The Digital Chair Podcast by salonMonster

salonMonster
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The Digital Chair Real talk for beauty pros who want a smarter, calmer, more profitable chair. The Digital Chair is a podcast from salonMonster, built for stylists, barbers, estheticians, and other beauty pros who are brilliant at the craft and tired of carrying the business side alone. Every episode is a real conversation with people who know what it is to lose sleep over the book, chase down a no-show, or dig up a colour formula from six weeks ago. We talk money, burnout, client relationships, chair rental versus commission, and the parts of the job nobody covers in school: how to run a business that still leaves room for the work you actually love. No corporate speak. No pretending Admin Chaos isn't real. Just working beauty pros talking honestly about the chair, the book, and the business behind both. Subscribe wherever you listen.

  1. 5d ago

    Clean Beauty for Salon Owners: How to Start Without Getting Overwhelmed

    Clean and sustainable have no legal definition in beauty. That is exactly why so many salon owners believe they are running a clean salon when all they have done is swap in one product line. Jacquelyn Rodriguez has been in the beauty industry for 26 years and has owned her own clean and sustainable boutique salon for 14. She is brand agnostic, which is rare in a space where most of the education still comes from the brands selling the products. She joins Liam Shea to talk about what actually goes into building a clean salon, and how to do it without burning out in month one. Jacquelyn's story starts the way a lot of stylists' stories do: headaches, a raspy throat, and the assumption that it was just a long day. When those symptoms disappeared at home and came back at work, she started asking questions, got shut down, and went looking for answers herself. At the time there was very little data for professional beauty and almost no product options worth charging clients for. In this conversation she and Liam get into the parts nobody puts on a shelf talker. Why natural is not automatically safe, and why a client can be allergic to essential oils. Why patch tests matter more than the industry pretends. Why 20 years of the same colour service can suddenly turn into a severe reaction. And why protecting your team matters as much as protecting the person in the chair, since stylists are the ones with daily exposure. You will also hear a practical starting framework: pick the two or three things that are genuine non-negotiables for you (ingredients, water use, packaging, fair trade, how a company treats its people), then run every new product against that short checklist. Because beauty is a consumable business, every reorder is another chance to choose better. Jacquelyn closes on the piece most salon owners skip: team buy-in. Bringing in a cleaner line without a system to enroll your staff is why "I tried it and it didn't work" happens. Culture and values come first. The products follow. Good for hairstylists, barbers, salon owners, estheticians, and educators who want a cleaner, lower toxic salon and a straight answer about where to begin. CONNECT WITH JACQUELYN Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cleanbeautybizcoach/?hl=en Free Clean Beauty 101 course: https://www.cleanbeautybiz.com/the-clean-beauty-blueprint CONNECT WITH SALONMONSTER Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/salonmonster/ More episodes: https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UC0oGUoOz3xLklSzb3IT5YYw/content/podcasts Start your free 14-day trial: https://salonmonster.com/ Chapters 00:00 Meet Jacquelyn Rodriguez: 26 years in beauty, 14 years running a clean salon 02:17 The headaches and raspy throat that started her clean beauty journey 06:03 Why there was almost no clean beauty data for salon pros 09:26 Her first clean colour line, and why no brand is 100 percent clean 11:44 Allergies, patch tests, and why natural does not mean safe 14:22 Protecting the team: gloves, ventilation, and stylist wellness 16:11 Why one clean brand does not make you a clean salon 19:54 Greenwashing, fair trade, and reading past the front label 23:05 Avoiding clean beauty overwhelm and picking your non-negotiables 28:11 Voting with your dollars to push brands to change 29:59 Why she moved from salon owner to coaching other owners 33:21 Where to start if you want a cleaner salon 38:57 Clean and sustainable have no legal definition 41:04 Fragrance, essential oils, and safe synthetics 44:47 The cost and convenience pushback on ordering clean products 46:18 The Conscious Leader: getting your team bought in first 48:56 How clean salons attract loyal clients and stylists 51:34 Jacquelyn's free Clean Beauty 101 course and how to reach her

