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
210 episodes
How to sell retail with Sonia Tomas the Salon Doctor
Does recommending retail products make you feel pushy or "salesy"?You're not alone. But what if you've been looking at it the wrong way?In this episode, Nic and Tess sit down with Sonia Tomas, also known as The Salon Doctor, to ...
Meet the New Owner of Our Salon with Jess Attard
What happens when a team member who wants more progression ends up holding the keys to the salon?In this episode, Nic and Tess sit down with Jess Attard, the new owner of Ahead, to share the real story behind their salon sale. Wha...
We Sold Our Salon: Why We Walked Away After 13 Years
What happens when the business you've poured your heart into no longer feels like the room you're meant to be in?In this honest and emotional episode, Nic and Tess open up about the decision to sell their salon and the leadership lesson...
Founders on the Couch: Our team leader put us in the hot seat
What happens when your own team puts you in the hot seat?In this special episode, the tables are turned as Team Leader Tae takes over the podcast, asking Nic and Tess the questions they weren't expecting. What starts as a fun role revers...
The leadership lessons that built multiple award-winning salons | Maria Unali
What does it really take to build a salon that thrives without relying on you every single day?In this episode, Nic and Tess sit down with award-winning salon owner Maria Unali to explore the leadership journey behind building multiple ...
How to build a SALES focused team
Building a sales-focused team isn't about teaching better sales scripts—it's about building confidence.In this episode, Nic and Tess unpack one of the biggest reasons salon teams struggle to sell, recommend premium services, or confident...
If you can't leave your salon for a month... This episode is for YOU
Are you so busy working in your business that you've stopped working ON it?In this episode, Nic, Tess and Tae unpack one of the biggest reasons salon owners stay stuck, and it's not a lack of technical skill.If you're constantly...
We've had 532 hours of team sick leave in 12 weeks. The crisis that revealed our Salon Culture.
What happens when two senior team members are suddenly off work, hundreds of hours of leave stack up, clients need to be rescheduled, and then your salon ceiling collapses?That was our reality.In this episode, we're taking ...
From Luxury Business Owner to Rock Bottom: The Untold Story of La La Nails
Some business stories are about growth. This one is about survival, resilience, and finding the courage to begin again.In this episode, we sit down with Samantha Camilleri, nail artist, entrepreneur, and founder of Herr Co....
We Almost Walked Away from Our Business (Here’s What Saved It)
Every successful business has challenges behind the scenes. This episode is about one of ours.For the first time, we're sharing how close we came to walking away—not just from our business, but from our partnership as sisters....
The Reinvention Story Every Business Owner Needs to Hear | Natalie Chadwick
Natalie Chadwick's story is one of resilience, reinvention, and learning to trust yourself through every chapter of life.In this episode, Natalie shares her journey from starting hairdressing at 16, to salon ownership, building a music c...
How to Remove Overwhelm - TRY THIS!
Your brain doesn’t need another colour-coded to-do list. It needs a circuit breaker. We start with some very real-life Easter chaos (including questionable chocolate choices and parenting economics), then we get straight into what we’re seeing ...
How to Build a Salon that Runs Without You - with Loz Main
A salon can look “successful” and still be one bad day away from falling over. That’s why this chat with Loz Main, founder of Melbourne salon The Rumours Are True, hit us so hard. Loz started hairdressing young, bought her first salon at 21, an...
This is why your team isn't performing
If you’ve ever promoted your best stylist into a team leader role and then wondered why nothing really changed, we get it. Leadership in a salon doesn’t fail because people don’t care. It fails when we give someone a title but no structure, no ...
Your team IS NOT a 'Family'
The fastest way to lose trust with a great team? A “quick” message on their day off.In this episode, we have a real conversation about after-hours texting, busy work group chats, and the small leadership habits that can quietly turn your...
How we run our salon in our busiest season
February tried to take us out. Not in a dramatic way. In the quiet, sneaky way that happens when every weekend is booked, you’re living out of a suitcase, and you still need to show up for your team, your clients, and your family with a clear h...
The One Leadership Shift that will calm your salon - featuring Julia Lambert
Chaos can look like confidence. But to your team, it often feels like stress.In this episode, we sit down with fan favourite Julia Lambert to unpack a deceptively simple leadership shift that changes everything.What ...
How to Hold Space Without Lowering Standards In Your Team
Ever found yourself in a one-on-one where a team member gets emotional… and you’re not sure whether to comfort them or hold the standard?In this episode, we unpack one of the most important leadership skills for salon owners: knowing whe...
Why you don’t trust yourself as a salon owner (and what it’s costing you)
Your gut is speaking. The real question is… are you listening?A lot of salon owners struggle with self trust, and it shows up in ways that quietly impact everything. Decisions get delayed. Standards become inconsistent. Team issue...
Salon Owners: You've gotta stop worrying what your team think of you
What if the only thing keeping your salon small is the story you tell yourself about what your team might think?In this episode, we talk honestly about the quiet fear that stops many salon owners from stepping off the floor. The worry...
Leading a 20-Person Salon through Grief | Prue Taylor’s story
How do you keep leading when your world changes overnight?In this episode, we sit down with Prue Taylor, founder of Lady and The Hair, for a heartfelt conversation about love, loss, and the quiet strength it takes to keep showing ...
Our Salon Update
Ever felt your team lose its spark and slip into autopilot?In this episode, we share how we recognised the shift early and led a full culture realignment: resetting standards, strengthening communication, and recommitting to people-first...
Steal our Morning Pump Up format
Want a calmer start, clearer goals, and a team that actually owns the day? We break down our ten‑minute morning pump‑up that’s taken us from scattered huddles to a self‑led, high‑performing salon. It’s simple, fast, and designed to be im...
HR truths for Salon Owners with Taryn Evans
Ever wished you had a people and culture director on speed dial for those tough leadership moments? We sit down with our long-time friend Taryn, a seasoned director of people and culture, to talk through fair terminations,...
From 5 Chairs to a Salon City with Carla Tedesco
What does it take to build one of Victoria’s largest salons without losing the soul that drew you to the craft? We sit down with Carla Tedesco, founder of Alarah Hair Studio and TED Haircare, to trace the path from a fi...