Before launching Fully Booked AI®, Michele Matkovich wasn’t just a salon owner, she was a national standout. Her business was honored six years in a row by Salon Today Magazine as one of the Top 200 Salons in North America, the highest recognition in the beauty business industry.
Her award-winning salon earned its spot not just for its class of service and stylists, but for its leadership in technology, strategic growth, and customer service. These pillars are now the very foundation of what powers Fully Booked AI®.
That recognition wasn’t just a plaque on the wall, it validated a system Michele had built from the ground up, during one of the most challenging economic climates for small business owners. She didn’t just survive, she grew, scaled, and helped others do the same.
The Power of Reuniting: Angela’s Journey with Michele
Angela’s journey with Michele began over a decade ago when she joined Michele’s salon as an assistant. Through hard work and dedication, she quickly rose to become a master stylist. When Angela moved across the country in 2018 to start fresh, she carried the lessons and systems Michele had instilled in her.
When the pandemic hit, Angela found herself rebuilding her career. Yet, like her mentor, she thrived through the hardship, using the same resilience Michele had modeled. Almost a decade later, Angela was drawn back to Michele, not out of necessity, but belief. Belief in Michele’s leadership, their shared mission, and the power of their collaboration.
Michele says: “Angela knows me, my passion, my drive, and my dedication. We’ve always been unstoppable together. Reuniting now, after everything we’ve both been through, feels purposeful, not just serendipitous.”
From Behind the Chair to the Frontlines of Innovation
Michele’s career didn’t start in Silicon Valley; it began with a passion for beauty. After graduating from West Virginia University in 2002, she enrolled in cosmetology school by 2004. In 2010, Michele opened her first salon during the Great Recession, demonstrating early on her resilience and business savvy.
Within a few years, her salon earned a spot as one of North America’s Top 200 salons. By 2015, Michele expanded to a second location and co-founded a medical spa. But it was in 2016 that she made a pivotal choice: she stepped away from behind the chair to focus on scaling her business. She had already trained her team to surpass her level, setting a new standard for beauty professionals in Charlotte, NC.
This shift wasn’t just life-changing for Michele, it set off a ripple effect that would empower beauty entrepreneurs across the country. Michele’s systems and leadership had created a blueprint for success that reached beyond the walls of her own salon.
Building Fully Booked AI®: A System That Scales
In 2019, Michele recognized a major problem: existing tech tools for beauty businesses were generic and ineffective. So, she built Fully Booked AI®, not just another bloated CRM, but a growth engine designed specifically for salons and med spas.
The platform is AI-powered, helping salon owners automate client follow-ups, optimize Google marketing, and automate reputation management. Unlike traditional agencies, Michele’s platform doesn’t require huge retainer fees or a full-time assistant. It’s self-sustaining and deeply rooted in the experience of what works in the beauty business.
Solving the $750 Problem Per Day: The Real Cost of Missed Calls
Michele often references a statistic that surprises salon owners: Every missed call could represent a $150 opportunity. With a few missed daily calls, that adds up to hundreds in potential lost revenue.
Her AI-powered virtual receptionist addresses this head-on. It responds 24/7, texts back missed callers, and books appointments in real-time, while many competitors are still checking voicemails.
This feature alone has recovered substantial revenue for her clients and helped turn “no-shows” into loyal clients.
Client Success Story: Karen Sgroi’s Growth with Fully Booked AI®
One of the most remarkable transformations through Fully Booked AI® comes from Karen Sgroi. After ending a stagnant 17-year partnership, Karen launched Loka Beauty Studio with just two employees. Using Fully Booked AI®‘s lead generation system, automated follow-ups, and SEO tools, Karen’s salon grew rapidly, expanding to 17 employees in just three years.
Now preparing for a new location at Avenue North, Karen credits Fully Booked AI® for making her strategic growth possible: “I can’t say enough about how Michele and her team have helped my salon succeed. The SEO alone brings in 3–5 calls daily. If you think you can’t afford it, you’re wrong, you can’t afford not to work with Michele.”
Karen’s success isn’t built on viral trends or burnout, but on the right systems implemented at the right time. With Fully Booked AI® as the foundation, Karen isn’t just running a salon, she’s building a legacy.
Beyond Google: Why Multi-Platform Search Visibility Matters
Michele recently explained the “Search Shift” in an interview with Authority Magazine. With 82% of consumer searches happening outside Google, on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, salons need to be visible everywhere, not just on Google Maps.
With Fully Booked AI®, salons and med spas ensure visibility across multiple platforms. Tools like Google Maps management, SEO-driven blog content, and AI Ranker for search engines like ChatGPT and Gemini guarantee that clients find them no matter where they search.
Why the Beauty Industry Needed a Female-Led AI Platform
Michele isn’t just working in tech, she’s revolutionizing it for an industry often overlooked by mainstream developers. In a space filled with bloated CRMs and ineffective automation tools, Fully Booked AI® is tailored specifically to the needs of beauty professionals.
“I didn’t build software,” Michele says. “I built solutions. I aligned with the right tech at the right time to solve real problems for an industry that was being ignored.”
The Full System: What Fully Booked AI® Includes
For those unfamiliar with Fully Booked AI®, here’s a quick breakdown:
- Local Lead Generation SEO & AI Search – Create offers and packages that attract clients 24/7.
- AI Receptionist – Missed-call text follow-ups, appointment booking, and review requests.
- Review & Reputation Automation – Fully automated Google-boosting feedback loops.
- CRM for Salons & Med Spas – Track client visits, leads, bookings, and payments in one place.
- Marketing Campaigns – Email/SMS drip campaigns and reactivation strategies.
- Social Content Creation – Easy plug-and-play social media scheduling.
These tools are designed for busy salon owners with limited time and big growth goals.
Michele’s Vision for the Future of Beauty Entrepreneurship
Michele’s mission is clear: help salon owners scale sustainably without the burnout. “Success doesn’t have to mean exhaustion,” she says. “With the right tools and mentorship, you can grow your business and still enjoy a balanced life.”
Whether a salon earns $8K or $80K per month, Michele’s platform helps business owners level up without chasing trends or burning out.
About Fully Booked AI®
Fully Booked AI® is a platform designed to help beauty and wellness professionals grow through automation. From SEO websites and AI-powered marketing to automated client follow-ups and CRM tools, it offers an integrated solution to support salon owners in scaling sustainably.
