Today we’d like to introduce you to Michelle Meier.
Hi Michelle, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I officially started my journey in the salon industry in 2003, but honestly, my love for hair started long before that. Growing up in Melrose, you could usually find me in the basement playing “salon” with my Barbies, convincing friends to let me experiment on their hair, or giving my older sister a new style whether she asked for one or not. Hair was always more than a hobby to me—it was something that genuinely lit me up inside.
Ironically, I originally went to college to become a teacher, following in the footsteps of my parents, who were both educators. But it didn’t take long for me to realize I missed the creativity, connection, and excitement that came with doing hair. That passion eventually led me to Model College of Hair Design, and I never looked back.
Early in my career, while working in the salon industry, I began dealing with some unexpected health issues. At first, I didn’t connect the dots, but over time I realized the very industry I loved was also affecting my health. Hair stylists are exposed to harsh chemicals every single day, and it became clear to me that there had to be a healthier way to do beauty.
That realization completely changed the direction of my career.
I became obsessed with researching healthier products, safer salon environments, and sustainable practices. The more I learned, the more I realized that not only were many salon products harmful to stylists and clients, but salons were also creating a huge amount of environmental waste. I knew if I wanted to create the kind of salon I believed in, I would have to build it myself.
So in July of 2017, I opened Arbor Hair Studio in a cozy little 1,300-square-foot space in Waite Park. From the very beginning, Arbor was built differently. Our mission centered around health, sustainability, education, and helping people feel beautiful without compromising their wellbeing. We became the first Green Circle Salon in Central Minnesota, recycling hair, foils, color tubes, and salon waste that would normally end up in landfills.
At Arbor, we’ve always believed hair is about more than appearances. It’s about confidence, self-care, health, and truly listening to people. Every client receives a customized consultation and plan designed specifically for them, using as many natural, holistic, and organic products as possible.
What surprised me most was how many people were looking for exactly what we were creating. Clients came to us because they wanted safer alternatives, and stylists came because they wanted to work in a healthier, more supportive environment. Arbor quickly became more than just a salon—it became a community.
Because of the incredible support from our community, Arbor continued to grow. Today, we proudly operate out of a beautiful 6,500-square-foot space in Waite Park. And while growth is exciting, the journey definitely wasn’t always easy.
One of the biggest leaps of faith came during COVID. Like so many salon owners, our business was shut down for three months. I went from working 50–60 hours a week nonstop to suddenly sitting still—and that’s not exactly my personality. Instead of letting the uncertainty defeat me, I decided to use that season to dream bigger, plan bigger, and grow bigger. In the middle of a global shutdown, we moved Arbor from our tiny original space into the much larger salon we operate in today. Looking back now, it sounds a little crazy—but sometimes faith and determination make you do bold things.
One thing that has quietly carried me through every season of this journey—both the exciting moments and the difficult ones—has been my faith. It’s been the steady foundation that has reminded me to keep going, trust the process, and believe that even during uncertain seasons, there is always purpose, growth, and something bigger being written ahead.
Another exciting moment in my journey came when I had the opportunity to purchase a local spa that carried some of my favorite healthy and holistic spa products. Wellness and healthier beauty options had always been something I was passionate about, so the opportunity felt like a perfect fit.
After purchasing the spa, we moved it into Arbor Hair + Spa and transformed the business from simply Arbor into a full hair and spa experience. It was a natural next step in our mission to offer healthier beauty, self-care, and wellness services all under one roof.
Opening a second location had always been a dream sitting quietly in the back of my mind. I’ve always loved the idea of creating spaces that feel welcoming, healthy, and deeply connected to the communities they serve. So in 2025, that dream became a reality when we opened Uptown Styles by Arbor in the heart of St. Joseph.
There’s just something special about St. Joseph. I’ve always loved the small-town feel, the strong sense of community, and the way people genuinely support one another there. Opening Uptown Styles by Arbor wasn’t just about growing a business—it was about becoming part of a town I’ve admired and loved for years.
One of the things I’m most passionate about is bringing healthier beauty options into communities that may not have had access to them before. Being able to introduce safer products, healthier haircare, and a more holistic salon experience to St. Joseph has been incredibly meaningful to me. My hope is that Uptown Styles feels like more than just a salon—that it feels warm, welcoming, uplifting, and truly rooted in the community.
In 2022, Arbor and I were incredibly honored to receive the Innovation Award from the Greater St. Cloud Development Corporation, recognizing businesses making a difference through innovation in the community. In 2023, I was also humbled to be recognized by St. Cloud LIVE as an Emerging Leader Under 40.
Then in 2024, I had the opportunity to participate in Dancing with Our Stars, where I danced to raise money for Camp Oasis, a camp for children with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. This cause is incredibly personal to me because my oldest daughter was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in 2022. Through the amazing generosity of our community, I was able to raise $25,000 for the camp she attends every summer and absolutely loves.
At the end of the day, though, the titles and awards aren’t what matter most to me.
Before anything else, I’m a wife, a mom, a daughter, and a sister. My husband Dustin—also lovingly known as “Salon Dad”—and I have been married for almost 15 years, and together we have two energetic, hilarious, and strong-willed daughters, Taylor and Addisten. We also have two fur babies, Chewy and Murphy, who fully believe they run the household.
