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
Profiles in Leadership: Chad Cantu's Critical Attention to Detail
In our new Profiles in Leadership series, SALON TODAY gets up close and personal with the on-the-rise salon owner Chad Cantu, co-owner of Colorado's Chad+Co.
by Staff
September 30, 2019
Chad Cantu, co-owner of Chad+Co, in Centennial, Colorado.
3 min to read
A stylist for more than 20 years and a salon owner for 12, Chad Cantu currently co-owns the high-end Chad+Co in Centennial, Colorado, with his partner Marietta Cantu. They have carefully curated a team of talkent who continually strive to provide the best hair services while taking in account all aspects of their clients lifestyles when custom designing their look. Their fun, relaxed salon sports an urban vide and features the Cantus’ own product line.
As part of our Profiles in Leadership series, SALON TODAY recently caught up with Chad for a little Q&A:
ST: From where does your entrepreneurial drive originate?
Chad: “I am a highly creative, but also a very competitive, personality. When I get inspired to create something new, I am very motivated to see how far I can grow my creation.”
ST: What is your strongest leadership quality and how has it helped you in business?
Chad: “I believe that my ability to set a strong example for my team is one of my strongest leadership qualities. It has set a really high standard in my business and that has become our reputation. Our business has grown because of that high standard that people trust they will get with us.”
ST: Throughout your professional career, what’s the best lesson you’ve learned after making a mistake?
Chad: “I realized that I couldn’t grow past a certain pint until I had a clear vision of what my brand meant and what culture I was creating.”
ST: From what do you draw your strength, courage and vision?
Chad: “I get all my strength, courage and vision from Jesus and the word of God.”
ST: What is the single biggest threat that business businesses like yours face?
Chad: “In my opinion, deregulation is the biggest threat to businesses like ours, and I do think we can overcome it if we get involved with our local lawmakers.”
ST: If you weren’t in the beauty business, what would you be doing now?”
Chad: “I can’t even imagine doing anything else—I love our industry.”
ST: What’s the best thing an employee ever said about you?
Chad: “A team member who was so grateful for a scholarship to our apprenticeship program who would not have had the opportunity to become a stylist otherwise is now one of our top three producers.”
ST: “If you were training someone to take over your job, what is the most important advice you could offer?
Chad: “Every single person is the most important and pay attention to every detail.”
ST: How do you like to spend your time away from the salon?
Chad: “When I’m not in the salon, I spend time traveling and making memories with my wife and four daughters.”
ST: Tell us something about yourself that would surprise people.
Chad: “I am a very successful colorist, and yet I am colorblind.”
ST: Why did you want to join Intercoiffure America Canada (ICA)?
Chad: “I joined Intercoiffure in a quest to push myself to the next level of my career, to grow and to open myself to new ideas.”
ST: What has been the biggest benefit you have received from your ICA membership?
Chad: “The benefits of my ICA membership are endless. Being close to the most influential, loving and crative powerhouses in our industry, and I am grateful to have them as my hair family and to know we are all here for each other.”
For more information about Intercoiffure Canada America and becoming a member, visit Intercoiffure.com.
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
More Salon Management
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
The Heartbeat of Zandi K's Success
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.
by Stacey Soble
Rethinking Retail in the Era of E-Commerce
In a world dominated by e-commerce, salon owners push back with proven strategies to increase retail sales while motivating team members to educate their clientele and delighting clients with retail-themed events and clever merchandising displays.
by Stacey Soble
The Harper Ellis Hair Co. Certification Program Teaches Stylists a Smarter, Safer Way to Install Extensions
The company's Concealed Bead Method is raising the bar for what professional extension education can deliver.
by Staff
The Micro-Salon Blueprint: How Kat Scott Quadrupled Income by Maximizing Her Suite
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.
by Staff