Why does running your salon feel harder than it should?Hint: It’s not your staff.It’s not your clients.And it’s not the industry.In this episode, we break down why so many salon owners feel stuck, overwhelmed, ...

Salon owners spend a lot of time thinking about details.Logos, branding, decor, certifications, events…the list goes on.But what if many of those things aren’t actually what clients care about?In this episode, we break down...

Hiring is one of the most frustrating challenges salon owners face.Stylists leave. Chairs open up. Owners panic and hire quickly just to fill the space…and before long, the cycle repeats.In this episode, we break down the hiring l...

Something interesting is happening in the salon industry.The gap between businesses is getting wider.Some salons are becoming stronger, more structured, more intentional, and more resilient. Others feel increasingly chaotic, react...

There comes a moment in every salon owner’s journey when something clicks.You realize your job isn’t hair anymore.Your job is to make decisions.Your job is clarity.Your job is to design the environment your team operates in.<...

Most salon owners aren’t stuck because they’re lazy. They’re stuck because they're not making structural changes to their business.They work harder. They take more clients. They stay late. They put out fires all day long. But the underly...

“Boutique” has become a popular buzzword in the salon industry. But most of the time, it describes how a salon looks, not how it operates.In this episode, we break down what boutique actually means and why changing your aesthetic isn’t e...

Over the past few weeks, we’ve talked a lot about leadership, culture, and what really holds a salon together when things get difficult. But in this episode, we want to step back and explain something we realized while rebuilding our salon....

This week, we weren’t planning on recording an episode about leadership.We were dealing with a flooded salon, a burst pipe, a snowstorm, a displaced team, and the reality that our entire space would be shut down for weeks. And in the mid...

Criticism is one of the hardest parts of leadership that nobody really prepares you for. It’s one thing to build systems, run a business, or make decisions. It’s another thing entirely to stay grounded when people question you, misunderstand yo...

So many salon owners spend their time looking sideways instead of forward. They watch what everyone else is doing, copy systems, pricing, commission structures, and branding, and hope that if it worked for someone else, it will magically work f...

We see so many salon owners who are busy every day but still feel stuck. They’re cleaning, reorganizing, researching, scrolling, and “preparing,” yet nothing meaningful seems to change. The problem isn’t effort. The problem is direction....

The start of a new year often comes with pressure: new goals, new systems, new ideas, and a long list of things people think they should be doing. But more often than not, that approach creates chaos instead of clarity.In this episode, w...

This is our final episode of 2025, and instead of predictions or tactics, we wanted to pause and reflect.We discuss what we’ve seen this year in the salon industry: the widening gap between growing and struggling businesses, the mindset ...

Slow seasons happen in every industry, and the salon industry is no exception. But while slow periods are predictable, panic is optional.In this episode, we talk about why seasonal slowdowns shouldn’t feel shocking, why reacting emotiona...

We see it constantly: salon owners saying they’re overwhelmed, stressed, exhausted, and unsure what to work on next. They’re putting in the effort, working long hours, and still feeling behind, and it doesn’t have to be that way.In this ...

We hear it all the time: “Stop working in your business and start working on it.” The problem? Almost no one explains what that actually means.In this episode, we break down what salon owners should really be working on when...

Slow seasons have a way of making people freeze. Owners hesitate. Teams lose momentum. Decisions get postponed while everyone waits to “see what happens.” But the truth is simple: nothing changes when you pause; everything changes when you lead...

In Part 3 of our 2026 Salon Industry Predictions series, we’re breaking down the areas that will matter most for long-term success: culture, branding, leadership, and mentorship. The truth is simple: you can have education, t...

The salon industry is shifting faster than most owners realize. In Part 1 of our 2026 Predictions series, we talked about education, AI, and client expectations. In Part 2, we’re diving into the structural issues shaping the next chapter of our...

The salon industry is changing fast. From how stylists learn, to how salons use technology, to what clients expect from their experience, there’s a major shift underway. In the first part of our 2026 Salon Predictions series, Todd a...

Opening a salon can be one of the most exciting and overwhelming decisions in your career. It’s easy to get caught up in the aesthetic side of things: paint colors, décor, logos, and brand vibes. But the truth is, those are the least i...

Apprenticeships in the Modern Salon – How to Build Talent From ScratchIn this episode, Todd flips the script and interviews Jen on a topic she knows better than most: apprenticeships in the modern salon industry.With...

In this follow-up to "Why Suite and Booth Renters Struggle" [EP:214], Todd and Jen shift the focus to the other side of the industry—commission salons and their employees.They break down the common mistakes made by both owners a...

A year into renting and still struggling? You’re not alone. In this episode, Todd and Jen break down why so many booth renters and suite owners can’t seem to get ahead — and how to fix it.They’re not anti-rent or anti-suite (far from it)...