Latest Industry News

  • What is the Future of the Tan Tax?

    What is the Future of the Tan Tax?0

    Let’s just face it: tanning is a much maligned treatment. Though it provides ample levels of Vitamin D, tanning has a reputation for being dangerous for our skin. More specifically, society views UV tanning beds as a major cause of melanoma—even though the link isn’t that strong.  Throughout the 2010s, one of the ways politicians “fought back” against the tanning industry was to introduce taxes. However, it seems like tanning taxes might soon become a thing of the past. Kentucky’s Senator Rand Paul (R) introduced the Tan Tax Repeal Act in Congress in a bid to repeal the 10 percent tax on indoor tanning services.  The bill was co-sponsored by other Republicans, including Pete Ricketts (R-NE) and Ted Budd (R-NC). The 10 percent tax was originally “snuck” into the Affordable Care Act as a replacement for the pending “Botox Tax” that was almost included in the bill.  According to the American Suntanning Association, the “Tan Tax” cost Americans over 110,000 jobs. Approximately 11,000 tanning salons were closed after the tax pushed services beyond affordability for mainstream Americans.  It’s worth noting that this is not the first time politicians have tried to repeal this particular tax. President Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” also had an attempt at repealing the excise tax as well, though that portion of the bill did not make it pasts its initial draft.  If nothing else, the multiple attempts suggest that people are really interested in pulling back on the tax. Should the tax repeal go into effect, tanning salons and tanning bed manufacturers would get a much-welcomed break from high taxes. Could this translate into more jobs in the future? It may be hard to tell, but it still suggests a sunny outlook on tanning’s future. 

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  • From $12/Hour to Salon Owner in Just One Year: Emily Cardosa’s Journey to Glo Ownership

    From $12/Hour to Salon Owner in Just One Year: Emily Cardosa’s Journey to Glo Ownership0

