MENU
SEARCHAn expert in intercultural creativity, Genein Letford offers insight as the beauty industry rebuilds from the pandemic.
An upturn is on the horizon and it will be the creatives who lead the way. The salon industry is known to be on the innovative forefront. Our top leaders need to be confident when presenting new ideas for their industries.
You help create that confidence.
The innovative ideas of our salon professionals support the ideals of us all. But let me ask you, when was the last time you had a great idea? How do you connect with others to get that great idea off the ground?
Creative thinking and innovation are now the top skills needed in our workforce but ideas don’come to fruition on their own. We need to know how to connect, create and innovate with people from various backgrounds and cultures to get our innovative ideas into the beauty industry.
For this reason, the concept of, ‘Intercultural Creativity®’ will be the critical topic for this next era.
Creativity is no longer negotiable. We need new ideas. Creative thinking isn’t just artistry and for the select few, it’s for all of us and in all fields, especially the beauty industry.
Creativity isthe process of problem finding and problem solving with value, relevance and novelty. But how is our creativity related to, or even dependent upon, our ability to connect with others?
Good question!
Creative thinking sits upon many cognitive skills, which interestingly enough, also overlap with the skills needed to become culturally competent and work with people from different lived backgrounds.
These skills are:
Having an Open Mindset
Empathy
Skilled Observation
Curiosity
Perspective Shifting
Connecting across our commonalities and differences
Having the courage to connect, share and create!
When beauty professionals develop their intercultural competency they in turn increase the skills needed for creative thinking. The concept of ‘Intercultural Creativity®’ is needed nowmore than ever for this new era of work and innovation.
A salon’s greatest source of creativity and innovation is hidden within their human talent.
Creativity thrives in a culture of inclusion where professionals feel engaged, connected and
passionate about their work and their ability to contribute meaningfully to their salon and
industry.
This is the UPTURN we need for 2022 and beyond. Let’s connect, create and innovate the beauty industry together.
The author of 7 Gems of Intercultural Creativity, Genein Letford is the opening mainstage presenter at Serious Business 2022. For more information and tickets to the event, visit seriousbusiness.net.
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.
