MENU
SEARCHIn Sarasota, Florida, Cutting Loose Salon gathers local salon owners and schools to discuss how schools can best prepare students to work in salons and how salons can better reach prospective new team members.
Salon owners at the event included James Griffith, Coral Pleas and Terry McKee.
As client demand for appointments surges, many salons continue to stuggle with staff recruitment and retention. Rebuilding a roster of new talent is critical for most salons to recover their pre-pandemic sales and to grow their businesses in the future.
From left to right: Desmond Behan of Yellow Strawberry LWR, and Travis Scheuer and Coral Pleas of Cutting Loose Salon.
To open up a dialog between salons and schools in their community in Sarasota, Florida, Coral Pleas and her son and business partner Travis Scheuer of Cutting Loose Salon hosted Intercoiffure menber salons and the educators from top cosmetology schools in their area.
Other salons in attendance included Terry McKee and James Amato from Nuovo Salon Group; James and Christine Griffith from James Griffith Salon and Desmond and Carolin Behan from Yellow Strawberry Salon. Schools that were represented at the event included Fashion Focus Academy, Meridian College, Manatee Technical College and Paul Mitchell School.
"This collaborative event came out of the idea of a partnership between leading salons and schools to best prepare new talent on the reality of working for a salon that has a structured edeucation and mentorship program," Pleas says. "Our goal was to answer questions like 'What are the possibilities for career and income goals?' and 'What are the benefits to working in a commission-based salon?'"
Throughout the evening, each salon owner presented to the school leaders about the real income potential that is possible when a graduate chooses a salon that invests time and money on further education. They also discussed the ease of having marketing, reservation booking and other benefits, such as paid vacation, healthcare and 401K.
James Amato of Nuovo Salon Group and Tina Soulliere of Meridian College have a pleasant chat.
Pleas shared the presentation, "The State of the Industry" that Steph Fox had recently presented at Intercoiffure's Spring Gathering. This lead to a lively group dialog with the school leaders who shared tips for these Intercoiffure owners on how to gain the attention of their students.
It turns out that many graduates can be intimidated to interview at a high-end salon when they are fresh out of school. Tina Black of Paul Mitchell School shared the relationship needs to being early in the students' education, suggesting that owners and recent grads should consitently visit their loc al schools, interact with students and create a level of comfort. She further suggested salon leaders should book services with students and get to know them on a personal level as part of their overall recruitment plans.
Everyone agreed that the statistics published regarding income potential for talented and highly educated stylists was far too low. "Getting out the message on real income potential when a stylis commists to a salon that provides further education was a top priority," Pleas says. "It is our responsibility to raise the level of excellene in our industry."
The group agreed to future gatherings for developing a plan for the continued growth of the profession.
Read additional articles on local salons gathering for recruitment efforts:
Salon Secret Spa Engages Nearby Salons for Recruitment Events
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.
