Grow My Salon Business Podcast

Antony Whitaker
  • 4.9 (106)
  • Fashion & Beauty
  • Updated Weekly

I know that being in business isn’t always easy. Along with the many highs and ‘a ha’ moments it can sometimes be soul destroying, frustrating and a very lonely place to be. Being a business owner is one of life’s greatest educations and it gives you two clear choices, either you continually learn, adapt and grow, or you resist change, stagnate and perish. We live in ever changing and sometimes challenging times, so being informed and constantly inspired is more important than ever. Join Antony Whitaker talking to thought leaders on the business side of the hairdressing industry discussing insightful, provocative and inspiring ideas that matter. Get ready to learn, get ready to be challenged, get ready to be inspired and most importantly get ready to grow your salon business!

  1. 5d ago

    369 The Power of Showing Up: Lessons From 230 Salons with Denis McFadden

    When one salon already feels like it's running you, scaling a salon business to 230 locations sounds impossible. I'm joined by returning guest Denis McFadden, founder of Just Cuts. Denis has just released his book, The Power of Showing Up, and we talk about the personal story behind it and the thinking that built the brand. And I ask the question every salon owner asks: how do I build a business that keeps growing without everything going through me? You'll hear why Denis puts systems at the heart of everything, the simple numbers he uses to judge whether a salon can be profitable, and why he's still building at 80. Whatever your size, you'll walk away knowing what to write down, what to measure and where you're overcomplicating things. IN THIS EPISODE: ✅ Why systems let a business run 10 salons or 200 the same way ✅ Why time and price always belong in the same conversation ✅ How focusing on one thing built a brand, and why Denis keeps saying no to other opportunities ✅ What showing up really means, and how that one habit shaped an entire career EPISODE TIMESTAMPS [00:00] Introduction: Denis McFadden returns to talk about his new book [06:01] The Power of Showing Up: what the title of the book really means [11:30] Dyslexia, self-belief and why Denis now calls it his superpower [18:46] Still building at 80: what keeps Denis motivated in business [21:27] Why systems are the foundation of growing from one salon to many [24:55] Is the Just Cuts model still relevant to today’s clients and stylists? [31:41] Are tougher economic times pushing clients to trade down on haircuts? [35:30] The percentages that decide whether a salon will be profitable [37:49] Why time and price can never be separated in your salon [39:54] The future of Just Cuts and why Denis is bringing in experts [45:36] Would Denis do anything differently? Plus how to get the book RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: 📚 The Power of Showing Up by Denis McFadden – Denis's personal story and the story behind the Just Cuts brand – Find out more Want MORE to help you GROW? 📚 Check out our Bestselling GROW Books  🆘 Management overwhelm? Download our free checklist! This checklist will help you get clarity on where you're at  RECOMMENDED NEXT EPISODE: Episode 24: The story behind building ‘Just Cuts' a successful salon franchise with Denis McFadden Listen here → https://growmysalonbusiness.com/podcast/024/   👉 FOLLOW US! Instagram | Facebook | Website 👉 FOLLOW JUST CUTS! Instagram | Website  RATINGS + REVIEWS 🙏 Thanks so much for joining me this week.  If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated!  They do matter in the rankings of the show and help other people find my podcast. 👉 Here's what you do:- On your phone, Click here  (Read steps below first)- Scroll down to 'Ratings & Reviews'- Tap on the empty purple stars and rate 5 stars- Click on ‘Write a Review’ I love to hear what’s been helpful and what you love about the podcast!  Thank you for your support! 🙏 Until next time!Antony