  2. Oct 23

    How to Build a Client Book in a New City: A Stylist's Marketing Playbook

    Building a client book in a new city is the part of this job nobody teaches you in school. Brandon Edward has done it twice, and now splits his month between a suite in Austin and a chair in Portland. Brandon sits down with Liam Shea to talk about what got people into his chair after a cross country move. He advertised a wait list in September for a suite that opened in March, and each ad pulled four or five DMs. When he changed the wording to “now accepting clients,” the response stopped dead. That accident became his whole theory on scarcity, including why cutting from five days to four after COVID made him more money, not less. What you will hear: Why he advertises a wait list instead of open availabilityHow he fills a salon’s Google page with his own work photos and review screenshots, and why he sets up his own Google location as a renterWhat separates a real paid ad from a boosted haircut postTagging local coffee shops and gyms so his posts reach people nearbyWorking with hyper local micro influencers (1,000 to 3,000 followers), trading a treatment or blowout for a postBusiness cards, complimenting strangers’ hair in public, and the flamingo logo with five hairstylesNon-compete contracts in commission salons, and why they changed his plan in TexasKeeping part-time income in the city you are leaving while the new one fills upWhat to do when you are booked solid and still feel flat about the workThere is also a tangent about a guest chair network: salons renting a day chair to travelling stylists in exchange for team education. Brandon has been doing hair since 2016, from small town Oregon to his own suite in two cities, and he is honest about the weeks with nobody on the books. Good listen for hairstylists, barbers, booth renters, salon suite owners, and anyone planning a move. Find Brandon Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brandonedwardscissorhands/?hl=en More episodes https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UC0oGUoOz3xLklSzb3IT5YYw/content/podcasts salonMonster Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/salonmonster/ Try it free for 14 days: https://salonmonster.com/ Chapters 00:00 From a town of 500 in Oregon to beauty school at 24 02:38 Salon hopping: 40 chairs, an apprenticeship, and a blowout bar 05:56 Why he splits his month between Portland and Austin 07:51 The wait list ad that worked before the suite opened 09:38 Scarcity, four day weeks, and why less can earn more 11:39 What he would tell himself at the start of his career 16:03 The guest chair idea: day rent and education swaps 22:01 Ten years in, and the trust that builds in the chair 26:12 Filling a salon’s Google page with your own work 28:19 What a paid ad actually needs to say 29:30 Tagging local businesses and using micro influencers 32:20 Business cards, street compliments, and the flamingo trick 35:05 The quarter tomorrow, not the dime today 37:39 Booked but burnt out? Go take a class 40:09 Partial moves, non-competes, and old city income 43:50 Always be plugging, plus wigs and editorial work

  3. Oct 8

    How to Build a Community-Focused Salon | Sadie Morey

    Opening a bigger salon is one challenge. Building one that people genuinely want to gather around is another. Sadie Morey, co-owner of Shadow and Shear, shares how she and business partner Renee grew from a small micro-suite into a much larger retail salon shaped by flexibility, shared values and community care. Sadie talks honestly about making a bold business decision without a corporate background, learning unfamiliar parts of salon ownership and preparing the new space while continuing to take clients at the old one. She also explains how their first salon renter helped shape the flexible environment they wanted to create. Community involvement sits at the heart of Shadow and Shear. Sadie discusses their pay-what-you-can haircut fundraiser for Covenant House BC, their plans to offer free gender-affirming hair at Pride, and other initiatives supporting local food and music organizations. She also breaks down her practical process for planning a salon community event: choosing a workable date, involving the team, researching local organizations, connecting the cause to the salon’s values and asking other businesses to contribute. The conversation also covers balancing salon ownership with single parenthood and why Sadie chose salonMonster after researching different salon booking platforms. In this conversation: Growing from a micro-suite into a larger salonHandling uncertainty and imposter syndrome as a salon ownerCreating a flexible salon rental environmentOrganizing pay-what-you-can haircut eventsSupporting local charities through salon initiativesOffering gender-affirming hair services at PrideGetting stylists involved in community eventsAsking local businesses for giveaway donationsBalancing salon ownership and parentingChoosing booking software made for hairstylistsConnect with Sadie Morey Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hairbysadies/?hl=en Connect with salonMonster Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/salonmonster/ Watch more podcast episodes: https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UC0oGUoOz3xLklSzb3IT5YYw/content/podcasts Start your 14-day trial: https://salonmonster.com/ E. Chapters00:00 Introduction 00:42 Finding the right business partner 01:33 Moving from a micro-suite into a larger salon 03:01 Imposter syndrome and bold business decisions 05:21 Opening the new salon while still taking clients 05:45 Creating a flexible salon rental environment 06:34 Building a salon around community 07:18 Pay-what-you-can cuts for Covenant House BC 08:28 Offering gender-affirming hair at Pride 09:08 Choosing salon booking software 10:48 Running a salon as a single parent 11:22 How to plan a salon community event 13:23 Why asking for community support works

