Grow My Salon Business Podcast

The world over the salon industry is a collection of small businesses, and in many cases, the owners of those businesses are often overwhelmed with issues around employment law, tax, health and safety updates, changing legislation, and a raft of other challenges as well as all the other fun stuff that comes with being a small business owner.  Luckily, in many countries, we are supported by industry associations that are there to offer information, support and guidance to help salon owners navigate their way through the maze as well offering solutions and a sense of community.   Today's podcast is the third in a series of ‘three’ episodes where we talk to the key representatives of associations in the United Kingdom, the United States and Australia to get an overview of the hairdressing industry in each of their respective countries, the challenges they face and the solutions they have.   My guest on Todays Podcast is Richard Lambert who is the Chief Executive of the National Hairdressing and Beauty Federation

At the beginning of May, Amazon opened their first-ever salon. It certainly made a big noise in all the Clubhouse rooms, social media platforms, and news outlets across the world. Much of the commentary was based on assumptions of what the motives of Amazon were and how it would impact every area of the salon industry from product development, to new distribution channels, data collection as well as the use of augmented reality and virtual reality …and whether it would impact negatively or positively on the hairdressing industry and the salon revenue model. Today's guest on the podcast is Elena Lavagni, owner of Neville Hair and Beauty, an independent salon based in London, and Elena and her hand-picked team provide the hairdressing services in the Amazon Salon. Listen to the podcast and hear from Elena her perspective on how the Amazon Salon can change hairdressing for the positive. In today’s podcast we will discuss: What makes the Amazon salon different How they are using technology in the salon, and... H

I like to say that all my guests have something special that they bring to the podcast.  Most of them are hairdressers, or started out as hairdressers and then maybe have gone off in another direction.  But sometimes there are people in our industry that have made a huge impact and contribution to hairdressing even though they have never stood behind the chair with a column of clients.  My guest today is one such person, his name is Winn Claybaugh and he has made and continues to make an extraordinary contribution to the hairdressing industry. Amongst many other things is a proud father, motivational speaker, podcaster, author or the book ‘Be Nice or Else’ and the Dean and Co-Founder of Paul Mitchell Schools.  In today’s podcast we discuss: What leadership is… Who is responsible for motivation The importance of consciously creating a culture …and we even briefly touch on ‘Gilligan's Island’  In this episode: [0:01:34] An introduction to today’s guest, Winn Claybaugh, and the focus of today’s show. [0:03:50

The world over the salon industry is a collection of small businesses, and in many cases, the owners of those businesses are often overwhelmed with issues around employment law, tax, health and safety updates, changing legislation, and a raft of other challenges as well as all the other fun stuff that comes with being a small business owner.  Luckily, in many countries, we are supported by industry associations that are there to offer information, support and guidance to help salon owners navigate their way through the maze as well as offering solutions and a sense of community.   Today's podcast is the second in a series of ‘three’ episodes where we talk to the key representatives of associations in the United Kingdom, the United States and Australia to get an overview of the hairdressing industry in each of their respective countries, the challenges they face and the solutions they have.   My guest today is Steve Sleeper, who is the Executive Director of the Professional Beauty Association, otherwise known

As I am recording this it’s coming up to the end of May and in case you don’t know May has been Mental Health awareness month.    Earlier this month I hosted a room on Clubhouse that we recorded and the topic was “Hairdressers and mental Health”.    Many people shy away from discussing mental health openly as there are often stigmas attached to doing so but I am fortunate enough to have two wonderful human beings join me on this Clubhouse recording to talk openly and honestly about the importance of establishing good mental health.    They are Nina Kovner from Passion squared in the United States and Neil Moodie a high profile London based editorial stylist and both of them have like many of us grappled with their own mental health issues and are sharing their experiences today to help create better awareness and understanding of issues around mental health.   It’s an important podcast so I hope you take the time to listen and I hope you enjoy it…    In This Episode: [03:55] Welcome to the show, Nina and Nei

