(above) ISBN Board of Trustees members Katie Trent (left) of Gene Juarez Salons & Spas and Frank Zona of Zona Salons and Zona Brothers Barbershops
ISBN continues the conversation with leaders and peers. Get to know Katie Trent, CEO of Gene Juarez Salons & Spas in the Pacific Northwest, and Frank Zona, co-owner of family-owned, multi-generational Zona Salons and Zona Brothers Barbershops on the South Shore of Massachusetts. Both are powerful business leaders with influential roles on the ISBN Board of Trustees. Both find common ground and appreciate the executive level of business intelligence and shared insights ISBN provides.
Read on to hear more from both Trent and Zona about their industry journeys, leadership styles and involvement with ISBN.
Board of Trustees Member Katie Trent
CEO, Gene Juarez Salons & Spas
Executive-level experience: “With over a decade of experience leading salons and shops, my passion is for building consensus with teams to find solutions to the constantly evolving challenges in our industry, whether a crisis like Covid, a shrinking talent pool, or increasing supply costs. Prior to joining Gene Juarez, I was on the leadership team for Rudy’s Barbershop, leading operations for a period of rapid store growth.”
About the business: Gene Juarez Salons & Spas is a 14-location salon and spa business founded in and serving the Pacific Northwest, specializing in personalized, sustainable service. Learn more at genejuarez.com and follow @genejuarez.
First became involved in ISBN: “Our former CEO, Scott Missad, was previously the President of ISBN. He encouraged me to get involved in ISBN for my own growth and for our company’s benefit. I’ve personally attended three ISBN Conferences and 4-5 members of our leadership team typically attend.”
Why stay involved with ISBN? “The value in meeting folks facing the same challenges you are cannot be measured! I lean on my ISBN network at least monthly to compare trends, float ideas, or to talk about talent. I’m so grateful for this organization.”
What are you most looking forward to at Conference 2025? “I am really looking forward to the content around textured hair education and service that fellow ISBN members Lisa Green of JCPenney Salon & Beauty and Emily Brown of V’s Barbershops are leading.”
What does LEADING THE FUTURE look like, from your perspective? “Listening! The next generation of artists and guests have unique values and needs. As leaders, we have to listen and adapt our hiring, training and employment plans to be successful in retaining talent and maintaining relevance as a brand.”
Board of Trustees Member Frank Zona
Owner, Zona Salons & Zona Brothers Barbershops
Executive-level experience: “I’ve headed my own companies for nearly 40 years and have served on a number of past and current Boards both inside and outside the professional beauty industry, with a common focus on employing people.”
About the business: With three locations, Zona Salons and Zona Brothers Barbershops is a mid-market, local family owned-and-operated salon group serving the South Shore of Massachusetts. A team of 40 employees maintain the Zona family’s longstanding reputation for and commitment to education, masterful technique, progressive business practices, industry advancement and philanthropy.
First became involved in ISBN: “I’ve been involved in one way or another with ISBN for 25 years from its earlier days as the International Chain Salon Association and have attended most annual Conference gatherings since. On the ISBN Board of Trustees, I currently serve as Co-chair of Government Affairs.”
Why do you stay involved with ISBN? “The greatest challenge in our industry is keeping people on payrolls and in formal employment. Multi-unit large and small salons, spa and barbershop businesses share that employment characteristic in our operations. Understanding the workforce— from how people get in to how they move about in the industry—has never been more important.”
What are you most looking forward to at ISBN Conference 2025? “I look forward to updating members and attendees on the massive amount of attention given to the federal taxation of tip income and the implications of any number of eventual scenarios.”
What else would you like ISBN community to know about you? “I believe businesses thrive location by location with the permission of the community they operate in. In that sense, we need to work small. At the same time, how we show up collectively, as an industry, is equally important.”
What would you like others to know about the ISBN community? “Bigger businesses in every industry get a bad rap. The leaders of the big players in ours are some of the most committed, generous, and involved people I know.”
What does LEADING THE FUTURE look like, from your perspective? “Staying involved.”
