Grow My Salon Business Podcast

245 Salon Owners: The Key Number You Need to Know

21 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What’s your number?There is one number that we don’t talk about enough in this industry and that is probably because although it sounds simple to ...

244 What it Takes to Build a Successful Salon Business with Eric Fisher.

14 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Building a successful business isn’t easy, and sometimes at the beginning of our journey, we look at established businesses and wonder how we could ...

243 Creativity, Team and Leadership with Anthony Mascolo

07 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

I don’t believe that there has ever been a family in the world of hairdressing that has made the impact that the Mascolo family has. Whether it was...

242 Is a Salon Partnership a Good Idea?

30 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Recently I was asked by a young hairdresser whether or not I thought he should go into partnership with a friend and open a salon together.  Partner...

241 How to Thrive Through All Phases of the Salon Owners Entrepreneurial Journey with Sean Hanna

23 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The entrepreneurial journey is an ever-evolving process and every stage brings with it unique challenges and opportunities.  The creative aspects of...

240 What are the 3 Biggest Challenges that Many Salon Owners Face? with Antony Whitaker

16 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

As a salon owner you will have many responsibilities, but they can all be summarised by saying that; “You are the person that is ultimately responsi...

239 A Global Salon Perspective with Richard Ashforth

09 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Success as a hairdresser comes in many forms. For some it's purely creative, for others it’s all about building a clientele, succeeding as an educat...

238 Building a Sellable Salon Business with Zach Dogar

02 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Why is it that 80% of businesses that go to market never get an offer, meaning those business owners have to close the doors on all their hard work an...

237 How Technology Can Transform Your Salon Business with Jo Burgess

26 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

One of the biggest changes to take place in the hair and beauty industry during the course of my career has been the uptake of tech, especially in rel...

236 Does Your Salon Need a Rebrand? With Antony Whitaker

19 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Most businesses don’t last more than a few years, so if you reach your 10th birthday, congratulations because you’re already one of the lucky ones...

235 Finding and Keeping Your Best-Fit Clients with Kati Whitledge

12 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

As a salon owner, one of the biggest challenges affecting a salon's growth is that first-time clients are simply not returning, with numerous studies ...

234 The 7 Roles of Salon Management with Antony Whitaker

05 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

“He or she who makes no mistakes usually doesn’t make anything.”  Business, just like life, is never going to go entirely to plan. So, be prep...

233 Salon Industry Evolution with Mario Verrilli

27 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

My guest on today’s episode is Mario Verrilli, owner of the Onaré Salon in Mississauga, Ontario, and author of a book titled, ‘The Fall of the Ha...

232 Building a Thriving Salon: Insights from Martha Lynn Kale

20 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Owning a salon business will always come with a multitude of challenges, and when you’re in the midst of a struggle, it’s easy to focus on the neg...

231 If your “Why” is Big Enough you’ll Find a Way with CJ Morello

13 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

“Find your why because it will get you through anything.”The majority of our listeners are salon owners, and many of you are also parents, both of...

230 Surviving a Staff Walkout with Antony Whitaker

06 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

“There is always a lesson if you look for it!” Today’s episode was inspired by an email from a salon owner who is currently in the middle of de...

229 Annie Humphreys: The Mother of Modern Hair Colour.

30 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, my guest is Annie Humphreys, a true icon in the world of hairdressing and an important part of the success of the Vidal Sassoon salon...

228 Celebrating Angus Mitchell: Life, Love, and Legacy in the Hair Industry

23 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

2024 started off on a very sad note for the hairdressing world with the passing of Angus Mitchell. Angus was the son of the late Paul Mitchell, who w...

227 Profit: Understanding it and Making More of it in the Salon Industry.

16 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In today’s episode, we’re going to focus on one of the most misunderstood concepts among salon industry professionals: the ‘P’ word (i.e. PROF...

226 Make 2024 the Year of Results, Not Resolutions!

09 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What would your “best year ever” look like? As a salon owner, perhaps it would involve attracting more new clients, an increase in revenue, incre...

