The Conscious Salon
Welcome to The Conscious Salon.
Join Tessa and Nicola - sisters, best friends and founders of aHead, Melbourne’s First Mindful Salon. In this space, you’ll be empowered, inspired and entertained by the ups and downs of running a conscious, small business.
We chat mindset, culture, business and give you practical steps to make your life more conscious.
Episodes
164 episodes
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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20:33
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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27:32
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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18:05
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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49:15
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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21:22
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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26:35
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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49:12
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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49:32
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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47:14
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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50:35
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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33:24
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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34:14
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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33:36
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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25:22
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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36:42
This will change the way you hire
In this episode of The Conscious Salon, we’re pulling back the curtain on a topic that continues to come up in our community and coaching sessions - hiring. More specifically, we’re diving into the mindset shifts salon owne...
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Season 1
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Episode 149
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28:15
You always have choice
In this episode of The Conscious Salon, we’re diving deep into the idea of personal responsibility and exploring how often we carry things that aren’t actually ours to hold.Off the back of a wholesome weekend sleepover wi...
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Season 1
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Episode 148
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24:15
The REVIVE Retreat
Welcome back to The Conscious Salon Podcast. In this episode, Tess and I (Nicola) are joined by our incredible team member, Tae, as we reflect on one of the most transformative weekends we've had - our latest private client retreat: REVIVE<...
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Season 1
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Episode 147
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40:25
Accounting 101 for Salon Owners feat. Kate Slater
In today’s episode, we sat down with the incredible Kate Slater, a CFO and accountant who’s not only brilliant with numbers, but also so down-to-earth and passionate about empowering business owners — especially in the salon space.We cha...
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Season 1
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Episode 146
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31:04
Feeling guilty with team
In this episode of The Conscious Salon, we go deep into the real emotional landscape that comes with running a salon – specifically, the guilt that creeps in when you're trying to lead, grow and support your team, all while maintaining...
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Season 1
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Episode 145
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26:31
Business is a family affair
This episode is one that’s truly close to our hearts. We sat down with someone who is not only our biggest supporter, but the heartbeat of our family - our beautiful mum.We wanted to have an honest, vulnerable chat about how self-develop...
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Season 1
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Episode 144
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30:23
Our team are struggling
In this candid episode, salon owners and leadership mentors Tess and Nicola open up about the challenges and responsibilities that come with leading a conscious team - especially during emotionally charged times. Over the past few weeks, their ...
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Season 1
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Episode 143
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30:46
Entrepreneurs Escapism
Welcome back to another episode of The Conscious Salon Podcast. In this episode, we dive deep into the topic of escapism in entrepreneurship, exploring how it manifests and tips for overcoming it. From avoiding responsibilities to engaging in h...
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Season 1
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Episode 142
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35:16
The Ah Well Theory
In this episode of the Conscious Salon Podcast, hosts Nicola and Tess introduce the 'Ah Well' theory, a mindset that has transformed their approach to stress and anxiety. Joined by guest Rache Mahon, they discuss how this philosophy, born from ...
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Season 1
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Episode 141
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28:48
We ditched Saturdays
In this episode, Nicola and Tessa discuss the revolutionary changes at their salon, The Conscious Salon, which includes transitioning to a 4-day work week. The hosts share their journey from working Saturdays to eliminating them entirely to pro...
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Season 1
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Episode 140
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36:10