It's one of my favorite sayings. I don't use it as an excuse for something that I've failed, or forgotten to do. It's just the truth. Life does get in the way sometimes, doesn't it? A few days ago a friend pointed out the fact that this Buzz Page hasn't been updated in over a year! "That can't be" I protested. "I just updated it a few months ago." Determined to prove me wrong (or prove herself to be right) my friend opened up this site and clicked on this very page. It read Posted on December 22, 2009. I sat there, dumbfounded, for a few moments. Had it really been that long since I'd done an update? Obviously, it had! That being said, it's time to offer you this update. 2010 proved to be an interesting year for our salon.

• We lost a few familiar faces from our styling team, and added several new ones: Jessica Box, Aimee Thompson, Michele Barnett, Katie Corbin, and Jeseka Waters. As with all the members of our team, each of the new ones bring their individual style and creative talent to serve their respective guests. We consider them to be an asset to our salon.
• We had several members of Redken's National Artistic Team in our salon for hands-on class and continuing education.
• We enlarged the salon in May, taking a portion of what once was a restaurant next door. We added three new styling stations, giving us a total of thirteen.
• Part of the expansion included a fellowship/prayer room that's open to our team, our guests, and anyone who happens to be in need of "unloading" burdens that so many of us seem to have on our backs nowadays.

2011 has started out with a bang:

• Four members of our team attended the Redken Symposium in Las Vegas in January.
• Redken Artist Lori Zabel, a product of Canada and long-time New York resident, was in our salon the first week in February for a day long, intensive, hands-on color/foils/cutting/styling class.
• We now have a FaceBook page! Check us out at Salon M Squared, a Redken Elite Salon.

That just about covers it for now. I'll keep you updated as new events unfold. On behalf of my wife Jackie and our entire team, I want to thank you for visiting. If you're already a member of our salon "family", we look forward to seeing you again. If you're here "checking us out", we hope to see you in our salon soon!

Blessings,

Sam Maniscalco

WOW! Another year has gone by, and 2010 is upon us. It seems as if it were only yesterday that we were celebrating the new Millennium. Remember Y2K, and the scare that accompanied it? Can you believe that it’s been 10 years?

Looking back…

2009 was an exciting year in our salon!

• The year began with Sam, one of our owners, being invited to be a presenter at Redken’s Symposium, an industry show attended by salon owners and stylists from around the world.
• We added three new members to our team of stylists; Carla Quinn, Shawna Meacham, and Katie Bondy.
• Team member Shannon Meadows and her husband Brandon also accounted for an addition to our salon “family”; their son Hunter was born in September!
• We had some amazing in-salon education throughout the year, featuring stylists from around the South, and one Redken Artist that came to us all the way from New Zealand!
• Thanks to you, and in spite of what’s being referred to as “the greatest recession since the Great Depression”, our salon was blessed with continued growth in 2009.

Looking ahead in 2010

• Plans and details are being finalized for expanding our salon, making way for a new color bar, dispensary, and color processing room. Work should commence in mid-January.
• We’re putting the finishing touches on what should be an exciting education calendar for our team, which will include both in-salon hands-on classes and personal/business growth programs here in Birmingham.
• As always, we’re looking for new ways to make ourselves even better for you. Our aim is to be among Birmingham’s best, not only in what we do, but how we do it.

Thanks for visiting. We look forward to seeing you in the future!

An apology is the first order of the day!

Our intent is to update this page at least once a quarter, but we haven’t done so since the first of the year…SORRY.

A lot has transpired in our salon since January:

• Shawna Meacham joined our team in March. Shawna has been a stylist in the Birmingham area for 8 years, and has proven to be a great addition to our salon.
• Katie Bondy is our most recent addition to artistic team. Katie hails from Michigan, and has been in the Birmingham area for two years.

We feel that continuing education is an essential ingredient in our salon’s growth. What we’ve already had in 2009, and what’s coming up:

• All of our team attended “The Path to Abundance” in March, which was a one-day seminar focusing on improving every area of an individual’s life.
• Leah Vincent, a Redken Artistic Educator, spent June 10th & 11th in the salon, bringing us info on Redken’s newest hair care products, and interacting with our guests.
• Tera Serkovich, a fellow Redken Elite Salon owner and Redken Artist from Louisiana will be in our salon on August 3rd for a class demonstrating her particular foiling techniques.
• Carmody Homan, a member of Redken’s Global Artistic Team, will be with us on October 4th for a hands-on cutting class, bringing with him some of the latest trends from Australia.

We’ll be implementing a couple of new programs and “offers” within the next few weeks:

• New Talent Tuesdays
  Guests will receive 20% off of any salon services offered by Becca Copeland, Erika Robinson, and Katie Bogaty on Tuesdays
• Welcome Packages for new Guests
• Loyalty Rewards for existing Guests

Thanks for visiting. As always, we reaffirm our pledge to offer you our very best, not only in what we do, but how we do it.

We hope to see you soon!

A look back at 2008.....

This past year proved to be a very tumultuous one, for many of our guests, and our team. It seemed that each day we would wake up to learn that something new was wrong with our economy, our country, or the world. And it seemed that news of bad stuff just wouldn’t end!

Scattered among the negatives were some positives and we want to share those with you...

• Gratefully, thanks to you, our salon experienced continued growth in 2008.
• We maintained our status as a Redken Elite Salon.
• Salon M² was a nominee for the Global Salon Business Forum and Awards Entrepreneur of the Year.
• Our team attended hands-on classes conducted by Redken National artists Sam Villa and Dhaniel Doud. Ann Mincey, Redken’s V.P. of Global Communications, was in our salon giving a class on personal grounding practices.
• Greg Adams became a Certified Redken Color Artist.
• Erika Robinson joined our team of stylists.
• Shannon Meadows assumed the position of Salon Coordinator.
• Evan Provost and her husband Tim celebrated the birth of their daughter Josie.

Already this year.....

• Sam Maniscalco, one half of M², was invited to be a presenter at Redken's International Symposium, which was held in Las Vegas on January 18^th, 19^th, and 20^th.
• Carla Quinn joined our team of stylists on January 23^rd. Carla has worked in the Inverness area for the past 4 years, and is a great addition to our team.

Looking forward in 2009

• We are putting together an education schedule for our team that places emphasis not just on technical skills, but also on being better people, which will allow us to serve you better.
• We’re formulating ways to expand our referral program, create special offers via e-mail, and working on details for a Guest Rewards Program.
• We’re in the process of organizing a Cut-a-Thon in May, with all proceeds going to Camp Smile-a-Mile (Camp Sam….an organization that provides summer camp for kids with cancer).
• As always, we’re striving to be among Birmingham’s Best, not only in what we do, but how we do it.

Thanks for visiting. Hope to see you soon!