    At just 25 years old, Emily Cardosa has achieved what many entrepreneurs spend decades working toward: she’s a business owner with an equal partnership stake in a million-dollar salon. Even more impressive? She accomplished this in just one year through Glo’s innovative employee-to-owner program. Finding Her Entrepreneurial Spirit Emily’s journey began in San Diego, where she ran a mobile spray tanning business. While she enjoyed the freedom of entrepreneurship, she quickly recognized the limitations of being a solo operator. “As one single person doing all of the work, there’s only so much growth that can really happen,” Emily explains. “I was looking for how I could scale.” That search for growth led her to Texas, where she discovered Glo and its unique approach to developing entrepreneurs through its franchisee program.   Taking a Leap of Faith Making the decision to join Glo wasn’t easy. Emily had to set aside her independent business and start from the beginning as a Spa Consultant earning $12 per hour. “I took a huge pay cut,” she admits. “But you have to see the end goal. That’s where a lot of people miss opportunities.” What separated Emily from others was her entrepreneurial mindset and commitment to the process. While many people express interest in the owner’s program, Emily’s consistent dedication to learning and improving set her apart. “She came in from day one without an opportunity but determined to get an opportunity,” explains Quinn Cooper, part of Glo’s franchising team. “Most people come in hot for a week, a month, or two months, but it’s that consistency to come in every day, always doing what you’re supposed to do, always seeking to learn, always seeking to grow that put her on the fast track.”   Learning the Glo Way For Emily, the journey through the ranks at Glo provided invaluable experience that couldn’t be gained any other way. “I’m forever grateful that I went this route through the owner’s program, and I didn’t just show up with an investor saying ‘I’m ready to open my own Glo,’” she says. “What you learn in the everyday life of the salon is a lot different than what you think you can learn in three weeks of training.” The experience not only taught her the technical aspects of running a salon but also crucial leadership skills. Without formal business training or mentors in her previous venture, Emily had been learning through trial and error. “I didn’t have the guidance because I never had anybody to look up to. So my guidance was just looking stuff up online,” she recalls. “Glo has actually given me a business, but also has set me up with the fundamental training that I need to confidently run the business. I’ve learned things that I didn’t know that I needed to run a business effectively.”   Creating Leaders Who Create Leaders Now, as an equal partner in Glo’s newest location in Tyler, TX, Emily has ambitious plans that go beyond her own success. She’s aiming to be the first graduate of the employee program to help someone else become an owner. “I’ve already had two or three girls reach out about it,” she says with excitement. “When I’m interviewing for my own store, it’s one of the first things I bring up. Just because you’re starting out as a spa consultant doesn’t mean that you have to stay there.” This philosophy of creating “mini-mes” – being able to replace yourself by developing leaders – has been a transformative part of Emily’s leadership journey. “A lot of times people think that they have to do it all themselves for things to run smoothly. I had that mindset before where I had to be in control,” she explains. “Being able to delegate has been a huge part of my leadership journey. That also teaches somebody else how to have responsibilities.”   Bringing Accessible Luxury to Tyler Emily’s vision for her Tyler location extends beyond business success. She’s passionate about bringing the Glo experience to a new community and creating opportunities for her team members. “We’re bringing accessible luxury to Tyler,” she explains. “It’s not just a tanning salon. We really care about the skin, the wellness, and everyone’s confidence. Confidence radiates from feeling good and looking good, and we want everyone to have that.” Her approach to running the salon reflects her own journey – she’s creating a culture where team members can envision their own path to growth, whether that leads to ownership or other leadership roles within the company.   The Glo Difference When asked why she chose Glo over other franchise opportunities, Emily points to the unique employee program and growth pathways. “Glo offers a lot of growth opportunities that you don’t see, not only within the tanning industry, but with any industry,” she says. “As a young woman, being able to put the work in and then the outcome being that I have my own store and being the owner is something I’ve never seen before.” Without the employee program, Emily acknowledges she wouldn’t have been able to achieve ownership at this point in her life. The program provided not just the pathway to ownership but the essential skills and confidence needed to succeed.   Looking to the Future While many might be satisfied with achieving ownership of one location, Emily has her sights set on continued growth. “I will open as many stores as I can as long as I have the right team under me, because that’s really how I’m going to be able to scale,” she says with determination. Her goal? To become a top franchisee within the Glo system, not just through sales metrics but by developing more leaders and creating opportunities for others to follow in her footsteps.   Advice For Future Entrepreneurs For those inspired by her journey, Emily offers straightforward advice: trust the process and keep your eyes on the long-term goal. “You’re not going to see success right away, and that’s where a

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  • The Hidden Human Resources Crisis In Tanning Salons