When I’m not at the salon, you’ll probably find me sitting in the bleachers at a basketball game, cheering at the softball fields, researching my next “healthy salon” obsession, or trying to balance the beautiful chaos of business ownership and motherhood.
And honestly? I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Because at Arbor, it’s never just been about hair. It’s about creating a place where people feel seen, cared for, healthy, confident, and beautiful—in the healthiest way possible.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Owning a business has never been a smooth road—and honestly, I don’t think it’s supposed to be. Between the health challenges early in my career and trying to build a salon focused on healthier, more holistic beauty at a time when that idea felt almost taboo, there were definitely moments that tested me.
There have been a lot of late nights, endless meetings, difficult decisions, and plenty of sleepless nights wondering if I was making the right choices. When you own a business, especially one built around people, you carry a lot on your shoulders. You want your clients to feel cared for. You want your team to feel supported. You want your family to feel your presence at home. Balancing all of that can be incredibly hard.
Having worked in multiple salons throughout my career, I like to think I understand what stylists love, what they need, and what challenges they face. I’ve always tried to create environments where people feel appreciated, heard, and inspired. But one of the hardest lessons I’ve learned as a business owner is that no matter how hard you try, you can’t make everyone happy all the time—and for someone who genuinely cares deeply about people, that can be really difficult.
When things get hard, I’ve learned there comes a point where you simply have to give it to God. You pray over the decisions, trust your heart, and remind yourself that you’re doing what you truly believe is best for both the business and the stylists who depend on you. That doesn’t mean every decision becomes easy, but faith has helped carry me through the moments of uncertainty, pressure, and fear that naturally come with leadership.
There have absolutely been moments of doubt, pressure, and exhaustion. But through all of it, I’ve continued to learn, grow, adapt, and push forward. Looking back now, I realize the challenges shaped me just as much as the successes did. They taught me resilience, strengthened my faith, and reminded me why I started this journey in the first place.
One of the biggest challenges of owning a business has been balancing entrepreneurship with being a mom and a wife. There have been a lot of long days behind the chair, late-night meetings, and stressful seasons trying to give my best to both my business and my family at the same time.
As a mom, you always want to be present for the games, school events, and everyday moments, while also making sure your team, clients, and business are taken care of. Some days that balance is really hard.
But through it all, my family has been my biggest motivation. I’ve learned that balance isn’t about perfection, it’s about doing your best, trusting God through the difficult seasons, and continuing to move forward with faith and purpose.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Arbor Hair + Spa?
arbor hair + spa will always continue to make people feel beautiful, in a healthy way. The vision of arbor is to touch as many people as possible with our holistic, healthier approach to hair and skin care and to have the space and capacity to do so.
It is our vision to be a salon + spa where everyone feels comfortable and welcome.
Our goal is that every client receives outstanding service from the time they walk in, to the time they walk out. We want our clients to love us so much that they would refer us to their friends, their family, and even complete strangers who approach them at the grocery store.
We are a teaching salon + spa that fosters and trains the next generation of excellent hairstylists and estheticians.
We wish to perpetuate happiness among our clients and staff.
We want to inspire through giving back and serving our community.
Honesty is our ethos, and we promise to put our clients first. We will never recommend a service or sell you a product you do not need. We are committed to high standards — not just in the services we provide to you, but in the products we carry, and how we conduct ourselves as a business.
We promise to promote personal and professional growth of our team.
Our mission is to keep providing the people of Central Minnesota with healthy alternatives to what they use every day. arbor hair + spa will serve customers with integrity by being loyal to them, the company, and us. arbor strives to give superior customer service consistently with happy relentless attitude while standing within an affordable budget for all clients.
Our salon + spa prioritizes the customer experience. We want our clients to experience the most comfortable and friendly atmosphere out there. We want to be known for our exceptional dedication to our guest’s well-being. Customer satisfaction is our ultimate goal.
Our salon values individual approaches and personalized experiences. Our main goal is to give every client the exact treatment they want to have. We favor originality and individuality and therefore, we will go above and beyond the call of duty to deliver the most accurate effect possible. We want our customers to be able to fully express themselves with their new look and skin.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
One of the most important things I’ve learned in business is the value of finding the right mentors. Owning a business can feel incredibly lonely at times, and having someone who has already walked through the highs, lows, mistakes, and successes before you is priceless.
I was incredibly blessed to have a mentor who recently passed away—someone who ran a very successful business and became one of the most influential people in my life. He helped guide me through so many seasons of business ownership, including the construction and transition into our new Arbor space. But beyond the big business decisions, it was often the small moments that meant the most—like him sitting in my chair every two weeks early in the morning, talking about life, business, leadership, and the challenges that come with all of it.
He was the kind of mentor who was completely honest with me. I could bring him any problem, frustration, or business struggle, and he would give me the hard truth—even when it wasn’t what I wanted to hear. Looking back, there was something incredibly powerful about having someone who cared enough to be truthful, challenge me, and push me to grow.
He truly was one of the greatest men I’ve ever known, and I would give anything to have one more conversation with him.
That experience taught me how important it is to find mentors who are open books—people who genuinely want to see you succeed, who are willing to share their wisdom, and who aren’t afraid to tell you what you need to hear instead of what you want to hear. I miss him very much, but the lessons, encouragement, and belief he poured into me still impact how I lead and make decisions every single day.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.arborhairstudio.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arbor.hairspa/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Arborhairstudio/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/arbor-hair-studio-waite-park
