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.
The Conscious Salon
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 average of 874 steps a day to 10,000 plus structured strength training. The other reframes yoga and movement as daily anchors for a neurodivergent brain. The shift was undeniable: better thinking, stronger boundaries, and delegation that finally stuck because movement time became non-negotiable.
We also talk honestly about the messy bits. The gym mishaps. The walks in the rain. The moments where “I’ll do it later” tries to win. This is the essence of weapon season: removing negotiation, reducing friction, and building self-trust through small, repeatable wins.
Inside the episode, we share the practical levers that actually changed our momentum:
• Booking help within twenty four hours
• Protecting calendar blocks
• Anchoring steps to existing routines
• Using wearables for quiet accountability
If you’re someone who is highly disciplined at work but inconsistent with your health, this conversation will feel like a mirror and a roadmap. You’ll walk away with simple systems and a three step framework to kickstart your next seven days: commit daily, act quickly, and move through discomfort without excuses.
Listen in, try the experiment yourself, and let us know what shifts for you. If this episode resonates, share it with someone who needs a nudge and leave a quick review so more people can find these tools.
Your next seven days might change everything.
To follow our journey:
Instagram @aheadhair_
@the_conscious_salon
Welcome back to the Conscious Silent Podcast. Thank you. It's been a little while, Tess, since we've um we've been solo. We've always got guests or Taya or someone around. Someone else, yeah.
SPEAKER_01:We're strapped at the minute. Do either of you two want to hop on if you can go in if you'd like.
SPEAKER_00:Producer Ali or producer. It'll just be um, yeah, a little old us today. Little old us. But we want to talk all things, consistency, discipline, and becoming weapons, because we're actually in weapon season at the moment. We are. And this one simple swap act. You've always sort of been a weapon, actually. You're the wrong guest to have on.
SPEAKER_01:I I have weaponry is my thing. Weaponry is right. And then slogan t-shirts just under that.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, Tessa's become very um the slogan t-shirt. Thanks, it's the trauma. We can all see it.
SPEAKER_01:It's also I'm a bit prickly with you, Nikki, if I'm gonna be honest. Okay. I've got I've had a major renovation, a major makeover, and you haven't made any comments yet. Is it the jet black hair? It's the jet black hair.
SPEAKER_00:Yes. I haven't.
SPEAKER_01:It wasn't a, I will say it's not an intentional. I don't think it was an intentional thing. No. Um there's me doing my own colour at home and thinking I'll just tone this a bit. Tone it a bit.
SPEAKER_00:And then it just I just try to feel like I can say comfortably it washes you out. The light hair looks much better.
SPEAKER_01:I mean, it probably doesn't help that I'm wearing grey and white.
SPEAKER_00:The dark's still beautiful. It's still beautiful, it's having its moment. But we've had a bit of an upgrade. You've gone dark with the hair.
SPEAKER_01:I wouldn't say it's an upgrade, I'd say it's a sidestep. A sidestep. That's what happens, you know, you get these really humbling moments, and I was like, Oh, I reckon I'd still be good on the tools. You know, we're coming up to Christmas time. The girl's like, what are you prepared to do on the floor? And I was thinking about it. Um, not much anymore because I can't even colour my hair the right colour. This is actually just meant to be a light tone. And we've got we've got the jet black. And this is um bicarbed out as well. Yeah, wow. So that's good, isn't it?
SPEAKER_00:I look forward to seeing that fade out. Yeah. Well it looks shiny. Shiny and zero. The shine you can't argue with.
SPEAKER_01:That's actually what my mother-in-law said when she saw it. Blue black when she saw it. She said, I just love the shine.
