The Conscious Salon
Welcome to The Conscious Salon.
Here for the real talk salon owners actually need.
The Conscious Salon Podcast is where salon owners get clear guidance without the fluff. Hosted by Nic & Tess, we break down leadership, team culture, money, client journey, systems and numbers into simple moves you can use this week. Expect straight talk, real stories, lots of laughs and practical frameworks that help you lead well, grow profit, and have a life outside the salon.
You will hear from salon owners, industry leaders and working mums who have done the hard yards. We cover mindset that holds under pressure, meetings that improve your team culture, and the habits that build a self led team.
Follow the show and start with leadership posture, client journey design, and money mindset.
Listen in, implement, and stay conscious.
Episodes
172 episodes
How to rebrand and reinvent your salon with Lauryn Mathrick
A tired but functioning salon is easy to tolerate. The real challenge is admitting it is not the business you truly want and having the courage to rebuild it into the space you imagine. In this episode, we sit down with our friend and client, <...
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Season 1
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Episode 172
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39:26
How becoming health obsessed changed our salon business
What happens when you treat your health with the same urgency you give a boardroom deadline? In this episode, we run a real-time experiment on discipline, systems, and self-trust — and the results surprised us.One of us jumps from an ave...
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Season 1
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Episode 171
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19:41
Building Sakara Collective - with Tamsin Kirkus
A suitcase, $300, and a window out of a small coastal life — Tamsin’s story begins with a bold leap and unfolds into one of the most powerful salon journeys we’ve shared.We sit down with Tamsin, founder of Sakara Collective, to ex...
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Season 1
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Episode 170
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37:27
Buying a commercial salon space - featuring Carla Crowley
What if the gap between where you are and where you want to be is simply how fast you act on what you already know?In this episode, we sit down with salon owner and mother of two, Carla Crowley, whose quiet fire turned a spare room in Ge...
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Season 1
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Episode 169
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31:37
Why I sold my skin clinic - featuring Rache Mahon
In this powerful conversation, Rachel Mahon shares her courageous decision to sell her high-performing skin clinic after eleven years in business and begin a new venture with her daughter, Soul Society.This isn’t a burnout story or a hig...
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Season 1
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Episode 168
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35:11
We put our Salon Manager in the hot seat
Freedom sounds amazing, until it bumps into your need to control every detail. In this episode, we sit down with Tae, our salon manager, to unpack how control quietly creeps into salon leadership, and what truly shifts when you replace microman...
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Season 1
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Episode 167
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23:10
What you need to know about Salon Team Development Days
What if the key to building a strong, connected salon team before the silly season isn’t another checklist but honesty, pressure, and celebration?In this episode, we take you behind the scenes of our Life Ahead Team Development ...
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Season 1
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Episode 166
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37:07
How Jess Lewis went from a Home Salon to a Blonde Empire
The moment you meet Jess Lewis, you feel it: a rare mix of warmth, authenticity, and unstoppable drive that has made her a legend among millennial hairdressers across Australia. From humble beginnings in a home salon with her sister as an appre...
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Season 1
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Episode 165
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49:23
We have to answer each other HONESTLY! NO SMOKE AND MIRRORS
Ever felt like your brand looks like a swan gliding gracefully across the water, while underneath your legs are thrashing just to stay afloat? In this episode, we dive straight into the “smoke and mirrors” that so many salon an...
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Season 1
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Episode 164
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20:10
Tess' Truth: An Abusive Relationship
In this vulnerable episode, Tess shares her story of a past relationship that left deep emotional scars, and the strength it took to walk away. She reflects on how grief made her more vulnerable, how the red flags were easy to dismiss, and the ...
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Season 1
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Episode 163
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27:08
Listen to this when a team member resigns (pep talk)
That gut-wrenching moment when a team member resigns. We have all been there. The sinking feeling, the self-doubt, the questions about what this means for your business. You are not alone, and you do not have to navigate it from a place of pani...
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Season 1
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Episode 162
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17:42
The Queen of Blondes: Amelia Jane's Journey from Home Salon to Empire
In this riveting conversation, Amelia Jane—known as Australia's Queen of Blondes—reveals the extraordinary journey behind her meteoric rise in the hair industry. What begins as a shocking revelation (she actually abandoned hairdressing for six ...
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Season 1
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Episode 161
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48:52
The Conscious Motherhood Experience - Tess' story
In this final episode of our Motherhood Series on The Conscious Salon Podcast, we close out with a deeply personal conversation as I (Nicola) interview my sister and co-host, Tessa. This time, Tess takes the hot seat as she shares her ...
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Season 1
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Episode 160
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20:59
I prioritised my salon over my baby
In this episode of The Conscious Salon Podcast, we continue our Motherhood Series with a very special conversation that turns the microphone onto one of our own. I sit down with my sister and co-host, Nicola Pollock, to unpack her deep...
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Season 1
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Episode 159
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26:12
Business Dot Motherhood with Tegan Mac
In this episode of the Conscious Salon Podcast, we welcome Tegan Mac, a leader in the beauty industry, to discuss her journey through balancing a thriving business and motherhood. Tegan shares her personal experiences of pregnancy l...
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Season 1
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Episode 158
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48:49
Big BODA Moves with Martha Kourt
In this episode of The Conscious Salon, we had the absolute pleasure of sitting down with the powerhouse that is Martha Kourt - business owner, educator, and the creative force behind BODA. From the moment we began chatting, it was cle...
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Season 1
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Episode 157
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49:08
Three's a Crowd with Tamara Reid
In this episode of The Conscious Salon, we’re thrilled to be joined by someone who has been walking beside us in business and friendship for many years - Tamara Reid. You might know her from her incredible work as the Head of Partnersh...
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Season 1
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Episode 156
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46:50
MAMAhood with Sheridan-Rose Shaw
In this incredibly heartfelt episode of The Conscious Salon, we’re joined by someone who inspires us endlessly - Sheridan-Rose Shaw. Sheridan is the founder of Mama West, a creative leader, mentor, entrepreneur and now, a beautiful new...
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Season 1
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Episode 155
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50:12
This will change your team's productivity
In this episode of The Conscious Salon, we’re diving deep into one of the most important - and often overlooked - areas of salon success: team productivity during downtime. We’ve all been there - appointments shift, cancellations pop up,...
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Season 1
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Episode 154
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33:01
Being money driven
Welcome to a transformative episode of the Conscious Salon podcast, where we explore the powerful theme of financial independence and empowerment for women. In a world where societal norms often dictate financial roles, we challenge these conve...
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Season 1
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Episode 153
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33:50
QUIZ: Understand your Leadership Archetype
In this episode of the Conscious Salon podcast, we dive into the challenges and growth opportunities for salon owners and leaders. We things off with some light-hearted banter about mum life and the chaotic attempts at recording the podcast. We...
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Season 1
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Episode 152
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33:13
Spotting RED FLAGS in team members
In this episode of The Conscious Salon Podcast, we dive into a conversation that every salon owner and team leader needs to hear - how to spot red flags in your team and what to do when they come up. If you've ever felt confused or bli...
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Season 1
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Episode 151
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24:59
This is why you need a team retreat
In this very special episode, we recorded live from our annual Ahead Retreat – a two-day immersive mindset experience where we take our team out of the salon and into a dedicated space for growth, connection, and transformation.Every yea...
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Season 1
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Episode 150
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36:19