The salon industry is predominately a collection of small businesses, and in many cases, the owners of those businesses are often overwhelmed with tax and legal issues, health and safety updates, and a raft of employment problems, as well as all the other fun stuff that comes with being a small business owner.  Luckily, in many countries, we are supported by industry associations that are there to help owners navigate their way through the maze and offer solutions and a sense of community.   This podcast is the first in a series of 'three' episodes where we talk to the key representatives of associations in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Australia to get an overview of the hairdressing industry in each of their respective countries, the challenges they face and the solutions they have.   My guest on today's podcast is Sandy Chong; she is the Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Hairdressing Council.  In this podcast, we discuss the hairdressing industry in the Australian market.  In This Epis

My guest on the show today is Ashley Toliver Williams. She is a salon owner, educator and entrepreneur from Houston Texas and she has a passion and commitment to the industry that is refreshing no matter where you are from.… so listen up, this is another great episode… In today’s podcast we discuss: Changing the reputation of the salon industry Where salon owners should be focusing their time The responsibility to train your team to be better humans as well as better hairdressers and… What is ‘salon culture’ and how do you create it And lots more!   In This Episode: [01:58] Welcome to the show, Ashley! [02:30] Ashley shares her background and her journey through the hair industry. [06:03] What do you do for fun? [08:30] Ashley discusses what she tells salon managers and owners about what they need to be focused on right now and tells a story around this. [14:22] Antony talks about the difference between the salon side of being a salon owner and the business side of the business.  [16:38] Ashley shares why s

Today's podcast is a little different than usual, I thought we could mix it up a bit by not having my normal format of interviewing one guest on the show but instead sharing a recording of a Clubhouse event that I did a couple of weeks back. This episode features James Alba, a New Jersey-based salon owner of the Bhive Salon, Fry Taylor from the UK, a Co-Founder of Green Salon Collective, and Mark Budihas from Green Circle Salons. Listen in as we discuss how hairdressers can help save the planet by making decisions that reduce their environmental impact. by making small changes to how they think about not just the waste that we generate but also by supporting other businesses that have sound green credentials.   In This Episode: [01:31] Welcome to the room! [02:12] How Hairdressers Can Help Save the Planet is the topic of today’s conversation. [05:24] James, what are some simple things that salons can do to take some eco steps? [07:54] Mark discusses some things that salons need to change. [10:24] Fry speaks a

Most people I interview on the podcast fit into a specific category, they are either an editorial or celebrity hairstylist, a colourist, a barber, the founder of some new industry technology, or perhaps they have founded a new business model, or are an educator, a product developer, a salon owner, or represent some other industry niche where they have achieved success. But my guests on today's podcast are Ted Gibson and his husband and partner Jason Backe who have pretty well ticked all those boxes successfully… And Ted also has this other accolade that follows him around of being the most expensive hairdresser…    In today’s podcast we discuss: The Ted Gibson salon business model. The decision to close the Manhattan salon. The Amazon Salon… and Salon design and the client experience. And so much more!   In This Episode: [01:44] Welcome to the show, Ted and Jason! [04:30] Jason shares his background and his journey to where he is now. [05:51] Ted shares his background and his journey to where he is today. [

There are many things to love about this industry, but one thing that I really love is the potential that it has to take you on a journey and enable you to go off in all sorts of different directions, whether it's as an educator, a salon or school owner, an editorial hairdresser or to work in the product sales or corporate side of the industry.  My guest today is Jason Yates, who started out as an apprentice hairdresser in a salon in Stoke-on-Trent, which is a city in the North of England, and he now lives in California and is at 46 years of age the Global President of John Paul Mitchell Systems.  To put it simply, 'that is one heck of a journey!' And I don't know of anyone else who is now president of a global company that turns over in excess of a billion dollars that started out sweeping the floor and shampooing hair.  In today's podcast, we talk about Jason's journey to the top as well as… The importance of saying yes to every opportunity. Having mentors in your life. The future of product distribution i

