The Salon Today 200, now celebrating its 30th anniversary, is a prestigious, business-focused industry award. Unlike other industry accolades that may be client-driven or based on artistry, this program exclusively evaluates salon business success through sales growth metrics and essay-based “best practice” submissions.
In the recent webinar, Cracking the Code to the Salon Today 200, Director of Client and Partner Relations Lori Obiedzinski set out to demystify the prestigious award. In this session, Salon Today Editor-in-Chief Stacey Soble and veteran salon owners share insider strategies, submission best practices, and the secrets to crafting an authentic, award-winning application.
Key takeaways from the webinar:
- It’s Not Just for Big Salons: Size is not a limiting factor. Approximately 70% of winning salons are single-location businesses. Smaller salons often have an advantage in showing high growth percentages.
- Community and Credibility: Winning (or even attending the awards ceremony) fosters a sense of community. Honorees gain “street cred” and the opportunity to network with other successful owners, creating a support system for tackling future business challenges.
- Authenticity Over Polish: Judges are looking for originality and genuine business stories. Avoid using AI to write essays, as it diminishes the authentic “voice” and originality of the idea. Boilerplate content from business coaches or manufacturers is easily identified and discouraged.
- Reflective Value: The application process acts as a strategic planning tool. Owners find that reflecting on the past year—specifically what worked, what didn’t, and why—provides clarity for the year ahead, regardless of whether they win.
Watch the webinar and download the ST 200 Success Guide
Crack the code to winning the Salon Today 200
Get the exact insider strategies, judge-approved essay formulas, and application secrets straight from Editor-in-Chief Stacey Soble.
Parting words from webinar participants
“It’s always worth just going out there and being loud and proud on what your accomplishments are… for my wife and me, we co-own our business, and (the Salon Today 200 application process) just prompts that moment of reflection. You gotta have closure on what did happen last year and what did or didn’t work. That brings you clarity on how to move forward.” – Joe DeAnda, TRIOS Salon
“Everything you do behind the chair as an owner, behind the computer screen or numbers, anything like that, it’s the same feeling. You just got to look at it, face the fear, sit with it for a moment, then move forward, go into it, and say, ‘Yes, we can do this.” – Natasha McMillan-St Paul, Janet St Paul Studio
“Just apply, right? Because maybe you don’t make it, maybe there’s a chance that you don’t, but now your business is on Salon Today’s radar, right? They’ve seen your application and what you’ve accomplished.” – Lori Obiedzinski, Director of Client and Partner Relations for Rosy
“I think the one thing that we didn’t set out to create that created itself was community, and (Salon Today 200 has) built a community of owners that have been able to share ideas and become friends.” – Stacey Soble, Editor-in-Chief of Salon Today
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