The Hairdresser Strong Show

In this episode, Ricky Hodge , celebrity hairstylist, educator, content creator, and 19-year industry veteran , shares his perspective on what it really means to stand out as a hairdresser. Ricky talks about stepping out of the box, building a personal brand, curating the right clientele, raising prices with confidence, and understanding that the haircut is only one part of the client experience. He also opens up about starting later in the industry, dealing with salon toxicity, becoming an educator, and using his platform to speak honestly about the profession. For hairstylists, barbers, students, and beauty pros who want to build a career that feels more intentional, this conversation explores the voice of the hairdresser: the ambition, frustration, self-awareness, presentation, relationships, and client standards that shape success behind the chair. Follow/subscribe to be the first to know when new episodes are released. Like what you hear? Leave us a review! Key Takeaways: 🔅 Step out of the box if you want to be recognized - Ricky says hairstylists often stay in a box by doing what they are told and moving through the motions. His perspective is that being different is part of becoming exceptional. For beauty pros, the takeaway is not to be different just to be different, but to find the thing that separates your work, your point of view, your presentation, or your client experience from everyone else. 🔅 Curate the clientele you actually want - Ricky does not just talk about building a clientele. He talks about curating one. That means your pricing, environment, presentation, timing, communication, and service experience should all point toward the kind of client you want more of. The clients you attract are often a reflection of how clearly you show up. 🔅 Remember that the haircut is not the whole experience - Ricky says when a client sits in your chair, the haircut is only part of what they are paying for. The rest is how you show up, how you dress, your website, your salon environment, the people around you, and the way the client feels through the experience. Technical skill matters, but it is not the only thing that builds value. 🔅 Use your schedule to know when to raise prices - Ricky’s pricing advice is tied to demand. When he was booked out two to three months, he raised his prices aggressively, not just to make more money, but to create space and reshape his clientele. For stylists, the takeaway is to stop guessing and start looking at your schedule, demand, availability, and capacity before making pricing decisions. 🔅 New stylists need real hands-on experience - Ricky believes new cosmetology graduates should work in a salon environment after school, but he pushes back on the idea that they should only sweep hair, shampoo, and hand foils for a year. His view is that new stylists need support, training, and real opportunities to get their hands in the work so they can grow faster and stay in the profession. 🔅 Toxic salon culture pushes good people out - Ricky shares that he would have stayed at one of his early salons if he had been treated well. Instead, the lack of support, jealousy, and toxic behavior pushed him to leave and build his own path. For owners, the takeaway is clear: if you want to keep ambitious people, you have to address the culture, have real conversations, and support the people who are trying to grow. 🔅 Build a voice, not just a following - Ricky talks about having a platform and wanting to use his voice because he has something to say. His audience did not grow only because of hair technique. It grew because of his point of view, his transparency, his positivity, and the way he talks about the value of hairdressers. The takeaway is that branding is not just being seen. It is being known for something. RELATED LINKS 📸Follow Ricky on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/rickyhodge/ 📸Learn more about Ricky - https://www.rickyhodge.com/ The Hairdresser Strong Show is all about Salon Owners, Rising Stylists, and Seasoned Stylists sharing their experiences, successes, failures, and advice to inform, educate, and empower their Fellow Hairdresser. We won’t stop until we are all: Hairdresser Strong. CONNECT WITH US 📬 Subscribe to our free newsletter 📸 Connect on Instagram 🎵 Connect on TikTok 📺 Watch on YouTube 📝 Check out our Blog The views and opinions of our guests are theirs and important to hear. Each guest's views and opinions are their own and we aim to bring you diverse perspectives, career paths and thoughts about the craft and industry so you can become Hairdresser Strong! They do not necessarily reflect the positions of HairdresserStrong.com

In this episode, Elizabeth Faye , shares how she went from finding her way into the beauty industry as a teenager to building community, education, and wellness platforms for beauty professionals. Elizabeth talks about the experiences that shaped her career, from working behind the chair and owning a salon to building Hair Love retreats, serving schools and salons through The Vitality Project, and developing wellness technology for the industry. For beauty pros, educators, salon owners, and entrepreneurs who care about mental health, community, innovation, and the future of the industry, this conversation explores what it takes to build something meaningful without losing the heart behind it. Follow/subscribe to be the first to know when new episodes are released. Like what you hear? Leave us a review! Key Takeaways: 🔅 Build from lived experience - Elizabeth’s work is rooted in the fact that hairdressing changed her own life. Her story is not about randomly choosing wellness as a business category. It came from understanding how powerful this industry can be when people feel seen, supported, and connected. 🔅 Turn community into a business model - Hair Love started through workshops, retreats, education, and real relationships. Over time, those experiences became the foundation for The Vitality Project. The takeaway is to pay attention to what people keep asking for, then build structure around what is already working. 🔅 Relationships are part of the strategy - Elizabeth said that if her success were a math equation, it would be all relationships. For beauty pros and entrepreneurs, that means showing up, collaborating, supporting people, and building real connections can open more doors than trying to grow alone. 🔅 Start where you are with mentorship - Elizabeth has invested heavily in mentors, but she also started by trading hair for business coaching. The lesson is that mentorship does not always have to start with a huge budget. It can start with a trade, a meetup, a course, a book, a conversation, or finding someone who can help you see the next step. 🔅 Wellness is business infrastructure - Elizabeth does not treat mental health, emotional resilience, nervous system regulation, and community as extra. She sees them as part of what helps beauty pros, educators, owners, and teams function better. Wellness is not separate from success when people are the business. 🔅 Use tech to support the human side of the industry - The Vitality Project uses courses, coaching, surveys, dashboards, community, on-demand practices, gamification, and AI. But the point is not tech for tech’s sake. The point is using technology to make wellness, support, and connection easier to access. 🔅 Do not let “I’m not that kind of person” become the ceiling - Elizabeth talked about owning the identity of tech founder even though she came from hair, coaching, creativity, and wellness. The takeaway is that creatives can learn hard things. “I’m not a tech person,” “I’m not a money person,” or “I’m not a business person” cannot be the thing that stops the next version of the business. RELATED LINKS 📸Follow Elizabeth on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/heyelizabethfaye/ 📸 Follow The Vitality Project on Instagram on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jointhevitalityproject/ 📸Learn more about Elizabeth and her programs - https://heyelizabethfaye.com/ The Hairdresser Strong Show is all about Salon Owners, Rising Stylists, and Seasoned Stylists sharing their experiences, successes, failures, and advice to inform, educate, and empower their Fellow Hairdresser. We won’t stop until we are all: Hairdresser Strong. CONNECT WITH US 📬 Subscribe to our free newsletter 📸 Connect on Instagram 🎵 Connect on TikTok 📺 Watch on YouTube 📝 Check out our Blog The views and opinions of our guests are theirs and important to hear. Each guest's views and opinions are their own and we aim to bring you diverse perspectives, career paths and thoughts about the craft and industry so you can become Hairdresser Strong! They do not necessarily reflect the positions of HairdresserStrong.com

