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SEARCHWhat does "having it all" mean to the contemporary woman working in the professional beauty industry, and is it possible? Salon Today explores the stories of 13 mighty women and discovers how they define success.
WHAT DOES “HAVING IT ALL MEAN” MEAN TO THE CONTEMPORARY WOMAN WORKING IN THE PROFESSIONAL BEAUTY INDUSTRY, AND IS IT POSSIBLE? SALON TODAY EXPLORES THE STORIES OF 13 MIGHTY WOMEN AND DISCOVERING HOW THEY DEFINE SUCCESS.
The contemporary working woman constantly weighs her scales, determining where she can borrow a bit of time, energy and attention from her personal life to contribute to her professional side and vice versa. She’s a consummate juggler, an expert multi-tasker, and an inspiration and a foundation to colleagues and family members alike. And, until recently, she believed that she truly could “have it all.”
In July 2012, Anne-Marie Slaughter, a former director of policy planning for the U.S. State Department, ignited a firestorm when she penned a story for The Atlantic, titled, “Why Women Still Can’t Have it All.” Working mothers around the country began to debate whether they’ve had to sacrifice too much to try to achieve success. To add fuel to the conversation, Yahoo named 37-year-old Marissa Mayer its new CEO, while celebrating the fact that Mayer was also six months pregnant. Simultaneously, the media touted the 2012 London Olympics as the “Year of the Woman.” For the first time in history, every single country team had a female athlete and the female athletes on team USA outnumbered the male athletes.
SALON TODAY decided to join the debate, by questioning whether women in professional beauty—an industry focused on women— can achieve it all and asking what that means exactly. We broadened our definition of “all,” choosing to search for women in the beauty industry who balance successful careers with growing families, leadership positions in the industry, charitable activities and/or additional entrepreneurial pursuits.
While we found thousands of examples of strong and powerful women, we chose the following 11 stories of 13 women who are carefully maintain their own balance and shaping their own sense of ALL.
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.