  4. Sep 29

    How to Build a Loyal Barber Clientele Without Gimmicks | Rich Hope

    Building a loyal barber clientele takes more than delivering a good haircut—and it rarely happens overnight. Rich Hope of The Belmont Barbershop shares what he has learned about playing the long game in barbering: staying available when you are building your client book, making appointments convenient, creating genuine relationships, and trusting that the right clients will find you when you show up as yourself. Rich’s path into barbering began as a customer at Belmont. He joined the shop in 2009, helped run it for several years, and eventually bought the business in 2017. He also explains why he moved away from restaurant and entertainment work, how barbering gave him a career that better suited his family life, and why working directly with people felt like a natural fit. You’ll learn: ✅Why new barbers need patience when their schedules are still quiet ✅How greater availability can help you build momentum early in your career ✅Why Rich believes online booking fits today’s clients better than relying entirely on walk-ins ✅How client loyalty grows through comfort, trust, conversation, and consistent work ✅Why being yourself can attract clients who genuinely connect with you ✅How patience and shared values help create a stronger barbershop team ✅What Rich values in salon and barbershop software, including ease of use and responsive customer support This conversation is a practical reminder for barbers, hairstylists, salon owners, and independent beauty professionals that sustainable growth is built one relationship at a time. Connect with Rich Hope and The Belmont Barbershop Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebelmontbarbershop/ Connect with salonMonster Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/salonmonster/ Watch more salonMonster podcast episodes: https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UC0oGUoOz3xLklSzb3IT5YYw/content/podcasts Start your 14-day salonMonster trial: https://salonmonster.com/ E. Chapters 00:00 Meet Rich Hope and Charlie 00:24 From Belmont customer to barbershop owner 01:01 Leaving nightlife work for a people-focused career 01:59 The long game every new barber should understand 02:58 Building clientele with online booking and authenticity 03:56 Hiring patiently and building the right barbershop team 04:29 Where to find Rich and The Belmont Barbershop 04:51 What Rich values in salon booking software

  5. Sep 21

    What New Barbers Really Need: Listening, Mentorship & Tool Mastery

    A strong barbering career is not built by buying every new clipper or pushing yourself harder every day. It is built through listening, mentorship, steady practice, and enough self-kindness to keep growing. Vincent Franklin grew up around the hair industry and comes from a sixth-generation hair family, but his own path into barbering took time. After working in office environments, the disruption of COVID led him to reconsider his career, attend hair school in Vancouver, and commit to the profession he had been interested in since childhood. Vincent shares what helped him develop during his first three years behind the chair: taking the craft seriously without allowing ambition to become self-punishment, bringing communication skills from previous jobs into client conversations, finding generous mentors, and understanding that barbering knowledge is passed from one generation of professionals to the next. As a new father and commission-based contractor, he also reflects on schedule flexibility, emotional fulfilment, and how meaningful work can give you more energy for life outside the shop. You’ll learn: ✅Why listening is one of the most valuable skills behind the chair ✅How mentorship and community can accelerate your development ✅Why ambition needs to be balanced with self-kindness ✅How barber training and hair culture differ between Germany and Canada ✅Why mastering one tool may be more valuable than constantly buying new equipment ✅How cutting with both hands can support balance, body positioning, and ergonomics ✅What Vincent values in the salon software and support he uses This conversation offers a grounded look at starting a barbering career, developing technical skill, building stronger client relationships, and finding a sustainable way to grow in the beauty industry. CONNECT WITH VINCENT Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/barbervince604/ MORE FROM SALONMONSTER salonMonster Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/salonmonster/ Watch more salonMonster podcast episodes: https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UC0oGUoOz3xLklSzb3IT5YYw/content/podcasts Start your 14-day salonMonster trial: https://salonmonster.com/ Chapters 00:00 Meet Vincent Franklin 00:22 Growing Up in a Sixth-Generation Hair Family 02:01 Starting Barber School During COVID 03:20 Balancing Ambition with Self-Kindness 04:22 Listening and Communication Behind the Chair 05:45 Parenthood, Contract Work and Schedule Flexibility 08:02 Finding Mentors in the Vancouver Barber Community 09:52 Barbering as a Trade Passed Through Generations 10:51 Hair Education in Germany vs Canada 13:17 Why Mastering One Tool Beats Chasing New Gear 14:16 Cutting with Both Hands for Better Ergonomics 15:31 Vincent’s Experience Using salonMonster

