Mia Anderson––known to most as Mz. Mia––knew she was destined to be a hairdresser at the tender age of 6. In those days, her pretend clients were her cousins and aunts, who weren't the least bit surprised when the adult Mia decided to leave her job as an acquisitions manager and pursue her passion for hair full-time. The experience in the corporate world paid off, though, and today Mz. Mia is the proud owner of Mi Amor Hair Studios Inc., a collection of private suites staffed by independent cosmetologists.

Instead of renting a booth, stylists operate their studios like mini salons and are free to set their own hours and decorate to their taste. Despite their demure size, the private suites have all the amenities of a larger salon, including styling and shampoo stations, dryer chairs, and chic hardwood floors; a communal waiting room allows clients to mingle around a flat-screen TV and arm-wrestle for ownership of the remote control.