The Modern Hairstylist ™ Podcast

Hunter Donia

Teaching you how to grow your beauty business as a hairstylist or salon owner without the overwhelm by implementing modern strategies so you can reclaim time, freedom and energy from working behind the chair.

  1. قبل ١٤ ساعة

    Big Beautiful Bill - How It Affects You & The Industry w/ Michelle Cook CPA

    In this episode of The Modern Hairstylist Podcast, host Hunter Donia sits down with Michelle Cook CPA to clarify what the so called Big Beautiful Bill actually changes for beauty professionals. If you have heard conflicting takes on tip taxation, entity status, and year end reporting, this conversation gives you straight facts on what is in the final law and how to prepare your business for it.  Whether you are a W2 employee, a booth renter filing Schedule C, or an S corp owner, you will learn what qualifies, what does not, and what documentation you will need so your records match what the IRS expects in 2025. You will also hear which other provisions may help or hurt your bottom line this year so you can plan with your accountant before deadlines hit.  Key Takeaways: 💰 Tip rules explained The law allows a federal deduction for the first twenty five thousand in tips if you meet the requirements and file correctly. States may choose different rules, so confirm your state treatment with a professional.  🧾 Reporting that counts For W2 staff, tips must be shown in the tip boxes and in payroll tax filings. Contractors and booth renters should expect to rely on 1099 NEC or 1099 K reporting and keep clear backup since those federal forms are not changing layout for 2025.  🏷 Entity specifics Schedule C filers still owe self employment tax. Employers still owe FICA. The tip deduction is a federal income tax item, not a replacement for those taxes.  📚 S corp action items If you own an S corporation you must run tips through payroll to use the new benefit. Straight salary without reported tips will not qualify.  🧠 Beyond tips Permanent 100 percent bonus depreciation and the permanent Qualified Business Income deduction can improve cash flow on big purchases and profits. The child tax credit increases to two thousand two hundred per child and a portion of charitable giving is deductible without itemizing. The clean vehicle credit ends after September thirty. Some health premium credits expire which could raise costs.  🏦 Better records better approvals Accurate tip reporting can increase documented income which may help with loans for cars and homes.  Why You Should Listen: This is a clear and neutral walkthrough of what the law says and how it touches salon owners, independents, and employees. You will leave knowing what applies to you, what to change in payroll and point of sale, and which planning moves to discuss with your CPA so your 2025 filings are clean and your benefits are maximized.  Follow Michelle on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smallbusinesscpa/ Join us for "Raise Your Prices Without Losing Clients" Class! Let's connect on Instagram! Join us on the Modern Hairstylist Tour!

    ٤٣ من الدقائق
  2. قبل ٣ أيام

    Answering All Of Your Questions About Prices and Increases

    REGISTER for the Raise Your Prices Without Losing Clients Workshop HERE: hunterdonia.com/prices In this episode of The Modern Hairstylist Podcast, Hunter Donia and Jodie Brown answer real listener questions about pricing and price increases. If you are wrestling with client backlash, guilt, timing, or the logistics of charging for time and product, this Q and A breaks it all down into clear, workable steps so you can raise prices with confidence and keep your business healthy. The questions came straight from Hunter’s community and span mindset, math, and messaging, so you get practical answers you can use today.  Whether you need to protect your margin, test a higher rate before rolling it out, or refine how you communicate changes to clients, this conversation shows you how to rely on your numbers, lead with clarity, and make decisions that fit your unique business. Key Takeaways: 💬 Handling Backlash Without Spiraling: Validate feelings without apologizing for smart business decisions and keep your confidence steady.   🧠 From Imposter Syndrome to Action: Choose temporary discomfort over long term stagnation and stop letting other people’s opinions run your pricing.   📊 Know Your Numbers First: Compare profit by service using real timing and product costs so pricing choices are grounded in data, not guesses.   📈 When and How Much to Raise: Spot the signals you are ready, choose an increase that actually moves your profit, and use safe tests before a full rollout.   🧰 If Demand Is Light: Use your open time for focused marketing and lift revenue with add ons, retail, frequency, and retention while you rebuild demand.   🧴 Time, Length, and Product: Build flexibility into base prices, set sensible product allowances, and reserve extra charges for true outliers.   🗣 Communicating Increases The Right Way: Tell clients clearly and proactively so trust stays intact and checkout is never a surprise.   🎟 Strategic Discounts and Gratuity Questions: When targeted discounts can help fill gaps and what to consider if you went gratuity free and want to revisit it.  Why You Should Listen: If pricing decisions have felt confusing or emotional, this episode gives you a calm process to follow. You will leave with language you can use, metrics to watch, and a clear plan to increase prices without losing the clients and momentum you have worked hard to build.  Join us for "Raise Your Prices Without Losing Clients" Class! Let's connect on Instagram! Join us on the Modern Hairstylist Tour!

