Brazen and Bold: Real, Raw, and Radically Honest Conversations for Entrepreneurs and Small Business Leaders

Heather Harris
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Welcome to Brazen and Bold—the podcast that dares to say what others won't. Hosted by Heather Harris, a behind-the-scenes powerhouse at Spark Pro Global, this show is your go-to space for real, raw, and radically honest conversations with entrepreneurs, salon owners, and business leaders who are rewriting the rules of success. Each week, we pull back the curtain on what it actually takes to build a business—and a life—you're obsessed with. From game-changing wins to "why did nobody warn me about this?" disasters, we're covering it all. Whether you're a salon owner ready to scale, a small business CEO learning to lead, or a creative founder tired of the BS, you'll find strategies, stories, and straight talk that help you grow with confidence. Expect guest interviews packed with bold lessons, behind-the-scenes insights, and actionable takeaways—plus a few laughs and "did-they-really-just-say-that?" moments along the way. If you're ready to ditch perfection, own your CEO role, and build a business with brazen confidence—hit play. Perfect for: Salon owners, service-based entrepreneurs, and small business leaders (5-50 employees) Learn: Business growth strategies, leadership lessons, and real-life entrepreneurial stories Want more? Visit https://sparkproglobal.com/getstarted to get connected.

  1. 4 days ago ·  Video

    The First Project Was Me: Bianca Williams-Carey on Getting Out of Her Own Way

    What happens when you walk away from six figures behind the chair to bet on the business inside your head? This week on Brazen & Bold, Heather sits down with Bianca Williams-Carey, natural hair industry leader, educator, and founder of Locs of Love and Locs of Love Academy in Detroit. Bianca has a bachelor's in marketing and a master's in logistics and supply chain management, and she put every bit of it to work the day she stepped out from behind the chair cold turkey. In a single year, she replaced herself as salon manager, built out real processes, grew revenue from one million to a projected one and a half million, and doubled her profit margin, all while reinvesting heavily in her team. She and Heather get into the fear of letting go, why you are almost always your own bottleneck, her learn, earn, lead, own philosophy, and the Locs of Love Academy she is building to train and place the next generation of natural hair stylists. Honest, funny, and deeply inspiring. Grab a pen. 📸 Locs of Love Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/__locsoflove__/ 📸 Locs of Love Academy Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/locsofloveacademy/ Follow Bianca: 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/locsofloveceo/ Branding and consistency are everything. Let Spark do the work for you—from setup to weekly execution. 👉 Talk to Spark » Spark Pro Global – sparkprosalon.com Spark Links: 📸 Instagram: @sparkproglobal — https://www.instagram.com/sparkproglobal 🔗 LinkedIn: Spark Pro Global — https://www.linkedin.com/company/spark-pro-global Heather's Instagram: 📸 @heather.tantrumsalon — https://www.instagram.com/heather.tantrumsalon

  2. 22 Oct ·  Video

    Why Salon Owners Get Stuck (And It's Not Your Team) ft. Justin Gold

    Justin Gold is back — and he's bringing 45 years of salon legacy with him. As the second-generation leader of The Changing Room in North Miami Beach and founder of Rise Coaching & Consulting, Justin has seen what keeps salon owners stuck, and the answer might sting a little: it's usually the owner. In this episode, Heather and Justin dig into what it really takes to grow a salon without losing your culture or burning yourself out. Justin shares how he got burned by his first two executive assistants (one stole from him), why he hired a third anyway, and how that decision turned into a seven-year partnership that freed him to lead as a visionary instead of a bottleneck. You'll hear: •⁠  ⁠The one mindset shift Justin says gets fastest buy-in from any team: you work for them, not the other way around •⁠  ⁠How The Changing Room is using AI to show up in ChatGPT and Claude searches — and the exact review-request script that got them ranked in a city they're not even in •⁠  ⁠Why "we've always done it this way" is the most dangerous phrase in a salon owner's vocabulary •⁠  ⁠How to lead a workforce that spans multiple generations without rolling your eyes (okay, maybe a little) •⁠  ⁠What accountability actually looks like day to day: huddles, attitude, presentation, and conversation •⁠  ⁠Justin's rule for coaching: reprimand in private, praise in public •⁠  ⁠Three book recommendations that shaped how Justin leads If you're a salon owner who feels like you're doing everything and still not growing, this episode is your permission slip to build the team that builds the business. Connect with Justin: 🌐 The Changing Room: https://changingroomsalons.com/ 📸 The Changing Room Instagram: @thechangingroom 🌐 Rise Coaching & Consulting: https://RiseCC.com/ 📸 Rise Coaching & Consulting Instagram: @risecoachingconsultant 📧 Email: justin@risecc.com Branding and consistency are everything. Let Spark do the work for you—from setup to weekly execution. 👉 Talk to Spark » Spark Pro Global – sparkprosalon.com Spark Links: 📸 Instagram: @sparkproglobal — https://www.instagram.com/sparkproglobal 🔗 LinkedIn: Spark Pro Global — https://www.linkedin.com/company/spark-pro-global Heather's Instagram: 📸 @heather.tantrumsalon — https://www.instagram.com/heather.tantrumsalon

