MENU
SEARCHComing up through guest services at Grove Salon, Shannon Bland helps team members hit their benchmarks, keeps guests happy and coming back again and again, and supports retail sales.
Shannon Bland is reliable and professional--a confident and competent manager than runs the salon's daily operations so Owner Allison Agresta can focus on growing its future.
Grove Salon
Salon Today’s Meet the Manager series celebrates and highlights the managers, team leads, and directors in the industry who work to maintain the vision and goals of salons, barber shops, and spas. In today's profile, meet Shannon Bland, who after cosmetology school decided to focus her career on guest services. After becoming indispensable team member, she was promoted to salon manager and she’s helped grow Grove Salon ever since.
The manager: Shannon Bland
Nominated by: Allison Agresta, owner of Grove Salon in Orlando, Florida
Date of Hire: May 2017
ST: What about Bland’s background made you believe she’d be a good fit for your salon?
Agresta: “Shannon is a graduate of the Aveda Institute in Orlando, FL. After completing her education in cosmetology and becoming licensed, Shannon decided to pursue a guest services role in the salon while utilizing her knowledge of Cosmetology. She also has a love for the Aveda brand. After spending a significant amount of time training and mastering her guest services role, Shannon was promoted to our Operations Manager in 2019.
ST: What personality characteristics does she have that make her a good manager?
Agresta: “Over the years, Shannon has developed a personal connection with many of our guests. She addresses many of them by name, and they look forward to seeing her when they come into the salon. They specifically ask for her if they have a challenge, and they are confident she can resolve any challenge. She is extremely knowledgeable about the industry, allowing her to recommend the appropriate services, products, and solutions. Shannon is also professional, prompt, and organized, and she immerses herself in our salon and our culture.”
ST: What are the three most important tasks Brand takes on at Grove?
Agresta: The three most important tasks as a salon manager are: 1. Coaching our team on their performance benchmarks and growth. 2. Guest services, such as following up with our first time guests via text to confirm they had a great experience, and making a connection with our guests. Retention of our guests is key. 3. Assisting with our walk-in retail guests and helping to recommend home care based on the guests' needs.
ST: How often do you meet with this manager and what do you review together?
Agresta: “I meet with Shannon multiple times per week. We review benchmark numbers, overall performance of employees, and any guest or employee challenges and how to resolve them. We are consistently focused on growth of services, retail sales, guest count, and overall operations of the salon.”
ST: What type of continuing education do you offer Brand?
Agresta: “Each year we attend a series of Aveda Business College classes. This provides leadership with new ideas on how to grow the salon, and implement innovative marketing techniques.”
ST: How has Brand helped you grow Grove?
Agresta: “Reliability and professionalism. It is imperative that I have a manager on site who is confident and competent. As an owner focused on growth, I cannot always be present in location. Shannon is admired and respected by our team and salon guests. She has done a superb job establishing a connecting with our staff and our salon guests.”
Got a manager you'd love to celebrate? FIND OUT MORE and access our nomination application.
Discover how to create a true “WOW experience” for every client by first building a culture where your team feels engaged, empowered, and inspired. Drawing on Calvin Stovall’s Iconic Framework, this blog explores how salon, spa, and clinic leaders can strengthen culture, elevate customer experience, and build a business that stands out for the long term.
Sponsored by Phorest Salon Software
The wellness industry is growing fast, and salons and barbershops already are an important part of it. In her first blog, Tracy Rado shares where the wellness dollars are heading, and how salon's can grow with this movement.
While salon sales are increasing, owners often feel they're working harder for the same or less profit. Leverage Q2 data from The KIM Report, Alain Audet reveals some of the structural changes that are dampening your growth and why your region and your salon size matters.
Weaknesses in your business are amplified during the Holiday Season. Spark Pro Global's Lucy Randall shows you five things to do now to have the strongest holiday season yet.
In Kati Whitledge's latest blog, she shares how salons have moved away from dress codes and embraced appearance standards. But by removing strict dress codes, some businesses may have unintentionally lowered their appearance standards. Whitledge helps you explain to your team why an appearance standard is important and how to smoothly implement a new appearance policy.
The Small Business Health Care Tax Credit is a non-refundable tax credit for for-profit businesses that provides a financial incentive for eligible employers who offer health insurance coverage to their employees. Leticia Skrabut, Esq., walks you through how to claim that credit.
Developing strong work habits early in one's career supports long-term success in the salon industry. Jesse Linares offers new stylists his top five tips.
Most salon owners have no idea what these numbers are. You can hit record sales and still have a profit problem. The difference comes down to four numbers almost nobody was taught to track.
Sponsored by Strata Salon Systems™
A five-area audit every owner-dependent salon needs to run. You built something that looks successful. Now find out if it can survive without you.
Sponsored by Strata Salon Systems™
Every month you put off fixing the problem, it gets bigger, more expensive, and harder to solve.
Sponsored by Strata Salon Systems™
At Janet St. Paul Studio for Hair and Beauty, Director of Operations Natasha McMillen helps bring her wife Janet St. Paul's vision to life, elevating every system from education to operations.
Expand your color service menu with the Pinstripe technique. Brooks and Brooks' Marlon Hawkins walks you through the technique.
The strongest salons, spas, and med spas know which numbers tell the real story of their business. In this practical guide, Phorest breaks down the five essential KPIs every business should track to improve retention, boost revenue, and make smarter decisions with confidence.
Sponsored by Phorest
At Bella Style Salon in Slidell, Louisiana, Director of Operations Angela Meyer tackles inventory, team management, and guest relations. Read all about her in our latest Meet the Manager.
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.
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.
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.