  6. Sep 14

    How to Build a Lasting Career in Hair: Fundamentals, Humility & Being Yourself

    A lasting career in hair isn’t built on talent or hustle alone. It takes humility, strong fundamentals, genuine client relationships, and the confidence to stay true to yourself. Jermaine Mendoza shares the path that took him from cutting hair in garages and experiencing homelessness to becoming a salon education director and national educator for R+Co. His story is honest about the work behind a beauty career—and clear about why success has to mean more than staying busy or making money. You’ll learn why: ✅New hairstylists must be willing to unlearn habits and return to the fundamentals ✅Technique becomes more useful when educators explain the “why” behind it ✅The right mentor can recognize your potential before you recognize it yourself ✅Client loyalty is built through presence, trust, service, and genuine relationships ✅Humility and confidence both matter when they remain in balance Imposter syndrome can exist alongside real expertise ✅Hard work is necessary, but hustle culture should not consume your life ✅Being yourself can help you attract the clientele and career that genuinely fit you Jermaine and Liam also discuss cosmetology school, salon education, haircutting and clipper foundations, ergonomics behind the chair, learning through teaching, dealing with negative feedback, balancing family and work, and defining success on your own terms. Jermaine also shares his idea for informal salon “play dates”—community gatherings where beauty professionals can cut hair, exchange knowledge, ask questions, and learn from one another without cameras, competition, or a formal audience. This conversation is for hairstylists, barbers, salon owners, educators, and beauty professionals who want to build a career that is technically strong, personally sustainable, and rooted in real relationships. CONNECT WITH JERMAINE MENDOZA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_sharp_one_/ Form Hair Salon: https://www.formhairsalon.com/ CONNECT WITH SALONMONSTER Follow salonMonster on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/salonmonster/ Watch more salonMonster podcast episodes: https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UC0oGUoOz3xLklSzb3IT5YYw/content/podcasts Start your 14-day salonMonster trial: https://salonmonster.com/ Chapters 00:00 Jermaine Mendoza’s path into the hair industry 05:11 Why surviving in hair takes more than talent 08:55 Unlearning old habits and mastering the fundamentals 12:52 Work ethic, passion, and the hustle-culture trap 17:19 Redefining success through client relationships 21:00 Building salon education around the fundamentals 24:23 Balancing education, family, and life outside the salon 25:31 Everyday mentorship and asking better questions 27:55 Beginner’s mind and educator imposter syndrome 31:05 Balancing humility, ego, and confidence 35:38 Teaching the “why” behind technique and ergonomics 39:16 Jermaine’s advice for new beauty professionals 43:11 Learning social media and creating salon “play dates” 47:35 Growing an idea without losing the joy 48:39 Final thoughts

  7. Sep 7

    Building an Inclusive Salon That Fits the People Inside It

    What happens when a salon stops asking people to fit the industry—and starts building the workplace around the people inside it? Renee (she/her/they/them), co-owner of Shadow and Shear, shares how an unexpected move from a small micro-suite to a full salon became an opportunity to rethink salon culture from the ground up. Instead of recreating a traditional high-end salon environment, Renee and business partner Sadie created a relaxed, inclusive space where clients and beauty professionals can drop the professional mask, receive the accommodations they need, and connect as themselves. Renee talks honestly about the first year of salon ownership, including imposter syndrome, protecting personal time as a single mom, and making the difficult shift from thinking primarily as a hairstylist to thinking as a business owner. The conversation explores: ✅Creating an inclusive and neurodiverse-friendly salon culture ✅Moving from a micro suite into a full salon ✅Setting boundaries around clients, work, and personal time ✅Chair rental, commission, assisting, and flexible career paths ✅Simple salon accommodations such as earplugs, fidget toys, blankets, and low-pressure activities ✅Using community outreach to connect with aligned clients ✅Why a locally focused social media presence can be more valuable than a large following ✅Bringing transferable skills from management, art, makeup, and previous careers into the beauty industry ✅Hiring hairstylists based on values, personality, attitude, and technical ability ✅Building a supportive salon team without relying on hustle, hierarchy, or workplace drama Renee also explains why community events are not treated as marketing campaigns, even though they often introduce Shadow and Shear to new clients. By showing up for communities they genuinely care about, the salon attracts people who already connect with its values. This conversation is for salon owners, hairstylists, barbers, beauty educators, and independent beauty professionals who want to create a sustainable salon business without forcing themselves—or their team—into a culture that no longer fits. CHAPTERS 00:00 Meet Renee of Shadow and Shear 00:41 The First Year of Salon Ownership 03:41 Time Boundaries as a Single Mom and Business Owner 05:13 From a Micro Suite to a Full Salon 08:30 Chair Rental, Commission, and Flexible Career Paths 10:35 Inclusive Salon Accommodations 12:36 Community Outreach and Attracting Aligned Clients 15:15 Trusting the Skills You Bring From Outside Hair 16:55 Why Transferable Skills Matter in Beauty Careers 19:31 Why Shadow and Shear Chose salonMonster 20:41 The Story Behind Renee’s Mug 21:42 Hiring for Values, Personality, and Skill CONNECT WITH RENEE AND SHADOW AND SHEAR Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrysalis.hair Website: https://www.shadowandshear.com MORE FROM SALONMONSTER Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/salonmonster salonMonster podcast episodes: studio.youtube.com Start your 14-day trial: salonmonster.com