    The Hidden Human Resources Crisis In Tanning Salons0

    Has anyone noticed a quiet crisis happening throughout the tanning industry? I have. A recent crisis in a tanning salon once again proves my adage: tanning salon owners need more work in human resources management (HRM). The Salon Doctor is here to share his HRM experience for your success!   Before I get into this month’s salon owner’s dilemma, let’s address what human resources management (HRM) is. Generally speaking, it’s the “strategic and practical approach to recruiting, managing, and developing a workforce to maximize employee performance and contribute to overall business objectives.”    In other words, HRM deals with figuring out  how to keep the people you hired working toward the objectives you’ve set for your business. In a tanning salon, this usually means selling, upselling, cleaning, and offering stellar customer service, among other duties.    We’re talking about proper tanning salon management. What Does A Lack Of HRM Look Like In A Tanning Salon? I’m not sharing this story to shame anyone. The tanning salon owners I know are all good, honest, hardworking people who want their businesses to succeed. Many of them got into this industry without solid HRM training, so it’s a simple matter of not knowing what they don’t know.    The recent tanning salon crisis I mentioned earlier illustrates this problem. A salon owner recently had a problem. While this isn’t a direct quote, it’s pretty close to how the owner describes the situation:   “I let one of my employees go, and she’s been inside my office crying for almost an hour. I’m trying to be understanding, but when should I tell her she has to go?”   While this situation happened recently, it’s been going on in salons since the beginning of the indoor tanning industry. It highlights most salon owners’ need for ongoing human resources management skills.    As to this specific situation, I’ll assume the owner had a legitimate reason for terminating this young lady’s employment. If you find yourself in a situation where you have to let an employee go, I recommend following this five-step process:   Assemble whatever documents you have that might show your criteria for the termination. You do not want to leave any opening for an argument or debate here. If it got to the point where you had to fire them, it’s no longer salvageable.  Be prepared to share the most critical reasons the employee must leave your employment. (Remember to stick a pin in this one because I’ll return to it later in this article.) Steel yourself with the confidence that what you’re doing is legal. It’s also suitable for your salon, staff, and possibly your business image to your customers.  Don’t drag out the employee’s termination. This punishes the employee and could lead to other employees feeling that the terminated employee was mistreated. It’s best to be short, sweet, and to the point. Most importantly, address the employee’s behavior to be corrected, not them as a person. Salon Employee Terminations: Tear Off the Band-Aid in Private Anyone who says they can easily fire employees either never did it or is not being honest. Employee terminations are complex and highly emotional situations for both the staff member being terminated and the person doing the firing.    Because of this, it’s easy to make mistakes or feel sympathetic toward the terminated employee. I advise keeping these sessions private and handling them as quickly as possible.  Hold the termination conference privately, preferably in your office. The meeting should only last just a few minutes.  Go into the session prepared; this is not a time for a debate.  Keep it short and sweet: tell them they’re terminated effective immediately. Explain why they’re being terminated and have specific examples to support your decision. If you’ve had the time to prepare it, have their last check ready. (Remember to include any commission and selling bonuses due.)  Collect company property such as salon keys, T-shirts, etc.  Don’t get sucked into the employee’s emotional histrionics; deliver the news and get them out the door.   Although it’s cliche, this old saying is true: “It’s not personal, it’s business.” You didn’t just decide to terminate this person’s employment on a whim. You should be able to cite many reasons when they’ve made mistakes and/or disobeyed your salon’s rules and protocols.    Also, if you let this person go, stick with that decision. If you let the employee “cry their way back into a job,” the rest of your employees won’t respect you. It’s not nice to hear, but it’s the truth. No Salon Employee Termination Should Come as a Surprise to the Employee If an employee is surprised they’re being fired, you’ve done something wrong. Remember when I told you to “stick a pin” into having all your documents in place before the employee termination?    We’ve reached the point where I’ll discuss this significant detail. The documentation is part of a system known in the HRM world as “progressive discipline.” In many cases, it operates as a straightforward, seven-step process:   First verbal warning Second verbal warning A written warning Supervisory review of the employee’s prior performance evaluations  Final written warning Suspension without pay  Termination of employment   Some salon owners go through all seven steps, while others cut it in half for convenience. Either way, you must keep a written record of every disciplinary meeting with the employee. Should it come to the last and final step, you have documentation that the employee had problems and did nothing to correct herself.    Since the employee signed off on this paperwork throughout the disciplinary process, she knows the time and effort you put into addressing the situation. As I said, no employee termination should be a shock… especially to the employee. Human Resources Management: An Alternative to Salon Employee Termination With good HRM skills, you rarely have to fire a salon employee. Why? You’ll make more informed decisions about who you hire and know how to manage and motivate these

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  • Glo Tanning: New Salon Opening Spotlight

