Back to Business with the Pinstripe Trend
Expand your color service menu with the Pinstripe technique. Brooks and Brooks' Marlon Hawkins walks you through the technique.
by Stacey Soble
A Partner in Business and in Life
At Janet St. Paul Studio for Hair and Beauty, Director of Operations Natasha McMillen helps bring her wife Janet St. Paul's vision to life, elevating every system from education to operations.
August 19, 2026
Director of Operations Natasha McMillen and Janet St. Paul of Janet St. Paul Studio for Hair and Beauty in Austin, Texas.
Credit:
Janet St. Paul Studio for Hair and Beauty
3 min to read
SALON TODAY's Meet the Manager series celebrates the managers, team leads, and directors in the industry who work to maintain the vision and goals of salons, spas, and barbershops. In today's profile, we meet Natasha McMillen, director of operations at Janet St. Paul Studio for Hair and Beauty in Austin, Texas. Owner Janet St. Paul says that with 13 years of experience with a salon management software company, McMillen combines tech-savvy strategy with hands-on leadership.
The manager: Natasha McMillen, director of operations
Nominated by: Janet St. Paul, owner of Janet St. Paul Studio for Hair and Beauty in Austin, Texas
Date of Hire: February 2022
SALON TODAY:What is McMillen’s experience that made you believe she’d be a good fit for your business?
St. Paul: “Before joining Janet St. Paul Studio, Natasha spent 13 years at Rosy Salon Software, where she worked directly with thousands of salons across the country. Her experience gave her a deep understanding of what makes a salon run at the highest level—from systems and client experience to team culture and profitability. She brings that knowledge into our studio with precision and vision, combining tech-savvy strategy with hands-on leadership.”
ST: What personality characteristics does McMillen have that make her a good manager?
St. Paul: “Natasha brings a rare mix of warmth and directness—she's compassionate, but clear. Her intuition, emotional intelligence, and visionary leadership style help team members feel seen and supported, while also holding everyone to high standards. She leads with integrity, accountability, and heart.”
ST: What are the three most important tasks McMillen handles at the salon?
St. Paul: “1. Hiring and onboarding new talent through a luxury-aligned, selective process. 2. Overseeing all training and education, including custom programs and mentorship. #. Leading brand strategy, client experience initiatives, and marketing execution.”
ST: How is McMillen held accountable for the business’s performance?
St. Paul: “Through daily meetings and business performance reviews, we ensure continuous growth. When areas for improvement are identified, we address them directly and develop actionable plans to achieve our goals.”
ST: How often do you meet with her, and what do you go over?
St. Paul: “We meet daily to align on guest experience, team performance, education, and financial goals. We also hold weekly strategy meetings to review KPIs, vision casting, and expansion opportunities.”
ST: What type of continuing education do you offer this manager?
St. Paul: “Natasha receives executive coaching, attends national salon business conferences, and regularly completes leadership, spiritual, and marketing trainings to stay inspired and innovative.”
ST: How has McMillen helped you personally and professionally?
St. Paul: “As my wife and business partner, Natasha helps bring my vision to life. She's elevated every system—from education to operations—while also helping me stay grounded and aligned as a creative leader. The salon's growth in reputation, profitability, and culture is a direct result of her leadership.”
If you have a manager you'd like to nominate for this series, learn more here.
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
More Salon Management
5 Essential Hair & Beauty Industry KPIs And How to Master Them
The strongest salons, spas, and med spas know which numbers tell the real story of their business. In this practical guide, Phorest breaks down the five essential KPIs every business should track to improve retention, boost revenue, and make smarter decisions with confidence.
Sponsored by Phorest
Bella Style Salon's Ride or Die
At Bella Style Salon in Slidell, Louisiana, Director of Operations Angela Meyer tackles inventory, team management, and guest relations. Read all about her in our latest Meet the Manager.
by Stacey Soble
The Constant
Starting at Impressions front desk in 2006 when he was 19 years old, General Manager Paul Petrowsky is a seasoned professional who owner Sarah Taylor says is responsible for much of her own success.
by Stacey Soble
The Most Wonderful Time in Salons and Spas
Planning is in full swing for the most anticipated events and promotions for the 2026 holidays. As owners share their favorite ways to celebrate, they prove that a carefully planned event can also build culture, increase client loyalty, boost sales, and set a business up for a successful 2027.
by Stacey Soble
Leading with Empathy, Humility and a Mastery of Systems
When things run amok at Mane Attraction Salon, Owners Chris and Jenny Knudsen say General Manager Sami Hernandez is their go-to resource and ultimate sounding board. Meet Sami in this installment of Meet the Manager.
by Stacey Soble
Pagoda Brings AI-Powered Operations to Skinovatio Medical Spa Locations
Pagoda, a new AI-native operating system for scheduling, payments, patient records, marketing, and client communications, launches at Skinovatio Medical Spa in Arlington Heights, Illinois.
by Staff
How Women are Rewriting the Rules of Grey Hair
At a panel discussion hosted by L’Oréal Professionnel in Paris in early July, French Philosopher Sophie Galabru explored the cultural shift where women are increasingly choosing natural, personalized color results over traditional grey coverage. In an exclusive interview with SALON TODAY, Galabru and L’Oréal Professionnel Colorist Pierrick Beringer discuss this shift and how salons and colorists respond.
by Stacey Soble
Warm Leadership and Analytical Precision
At Salon Blonde, Director of Operations treats the staff as the salon's most important guests, while her wonderful 'nerdy' side, loves data, systems, and numbers. Find out how she makes Salon Blonde tick.
by Stacey Soble
Trotting the Globe, Forging Connections, Fostering Artistic Creativity
In an exclusive interview with SALON TODAY, Salon Owner Salvatore Minardi reflects on his past 18 months as Intercoiffure America Canada's World Talent Exchange Ambassador and how his experiences will help encourage cultural and artistic exchange and support greater engagement between ICA and the global organization Intercoiffure Mondial.
by Stacey Soble
Client Retention Guidebook
Everything you need to know about client retention as a salon owner.
Success Grown from Within
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.
by Stacey Soble
How Salon Leaders Can Process the Pain and Lead Forward When a Team Members Leaves Unethically
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.
How AI Is Closing Revenue Gaps for Salons and Spas
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
The Premium Talent Magnet: The Modern Salon Playbook for Attracting Six-Figure Stylists
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
Five Revenue Leaks Hiding in Your Salon
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
The Heartbeat of Zandi K's Success
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.
by Stacey Soble