Grow My Salon Business Podcast

I think we’d all agree that the world we live in is an exciting and sometimes challenging place to be!  But even before COVID decided to unleash all manner of challenges for everyone on the planet, the last 10 years had seen massive changes in the hair and beauty industry from the huge inroads that social media has made to how we market ourselves and our businesses, to the ever-changing business models, and to the reinvention of the barbershop.  My guest today is John Mosley, also known as ‘Popular Nobody’. John is a very talented barber, an educator and an entrepreneur with a big heart and a smile to match and at 6 foot 6 and 300lbs he cuts an imposing presence!   In today’s podcast we will discuss: The importance of building a brand The attributes you need to succeed The lessons he’s learnt along the way The skills you need as an educator And lots more!   In This Episode: [01:46] Welcome to the show, John! [02:14] John shares his background and what he's doing now. [04:59] His whole family is in the beaut

Hello and welcome to this episode of the Grow My Salon Business Podcast I’m your host Antony Whitaker and today I want to talk about the road that lies ahead of us.    Now, I know that varies depending on where in the world you live and it’s a constantly changing scenario so I’ll leave it to you to decide what’s relevant and what maybe needs to be adapted to your particular circumstances…   I love these words, Recovery, Reignite, Reboot, Reinvent, Reimagine because I think that this is where we are at…   The lock down experience has varied enormously from country to country and the support from governments has also varied enormously as they struggle to get things under control.   Inevitably, COVID and the subsequent lockdowns have destroyed many businesses and livelihoods in the process as salons everywhere struggle to survive financially.    I have consciously tried to feature success stories on the podcast not to be disrespectful of those that are really hurting but to give us something positive to focus on

I am an optimist, I believe it’s the only way to be. But, I also believe that it is really important to always be learning, and that means learning from what worked and also learning from what maybe didn’t turn out exactly the way you planned. Many people are terrified to deviate from 'their lane' and as a result, miss all sorts of potential opportunities in business. Whereas other people see or create numerous opportunities and are flexible in their approach throughout their career. Some people will try something and if it doesn't work out exactly the way they first envisaged they see it as a failure and give up. Other people learn from everything, they pivot and constantly adapt to changing scenarios. My guest on today's podcast is a very good friend of mine and someone who has definitely influenced my career. He is a hairdresser, serial entrepreneur and London based salon owner Andrew Jose. Andrew has always been someone who explores every opportunity that comes his way, and like all of us sometimes those

Success Doesn’t Happen Overnight If You Want To Follow Your Entrepreneurial Dream Then You Need To Be Able To Adapt, Be Flexible And Passionate About Your Goal! The life of an Entrepreneur is a journey and it’s full of ups and downs and being flexible and able to adapt and pivot is an essential skill as you navigate your way through the world of business startups.  My guests on today's Podcast are husband and wife team Jen and Matt Martinelli and this is a revisit as they were on Episode 9 in June 2019 but I wanted to get back in touch and look at where their business journey has taken them. In today’s podcast we discuss: How their business which is primarily a recruitment website has evolved. The lessons they have learnt along the way. How technology plays a more important role than ever in recruitment. And lots more!   In This Episode: [01:54] Welcome back to the show, Jen and Matt! [03:15] Matt shares the changes and updates their app Canvas Recruit, which is now Canvas Me has had. [05:46] Jen discusses

We are not sponsored as a podcast, so everyone I interview I do so because of what I feel they can add to the knowledge pool for the benefit of hairdressers, salon owners, and the salon industry at large.  One of my favourite things is success stories. I love talking to someone who has an idea and then moved heaven and earth to make it happen despite all the naysayers and challenges that are inevitably going to happen.  In 2019 I interviewed a Canadian hairdresser by the name of Alicia Soulier about what was then her new start-up technology company SalonScale.com.  Salon scale is a blue tooth hair colour app that, amongst other things, ensures that you know the exact cost of a product in every colour service leaving the salon - Which means that you can therefore price your colour services accordingly.  A year and a bit later, I wanted to catch up again with Alicia to see how this gutsy former salon owner turned tech entrepreneur was growing her business.  Amongst other things, we discuss The problems that Sa