In this episode, Demetrios Bafitis, stylist, barber, and multi-location salon owner of Bella Bethesda and Jordan Thomas Salon & Spa , shares how he went from working seven days a week behind the chair to running his salons remotely while spending much of his time in Greece. Demetrios talks about what it really takes to step away from behind the chair and work on the business, not just in it: building a leadership team, creating systems, letting go of control, offering flexibility and benefits, reinvesting in the team, and making the salon about more than the owner. For salon owners who feel stretched thin or are trying to pivot, this conversation breaks down the mindset, structure, and team development needed to build a business that can run without everything depending on you. Follow/subscribe to be the first to know when new episodes are released. Like what you hear? Leave us a review! Key Takeaways: 🔅 Start by measuring how much the business depends on you - Demetrios shares a rule of thumb from his coach: if you are an owner behind the chair, you do not want to be more than about 10 to 12 percent of the salon’s service production. If your salon does $1 million and you personally produce $200,000, the first move is not simply “take more time off.” It is to build a team that can sustain the business without that much revenue depending on your hands. 🔅 Do not confuse stepping away with disappearing - Demetrios still stays connected through daily check-ins, Zooms, leadership meetings, and regular travel back to the States. The shift is not from “present” to “absent.” The shift is from being the person doing everything to being the person leading, supporting, and building the structure. 🔅 Build a leadership team before you expect freedom - At Bella, Amanda runs day-to-day operations. At Jordan Thomas, Mindy manages both locations. Zuzanna works across all three. Demetrios is able to step back because there are trusted people assigned to real leadership responsibilities, not because the business is magically self-running. 🔅 Put systems around the business, not just talent behind the chair - Demetrios talks about systems, coaching, law firms, accounting firms, leadership support, and structured check-ins. Owners who want to step away need more than great stylists. They need clear processes for operations, finances, compliance, education, scheduling, communication, and decision-making. 🔅 Let go of making the salon about you - One of the biggest mindset shifts Demetrios names is making the business about the team instead of the owner. He says he can walk into his salons and some people do not know he is the owner, and he is okay with that. For many owners, that is emotionally hard. But if the brand only works because the owner is visible, available, and personally producing, the owner has not really built freedom yet. 🔅 Reinvest in the team before expecting loyalty - Demetrios connects loyalty to what the business actually provides: benefits, health insurance support, paid education, sick leave, vacation pay, maternity/paternal leave, and reinvestment back into the team. His point is that owners cannot expect people to stay if the business does not give them real reasons to build a career there. 🔅 Flexibility still needs structure - Demetrios talks about adapting to modern talent and work-life balance, but he does not describe it as a free-for-all. He uses the idea of “free structure,” meaning flexibility within a system that still works for the business. Schedules can vary, but the team also has to understand demand, peak hours, weekends, financial implications, and the level system. 🔅 Use career paths to make staying worthwhile - His structure includes an associate program, level system, assistants, leadership opportunities, shareholder options, and phantom stock. The message for owners is clear: if you want people to stay, they need to see more than a chair. They need to see a future. 🔅 Train people faster, but do not skip standards - Demetrios wants associates on the floor quickly, ideally around six months, because it benefits the stylist and the business. But he also talks about weekly classes, bi-weekly classes, a rolling curriculum, consultation, cutting, color formulation, color application, on-the-job training, and the need for self-starters. Speed only works when training has structure. 🔅 Hire for the person, then teach the skill - Demetrios says they mostly hire the personality, not the skill, because they believe skill can be taught. For owners, that means the hiring process should look beyond technical ability and ask: Is this person coachable? Do they want to work? Do they fit the culture? Will they grow inside the system? 🔅 Be honest about the financial risk of ownership - Demetrios talks openly about owner financing, savings, loans, using a 401k loan, bank financing, collateral, and putting his signature on the line. For owners who want to grow, buy in, or acquire, the takeaway is not “go take reckless risks.” It is to understand credit, taxes, lending, cash, legal structure, and what kind of risk you are actually agreeing to. 🔅 Share the upside with the people helping you build - Demetrios’ leadership team members are shareholders, and he also discusses buy-in opportunities and phantom stock. This is a major point for stressed owners: if you want people to think beyond their station, contribute to the larger company, and help carry the business, there has to be a way for the upside to reach them too. 🔅 Build a business people want to protect - The big idea is that stepping away is not just operational. It is cultural. People are more likely to protect a business when they feel respected, compensated, developed, included, and connected to its future. Remote ownership becomes possible only when the people inside the business have a reason to care when you are not in the building. 🔅 Understand that freedom is built in stages - Demetrios went from barber, to cosmetologist, to assistant, to employee, to high producer, to buying into Bella, to sole owner, to acquiring Jordan Thomas, to building a leadership structure that lets him work from Greece. The lesson for stressed owners is to stop looking for one move that fixes everything. The pivot happens through a sequence of decisions, systems, people, and investments. 🔅 Decide what you are really trying to build - Some owners want to work behind the chair forever, and that can be fine. But if you want the business to run without you, the choices have to match that goal. That means building leadership, reducing dependence on your own production, creating team incentives, documenting systems, investing in benefits, and accepting that the salon’s brand cannot revolve only around you. RELATED LINKS 📸Follow Demetrious on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/dbafitis/ 📸 Follow Bella Bethesda Salon on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/bellabethesda/ 📸Follow Jordan Thomas Salon on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jordanthomassalon/ The Hairdresser Strong Show is all about Salon Owners, Rising Stylists, and Seasoned Stylists sharing their experiences, successes, failures, and advice to inform, educate, and empower their Fellow Hairdresser. We won’t stop until we are all: Hairdresser Strong. CONNECT WITH US 📬 Subscribe to our free newsletter 📸 Connect on Instagram 🎵 Connect on TikTok 📺 Watch on YouTube 📝 Check out our Blog The views and opinions of our guests are theirs and important to hear. Each guest's views and opinions are their own and we aim to bring you diverse perspectives, career paths and thoughts about the craft and industry so you can become Hairdresser Strong! They do not necessarily reflect the positions of HairdresserStrong.com

In this episode, Mike Gilman, CEO & Founder of Grooming Lounge , shares the story behind building one of the early men’s grooming destinations and sustaining the brand for more than two decades. Mike talks about growing up around the beauty industry, spotting an opportunity in men’s grooming before it became mainstream, launching an e-commerce site from his basement, and eventually opening a physical Grooming Lounge location at a time when landlords still questioned whether men would pay for grooming services. He also breaks down what it really takes to stay in business long term: hiring the right people, building a team around strong standards, focusing on what you do best, knowing when to stop what isn’t working, and creating a service experience strong enough to become a destination. Follow/subscribe to be the first to know when new episodes are released. Like what you hear? Leave us a review! Key Takeaways: 🔅Solve a real problem, not just a trend - Mike saw that men wanted grooming solutions, but many did not feel comfortable asking for them in traditional beauty or retail environments. Grooming Lounge was built around solving that discomfort. 🔅Make the offer easy to understand - Early Grooming Lounge messaging was focused on problems and solutions, not complicated product language. Instead of leading with ingredients or fluff, they focused on what men were actually trying to fix. 🔅Education builds trust - The original website was heavy on education because Mike understood that a lot of men did not know what they needed. Teaching people became part of the business model. 🔅Being first is not enough - Grooming Lounge had first-mover advantage, but the business still had to deliver great service, customer experience, technical quality, and a clear brand promise. 🔅Do not lower the bar just because you need people - In the early years, Mike admits they accepted behavior they probably should not have accepted because they needed enough people to serve clients. Over time, they learned to hold stronger standards. 🔅Train people into your way of doing things - Grooming Lounge wanted people who could learn their systems, from greeting guests to consultation, service, retail, and customer experience. 🔅Professionalism matters - Mike’s team is built around people who treat every guest like the visit matters. Talent is important, but professionalism, kindness, consistency, and maturity are what make the experience work. 🔅Expansion teaches expensive lessons - When Grooming Lounge opened outside the DC area, Mike learned that distance, timing, recruiting, build-out costs, and management attention all matter. Growth that pulls too much energy from what is working can become a distraction. 🔅Focus on what you are great at - One of Mike’s biggest long-term lessons is to stop trying to be all things to all people. The businesses that last know what they do well and become excellent at it. RELATED LINKS 📸Follow Grooming Lounge on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/groominglounge/ 📸Learn more Grooming Lounge products, barbershops, and spas -https://www.groominglounge.com/ The Hairdresser Strong Show is all about Salon Owners, Rising Stylists, and Seasoned Stylists sharing their experiences, successes, failures, and advice to inform, educate, and empower their Fellow Hairdresser. We won’t stop until we are all: Hairdresser Strong. CONNECT WITH US 📬 Subscribe to our free newsletter 📸 Connect on Instagram 🎵 Connect on TikTok 📺 Watch on YouTube 📝 Check out our Blog The views and opinions of our guests are theirs and important to hear. Each guest's views and opinions are their own and we aim to bring you diverse perspectives, career paths and thoughts about the craft and industry so you can become Hairdresser Strong! They do not necessarily reflect the positions of HairdresserStrong.com