  2. Oct 6

    368 Is the Salon Industry Really All Doom and Gloom?

    Spend any time in hairdressing groups on social media, and you could believe a successful salon business is almost impossible today. Rising costs, staffing problems and shrinking margins are real. But some of the salons I work with tell a very different story. These are profitable businesses with great teams, run by owners who have a life outside the salon. We just don't hear enough about them, and I think it's time we did. Today's episode will give you a fresh perspective on your own business, a clearer idea of what success means to you, and the foundations that help a salon hold firm when the economy slows. IN THIS EPISODE: Why the doom and gloom on social media only tells half the storyThe simple swap from "I have to" to "I get to" and how it changes the way you see your businessWhy your definition of success can look completely different from the salon down the road EPISODE TIMESTAMPS [00:00] Introduction: is the salon industry really all doom and gloom? [01:23] A coaching client who is tired of the negativity in hairdressing [02:49] Acknowledging the challenges without letting them dominate your thinking [06:59] The successful salons you rarely hear about in our industry [08:35] The low-profile salon on the fourth floor of an industrial building [09:42] What does success actually mean for you and your salon? [11:27] Why Antony wants to share more salon success stories on the podcast [13:00] Warren Buffett, the tide going out, and building a business that lasts [14:32] The foundations that help a salon cope when times get tough [17:04] One simple question to ask about your business right now [19:17] Why success leaves clues, and where to get help RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: ➡️ Zenoti – all-in-one salon management platform with AI-powered client communications and automation. GMSB listeners get 50% off their first three months – Find out more Grow My Salon Business – free and paid resources to help you build a more profitable, sustainable salon – Find out more   👉 FOLLOW US! Instagram | Facebook | Website RATINGS + REVIEWS 🙏 Thanks so much for joining me this week.  If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated!  They do matter in the rankings of the show and help other people find my podcast. 👉 Here's what you do:- On your phone, Click here  (Read steps below first)- Scroll down to 'Ratings & Reviews'- Tap on the empty purple stars and rate 5 stars- Click on ‘Write a Review’ I love to hear what’s been helpful and what you love about the podcast!  Thank you for your support! 🙏 Until next time!Antony

  3. Sep 29

    367 Are Business Partnerships a Good Idea for Salon Owners?

    A salon business partnership usually starts with two hairdressers, a strong friendship and a handshake. It feels like a great way to share the load. Yet most of these partnerships fall apart within a few years, often with money lost and friendships damaged.  The key to a successful partnership is all about how you set it up at the beginning. So here's a question worth asking: if you're thinking about a partner, or already have one, how protected is the business when circumstances change? What are the conversations to have before you sign anything, and why giving away ownership is so hard to undo.  IN THIS EPISODE: • Why needing business expertise is a poor reason on its own to give away equity in your salon • The questions to answer before you sign anything: ownership, workload, salary, profits and decision-making • What 50/50 really means when you and your partner disagree • Why talking about the end at the start is one of the smartest moves you can make EPISODE TIMESTAMPS [00:00] Introduction: why so many salon partnerships start with just a handshake [04:37] The first question to ask yourself: why do you actually want a partner? [06:17] Why needing expertise doesn't mean you should give away ownership [08:00] Why shared vision matters as much as complementary skills in a partnership [11:12] Every partnership ends eventually, so why you should plan for it early [12:14] The seven Ds that can derail a salon business partnership [14:20] The conversations to have before you sign a partnership agreement [16:19] What a 50/50 partnership really means when the two of you disagree [17:17] Why you can't outsource understanding your own business as an owner [20:00] The biggest lessons from three very different partnerships [21:23] How Grow My Salon Business can help you build a better business RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: The GROW Book Series – four bestselling books on building a successful salon business – Find out more Grow My Salon Business Online Courses – step-by-step courses on money, management, marketing and your team – Find out more  Coaching – one-to-one support to work through the specific challenges in your business – Find out more    👉 FOLLOW US! Instagram | Facebook | Website RATINGS + REVIEWS 🙏Thanks so much for joining me this week.  If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated!  They do matter in the rankings of the show and help other people find my podcast. 👉 Here's what you do:- On your phone, Click here  (Read steps below first)- Scroll down to 'Ratings & Reviews'- Tap on the empty purple stars and rate 5 stars- Click on ‘Write a Review’ I love to hear what’s been helpful and what you love about the podcast!  Thank you for your support! 🙏 Until next time!Antony

