18
Feb

Who we strive to be…

From the beginning, Meraki has always been about setting itself apart and standing out in the industry. We do this by prioritizing the wellbeing of our employees, taking pride in our customer care, and finding a way to help the earth rather than harm it. The term “Meraki” means doing something with total love and pure soul, leaving a little piece of yourself in your creative work. This is something that we do not take lightly.

Shopping (and Working) with a Higher Purpose
When clients come to Meraki they are choosing us because they know that the products that are used in their hair are some of the best low-tox and organic products in the market. At our Raleigh location, we use Kevin Murphy, O&M, Oway, and Innersense product lines. At our Durham location, we also supply Cult + King products. All of these were chosen because of how they are working to make the hair industry cleaner and kinder to the environment. These are both what we sell as retail and what our stylists use when you are behind the chair. Because of the strong belief in these products, our stylists and our owner, Michelle, use these products in their day-to-day routines.
Of course, we must also mention that we are a Green Circle Salon! Green Circle aims to recycle 95% of everything a salon uses, including leftover hair color, metals, and single-use items like wax sticks and gloves. We take great pride in this since it has taken years to reach the goal of being in a spot where we are able to implement the Green Circle process into both locations.
The Importance of Client (and Employee) Care
Everyone at Meraki plays a huge part in the great client care we strive to provide. We are very client-focused, thinking of them from the time they make an appointment to long after they have left one of our salons. Our salon coordinators focus on making the client feel welcome as soon as they step through our doors. We try to meet every need while a client is here for their appointment. We offer beverage carts with snacks and fruit-infused water, coffee, tea, wine, beer, and mimosas on Saturdays. To provide a true salon experience, we have bright and airy salon spaces made for comfortability and to insight a feeling of calm, which Durham stylist and manager, Ashley, say clients take notice of. Raleigh stylist and manager, Summer, says many of her clients comment on the amount of light all the windows let in and the greenery that brings life to the space.
Taking care of our employees is just as important. Meraki owner Michelle puts her heart and soul into the salons and everyone working in them. She is highly focused on constantly improving and educating stylists, always encouraging them to reach whatever goals they set for themselves. Our newest Raleigh stylist, Lorna, says why she chose Meraki: “I was drawn in by the inclusivity and team-focused energy that Meraki displays. I am also very goal-oriented in my career and love that Meraki provides a growth path and coaching in the salon.” 
 
Front Desk Manager, Katherine, actually joined Meraki after being a client of Summer’s for over a year. She says of her deciding to join the team, “I could tell that the team was very supportive and close-knit. I was in a not-so-supportive work environment at the time, and I was thinking of a career change, so I decided to dip my toes into the hair industry by working front desk!” The supportive environment that prompted her to join is also what allowed her to take on the journey of being promoted to manager and seek a long-term career in the industry.
While this highlights much of what is important to our salon, it is also not all that we do behind the scenes, so you may have a smooth and enjoyable experience. We will continue to find ways to improve our client and employee care, as well as looking for new ways to be the clean and safe salon that clients look forward to.