SALON TODAY's Meet the Manager series celebrates the managers, team leads, and directors in the industry who work to maintain the vision and goals of salons, spas, and barbershops. In today's profile, we meet Hallie Spurlin, who serves as General Manager and Chief Financial Officer at Urban Betty in Austin, Texas. Her vast responsibilities include team development and mentorship, financial oversight and strategic planning and operating systems and scaling. Find out why Owner Chelle Neff says Spurlin is the steady force behind the salon's continued growth and success. 

The manager: Hallie Spurlin, General Manager and CFO

Nominated by: Chelle Neff

Date of Hire: February 2009

SALON TODAY: What about Spurlin’s background made you believe she’d be a good manager for your business? 

Neff: “She embodies the essence of growth from within. She started at Urban Betty in 2009 as a part-time salon coordinator, juggling three other jobs at the time. From day one, her work ethic, curiosity, and love for our team culture stood out. Over time, she moved into a marketing director role, then assistant manager, and was officially promoted to General Manager in 2019.

“Hallie has worn almost every hat in the business, which makes her incredibly well-rounded and grounded in how Urban Betty operates. She has a deep understanding of both the front-of-house and behind-the-scenes operations. She has earned multiple certifications over the years, including Little Voice Mastery and Master Facilitator training through Blair Singer Companies, as well as public speaking training through Rock a Room. Her background in photojournalism and years of experience in service, film coordination, and management outside the salon world give her a creative edge and strong problem-solving skills.

“We knew she was the right fit not just because of her knowledge, but because she leads with empathy, inspires with action, and continually evolves. Her journey with Urban Betty is truly a reflection of our culture: grow your people and your business will grow with them.”

SALON TODAY: What personality characteristics does she have that make her a good manager?

Neff: “Hallie is the kind of leader who brings structure, compassion, and calm to every room she enters. Her natural curiosity, ability to listen deeply, and skill in guiding others through growth conversations make her a truly unique and effective manager. She creates a safe space for the team. People trust her, open up to her, and genuinely want to improve because of the way she leads.

“She is also highly organized and thrives on building systems that actually work. Whether she is restructuring hiring processes, mentoring a new leader, or creating monthly personal development meetings, Hallie always approaches challenges with clarity and purpose. She is not just thinking about what works today, but also about what will create long-term growth for both the individual and the company.

“One of her most standout traits is that she never stops evolving. She has leaned into leadership, even when it was initially uncomfortable, and now serves as a mentor, coach, and confidante to nearly 100 employees. Her emotional intelligence, paired with her operational brain, is the engine behind much of Urban Betty's continued success.”

ST: How is Spurlin compensated? 

Neff: “With an annual salary, plus performance-based bonused tied to key company metrics. She has the opportunity to earn a $350 bonus for each annual goal that is met, including total service revenue, total retail revenue, productivity percentage, retail to service ratio, and guest retention. If all five goals are achieved, she can earn up to $1,750 in bonuses annually. This structure rewards her for helping Urban Betty achieve major performance benchmarks and aligns her compensation with the company’s continued growth and success.” 

ST: What are the three most important tasks she takes on at the salon? 

Neff: “Team Development and Mentorship: Hallie leads monthly personal development meetings (PDMs) with every team member to support their professional growth, set measurable goals, and help them level up in their careers. She also mentors salon leaders and creates clear pathways for internal promotions.

“FinancialOversight and Strategic Planning: As both GM and CFO, Hallie oversees budgeting, payroll, inventory management, and financial forecasting across all three salon locations. She implements strategies, such as the Profit First method, to ensure long-term profitability and sustainability.

“Operating Systems and Scaling: Hallie is the backbone of our day-to-day operations. She builds and refines the systems that keep the salon running efficiently, from hiring processes and scheduling to opening new locations. Her leadership ensures consistency and growth across the entire company.”

ST: How is Spurlin held accountable for the salon’s performance? 

Neff: “In addition to the goals tied to her annual bonus, we hold a 90-minute leadership meeting every week with Hallie and the other three location managers to review KPIs from the previous week, identify successes and challenges, and ensure alignment across all locations. At the beginning of each month, we dive deeper into performance by analyzing the previous month’s numbers. These monthly reviews enable us to track long-term trends, adjust our strategies, and set clear goals for the upcoming month. As a 2% shareholder in the company, Hallie is not only held accountable for the company’s performance, but she is personally invested in its ongoing success and sustainability.”

ST: What types of continuing education do you offer this manager? 

Neff: “Hallie is deeply committed to her growth as a leader, and we actively support that through a variety of continuing education opportunities. She is part of the High Performance Salon Academy (HPSA), a leadership training program designed specifically for salon owners and managers. HPSA helps elevate the way our industry is perceived by providing coaching in leadership, marketing, financial literacy, and systems building. Through this program, Hallie learns how to lead with intention, inspire her team, and create scalable, high-functioning systems within our company, and attends three destination trainings per year, hotel and airfare included.

“She also participates in a weekly mastermind group with salon owners and managers from across the country, where they share wins, review KPIs, troubleshoot challenges, and stay connected to the broader industry.

“Additionally, Hallie attends monthly manager development meetings through Summit Salon Services, where she receives hands-on training in leadership, hiring, coaching, and operational management. We have also invested in public speaking training for her through Blair Singer and in-house opportunities, such as leading company-wide All-Hands meetings. These combined educational experiences ensure Hallie continues to grow alongside the business, both as a strategic thinker and a confident leader.”

ST: How has Spurlin helped you personally and professionally? 

Neff: “Hallie has completely transformed not only our business but also my life as an owner. She is the steady force behind so much of our growth and success. Thanks to her leadership, I've been able to step back from day-to-day operations and focus on vision and strategy, knowing the business is in incredibly capable hands. That kind of trust is priceless.

“She's helped us grow from a single location into a multi-location salon company, increasing our staff, service capacity, and profitability. Hallie was instrumental in opening both our second and third locations and has played a major role in implementing the systems and structure that allow us to scale. She introduced new roles to support our team, restructured hiring and training processes, and brought clarity to our financial systems using the Profit First method.

“On a personal level, Hallie has given me the space to be a better parent. She handles so much with grace and consistency that I am able to focus more on the things I need to do at home, especially when it comes to raising my son. I don't have to worry about what's happening at the salon because I know Hallie is on top of it. Her presence in my life and in the company is truly invaluable.”