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
Focused on Success
During a day focused on cultivating success at the Premiere Orlando show, salon owners give each other a closer look at their operations—both inside and out.
by Salon Today Staff
July 1, 20162 min to read
At Premiere Orlando’s 2016 By Invitation Only event, five Salon Today 200 honorees offered an inside look at their businesses, and the audience also got a virtual tour of the 2016 Salons of the Year.
Jamison Shaw Codner, the manager of Jamison Shaw Hairdressers in Atlanta, and the manager of marketing, education and operations for Sunlights Balayage, offered insight into the millennial mindset.
“They are looking for a salon to be their growth incubator,” Shaw Codner said. “Set easy-to-understand goals and reward and recognize their achievements.” Jeff South, founder of Intrigue Salon in Atlanta, shared the value of forging a beauty community with his Club Intrigue open education events.
“It’s about relationships and collaboration; we’re bringing hairdressers together and creating something bigger than each of us alone,” South said.
Coral Pleas, owner of Cutting Loose Salons in Sarasota, Florida, took the audience on a tour of her successful marketing ventures, from her weekly makeovers on a local morning television show to the statuettes that were commissioned by a local artist for each of her locations.
“Our success also comes down to the associations we choose to affiliate with,” she said. “You are who you hang out with, and we’re allergic to average.”
Next, Tim Timmons, owner of Salon Gloss in Atlanta, gave the audience a look at how philanthropy shaped the trajectory of his success when he teamed up with Hick Arrojo for a makeover competition and met a courageous rape survivor.
“With awareness comes responsibility, and now we volunteer to help women in a local shelter look their best, organize career fairs, and provide Christmas gifts to the children,” he said.
To wrap up the session, Frank Gambuzza from Salon Visage in Knoxville, Tennessee, shared how a personal financial fiasco with an embezzling employee encouraged him to figure out how to run his business by the numbers.
“Through forced-bottom-line accounting, we plan our profitability and manage strictly through our budget,” he said.
Next, SALON TODAY’S Editor Stacey Soble award the Salons of the Year with their certificates. She then revealed that Michael & Michael in Chicago; NAAVA Salon and Spa in Austin, Texas; and Don Angelos Aveda Lifestyle Salon in Bay City, Michigan were the first, second and third-runners up 8, owned by Kimberly de Freitas in Curasao, was the grand-prize winner.
“It was a year where sleek, chic and sophisticated interiors provided the perfect backdrop for the artistry that goes on in each of these locations,” Soble said. “Our judges fell in love with 8 because it was designed so every service comes with an unforgettable view of the Caribbean.”
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