Got a Gorgeous New Business? SALONS OF THE YEAR Application Now Open!
The landmark, photo-based interior design competition has opened its application process. We'd love you to hit us with your best shots!
by Stacey Soble
2023 SALON TODAY 200: Salon Leadership
They continually seek education about a variety of topics to make themselves better leaders, and they carve out leadership opportunities within their businesses so their employees can grow. Meet the 2023 SALON TODAY 200 honorees in Salon Leadership, including the team from A Roland Salon in New Cumberland, Pennsylvania.
February 17, 2023
5 min to read
It is the responsibility of leaders to develop a vision for the people they guide, then inspire them to follow that vision. In the salon realm, it’s also important for owners to carve out leadership opportunities for their team members so they may continue to grow. Great leadership requires continual self-education.
The team from A Roland in New Cumberland, Pennsylvania.
A ROLAND
New Cumberland, PA
arolandsalonstudio.com
Amy Roland
SQUARE FEET: 1300
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 7
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Aveda, BOB, Oway
COLOR: Aveda, Color Space
TECH SUPPORT: Phorest
ASSOCIATIONS: PBA
“Our focus at A Roland is on the everyday working environment: behaviors, interactions, beliefs, and values. We consistently make purposeful decisions that serve the greater purpose of the team, and team members are encouraged to do the same, thus creating unspoken leaders among them.”
AVALON SALON SPAS
Lake Zurich, IL
avalonsalonspas.com
Bonnie Conte
SQUARE FEET: 6100, 2500
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 47
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Aveda
COLOR: Aveda
SKINCARE: Aveda, I-N
NAIL CARE: OPI, Essie
TECH SUPPORT: Phorest, Vish
ASSOCIATIONS: Cosmetologists Chicago, Intercoiffure, ISPA
“My calling to lead does not end with Avalon; I also provide support to other salon owners. My coaching company—Be Inspired To Lead—provides guidance and solutions to leadership challenges. I also volunteer on local and industry-specific boards.”
Kayli Abney and Jen Baudier, owners of Bella Style Salon in Slidell, Louisiana.
BELLA STYLE SALON
Slidell, LA
mybellastyle.com
Jen Baudier, Kayli Abney
SQUARE FEET: 3800
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 14
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Oribe, Aveda
COLOR: Aveda, Pulp Riot
SKINCARE: Skin Medica
TECH SUPPORT: Phorest
ASSOCIATIONS: Intercoiffure, PIP University
“Learning how to give intentional feedback was a new skill we all had to acquire this past year. To do so, we each completed eight full days of intense personal development with Redesign Training from Healing Angels Organization.”
The team from Bonjour Belle Salon in Montgomery, Texas.
BONJOUR BELLE SALON
Montgomery, TX
Bbsalons.style
Timothy and Christina Lynch
SQUARE FEET: 1500, 3000
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 23
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Oribe, Davines, Kevin Murphy
COLOR: Davines Kevin Murphy
TECH SUPPORT: Phorest, Tippy, Vish
ASSOCIATIONS: Cosmetologists Chicago
“With PIP, I have organized my salon and am able to focus on cultivating the salon team in a methodical way. We set daily, weekly, quarterly, and annual goals to keep staff engaged and motivated, with a solid career pathway in place for each staff member.”
D'AMETRIS AVEDA
Broomfield, CO
dametris.biz
Ame and Dennis Metcalfe
SQUARE FEET: 1396
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 6
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Aveda, Dametris Solutions
COLOR: Aveda
TECH SUPPORT: SalonBiz, Salon Clouds, Meet Your Stylist
ASSOCIATIONS: PBA, ABCH
“Our strategy for growth is to keep the team curious. We recognize and celebrate the company’s values for growth and create opportunities and contests based on our salon goals that win additional rewards.”
GRAEBER & COMPANY
Boise, ID
graeberandcompany.com
Shelby Bills
SQUARE FEET: 4600
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 32
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Aveda
COLOR: Aveda
SKINCARE: Aveda
TECH SUPPORT: SalonBiz, Reach, Salon Scale
ASSOCIATIONS: PBA
“I’ve invested in a three-day deep dive personal and professional development course at the Personal Success Institute for myself and my leadership team. I’ve done all of PSI’s advanced courses and have brought their courses to Boise.”