  3. 16 Oct ·  Video

    Touching Money Is Not Keeping It: Financial Wellness with Tom Kuhn of Qnity

    What actually separates a salon that is surviving from one that is thriving? This week on Brazen & Bold, Heather sits down with Tom Kuhn, founder of Qnity and one of the most respected financial wellness experts in the beauty industry. Tom spent decades as a CPA and salon spa owner before building Qnity into an education, advisory, and data company that now serves hundreds of salons, two hundred schools, and nearly 90,000 students through its financial literacy curriculum.   Tom breaks down why touching money is not the same as keeping it, the five levers that actually drive profitability, and why the most successful owners obsess over knowing their numbers. Heather brings her own story to the table, from doubling her salon's profit margin this year to running her highest volume month ever by finally getting her numbers on time and making real-time decisions.   Along the way, they get into succession planning, the power of visual communication, why retail is not the X factor, and Tom's definition of true prosperity: earning great money, doing what you love, and having a life. Whether you are scaling to your next location or just trying to keep more of what you make, this one will change how you look at your business.   Listen now, and come meet Tom and the Spark team at The Fill in Scottsdale this April.   🌐 Qnity: https://qnity.com/   Follow Tom:   📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tomhkuhn/   Branding and consistency are everything.   Let Spark do the work for you—from setup to weekly execution.   👉 Talk to Spark » Spark Pro Global – sparkprosalon.com   Spark Links:   📸 Instagram: @sparkproglobal — https://www.instagram.com/sparkproglobal   🔗 LinkedIn: Spark Pro Global — https://www.linkedin.com/company/spark-pro-global   Heather's Instagram:   📸 @heather.tantrumsalon — https://www.instagram.com/heather.tantrumsalon

  4. 9 Oct ·  Video

    Do It Scared: From Stylist to CEO with Sasha McGowan

    What happens when you stop trying to be everything to everyone—and finally go all in on what you do best? On this episode of Brazen & Bold, Heather sits down with Sasha McGowan, owner of Sassy Beauty23, to talk about the bold decisions that transformed her career from stylist to specialist, salon owner and CEO. Sasha shares why cutting down her service menu was one of the scariest—and best—decisions she ever made, how specializing helped her become known for luxury extensions and customized solutions, and why opening her own salon required her to trust herself on an entirely new level. They also get real about the side of entrepreneurship we don't always see: staffing challenges, overwhelming workloads, delegation, failure, faith and those moments when you wonder, "What am I doing?" Plus, Sasha shares her approach to luxury service, hair restoration and creating an experience where clients feel completely cared for. If you're building something bigger, questioning your next move or waiting until you feel fearless to take the leap, this conversation is your reminder: You don't have to stop being scared. You just have to keep moving. 🌐 Sassy Beauty23 Extensions: https://www.sassybeauty23extensions.com/ Follow Sasha: 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sassybeauty.23 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sasha-mcgowan-394bb1313/?isSelfProfile=false Branding and consistency are everything. Let Spark do the work for you—from setup to weekly execution. 👉 Talk to Spark » Spark Pro Global – sparkprosalon.com Spark Links: 📸 Instagram: @sparkproglobal — https://www.instagram.com/sparkproglobal 🔗 LinkedIn: Spark Pro Global — https://www.linkedin.com/company/spark-pro-global Heather's Instagram: 📸 @heather.tantrumsalon — https://www.instagram.com/heather.tantrumsalon

  5. 1 Oct ·  Video

    Heart and Edge: How to Lead, Coach, and Have the Conversations That Actually Change Things with Bonnie Bonadeo