With the podcast, I consciously strive to have a diverse range of guests, because if I were you, I’d want the full gamut of what the industry at large has to offer. Some guests are inspiring in their creativity, others are inspiring in their business acumen, others are inspiring in the technology that they bring to the industry and others are people who inspire me, and hopefully you, for their contribution they make through this industry to a higher purpose and ultimately to make the world a better place.  I think that today's guest comes under that category because he has selflessly taken on a cause that most of us don’t want to talk about, but it needs to be talked about.  Most people, at some point in their life, will say something like, ‘something needs to be done about it … or ‘someone needs to do something about it’… But today's guest has selflessly put his hand up to be that someone. His name is Tom Chapman, and amongst other things, he is a hairdresser, barber, educator and founder of “The Lions Barbe

I often get emails from listeners asking me questions and suggesting topics or even potential guests for the podcast. I decided on the topic for this week's podcast because of an email I was sent from a salon owner who wrote to me … and I am going to read the essence of what she said… “How does a traditional Salon transition to dealing with an ever-growing trend of team members who have been employees and who now drift to working from home, renting chairs and other forms of autonomy? How do you maintain the branding of your business, any kind of order and good management when your employees want to set their own schedule, choose the hours they work, who they serve, choose the clients that they want, choose the brands they use, and wear what they want, etc.” So that was her question and I know that this is how many salon owners feel, so first understand that you are not alone, it’s a real issue, and COVID has made it even more of an issue as the traditional ways of doing business have been put under even more

It’s always interesting how people find their way into this industry and for some of them, it’s not a case of they found hairdressing as much as hairdressing found them…  Before I push the record button, I often prep my podcast guest by telling them that most of the times the listener is not that interested in their life story, but that what you want to know as a listener is “what can I learn from this that will help me in business” and I believe that to be true.  But sometimes their life story is compelling and how they think and the decisions they have made as they have navigated their career is really interesting and full of life lessons, especially for young hairdressers.  It’s like, there was a moment in their life, where they were at a crossroads… and they could have turned right but they turned left instead… and that puts them on a path that is perfect for them, but perhaps it's a path that they had probably never imagined… And then the rest is history.  Anyway, I think that today's guest is a bit like

Oftentimes on the podcast, I talk about the changes that are happening in the industry and particularly the ever-evolving business models.  In the United States, the Salon Suite or Studio as some prefer to call it has had a massive impact on hairdressing and how hairdressers work and that model is influencing salons in many countries. The biggest operator of salon suites is Sola Salon Suites and their very first suite operator was Kim Bennet and so it’s a real pleasure to have Kim as my guest today and get a really good insight into how having a salon suite works from someone who has been doing it for 17 years.  In today’s podcast we discuss: The salon suite business model Who is and isn’t suited to opening a salon suite/studio of their own What are the advantages and disadvantages  And lots more!   In This Episode: [01:45] Welcome to the show, Kim! [02:25] Kim shares her background. [03:21] Kim speaks about how she got started with Sola Salon Studios. [05:18] Did the salon suite model exist when you first

I am a great believer in using technology to help you succeed in business, unfortunately, though the hairdressing industry is sometimes slow in embracing technology to help them be more successful. From a salon owners point of view, it's important to maximise efficiency in every area of the business and to use technology to help your salon run more efficiently and ultimately be more profitable. My guest on today's Podcast is Tom Bentley-Taylor, who is VP of sales and partnerships at Vish, which is a colour management software app. As a former salon owner, if I had a salon today, I would definitely be using colour management software as not only will it save you money, but it will also make you a better colourist.  In today's podcast, we will discuss: What colour management software does and why salons should use it. How the Vish App works and The pricing of hair colour services And lots more!   In This Episode: [02:49] Welcome to the show, Tom! [03:15] Tom shares his background and his journey into the indu