In this episode, Filipe Santos ( @chop_safil ), CEO of Chop Enterprises , shares how he went from tattoo artist and union carpenter to building a multi-location salon company with nine salons across New York, New Jersey, and Miami. Filipe breaks down the growth, leadership, and execution behind scaling from one salon to nine, including how he built leaders, created systems, recruited talent, used marketing, acquired salons, negotiated owner financing, and developed a shared services platform to support growth. This conversation is for salon owners, beauty pros, and hairpreneurs who know that talent is only one part of building a real business. Follow/subscribe to be the first to know when new episodes are released. Like what you hear? Leave us a review! Key Takeaways: 🔅Your first salon teaches you the hardest lessons - Filipe explains that the first business is usually the most difficult because you are breaking barriers you have never faced before. Once you learn how to build the first one, you can start duplicating the process with stronger systems. 🔅What gets you to $1 million will not get you to $5 million - The systems, leadership, and decision-making that get you started are not always enough for the next stage. Growth requires new structure. 🔅Every salon needs leadership, not just ownership - Each Chop location has its own leader, and the leadership team meets weekly to review metrics, game plan, and get resources. Scaling requires leaders who can carry the standards into each location. 🔅Recruiting is a business skill - Filipe challenges the emotional idea of “poaching” and reframes recruiting as giving talented people an opportunity. If you want to grow, you need to learn how to attract talent. 🔅A new hire needs a reason to move - Filipe said when someone joins, they need to make more money or experience a clear benefit. If they leave their current situation to make the same or less, that creates problems later. 🔅Train for more than technical skill - Filipe’s assistant program includes phones, hospitality, booking, cancellations, POS systems, client communication, language, business, and numbers before someone fully moves behind the chair. Filipe says skill can be taught, but energy, work ethic, and alignment determine whether someone fits the business. 🔅Owners need business education outside the beauty industry - Filipe makes the case that business principles are not only “hair business” principles. Salon owners need to study business, marketing, leadership, operations, and strategy from outside the industry too. 🔅Acquisition can be faster than opening from scratch - Filipe explains that buying an existing salon can come with staff, cash flow, and infrastructure, but you have to know how to audit the business, see the waste, and improve the operation. 🔅Owner financing can create succession opportunities - Filipe breaks down how price, down payment, and interest can all be negotiated when buying a salon, creating a potential path for owners who want to sell and operators who want to grow. 🔅Shared services could change the salon industry - Filipe’s shared services platform idea is about giving salons access to systems, education, discounts, resources, and operational support without forcing every owner to figure everything out alone. 🔅The owner narrative needs to change - Filipe talks about how owners have had “bad PR” and how the industry needs more honest conversations about the real value owners create, the opportunities they provide, and the performance required to earn more. RELATED LINKS 📸Follow Filipe on Instagram -https://www.instagram.com/chop_safil/ 📸Learn more about Filipe's Salons -https://www.chopentllc.com/about-chop-enterprises#:~:text=built%20for%20decades.-,SALON%20OPERATIONS,-Chop%20Enterprises%27%20journey The Hairdresser Strong Show is all about Salon Owners, Rising Stylists, and Seasoned Stylists sharing their experiences, successes, failures, and advice to inform, educate, and empower their Fellow Hairdresser. We won’t stop until we are all: Hairdresser Strong. CONNECT WITH US 📬 Subscribe to our free newsletter 📸 Connect on Instagram 🎵 Connect on TikTok 📺 Watch on YouTube 📝 Check out our Blog The views and opinions of our guests are theirs and important to hear. Each guest's views and opinions are their own and we aim to bring you diverse perspectives, career paths and thoughts about the craft and industry so you can become Hairdresser Strong! They do not necessarily reflect the positions of HairdresserStrong.com

You can be booked, busy, and making money, and still not understand what is actually happening inside your business. In this episode, Chrystal Graves , Founder & CEO of LiQUiD , shares how her career took her from apprentice to salon owner, from scaling multiple salon concepts to selling her salon, and now into building an AI-powered business tool for beauty professionals. She breaks down why understanding your numbers, systems, pricing, expenses, and take-home pay matters, and why beauty pros need stronger business foundations if they want to stop guessing and start making decisions that actually support growth. Key Takeaways: 🔅Being booked is not the same as being profitable - Chrystal makes it clear that a busy book does not automatically mean the business is working. Beauty pros still need to understand pricing, expenses, take-home pay, and what is actually left over. 🔅You cannot make smart decisions without knowing your numbers - Before deciding whether to raise prices, sell more retail, hire help, open a salon, or change your business model, you need to understand the foundations of your business. 🔅Your take-home pay matters - Chrystal points out that people talk a lot about what the business needs, but not enough about what the business needs to generate so you can actually pay your bills at home. 🔅Pricing should not be based on guessing - If you do not know your break-even point, dream number, expenses, and profit goals, it is easy to price from emotion, comparison, or pressure instead of real information. 🔅Systems create freedom - Chrystal defines scaling as being able to remove yourself from parts of the business by using people, systems, or technology so the business can keep making money without everything depending on you. 🔅If the business only works because of you, it is not ready to sell - Chrystal explains that if clients only come because you are the person doing the hair, it is hard to put real value on the business. 🔅Leadership is the owner’s job - When Chrystal stepped away from the chair, she focused on leadership, numbers, and supporting her team. That shift helped the business operate beyond her personal client book. 🔅Successful owners can still be burnt out without systems - Chrystal shares the example of a salon owner with a beautiful business and a large team who was still exhausted because she was moving every lever herself. 🔅Technology should support better decisions, not replace business foundations - Chrystal’s point is not that AI is magic. It is that technology works best when it is connected to your actual numbers, goals, clients, and business reality. 🔅Beauty pros need to stop guessing and start building from the foundations - The bigger message is that talent matters, but business literacy, systems, numbers, and decision-making are what help create long-term growth. RELATED LINKS 📱Follow Chrystal on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thechrystalgraves/ 📱Follow LiQUiD on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/getliquidai/ The Hairdresser Strong Show is all about Salon Owners, Rising Stylists, and Seasoned Stylists sharing their experiences, successes, failures, and advice to inform, educate, and empower their Fellow Hairdresser. We won’t stop until we are all: Hairdresser Strong. CONNECT WITH US 📬 Subscribe to our free newsletter 📸 Connect on Instagram 🎵 Connect on TikTok 📺 Watch on YouTube 📝 Check out our Blog The views and opinions of our guests are theirs and important to hear. Each guest's views and opinions are their own and we aim to bring you diverse perspectives, career paths and thoughts about the craft and industry so you can become Hairdresser Strong! They do not necessarily reflect the positions of HairdresserStrong.com

You can care deeply about your team and still be missing the structure that helps them stay. That is the part a lot of salon/shop owners feel, but do not always know how to fix. In this episode, Eva DuPont, Director of Business Development at Infiniti HR, breaks down why building a team that stays is not just about hiring good people, it is about creating clarity around expectations, compensation, benefits, HR, payroll, compliance, and growth. She explains how small gaps in structure can turn into bigger problems over time, and how salon owners can start building a more professional, protected, and supportive business from the inside. 🚨🎤 Eva will be taking the stage at the 4th annual Beauty Business Brunch on July 19th in Washington, DC, where she'll help owners evaluate their own business, identify what may be attracting or pushing away talent, understand common payroll mistakes, and leave with clear next steps based on their stage of business. 👀 Learn more and join us: https://www.hairdresserstrong.com/beauty-business-brunch Key Takeaways: 🔅A team that stays needs structure - Retention is not only about being a good person or having a good vibe. Team members need clear communication, expectations, policies, growth pathways, and compensation structure. 🔅HR (human resources) is part of the full employee experience - Eva explains that HR touches the entire employee lifecycle, from hiring and onboarding to communication, documentation, payroll, benefits, and what happens when someone leaves. 🔅Compensation needs to be clearly communicated - Pay structure should not be vague or assumed. Owners need to be clear about how people are paid, what growth looks like, and what opportunities exist. 🔅Benefits are part of compensation - Pay is not the only thing team members care about. Benefits, PTO, sick time, 401k options, employee assistance programs, and voluntary benefits can all help people feel more supported. 🔅People stay where they feel valued - Eva shares that team members are more likely to stay when they feel cared for, supported, and able to grow. 🔅HR does not feel urgent until something goes wrong - Many owners do not think about HR until there is a problem, a complaint, a legal letter, a payroll issue, or a labor law concern. 🔅Misclassification can be expensive - Eva talks about how classifying workers incorrectly can create serious fines, penalties, and legal exposure for a business. 🔅Employee handbooks and documentation matter - A legally reviewed handbook, clear policies, and written expectations can help protect the business and create more consistency for the team. 🔅A PEO can help small businesses access bigger-business support - Eva explains that a PEO can support payroll, HR, workers comp, liability protection, and benefits by giving small businesses access to a larger employee pool. 🔅Being proactive is cheaper than being reactive - It is better to understand your exposure, get systems in place, and correct issues early than wait until a problem becomes expensive. RELATED LINKS 📱Follow Eva on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/eva_peo_consultant/ 🔑Learn more about how Eva & Infiniti HR can help you - https://www.salonhrpartner.com/salonhrpartner The Hairdresser Strong Show is all about Salon Owners, Rising Stylists, and Seasoned Stylists sharing their experiences, successes, failures, and advice to inform, educate, and empower their Fellow Hairdresser. We won’t stop until we are all: Hairdresser Strong. CONNECT WITH US 📬 Subscribe to our free newsletter 📸 Connect on Instagram 🎵 Connect on TikTok 📺 Watch on YouTube 📝 Check out our Blog The views and opinions of our guests are theirs and important to hear. Each guest's views and opinions are their own and we aim to bring you diverse perspectives, career paths and thoughts about the craft and industry so you can become Hairdresser Strong! They do not necessarily reflect the positions of HairdresserStrong.com

