MENU
SEARCHIf you recently poured your time, sweat, stress and budget into a new salon/spa buildout or salon/spa renovation, SALON TODAY would love to see the results and share it with our readers.Each June, our annual SALONS OF THE YEAR competition names ...
If you recently poured your time, sweat, stress and budget into a new salon/spa buildout or salon/spa renovation, SALON TODAY would love to see the results and share it with our readers.
Each June, our annual SALONS OF THE YEAR competition names the most beautifully designed salons and spas, and the 2015 application process is now open at salontoday.com. Applicants are encouraged to share statistics and write a few brief essays about their design choices, then give our judging panel a closer look by providing up to 10 high-resolution images of their new space. The stories of the top 20 salon designs will be shared in the June 2015 issue, with the grand-prize salon gracing the magazine’s cover.
This year, the editors made an executive decision to expand the competition’s eligibility window. “Traditionally, only salons and spas that were opened or re-opened from January 1 to December 31 of the previous year were eligible,” explains Editor Stacey Soble. “But we were finding that salons and spas that opened right before a busy holiday rush were finding it challenging to have a professional photoshoot of their interior completed in time for the January 31st deadline. For that reason, this year salons or spas that opened between January 1, 2013 and December 31, 2014 are eligible.”
For owners considering entering their salon or spa design, here are a few photography tips:
Hire a professional photographer who has experience shooting interiors. Salon mirrors and lighting are just two challenges to capturing the ambiance and impact of your beautiful new space.
Review the space prior to the shoot and make sure there are not people, products or clutter in the shots, especially at the stations. Retail should only be visible in shots of the retail area.
If applicable, please remove any protective, plastic covering from the chairs.
Make sure there is are no holiday decorations in your shots that may date your images. (Should you win, it would be odd to see holiday decorations in our June issue.)
Make sure to schedule your shoot far ahead of the application deadline. You will need adequate time to review and edit the images and compile your application.
Click here to access the online application or download SALON TODAY’s printable app.
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.