    What does it really take to lead a team that shows up, performs, and actually wants to do well for you? In this episode of Brazen and Bold, Heather sits down with Bonnie Bonadeo — CEO and founder of SOS Leadership Academy and a 35-year veteran of the beauty industry — for one of the most practical, real, and eye-opening conversations about salon leadership we have ever had on this show. Bonnie breaks down the difference between ownership and leadership, why most salon owners have hit a communication ceiling without realizing it, and how emotional intelligence is not a soft skill — it is your most powerful business tool. You will hear a live role play of a real difficult conversation, learn the difference between a behavior issue and a performance issue, discover why asking one simple question changes everything, and find out what resistance versus refusal looks like on your team and how to handle both. If you have ever thought I just cannot get my team to care, this episode is for you. Connect with Bonnie: 🌐 SOS Leadership Academy: SOSleaderquiz.com 🌐 Beauty Leadership Lab: beautyleadershiplab.com 📺 Podcast: SOS Small Biz Success on Spotify and YouTube Branding and consistency are everything. Let Spark do the work for you—from setup to weekly execution. 👉 Talk to Spark » Spark Pro Global – sparkprosalon.com Spark Links: 📸 Instagram: @sparkproglobal — https://www.instagram.com/sparkproglobal 🔗 LinkedIn: Spark Pro Global — https://www.linkedin.com/company/spark-pro-global Heather's Instagram: 📸 @heather.tantrumsalon — https://www.instagram.com/heather.tantrumsalon

  6. 23 Sept ·  Video

    Out of the Office, Into the Business: What Leading Salon Owners Are Doing to Grow Revenue Right Now

    What are the most successful salon owners doing differently right now? Heather Harris and Lucy Randall of Spark Pro Global share what they're seeing inside nearly 60 salons across the U.S. and Canada. They also preview their ICA Fall Atelier classroom, Out of the Office, Into the Business. In this episode: •⁠  ⁠The 3-question delegation test (What am I best at? What do I love? What makes the most money?) that freed up 15–20+ hours a week •⁠  ⁠Why speed is the new currency, and how to reach clients before they book somewhere else •⁠  ⁠Why email marketing isn't dead, especially now that clients are stretching appointments by 2+ weeks •⁠  ⁠How Heather's salon grew retail-to-service from 4% to about 20% with KPI snapshots and monthly 1:1s •⁠  ⁠The Monday "weekly pulse" report that catches slow leaks before they cost you a month •⁠  ⁠A live, real-time look at delegating to a Spark Assistant mid-recording Join us live: ICA Fall Atelier, New York City. Monday, October 5, 2:30–4:30 PM. Three salon owners in the room will win three months of done-for-you KPI reports from a Spark Assistant. Can't make it to NYC? Book a discovery call with Heather or Lucy at sparkproglobal.com. Branding and consistency are everything. Let Spark do the work for you—from setup to weekly execution. 👉 Talk to Spark » Spark Pro Global – sparkprosalon.com Spark Links: 📸 Instagram: @sparkproglobal — https://www.instagram.com/sparkproglobal 🔗 LinkedIn: Spark Pro Global — https://www.linkedin.com/company/spark-pro-global Heather's Instagram: 📸 @heather.tantrumsalon — https://www.instagram.com/heather.tantrumsalon

  7. 16 Sept ·  Video

    One Day at a Time: Kati Whitledge on Change, Routine & Building MYA

    Heather sits down with Kati Whitledge — entrepreneur, author, podcaster, and founder & CEO of MYA — for a conversation that moves from cold, hard business numbers straight into one of the most honest personal stories the show has featured. Kati spent 16 years as a salon owner before recently selling the business, and built MYA out of a problem she saw firsthand behind her own chair: getting the right client in front of the right stylist is the single biggest lever for retention, referrals, and revenue. MYA has since helped beauty professionals generate more than $38 million in revenue for its partner salons, spas, and med spas — Heather and Kati dig into the real mechanics of how it works, including live case-study numbers from real salons. Kati is also the author of From First Date to Forever and hosts Beyond the Technique, her own podcast with more than 700 episodes since 2016. Partway through, the conversation turns personal. Kati opens up about her recovery from addiction — including food addiction, which she calls "the friend that never let me down... until it wasn't a good friend to me" — and the daily, non-negotiable routine that keeps her grounded: faith, structure, and a philosophy of taking life one day at a time rather than trying to white-knuckle forever. This episode covers: •⁠  ⁠How MYA's matchmaking technology works — from lead magnet to booking to automated retention •⁠  ⁠Real numbers: cost-per-lead, conversion, and a case study of a salon that went from 15 leads a day to 35 in a single day •⁠  ⁠What it actually took to leave 16 years behind the chair and bet everything on a tech platform •⁠  ⁠Kati's recovery story, and the daily non-negotiables that keep her steady •⁠  ⁠Why "regimented" isn't the same as "rigid" — and how routine becomes freedom 🌐 MYA: www.joinmya.com 📸 MYA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/join_mya/ 📸 Beyond the Technique Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beyondthetechnique/ Follow Kati: 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katiwhitledge/ Branding and consistency are everything. Let Spark do the work for you—from setup to weekly execution. 👉 Talk to Spark » Spark Pro Global – sparkprosalon.com Spark Links: 📸 Instagram: @sparkproglobal — https://www.instagram.com/sparkproglobal 🔗 LinkedIn: Spark Pro Global — https://www.linkedin.com/company/spark-pro-global Heather's Instagram: 📸 @heather.tantrumsalon — https://www.instagram.com/heather.tantrumsalon