We spoke with Zach Zinober, Social Media Advisor at Crystal Hook Media , about what it really means to stop posting and hoping and start building a social media system that supports your brand. This Live turned into a full social media Q&A covering posting frequency, motivating staff to post, TikTok, rebuilding a brand, algorithm changes, reusing content, planning ahead, and making social media feel less overwhelming. 🎧 Quick Note: There are a couple of brief moments where the audio quality drops due to connection issues. Thanks for sticking with us! 🚨🎤 Zach Zinober will be taking the stage at the 4th annual Beauty Business Brunch on July 19th in Washington, DC, where we’ll go deeper on how beauty pros can stop posting and hoping, define their brand, build a repeatable content system, and use social media to communicate value, attract attention, and turn viewers into clients. 👀 Learn more and join us: https://www.hairdresserstrong.com/beauty-business-brunch Key Takeaways: 🔅Stop starting from scratch every time - Zach explains that a content system helps you stop rethinking every post and gives you a repeatable structure to work from. 🔅Your content should match your brand - Before posting more, look at whether your current content actually reflects the feeling, image, and message you want your salon or personal brand to communicate. 🔅Posting frequency depends on the system - Zach generally recommends around three to four posts per week for salons, but the bigger goal is consistency that fits your brand and capacity. 🔅Reels and carousels can serve different purposes - Reels can help with discovery, while carousels can support education, storytelling, or deeper brand messaging. 🔅Staff need to understand the value - If you want team members to post, show them how social media can help them build their own clientele, not just help the salon. 🔅Younger clients are discovering businesses through social media - Zach explains that people increasingly use Instagram and TikTok to decide where to eat, shop, travel, and book services. 🔅Plan content monthly - Planning ahead makes posting less emotional, less last-minute, and easier to follow through on. 🔅Do not delete your content - Save photos, videos, raw clips, and finished posts so you can reuse, remix, and repurpose them later. 🔅Social media should reduce guessing, not create more stress - The creator approach is about building a structure that makes posting feel more manageable and less like constant pressure. 🚨🎤 Zach Zinober will be taking the stage at the 4th annual Beauty Business Brunch on July 19th in Washington, DC, where we’ll go deeper on how beauty pros can stop posting and hoping, define their brand, build a repeatable content system, and use social media to communicate value, attract attention, and turn viewers into clients. 👀 Learn more and join us: https://www.hairdresserstrong.com/beauty-business-brunch RELATED LINKS 📱Follow Zach on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/crystalhook_media/ The Hairdresser Strong Show is all about Salon Owners, Rising Stylists, and Seasoned Stylists sharing their experiences, successes, failures, and advice to inform, educate, and empower their Fellow Hairdresser. We won’t stop until we are all: Hairdresser Strong. CONNECT WITH US 📬 Subscribe to our free newsletter 📸 Connect on Instagram 🎵 Connect on TikTok 📺 Watch on YouTube 📝 Check out our Blog The views and opinions of our guests are theirs and important to hear. Each guest's views and opinions are their own and we aim to bring you diverse perspectives, career paths and thoughts about the craft and industry so you can become Hairdresser Strong! They do not necessarily reflect the positions of HairdresserStrong.com

🌿As beauty pros, we spend our days listening, creating, problem-solving, holding space, managing energy, and helping other people feel better. But without tools to regulate our own nervous system, it is easy to carry everyone else’s stress home with us. In this episode, Wafaya Abdallah , Owner of Oasis Curl Salon, mindful meditation teacher, and certified life coach, shares how mindfulness can help busy beauty pros regulate stress, stay present with clients, and protect their own energy behind the chair. She explains why meditation is not about doing it perfectly, how small daily practices can support emotional resilience, and why learning to pause, breathe, and respond instead of react can change the way we work and live. 🚨🎤 Wafaya Abdallah will be taking the stage at the 4th annual Beauty Business Brunch on July 19th in Washington, DC, where we’ll go deeper on wellness, self-regulation, emotional resilience, and how beauty pros can live and work with more presence, clarity, and calm. 👀 Learn more and join us: https://www.hairdresserstrong.com/beauty-business-brunch Key Takeaways: 🔅Mindfulness is not just about meditation - Wafaya explains that meditation is one tool, but the bigger goal is self-regulation, resilience, and learning how to manage your thoughts, emotions, and responses. 🔅You are not bad at meditation because your mind wanders - The wandering mind is part of the practice. The work is noticing it without judgment and coming back to your breath, your body, or the present moment. 🔅Beauty pros need tools for emotional regulation - Clients bring stress, stories, complaints, and energy into the salon. Learning to breathe and stay present helps you respond without taking everything on. 🔅Your breath can help you stay professional in hard moments - Wafaya shares that breathing through the heart area can help calm the nervous system, keep you out of fight, flight, or freeze, and support a better response. 🔅Stress does not just live in your mind - Chronic stress can affect the body, emotions, decision-making, creativity, and overall well-being. 🔅Self-awareness changes the client experience - When you can notice what is happening inside of you, you can pause, regulate, and show up with more clarity for yourself, your team, and your clients. 🔅Mindfulness can be part of salon culture - Wafaya uses meditation in salon meetings and huddles to help the team become present before beginning the day. 🔅You do not have to do it one way - Guided meditation, walking meditation, sitting in silence, candle meditation, breathwork, journaling, and time in nature can all be ways to practice being present. 🔅Question the story before you believe it - When you start overthinking, spiraling, or assuming the worst, Wafaya suggests using multiple perspectives and empowering questions. Instead of immediately believing “they hate me” or “this is all going wrong,” pause and ask: “What else could be true?” or “What if this is helping me grow?” RELATED LINKS 👉Follow Oasis Curl Salon on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/curlyoasis/ 👉 Follow Wafaya on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/yinrizingofficial/ 🚨🎤 Wafaya Abdallah will be taking the stage at the 4th annual Beauty Business Brunch on July 19th in Washington, DC, where we’ll go deeper on wellness, self-regulation, emotional resilience, and how beauty pros can live and work with more presence, clarity, and calm. 👀 Learn more and join us: https://www.hairdresserstrong.com/beauty-business-brunch The Hairdresser Strong Show is all about Salon Owners, Rising Stylists, and Seasoned Stylists sharing their experiences, successes, failures, and advice to inform, educate, and empower their Fellow Hairdresser. We won’t stop until we are all: Hairdresser Strong. CONNECT WITH US 📬 Subscribe to our free newsletter 📸 Connect on Instagram 🎵 Connect on TikTok 📺 Watch on YouTube 📝 Check out our Blog The views and opinions of our guests are theirs and important to hear. Each guest's views and opinions are their own and we aim to bring you diverse perspectives, career paths and thoughts about the craft and industry so you can become Hairdresser Strong! They do not necessarily reflect the positions of HairdresserStrong.com