225 The “Heart to Hand” Philosophy of Salon Education and Client Management with Gianni Scumaci

03 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

“Information given without emotion is very rarely remembered.” So much has changed in the two years since Gianni Scumaci was last on the podcast,...

224 Trends Currently Shaping the Salon Industry with Gordon Miller

26 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

For our last episode of 2023, we’re joined by a guest who always brings a unique, highly informed perspective on the hair and beauty industry. There...

223 Wrapping up 2023 with the Gift of Kindness with Antony Whitaker

19 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The end of the year is a time for reflection, gratitude, appreciation, and most of all, kindness. The single most important gift you can give yourself...

222 The Changing World of Online Hairdressing Education with Johnny Othona

12 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The last few years have seen a change in how hairdressers and salon owners access and present education. Online learning platforms have become a well...

221 House of Sassoon: Reinventing a Heritage Brand with Debbie Webster

05 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Sassoon brand will be celebrating its 70th birthday next year, and it is as relevant as ever before.  Like many businesses, the last couple of y...

220 Rules to Live By: “Go Quick, Fail Often, and Learn Fast” with Antony Whitaker

28 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Talking, thinking, and weighing up the pros and cons are all important, but ultimately success comes from taking action, from implementing! Of course...

219 Timeless Principles for Success in the Salon Industry with Geno Stampora

21 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

“If you lead an inspired life, it’s a lot easier not to get burnt out.” The world we live in is overflowing with information, but what we reall...

218 Dealing with Addiction in the Salon Industry with Clive Allwright

14 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Alcohol and drug addiction are a fact of life for people from all walks of life. However, in the creative industries, it is perhaps a more prevalent s...

217 Make Impeccable Service A Priority with Antony Whitaker

07 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The role of a hairdresser isn’t just to do great hair; it’s also to serve our clients in a way that makes them feel seen, heard, and valued. And t...

216 How to Pull Off a Successful Salon Relocation with Daniel Di Iorio

31 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Daniel Di Iorio had been in business for 11 years when he decided to relocate his salon, Diior10. In two prior episodes (episode 179 and episode 194),...

215 The Joys and Challenges of Being a Salon Owner and Stylist with Ashley Renee

24 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

 One of the things I enjoy most about hosting this podcast is connecting with salon owners who are still active behind the chair, dealing with the mu...

214 How to Increase Productivity and Retain A Loyal Client Base in Your Salon with Antony Whitaker

17 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

 You may have heard the expression, “Where the rubber meets the road.”   I think that it’s used as a metaphor to say, “This is the moment ...

213 Life Lessons from a Career in Hairdressing with Alex Ioannou

10 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Being a business owner is a great education because it forces you to learn a range of new skills, from people management to financial management and m...

212 Hairdressing and Surviving Breast Cancer with Nicky Elkington

03 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

 Most of us, myself included, will have someone in our lives who has been directly impacted by breast cancer.   Because October is Breast Cancer A...

211 Boosting Salon Productivity: The Power of Focussing on Input

26 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In a salon, your productivity is measured by your ‘output’, things like your total sales, total number of new clients, and total pre-booking perce...

210 Hairdressing Live and the Future of Online Education with Paul Davey

19 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

 Online education has grown exponentially over the last few years, and online education in the hairdressing space is no exception.   This is one e...

209 The Key to Longevity in the Hair and Beauty Industry with Sam Brocato

12 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Hairdressing is often seen as a young person’s industry; my guess would be that the average person working in the industry is probably in their late...

208 Getting Clarity and Control of the Numbers in Your Salon with Antony Whitaker

05 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Across the world, financial management is typically the single biggest area that salon owners struggle with. When asked financial questions about the...

207 Exploring the Future of Hairdressing Education with Travis Parker

29 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

I’ve often talked about the endless opportunities available within the hairdressing industry for those who are ambitious and prepared to do the work...

206 Salon Business Accounting with April McDaniel from Kopsa Otte

22 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

 The fact that you are reading this means that you are probably working in the hairdressing industry, and in all likelihood, you are also a business ...