JAMES GRIFFITH SALON
Venice, FL
James and Christine Griffith
SQUARE FEET: 5000, 2000, 1500
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 82
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Aveda, Kerastase, Shu Uemura
COLOR: Aveda, L'Oreal
SKINCARE: Aveda, Epionce
NAIL CARE: CND, OPI
TECH SUPPORT: Salon Biz, Vish
ASSOCIATIONS: Intercoiffure, 2 to 10
“The JGS leadership team has monthly coaching sessions, where they discover how to have more effective conversations and communications, with staff and each other.”
Adrienne Velazquez, owner of San Antonio, Texas.
JOYEZ SALON SPA
San Antonio, TX
vagaro.com/us04/joyezsalonspa
Adrienne Velazquez
SQUARE FEET: 3000
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 7
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Keratin Complex, Milbon, Moroccanoil
COLOR: Kevin.Murphy, Keratin Complex
SKINCARE: Bioelements
TECH SUPPORT: Vagaro, Mailchimp
ASSOCIATIONS: ISBN, PBA
“Differences are experienced in day-to-day activities. However, I have mastered the art of solving problems amicably. We involve the team in resolving arising issues. To motivate them, I inspire, appreciate, and reward.”
The leadership team from Pavo Salon in Memphis, Tennessee.
PAVO SALON
Memphis, TN
pavosalon.com
Scot Robinson, Shawn McGhee
SQUARE FEET: 4000, 2300
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 55
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Aveda
COLOR: Aveda
SKINCARE: Zo, Colorescience, Aveda
TECH SUPPORT: SalonBiz, Demandforce, Meet Your Stylist, Listen 360
“We shifted our mindset around what leadership means for our culture by asking ourselves how can we teach the team to lead in their current roles, while also creating opportunities for people to develop their own leadership.”
The team from Pin-up Curls in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
PIN-UP CURLS
Fort Wayne, IN
pin-upcurls.com
Erin Raber
SQUARE FEET: 5000
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 27
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Eufora
COLOR: Eufora
SKINCARE: Glo
NAIL CARE: CND, Gelish, OPI
TECH SUPPORT: Phorest, Meet Your Stylist, Mail Chimp
“Delegation is the strongest trait I believe a leader should possess. Delegating empowers others and opens up my time to focus on other things. It also shows my team I trust them and want them to be strong decision makers, which gives them ownership of the business and its success.”
The team from Razmataz in Georgetown, Texas.
RAZMATAZ SALON
Georgetown, TX
razmatazsalon.com
Rachel Smith
SQUARE FEET: 2400
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 16
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Aveda, Eufora, Moroccan Oil
COLOR: Aveda, Redken
TECH SUPPORT: Phorest, Meet Your Stylist
“As a leader, I am in business for my team. With my manager, we have created an open-door policy that not only supports our staff and their needs, but prioritizes them.”
The team from Vann Studio in Seattle, Washington.
VANN STUDIO
Seattle, WA
vannstudio.com
Lisa Vann
SQUARE FEET: 2200
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 22
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Eufora
COLOR: Eufora
SKINCARE: Dermodality
TECH SUPPORT: SalonBiz, Demandforce
ASSOCIATIONS: Intercoiffure, ISBN
“Lisa doesn’t wait for someone else to speak up and pull diversity into the equation, she seeks this out as step one of everything, and truly appreciates being surrounded by people from different backgrounds.”
An inside look at Varuna Aveda Salon Spa in Annapolis, Maryland.
VARUNA AVEDA SALON SPA
Annapolis, MD
varunasalonspa.com
Rebecca & Riccardo Santoro
SQUARE FEET: 4000
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 28
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Aveda
COLOR: Aveda
SKINCARE: Aveda, Jan Marini Skin Research
TECH SUPPORT: SalonBiz, Demandforce, Reach, Vish
ASSOCIATIONS: ISPA, PBA
“Our plan of action is clearly outlined in Qnity’s Eight Seasons calendar and Five Functions planner so everyone knows who, what, where, when, and how in every area of our business. This gives our team focus on what’s important and a way to measure their success.”
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
More Awards & Contests
Got a Gorgeous New Business? SALONS OF THE YEAR Applications now Open!