You can be busy all day and still feel like nothing is really growing. That is the part a lot of beauty pros feel, but do not always know how to name. In this episode, Mireya Villarreal , Founder of From Chair to Boss™ and Pink Pewter , breaks down why time management is not just about being organized, it is about understanding what your time is worth and using it to grow. She shares how restructuring her own business after a major setback changed the way she viewed every minute, and how beauty pros can stop wasting time, shift their habits, and turn more of their energy into income, clarity, and opportunity. 🚨🎤 Mireya Villarrea l will be taking the stage at the 4th annual Beauty Business Brunch on July 19th in Washington, DC, where we’ll go deeper on how beauty pros can stop letting time slip away, understand what their minutes are actually worth, identify the habits costing them growth, and create a clearer way to turn time into income, clarity, and opportunity. 👀 Learn more and join us: https://www.hairdresserstrong.com/beauty-business-brunch Key Takeaways: 🔅Your time has a dollar value - Mireya challenges beauty pros to stop thinking only in hours and start understanding what their time is worth by the minute. 🔅Being busy is not the same as growing - A full day does not automatically mean you are moving your business forward. Growth requires knowing where your time is going and whether it is creating income, clarity, or opportunity. 🔅Social media can be a tool or a distraction - Mireya calls out social media as one of the biggest places beauty pros lose time when they are consuming, scrolling, or watching other people instead of using it with purpose. 🔅Downtime should be redirected toward growth - When you are not booked, that time can be used to rebook clients, look for opportunities, follow up, collaborate locally, improve your booking systems, or bring new people into your chair. 🔅Habits determine growth - If you want more clients, more income, or a bigger opportunity, the daily habits have to match the goal. 🔅You have to know where you are wasting time before you can fix it - Mireya’s workshop is designed to help attendees see their time in front of them so they can identify what is costing them money. 🔅Growth starts with mindset and business skills - Mireya explains that beauty pros are taught to be talented with their hands, but they also need business education, time awareness, and entrepreneurial thinking to expand. 🔅Experience matters - Mireya built Pink Pewter from her kitchen table into an international brand, rebuilt after a major business setback, and now uses those lessons to help other beauty pros avoid costly mistakes. RELATED LINKS 👉Follow Mireya on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mireya_villarreal_/ 👉Follow From Chair to Boss™ on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/fromchairtoboss/ 👉Follow Pink Pewter on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/pinkpewter/ 🚨🎤 Mireya Villarrea l will be taking the stage at the 4th annual Beauty Business Brunch on July 19th in Washington, DC, where we’ll go deeper on how beauty pros can stop letting time slip away, understand what their minutes are actually worth, identify the habits costing them growth, and create a clearer way to turn time into income, clarity, and opportunity. 👀 Learn more and join us: https://www.hairdresserstrong.com/beauty-business-brunch The Hairdresser Strong Show is all about Salon Owners, Rising Stylists, and Seasoned Stylists sharing their experiences, successes, failures, and advice to inform, educate, and empower their Fellow Hairdresser. We won’t stop until we are all: Hairdresser Strong. CONNECT WITH US 📬 Subscribe to our free newsletter 📸 Connect on Instagram 🎵 Connect on TikTok 📺 Watch on YouTube 📝 Check out our Blog The views and opinions of our guests are theirs and important to hear. Each guest's views and opinions are their own and we aim to bring you diverse perspectives, career paths and thoughts about the craft and industry so you can become Hairdresser Strong! They do not necessarily reflect the positions of HairdresserStrong.com

You do not need to be rich to start investing. But you do need a plan. In this episode, Nicole Carson, CFP® , MBA and founder of 2nd Story Wealth Planners, breaks down how beauty professionals can start building an investment plan around real-life factors like debt, uneven income, taxes, retirement goals, and fear of the market. She explains why investing is not only for wealthy people and how consistency, time, and a clear plan can help beauty pros build long-term financial security. 🚨🎤 Nicole Carson will be taking the stage at the 4th annual Beauty Business Brunch on July 19th in Washington, DC, where we’ll go deeper on how beauty pros can stop putting wealth-building off, understand their investment options, plan for retirement, and create a simple framework to start building long-term financial security from where they are now. 👀 Learn more and join us: https://www.hairdresserstrong.com/beauty-business-brunch Key Takeaways: 🔅 You do not need to be wealthy to start investing - Nicole explains that investing is not only for millionaires, and many people can begin with a small monthly amount. 🔅 Debt does not always mean you have to wait - Nicole says paying down debt and investing can happen together, depending on the type of debt, your goals, and your timeline. 🔅 Your investment plan starts with your goal - Retirement, buying a home, building wealth, or creating more freedom all require different strategies. 🔅 Uneven income needs a system - Beauty pros often have income that changes week to week, so looking at your average income over time can help you choose a realistic amount to save or invest. 🔅 Emergency money should stay accessible - Money you may need quickly, like emergency savings or tax money, should usually be kept somewhere easier to access. 🔅 Time in the market matters more than timing the market - Nicole explains that trying to wait for the perfect time can keep people stuck, while consistent investing helps build over time. 🔅 Investing feels emotional because money is emotional - Fear of losing money, choosing the wrong investment, or not knowing enough can stop people from starting. 🔅 Taxes have to be part of the plan - For 1099 workers, suite owners, and business owners, saving for taxes regularly is part of building financial stability. 🔅 Wealth is usually built through consistency - This conversation is not about getting rich quick. It is about steady habits, clear goals, and staying committed over time. RELATED LINKS 👉Follow Nicole on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/nicolecarson.fp/ 👉Follow 2nd Story Wealth Planners on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/2nd_storywealth/ The Hairdresser Strong Show is all about Salon Owners, Rising Stylists, and Seasoned Stylists sharing their experiences, successes, failures, and advice to inform, educate, and empower their Fellow Hairdresser. We won’t stop until we are all: Hairdresser Strong. CONNECT WITH US 📬 Subscribe to our free newsletter 📸 Connect on Instagram 🎵 Connect on TikTok 📺 Watch on YouTube 📝 Check out our Blog The views and opinions of our guests are theirs and important to hear. Each guest's views and opinions are their own and we aim to bring you diverse perspectives, career paths and thoughts about the craft and industry so you can become Hairdresser Strong! They do not necessarily reflect the positions of HairdresserStrong.com

In this episode, Jozlyn Miller , Manager of Education and Industry Expert at Boulevard , breaks down why retention may be one of the most profitable growth strategies beauty professionals are underusing. She shares how improving the client experience, rebooking conversations, service add-ons, memberships, and client education can help salons and spas increase revenue from existing clients. 🚨🎤 Jozlyn will be taking the stage at the 4th annual Beauty Business Brunch on July 19th in Washington, DC, where we’ll go deeper on untapped revenue, elevating the client experience, empowering your team , and the proven retention strategies that help beauty pros stop chasing new clients, drive fierce loyalty , and unlock the profit already sitting in their existing books. 👀 Learn more and join us: https://www.hairdresserstrong.com/beauty-business-brunch Key Takeaways: 🔅Your next revenue opportunity may already be in your client list - Jozlyn explains that current clients, past clients, and loyal repeat clients all create opportunities to increase revenue without only chasing new business. 🔅Retention starts with the full client journey - Booking, consultation, service, checkout, rebooking, follow-up, and return visits all shape whether a client comes back. 🔅Rebooking needs more intention - Instead of simply asking, “Do you want to rebook?” guide the client toward the timing, reason, and value of their next appointment. 🔅Client experience creates word-of-mouth growth - When clients feel valued, cared for, and treated like VIPs, they are more likely to talk about the business and refer people. 🔅Your team needs to understand the vision - If owners want a better client experience, the team needs education, language, and tools to deliver it consistently. 🔅Add-ons, memberships, and packages can grow revenue - The opportunity is not just offering them, but training the team to communicate their value without sounding salesy. 🔅Retention is a revenue strategy - Better communication, education, consistency, trust, loyalty, and referrals all connect back to stronger revenue. 🚨🎤 Jozlyn will be taking the stage at the 4th annual Beauty Business Brunch on July 19th in Washington, DC, where we’ll go deeper on untapped revenue, elevating the client experience, empowering your team , and the proven retention strategies that help beauty pros stop chasing new clients, drive fierce loyalty , and unlock the profit already sitting in their existing books. 👀 Learn more and join us: https://www.hairdresserstrong.com/beauty-business-brunch RELATED LINKS 👉Follow Jozlyn on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jozlyn.deshawn/ 👉Follow Boulevard on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/joinblvd/ Boulevard is an all-in-one business management and client experience platform purpose-built to streamline daily operations for salons, spas, and independent beauty professionals. It empowers hairdressers by handling online booking, smart calendar scheduling, automated client reminders, marketing, and point-of-sale checkout in one seamless system, allowing you to maximize your revenue and focus on your craft. The Hairdresser Strong Show is all about Salon Owners, Rising Stylists, and Seasoned Stylists sharing their experiences, successes, failures, and advice to inform, educate, and empower their Fellow Hairdresser. We won’t stop until we are all: Hairdresser Strong. CONNECT WITH US 📬 Subscribe to our free newsletter 📸 Connect on Instagram 🎵 Connect on TikTok 📺 Watch on YouTube 📝 Check out our Blog The views and opinions of our guests are theirs and important to hear. Each guest's views and opinions are their own and we aim to bring you diverse perspectives, career paths and thoughts about the craft and industry so you can become Hairdresser Strong! They do not necessarily reflect the positions of HairdresserStrong.com

