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SEARCHThe older I get, the less excited I am about collecting the afternoon mail. Bills and junk mail tend to overwhelm anything of interest, and sorting through the stack tends to waste valuable time.Recently though, a small, hand-addressed envelope ...
The older I get, the less excited I am about collecting the afternoon mail. Bills and junk mail tend to overwhelm anything of interest, and sorting through the stack tends to waste valuable time.
Recently though, a small, hand-addressed envelope caught my eye. When I opened it, there was a lovely Thank You note from Ty Bobit, the owner of Bobit Business Media, the publishing group that purchased Salon Today along with the Modern Salon Media family a few months ago. The note personally thanked me on a job well done on a recent issue. It may seem a simple gesture, but that hand-written thank you note was incredibly gratifying.
The note also served as a subtle reminder that a company’s culture starts at the top.
A clearly defined culture is a determining factor in the success of a business. According to the Harvard Business Review, culture “can account for 20-30% of the differential in corporate performance when compared with ‘culturally unremarkable competitiors.” Strong cultures include things like a purposeful mission or vision statement, decision-guiding corporate values, clear business practices, a positive environment and motivated people.
In the world of professional beauty, the topic of growing a strong salon culture is cropping up everywhere. Several of this year’s salon owner speakers at Serious Business focused on the topic of salon culture. On April 11, our publisher Steve Reiss will be moderating an industry panel session of salon owners at Club Intrigue in Atlanta on “Building a Healthy Community & Culture.”
We also made Salon Culture one of our new competition categories in the 2016 Salon Today 200, and it ended up being one of our most competitive categories. Even in its debut year, it yielded more entries than any other best practice category. It also yielded the most phone calls, emails and text messages from salon owners disappointed to have not captured a salon culture honor this year.
In January, I launched the Culture Corner column which regularly heads up our Check In Section. For example, this month, on page 10, Summit Salon’s Kristi Valenzuela talks about the culture gap that often exists between the front desk staff and the rest of the team, and she offers three strategies for helping these valuable team members feel embraced by the salon’s culture.
While there’s much evidence that developing your salon’s culture is good for business, doing so is a tougher task than it may seem. That’s why in this month cover feature Culture Club (starting on page 22) we sit down with six salon owners who reveal that strategies they’ve used to define their cultures, ideas for getting the team on board, and examples of how they use culture to guide their important business decisions. They also share specific team-building activities and reward programs that keep their cultures strong. And, Wendy White McCown, the owner of Signatures Salon in Lake Charles, Louisiana, and this month’s cover owner, offers a touching story on how her strong culture helped her team through a trying experience when a drunk driver plowed through their storefront.
As for us, America’s Beauty Show was an important experience in building our new corporate culture. Because the show is based in Chicago, near Modern Salon’s offices, our entire team, including our designer, our IT and digital teams, and all our support team members were able to join our editors and sales representatives to witness the professional beauty industry in action. And, for the first time, many of us met our counterparts at our new sister publications, NAILS Magazine and VietSalon, while we shared a booth at the show, along with exchanging ideas and sources.
As we look forward to the months ahead in growing the culture within our new media family, I hope you will embrace the ideas, tips and strategies within this issue to strengthen your salon culture.
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.
