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.
by Stacey Soble
A Soft Rumble
This month we celebrate the thousands of talented, fierce, passionate, visionary and leading women in our industry.
October 1, 2011
3 min to read
OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS I’ve attended dozens of stage demonstrations, keynote addresses and panel discussions at professional beauty industry events and shows. And, very often, when our industry’s top artists and experts take the stage, there’s a very soft, yet very perceptible murmur among the audience. Have you heard it?
That low mumble is the women in the audience, whispering to one another, wondering why there are no or so few women on stage before them. After all, in the words of one wise woman profiled in this issue, “This is an industry fueled by women both in revenue and in workforce.” And she’s right. According to the Professional Beauty Association, 84 percent of those in personal appearance occupations are women. And in my personal experience, most of you continue to report that 90 percent or more of your clientele are women.
With that murmur in mind last year, a cover feature from Time caught my eye. The New Sheriffs of Wall Street profiled three powerful women charged with the responsibility of cleaning up this country’s financial mess—a mess the article boldly claimed was mostly created by the men of Wall Street. I clipped the article, and brought it to one of our editorial brainstorming sessions.
After long discussions among our editors, we decided to take a new spin on October’s obligatory “pink theme,” and profile some of this industry’s great female minds, inspiring leaders and cutting-edge artists. In a Jane Austen-esque moment, we determined MODERN SALON would showcase “Women of Style,” while SALON TODAY would spotlight “Women of Substance.” In addition, as a representative of the industry’s only business-focused trade pub, I decided we should take a cold, hard look at the current status of women in business. How far have we come? What’s still holding us back? (See The Concrete Ceiling starting on page 40.)
Spotlight Shy?
Now back to the issue of inequality of women on our professional stages. Some have suggested that our female majority audiences prefer watching male artists. Others claim that as female professionals tend to put their careers on the backburner to tend to the needs of their growing families, they shy away from roles that would require multiple hours outside the traditional workweek and miles and miles of travel.
As I was interviewing our Women of Substance, I developed my own theory. Several of these strong women remarked on how uncomfortable it was to talk about themselves and their accomplishments. I found myself wondering if there was a correlation between that discomfort and the ego-baring experience of displaying your opinions and talents in front of thousands. Then our contributing writer unearthed a statistic that further supported this theory: When a job listing is posted, women will apply if they meet 100 percent of the criteria, while men will apply when they meet just 60 percent.
When it comes to shifting the spotlight to women, we know our October magazines, websites, blogs and videos are only scratching the surface. Our industry is filled with thousands of talented, fierce, passionate, visionary and leading women. This month’s stories are our love letter to all of you.
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
More Salon Management
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
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