binds and propels a team and attracts clients. A strong culture is hard to define, even more difficult to build, but when a salon masters this task, they are unstoppable.

A NEW BEGINNING SALON & DAY SPA
Bethel, CT
anbsalonspa.com
Carol St. Amand Romer
SQUARE FEET: 6,000
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 35
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $55
CULTURE: Team, love, respect
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Aveda
COLOR: Aveda
SKIN CARE: Aveda
NAIL CARE: Zoya
TECH SUPPORT: Millennium, Demandforce, ZeeZor, Spaboom
ASSOCIATION: PBA
“Twice a year, our quarterly employee evaluations include focusing on team values. Each team member rereads the team values in advance. During the evaluation, the employee explains how they contribute to the team using each of the values.”

CENTRE SALON & SPA, TIFFANY PLAZA
Denver, CO
centresalon.com
James F. Pacifico
SQUARE FEET: 2,100
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 17
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $36
CULTURE: Team, trust, awareness
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Aveda
COLOR: Aveda
SKIN CARE: Aveda
TECH SUPPORT: SalonBiz, Demandforce, ZeeZor, WebOpenings
“Peer-to-peer recognition helps solidify our culture of teamwork, trust and awareness. We host a Daymaker Award each month for the most nominated team member. This award defines how someone did a selfless task to make another’s day better.”

THE CIRCLE SALON
Chicago, IL
thecirclesalon.com
Jamie Bushman
SQUARE FEET: 2,200
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 9
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $82
CULTURE: Conscientious, collaborative, fun
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Davines, Eufora
COLOR: Davines, Pravana
TECH SUPPORT: Millennium, Demandforce
ASSOCIATIONS: CC, PBA
“Collaboration is built into our daily culture. We share ideas and insights about color formulas and cutting techniques while assisting one another with blow outs, shampoos and color applications when needed. Our stylists are cross-trained in phone operations and assistant duties so they can always lend a hand if we are short-staffed.”

J. NICOLLE SALON & SPA
New Albany, IN
jnicollesalon.com
Jennifer N. Kennedy
SQUARE FEET: 2,400
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 16
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $50
CULTURE: Above and beyond
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Aveda
COLOR: Aveda
SKIN CARE: Aveda
NAIL CARE: OPI, Gelish
TECH SUPPORT: SalonBiz, Demandforce
“We have a small team of employees that make up a gratitude team. They help create activities and ideas to show our guests and each other our appreciation and love for them.”

NURTUR THE SALON
Columbus, OH
nurtursalon.com
Patrick Thompson
SQUARE FEET: 4,200; 1,500; 4,300
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 97
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $44
CULTURE: Fun, teamwork, compassionate
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Aveda
COLOR: Aveda
SKIN CARE: Aveda
NAIL CARE: OPI
TECH SUPPORT: Millennium, SpaBoom, Zeezor, Demandforce
ASSOCIATIONS: PBA, AACS
“Our cultural committee is a group of ambassadors who represent the salon’s cultural commitments. They initiate activities to keep the culture alive such as selecting a cultural star of the month, day-maker boards at every location, planning team outings and more.”

ON THE GREEN SALON AND DAY SPA
Saint Marys, GA
onthegreensalonanddayspa.com
Mary Rose Cannistraro
SQUARE FEET: 5,100
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 23
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $40
CULTURE: Creative, passionate, teamwork
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Aveda
COLOR: Aveda
SKIN CARE: Aveda
NAIL CARE: Aveda, OPI
TECH SUPPORT: Millennium
ASSOCIATIONS: The Day Spa Association, NCA, PBA, Chamber of Commerce
“All employees are given a packet, which includes our mission statement, the Aveda mission statement, our values, policies and procedures. They are required to read and sign all of them.”

PARIS PARKER SALONS & SPAS
Hammond, LA
parisparker.com
Debra Neill Baker and Edwin Neill
SQUARE FEET: 6,800; 8,800; 1,800; 1,900; 2,800; 9,000
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 213
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $65
CULTURE: Empower full potential
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Aveda
COLOR: Aveda
SKIN CARE: Aveda
NAIL CARE: Aveda, Spa Rituals
TECH SUPPORT: SalonBiz, Demandforce, ZeeZor
ASSOCIATIONS: ISBN, PBA
“We carefully select mentors who display the behaviors that match our culture and place new hires with them. It’s important that new hires shadow these positive mentors daily. Being technically great is not the only qualification for becoming a mentor.”

