
Rodrick Samuels on The Silent Work, Modern Beauty Education and Why Empathy Wins
MODERN SALON sat down with Samuels to discuss the book, beauty education, mentorship and the habits that help beauty professionals thrive.
Imagine being your own boss, making more money, having more creative freedom and a better work/life balance, all while doing what you love in an environment that fits your personality.

Nicole De La Garza, a stylist in Houston, Texas, her biggest motivator to become a MY SALON Suite Member was to improve her work/life balance.

Imagine being your own boss, making more money, having more creative freedom and a better work/life balance, all while doing what you love in an environment that fits your personality. Think it sounds too good to be true? Think again.
With close to 250 locations spread all over the country, MY SALON Suite offers beauty professionals the opportunity to own their own business without large upfront costs or risks associated with building and running a salon.
“I was ready to take the next step in my career and be in control of my own business and decisions,” says Reign Alimenti, a stylist in Richboro, Pennsylvania. “It’s my own space, my own rules and my own decisions across the board. The freedom is like no other.”
Speak to any My Salon Suite owner and freedom and flexibility is a recurring theme for why they chose to go independent. For Nicole De La Garza, a stylist in Houston, Texas, her biggest motivator to become a MY SALON Suite Member was to improve her work/life balance.
“I’m working my dream schedule of 3-4 days behind the chair with every other Saturday off to spend time with my family and friends,” De La Garza says. “My take-home revenue has tripled since I joined MY SALON Suite, and I can attribute some of that growth to my suite’s privacy, location and ease of access. Not only do my clients love that I have my own space, they prefer it.”
“I'm able to actually be myself," says Nicole De La Garza, a stylist in Houston, Texas.
Every MY SALON Suite location includes private spacious suites that are well-appointed with high-end fixtures, luxury amenities and top-of-the-line salon equipment for all specialties of health and beauty professionals ranging from hairstylists and estheticians, to massage therapists, makeup artists, eyelash extensionists and beyond.
“Our building has tall, beautiful ceilings and light fixtures, the bathrooms are beautiful, and the flooring is gorgeous in the halls and in each suite—plus the cabinets, stations and chairs are included,” Alimenti says. “There’s so much room to grow as a stylist, an individual, and a small business owner working all for yourself.”
In addition to the freedom to offer whichever products and services you desire, MY SALON Suite owners can shop the My Suite store at wholesale prices for backbar and retail made easy. With full access to a member portal packed with inspiring and valuable content, and a thriving members-only community on Facebook, solutions and community are just a click away.

“It’s my own space, my own rules and my own decisions across the board. The freedom is like no other," says Reign Alimenti, a stylist in Richboro, Pennsylvania.
Working in and designing your own space has its perks—beyond control over the décor and aesthetics, clients love the intimacy.
“Doing hair is not just doing hair—you are creating relationships with each guest one-on-one—and being in the suites gives you that experience,” Alimenti says. “Clients love how my suite is private, but you still get the salon interaction with my suite neighbors when they pop in here and there. I love that you still have your neighbors and can create that same traditional salon environment if you want, but when you need privacy you just shut your door and do your own thing. My client book has grown so much since opening my own space, and I swear it is because it’s so intimate.”
MY SALON Suite offers a full range of on-demand webinar education—from business curriculum to creative trend and technique exploration—as well as discounts on liability insurance and income protection, scheduling and payment processing via Square, and a partnership with Stride Tax to learn how to best maximize your tax deductions and lower your tax bills.
MY SALON Suite’s Smart Start series provides members with business practices to make the transition into salon owner seamless—from client communication and building a personalized webpage, to goal-setting, tackling Google search, online reviews and social media.
“This has been the first year I’ve made real money in this career venture because of the take-home revenue I’m now generating on my own—it’s such a rewarding feeling,” Alimenti says. “Each person that walks into my suite says it reflects exactly who I am, and that’s what I wanted. I wanted it to feel like you’re walking into my own little hair home where you can be completely yourself and that’s exactly what I’ve accomplished. Not to mention, it’s a nice perk being able to take vacations and not have to request time off!”
Ready to take control of your future and create a space that’s entirely yours? Find a MY SALON Suite near you.

MODERN SALON sat down with Samuels to discuss the book, beauty education, mentorship and the habits that help beauty professionals thrive.

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Ulta Beauty is always innovating to meet professionals where they are. Amazing transformations happened at The Salon at Ulta Beauty in 2025, and Ulta Beauty artistry and education will be everywhere you want to go in the year ahead. Come see all The Salon at Ulta Beauty has planned for you in 2026!
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