    ٤٣ من الدقائق
  3. ٢٥ أغسطس

    Is Package Pricing Still The Right Move In 2025?

    In this episode of The Modern Hairstylist Podcast, host Hunter Donia and guest Jodie Brown dig into whether session package pricing still makes sense right now. If you keep hearing mixed advice about a la carte, hourly, parts and labor, or packages, this conversation gives you a clear way to decide what works for your business and your clients in 2025. Whether you want simpler menus, fewer surprises at checkout, or a model that better reflects transformations instead of line items, you will learn how to choose a structure that protects your time and margin while staying easy for clients to understand. Key Takeaways: 🧭 What Each Model Signals: A quick breakdown of a la carte, hourly, parts and labor, and session packages and what each one communicates to clients.  🧩 Why Packages Still Convert: How all inclusive sessions reduce confusion, build trust, and attract clients who want a clear A to B result.  🪜 When Packages Do Not Fit: Why color corrections often work best with an hourly approach and how to handle special cases.  🧮 Price From Your Numbers: Use real service timing, product costs, and demand to build packages that are profitable and sustainable.  🗣 Write Menus Clients Understand: Use client language, surveys, and simple descriptions so people can self select the right package.  🚫 Avoid A La Carte in Disguise: Keep package options focused and limited so the menu stays clear and conversion friendly.  🎯 Attract Your Ideal Client: Position packages to serve people who value outcomes and leadership so you can do your best work. Why You Should Listen: If you want pricing that feels modern and client friendly without sacrificing profit, this episode gives you a practical framework to evaluate your menu and update it with confidence. Tune in for a straight talking guide to choosing the right model for 2025 and making it work in your business. Join us for "Raise Your Prices Without Losing Clients" Class! Let's connect on Instagram! Join us on the Modern Hairstylist Tour!

    ٢٧ من الدقائق
  4. ١٨ أغسطس

    Raising Your Prices When The Economy Feels Uncertain

    In this episode of The Modern Hairstylist Podcast, host Hunter Donia and guest Jodie Brown speak to stylists who feel torn about raising prices while headlines keep warning about inflation and recession. If you are hesitating because the future feels shaky, this conversation shows you how to make a clear decision based on your numbers and your demand instead of the news cycle. Whether you are worried about losing clients, afraid of pricing yourself out, or simply unsure how much to raise and when, you will learn practical ways to protect your margin, choose a smart increase, and keep flexible options if conditions change. Key Takeaways: 📊 Let Your Data Lead: Use current demand on your time and real booking trends to decide if you are ready for an increase.  🛡 Protect Your Margin: Rising costs hit business owners twice, so pricing must keep pace to support you and the business.  📈 Choose a Sustainable Increase: Aim for the highest increase you can support with demand and clarity on the intention behind it.  🧭 Plan for What If: If the market shifts, you can adjust with targeted marketing, retail focus, strategic discounts, or a temporary rollback.  🧠 Replace Catastrophe With Clarity: Make the best decision with the information you have now and stop letting anxiety steer the business.  🤝 Different Paths for Different Demand: If books are light, move conservatively. If you are booked out, you likely have room to move higher.  🔍 Reality Check From The Field: Many stylists are still filling chairs and raising prices with thoughtful strategy and consistent marketing. Why You Should Listen: If you have been waiting for perfect certainty before you raise prices, this episode gives you a grounded process to move forward with confidence. Tune in for a clear, calm framework that helps you protect your livelihood, serve your clients well, and build a more resilient business. Join us for "Raise Your Prices Without Losing Clients" Class! Let's connect on Instagram! Join us on the Modern Hairstylist Tour!

