Cosmetologists from all over the East Coast come to Lisa DeVenuto for all sorts of reasons. “Some temps only want to temp,” say DeVenuto, owner of Professional Beauty Temps, a temporary and permanent placement service for beauty personnel based in New Hope, Pa. “Some may only have one day free per week or kids’ schedules to work around Others are looking for permanent positions, but use my agency to try out different salons until they find the right one. We also get calls from booth renters trying to replace themselves while they’re sick or on vacation. That way they don’t run the risk of losing clients when they’re out,” she explains.

The idea for the one-year-old agency grew out of DeVenuto’s own experience as a salon owner who often wished she could find temporary help. Along with husband Joseph, she owns New Hope Hairworks in New Hope, Pa., and hopes to open a second salon soon. Before she opened Professional Beauty Temps, DeVenuto placed several want ads for temporary salon personnel just to test the waters. She immediately received a flood of phone calls from anxious salon owners wondering if she’d had any success. DeVenuto quickly opened her agency, first serving the Pennsylvania area, then expanding to New York, New Jersey, South Carolina, and Florida. The agency represents all salon employees including receptionists, hairstylists, and estheticians. By far the most calls she gets are from salon owners looking for nail technicians, reports DeVenuto.

The salon owner pays the agency an hourly rate; the agency handles withholding taxes and liability insurance for its temps, who get an hourly wage plus their tips.

 

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