SPEAKER_00:I was like, oh yes, it's gorgeous, but having seen you with lighter hair, the lighter hair is much more flattering. But that's just me. As soon as I saw it, I was like, Oh Nikki will love this. Yes. But while Tessa's been busy getting the hair upgrades, we have been really honing. I feel like the biggest thing that we've been honing in on at the moment has been encouraging our clients to have more discipline and more structure. And you've been a person who's always had a lot of discipline and structure, but I've really found the world of fitness and health, and it's something that I have never prioritized because I've always been like business is my priority. And it was really interesting. About maybe five weeks ago, six weeks ago, we were on a call with our mentor. And I had this massive epiphany of like, whoa, I just realized that my biggest gap at the moment is my health and fitness. And if I plugged into my health and fitness and treated it as it was the most important thing in my life, the way that I do with business, you know, like nothing gets in the way of me and a deadline that I have, or nothing gets in the way of Nikki and a graph. Yeah, me and a fucking laptop or link or 100% because you're talking. Um, 100%. My work ethic is like second to none. And I I feel like I've always been a weapon in business and it's opportune great things for me, and like it's it's been amazing. But I had this massive realization that every single day I am not prioritizing my health. And what would my life look like if I prioritized my health? And like, could there be something to the whole thing of like endorphins and you know exercise being good for you? I was like, oh, maybe there's something to it. I may as well try this on. And and it was really interesting. When I say that I was like the most sedentary person on the planet, I mean that. And I literally I can't-prove it. I have data to prove it. So I went and bought an Apple Watch. Cool. So I put the Apple Watch on the day before and I hadn't tracked anything. And I was just like, okay, cool. I start my program tomorrow. Start my program tomorrow. So I hired a trainer, hired nutritionist, you know, got a food plan, got the Apple Watch, you know, do it, did all the things. Put the Apple Watch on the day before, just take it for a little test drive, and I just, you know, sit at my computer, do my thing. When I say I was so fucking sedentary, you're gonna die at this. The day that before I started tracking my numbers, I looked back at my data and I literally had 870 more steps for the whole day. For the whole day. Did you have it on? Yes. I had it on for the whole day, and I really was like, I'm moving a lot.
SPEAKER_01:I'm not getting more. It's got so much movement.
SPEAKER_00:I was just at my desk. I was literally at my desk. I walked to my car, drove solid to school, came home, went out to my office, sat at my desk, you know, did a couple of weeds, and I was like, You're not doing like the thing, like floor after floor. I don't know. But like I was like, and then there's me. I'm like, what's underneath that? Because like just showing up the fact that I still have a twin sentatory and open host. I was like, I don't understand what's death. We've always done what's that. My coach was like gonna do ten thousand steps. Oh no. I was like walking for literal hours. How do people work full-time? I haven't do 10,000 steps. Oh my god. Anyway, so the first day it was like it was I literally felt like it was the hardest thing ever. And then when she was like, I was like, I have to do workouts as well. So it was unbelievably difficult. But doing the first 10,000 steps, I literally called you and I was like, how do you do so many steps in a day? Because honestly, like the day before, 874. And since then, I have like honestly, hardest thing I've like one of the hardest things that I have ever done was that first week of being like every day I have to do 10,000 steps. Which some people will be listening to this being like, you don't deserve an Apple Watch. No, they'll be like, you're just it like there'd be people who would smash 10 10k steps easily. But for me it was really, really difficult, like unbelievably difficult. And as I said, business has always been my number one priority. And I really made a deal with myself, like negotiation is off the table for the next, like you know, for the for the foreseeable future, forever, probably. But one of the biggest things that I've realized in the past six weeks is removing that ability to negotiate with myself has been completely life-changing. And doing the program, like the workouts and the you know, the steps and nutrition and things like that, and making my health my number one priority has made business so much better. And I think there's like so much to this because you've always been a weapon with the gym and health and everything, and you've always banged on about the Well not always.
SPEAKER_01:If you're getting the very pivotal moment where I was over a hundred kilos and like very unwell, and like that I that was that. Yeah that was and that was a decent chunk of time. That wasn't just a small moment. But I do I think it there is really something to that, like the way that we can be so disciplined in some ways and not in others. And this is something that like for me, movement has always been a big part of um supporting me. Like it really helps me with my neurodivergency, it like helps me, like, you know, we've always had the joke that I'm like a you know border collie. I need to go out and have the smell of like I need to go for a even if it's just a walk any day. It doesn't matter if it's like raining, doesn't matter what the like situation is. I truly need that the way that Missy My Dog also needs it. Like we both need that. We struggle a lot if it's raining. Actually, often we just put on our raincoats and go out and stomp around in the puddles. But it is something that's such a support to me. But there are also parts of it, like so you actually inspired me with this. I've