    ٢٣ من الدقائق
  5. ١١ أغسطس

    You’re Not A Bad Person For Making Money

    In this episode of The Modern Hairstylist Podcast, host Hunter Donia speaks to impact driven beauty professionals who feel torn between doing good and getting paid. If headlines about billionaires and broken systems have made you second guess your pricing or feel guilty about profit, this conversation will help you separate ethical business from harmful practices so you can protect your livelihood and still show up for your community. With guest Jodie Brown, Hunter breaks down the real difference between unethical capitalism and ethical leadership behind the chair. Whether you are nervous to raise prices, managing a small team, or looking for ways to make services more accessible without burning out, this episode offers practical language, clear mindset shifts, and simple ideas you can put into action right away. Key Takeaways: 💡 What Ethical Really Means: Understand the difference between building a healthy profit and hoarding resources at the expense of others.  🛡 Protect Your Margin: Learn why safeguarding profit is part of your job as a CEO and how it keeps your business and clients supported long term.  💬 Pricing With Confidence: Get scripts and mindset shifts to charge appropriately without apologizing for your value.  🤝 Accessible Impact Ideas: Try sliding scale days, community raffles for causes, and thoughtful discounts that do not wreck your schedule or your books.  🧠 Lead With Awareness Not Guilt: Use awareness of identity and privilege to guide decisions without getting stuck in paralysis.  👥 If You Employ Others: Practical ways to pay fairly, listen to staff needs, and create a safe and sustainable workplace. Why You Should Listen: You care about people and you also want a stable income. This episode gives you permission and a plan to have both. Tune in for a grounded conversation that replaces guilt with clarity and equips you to raise prices, serve with integrity, and use your resources to create real good. Join us for "Raise Your Prices Without Losing Clients" Class! Let's connect on Instagram! Join us on the Modern Hairstylist Tour!

    ٢٦ من الدقائق
  6. ٤ أغسطس

    What To Evaluate When Choosing A Booking System In 2025

    In this episode of The Modern Hairstylist Podcast, Hunter Donia walks you through the 2025 booking‑software landscape, breaking down why the “best” platform isn’t about the cheapest subscription or flashiest AI feature, but about how well it actually works for you and your clients. Hunter compares today’s most talked about systems, shares the must have features that still get overlooked (hello, two‑way Google Calendar!), and explains why some all‑in‑one add‑ons may do more harm than good. You’ll leave with a clear checklist of what really matters, so you can stop stalling, start streamlining, and choose a booking tool that fuels growth instead of headaches. Key Takeaways Subscription vs. ROI: Why sweating a $35‑$65 monthly fee can cost you more in lost efficiency, and how a tiny price bump covers most processing fees.All‑in‑One Trap: The pros and cons of beauty‑specific “everything” platforms versus open systems that integrate with Zapier and third‑party tools.Client‑First Functionality: The booking, rescheduling, and reminder features modern clients expect (and quick tests to see which app nails them).Control > Convenience: Cool new AI automations sound great, until they send the wrong promo or hike deposits for the wrong guest. Here’s how to keep the reins.Hunter’s 2025 Shortlist: Comb and Square up top, with Gloss Genius and Vagaro close behind, plus the personal quirks that make Hunter favor one over the others.Why You Should Listen If you’ve spent weeks comparing processing rates, worrying about email add‑on costs, or waiting for the “perfect” system to appear, this episode will help you cut through the noise. Learn how to evaluate software like a strategist, deliver a seamless client experience, and future‑proof your business with tech that actually supports your goals—so you can reclaim your time and focus on the work you love behind the chair. Join us for "Raise Your Prices Without Losing Clients" Class! Let's connect on Instagram! Join us on the Modern Hairstylist Tour!

