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SEARCHBuilding a strong culture requires constant cultivation by the salon owner. The Salon Code's Kelley Swing walks you through a number of areas you need to consider.
Kelley Swing, founder of The Salon Code.
The team from Head Case Hair Studio in a moment of celebration
The following is an except from SALON TODAY's Coaches, Consultants and Business Resources Directory. Visit it for more helpful business guidance and to learn more about Kelley Swing, owner of Head Case Hair Studio and founder of The Salon Code.
Building a strong and loyal salon culture begins with a clear vision and shared values. Your team must understand the "why" behind your business—what you stand for, your goals and the experience you want to deliver. A clearly defined mission and core values will serve as a foundation for unity and purpose, ensuring everyone is aligned toward a common goal.
As a salon owner or leader, your actions and mindset determine the tone. Show up with integrity, positivity, and consistency. Demonstrate behaviors and attitudes you want to see in your team. When your team sees you embodying the salon's values, they will likely follow suit. Don't forget to be vulnerable and empathetic.
Open, honest and frequent communication is essential for building trust and loyalty. Create a safe space where team members feel heard and valued. Hold regular meetings to share updates, celebrate wins and address challenges. Encourage feedback and show that their input matters by taking actionable steps when possible.
Investing in your team's development enhances their skills and strengthens their loyalty. Offer ongoing education, training, and opportunities for advancement. Create clear career paths and mentor your team members to help them reach their goals. Employees who see you're invested in their success will be more committed to your salon.
A positive and supportive workplace is the cornerstone of a strong culture. Celebrate achievements, both big and small, and recognize individual contributions. Foster relationships among your staff to encourage collaboration and teamwork. Address conflicts promptly and fairly to maintain harmony.
Empower your team by giving them ownership of their roles and trusting them to make decisions within their scope of work. This builds confidence and fosters loyalty. Encourage creativity and innovation by inviting fresh ideas and collaborating on decisions, big and small. This approach sparks valuable insights you may not have considered and ensures your team feels invested in driving positive change.
Promote work-life balance to show that you value your team's well-being. Offer flexible schedules when possible and encourage self-care. A team that feels cared for is more likely to stay committed.
Creating traditions unique to your salon helps build a sense of belonging. Celebrate birthdays, work anniversaries and salon achievements. Host team-building events or participate in community service projects together. These shared experiences strengthen bonds and create lasting memories.
Incorporating a cause or purpose into your salon's culture can inspire loyalty. Whether sustainability, community involvement or mental health advocacy, showing your salon stands for something meaningful attracts like-minded team members and clients.
A strong and loyal salon culture doesn't happen overnight—it's built through intentional actions, consistent leadership and a genuine commitment to your team's well-being and growth. By fostering trust, collaboration and a shared sense of purpose, you'll create a culture where your team feels valued and will thrive.
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.
The company's Concealed Bead Method is raising the bar for what professional extension education can deliver.
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.
The former CFO of Perdue Farms and owner of Hardy Seafood, Terry Owens delivers a wealth of wisdom and strategies for entrepreneurs in his new book, "Business is Simple."
After scaling her single-location salon business, SALON TODAY 200 Honoree Amy Pal recently sold her six-location Whip Salon for seven figures. Using the six Ps for maximizing a business's value, she's ready to help her peers do the same.
Buried inside the One Big Beautiful Bill Act are federal solar tax credit changes that deserve your attention now. Two of the credits that matter most to commercial property owners, the Investment Tax Credit and the Production Tax Credit, are still available, but only if you move fast. A third, the Commercial Building Energy Efficiency Deduction, has a hard termination date that is closer than most people realize.
Up to 40% of hair stylists ghost the salon interview stage, leaving owners trapped playing endless phone tag with uncommitted applicants. This data-driven report breaks down why traditional job boards create recruitment friction and reveals the modern messaging strategies high-growth salons use to get pre-qualified talent to actually show up. Learn how to transition from cold calling to high-conversion conversations that protect your time and fill your chairs.
Sponsored by Beautista
Spit fests, hostile threats, and even an overachieving matchmaker--SALON TODAY readers share their craziest client tales and how their team handled these tough situations with professionalism and grace.
Keeping your appointment book full when clients are in vacation mode takes more than a good Instagram post. It takes a plan. The 2026 Summer Marketing Calendar from Meevo gives salon, spa & med spa owners a month-by-month roadmap with sharp themes, key opportunity dates, and campaign ideas specifically designed for the beauty & wellness industry. Here’s to your summer season working as hard as you do!
Sponsored by Millennium Systems International
AI is transforming the beauty and wellness industry, and the future is about empowering people, not replacing them. Discover how Phorest AI helps salons, spas, and med spas across North America respond faster, personalize every visit, and keep human connection at the heart of the client experience.
Sponsored by Phorest
Owner Michaella Blissett-Williams credits her General Manager Gloria Hortua with [salon] 718's year-over-year, double-digit growth and says she's been able to scale the company to eight locations because she can rely on Hortua to manage daily operations.
Shine Time: Aluram’s High Shine Line Delivers Moisture and Shine with Clean Ingredients
Sponsored by Aluram
Elyse Rogers is an uplifting presence at The Headroom who makes the team feel heard even in stressful situations. Owner Danielle Cherewyk sings her praises in this installment of Meet the Manager.
Despite a slight and predictable decline in client traffic for Q1, resilient pricing power is driving year-over-year revenue growth in salons. The KIM Report's Alain Audet reviews the data and what it's telling us about the state of professional beauty.
Same-store revenue grew just 2% for the second straight year—and new guest visits declined across every segment of the industry. The 2026 Benchmark Report reveals where growth is actually happening, which verticals are pulling ahead, and what the data says about where your business stands right now.
Sponsored by Zenoti
Hair restoration is entering a new era driven by regenerative science. This paper explores how Exosome technology is transforming treatment outcomes by targeting hair loss at a cellular level. Discover why EXOGROW is leading this shift.
Sponsored by Dermapenworld
A salon brand is much more than a logo. In this thought-provoking blog, Leon Alexander, Ph.D., walks you through the difference. SALON TODAY suggests sharing this article with your team and leading a discussion at your next huddle, asking the team to define your business's brand.