  4. Sep 22

    366 How to Scale a Salon Business From One Store to One Hundred with Sudheer Koneru

    Why do some salon and beauty businesses grow beyond a single location while others struggle to scale? In this episode, I’m joined once again by Sudheer Koneru, co-founder of Zenoti, to discuss his new book, Growth Diaries: How the Best Beauty and Wellness Brands Scale from One Store to One Hundred Plus. Drawing on conversations with 42 successful founders across the salon, spa, med spa and wellness industries, Sudheer shares the common traits he discovered behind businesses that successfully scale. We talk about why passion and purpose matter, the importance of building systems that work without the owner, why successful entrepreneurs are great listeners, and how people, culture, location and data all play a role in sustainable growth. Whether your ambition is to build one exceptional salon or one hundred locations, there are plenty of lessons here about what it really takes to build a business that can grow beyond you. IN THIS EPISODE: The real reason most salons plateau at a single location and never expandWhich phase of growth trips up almost every founder, and what gets them through itThe three traits the world's fastest growing beauty and wellness brands all shareWhy retention and rebooking matter more than chasing new client numbers EPISODE TIMESTAMPS [00:00] Introduction: why so few salons ever scale past one location  [00:39] Meet Sudheer Koneru, founder of Zenoti and author of Growth Diaries  [03:19] Sudheer's own path from Microsoft into building wellness businesses  [04:58] Why timing changes which sectors are easiest to scale today  [07:00] What surfaces when founders talk beyond their usual PR story  [09:00] Two stories of founders who built huge brands from nothing [13:00] The phases of growth most likely to trip up an owner  [16:26] Why owners underestimate how much they personally are the system  [19:00] Founder or business partner: what separates the two growth paths  [22:22] Why going from one location to two is the hardest step  [26:12] Three things the most successful beauty and wellness brands share  [35:39] Sudheer's advice for a young stylist wanting to build something bigger RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: Growth Diaries by Sudheer Koneru – a new book drawn from 42 conversations with beauty and wellness founders who scaled from one location to over a hundred → You can get the book here Zenoti – salon, spa and wellness management software, founded by today's guest – head here for 50% off for the first 3 months   RECOMMENDED NEXT EPISODE: If you enjoyed this episode, you'll also like: Episode 268: Can One Salon Management Software System Fill All Your Needs? Listen here → https://growmysalonbusiness.com/podcast/268   👉 FOLLOW US! Instagram | Facebook | Website 👉 FOLLOW Zenoti! Instagram | Website  RATINGS + REVIEWS 🙏Thanks so much for joining me this week.  If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated!  They do matter in the rankings of the show and help other people find my podcast. 👉 Here's what you do:- On your phone, Click here  (Read steps below first)- Scroll down to 'Ratings & Reviews'- Tap on the empty purple stars and rate 5 stars- Click on ‘Write a Review’ I love to hear what’s been helpful and what you love about the podcast!  Thank you for your support! 🙏 Until next time!Antony

  5. Sep 15

    365 Five Things Every Growing Salon Needs in Place

    Growth sounds like the obvious goal for any salon owner, but chasing a bigger business without a plan can break the one you've already built. I've seen owners open a second location only to end up with two salons that struggle instead of one that thrives. So what would your business actually need to look like if it grew the way you truly want? In this episode, I share the five things I believe every salon owner needs before they scale: a clear vision, real systems, people who can lead, a handle on the numbers, and the willingness to grow as a leader. You'll get a practical insight to decide if growth is the right goal, and how to build a business that gives you the life you want. IN THIS EPISODE • The five things you need in place before you scale a salon business • Why expansion doesn't just duplicate what was already working; it duplicates the problems as well. • How to build systems that let your business run without you • Why business growth is really people growth, and how to develop leaders under you EPISODE TIMESTAMPS [00:00] Introduction [01:33] Why there is no single definition of salon business success [03:15] The assumption that bigger automatically means better, and why it isn't [04:02] The five things you need in place for growth to be sustainable [06:16] The mistake most salon owners make when they open salon number two [07:47] How growth reveals whether you built a business or just a job [10:00] Why business growth is really about growing people, not just adding them [12:24] Why you need to know the numbers before you think about expanding [14:22] Why evolving as a leader is the hardest part of growing a business [16:09] The owner who believes nobody can do it as well as they can [17:00] A recap of the five things sustainable salon growth actually requires [18:11] Where to find the free video series on salon management skills RESOURCES MENTIONED Free Management Video Series – Four Essential Lessons in Salon Management to Set You Up For Success, a free four-part video series (each video around 15 minutes) that also explains how the management course and coaching program work.👉 Register here https://growmysalonbusiness.com/management-video-series and get them sent straight to your inbox Want MORE to help you GROW? 📚 Check out our Bestselling GROW Books: https://growmysalonbusiness.com/books/ 🆘 Management overwhelm? Download our free checklist! This checklist will help you get clarity on where you're at: https://growmysalonbusiness.com/management-checklist/ 👉 FOLLOW US! Instagram | Facebook | Website RATINGS & REVIEWS 🙏 Thanks so much for joining me this week. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show and help other people find my podcast. 👉 Here's what you do: - On your phone, click here (read the steps below first): https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/grow-my-salon-business-podcast/id1456014220 - Scroll down to 'Ratings & Reviews' - Tap on the empty purple stars and rate 5 stars - Click on 'Write a Review' I love to hear what's been helpful and what you love about the podcast! Thank you for your support! 🙏 Until next time! Antony