205 How to Achieve Your Financial Goals as a Salon Owner

15 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

“I have been in business now for ten years, and as a salon owner, I seem to work harder now than I ever have, but by the time I pay my team and the ...

204 Holding onto the Human Touch in an AI-Driven World with Vivienne Mackinder

08 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

“The emotional response is what makes hairdressing so joyful.”   Artificial intelligence is changing the world we live in right in front of our...

203 Creating and Maintaining a Luxury Salon Brand with Michael Van Clarke

01 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

 At one end of the salon spectrum, you have budget or value salons. At the other end, you have premium or luxury brands. They all serve a purpose, an...

202 Paying for Performance: How Should I Pay My Front Desk Staff? with Antony Whitaker

25 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

 As every salon owner knows, the employee costs in any salon are always the single biggest overhead. Over the past few years, the cost of living has ...

201 Growing Your Salon Business Through Instagram with Vivienne Johns

18 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Despite the changes in the social media landscape, using Instagram effectively is still one of the most important tools to help you grow your salon bu...

200 Exploring the Life and Times of a True Hairdressing Legend with Trevor Sorbie

11 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The words' icon' and 'legend' are totally overused in the hairdressing industry, and the problem that it creates is that when you really do meet someo...

199 AI and Creativity in Hairdressing with Richard Kavanagh

04 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been with us for a while, but this year it has exploded into the general consciousness. Regardless of country or indu...

198 Mans Best Friend and the Importance of Finding Balance

27 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

I’ve always endeavoured to feature a wide range of guests from different countries, but more importantly I also try to cover a range of topics that ...

197 The Key to Six-Figure Salon Success with Brandon Darragh

20 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

 Today is the third in a series of episodes where I am talking to hairstylists who are extraordinarily productive in the salon. The average American ...

196 The A.I. Revolution in the Salon Industry with Gordon Miller

13 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This year will be remembered for many things, including as being the time when Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) exploded into the mainstream of society....

195 What’s It Like Being a Salon Franchisee? with Michael Tough from Headmasters

06 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

If you’re ambitious and hardworking, the salon industry is full of incredible career opportunities. For some people, opening an independent salon is...

194 Expect the Unexpected When Opening A Salon with Daniel Di Iorio

30 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

As Daniel Di Iorio has learned through the process of opening a new salon, life doesn’t always play out exactly the way we expect it to!  In my la...

193 The Five Stages of Growing a Salon Business.

23 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Which of the five business stages are you and your salon business currently in? What is the vision that you have for your business? And what is curren...

192 Embracing Flexibility in A Team-Based Salon with Virginia Meyer

16 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

There is no doubt that the salon industry (and the world as a whole) has changed since the COVID-19 pandemic. Today’s guest, Virginia Meyer, has dem...

191 How to Combine Rental and Employee-Based Salon Business Models with Jen Le Blanc

09 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

 Jen LeBlanc is the Operations Manager and Director of Marketing at Salon Rootz (a commission-based salon) and Endz Salon Studios (a salon suite spac...

190 Salon Team-building and Recruitment in 2023 with Stefanie Fox

02 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A universal challenge experienced by salon owners is recruiting and retaining talented team members. And because hiring great people is the most effec...

189 The Reinvention of a Brand: Vidal Sassoon Enters a New Era

25 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

 As many of you may know, my hairdressing background started with a 10-year stint at the Vidal Sassoon salons and schools in London before I went off...

188 Know Your Numbers in the Salon Industry.

18 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

As a hairdresser, you will be familiar with the numbers on a tube of colour or a bottle of peroxide, but if you don’t understand key performance ind...

187 Embracing Change and Continuous Hair Education with Long Hair Expert Sharon Blain

11 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Any career path has a beginning, a middle and an end. For some people, that entire journey is a brief couple of years, and for almost everyone, there ...

186 Is the Future of Salon Operations Going Front Desk Free? with Jen Le Blanc.

04 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

I am often asked how salons should go about removing the front desk and what the potential challenges are that might come with it.Without a doubt, the...

185 Buying an Existing Salon? How to Ensure a Smooth Transition.

27 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

When you buy an existing salon business, there will inevitably be things you want to (and possibly need to) change. Sometimes everything goes well, a...

