ELEVATE INSIDER

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$9.99/month or $79.99/year

The Elevate Podcast

Patricia Nowakowski
  • 4.9 (38)
  • Entrepreneurship

Join Patricia Nowakowski every other Monday to elevate your mindset & business! Patricia is a coach for salon owners as well as a commission salon owner, studio rental owner and founder of Opulent Beauty Pro. Patricia shares her two decades of experience in the beauty industry, packing each episode with practical advice that will take you from feeling overwhelmed to feeling empowered in your business!

  1. INSIDER: The Salon That Will Make or Break Your Career: The Questions Every Stylist Should Ask and Every Salon Owner Should Be Ready to Answer

    36m ago • Subscribers Only

    INSIDER: The Salon That Will Make or Break Your Career: The Questions Every Stylist Should Ask and Every Salon Owner Should Be Ready to Answer

    Choosing a salon is one of the biggest decisions you'll make in your career, yet it's also one of the least understood. Too many stylists accept a position because the salon looks beautiful, their friends work there, or the commission percentage sounds appealing—without asking the questions that truly determine their long-term success. In this episode, I break down how to reverse engineer your career before you ever step into an interview. We'll discuss how to create a clear five-year vision, identify the leadership style that's right for you, understand how your environment influences your habits and success, and why surrounding yourself with high performers can dramatically change the trajectory of your career. We'll also uncover the biggest myths around commission, average ticket, pricing, product charges, and earning potential so you can evaluate opportunities based on real income—not just percentages on paper. You'll learn the questions every stylist should ask before accepting a position and how to recognize the green flags and red flags that often determine whether a salon will accelerate or limit your growth. And if you're a salon owner, this episode is just as valuable for you. You'll discover what today's top talent is really looking for, the questions ambitious stylists should be asking during an interview, and whether your salon is positioned to answer them with confidence. We'll discuss how your leadership, culture, compensation structure, education, career paths, and ability to develop high performers all impact your ability to attract and retain exceptional talent. If you want to build a salon that people choose because of the opportunities you create—not just the commission you offer—this episode will challenge you to see your business through the eyes of the next generation of stylists. Whether you're just graduating beauty school, considering a career move, or building a salon that top talent is excited to join, this episode will give you the framework to make intentional decisions that create long-term success. Because the salon you choose—or the salon you build—doesn't just determine where people work. It helps determine who they become.

    28 min
  2. INSIDER LEADERSHIP TIP: Great Leaders Take Ownership

    Jun 30 • Subscribers Only

    INSIDER LEADERSHIP TIP: Great Leaders Take Ownership

    Leadership isn't about making excuses. It's about taking ownership. In this quick leadership tip, I dive into one of the biggest differences between average leaders and exceptional ones: accountability. Whether you're leading a salon, a business, or a team, your ability to own your decisions, your results, and your mistakes sets the standard for everyone around you. You'll learn why accountability creates trust, how excuses quietly erode your culture, and the mindset shift that allows great leaders to grow through challenges instead of avoiding them. If you want a stronger team, better results, and a business built on responsibility instead of blame, this is a leadership lesson you won't want to miss.

    8 min
  3. INSIDER: The power of letting go: Why I walked away from my salon suites

    Jun 29 • Subscribers Only

    INSIDER: The power of letting go: Why I walked away from my salon suites

    I recently made the decision to let go of my salon suites—and contrary to what many people expected, it wasn't a difficult decision at all. In this episode, I'm sharing the real reasons behind the choice, how I evaluated the numbers, weighed the stress, and looked at the true growth potential of the opportunity. I also dive into one of the biggest traps entrepreneurs face: allowing ego to influence business decisions. Have you ever kept something because you were afraid people would think you failed? Worried about what others would say? Held onto a revenue stream simply because it looked successful from the outside? We'll talk about why those are ego questions not business questions. I'll also share lessons from the transition process, the disappointment that came with it, and the reminder that people will always make decisions based on what's best for them. As leaders, learning not to take that personally is one of the most important skills we can develop. In this episode you'll learn: • How to know when it's time to let go of something in your business • The difference between profit and opportunity cost • Why stress should be measured just like revenue • How ego can cloud decision-making • Why "looking successful" and being successful are not the same thing • The leadership lessons that come from releasing what no longer aligns Sometimes growth isn't about adding more. Sometimes it's about having the courage to let go of what's no longer serving your future. Because the next level of your business may require you to stop carrying what you've outgrown.

