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
A Tail-Wagging Salon Philanthropy 24 Years in the Making
With Beauty to the Rescue, second-generation owners Chris and Jenny Knudsen continue the legacy of a Scottsdale salon's philanthropy to help animals in need.
July 25, 2024
A furry friend enjoys the Beauty to the Rescue event.
Chris Knudsen
4 min to read
In 2000, Kendall Ong and Beate Assmuth-Ong, the founders of Mane Attraction Salon in Scottsdale, Arizona, had five dogs of their own and a passion for helping animals in need. But they knew the best way to help wasn’t to buy a farm and adopt more animals, so they started brainstorming ways they could get their salon team and clientele to help.
As a result, they launched Beauty to the Rescue, with a goal of giving unwanted dogs and cats in the county a second chance at life. Twenty-four years later, the salon’s new generation of owners, Chris and Jenny Knudsen, proudly continue that tradition.
On the first Sunday of every March, the salon’s entire team donates their services, offering haircuts, blowouts, hair treatments and braids to guests for a minimum donation. Local boutique vendors join in the festivities, donating items for raffles and a silent action, while area shelters host animal adoptions in the salon’s parking lot.
“Since the first year, the event has raised $440,000, and the last several years we’ve averaged between $15,000 to $19,000 a year,” says Chris Knudsen. “One hundred of the money we raise goes to the Phoenix Animal Care Coalition (PACC911), which brings together many animal welfare organizations throughout Arizona. The money we raise contributes to the medical bills of animals who need treatment or surgery, including spaying and neutering—before they can be considered for adoption. Last year, the money we raised helped 70 animals.”
Mane Attraction stylists donate services to raise money for animals in need.
Chris Knudsen
The salon continues the support and awareness for the cause throughout the year, with a kickback contribution connected to a number of retail items. “For example, we carry eyewear from a local Tempe company and every time a client buys a pair of glasses, a can of dog food is donated,” Knudsen says. A section on the salon’s website describes the Beauty to the Rescue effort and features a Shop Button connecting to the retail websites of each of the boutique partners.
After so many years, Knudsen says the philanthropy has become a well-oiled machine. While the stylists volunteer their time and cut human hair for donations, the owners close off the salon’s parking lot so various dog rescues can bring adoptable animals to the day’s festivities, and a big silent auction really drives the financial donations. One of the raffle items leading up to the event is a $1,000 gift card to the salon which Mane Attraction markets as ‘A Year of Beauty.’
“My kids even got in on the action, bringing in baked goods and holding a bake sale—they raised $600 of this year’s proceeds,” he proudly shares.
While it’s not a requirement, both clients and staff members have gotten in the habit of bringing their own pets to the salon that day. “It’s really become a ‘Bring Your Dog to Work Day,’” he laughs.
Knudsen says the Phoenix Animal Care Coalition (PACC911) has become their perfect beneficiary for the salon’s philanthropic efforts because it is an umbrella organization with a wide reach—it partners with more than 100 different dog and cat rescues in the state, and all of those partners reach out to PACC911 with animals in need.
During the philanthopic day vendors man tables with information, animal adoptions and fund-raising activities.
Chris Knudsen
“Many companies have gotten into giving back as part of their corporate philosophy, but it’s a matter of how it shows up,” Knudsen says. “This is us putting our money and efforts where our mouth is—as long as I’ve been here the people who work here have loved animals, and the clients who attend all know the money is being raised for animal welfare,” he says.
While the salon doesn’t organize the event for the goodwill and publicity it generates, Knudsen says that it a positive byproduct for the salon. Last year, three television stations covered the day’s activities and there were multiple writeups in community newspapers and magazines. While the salon supports other causes as well, Knudsen says this is a favorite because there’s no political agenda behind it. “If you have a problem with us because we support animals, then we’re probably not a good fit as your salon,” he says.
“Kendall and Beate built a helluva company, and we are blessed to keep the legacy,” Knudsen concludes. “We are really proud of what this event has become.”
From left: Tina Lopez and Bari Meyers, vice president and president/founder of the Phoenix Animal Care Coalition; Lindsay Mozena, real estate agent with Realty One Group (a sponsor of the event; and Mane Attraction's Jenny and Chris Knudsen.
Chris Knudsen
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
More Salon Management
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
Rethinking Retail in the Era of E-Commerce
In a world dominated by e-commerce, salon owners push back with proven strategies to increase retail sales while motivating team members to educate their clientele and delighting clients with retail-themed events and clever merchandising displays.
by Stacey Soble
The Harper Ellis Hair Co. Certification Program Teaches Stylists a Smarter, Safer Way to Install Extensions
The company's Concealed Bead Method is raising the bar for what professional extension education can deliver.
by Staff
The Micro-Salon Blueprint: How Kat Scott Quadrupled Income by Maximizing Her Suite
Scott maximized her micro-salon by transitioning from stylist to strategic owner, focusing on recruiting and station-sharing. By prioritizing her ownership role over behind-the-chair work, she grew her team to six stylists within the two-chair, 150-square-foot space before eventually moving to a larger facility.
by Staff