had a up and down dynamic and like relationship with yoga for years. I've been like it's been such a anchor for me for like many, many years. And then the last few years I've really stepped away from that. And since you have started on this last week, I was like, cool, I'm gonna do one of my um 30-day yoga challenges, and I'm just gonna be relentless like no matter what's going on, I'm gonna make sure that every single day I'm doing yoga. Every day I've got like all of the access, I'm like in all of the clubs, I've got all of the things. This is such a big part. I always love it when I start, but actually, like that's the thing that I start negotiating out. And since you always feel good after. Yeah. Like sex. Well, I have to negotiate that sometimes too. But even with that, having that decision of like, I'm absolutely going to make this like I'm gonna be the person that I say that I am, I'm gonna commit to this. And just starting and just being like, cool, my like we say this a lot, but I feel like only recently we've really started embodying it. My word is law. Our word is law in so many aspects of our lives. Of business. Yes. But then we come into other parts, and it's like, cool, my word is law with like my steps, and like that's a very normal part of it. But there are other parts that I will always rationalise away. But I don't have the energy for that now, I'll do it tomorrow, or like whatever it is. And it is one of those things. We've got a deadline, if we've got a thing, like even today when we were like I'm getting down here today, you know, weather was terrible. Um, my son wouldn't wake up this morning. I knew I had to be on call at 8:30 and 9 a.m. All of those get um as I was driving down towards dropping river off. 8:30, you sent me a message being like, Where are you? Now, me being the silly girl that I was, I hadn't checked that my Zoom had still logged in on my phone because I'm never on Zoom on my phone. So I'm re-downloading that, that's getting the verification, all these things, so many aspects. So that starts blowing out that discipline side. As soon as I got there, I was like, Oh, I'm gonna make sure I'm on call with that, no matter what, no matter what the situation is, I'm gonna make sure that I'm I was a bit late, but I was there. I make sure that I'm there for the next call, pulled over, present, being able to do the things. It's so one of the being here, leaving here. We have like such a um regimented way, and like our showing up for people that are depending on us and counting on us, we make sure that we're there. And if we're not there or not able to do it, there's an exceptional re reason for that. And it is one of those things where we can start we can be so disciplined in one aspect of our lives, but the complete opposite in another. And I think you've really embodied that with having that awareness of like, cool, I've given all of my discipline and structure and focus to my business, and now I'm gonna start implementing that for myself. And how do you feel with that?
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, it's it's been really interesting to just be like as an experiment, let's see what this does for business. My self-regulation has been so much better, my mentality, like my business mentality has been so much better, my presence has been so much better, and just uh not worrying about not not even taking care of the shit that just doesn't matter. Like, there's been so many different things that I've delegated out where I've just been like, that doesn't need my attention because that's my gym time. That doesn't need my attention because I need my time to get my steps in. Who else can take care of this? Like the delegation has become next level. And I just think what it's opened up for me in terms of my peace of mind has been insane. Even just the I understand why you love lifting weights in your gym because the the I mean uh the first time I went to the gym was like hysterical. I have to I have to share this. The what's this guy called? Pull down lap pull down, yeah. Lat pull down, yeah. Lap pull down. So I've obviously never seen any of these machines, and I'm like, I've got an online trainer, so I like watch a video of her doing it, and then I'm like, okay, I have to try and do that. So I watched the video and I'm like, okay, cool. Yeah, I think it's that machine over there, but it looks a little bit different to what I can see in the in the picture. In the picture, there's like a big horizontal bar that people hold on to and pull that down with the weights on it. And I was like, mine looks different, it's just got like a little hook. But I was like, well, who am I to argue? I think it's the same thing. So I'll just put the weight in that I want, which is like one kilo. And then I grabbed onto the little hook and I put my two like pointer fingers into the little hook, and I was like, this feels ridiculous, but who am I to argue with a I'm not a weightlifter, I was like, I don't know what I'm supposed to feel like. So I put my little fingers into the hook and I started to pull down and it was killing my pointer fingers, like it was really heavy, and I was like all the focus is in your fingers. Obviously, obviously, it was so so heavy, and I was like pulling it down, did my 10 reps for the back, three sets of those, and then not one motherfucker in that gym came over and said, You obviously knew, let me help. They're all getting their own. No, they're 100%. I was like, this will be on TikTok somewhere, but I was like pulling the things down, so my two little fingers on the ears pulling it down.
SPEAKER_01:And then and then 10 minutes later I was on a different machine, and I was like, What this had to go on to you clip that on. You clip that on and had no idea. So just the point that I really like of that is that you've had the video, you've watched her do it, and then gone like Captain Hawk for 10 minutes to that. So, yeah, I mean that that might need some refinement, but yeah, that's good. I like the time at a time, yeah.
