“Shrinkflation” isn’t a new phenomenon, and you’re most likely experiencing it right now in your day-to-day experiences as a consumer. We are in a tight economic spot at the moment and service-based industries have had many challenges in the economic downturn, so I believe this is a relevant conversation to be having right now for stylists.  In this episode, I reveal the good, the bad and the ugly when it comes to shrinkflation and how it all applies to our industry, and I share what will...

The hair extension industry has seen a meteoric rise in popularity, driven by social media and influencer culture. While early adopters reaped the rewards of high demand and low competition, the market has since become saturated with stylists. This has led to concerns about quality and customer satisfaction. So, is the extensions bubble about to burst or not?  If you currently offer hair extensions in your salon, or you’re thinking of adding the service, you may be asking yourself this very...

I absolutely love reading the ratings and reviews we get on Apple Podcasts, and I read them every single week. In fact, a lot of the questions that get asked there I use for my podcast episode ideas, but I can't always get to all of them or some I can't make an entire podcast episode on. In today’s episode, I thought it would be fun to try something different and turn some of those questions into a quick question mashup to get some of these questions answered for you. So, if you like this...

Social media marketing, business growth, economics and consumer behavior are things that I am deeply interested in and obsess over, and this episode touches on all these topics as I talk about building a thriving social media presence. Today, you’ll hear exactly what I did to grow an Instagram account completely outside of our industry by 800 followers - in just 8 months! When the opportunity came to manage my son's highly-competitive travel baseball league social media account, I took that...

Small Business Saturday is fast-approaching, and it’s a fantastic opportunity to make a lasting impact on your community while boosting your business. That’s why for this episode, I want to give you actionable strategies to maximize your participation and build strong relationships with both current and potential customers. In our industry, it is very much about reciprocity as we are in the relationship business. So, for this Small Business Saturday I want you to really think about how you...

When we talk about scalability in business, the big question is can we grow without burning ourselves out or working more hours? The answer is YES, it's absolutely possible, and I know this because we did it this year! In this episode, I’m sharing exactly how I revamped my business in 2024 to achieve more while working less. It wasn’t easy, but it was so worth it. If you’re looking to level up your business without overworking yourself, the 9 tips I share in this episode could be...

Recently, there’s been a surge in viral TikTok videos and Instagram Reels where clients are speaking out against the beauty industry, particularly targeting hair stylists. In this episode, I take a closer look at one TikTok user’s perspective and how (and why) her content is resonating with both clients and stylists alike. Instead of getting defensive, it’s crucial to understand that these opinions reflect the mindset of a significant portion of today’s consumers. By embracing this...

Have you implemented a gratuity free pricing model but found that it's not working as you had hoped? If so, you're not alone because I’ve been receiving messages from stylists recently who are asking how to effectively transition back to accepting gratuities, which is why I wanted to record this episode for you today.   Yes, there is a way for you to carefully work it backwards and get back to being open to accepting gratuities, and today I will show you how!   Do you have a question for me...

If you’ve listened to the podcast for a while now, you know that I’ve released past episodes with my predictions for the upcoming year. Historically, my predictions have been spot on, and in this episode, I’m bringing you my 2025 predictions.  My main goal of sharing these predictions with you is to get the conversation started on what's coming in 2025, and this one is coming to you earlier than usual because I believe that we are stepping into an unprecedented time of the industry. As...

In a time where the cost of living is steadily increasing, salon owners face the challenging decision of whether to absorb rising expenses or pass them on to their booth renters. In this episode, we take a deep dive into a DM I received from a booth renter salon owner, as I break down her current pricing model and analyze whether raising the rent is the right move or if it’s time to consider a new salon strategy all together. I can tell you that money alone won’t solve this challenge, but...

This episode is a bit more of a vulnerable one that I'm a bit nervous, and excited, to bring to you today. I’m revealing how I personally overcame burnout, as well as what I learned from researching the key symptoms of burnout, and the profound changes I have made in my health, family, and professional life.  As you’ll hear, I truly feel like I am still achieving everything that I want to achieve, but for the first time ever, I’m as close to balanced as I possibly could be. If burnout is...

As salon owners, it's crucial to ensure that our businesses are sustainable for ourselves, our stylists, and our overall growth. But when we talk about being "fair," what does that really mean in the context of payroll? In this episode, I tackle the age-old question: “Can a salon afford to pay 45%+ commissions?, while diving deep into the numbers and exploring the significant impact payroll has on the bottom line for salon owners today. By the end of this episode, I aim to give you a new...

