A Partner in Business and in Life
At Janet St. Paul Studio for Hair and Beauty, Director of Operations Natasha McMillen helps bring her wife Janet St. Paul's vision to life, elevating every system from education to operations.
by Stacey Soble
Inside Look: Blue Hair Studio
This salon hits the right notes as a creative hub for innovative hair design and creative arts.
July 10, 2011
3 min to read
Will Bostock
Blue Hair Studio
Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania
When Will Bostock opened Blue Hair Studio, his goal was to give clients a creative experience that went beyond hairdressing. Ten years later, he can safely say he's surpassed that goal. With live jazz on the weekends, an artists' gallery and creative-clothing boutique, the salon is a vibrant crossroads for creative arts.
Q. How did you get your start in the salon business?
A. My first salon was with a partner. We were two crazy, naive 23-year-olds jumping into business and figuring it out as we went along.
Q. What is your salon's business philosophy?
A. Always keep a commitment to progressive education, encourage individuals to express their creativity and trust their vision. We always welcome and accept every kind of person (being hip is being comfortable in your own skin)-negativity and creativity cannot co-exist, so be responsible for your emotional exhaust.
Q. What makes your salon unique?
A. Valuing creativity and client comfort over maximizing every inch of space for services. We have an experimental lounge space with roomy areas, and Art Deco vanities and martini cabinets make up the cutting stations in a historic hotel-the vibe is eclectic.
Q. What niches do you target?
A. All of our ads or promotional pieces say "Be Different … Be Blue," so we target people from all walks of life who are looking for something new or unique. From brides who don't want typical hair and make-up, to a person looking to change her whole look.
Q. How is your salon celebrating its 10th anniversary?
A. To celebrate a decade of creativity, we are doing a "starving artist's" special. We are doing makeovers for musicians, artists and dancers-completely free of charge.
Q. What has been your greatest challenge in your business?
A. To have a work environment that's fun, loose and spontaneous, but to maintain professionalism and accountability-sometimes it's a difficult balance.
Q. What was the last event you hosted?
A. A night of Cuban jazz with the Grammy-winning talents of the Elio Villafranca Quintet. This event was a Valentine's Day 2008 fundraiser for the Ray of Hope Foundation, a nonprofit I co-founded to help disadvantaged Philadelphia families with home repairs.
Q. How has incorporating live music affected your salon?
A. The spontaneous nature of live jazz makes for an expressive, vibrant atmosphere that inspires the staff, relaxes the clients and gives back to the artistic community.
Q. What are your plans for the future?
A. To continually make it a better place to work: put more back into the business, tighten up systems, invest in staff's educational travel and branch out into more editorial and teaching opportunities. Also, to always look outside of the box for the next thing we can be involved in-possibly a body art boutique.
Blue Hair Studio
Established: 1998
Website:www.bluehairstudio.com
Spa setup: 13 chairs, two treatments rooms
Square feet: 3,400
Employees: 23
Prices: cut $35-$60; single process color $45; spa services $65-$80
Salon software: Elite Management
Equipment/furnishings: Belvedere and antique
Primary hair care line: Profound Beauty
Primary chemical line: Wella
Primary skin care line: Neo Strata
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
More Salon Management
Back to Business with the Pinstripe Trend
Expand your color service menu with the Pinstripe technique. Brooks and Brooks' Marlon Hawkins walks you through the technique.
by Stacey Soble
5 Essential Hair & Beauty Industry KPIs And How to Master Them
The strongest salons, spas, and med spas know which numbers tell the real story of their business. In this practical guide, Phorest breaks down the five essential KPIs every business should track to improve retention, boost revenue, and make smarter decisions with confidence.
Sponsored by Phorest
Bella Style Salon's Ride or Die
At Bella Style Salon in Slidell, Louisiana, Director of Operations Angela Meyer tackles inventory, team management, and guest relations. Read all about her in our latest Meet the Manager.
by Stacey Soble
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
The Most Wonderful Time in Salons and Spas
Planning is in full swing for the most anticipated events and promotions for the 2026 holidays. As owners share their favorite ways to celebrate, they prove that a carefully planned event can also build culture, increase client loyalty, boost sales, and set a business up for a successful 2027.
by Stacey Soble
Leading with Empathy, Humility and a Mastery of Systems
When things run amok at Mane Attraction Salon, Owners Chris and Jenny Knudsen say General Manager Sami Hernandez is their go-to resource and ultimate sounding board. Meet Sami in this installment of Meet the Manager.
by Stacey Soble
Pagoda Brings AI-Powered Operations to Skinovatio Medical Spa Locations
Pagoda, a new AI-native operating system for scheduling, payments, patient records, marketing, and client communications, launches at Skinovatio Medical Spa in Arlington Heights, Illinois.
by Staff
How Women are Rewriting the Rules of Grey Hair
At a panel discussion hosted by L’Oréal Professionnel in Paris in early July, French Philosopher Sophie Galabru explored the cultural shift where women are increasingly choosing natural, personalized color results over traditional grey coverage. In an exclusive interview with SALON TODAY, Galabru and L’Oréal Professionnel Colorist Pierrick Beringer discuss this shift and how salons and colorists respond.
by Stacey Soble
Warm Leadership and Analytical Precision
At Salon Blonde, Director of Operations treats the staff as the salon's most important guests, while her wonderful 'nerdy' side, loves data, systems, and numbers. Find out how she makes Salon Blonde tick.
by Stacey Soble
Trotting the Globe, Forging Connections, Fostering Artistic Creativity
In an exclusive interview with SALON TODAY, Salon Owner Salvatore Minardi reflects on his past 18 months as Intercoiffure America Canada's World Talent Exchange Ambassador and how his experiences will help encourage cultural and artistic exchange and support greater engagement between ICA and the global organization Intercoiffure Mondial.
by Stacey Soble
Client Retention Guidebook
Everything you need to know about client retention as a salon owner.
Success Grown from Within
Owner Shelby Bills says her general manager, Sydney Osborne, reminds her of the power of leading with heart. Find out how Osborne became a great leader in our lastest installment of Meet the Manager.
by Stacey Soble
How Salon Leaders Can Process the Pain and Lead Forward When a Team Members Leaves Unethically
In her latest blog, Kati Whitledge identifies the five stages salon owners go through when a team member leaves the salon unethically, offering advice for each stage.
How AI Is Closing Revenue Gaps for Salons and Spas
The beauty and wellness businesses pulling ahead aren’t just working harder—they’re using AI to capture demand, personalize pricing, and convert more of every guest interaction into revenue. Here’s what the benchmark data reveals about the growing gap between AI adopters and everyone else.
Sponsored by Zenoti
The Premium Talent Magnet: The Modern Salon Playbook for Attracting Six-Figure Stylists
Stop chasing recruitment ghosts on generic job boards and start curating an elite team. Discover the framework that top-tier salons use to bypass phone tag, automate visual portfolio vetting, and attract high-earning, culture-first beauty professionals directly through real-time messaging. Turn your recruitment process into an exclusive brand invitation that keeps your highest-ticket chairs permanently filled.
Sponsored by Beautista
Five Revenue Leaks Hiding in Your Salon
Your calendar looks full, but is all of that demand actually converting to revenue? From phantom rebookings to underpriced peak hours, the 2026 Benchmark Report exposes five revenue leaks that most beauty and wellness businesses don’t even know they have.
Sponsored by Zenoti