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SEARCHIn the 15 years of history of the SALON TODAY 200, the way salon owners share their exciting news has changed rapidly. Look at how they're telling the world now.
2012 marks the 15th year the SALON TODAY 200 competition has celebrated and shared the data and success stories of some of our nation’s fastest-growing and best-managed salons. In our offices, there’s always a sense of excitement and satisfaction when the first box of issues crosses our threshold and we can crack open the first magazine and see the smiling faces of owners and their teams inside. But that moment isn’t the first time we share that excitement with honorees—at least in this day and age.
Since the beginning of this competition, we’ve mailed out letters to each and every applicant each November, letting them know if they made it into that year’s ST200. When we sent those letters out 15 years ago, it was a quiet affair, at least in our offices. Oh, the occasional salon owner would call to express their excitement and appreciation, but it was rare. No one emailed back them. In fact, according to our historical ST200 data, fewer than 40 percent of salons in 1998 even had access to email. Usually our team didn’t have the opportunity to share in our readers’ excitement until we begin seeing owners and their team members at trade shows in late January.
As the years went by, and both SALON TODAY editors and salon owner readers became more comfortable with email, I’d receive several quick messages letting me know they got their letters. As technology continued to advance, even more owners would share their ST200 news with The Salon Association’s (now part of the Professional Beauty Association) listserve, affectionately known as The List. When those messages started surfacing, my sources at the association would let me know that the letters were hitting the in-boxes at the salons.
In the past few years, Facebook has emerged as the preferred method for owners to announce their news with us and each other, and since they are posting in real time, it has became an interesting experiment at our office to track how quickly the good old U.S. Postal Service is delivering mail around the country.
This November, a few weeks before our announcement letters went out, our MODERN SALON TV launched its community video sharing site, YouShare. So in this year’s notification letter, I encouraged salons to include us in that moment of excitement by recording it. I always knew the SALON TODAY 200 was relevant and important to salon owners, but I never realized just how emotional the moment of finding out they made it was, until I saw it for myself. Some owners laughed, some cried, some toasted with champagne, and they all came up with creative ways to capturing the moment.
CLICK HERE to experience all those YouShare moments yourself! We love 'em all, but wanted to make sure you didn't miss "The Envelope Please" by Studio Wish Salon and Spa (above) and "Jackie the Hair Fairy" from Hair Design Systems and Time in a Bottle Day Spa (below).
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.
