Pros
Can build a clientele quickly and make decent commission and good tips in the right store.
Cons
Company does not understand the hair business and tries to impose a retail model on the salon. They treat all their employees like thieves (must be searched on camera by a manager every time you leave store, even if you're just running to your car), stylists are responsible for the maintenance (organizing, dusting, fielding customers, etc) of a giant professional hair retail section, yet can only use Redken products, the vast majority of Ulta salons do not have receptionists so stylists constantly have to interrupt services on paying clients to field phone calls, walk-ins and retail customer questions. Furthermore, I have never been so micro-managed in a job position in my entire professional life of 25-years! Every department manager polices you and your staff to make sure you're performing the daily duties, wearing proper dress code, and enforcing all the other piddly routine rules and regulations. Ulta has everything mapped out with all these rules and 'career paths' so that their is no room for originality or inventiveness. They do not want leaders. They want followers who will swallow their Kool-Aid and dose it it out to others. Oh yeah. Also, salon employees are responsible for cleaning the nasty public restrooms every day. That's why you went to beauty school for a year and spent $15000+, right!?! To live the dream of scrubbing a public toilet after standing behind a chair on your feet all day and giving Ulta 50%-60% of your earnings in commission!