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
Collaborative Competition
As the leaves start to brighten in the coming weeks, it’s the perfect time to start putting some preliminary marketing plans in place for 2017. For the fifth straight year, SALON TODAY is here to help with our STAMP (Salon Today’s ...
September 7, 2016
3 min to read
As the leaves start to brighten in the coming weeks, it’s the perfect time to start putting some preliminary marketing plans in place for 2017. For the fifth straight year, SALON TODAY is here to help with our STAMP (Salon Today’s Annual Marketing Program) issue, full of marketing and promotional ideas that already have proven their merit in salons just like yours. The owners of these businesses willingly shared their winning ideas, knowing they may be sharing a little success with a competitor just down the street.
As I was judging this year’s competition, I was particularly intrigued with a submission from Pat and Bobbi Heaney, who own Mango Salon in Richmond, Virginia. At the suggestion of Jennifer Matsas, their regional business consultant for Bumble and bumble, they partner with the local Sephora on monthly dry styling events, regularly loaning out volunteer stylists to do demos in the window of the beauty products store. (See their winning STAMP idea) Knowing that any product sales would go to Sephora, many owners would have viewed this opportunity with skepticism. But Lynsey Glasco, Mango’s creative development director, says the live events have provided several unexpected benefits for the salon:
Change of Venue. “Spending a day styling customers at Sephora is creatively stimulating for the team members who volunteer,” Glasco says. “They get to do updos and other styling techniques they don’t get to do every day in the salon, and the change in venue shakes things up a bit, exposes them to different people (who may become future clients) and puts them in the public spotlight of being a hair expert.”
Enhanced Retail Skills: Glasco says spending a day in Sephora also shifts the stylists’ perception on how clients look at retail. “Not only do they observe the retailing expertise of the Sephora team in action but they have one-on-one time with Jennifer who observes their interaction with each client and makes subtle suggestions in-between clients on how to improve,” Glasco says. “It really sinks in that clients want to be educated about retail, and educated clients buy more.”
Matsas says she’s subsequently seen retail figures climb for the individuals who volunteer to do the events at Sephora. “One Fresh Talent stylist had retail to service figures in the low 20s—the first month after participating in a Sephora event, his retail to service dollars increased to 44 percent,” she says.
A Broader Beauty Network: Co-branding with a national beauty brand like Sephora elevates the Mango brand in our market,” Glasco says. “They also have great relationships with other beauty vendors, experts and bloggers, so we’ve expanded our network.”
In fact, the monthly dry styling events were so successful, Matsas approached Sephora about doing a closed door evening event for Mango clients and contacts, which is pretty rare.
Advanced Education: Matsas set it up so any Mango stylist who volunteers to do one of the styling events at Sephora earns points in Bumble’s rewards program. “If they have their eye on a class at our New York academy, it’s a great way to quickly rack up the points,” she says.
Overall the program has been a big success for Mango, as well as Sephora. “I really commend Mango and its owners for being leaders and innovators and looking beyond the competitive aspect to see the big picture and how the businesses can grow together,” Matsas says.
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