This week’s Sunday business profile focuses on Bella Salon & Day Spa in North East — the Gannon University Small Business Development Center’s Community/Residential Services Business of the Year.

You don’t have to go to New York, Chicago, or Los Angeles to get pampered at one of the nation’s fastest-growing salons.

You simply need to make your way out to North East, where the Bella Salon & Day Spa is offering cutting-edge services in a small-town setting.

Bella – formerly the North East, PA, Health-Care Center – bases its business model on the idea that health and beauty go hand-in-hand. The salon offers traditional hairstyling services, along with an extensive array of spa services such as pedicures and massage-stone therapy. It also mixes in retail products, such as jewelry and handbags from local and international artisans.

This mix has made Bella an increasingly popular destination for customers. Its sales grew from about $300,000 in 2005 to nearly $360,000 in 2006 – and it expected to increase its sales by another 14 percent in 2007.

That growth earned the attention of Salon Today magazine, which recently named the Bella Salon & Day Spa as one of the 200 fastest growing salons in the country.

Said the magazine: “Bella Salon and Day Spa had smart marketing strategies. They created a business plan and followed it. They budgeted wisely and yielded profit.”

By focusing on the fundamentals – and sticking with them – Bella is growing wisely.

It is also getting great advice. Bella was selected by the ATHENA PowerLink program to be included in its 2007-2008 class. The program, which is open to women-owned businesses, provides mentoring from a team of volunteer professionals who help them prepare for future growth.

Nationally, the ATHENA PowerLink program has helped women business owners achieve an average increase of 88.5 percent in sales and a 56.6 percent increase in personal income.

If that type of performance follows Bella, you can expect to see its name on the list of fastest-growing salons for years to come.

Next week:Al’s Melons Farm Market & Greenhouse