In this episode, Shawna Murphy , Founder of Style Smart VA , breaks down one of the easiest ways beauty professionals lose money without realizing it: missed or unmanaged client communication. She explains how auditing your DMs, texts, emails, forms, and follow-ups can help you capture more inquiries, book more clients, increase repeat visits, and stop letting revenue slip through the cracks. 🚨🎤 Shawna will be leading the VIP session at the 4th annual Beauty Business Brunch on July 19th in Washington, DC, where we’ll go deeper on missed DMs, delayed responses, follow-up gaps, and the communication systems that help beauty pros capture more inquiries, book more clients, and increase retention. 👀 Learn more and join us: https://www.hairdresserstrong.com/beauty-business-brunch Key Takeaways: 🔅Missed messages can mean missed money - Shana calculated her own missed opportunities and found that dropped client communication was costing her around $2,500 a month . 🔅Audit every place clients reach out - DMs, texts, emails, booking software, forms, website chats, and Facebook messages all need to be checked so potential clients do not fall through the cracks. 🔅Capture contact information before they disappear - If someone reaches out but does not book, get their phone number and email so you can stay in front of them later. 🔅Treat inquiries like sales opportunities - Every person who messages, calls, or fills out a form has potential revenue attached to them, even if they are not ready to book today. 🔅Track people who do not book right away - Add them to your booking software, CRM, or email list so you can follow up instead of losing them completely. 🔅Follow up after the appointment - A personal follow-up can confirm they are happy, create space for adjustments, encourage reviews, and help bring them back. 🔅Retention starts with communication - The client experience starts before they walk in and continues after they leave, which means stronger communication can lead to more rebooking, referrals, and long-term revenue. RELATED LINKS 👉Follow Shawna on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/shawnaarielhair/ 👉Follow Style Smart VA (Virtual Assistants) on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/stylesmartva/ 🚨🎤 Shawna will be leading the VIP session at the 4th annual Beauty Business Brunch on July 19th in Washington, DC, where we’ll go deeper on missed DMs, delayed responses, follow-up gaps, and the communication systems that help beauty pros capture more inquiries, book more clients, and increase retention. 👀 Learn more and join us: https://www.hairdresserstrong.com/beauty-business-brunch The Hairdresser Strong Show is all about Salon Owners, Rising Stylists, and Seasoned Stylists sharing their experiences, successes, failures, and advice to inform, educate, and empower their Fellow Hairdresser. We won’t stop until we are all: Hairdresser Strong. CONNECT WITH US 📬 Subscribe to our free newsletter 📸 Connect on Instagram 🎵 Connect on TikTok 📺 Watch on YouTube 📝 Check out our Blog The views and opinions of our guests are theirs and important to hear. Each guest's views and opinions are their own and we aim to bring you diverse perspectives, career paths and thoughts about the craft and industry so you can become Hairdresser Strong! They do not necessarily reflect the positions of HairdresserStrong.com

In this episode, Jannay McIver , Owner of Asili Hair Care Center , breaks down what salon owners need to have in place before scaling to multiple locations. From documenting every part of the client experience to knowing your numbers, trusting your team, and building systems that work without everything living in your head, this conversation is a practical look at what it really takes to grow a salon business. 🚨🎤Jannay will be joining the Owner’s Panel at our upcoming Conference, Beauty Business Brunch 2026 in DC , where we’ll go deeper on leadership, management, growth, and what it really takes to build a strong beauty business from the inside. 👀 Learn more and join us: https://www.hairdresserstrong.com/beauty-business-brunch Key Takeaways: 🔅Your first location needs to work without you - Before opening another location, your current salon should be profitable without you being the main revenue source. 🔅Trust has to be built into the business model - Scaling requires trusting other people with your brand, your standards, and your client experience. 🔅Write down the small details - Budgets and handbooks matter, but so do the words used during consultation, checkout, the shampoo bowl, and rebooking. 🔅Put systems where people use them - Don’t just leave processes in a Google Drive. Put scripts, checklists, and reminders where the work actually happens. 🔅Know your numbers before you grow - Accurate bookkeeping, accounting, payroll, product costs, marketing spend, and staff costs all need to be clear before expansion. 🔅Your POS system is part of your growth strategy - Client information, booking, forms, reminders, email marketing, and access permissions should be organized before adding locations. 🔅Not every problem is a fire - A bad review, mistake, or hiccup may be a signal that something needs to be clarified, not a reason to take everything back over yourself. 🔅Leadership changes when the business grows - At a certain point, everybody cannot be your friend. Standards need to be consistent across locations. 🔅Everyone does not want what you want - One of Jannay’s lessons in scaling was realizing not everyone wants to operate like a business owner or professionalize the same way. 🔅Rooms like BBB matter because business can feel isolating - Jannay talked about the value of spaces where beauty professionals can talk about money, systems, leadership, marketing, growth, and what actually works. RELATED LINKS 👉Follow Jannay on Instagram 👉Follow Asili Hair Care Center on Instagram 🚨🎤Jannay will be joining the Owner’s Panel at our upcoming Conference, Beauty Business Brunch 2026 in DC , where we’ll go deeper on leadership, management, growth, and what it really takes to build a strong beauty business from the inside. 👀 Learn more and join us: https://www.hairdresserstrong.com/beauty-business-brunch The Hairdresser Strong Show is all about Salon Owners, Rising Stylists, and Seasoned Stylists sharing their experiences, successes, failures, and advice to inform, educate, and empower their Fellow Hairdresser. We won’t stop until we are all: Hairdresser Strong. CONNECT WITH US 📬 Subscribe to our free newsletter 📸 Connect on Instagram 🎵 Connect on TikTok 📺 Watch on YouTube 📝 Check out our Blog The views and opinions of our guests are theirs and important to hear. Each guest's views and opinions are their own and we aim to bring you diverse perspectives, career paths and thoughts about the craft and industry so you can become Hairdresser Strong! They do not necessarily reflect the positions of HairdresserStrong.com