  6. Sep 8

    364 What Does Your Business Need From You?

    Every salon owner learns eventually that to manage a salon business, you first have to manage yourself. It's easy to focus on the team, the standards and the accountability conversations you'd rather avoid. But before any of that works, you need to look honestly at your own time, habits and follow-through. This week I look at why being busy and managing well are two different things, why giving someone a task without also giving them the authority to make decisions isn't really delegating, and why so much of good management is invisible to your clients even though they feel the result of it. Manage yourself properly, and the rest of the business gets easier to run. IN THIS EPISODE: Why being busy and managing well are two completely different thingsThe diary test that shows what you're actually prioritising, not just what you say mattersWhy delegation fails when you hand over the task but not the authorityThe difference between managing things and leading people, and why both matter EPISODE TIMESTAMPS [00:00] Introduction: Why the hardest person to manage is the one running the salon [01:28] The uncomfortable realisation that your own standards set the tone for everyone [03:37] Why being busy and managing well are two completely different things [06:00] The two very different jobs of a stylist and a salon manager [07:21] What your diary actually reveals about your real priorities each week [10:57] Why you manage things and systems, but you have to lead people [12:32] Why clear expectations do more for standards than being hard or controlling [13:00] Why "obvious" means something different to every single person on your team [16:00] What clients actually feel when a salon business is genuinely well managed [20:11] Why knowledge alone never changes a business, only implementation actually does [23:02] The one question every owner needs to ask about their own business RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: 🎥 4 Essential Lessons in Salon Management (free video series) – sign up and get one short video a day for four days, straight to your inbox, starting the 14th September – Join the free video series Want MORE to help you GROW? 🆘 Management overwhelm!? Download our free checklist! This checklist will help you get clarity on where you're at  RECOMMENDED NEXT EPISODE  If you enjoyed this episode, you'll also like: Episode 363: Why the Most Successful Salons Keep it Simple. Listen here   👉 FOLLOW US! Instagram | Facebook | Website RATINGS + REVIEWS 🙏Thanks so much for joining me this week. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated!  They do matter in the rankings of the show and help other people find my podcast. 👉 Here's what you do: - On your phone, Click here  (Read steps below first)- Scroll down to 'Ratings & Reviews'- Tap on the empty purple stars and rate 5 stars- Click on ‘Write a Review’ I love to hear what’s been helpful and what you love about the podcast! Thank you for your support! 🙏 Until next time!Antony

  7. Sep 1

    363 Why the Most Successful Salons Keep it Simple

    Most salon owners assume their business feels complicated because it needs to be. But after years inside salons at every level of the market, I've noticed the opposite.  The businesses that thrive are simple, while the ones that struggle are usually a collection of good ideas picked up along the way that were never designed to work together. So ask yourself: does your business actually function as one connected whole, or does it just feel like separate parts that don’t quite work together as they should? I'll share why keeping things simple takes real work, why most owners build their business one decision at a time, and why the real job of management is making sure every part connects to everything else. If your business feels harder than it should, this episode will help you see why. IN THIS EPISODE: Why the most successful salons are simple, not complicatedHow joined up thinking turns one small decision, like pricing, into a ripple across the whole businessWhy removing something from your business can matter as much as adding something newThe real difference between a simple business and one that depends on youEPISODE TRANSCRIPT: [00:00] Introduction [00:43] The one question people most often ask about salon success [01:54] The jigsaw puzzle metaphor for building a business that works [03:56] Why so many salon owners end up building the plane while flying [06:46] Why you need the picture on the box before you build [08:35] How one pricing decision ripples through every part of your business [10:00] The two sides of management: systems and processes versus people [13:16] Why removing something from the business can matter as much as adding [14:02] The real difference between a simple business and a dependent one [18:08] Why the goal is making the pieces you have work together [19:00] The free management checklist and course mentioned in this episode RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: 🆘 Management overwhelm!? Download our free checklist! This checklist will help you get clarity on where you're at https://growmysalonbusiness.com/management-checklist/ Want MORE to help you GROW? 📚 Check out our Bestselling GROW Books https://growmysalonbusiness.com/books/ 👉 FOLLOW US! Instagram | Facebook | Website RATINGS + REVIEWS 🙏 Thanks so much for joining me this week.  If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated!  They do matter in the rankings of the show and help other people find my podcast. 👉 Here's what you do: - On your phone, Click here  (Read steps below first) - Scroll down to 'Ratings & Reviews' - Tap on the empty purple stars and rate 5 stars - Click on ‘Write a Review’ I love to hear what’s been helpful and what you love about the podcast! Thank you for your support! 🙏 Until next time!Antony