  8. 11 Sept ·  Video

    The Light Switch Came Back On: Laura Watkins on Depression, Recovery & Becoming Mental Girl

    Heather sits down with Laura Watkins — hairdresser, salon owner, Aveda educator, and the voice behind Mental Girl — for a conversation that starts with a simple, disarming line: "They probably wouldn't guess that I'm mentally ill." Laura has been licensed in beauty for over 21 years and holds an MBA, but her path has never been just about the business side of the industry. In 2015, after years of running at full speed, she was diagnosed with treatment-resistant major depressive disorder. Over four years — through multiple medications, a global pandemic, and ultimately a course of electroconvulsive therapy — she fought her way back to a life she describes as fully hers again. She's now three and a half years free of ECT treatment. Rather than keep that story private, Laura turned it into her mission. She's the founder of Mental Girl (@mentalgirl502), a community built around honest, stigma-free conversations about mental health in the beauty industry, and the author of the memoir Something Feels Off. She's spoken at ICA, Aveda Congress, and Serious Business New Orleans, and continues to advocate for building emotional-intelligence and self-care education directly into how our industry trains its next generation. Laura is also the owner of Pure Salon Spa in Louisville, Kentucky, and travels nationally as an educator for Aveda — proof, in her words, that recovery and a thriving career aren't mutually exclusive. This episode covers: •⁠  ⁠Laura's diagnosis, her four-year journey through treatment, and what finally worked •⁠  ⁠Why "good stress" (achievement, success) can cost your body as much as bad stress •⁠  ⁠What it actually means to build a strategic self-care plan — and why waiting until burnout is too late •⁠  ⁠Founding Mental Girl and turning her hardest season into her life's work •⁠  ⁠Leading a salon team through their own mental health struggles with empathy and healthy boundaries •⁠  ⁠Why she believes mental health education belongs in cosmetology school curriculum A heads-up: this conversation is a genuinely honest one about depression, mental illness, and recovery. It's also, in Heather's words, one of the most impactful conversations she's had on the show. 🌐 Pure Salon Spa: https://www.puresalonspa.com/ 📸 Pure Salon Spa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/puresalonlou/ 🌐 Mental Girl: https://mentalgirl502.com/ Follow Laura: 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mental_girl502/ Branding and consistency are everything. Let Spark do the work for you—from setup to weekly execution. 👉 Talk to Spark » Spark Pro Global – sparkprosalon.com Spark Links: 📸 Instagram: @sparkproglobal — https://www.instagram.com/sparkproglobal 🔗 LinkedIn: Spark Pro Global — https://www.linkedin.com/company/spark-pro-global Heather's Instagram: 📸 @heather.tantrumsalon — https://www.instagram.com/heather.tantrumsalon

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Welcome to Brazen and Bold—the podcast that dares to say what others won't. Hosted by Heather Harris, a behind-the-scenes powerhouse at Spark Pro Global, this show is your go-to space for real, raw, and radically honest conversations with entrepreneurs, salon owners, and business leaders who are rewriting the rules of success. Each week, we pull back the curtain on what it actually takes to build a business—and a life—you're obsessed with. From game-changing wins to "why did nobody warn me about this?" disasters, we're covering it all. Whether you're a salon owner ready to scale, a small business CEO learning to lead, or a creative founder tired of the BS, you'll find strategies, stories, and straight talk that help you grow with confidence. Expect guest interviews packed with bold lessons, behind-the-scenes insights, and actionable takeaways—plus a few laughs and "did-they-really-just-say-that?" moments along the way. If you're ready to ditch perfection, own your CEO role, and build a business with brazen confidence—hit play. Perfect for: Salon owners, service-based entrepreneurs, and small business leaders (5-50 employees) Learn: Business growth strategies, leadership lessons, and real-life entrepreneurial stories Want more? Visit https://sparkproglobal.com/getstarted to get connected.

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