SPEAKER_00:Totally, and you've bet you brought us at those for like when you were on your keyboard later, this is the strongest finger, but it really has been a game changer, and I think that you know it it has taken me such a long time to get consistent and do this and actually introduce this into my life. But it's been six weeks, I haven't missed a day, yeah, and it's been truly at hand on heart the most life-changing, business-evolving, different level of and even just the level of consistency and the self-trust that I feel because I haven't negotiated with myself, and I haven't like I've obviously got a really long way to go in my fitness journey, and I'm really excited for that. But I haven't negotiated with myself at all. There's been no negotiation, and the level of self-trust that I feel now with removing that negotiation has completely transformed so much of what we do in business. Yeah, it's been so cool. Life changing. Yeah, life-changing. I don't know why I was never inspired by when you'd be like, Do you want to go go, do you want to go for a walk? And I'd be like, Oh fuck, more walking.
SPEAKER_01:Well, I feel like and so much of this I I believe comes from the fact that we have this when we look at thinking of doing things through it for our business, it there's like there's a reason for it, right? Like we can prioritize that because we know if we do this, we're gonna get X. And even though we know that with fitness and movement and any aspect, and look, like I'm also sitting here going, like, we don't represent like what like typical, you know, active people look like. But I really embrace that. I'm like, yeah, fuck it. Like I like the fact that I I can lift I'm strong, I'm powerful, I can lift so so heavy. But this is one of those things where it can be something that we negotiate out or we don't prioritize because of the fact that we know that that's gonna be hard because it's gonna like it literally has a physical element to it where it looks, you know, you know you're gonna get sweaty, you know, you're gonna be out of breath, you know, you're gonna be tired, you know, you're gonna like it's literally gonna take energy from you. So it is one of those things where we can delay that. There will also be people that will hear business things, they will be able to prioritize the gym stuff, and like I fell into this for ages, and not prioritize, you know, doing book work or doing admin or doing um numbers or whatever it is, or um and it's all relevant, like this all plays out in one way or another where you it's and it's not just around those subjects, it's around multiple different subjects and things you can add this into, but there'll be parts of your life where you are so disciplined and structured. What we're saying is the parts of your life where you're not feeling disciplined or not feeling structure, let's start leaning into that. Because if you start giving that some of your attention and just not negotiating with yourself, not deviating from it, just going, cool, I'm gonna a week, one week, I'm gonna show up every single day to this thing, no matter what. Every day I'm gonna show up for X amount and do this, and I'm gonna see how I feel at the end of seven days. Because I guarantee how they're feeling at day one versus day seven, they're gonna feel first of all really proud of the fact that they've been consistent and like said, like actually lived out being the person that they say that they're gonna be. But they're also gonna realize it's probably not as big as what you thought it was. Because what happens when we start negotiating is we put that off and then we put it off for longer and then we put it off again, then suddenly we've got to play catch up.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:And catch up is really fucking hard.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, it's huge, isn't it? Yeah, just when you were saying that then, like the the thing of just being like, I want to prioritize business, like I would never prioritize health or fitness because I'd be like, I'd rather work on the business. I'd rather work on the business. And for you, it was like I'd rather work on my health and work on the business. Yeah. But it's been really interesting us leaning into each other's you know, zone of genius and and playing in that realm. It's been life-changing. So I hope that inspires someone to that.
SPEAKER_01:Let's do three tangible tips. That's always helpful.
SPEAKER_00:Okay, cool.
SPEAKER_01:First one seven days. That's what you need to do. Seven days. I love that one. The seven day choice of something you're going to be working on and showing up to that every single day.
SPEAKER_00:Mine tip two is fast fucking action. Like I decided this, we were on a call on Thursday. I spoke about it, spoke it out loud, and I said, I think my biggest the biggest hole for me right now, or the biggest gap for me right now, is that I don't prioritize my health. Within 24 hours, I'd hired a trainer, nutritionist, and I joined a gym.
SPEAKER_01:Fast action. What's your last one? Last one, I think, really like push through the discomfort of this. Push through the negotiating, push through when we start reasoning and rationalizing and trying to like get our way out of it. Just seven days of doing this with no exceptions. Don't reason, no negotiating, nothing. My word is law. This is what I'm doing. Execute. Go and do that. Let's see how you feel at the end of the seven days.
SPEAKER_00:Love. I'm gonna play back this episode when I feel like demotivated and I'm like, fuck it, let's do 800 steps today.
SPEAKER_01:Exactly right.
SPEAKER_00:Thank you guys so much for listening to another episode of the Conscious Talent Podcast. Love you guys, stay conscious.