There are lots of things to love about hairdressers and the hairdressing industry, but let’s be honest, sometimes we have more than our fair share of emotion, gossip, drama and even misinformation. In times of great change, and that means 2020 for sure, we need to be plugged into people who have an informed, objective and well-balanced perspective and that's why I am excited to talk to my guest today - my friend, fellow podcaster and CEO of hairbrained Gordon Miller.  Gordon is one of those people that although he has been in the industry in numerous roles for the last 40 years to some degree he isn’t emotionally invested in that he doesn’t have a salon, school or product so he manages to remain objective and have an overview which can be both calming, reassuring, insightful and refreshing.  Although he is based in the United States, I think that most of what Gordon and I talk about on the podcast is totally relevant no matter where you live in the world.  In today’s podcast we discuss: The impact of COVID o

There is a quote I believe is originally from Woody Allen, who said: “If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans”.  Well, if that's the case then whoever your god is then ‘he, she or they’ must have been bent over double with laughter during 2020. So here we are at the end of another year… and what a year it was! This is the final podcast for the year and first thing I want to say is a huge ‘Thank you!’  Amongst other things in this podcast I talk about:  The importance of reflecting on the year that's passed, the lessons we have learnt and the things we are thankful for. The value of planning  Preparing for the roaring ’20s To wrap up this year, thank you for being part of the Grow My Salon Business Podcast community.  We hope that despite everything the world has thrown at us in 2020 that you have come through it wiser and stronger for it.  We know it’s been a hard year, and we have tried to serve you by finding a balance between acknowledging the hardship that this year has presented and being

There are two very different aspects of the hairdressing industry. First, there’s the business element of running a salon and all that goes with it and secondly there is the creative and emotional side of hairdressing and that is what draws most of us to hairdressing in the first place.  I believe that there are only a few hairdressers that are truly creative and that genuinely push at the boundaries of what creates fashion and defines beauty, and they indirectly influence all of us. I feel really privileged to be able to delve into what makes them tick on the podcast.     My guest today is Nick Irwin, who is quite simply one of the best editorial hairstylists in the business and is always pushing at the boundaries of beauty and fashion.   In today’s podcast we will discuss: The transition from being a ‘hairdressers hairdresser’ to becoming a successful editorial hairdresser. What it takes to get into the world of editorial hair. What drives the creative process? The future fashion trends and… The life lesso

As a hairdresser, I specialised in cutting and I never actually coloured hair. I always knew good colour work when I saw it, but for a long time I never really understood the many subtle distinctions that made a particular colour suitable. I could recommend the idea of colour to a client but then I would pass them over to a colour specialist. These days I often hear hairdressers talking about sharing their formulations as if that is where the magic is, but it isn’t! The real magic when it comes to colour is in understanding why you do what you do.  My guest on today's Podcast is Lia Mei, a hair colourist and educator and years ago when I heard her breaking down the process of what makes colour choices work, it was for me a defining moment in my understanding of hair colour and suitability.   So, in today’s podcast we will discuss: The Munsell Color System  Colour consultations Sustainability And lots more!   In This Episode: 02:12] Welcome to the show, Lia! [02:52] Lia shares her backstory and what she is d

One of the many things I love about Instagram is the ability it gives us to connect and showcase our work and to be inspired by what other salon owners are doing all over the world.   But, let's face it... there's a lot of 'backs of heads' and 'beachy waves with balayage' out there…   But then occasionally, you come across interesting hair, beautiful haircuts, and a modern approach to all things business, from sustainability to inclusivity, diversity, and everything in between, and it's so refreshing!        My guest on today's Podcast is Raven Camacho, hair stylist, and owner of Raven Row Salon in Austin, Texas.   In today's podcast, we discuss: Salon marketing Building a team culture Sustainability And just generally, what makes Raven tick…   In This Episode: [01:44] Welcome to the show, Raven! [02:40] Raven shares her background and journey into salon ownership. [04:34] Listen as Raven discusses how COVID has affected her business. [06:44] Raven shares how she found and bought the salon she owns now. [08

