MENU
SEARCHBeauty PR and Marketing Expert Zane Hagy helps you see where your world may be changing, so you can more easily change with it.
We're all tired of hearing about how much life has changed in the past few years, but that doesn't change the fact that life has, indeed, dramatically changed. When all everyone wants to talk about is Covid and how much life is dramatically different, Covid burnout is real.
At first glance, it seems that nothing is as it was. Priorities for employees and clients have shifted. Rising costs, altered client patterns, and the changing workforce sometimes seem to have us all on edge. We’re all scrambling to pick up the slack with such unprecedented unpredictability.
However, at the heart of it all, people are still people...and business is still business.
The culture of your salon can help you weather the storm. Now is not the time to be reactionary, it’s an opportunity to drive the change that you want to see at your salon and with your staff. Take a look at the entire client and employee experience, and ask yourself if it's what you want it to be. If it isn’t, what areas could use some work?
Although individual salon culture is unique to each salon, there are several things everyone needs to take a look at to make sure you're positioned for the future. If all of the following are the same as they were three years ago, it is very likely that you need to drive change before you find yourself behind the eight ball:
Do you have flexible scheduling options for stylists and staff?
How comfortable are you with the training methods for your front desk and reception team?
Is your image online in line with the demographic you serve? (if you haven't updated lately, likely not)
Imagine yourself as a client, what experience are you getting and what experience do you want?
Is your salon a clean, comfortable, and safe environment for staff and clients?
The changes brought by the pandemic aren't over, but it does help to have an evolving plan to stay ahead of the curve. Evaluate and re-evaluate your plans frequently. Carefully watching the needs of employees and clients can allow you to spot areas that need work long before they become real problems. In a post pandemic world, your salon’s culture can be a bright and happy spot for your clients and staff.
About the Author:About the Author: Zane Hagy is a PR and marketing professional, with a focus on the beauty industry and premium products. When it comes to the world of beauty, Zane’s niche is simple solutions for complex problems. Experience includes salons, schools, product lines, and individual artists. His agency, z11 communications, has also represented Intercoiffure America Canada since 2014. Email him at Zane.Hagy@z11communications.com or visit z11communications.com.
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.
