When I first joined PBA, I heard one phrase repeated over and over again by Members: “We love what we do—but we’re tired of being overlooked.”
For years, our industry has shown up—creating jobs, building small businesses, contributing billions to the economy. Yet we were left out of the very policies designed to support service-based professionals.
But today, we can say something different:
Congress listened.
After nearly two decades of effort, the FICA Tip Tax Credit is finally law. That sentence feels surreal to type—and deeply emotional to say out loud.
This is a moment of validation for every salon owner who paid taxes on income they never received. For every business that ran leaner than it should have because federal policy left you out. For every stylist, barber, spa professional, and student who’s wondered whether this industry would ever be seen for what it truly is: essential, entrepreneurial, and economically powerful.
This victory wasn’t luck. It was strategy. It was persistence.
And at the center of it all were Myra Reddy and Kati Rapoza—the PBA Government Affairs team that refused to give up.
They led this fight across multiple sessions of Congress, working with three different lobbying firms, navigating endless Hill meetings, late-night strategy calls, and missed family moments—all because they believed that beauty professionals deserved better.
They didn’t just represent our industry. They carried it forward.
I want to personally thank Myra and Kati for their tireless leadership and sacrifice. This win is a direct result of their shared vision, strategic brilliance, and unshakable determination. Their names will forever be linked to this moment in our industry’s history.
Of course, this work wasn’t done alone.
PBA Members gave us staying power. You gave us credibility. You gave us the ability to win.
This is what advocacy looks like.
It takes time. It takes trust. It takes a united front.
And now, because of that work, salon, spa and barbershop owners across the country will see real, financial change. They’ll finally receive the same tax credit restaurant owners have had for decades. They’ll be able to reinvest in their teams, their education, and their futures. That’s not just policy—that’s impact.
To every PBA Member: Thank you. This win belongs to you.
And if you’re not yet a Member—now is the time. The beauty industry just proved what’s possible when we come together with purpose.
We’re not done. We’re just getting started.
With gratitude and pride,
Leslie Perry
Executive Director
Professional Beauty Association
Join the Movement
Be part of the association that fights for your future.
When you support PBA, you help us keep professional beauty professional. → JOIN TODAY