The landmark, photo-based interior design competition has opened its application process. We'd love you to hit us with your best shots!
by Stacey Soble
Energized and Exceptionally Thoughtful
At night, Dominic Michael Salon keeps the interior lights on, as the illuminated, eye-catching contemporary design serves as a billboard that consistently attracts new guests.
by Stacey Soble
Timeless Sophistication
Built from the ground up, Mane 18’s design strikes a balance between an elevated experience for guests and the functionality and flow necessary for team members to perform at their best.
by Stacey Soble
One Delightful Design Discovery
Andreas Hogue Salon’s recent renovation surprises visitors with the interior’s expansion of space, elevated retail area, and changing views of the restored Chicago prairie.
by Stacey Soble
2026 SALON TODAY 200: Growth Part 2
It's Day 10 of our SALON TODAY 200 reveals, and we've reached the end! Today, we toast the honorees in the second half of growth--the salons, spas, and barbershops that constantly strive to build stronger bottom lines, including Brandy Smith Stephens in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
by Stacey Soble
2026 SALON TODAY 200: Growth, Part 1
On Day 9 of our 2026 SALON TODAY 200 reveals, a big 'Huzzah' to our first look at the salons, spas and barbershops that fueled their growth by mastering a number of best practices, including the fun team from Lavish Hair Lounge in Albuquerque, New Mexico. (P.S. The second half of Growth comes tomorrow.)
2026 SALON TODAY 200: Salon Culture
A big "Bravo!" to the salons and spas that develop strong cultures that fuel growth while retaining team members, such as Soleil Salon & Spa team in Windham, New Hampshire, who catch up reading last year's 200 issue.
2026 SALON TODAY 200: Customer Service
We tip our hats to the salons and spas that genuinely connect with guests and strive to elevate their service, including Chenica Racine and Ricka O'Bannon, owners of C&R Beauty Bar in Louisville, Kentucky.
2026 SALON TODAY 200: Employee Education
Hats off to the 2026 SALON TODAY 200 honorees who make education a priority for employees at every level, including Eric Fisher Salon, which hosted Educator Oscar Bond for a cutting class in Wichita, Kansas.
2026 SALON TODAY 200: Technology and Client Retention and Referral
Today, we have two 2026 SALON TODAY 200 categories as we hail the salons that find creative ways to build client loyalty and the ones that constantly explore and embrace new technology to further their businesses, including the social-savvy team from Verde Salon Group in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
2026 SALON TODAY 200: Environmental Sustainability and Retail & Merchandising
For today's SALON TODAY 200 announcements, we toast the honorees who prioritize the environment in their business decisions and those who take retail to the next level, including the excited team from Pure Salon Spa in Louisville, Kentucky.
2026 SALON TODAY 200: Philanthropy
Cheers to the SALON TODAY 200 honorees who give their time, talent and fundraising efforts to their communities, including Eli Mancha and the team from Bang! Salon, whose cut-a-thon has collected more than 1,200 coats that have been donated to Chicago's unhoused.
by Stacey Soble
2026 SALON TODAY 200: Business Builders
It's Day 1 of our 2026 SALON TODAY 200 announcements, and today, we raise our glasses for the honorees in the Business Builders category. These salons, including Elan Hair Studio in Spring Lake, New Jersey, took strategic risks that paid off in revenue-generating success.
by Stacey Soble
2026 SALON TODAY 200: Compensation and Benefits
It's time to celebrate the 2026 SALON TODAY 200 honorees who design rewarding career paths and seek out enriching benefits to keep their team members healthy, happy and growing, including the team from Pinup Studio in Raleigh, North Carolina, who always enjoy a good pajama party.
A Space to Ground Down and Level Up
With a training salon, treatment rooms, education and collaboration spaces, a podcast studio and a yoga studio, BASE ONE is the foundation for the future growth of PENZONE Salons+Spas, as well as the company's gift to their community and the industry. Peruse the image gallery or take the personalized video tour led by Debra Penzone to see this exceptional space.
by Stacey Soble
SALON TODAY 200 Announcements Coming Soon!
As our judges read those last essays and create their list of honorees in each category, we're planning to start announce the 2026 SALON TODAY 200 starting February 25.
by Stacey Soble