I love stories about people who come up with seemingly crazy ideas and despite all the odds being stacked against them, eventually, they still manage to come out the other end of it as a success.  And then people say that they “were lucky” or “right place right time”, but it’s not about ‘luck or right place right time’. It’s about courage, grit, determination and self-belief… and maybe with a sprinkling of being a little bit crazy in the nicest possible way! People like this always have great stories about how they got there, whether it’s about what they had to sacrifice in life to make it happen, or how they put everything on the line and could have lost it all more than once.  These are the stories of real entrepreneurs, they don’t listen when people say “you should give up” or  “it will never work", or “it’s not possible” or “you’re being unrealistic”… they just blindly carry on and do whatever it takes until they succeed.   My guest on today's Podcast is one of those people her name is Jose Bryce Smith an

Often I feature world-renowned hairdressers on the podcast, and at other times, I like to feature lesser-known people from the industry that have great success stories that are not only relatable but every bit as inspiring.   Some guests on the podcast have lavish salons and high-profile clients in high-profile locations that charge big money for their services. But the problem is that often I find that that actually isolates some listeners, and they say or think to themselves, "I can't do that in my small town - that's just not possible!"    Or they will have all sorts of excuses to justify their shortcoming ranging from 'Amazon has destroyed retail for salons' to blaming the current 'economic situation' that the world is in. And while I am not discounting any of that, I also meet salons that, despite everything, are doing well!   And so as part of the 'comeback series' of podcasts, my guests today's are Sonya Gettinger and Ally Deering, who are two of the partners in 'Hollywood Hair' which is a group of 3 s

I get the privilege every week to talk with salon owners all over the world, and some of them are doing it really tough, and believe it or not, others are doing better than ever!  Now I know there are many reasons as to why some salons are doing well, and others have been decimated, and it’s not always in your control, and so I don’t want to belittle the very real struggles that some salons are facing because of COVID and lockdowns, etc.  But over the next few weeks, I want to focus on what I am calling ‘Comeback stories’ because we all need some good news to focus on and always to be looking for how we can tweak our approach as salon owners.  So on that note, my guest today on the Podcast is Tony Walmsley. Tony is the owner of the Anthony John salon in England, and even though England has gone back into lockdown at least until the 2nd of December, Tony’s business has consistently been growing over the last 12 months. So if you are like me, you will want to know what are the things he’s doing that might help

Today I'm going to talk about a question I am often asked, should you buy an existing business or build a business from the beginning? There is no one size fits all answer, so let's talk about the pros and cons of both options.  I have done both. There are good and bad with both options, and they vary dramatically depending on the business you are buying and the situation you are in as a potential buyer. Some red flags to look for are: most businesses are built around the person who owns it; when they leave, the business's value often leaves with them. The second challenge is that you need to be cautious about what the person selling the business will do. Probably the most important challenges are you are inheriting the culture of that business, and the existing team might not be willing to make the changes you want to make. When ownership changes, it's an unsettling time for both the staff and the clients, and you might end up with no staff or clients. Now let's look at the advantages of buying an existing b

My guest today is Paul Dare, hair stylist, salon owner, an amazing educator and inventor of the ‘Chisel’ …more about that in a minute…     Paul is a friend of mine that I have known for a long time and not only is he a great haircutter, but he has an immense amount of experience in the industry so it’s great to have this opportunity to share his wisdom and insights and down to earth approach.    In today’s podcast we will discuss: The key to staying motivated during a long career Why it’s important to continually reinvent yourself What it takes to build a strong salon culture… Closing his salon every alternate Saturday… And The Chisel …   And lots more!     In This Episode: [02:14] Welcome to the show, Paul! [02:58] Paul shares his backstory and his journey to where he is today. [05:49] Paul speaks about cutting hair with a wood chisel. [09:27] Listen, as Paul discusses why he still enjoys being behind a chair after over 30 years in the business. [12:16] Paul talks about the importance of a good consultatio