184 Meet Kerry Warn: A True Hairdressing Master.

21 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

When Nicole Kidman describes you as the best hairdresser in the world, it is safe to say you’ve mastered your craft!Kerry Warn is the man behind the...

183 What Does It Take To Do Over Half A Million Dollars A Year Behind the Chair? With Denise Deering

14 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It turns out that producing over half a million dollars behind the chair annually is not about being a celebrity stylist, a fashion week backstage sup...

182 The Business of Change: Essential Skills for Salon Success

06 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Change is a theme that has been coming through strongly in the interviews that I have been having on the show.  Even though we are in the ‘busines...

181 Creating Gender-Affirming Salon Spaces with Kristin Rankin

28 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

My guest on today’s Podcast is Toronto-based hairdresser Kristin Rankin, a salon owner at Fox & Jane and the founder of the Dresscode Project. ...

180 What Cultural Progression in the Salon Industry Looks Like with Tom White

21 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

These days we hear a lot about the changing culture in salons and the changing needs and expectations of today's workforce. In order to stay relevant ...

179: Exploring and Embracing New Business Opportunities with Daniel Di Iorio

14 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Being in business is a journey, and like all journeys, no matter how prepared you think you are, there will always be unanticipated surprises along th...

178 What is the Ultimate Purpose of Marketing? With Antony Whitaker

07 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

If you stopped ten hairdressers in the street and asked them what marketing is, you would probably get ten different answers. I’m going to guess an...

177 The Changing Role of Trade Media in the Beauty Industry with Jayne Lewis-Orr

31 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Many media representatives have multipurpose roles as both publishers of magazines and facilitators of awards and various industry events. This gives ...

176 Creating a Modern Salon Culture with Pedro Inchenko from Ena Salon

24 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

I think it’s fair to say that in today’s workplace, there is a lot of talk about what exactly modern salon culture is. As a salon owner, how do yo...

175 The Changing Role of Trade Media in the Beauty Industry with Linda Woodhead

17 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Many media representatives have multipurpose roles as publishers of magazines as well as facilitators of awards and various industry events. Therefore...

174 Growing a business shouldn't be a mystery with Antony Whitaker

10 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Most salon owners want more!They want more team members.They want more productivity from the team. They want more consistency in standards.They want ...

173 The changing role of trade media in the beauty industry with Stacey Soble

27 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

There are many people with a vested interest in the hairdressing industry, the obvious ones being the clients, and the stylists and colourists that ar...

172 Hair has no race with self-titled ‘Hair Historian and Activist' Mahogany Plautz

20 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

I get an enormous amount of enjoyment from all of my guests on the podcast… And, I also learn a lot from them too…The best way to learn is to ask ...

171 Using Your Skill with Scissors and Comb to Give Back in Another Way with Stewart Roberts

13 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A hairdressing career can take you to many places and enable you to meet many people from all walks of life. Many of us are drawn into the industry b...

170 What is the Future of Salon Retail? Salon Interactive and the Changing Salon Retail Model.

06 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As I often say, “this industry is all about change.”In reality, every industry is about change, and the salon business is certainly not immune to ...

169 The Key to Creating a Productive and Profitable Salon Culture

29 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Over the last few days, I’ve released three short videos (each less than 20 minutes) about creating a productive and profitable salon culture, and I...

168 “Set High Standards, Firm Boundaries, and Come from the Heart” with Andrew Finklestein

22 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We often hear about how much the hairdressing industry is changing as if it’s the only one. But the truth is that every industry is changing! For e...

167 Talent, Humility, and Constant Reinvention Is the Key to Success with Sam McKnight

15 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Sometimes I find myself searching for words to aptly describe the achievements and status of someone who is way ahead of the pack.  My guest on today...

166 Passion, Purpose, Promise, and People: Finding Your Way In the World with Nina Kovner

08 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

My guest today, Nina Kovner, is someone who I have been wanting to speak with for the last couple of years. I think Nina has a valuable message to sha...

