
ASCP, ISPA and PBA Receive 2026 Power of Associations Award for Esthetics Licensure Compact
This shared recognition celebrates the strength of industry collaboration in advancing professional mobility.
Inspiring Champions' Lauren Gartland offers some sage advice on building client loyalty through the art of conversation.

Gartland
As the salon owner and manager, it's your responsibility to offer your staff members advice that helps them grow their own business. In preparation for our upcoming March 2012 Drama Issue, we interviewed Lauren Gartland, the founder of Inspiring Champions, a coaching and consulting company for salon and spa professionals. During that interview, Gartland talked about the importance of using professional, positive conversation to build a lasting connection to a client. We thought it was an excellent point to share with your staff at your next salon meeting.
SALON TODAY: How do stylists, estheticians and other service providers keep their conversations professional and focused on the client?
Lauren Gartland: "It’s a fact that people love doing business with professionals, however I have found that most successful technicians in our industry are not the most technically skilled, but they are the BEST at building long-term relationships and creating an experience so extraordinary that the client can’t wait to come back and tell everyone they know about you. To achieve this, you have to make it a top priority to talk less about you and be curious and interested in the client. People love talking about themselves. Things people enjoy talking about are their hobbies and interests, their kids, pets and career. Ask open-ended questions that being with What, When, Where, Why and How—these demand a response other than “Yes” or “No.”
"For example, you could ask: “What is your favorite thing to do when you are not working? Where is your favorite place to travel and why? If you could travel anywhere, where would you most want to go and when? What do you love most about your career? What do you love most about being a parent? How did you decide on your children’s or pet’s name? What’s one goal you most want to achieve this year?
"These kinds of questions are powerful and will help you build a connection to a client. Document important details they bring up such as vacations they are going on, parties they are hosting or attending, special events they are going to, or upcoming birthdays and anniversaries. Write it down, and ask them about it they next time they come in for their service. It will WOW them that you remembered!
"Unfortunately, too many service providers love to talk too much and normally about themselves and about things they should not be sharing in a professional setting. I once had a personal trainer that was great, but he told me so many things about his personal relationships that it became uncomfortable for me to work with him. I ended up finding someone else.
"Always strive to keep the conversation positive. If you have a negative Ned or Nellie in your chair who complains or talks about issues that are uncomfortable for you or other clients within earshot, you must take control of the conversation and turn it around. Otherwise, it can drain and deplete you. Politely interrupt them and say: “Thank you for feeling comfortable enough to share this with me, however I am currently fasting from these types of conversations. Can you share with me the best thing that happened to you today or the greatest thing that is going on in your life. Change the subject something you know they enjoy.
"Be credible, honest and respectful and people will want to do business with you for life."

This shared recognition celebrates the strength of industry collaboration in advancing professional mobility.

In Dubai, a salon visit isn’t an appointment. It’s a weekly routine, and clients can spend $800 to $1,400 a month on it, according to Gaurav Tripathi of MADI International. On October 6-8, 2026, the market behind those numbers opens its doors as Beautyworld Dubai marks its 30th edition at the Dubai World Trade Centre, bringing together distributors, brands, stylists and salon owners from all over the world.

In October, volunteers plan to walk and take the plunge during at the annual event, HairToStay Does the Bay. Find out how you can participate and support the organization that grants subsidies to cancer patients so they can receive cold cap treatments to save their hair during chemotherapy.
At Premiere Orlando 2026, SALON TODAY catches up with Easihair Pro's Angela Gilmore, who talks about why stylists lose clients who are suffering from thinning hair and hair loss, and how their new Hairlosophy line can help.

Illuminated Paths is a boxed set of 52 cards, a guidebook, and an Oracolor Wheel, a visual framework that helps readers reconnect with the qualities they want to bring into everyday life.

In this rare essay, the president of a haircare brand takes us behind-the-scenes into a world we never see when we pick up a product off the shelves--the arduous, thought-probing, second-guessing journey of rebranding a legacy product line. Not only is her reflection fascinating, but it is also incredibly useful for any salon owner or manufacturer contemplating their own brand.

Twenty lucky winners will be selected July 30th, and each will be able to choose from three different service tray models.

Motivated by loved ones who have battled cancer, Phorest's Barry Quinn and two friends will embark on a three-day trek to the summit of the highest peak in North Africa in September, raising money for HairToStay. Find out how you can help them.

The company's Back to Business Sweepstakes is a direct investment in the stylists and salon owners who are building something that lasts.

Owners start to worry when a month's sales come up short compared to the same period last year, but that may have more to do with the days in the month than with an actual decline. The KIM Report's Alain Audet points to May 2026 as a prime example.