Driven and independent-minded, Savannah Neely is just the sort of stylist that Salons by JC was created for. After five years working in two top Atlanta-area salons, Savannah went solo because “I don’t like to be told what to do.” But that hardly means she ignores what clients want her to do. Just the opposite. “With clients, I take my time, go through photos clients bring in and give them exactly what they want,” says Savannah. “They know they can trust me.”
Savannah’s independent spirit and dedication to clients’ requirements come together in the way she thoroughly listens, then helps her clients realize how they can look their very best with individual adjustments that take their hair type or lifestyle into account. How do they know they will love what they get? Not only is it based on what they asked for, it’s guaranteed. Explains Savannah, “If anyone is unhappy with a cut or color within the first week of wearing the new look, I’ll re-do it for free.”
In some ways, re-dos are Savannah’s specialty. She excels in corrective hair color, is certified in teeth whitening (to return not-so-pearly whites to youthful bright) and can even camouflage thinning hair that happened courtesy mother nature, via a variety of hair extension services that add instant fullness. A certified balayage trainer who teaches on stage at hair shows, she recently drew on her color expertise for the mother of all color fixes.
Recalls Savannah, “A client who had pink and purple hair came in wanting platinum on a near-black base color. We settled on dark blonde base with highlights and lowlights. Because she had colored her hair at home, I had to remove the previous color with bleaching treatments that included bond-building Olaplex, then tone the hair and add the highlights and lowlights. It took about 5 hours, but she was delighted. The thing I love about color correction is how I can take someone who thinks her hair is a complete loss and make her look and feel beautiful again.”
While it took far less than 5 hours for Savannah to drive past Salons by JC in Newnan Crossing, GA, ask herself, “Is that what I think it is?” and jump on opening Salon Savannah, Inc., the location was so far from her previous salon that she had to build a clientele from scratch. No problem when you’re determined. She dropped off flyers that showcased her work in places with waiting areas, such as restaurants and physicians’ offices. Then, she added specials on her Facebook business page and boosted her skill set.
Her 73-hour teeth whitening certificate from Enlightened Expressions brings many new clients just for that service she says. “It uses carbamide peroxide and UV light, not hydrogen peroxide, so it protects the enamel.” Her Hair Dreams certification in both tape and nano fusion hair extensions lets her offer women new options in extensions that either last for 6 months or must be adjusted every 4-6 weeks.
“Now, my clients range from children, who get $15 cuts, to grandmothers,” says Savannah. “Many women are asking for shadow roots—I make the root area slightly darker and then blend it with balayage for a very natural grow-out. Here, women want the perfect blonde.”
To see the many ways she delivers it, follow her on Instagram @salonsavannahinc. To check out her newest specials, visit her Salon Savannah Facebook page.
