A Partner in Business and in Life
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.
by Stacey Soble
Women of Substance: Debra Penzone
She started out as an assistant and gradually worked up the company’s ladder, as a stylist, designer, director, senior director; creative director, vice president of training, senior vice president, then president.
by Salon Today Staff
October 1, 20113 min to read
Debra Penzone
President, The Charles Penzone Salons and the Brittany Group Professional Beauty Products and Education, Powell, Ohio
Licensed in: In 1937, after attending the Ohio State School of Cosmetology
Affiliations: ISBN, FBA/NCA
JANUARY 2012 MARKS Debra Penzone’s 25th anniversary with The Charles Penzone Salons, with six locations in the Columbus, Ohio, area. She started out as an assistant and gradually worked up the company’s ladder, as a stylist, designer, director, senior director; creative director, vice president of training, senior vice president, then president. In addition to continuously charting the company’s course of success, Penzone has worked tirelessly for her local community on projects such as American Cancer Society’s Look Good Feel Better, American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women, Komen Columbus Race for the Cure, as well as developing The Charles Penzone Mother-Daughter Spa Day for A Kid Again. In 2011, Penzone published her first book, Debbie’s Club Discovering MyTrueBeauty for Girls to help inspire and empower girls to see their unique beauty from the inside out.
How has being a woman made your career path harder or easier? “As a woman, my empathy for others and leading with my heart has been a barrier at times. However, it also is my greatest asset.”
What would you consider your biggest professional break? “Having the foresight and vision to apply early in my career for a job at The Charles Penzone Salons, where focus on training, career development and personal growth are paramount.”
What’s the best business advice anyone ever gave you? “If you want to glow your company, get out from behind the chair so you can see the big picture. You need to focus on building your team of professionals, your corporate team and your community presence.”
What business achievement are you most proud of? “This is two-fold one for philanthropy and the other leadership, in 2004, Columbus Business First honored our entire company for the Corporate Caring Award which recognizes and honors exemplary companies who are creatively dedicating their resources to a variety of not-for-profit organizations. In 2010, Smart Business magazine honored me with the Kent Clapp CEO Leadership Award which recognizes the top executive of a for-profit organization for his or her ability to create a culture of giving.”
What do you hope to achieve in the next five years? “I recently finished my first book, Debbie’s Club. Discovering MyTrueBeauty for Girls and I hope to have a second book published for women I want to continue to grow. The Charles Penzone Salons by developing our team of professionals and building my charitable foundation, Earth Angels The Debra Penzone Foundation at the Columbus Foundation. I hope to continue giving back to support cancel research and to empower girls and women in our community.”
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
More Salon Management
Back to Business with the Pinstripe Trend
Expand your color service menu with the Pinstripe technique. Brooks and Brooks' Marlon Hawkins walks you through the technique.
by Stacey Soble
5 Essential Hair & Beauty Industry KPIs And How to Master Them
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
Bella Style Salon's Ride or Die
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.
by Stacey Soble
The Constant
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.
by Stacey Soble
The Most Wonderful Time in Salons and Spas
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.
by Stacey Soble
Leading with Empathy, Humility and a Mastery of Systems
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.
by Stacey Soble
Pagoda Brings AI-Powered Operations to Skinovatio Medical Spa Locations
Pagoda, a new AI-native operating system for scheduling, payments, patient records, marketing, and client communications, launches at Skinovatio Medical Spa in Arlington Heights, Illinois.
by Staff
How Women are Rewriting the Rules of Grey Hair
At a panel discussion hosted by L’Oréal Professionnel in Paris in early July, French Philosopher Sophie Galabru explored the cultural shift where women are increasingly choosing natural, personalized color results over traditional grey coverage. In an exclusive interview with SALON TODAY, Galabru and L’Oréal Professionnel Colorist Pierrick Beringer discuss this shift and how salons and colorists respond.
by Stacey Soble
Warm Leadership and Analytical Precision
At Salon Blonde, Director of Operations treats the staff as the salon's most important guests, while her wonderful 'nerdy' side, loves data, systems, and numbers. Find out how she makes Salon Blonde tick.
by Stacey Soble
Trotting the Globe, Forging Connections, Fostering Artistic Creativity
In an exclusive interview with SALON TODAY, Salon Owner Salvatore Minardi reflects on his past 18 months as Intercoiffure America Canada's World Talent Exchange Ambassador and how his experiences will help encourage cultural and artistic exchange and support greater engagement between ICA and the global organization Intercoiffure Mondial.
by Stacey Soble
Client Retention Guidebook
Everything you need to know about client retention as a salon owner.
Success Grown from Within
Owner Shelby Bills says her general manager, Sydney Osborne, reminds her of the power of leading with heart. Find out how Osborne became a great leader in our lastest installment of Meet the Manager.
by Stacey Soble
How Salon Leaders Can Process the Pain and Lead Forward When a Team Members Leaves Unethically
In her latest blog, Kati Whitledge identifies the five stages salon owners go through when a team member leaves the salon unethically, offering advice for each stage.
How AI Is Closing Revenue Gaps for Salons and Spas
The beauty and wellness businesses pulling ahead aren’t just working harder—they’re using AI to capture demand, personalize pricing, and convert more of every guest interaction into revenue. Here’s what the benchmark data reveals about the growing gap between AI adopters and everyone else.
Sponsored by Zenoti
The Premium Talent Magnet: The Modern Salon Playbook for Attracting Six-Figure Stylists
Stop chasing recruitment ghosts on generic job boards and start curating an elite team. Discover the framework that top-tier salons use to bypass phone tag, automate visual portfolio vetting, and attract high-earning, culture-first beauty professionals directly through real-time messaging. Turn your recruitment process into an exclusive brand invitation that keeps your highest-ticket chairs permanently filled.
Sponsored by Beautista
Five Revenue Leaks Hiding in Your Salon
Your calendar looks full, but is all of that demand actually converting to revenue? From phantom rebookings to underpriced peak hours, the 2026 Benchmark Report exposes five revenue leaks that most beauty and wellness businesses don’t even know they have.
Sponsored by Zenoti