As a service-based industry, it is really easy to focus on the feels and the vibes because we are in this pressure cooker of an economy, and we start to make emotional decisions that are not good for business. I sat down to record this episode in urgency, because I want everyone to take a step back and really check the math on a piece of advice that has been going around Instagram about using a loyalty pricing model.  This is a new pricing strategy that could be incredibly detrimental to...

Today’s episode is inspired by a message I received from an incredible Thriving Stylist podcast listener who is asking for guidance on how to build and grow her career as a commission-based stylist, while not having complete control over her career.  As a stylist, I know that you want to grow, and you need to be in an environment where growth is supported. When you’re in this type of environment you’ll be in the driver seat of your career and in control of your future, and when you’re...

Recently an Instagram post came across my feed that I have not been able to stop thinking about since seeing it, so I want to share this clip with you today so you can hear the powerful message around perceived value in our industry.  In this episode, we are going to dig into the fatal flaws of how you are talking about price and cost and give you the new approach to talking price with clients!  The Stand Out & Grow Fast Bootcamp for Hair Stylists- The 7-day training program for...

Times are changing in our industry, as well as consumer behaviors, and the things that used to work just don't anymore. That is why today I want to shed some light on the amenities that don't hold the power that they used to, and give you the categories that used to be considered amenities that are now just par for the course and expectations of your clients. As well, I want to give you my thoughts on what is coming on the horizon, because it’s so important to always anticipate change and...

One of the things that is most challenging for salon owners right now is attracting top tier stylists, and let me tell you, it’s because those stylists are looking for something different than they were just a few short years ago! I want to talk about how you’re operating your salon to not only attract the best stylists, but to also retain the key team members so they don’t want to make a move elsewhere, and it all starts with rethinking stylist goals and benchmarks for raises and...

The question of whether someone can afford to rent a booth or rent a suite right now is one that I hear often, but this episode is not just for commission-based stylists or employee stylists who are considering leaving their current salon. It’s also for people who are renting booths currently, because let me tell you, there is a lot to consider with this type of business model!  In this episode I’m breaking it all down, including the costs you need to consider with booth rent or suite rent,...

The importance of being special and having a specialty is, in my opinion, going to become more and more important. That’s why I want to talk about it today, and look at how you can properly position yourself as a stylist to take advantage of these opportunities in the market.  In this episode, I share what trendy specialties are on the up and up in the industry right now, so that you can ask yourself if you feel called to serve your community with these, or another trend that you see...

I’m so excited today to be talking about the #ThrivingStylist60 experience for hairstylists! This experience is totally free, you do not have to sign up for anything and this is more of a giant social experiment, happening industry wide. In this experiment, we’ll be uncovering our core inspiration to thrive in this industry, and in this episode, you’ll hear the 6 specific ways in which we’re doing it!  If you’re looking to elevate yourself, change your mindset, get more confident with video...

Today I want to talk about a good friend of mine, Mel Abraham, a CPA and financial advisor to many, as I go through the key lessons that I got from reading Mel’s new book, Building Your Money Machine: How to Get Your Money to Work Harder for You Than You Did for It!  If you are looking to have your money work for you or get a little sharper on investments, or maybe you just need clarity on what you need to retire, Mel is the person to learn from! There's just so many different ways to invest...

Currently, a lot of states are looking at changing the law for cosmetology and it’s creating fears in the industry. Today, I want to talk about deregulation because it’s been something that people have been asking me about for a while now, and there’s a lot to unpack with this topic. Yes, there have been a lot of changes and research done in the industry in the past 5 years, so in this episode, I share it with you in order to give all of us a better understanding of why things are...

Today I am doing a mid-year check-in, and I want to talk about the reality of what is really happening in our industry. Our industry is in the middle of a revolution, and if you have been listening to the podcast, you have heard me talk about the “Great Divide”. Guess what?  We are in it right now, so we need to be much more mindful about how we move, operate,  market, and handle our clientele. What I share in this episode is going to help you do just that!  Salon Owners, I am so excited to...

You’ve likely noticed that the impact of social media apps like Instagram has really changed, and stylists from coast-to-coast are telling me it’s becoming more difficult to attract and retain clients than it was in years past. In this episode, I want to look at a classic marketing concept that came up recently at an excellent mastermind event that I attended that I felt would resonate with you all. I hope what I share here today helps you attract more clients FAST in today’s economy, and...