I would imagine most people reading this post are salon owners themselves, and that in seeing these statistics, would be awestruck by the enormous market available to them.
Research and Markets: 2012 Report on the $20 Billion US Hair Care Services …
"The US hair care services industry includes about 86,000 establishments (82,000 beauty salons; 4,000 barber shops) with combined annual revenue of about $20 billion. Major companies include Regis, Ratner Companies, Premier Salons, and Sport Clips. The …"
As an independent salon owner, realize you do not need to "compete" with these larger chains mentioned in the original article. Your market is different because you appeal to and attrack a higher quality clientele who is not looking for "discount" services, but rather, those of quality.