165 Who Is on Your External Team?

01 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

If you want to build a business, you can’t do it alone. You and your business don’t exist in isolation, and despite how talented, adaptable and h...

164 Shifting Perspectives in the Hairdressing Industry with Gordon Miller

25 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

“Show me the data; a person without data is just another person with an opinion.” - W. Edwards DemingIn some areas of the hair and beauty sector, ...

163 Business Lessons from A Small-Town Salon Success Story with Jennifer Akers

18 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week on the podcast, I am talking with Jennifer Akers from Hollywood Hair, a salon group that is located in three small towns across the United S...

162 Why consolidation can be more profitable for the business and better for the team with Simon Matthews

11 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

There are many salon owners who decide to make the journey from one salon to two or more salons, only to then go back to one. Obviously, there are ma...

161 Effective marketing is like a 3 legged stool

04 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

I often get questions like, “I get a lot of new clients, but we never seem to grow. Where are we going wrong?” So today, I want to talk a little ...

160 What It Takes To Build A High-End Hair Extension Business with Emilly Hadrill

27 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As many of you know, I've been in the salon industry a long time, and I’d like to think that I know a lot about hair and hairdressing. But one of th...

159 Evolving the Salon Business Model with Clinton Norris and Lucas Doney

20 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

I'm currently doing a monthly series of Facebook live interviews on behalf of John Paul Mitchell Systems. And both the guest and the content have been...

158 What does it take to be a successful celebrity hairstylist with Wendy Iles

13 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A career in hairdressing can take you on a journey in all sorts of directions that you couldn’t possibly have imagined!My guest on today's podcast i...

157 What Does It Really Look Like to Be Part of a Team Culture? with Antony Whitaker

06 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

“It’s easier to prevent a problem from happening in the first place than to try and solve it once it’s happening.”Team culture is established ...

156 This Could Be the Business Model for You with Blake Reed Evans

30 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As a former salon owner and business coach, I am very aware of the ever-evolving business models in the industry and the challenges that these create ...

155 The Importance of Embracing Change In An Ever-Evolving Industry with Mia De Vries

23 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

There are a lot of people that will talk about how tough the past couple of years have been, and rightly so in many cases. But if there’s one thing...

154 Pushing the Boundaries of What It Means To Be a Successful Hairstylist with John Vial

16 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

My guest on today's podcast is London-based hairdresser, salon owner, editorial stylist, product developer, and general hairdressing visionary John Vi...

153 Why Job Titles Matter with Antony Whitaker

09 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Think carefully about the titles that you use to refer to people because everything has a meaning attached to it. Some titles are empowering, while ot...

152 Paying the ‘Profit First’ with Ronit Enos

02 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The sustainability of a business is dependent on profit, yet many businesses operate on a tiny profit margin. Ultimately, that is why only a very smal...

151 What does it take to build a successful independent cutting education company? with Ben Brown

26 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Over the last 20 years, salon hair fashion has predominantly been focused on colour and styling, whereas the ’60s to the ’90s were the era of the ...

150 What is Freedom and How Do We Balance That with Running a Profitable Business? with Antony Whitaker.

19 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Regardless of what business you are in, the challenge every business owner faces is that of constantly adapting and evolving to the changes in the wor...

149 How Technology Can Streamline All Your HR Needs with Ian Egerton

12 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As I often say, we are in the ‘people business.’ This means that our primary product is the people who sit in our chairs and the services we offer...

148 What Does it Take to Bounce Back from COVID (and Everything Else Life Can Throw at You)?

05 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week is ‘Part 2’ of the ‘Comeback Stories’ series, where I again talk to a salon owner couple about how they’ve bounced back after a to...

147 What Does it Take to Bounce Back from COVID (and Everything Else Life Can Throw at You)?

28 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

No matter where you live in the world, if there is one phrase that I’m sure you’re as tired of hearing as I am, it’s: ‘Unprecedented times.’...

146 Don’t be afraid to reinvent your business with Lisa Carr at BHD Salon

21 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Good ideas can, and do, come from anywhere. An easy trap to fall into is thinking that it’s only big salons with big budgets and celebrity owners t...