MENU
SEARCHIn the editor's column for March-April 2017, Stacey Soble calculates the value of the Atlanta salon owners on the cover, before announcing two new events for 2017.
“A picture is worth a thousand words.”
I happened to be observing as photographer Parish Kohanim was arranging the powerhouse salon owners for this month’s cover shoot, and that phase kept running through my head. Each of the 13 models—Candy Shaw, Tony Samples Kvapil, Lester Crowell, Matthew Khodayari, Steve Hightower, Jeff South, Jyl Craven, Joseph Golshani, Carol Siggers, Jessica Soler, Flonnie Westbrook, Jim Shaw and Van Council—represented one of the owners from the salons that founded the Atlanta Salon Owners Group. I started contemplating the beauty business value of the group, and the reporter in me couldn’t resist asking these owners a few more questions.
Collectively, the salons represented on our cover employ 916 stylists, colorists, estheticians, nail technicians, massage therapists and support staff. In 2016, they rang up 881,520 client tickets. And, their salons occupy 111,152 square feet of space. When it comes to the hair products they carry, they run the gamut, with L’Oreal, Wella, Kerastase, Redken, Aveda, Pureology, Shu Uemura, Smart, Oak for Men, Goldwell, Arrojo, Aquage, Balmain, Oribe, Bumble & Bumble, and MorrocanOil represented, along with a number of private labels. Combined with the other salons that make up the Atlanta Salon Owners Group, they are keeping Atlanta beautiful. It was fascinating to spend a day watching a room of people who essentially are competitors share successful ideas, learn together and support one another.
The New Education Destination
Harvesting the industry’s success stories and sharing them with all salons to elevate the industry is the foundation of two exciting events that Modern Salon Media family is hosting in 2017. And, coincidentally we chose Atlanta as our home base for both.
I’m excited to announce that Salon Today is partnering with ZeeZor to launch a totally new kind of salon business conference, the Data Driven Salon, which will be held at the Hilton Atlanta Northeast, June 25-26, 2017. This unique event will take a deep-dive into the metrics of salon success leveraging the data resources from ZeeZor and Salon Today. Participants will see how their own numbers stack up against some of the most successful salons, and they will learn from owners and stylists who constantly excel in areas such as retail sales, service sales, sales per ticket, client retention and staff retention. Early bird rates of $299 are available until March 31. For more information, visit datadrivensalon.com or call 310-533-2445.
Last October, Modern Salon held the first HAIR+ Summit, one of the first hair loss and hair thinning educational events organized by stylists for stylists. The event was a success, and the Summit’s advisory board is well underway planning year two, which will include both introductory and advanced tracks to meet the needs of stylists with varying degrees of experience in addressing hair loss. Mark your calendars, the event will be held at the Hilton Atlanta Northeast, September 24-25, 2017. Find out more or register at hairplussummit.com.
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.
