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The Client and Team Connector
Coming 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.
September 9, 2025
3 min to read
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.
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