    ٢٧ من الدقائق
  7. ٢٨ يوليو

    How Demand And Scarcity Affect Perceived Value

    In this episode of The Modern Hairstylist Podcast Hunter Donia and cohost Jodie Brown unpack the psychology that makes a seventy‑five dollar Labubu doll sold‑out Addison Rae tickets and a last minute Yosemite campsite feel worth every penny, then translate those same forces into booking and pricing strategies behind the chair. From limited booking windows that nudge indecisive clients to click “Book Now,” to the hidden cost of broadcasting every open slot, Hunter shares quick tweaks that turn FOMO into fully booked. You will also hear how one mastermind stylist fields fifty new‑client requests a month without burning out and get Hunter’s exact script for locking down appointments today, pulled straight from his newest training. Key Takeaways Event‑based urgency: replace “anytime works” with time boxed drops like presales booking windows or targeted email blasts to push action nowSelective availability posts: share openings only with existing clients and spotlight three headline slots rather than the whole calendar to keep demand highDeadlines that convert: the simple “I will hold it until 5 p.m.” request that moves a DM chat to a confirmed appointmentWaitlists and cancellation texts: build a pathway for new clients while protecting income and boundariesDetach worth from calendar status: your value is not tied to being booked solid, it is about framing your offer to align with human buying biasWhy You Should Listen If you have ever watched a fresh opening sit unclaimed or wondered how some stylists stay packed without nonstop marketing this episode delivers the consumer‑behavior playbook. Learn to introduce just enough scarcity set clear deadlines and turn each loyal guest into a magnet for future demand, all while keeping your schedule and sanity intact. Join us for "Raise Your Prices Without Losing Clients" Class! Let's connect on Instagram! Join us on the Modern Hairstylist Tour!

    ٣٣ من الدقائق
  8. ٢١ يوليو

    Why Your Hairspray Is Killing Color (And How to Fix It) w/ Brenda Amaral

    In this episode of The Modern Hairstylist Podcast, Hunter sits down with independent, brand‑agnostic educator Brenda Amaral to unpack the chemistry truths that help stylists cut waste, get predictable results, and stop fear‑buying shelves full of “just in case” tubes. Brenda pulls back the curtain on the tariff panic, “stock up now” messaging, and ammonia‑free buzzwords that keep colorists spending more than they need to. From why endless glazing can actually speed up fading, to putting the “filler” directly in the bowl instead of double processing, to how a 5‑minute heated test strand can save an accidental color correction, Brenda shows how understanding base chemistry gives you freedom: leaner inventory, cleaner formulas, faster decisions, and longer‑lasting color your clients notice. They also hit the sneaky ways aerosol hairspray sabotages fresh tone before the client even checks out—and what to do instead. Key Takeaways: Fear Selling vs Facts: How tariff talk and “shortage” messaging push unnecessary bulk buying—and how to audit what actually moves.Glossing Myth Check: Why routine clear glossing on already colored hair can swell the cuticle and flush pigment instead of “sealing” it.“Put the Filler in the Bowl”: Skip the dated two‑step fill—add controlled warmth directly to the target formula and verify with a quick test strand.Ammonia‑Free ≠ Damage‑Free: MEA and other substitutes don’t just vanish—what residue reactivation means for cumulative stress and fading.Hairspray: The #1 Fresh Color Killer—Why high pH + alcohol right after a service accelerates fade, and smarter finishing swaps.Inventory Condensing: One adaptable line + chemistry knowledge can replace rows of single‑purpose SKUs (and clear literal and mental shelf space).Test Strand Speed Hack: An inch of hair + a capful of developer + heat in 5 minutes beats guessing (and wasted tubes).Why You Should Listen: If you’re watching color costs climb, battling mid‑cycle fade, or feeling buried under duplicate shades “just in case,” this episode hands you the framework to trim inventory without trimming creativity. You’ll walk away with immediately usable tweaks—how you finish, formulate, and problem‑solve—that protect profit, boost client loyalty, and make formulation feel intentional instead of reactive. It’s not about buying a new system; it’s about finally leveraging the chemistry behind the one you already own. Check out what Brenda has to offer with the resources below: https://www.instagram.com/truehaireducation/ https://www.truehaireducation.com/ Join us for "Raise Your Prices Without Losing Clients" Class! Let's connect on Instagram! Join us on the Modern Hairstylist Tour!

    ٤٥ من الدقائق
٤٫٩
من ٥
‫١٣٤ من التقييمات‬

حول

Teaching you how to grow your beauty business as a hairstylist or salon owner without the overwhelm by implementing modern strategies so you can reclaim time, freedom and energy from working behind the chair.

قد يعجبك أيضًا