36 | ShelbyLiving.com

Morgan Ashley Salon empowers women through styling hair and

participating in global missions

Story by stEPhaniE bruMfiEldPhotographs by Jon goEring

missionHair on a

FEATURES

Sept 2013_Amy.indd 36 8/8/13 12:09 PM

36 | ShelbyLiving.com

Morgan Ashley Salon empowers women through styling hair and

participating in global missions

Story by stEPhaniE bruMfiEldPhotographs by Jon goEring

missionHair on a

FEATURES

Sept 2013_Amy.indd 36 8/8/13 12:09 PM

September 2013 | 37

Morgan Mondy always dreamed of opening a hair salon. But after leading several mission trips overseas, she thought it might not

ever happen.“I went to cosmetology school right out of high

school,” Mondy said. “I always had it in the back of my head that I would start some kind of business, but I felt called to missions. I let the dream die because I thought I would be overseas somewhere.”

During that time, she had been working at another salon that wasn’t her own for about a year, but she knew it was not where she was supposed to be. About a year later, everything started falling into place for her to open her own salon – she found her first place, her first employee and confirmation from God that she was going in the right direction.

“[I had always envisioned] a place that would be really inspiring and comforting, a safe haven kind of place to get your hair done in a peaceful environment,” she said. “It’s still in my heart to do mission work, but the Lord spoke to my heart that the salon would be a way to get there. It hasn’t played out yet, so I don’t know what that looks like.”

Since opening her very own Morgan Ashley

LEFT: A stylist cuts a client’s hair at

Morgan Ashley Salon in Birmingham. ABOVE RIGHT:

Morgan Mondy opened Morgan

Ashley Salon in April 2005.

Sept 2013_Amy.indd 37 8/8/13 12:09 PM

38 | ShelbyLiving.com

Salon in a 900-square-foot building on April Fool’s Day back in 2005, the business has grown from one stylist to more than 20 in little more than eight years and has changed locations to accommodate increased business.

Mondy and her team of stylists have also found ways to be missionaries over the years by keeping women’s global issues at the forefront of their minds and partnering with non-profit organizations across the globe.

For instance, the salon sponsors two children each month with World Vision, and they recently partnered with an organization that owns a house in Honduras and rescues girls from slavery. They have also done outreach locally by providing haircuts.

“Even the salon is a mission field and a place to encourage people,” Mondy said. “You get to have a one-on-one conversation with someone for a long time, though a lot of times my clients encourage me.”

What the salon is best known for, though, is hair. Specifically, they are known for event hair, bridal hair and editorial work.

“The girls who work on bridal hair regularly are incredible,” Mondy said. “We’re also really solid

with color.”They offer every hair service you can think of,

including cuts, styling and more, and the stylists are constantly learning new things.

“We send all of the girls up to New York for training, and we have training in the salon,” Mondy said. “Our education has grown a lot [since the beginning]. That’s something we love – to learn and develop new skills.”

On the editorial side, Mondy once did hair for a photo shoot with Glamour magazine. More recently, she has had her work featured in Birmingham magazine, and several of her team members have had their work featured in other magazines as well. In fact, the demand for editorial work has been so great that the salon will soon be expanding its creative department to add an editorial team.

The salon is also a place for everyday hair cuts and new customers.

“We have stylists who meet different styles – stylists for conservatives and liberals,” Mondy said. “The girls at the front desk can direct people and give [our stylists] a heads up about your style and what kind of cut you wear.”

Shelly Sumner, the salon’s manager who has

FROM LEFT: Bumble and Bumble hair products

line a wall. A stylist chats with a client while cutting

her hair. Morgan Ashley Salon provides traditional

salon work such as cuts and color, in addition to

editorial work and styling for special events.

Sept 2013_Amy.indd 38 8/8/13 12:10 PM

September 2013 | 39

Jacob’s CornerE V E N T C E N T E R

been working together with Mondy for about seven years, said her experience has been phenomenal and one-of-a-kind.

“It’s about far more than just hair,” Sumner said. “We want our clients to know how special they are.”

Sumner also said her experience has been unique because she sees the salon as a place where someone can have a career in styling, something which she says isn’t often expected in the South.

“It’s an incredible opportunity where people can express themselves creatively but also have a career while doing it,” she said.

The reason for the difference, according to Sumner, is the team-oriented atmosphere.

“What really sets us apart is that none of this works with one individual,” she said. “It takes all of us to make it work. It’s a newer approach to business management, especially with smaller businesses. It’s the only place I’ve ever worked where the team is definitely the reason the place is succeeding.”

Morgan Ashley Salon is located at 7350 Cahaba Valley Road, Birmingham. For more information about services and pricing, visit Morganashleysalon.com or call 205-995-2480. l

Sept 2013_Amy.indd 39 8/8/13 12:10 PM