  8. Aug 25

    362 The New Rules of Salon Marketing in the Age of AI with Phil Evans

    When it comes to marketing, many salon owners pour their time into Instagram, hoping it brings new clients through the door. My returning guest Phil Evans, founder of Salon Guru, has analysed over four and a half million visits to salon websites, and the results show that social media is not driving potential clients to your website in the numbers that you might expect. So here's a question worth reflecting on: if your marketing time is going to the wrong place, what is that actually costing your salon? In this conversation, Phil breaks down exactly where new clients are really coming from, what Google's EEAT framework means for your website, and why most reviews fall short of what Google and AI are looking for. By the end of this episode, you'll know where to put your marketing time so it actually brings in bookings, not just likes. IN THIS EPISODE: Why only 1.5% of website visits come directly from social media, and where the rest actually come fromThe four-part framework Google and AI use to decide which salon to recommendHow to structure your Google reviews so they build real trust and authority, not just star ratingsWhat to search on your own phone to check whether your salon is visible on Google and AI TIMESTAMPS: [00:00] Introduction [00:51] Introducing returning guest Phil Evans from Salon Guru [01:44] Inside the new Salon Guru trends report and why it exists [03:42] Google versus social media, the surprising split in the data [05:26] Why social media rarely closes the booking on its own [09:16] How AI is reshaping the way clients search for salons [11:39] Is AI about to replace Google search entirely [18:14] The EEAT framework Google and AI use to pick a salon [22:00] Why detailed Google reviews matter more than five-star ratings [27:17] Where to focus five hours a week of marketing time [32:34] What clients actually want to see on a salon website [38:00] Inside Showcase and the early results from beta salons RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: Salon Guru Trends Report – New data on where salon clients really come from and how to be found on Google and AI 👉Download the report Showcase Webinar – Phil's live walkthrough of the new website tool built from the trends report data, going live 31st August 👉Send it to me Want MORE to help you GROW? 📚 Check out our Bestselling GROW Books https://growmysalonbusiness.com/books/ 🆘 Management overwhelm!? Download our free checklist! This checklist will help you get clarity on where you're at https://growmysalonbusiness.com/management-checklist/ 👉 FOLLOW US! Instagram | Facebook | Website 👉 FOLLOW SALON GURU! Website RATINGS + REVIEWS 🙏Thanks so much for joining me this week. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated!  They do matter in the rankings of the show and help other people find my podcast. 👉 Here's what you do: - On your phone, Click here  (Read steps below first) - Scroll down to 'Ratings & Reviews' - Tap on the empty purple stars and rate 5 stars - Click on ‘Write a Review’ I love to hear what’s been helpful and what you love about the podcast! Thank you for your support! 🙏 Until next time!Antony

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4.9
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About

I know that being in business isn’t always easy. Along with the many highs and ‘a ha’ moments it can sometimes be soul destroying, frustrating and a very lonely place to be. Being a business owner is one of life’s greatest educations and it gives you two clear choices, either you continually learn, adapt and grow, or you resist change, stagnate and perish. We live in ever changing and sometimes challenging times, so being informed and constantly inspired is more important than ever. Join Antony Whitaker talking to thought leaders on the business side of the hairdressing industry discussing insightful, provocative and inspiring ideas that matter. Get ready to learn, get ready to be challenged, get ready to be inspired and most importantly get ready to grow your salon business!

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