In this episode, Charles Riser Jr., Co-CEO and Co-Founder of Paul Mitchell Temple Academies in Annapolis and Frederick , breaks down the federal rule changes that could affect cosmetology schools, student funding, and access to beauty education. He explains why the wage metrics being used are flawed, how the data fails to reflect the real earning power of licensed professionals, and why the industry needs to get louder, more informed, and more involved. 📣🚨 Submit your comment by Wed. May 20 - https://myaacs.org/submit-your-comment/ Key Takeaways: 🔅Understand what is actually being measured - The issue is not simply whether cosmetology graduates make money, but how the government is comparing graduate earnings against flawed high school graduate wage data. 🔅The data comparison is not apples to apples - Charles explains that the rule compares cosmetology graduates about three years out of school to high school graduates roughly fourteen years out, creating a distorted wage comparison. 🔅Part-time work changes the picture - Industry data shows many beauty professionals work part-time early in their careers, which can make annual income look lower even when hourly earning power is strong. 🔅Access to education is what is really at stake - If schools lose access to federal funding, students who rely on Pell Grants and federal loans may lose their pathway into cosmetology, barbering, aesthetics, and related trades. 🔅This impacts more than one school or one state - Charles explains that the issue could affect accredited cosmetology schools nationally, especially because accredited institutions train a large share of industry graduates. 🔅Do not confuse accountability with bad data - Holding schools accountable is one conversation, but using flawed wage metrics to determine program value creates a separate and serious problem. 🔅The industry needs a seat at the table - Regulations affecting licensure, education, sanitation, funding, and schools are being discussed whether beauty professionals are paying attention or not. 🔅One person can change policy - Charles gives examples of individual people influencing legislation, including mobile salons and blow-dry licensing in Maryland. 🔅Claiming tips matters beyond taxes - Underreporting income affects borrowing power, long-term financial stability, and the way the government measures the value of the profession. 🔅Take action before May 20 - Charles says the industry needs to submit comments before the May 20 deadline, contact representatives, and get loud before the regulation moves forward. If the rule goes into place in July, the first round of pass/fail data could come out shortly after, putting schools on a path toward monitoring and potential loss of federal funding. Dive Deeper & Learn More 📣🚨 Submit your comment by Wed. May 20 - https://myaacs.org/submit-your-comment/ SALON SPA AND BARBERSHOP GUIDE: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1iHeQnVZoCNbe2f6BSZaT6qp1fI7_adaB/view Intended for employers. This guide translates the same core issues into workforce language, focusing on hiring, time to earnings, hours worked, tips, flexibility, and the importance of access to accredited training programs for maintaining a worker pipeline. It also encourages employers to submit their own public comments. MODERN SALON ARTICLE: https://www.modernsalon.com/1097189/americas-beauty-and-wellness-industry-under-threat-from-proposed-regulations-now PBA LETTER TO Department of Education: https://drive.google.com/file/d/12atDVoND2zsluj9PVGpJJOMVrw35YMO3/view 2024 Salon Chain Compensation Study - https://www.qnityforschools.com/blog/new-chain-salon-study-reveals-critical-insights-beauty-school-educators The Hairdresser Strong Show is all about Salon Owners, Rising Stylists, and Seasoned Stylists sharing their experiences, successes, failures, and advice to inform, educate, and empower their Fellow Hairdresser. We won’t stop until we are all: Hairdresser Strong. CONNECT WITH US 📬 Subscribe to our free newsletter 📸 Connect on Instagram 🎵 Connect on TikTok 📺 Watch on YouTube 📝 Check out our Blog The views and opinions of our guests are theirs and important to hear. Each guest's views and opinions are their own and we aim to bring you diverse perspectives, career paths and thoughts about the craft and industry so you can become Hairdresser Strong! They do not necessarily reflect the positions of HairdresserStrong.com

In this episode, Ash Fortis , owner of XO Hair Lab and Director of Education at Sharkfin Shears, breaks down what it actually takes to build and retain a strong salon team. From recruitment and assistant training to leadership, communication, boundaries, and retention, Ash shares how structure, support, and clear expectations create a salon culture where people can grow and stay. 🚨🎤Ash will be joining the Owner’s Panel at our upcoming Conference, Beauty Business Brunch 2026 in DC , where we’ll go deeper on leadership, management, growth, and what it really takes to build a strong beauty business from the inside. 👀 Learn more and join us: https://www.hairdresserstrong.com/beauty-business-brunch Key Takeaways: 🔅Recruitment cannot be reactive - If you wait until you desperately need someone, you are already behind. Strong owners build applicant flow and relationships before there is an emergency. 🔅Hire for self-motivation and reliability - Ash names self-motivation and reliability as two of the top traits she looks for when building a team, no matter the role. 🔅Create the environment for people to thrive - New talent needs clear expectations, support, education, and structure if they are going to succeed inside the business. 🔅Give people systems before judging their performance - Handbooks, service lists, double-booking systems, downtime expectations, and clear salon policies help people understand how to meet the standard. 🔅Assistants should feel utilized, not used - A strong assistant program includes mentorship, education, hands-on learning, and a visible growth pathway. 🔅Growth timelines should be individualized - Some assistants may be ready in six months, others may need a year or two, depending on skill, timing, professionalism, and readiness. 🔅Leadership is service, not control - Ash frames leadership as servitude, empathy, support, and helping people succeed while still upholding what the business needs. 🔅Retention depends on communication - Regular check-ins, honest conversations, goal-setting, and listening help owners understand where team members are and what support they need. 🔅Boundaries protect the culture - Heart-led leadership still requires clear lines, especially when personal relationships, loyalty, and team dynamics start to blur. 🔅You have to make the right calls for the culture - Even talented people can damage the environment if they ignore standards or undermine the team. Culture requires protection. RELATED LINKS 📸Follow Ash on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/xostylistxo/ 📸Follow XO Hair Lab on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/xohairlab/ 🌱Check out Ash's book "Hair to Dye for" - https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Hair-to-Dye-For/Ash-Fortis/9781681885049 🚨🎤Ash will be joining the Owner’s Panel at our upcoming Conference, Beauty Business Brunch 2026 in DC , where we’ll go deeper on leadership, management, growth, and what it really takes to build a strong beauty business from the inside. 👀 Learn more and join us: https://www.hairdresserstrong.com/beauty-business-brunch 🔑BBB is a full-day conference for stylists, barbers, owners, educators, and students who want more than just being busy. We're talking sustainability, money, professionalism, and what it actually takes to build something that lasts. The Hairdresser Strong Show is all about Salon Owners, Rising Stylists, and Seasoned Stylists sharing their experiences, successes, failures, and advice to inform, educate, and empower their Fellow Hairdresser. We won’t stop until we are all: Hairdresser Strong. CONNECT WITH US 📬 Subscribe to our free newsletter 📸 Connect on Instagram 🎵 Connect on TikTok 📺 Watch on YouTube 📝 Check out our Blog The views and opinions of our guests are theirs and important to hear. Each guest's views and opinions are their own and we aim to bring you diverse perspectives, career paths and thoughts about the craft and industry so you can become Hairdresser Strong! They do not necessarily reflect the positions of HairdresserStrong.com

In this episode, Ash Fortis , owner of XO Hair Lab and Director of Education at Sharkfin Shears, shares how health challenges, financial pressure, sweat equity, and major business setbacks shaped the leader she became. From navigating a team walkout during COVID to rebuilding stronger, Ash breaks down the hard side of heart-led leadership: protecting the culture, making difficult decisions, and creating a salon team that can actually last. 🚨🎤Ash will be joining the Owner’s Panel at our upcoming Conference, Beauty Business Brunch 2026 in DC , where we’ll go deeper on leadership, management, growth, and what it really takes to build a strong beauty business from the inside. 👀 Learn more and join us: https://www.hairdresserstrong.com/beauty-business-brunch Key Takeaways: 🔅Build proof before you ask for opportunity - Ash used a portfolio, before-and-afters, and professionalism early in her career to show salons what she could do before she had years of experience. 🔅Sweat equity is part of building something real - Ash’s experience with education, brand building, and ownership shows that many opportunities require time, investment, and unpaid effort before the payoff comes. 🔅Leadership requires hard decisions - Heart-led owners still have to protect the business, the brand, and the team, even when the decision is emotionally difficult. 🔅Culture cannot survive constant exceptions - If one person is repeatedly violating the standards, it affects the rest of the team and weakens the trust in leadership. 🔅Being respected matters more than being liked - Ash talks about having to shift away from needing validation and into stronger leadership, especially when making decisions that protect the salon. 🔅Know your numbers before generosity breaks the business - Supporting your team matters, but Ash also had to adjust commissions, pricing, and financial systems so the salon could remain sustainable. 🔅Recruitment should never stop - Strong owners are always building relationships, hosting education, creating visibility, and staying connected to people who may align with the brand later. RELATED LINKS 📸Follow Ash on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/xostylistxo/ 📸Follow XO Hair Lab on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/xohairlab/ 🌱Check out Ash's book "Hair to Dye for" - https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Hair-to-Dye-For/Ash-Fortis/9781681885049 🚨🎤Ash will be joining the Owner’s Panel at our upcoming Conference, Beauty Business Brunch 2026 in DC , where we’ll go deeper on leadership, management, growth, and what it really takes to build a strong beauty business from the inside. 👀 Learn more and join us: https://www.hairdresserstrong.com/beauty-business-brunch 🔑BBB is a full-day conference for stylists, barbers, owners, educators, and students who want more than just being busy. We're talking sustainability, money, professionalism, and what it actually takes to build something that lasts. The Hairdresser Strong Show is all about Salon Owners, Rising Stylists, and Seasoned Stylists sharing their experiences, successes, failures, and advice to inform, educate, and empower their Fellow Hairdresser. We won’t stop until we are all: Hairdresser Strong. CONNECT WITH US 📬 Subscribe to our free newsletter 📸 Connect on Instagram 🎵 Connect on TikTok 📺 Watch on YouTube 📝 Check out our Blog The views and opinions of our guests are theirs and important to hear. Each guest's views and opinions are their own and we aim to bring you diverse perspectives, career paths and thoughts about the craft and industry so you can become Hairdresser Strong! They do not necessarily reflect the positions of HairdresserStrong.com