I talk with many salon owners all over the world and one conversation that is constantly coming up these days is about the changing business models in the industry and that there is a shift towards more self-employed or individual contractors and that is happening in many countries.    There are lots of things driving these changes and I love seeing how some people see it as opportunities to start businesses that break the traditional mould.    My guest today on today's Podcast is one such person. Her name is Lacey Hunter Felton, she is co-founder of London based business ‘Hunter Collective’ and she is one of those entrepreneurs that is reinventing the traditional hairdressing business model.     In today’s podcast we will discuss: What the ‘Hunter Collective’ is the gap it fills in the industry The future of co-working spaces in the salon industry …and  Balancing business with raising a family And lots more!   In This Episode: [02:01] Welcome to the show, Lacey! [02:28] Lacey shares her background and what

No matter where in the world you live, the last 12 months have been a challenging time to be in business, and the bigger your business, the bigger the overhead and the bigger the responsibility that goes with it.    But, it’s also at times like this, when people and business are stretched to the max, that the years of good business management practices, good financial management and leadership will get you through it.     My guest on today's Podcast is Candy Shaw who along with her family has built a great business that stretches from salon to school and product manufacturer.    Candy wears many hats in this industry, and she has inspired and continues to inspire hairdressers everywhere.    Her salon is ‘The Jamison Shaw salon’ in Atlanta Georgia which was started by her father Jamison Shaw and is now a third-generation business that has not just survived the last 60 years but continued to grow and evolve and pivot throughout the years.   In today’s podcast we discuss: Salon productivity levels Running a sal

We all have a story, a story about how we started and where hairdressing has taken us, and what we have learned along the way.  For some people, it's an amazing journey of discovery and exploration, and if they look back at where they started and where they have ended up, they could never have predicted that would have been their journey.  Today, my guest is Jessica Kramm, a young lady who has had an amazing and courageous journey that has taken her to different countries, forced her to learn new languages and embrace new cultures.  I first came across Jessica through social media because of the beautiful work that she did, and when I dug in a little deeper, I could see what a varied and interesting life she has had through her hairdressing career. In this episode, we discuss: The opportunities that a hairdressing career presents. What it's like for a western hairdresser to work in China… and Why it's important to have the courage to explore the opportunities that life presents. And lots more! In This Episo

There are very few job titles in the hairdressing world that carry with them the responsibility of not just keeping a legacy alive, but also having the courage to evolve and reinvent it to maintain its relevance in a fast-changing world.    Perhaps the most significant job that carries that responsibility is being the International creative director of Sassoon, a title that has only ever been held by 4 people: Roger Thompson, Christopher Brooker, Tim Hartley and Mark Hayes.    The Sassoon brand started when Vidal Sassoon opened his first salon in Bond St London in 1954 and here we are 66 years later and the Sassoon brand is still arguably at the top of the tree in many ways and still very much a major force to be reckoned with.   My guest on Today's podcast is a good friend and the current International Creative Director of Sassoon Salons and Schools Mark Hayes   In today’s podcast we discuss: What is creativity and how to direct the creative process How we can all contribute to making hairdressing a more de

We work in a creative industry, and many hairdressers have a real love and appreciation not just for hair and fashion but also for art, design, and architecture.    Good salon design needs to serve multiple purposes. It needs to express a brand's beauty aesthetic, personality, and brand values. But at the same time, it must also be functional, comfortable, considerate of the environmental impact, be legally compliant and appeal to the salon's target market.     The best design doesn't exist in isolation from the people that visit and work within it. But instead, good design creates a space where the people in it feel that they belong.    My guest today on today's Podcast is London based Architect Jonathan Lovett.    Amongst other things, Jonathan is the creative design force behind some of the most beautiful salon and school designs over the last 40 years in the hairdressing space both in the UK, Europe, Asia, and the US.    He is also a former Judge of the NAHA for salon design and is founder and owner of Lo