  8. Sep 1

    Stop Memorizing Hair Formulas: Ashlee Norman on Real Hair Education

    Real hair education isn’t about memorizing one formula, one pattern, or one perfect Instagram result. Ashlee Norman joins salonMonster to talk about what it actually takes to build skill behind the chair: mentorship, theory, repetition, hands-on practice, and learning how to think through hair instead of copying one technique at a time. Ashlee is a hairstylist, independent educator, international brand artist, tool creator, online education founder, and mother of three. She shares how she went from beauty school and salon education to teaching across cities, working with major global brands, and building a career rooted in depth instead of hype. This one’s for hairstylists, colorists, salon owners, apprentices, educators, and independent artists building a long-term career in beauty. You’ll hear about: ✅Why beauty school is only the beginning of real salon education ✅The difference between memorizing techniques and understanding theory ✅How Ashlee built her education brand while raising three kids ✅Why word of mouth still matters in a social-media-driven industry ✅The difference between “width” and “depth” when building a personal brand ✅Why hands-on education beats watching demos online ✅How highlight theory helps colorists understand placement, separation, and technique choice ✅What new stylists should look for in mentorship and apprenticeship ✅Why great education should help you problem-solve in the salon the next day Ashlee also talks about the reality behind platform work, trade shows, brand partnerships, motherhood, travel, finances, and what it means to build something sustainable instead of just chasing visibility. Connect with Ashlee Norman: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleenormanhair/ Website: https://www.ashleenormanhair.com/ Education Platform: https://ashlee-norman.thinkific.com/ Connect with salonMonster: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/salonmonster/ More salonMonster podcast episodes: https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UC0oGUoOz3xLklSzb3IT5YYw/content/podcasts Start your 14-day trial: https://salonmonster.com/ Chapters 00:00 Meet Ashlee Norman 03:51 From beauty school to salon education 08:00 Why Ashlee started teaching 10:29 Rejection, redirection, and building a new path 18:15 Teaching while pregnant and growing an education brand 23:07 Learning to teach on bigger stages 25:40 Pandemic pivots, refunds, tools, and online education 29:50 Showing up as her own brand at trade shows 32:14 Depth vs. width in the hair industry 39:15 Motherhood, travel, and global education 42:10 Why memorized hair education falls short 44:11 Building theory into haircutting and color 45:39 The four methods of highlight separation 50:19 Where haircutting and color theory meet 52:26 Advice for new stylists 55:09 Choosing mentorship and hands-on education 58:03 Ashlee’s Vegas academy and what’s next 1:01:01 Closing thoughts

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The Digital Chair Real talk for beauty pros who want a smarter, calmer, more profitable chair. The Digital Chair is a podcast from salonMonster, built for stylists, barbers, estheticians, and other beauty pros who are brilliant at the craft and tired of carrying the business side alone. Every episode is a real conversation with people who know what it is to lose sleep over the book, chase down a no-show, or dig up a colour formula from six weeks ago. We talk money, burnout, client relationships, chair rental versus commission, and the parts of the job nobody covers in school: how to run a business that still leaves room for the work you actually love. No corporate speak. No pretending Admin Chaos isn't real. Just working beauty pros talking honestly about the chair, the book, and the business behind both. Subscribe wherever you listen.

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