In this HdS News update, we break down why clients are becoming more selective and how that’s showing up in your chair, your pricing conversations, and your bookings. From tighter spending to higher expectations, this episode explains what’s actually changing and what to do about it. Follow/subscribe to be the first to know when new episodes are released. Like what you hear? Leave us a review! Key Takeaways: 🔅Clients are more selective, not disappearing - Bookings are still happening, but clients are questioning add-ons, spacing appointments, and thinking harder about spending 🔅Ticket size is under pressure - You may not be losing clients, but you may be losing revenue per visit as clients adjust their habits 🔅Pushback is emotional, not personal - Clients aren’t reacting to you, they’re reacting to rising costs in their everyday life, but you’re the one they express it to 🔅Clients now need to be convinced - The shift from “I want this” to “is this worth it?” means clarity, consistency, and experience matter more than ever 🔅High-value clients are still spending, but expecting more - Precision, customization, and a premium experience are now the baseline 🔅Retention is the priority right now - This is not the time to overextend; it’s the time to strengthen systems, relationships, and consistency 🔅You don’t own your audience on social - Real relationships and direct communication matter more than platform reach 🔅The opportunity is in adapting - The professionals who win right now are the ones who understand the shift and adjust how they operate One of our missions is to raise the esteem and perceived importance & value of hairdressers across the USA. HdS NEWS is part of that effort. We believe to achieve this goal, we must raise the bar of professionalism, service, and sophistication of hairdressers. We hope you enjoy the news and look forward to your comments! CONNECT WITH US 📬 Subscribe to our free newsletter 📸 Connect on Instagram 🎵 Connect on TikTok 📺 Watch on YouTube 📝 Check out our Blog DISCLAIMER: Robert holds a B.A. in Business Administration with a Minor in Finance. Robert curates the news and explains his understanding. We suggest you use this information to talk with your financial advisor, business advisor, and/or CPA. Legal counsel may be required for some of your decisions as well. If you want business advice from Hairdresser Strong, you can hire us as a consultant/advisor, but we are not financial advisors, lawyers, or accountants. THIS IS NOT FINANCIAL ADVICE. THIS IS FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY. IF YOU NEED LEGAL, TAX, OR FINANCIAL ADVICE, SEE A LAWYER, CPA, OR FINANCIAL ADVISOR, RESPECTIVELY

In this episode, Scott J shares how a series of unexpected opportunities, relentless learning, and a willingness to say yes led him from a high school dropout to building a multi-location salon business and becoming President of Intercoiffure America Canada. He breaks down the realities of scaling, leadership, and why long-term success in this industry is built on education, community, and the willingness to say yes. Follow/subscribe to be the first to know when new episodes are released. Like what you hear? Leave us a review! Key Takeaways: 🔅Say yes to opportunity - Many of Scott’s biggest breakthroughs came from conversations and chances he didn’t plan for but chose to take 🔅Education is the foundation of long-term success - Continuous training and staying humble enough to keep learning is what sustains a career over decades 🔅You don’t need perfect conditions to start - Scott opened his first salon without money or a clear roadmap and figured it out as he went 🔅Build businesses that create opportunity for others - Expanding to multiple locations was about giving his team room to grow, not just increasing revenue 🔅Growth isn’t always scaling up - Moving from five salons to two was a strategic decision to build stronger, more focused businesses 🔅Trust your instincts when making decisions - The right environments and opportunities often come from intuition, not overthinking 🔅Relationships are the real asset - Long-term clients and team members are what create stability and longevity in this industry 🔅Leadership evolves over time - Success shifts from personal achievement to serving your team, your community, and the industry RELATED LINKS 📸Follow Scott on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/scottj_dreambuilder_/ 📸Follow Scott J Salons on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/scottjaveda/ 📸Follow Intercoiffure America Canada on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/intercoiffureac/ ⭐️Check out Intercoiffure America Canada's Website - https://www.instagram.com/intercoiffureac/ The Hairdresser Strong Show is all about Salon Owners, Rising Stylists, and Seasoned Stylists sharing their experiences, successes, failures, and advice to inform, educate, and empower their Fellow Hairdresser. We won’t stop until we are all: Hairdresser Strong. CONNECT WITH US 📬 Subscribe to our free newsletter 📸 Connect on Instagram 🎵 Connect on TikTok 📺 Watch on YouTube 📝 Check out our Blog The views and opinions of our guests are theirs and important to hear. Each guest's views and opinions are their own and we aim to bring you diverse perspectives, career paths and thoughts about the craft and industry so you can become Hairdresser Strong! They do not necessarily reflect the positions of HairdresserStrong.com

In this episode, Jacquelyn Rodriguez shares how clean beauty went from a personal wake-up call to a more intentional way of running a salon. She walks through the challenges of shifting away from traditional products, the resistance and learning curve that comes with it, and why trying to be perfect often holds people back from starting. Instead, she makes the case for a more practical approach one rooted in better decisions that impact your health, your clients, and the long-term sustainability of your business. 🚨 Jacquelyn will also be leading a 📚breakout workshop on 🌱Clean Beauty at our upcoming Beauty Business Brunch in Washington, DC. Learn more and join us: https://www.hairdresserstrong.com/beauty-business-brunch Follow/subscribe to be the first to know when new episodes are released. Like what you hear? Leave us a review! Key Takeaways: 🔅Clean beauty is not all-or-nothing - It’s about making better decisions over time, not trying to get everything perfect at once 🔅If you don’t define your “why,” it becomes a trend - Without a clear reason behind your decisions, sustainability becomes something you start and stop instead of something you build into your business. 🔅Education creates demand - Clients didn’t ask for clean beauty at first. Awareness was built through conversations behind the chair over time. 🔅Your environment impacts your health - Long-term exposure to products and chemicals affects how you feel, not just how your work looks 🔅Sustainability can reduce waste and cost - Reusing tools, reducing waste, and simplifying processes can lower expenses over time. 🔅Overconsumption doesn’t equal better results - More products and more steps don’t always improve outcomes 🔅Leadership is about direction, not perfection - Setting a standard and improving over time is what builds trust RELATED LINKS 📸Follow Jacquelyn on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cleanbeautybizcoach/ 📸Follow Green Beauty Community on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/greenbeautycommunityfoundation/?g=5 🌱Check out Jacquelyn's Website - https://cleanbeautybiz.com/ 🚨 Jacquelyn will also be leading a 📚breakout workshop on 🌱Clean Beauty at our upcoming Beauty Business Brunch in Washington, DC. Learn more and join us: https://www.hairdresserstrong.com/beauty-business-brunch BBB is a full-day conference for stylists, barbers, owners, educators, and students who want more than just being busy. We're talking sustainability, money, professionalism, and what it actually takes to build something that lasts. The Hairdresser Strong Show is all about Salon Owners, Rising Stylists, and Seasoned Stylists sharing their experiences, successes, failures, and advice to inform, educate, and empower their Fellow Hairdresser. We won’t stop until we are all: Hairdresser Strong. CONNECT WITH US 📬 Subscribe to our free newsletter 📸 Connect on Instagram 🎵 Connect on TikTok 📺 Watch on YouTube 📝 Check out our Blog The views and opinions of our guests are theirs and important to hear. Each guest's views and opinions are their own and we aim to bring you diverse perspectives, career paths and thoughts about the craft and industry so you can become Hairdresser Strong! They do not necessarily reflect the positions of HairdresserStrong.com