Today I am talking about sustainability, carbon footprints, being green, recycling, looking after the planet, etc… And sometimes I think that because that’s the very unsexy side of hairdressing that people might tune out …But I Really, Really want you to listen to this because as the posters say “There is no planet B’ and we are all in this together.” And the more educated, informed and aware we are the better for our collective wellbeing and the wellbeing of humanity.   My guest on today's Podcast is Fry Taylor Co-founder of greensaloncollective.com    Green Salon Collective was founded by environmental experts, hairdressers & eco campaigners, GREEN SALON COLLECTIVE is the original authority on salon sustainability throughout the UK and Ireland.   Their vision is to facilitate salon sustainability by recycling the unrecyclable. The profits raised from the sale of all commodities get redistributed and recycled too by supporting charities & local communities, as well as aiding all salons on their own j

One thing about podcasts that I really love is that you get to ask people questions that in a social situation would maybe be a little too intense, whereas on a podcast they recognise that that's the intention. My guest today is Michaeline DeJoria, not only is Michaeline the daughter of John Paul DeJoria, the co-founder of John Paul Mitchell Systems but amongst other things, she is also Vice Chairman of the company. I loved having this opportunity to talk with Michaeline and to ask her questions about her life growing up with JP as your dad, the different roles she has had in the company, the values that the company is built on, the importance of the company culture, how she raises her 3 children, the impact of COVID on the business and the responsibilities that come with her position. We jumped all over the place and she is every bit as charming, and open and down to earth and intelligent as you might imagine her to be. In This Episode: [01:41] Welcome to the show, Michaeline! [02:37] Michaeline shares her b

You may not realise it, but I always record this introduction after I have recorded the interview and then edit them together.    I have just finished today's interview with an old friend and NYC salon and school owner Nick Arrojo, and I don’t mind saying it’s had a profound impact on me.    I’ve known Nick since the early 80s when we both worked at Sassoon in the UK and since then he has been one of those success stories building an incredible business in New York, one of the toughest cities in the world. I love success stories and at times like these; I think we need them more than ever.    But, successful people are not successful because they don’t have challenges to overcome, they are successful because they have challenges but they overcome them.    Nick is a salon owner like most of the audience listening to this and like everyone he is also having challenges due to the impact of COVID and the honesty and humility of this interview rams home more than ever what this is really doing to two people's live

I always strive to bring a range of guests to the show that can help you grow as a professional, and we need that now more than ever!   When I opened my first salon, like many salon owners I was full of enthusiasm, a strong work ethic and a dream to make a difference.    I believe that most salon owners start off like that.    Perhaps when they start most of them don’t have much in the way of business savvy but they understand that the key to growth is to develop and keep their team and so they make decisions and changes to their business with a view to everyone benefitting.    But many a salon owner have found that their team doesn’t always see the changes and direction that the business is going in as a fit for them - and so they leave.    Now don’t get me wrong, a certain amount of staff turnover is healthy for a business, and there will come a time where it’s inevitable that people will leave if the business is moving in a direction they don’t like, and so if a stylist leaves it's often best for everyone.

There are many ways to look at the salon industry and judge its viability or effectiveness, but sometimes a couple of simple numbers tell you a lot about it.   For a business to grow, you need two things to happen, first; you need to attract new clients, and second, you need to keep them. The more you keep, the more you will grow.    In last weeks podcast episode 56 with John Harms from Millennium software we discussed the statistics he’s gathered that say that if you get ten new clients today, only 40% of those will come back for a 2nd visit, and only 25% of those will come back for a 3rd visit.    And that after 6 visits only 1 of the original 10 remain. Is it just me, or is that ridiculous!   Salons should spend as much time, energy, and money trying to convert and retain a higher percentage of their new clients than always trying to attract new ones.    That’s leads us to the obvious question which is, why do clients leave?   On this episode, we learn:    Why marketing to just new clients doesn’t grow yo