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 on Having It All: Susan Haise
In this one-on-one interview, Susan Haise talks about achieving balance between her personal and professional life.
October 4, 2012
4 min to read
Susan Haise; Owner: Neroli Salon and Spa and Institute of Beauty and Wellness; Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Susan Haise changed the landscape of the beauty industry in Milwaukee when she opened the city’s first day spa in 1993. Originally named The Skin Institute and Day Spa, today’s Neroli Salon and Spa now has four locations and more than 200 employees. In addition to being a wife and mother to two young children, Haise is a licensed hairdresser, a Cidesco Diplomat in esthetics and a seasoned educator. At Neroli, she’s nurtured a rewarding work environment, being named one of the “best places to work” by the Milwaukee Business Journal four times. An eight-time SALON TODAY 200 honoree and a founding salon in the 2 to 10 Project, Neroli and Haise also were honored with the Healing Touch Award from Aveda Founder Horst Rechelbacher in 2004 for making a significant impact in the industry.
Do you believe a woman in the professional beauty industry can “have it all?” And, what does that mean to you?
“Yes, I do believe a professional women can “have it all.” To accomplish it, you have to have a vision and be willing to work hard as nothing in life comes easy or without struggles.”
In the pursuit of “having it all,” what sacrifices have you had to make, if any?
“Being a good businesswoman, mother, wife and friend is a continuous juggling act. My passion is my business and family, and I am fortunate to have friends in my life that understand when other things take priority.”
If we were looking through a scrapbook of your life, what would be your favorite page?
“Besides my family, any day I can travel the world is a great day. I love to experience people, watching them live their lives on their terms. The memories and knowledge that I have gained is a gift.”
If we were looking through a scrapbook of your life, what page would you want to rewrite?
“The day I put down my shears and left the esthetic treatment room. I loved the guest interaction, the stories and relationships. I miss it often.”
What’s your favorite tool of strategy for maintaining balance in your life?
“My favorite tool is yoga. While I am unable to do it as often as I would like, I cherish every opportunity to practice. It calms me and provides clarity, allowing me to be better in all that I do.”
What’s the best advice anyone ever gave you, and how did it change your life? “Do onto others as you would want them to do onto you. What you put into your life, you get out of life. What goes around, comes around. These statements guide me through the tough times.”
What wisdom would you share with a young woman entering a career in the professional beauty industry?
“Love what you do and with whom you do it. This makes working easier when the tough days, weeks and months come around.”
What keeps you up at night?
“I have personally and professionally invested in each team member that I have had the pleasure to serve over the past 20 years in business. So when a work relationship doesn’t end well it can shake you at the core. During these times, I take the late evening hours to think of ways we can evolve and change as a company, so we can better serve our team.”
What makes you feel powerful?
“The strength and energy following a great company meeting or event is what drives me. To be able to provide alignment and focus to 250 professionals simultaneously is empowering.”
What’s the best thing anyone’s ever told you about yourself?
“In 2004, I received the Healing Touch Award from Aveda—the kind words shared in front of my colleagues was a true highlight. Secondly, I am really lucky to have the pleasure of working with a lot of really amazing people at Neroli, many of whom take the time to write thank-you cards, and it really fills me up knowing they appreciate how hard leadership is working to help them achieve their dreams.”
What do you hope to achieve in the next five years?
“Growth of Neroli Salon & Spa and The Institute in Beauty & Wellness in Ayurvedic services.”
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