Ginger & Maude: Leading the Way in Beauty

Founded in 2008, Ginger & Maude operates various locations across Portland and has recently announced a new franchise model, offering the ability to partner with a business and team that will elevate people, planet and progress. As North America’s first B Corp® salon, they are widely known for their commitment to sustainability, using eco-friendly products and practices. The salon also emphasizes and practices authentic inclusivity, offering diversity in their salon menu, business practices, and client experience.

Their dedication to excellence beyond the work they do behind the chair was recently recognized when they were awarded the KEVIN.MURPHY ICON AWARD, celebrating their significant contributions to the local and global community and the beauty industry. This award reflects their outstanding service, creative environment and impact on the local community.

In addition to this honor, Ginger & Maude is expanding its reach, promising to bring their exceptional services to a broader audience. We congratulate Deanna Everson and her team on their achievements and look forward to their continued success. Read more to learn about how the team at Ginger & Maude has created their award-winning business and how you can become a part of their newly-announced franchise opportunity.

Q: What inspire you to evolve your salon’s culture to its present day?

A: I've always worked to create a salon that was a safe space for both employees and the community. I've listened to the concerns and ideas of my team, clients, educators, and community members. I'm always willing to pivot and make changes that help support people.

Q: Can you describe your salon’s unique business model?

A: Our boutique salons offer hair services and products in a welcoming environment, with a focus on promoting and supporting inclusion and the well-being of our customers, employees and community. Being certified as a B Corp® (We are North America's first B Corp salon, in fact!) is an example of this. The B Corp community works toward reduced inequality, lower levels of poverty, a healthier environment, stronger communities, and the creation of high-quality jobs with dignity and purpose.

Q: How did you develop the concept for your salon's culture?

A: My early experiences working in the industry gave me examples of negative industry practices. I learned what not to do if I wanted to create a positive environment in my own salon. Over the past 15+ years, I've learned what works to create a team-based environment and I continue to try to make the salon better every day.

Q: Why was it important for you to build a specific culture within your salon?

A: It's important for me to always try my personal best to strengthen the careers of all stylists in the industry, and that starts with me pushing boundaries within my salon's culture. I listen to my staff when something isn't working, which strengthens our open dialogue with each other.

Q: What are the core values that drive your salon's culture?

A: Our company values are:

• Authenticity: Be Authentic
• Growth: Support employees’ growth and success through education and opportunities
• Inclusion: Create safe spaces and welcome all people
• Community: Strengthen the community through civic responsibility, volunteering and donations
• B Corp: Do business better
• Sustainability: Take daily actions to be environmentally responsible
  
  

Q: How do you ensure your team embraces and embodies the salon's culture?

A: There are many ways, for example:

• Our application forms and interview process are designed to identify talented hairstylists that share the company values, who will work as a team, and who will create a welcoming salon experience for our community.
• Our job descriptions and performance evaluations include social and environmental performance, such as following our sustainability processes and providing caring service to our community.

 

Q: Can you share some examples of how your salon culture impacts your clients' experience?

A: A few months ago, Max walked into the salon. Their shoulders were slumped, their curly hair covering their face as they looked down to the ground, an oversized, long jacket covering the towering frame of this 7th grader. They barely spoke to me, let alone looked up at me. I stood for a minute, taking in their whole person. I told them I wanted to create a look that accentuated their height to make them appear taller, because who they were was beautiful, and I wanted to make sure everyone else saw it. I picked up my shears and began cutting, I sculpted their hair into a majestic, curly pompadour. When I finished, the teen stared at the mirror in disbelief for a moment before leaping out of the chair and jumping around the salon in excitement. It was beautiful. They were beautiful. And more importantly, feeling seen and accepted, they knew they were beautiful too. As they left, I was struck by how they glowed.

Q: In what ways do you think your salon is changing the professional beauty industry?

A: We've seen more salons follow our lead and offering:

• Health insurance and other benefits for employees
• Service pricing that is not based on gender
• Appointment options to reduce anxiety, like a Silent Service

We would like to see more salons offering services to all people, regardless of their hair type.

Q: What are some innovative practices or services you offer that set you apart from other salons?

A: Our whole business approach challenged the industry status quo when I began years ago. I am happy to see that other salons have copied our processes and services that care for both staff and clients. This helps constantly push me to do better, to make more innovative changes for my team.

From a client POV:

• The focus on serving the client’s needs and celebrating their self-expression (It's not about us.)
• Service Options that can reduce anxiety for clients, such as the Silent Service or Mirrorless Service options

Q: Who or what inspires you in your professional journey?

A: My team and my clients. I try to be better for them every day.

Q: In addition to winning the KEVIN.MURPHY ICON AWARD, are there any awards you’ve won that you’re especially proud of? If so, what was the award(s) and why?

A: My goal is not to win awards, my goal is to have a positive impact on people so I put my focus on creating positive change for my team, my clients, and my community. I focus on how my people feel, how much I can donate to my community, how I can increase my B Corp score... (Every time I go through the process of renewing my B Corp certification, which is an intensive third-party review process, I feel like I've won an award! LOL) I am happy to receive the KEVIN.MURPHY ICON AWARD, in part because it recognizes this effort and it has given me a platform to inspire others in the hair salon industry to do the same.

Q: Can you describe a particularly challenging moment in building your salon and its culture and how you overcame it?

A: In the past I didn't have the interviewing tools to identify employees who would be a good fit for my salon culture in a fully unbiased way. I've hired the wrong people in the past and making a wrong decision in hiring is extremely harmful to the person we hired and the salon, both financially and emotionally.

Q: How do you balance creativity, culture and business management within your salon?

A: We put people first. Everything else comes second. Protection of all humans is the most important thing and where all of our decisions begin and end.

Q: What advice would you give to other salon owners looking to revolutionize their salon culture?

A: Make one change today. Don't be fooled by the simplicity of any act, because when you make very small changes; you can easily change your culture (even though they aren't splashy or exciting).

Q: What are some common pitfalls to avoid when trying to establish a unique salon culture?

A: If you ever listen to the voices that say you can't do it, they are only saying that from a place of fear.

Q: What role does community engagement play in your salon's operations and success?

A: We listen to the voices of our employees and clients and community to determine how we can best give back and have a positive impact. This year, our efforts have included volunteer work such as free haircuts for houseless youth, financial donations to nonprofits who are achieving results, and a Ginger & Maude scholarship fund for Black students in Portland.

Q: Can you share a success story where your salon culture made a significant difference for a client or staff member?

A: I've already shared a client story so I will give an employee example. I have created a salon where all employees' well-being is supported, including a living wage and health benefits. I once had an employee's parents call me and thank me for providing their daughter with health insurance! There have been countless times when I have chosen to do what's best for an employee's well-being, even though it was hard for my business at the time.

Q: What future goals or expansions do you have planned for your salon?

A: We will be opening a fifth Ginger & Maude hair salon in Tigard, Oregon, this year! It will be our first franchise salon location, and we will thoughtfully add more franchise locations in the future. We are excited to expand our community and guide others on how to run a successful purpose-driven salon. For more info about owning a Ginger & Maude hair salon, check out: gingerandmaude.com/own-a-salon

Q: How can other salons replicate your success and start their journey towards innovation and transformation in the beauty industry?

A: Our vision is to have a positive impact on the salon industry so we share a lot of information on our website, where there are examples of small and large changes that they could follow. If they want even more info, they should join us and be a part of the Ginger & Maude brand!