    Glo Tanning: New Salon Opening Spotlight0

    When you start a salon, you’re not just starting up a business. You’re starting a journey. Every salon has its own unique starts, lessons, and quirks that make them worth celebrating. Glo Tanning is currently experiencing a massive growth spurt.  To help new salons take flight, we’re shining a spotlight on the newest locations in town. This time, we were able to sit down with Riley Fischbacher and Angelique Borgerding as they discuss their new opening in Paragould, Arkansas. Let’s see what they had to say! Quinn: How many Glo locations do you currently have and what are your future plans?  Riley: We currently own three Glo Tanning locations and plan to expand to several more locations in the coming months and years. We’re passionate about bringing Glo’s innovative sun, spray, and spa concept to new communities, ensuring each location delivers exceptional service and maintains the high standards the brand is known for. Expansion isn’t just about growth; it’s about creating lasting impact and opportunities. What is your favorite thing about Glo?  Riley: Our favorite thing about Glo is bringing something new and exciting to a community. It’s incredibly rewarding to introduce people to a luxurious yet affordable space where they can take care of themselves, both physically and mentally. I also love how Glo combines cutting-edge services with a welcoming, inclusive atmosphere, making self-care accessible to everyone. What inspired you to become a franchisee?  Riley: Onyi and his vision for Glo were pivotal in inspiring us to become franchisees. The concept of integrating sun, spray, and spa services under one roof was innovative and immediately stood out to us.  Angelique: Additionally, the luxurious environment of it all and how different Glo is from anything else in the market made it even more compelling. The brand Glo has created for itself stands out amongst its competitors, setting a new standard for the industry. How has your community responded to your Glo location since the opening?  Riley: The community has responded with excitement and has shown up to support us. They realize Glo is unlike anything else and have fully embraced what we have to offer. Their enthusiasm has been overwhelming, and we promise to continue providing phenomenal service that exceeds their expectations. What advice would you give to someone considering opening a Glo Tanning franchise?  The growth potential with Glo is exponential. If you’re considering opening a franchise, be ready to immerse yourself fully in the business, especially if you don’t have an operator. Your commitment and involvement will directly impact your success.  Angelique: Take full advantage of the resources and support Glo provides—it’s a partnership that truly sets you up for success. Finally, focus on building strong relationships within your community and creating an environment that prioritizes client satisfaction.  What goals do you have for your location this year, and how do you plan to achieve them?  Angelique: Our main goal is to continue dominating the markets we’re in while shifting the perception of what Glo offers. We want people to see that Glo is more than just tanning—it’s a full-service sun spa.  To achieve this, we’re focusing on targeted marketing campaigns, community events, and educating clients about the broad range of benefits we provide. By creating memorable experiences and emphasizing our wellness-focused services, we’re confident we can expand our reach and solidify our presence in each market. How has being part of the Glo Tanning franchise network impacted you personally and professionally?  Riley: Being part of Glo Tanning has been life-changing in both personal and professional ways. Personally, we’ve gained lifelong friends and a strong sense of community through the franchise network.  Professionally, it gives us the possibility to place a successful and high-traffic business in one of our own commercial spaces, allowing us to not only invest in Glo, but our real estate portfolio as well. The combination of business and real estate has been instrumental in our growth and opened up exciting possibilities for the future.

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Latest on Equipment & Technology

  • ASA Statement On “Tan Tax” Repeal

    ASA Statement On “Tan Tax” Repeal0

    On behalf of 6,000 professional sunbed centers across the country, with more than 70% of these businesses being women-owned small businesses, the American Suntanning Association thanks Congress for its rightful consideration of both HR1940 and S1865, both calling for repeal of the unfair and poorly administered Tan Tax. This stand-alone issue is a main-street, non-partisan concern that is separate from larger tax policy issues that have dominated discussion in 2025. In December 2009, a 10% “Tan Tax” on UV tanning services in professional tanning facilities (exempting gyms and non-salon locations) was slid into the Affordable Care Act (ACA) as a last-minute, silent replacement for a 5% cosmetic surgery “Botox” tax – a political horse-trade that reduced actual revenue for ACA by a minimum of $4 billion and possibly more than $10 billion since its inception. By comparison, The “Tan Tax” as a last-minute replacement has arguably cost the Treasury more than it raised and has been a total failure in every way possible. The IRS carved out gym memberships as exempt from Tan Tax collection when first establishing collection code. This created a significant competitive advantage for gyms over single-store operators in virtually every town in America. Over more than a decade, IRS, Treasury and Congress have all proven incapable of correcting this blatant error. Professional sunbed facilities today teach and promote effective sunburn prevention for those who choose to incorporate non-burning sun exposure in their lives. This topic is widely misunderstood and frequently mis-stated by those who promote sun abstinence rather than effective sunburn prevention. Comprehensive sun care discussion was never a part of this tax policy discussion and is a topic ASA has never shied away from. Link to the original article: https://americansuntanning.org/repeal-the-tan-tax/  

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