SALON 6
Indianapolis, IN
salon6.net
Stephanie Gregoire
SQUARE FEET: 1,500
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 8
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $40
CULTURE: Welcoming, professional, consistent
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Eufora
COLOR: Eufora
TECH SUPPORT: ClientTrac, Quickbooks, Demandforce
ASSOCIATIONS: PBA, ESON
“We base our interview questions from our mission, vision and values, allowing each applicant to better understand their role as an employee of Salon 6. Once an applicant joins the team, they begin the four to 12-month apprenticeship program and are assigned a mentor.”

SALON SECRETS SPA
Kennett Square, PA
salonsecretsspa.com
Tiffany Lahn
SQUARE FEET: 5,500
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 28
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $60
CULTURE: Welcoming, integrity, supportive
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Aveda
COLOR: Aveda, Brazilian Blowout
SKIN CARE: Aveda
NAIL CARE: OPI, CND, Essie
TECH SUPPORT: Millennium, Demandforce, ZeeZor
“Salon Secrets UnVeiled has become an essential recruiting event. We invite local cosmetology students to join us, and it’s an opportunity to watch our fresh talent and master stylists work together. Students also get to tour the salon and get a feel for our culture.”

THE STUDIO FOR HAIR
Farmington Hills, MI
thestudioforhair.com
Natalie Sikora, Kenneth Sikora and Tasha Schurgin
SQUARE FEET: 1,700
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 20
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $60
CULTURE: Integrity, teamwork, commitment
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Eufora
COLOR: Eufora, Goldwell
NAIL CARE: CND, OPI, Essie
TECH SUPPORT: Mikal, Demandforce, ZeeZor
“Our team pods are small groups of team members who volunteer to work together to accomplish specific tasks. We have pods for social media, special events, training and more. We have found these cultivate a sense of ownership in the team that grows our culture and loyalty.”

Additional Honorees
Athena Salon, Spa & Wellness, Windsor, CO
Aveda Institute, Phonix, Tempe, AZ
Bii Hair Salon, West Dundee, IL
Blo, Raleigh, NC
CoCo Cheveux Salon, South Portland, ME
Eikonic House of Barbers, Brampton, Ontario
Elle Marie Hair Studio, Lynnwood, WA
Eric Fisher Salon, Wichita, KS
Ginger Bay Salon Spa, Kirkwood, MO
Gordon Salon, Highland Park, IL
Headlines The Salon, Encinitas, CA
Impressions, Mequon, WI
Integrity Lash, Pasadena, CA
Jade Aveda Salon, Greensboro, NC
Jole Salon and Spa, Lexington, KY
Josephine’s Day Spa & Salon, Inc., Houston, TX
Juut Salonspa, Minneapolis, MN
Karen Allen Salon and Spa, Riverside, CA
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang Salon, Fishers, IN
La Tierra Salon & Day Spa, Highlands Ranch, CO
Lemongrass Salon & Spa, Fort Wayne, IN
Lux Salon, Fullerton, CA
Mane Attraction Salon, Phoenix, AZ
Mango Salon, Great Falls, MT
Nuovo Salon Group, Sarasota, FL
Paul Kenneth Salon & Spa, Woburn, WA
Pin-Up Curls, Ft. Wayne, IN
Progressions Salon Spa Store, Rockville, MD
Quattra Via Aveda, Carlsbad, CA
RedBloom Salon, Calgary, Alberta
Salon Estique, Phoenix, AZ
Salon M2, Charlotte, NC
Salon Soca, Chicago, IL
Samuel Cole Salon, Raleigh, NC
Studio Be Salon, Pasadena, CA
Studio Montage, Woburn, MA
Tangerine Salon and Spa, Murfreesboro, TN
Tonya Jones SalonSpa, Birmingham, AL
Tulip Salon & Spa, Fredericksburg, VA
Urban Betty, Austin, TX