    17 min
  4. 196: The Power of Letting Go: Why I Walked Away From My Salon Suites

    Jun 27

    196: The Power of Letting Go: Why I Walked Away From My Salon Suites

    I recently made the decision to let go of my salon suites—and contrary to what many people expected, it wasn't a difficult decision at all. In this episode, I'm sharing the real reasons behind the choice, how I evaluated the numbers, weighed the stress, and looked at the true growth potential of the opportunity. I also dive into one of the biggest traps entrepreneurs face: allowing ego to influence business decisions. Have you ever kept something because you were afraid people would think you failed? Worried about what others would say? Held onto a revenue stream simply because it looked successful from the outside? We'll talk about why those are ego questions—not business questions. I'll also share lessons from the transition process, the disappointment that came with it, and the reminder that people will always make decisions based on what's best for them. As leaders, learning not to take that personally is one of the most important skills we can develop. In this episode you'll learn: • How to know when it's time to let go of something in your business • The difference between profit and opportunity cost • Why stress should be measured just like revenue • How ego can cloud decision-making • Why "looking successful" and being successful are not the same thing • The leadership lessons that come from releasing what no longer aligns Sometimes growth isn't about adding more. Sometimes it's about having the courage to let go of what's no longer serving your future. Because the next level of your business may require you to stop carrying what you've outgrown.

    14 min
  5. INSIDER: The Energy of Responsibility

    Jun 20 • Subscribers Only

    INSIDER: The Energy of Responsibility

    This episode breaks down the truth most people avoid. Growth and leadership have nothing to do with what’s happening around you and everything to do with what you’re willing to take responsibility for. When you stop blaming your team, your clients, your circumstances, and your past, you step into real power. In this episode, we go beyond surface level mindset work and into the spiritual side of personal responsibility. You’ll learn how your external world is a direct reflection of your internal leadership, how your ego keeps you stuck, and why ownership is the fastest way to transform your business and your life. If you feel stuck, overwhelmed, or frustrated, this is the shift you’ve been avoiding and the one that will change everything.

    22 min
  6. INSIDER: When Employees Leave: The Ego Trap That Keeps Business Owners Small

    Jun 20 • Subscribers Only

    INSIDER: When Employees Leave: The Ego Trap That Keeps Business Owners Small

    One of the hardest experiences a leader can face is investing in someone, believing in them, training them, supporting them, and then watching them walk away. Most business owners think the pain comes from turnover. It doesn't. The pain comes from what we've made that departure mean about ourselves. In today's episode, we're diving into the hidden identity crisis behind employee turnover, the ego patterns that keep owners stuck, and why scaling a business requires developing a completely different relationship with uncertainty, disappointment, and leadership. If you've ever thought: "I gave them everything." "People aren't worth investing in." "I don't know if I want to keep growing." Then this episode is for you.

    14 min
  7. 195: The Energy of Responsibility

    Jun 3

    195: The Energy of Responsibility

    This episode breaks down the truth most people avoid. Growth and leadership have nothing to do with what’s happening around you and everything to do with what you’re willing to take responsibility for. When you stop blaming your team, your clients, your circumstances, and your past, you step into real power. In this episode, we go beyond surface level mindset work and into the spiritual side of personal responsibility. You’ll learn how your external world is a direct reflection of your internal leadership, how your ego keeps you stuck, and why ownership is the fastest way to transform your business and your life. If you feel stuck, overwhelmed, or frustrated, this is the shift you’ve been avoiding and the one that will change everything. The elevate insider: https://opulentbeautypro.mykajabi.com/offers/mfWaCmoz   The Salon Owner Blueprint & My Salon Owner Community: https://www.opulentbeautypro.com/blueprint 12 Week Training Program: https://www.opulentbeautypro.com/training  1 On 1 Coaching: https://www.opulentbeautypro.com/coaching Socials: Business Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/opulentbeautypro/ Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/patricia_nowakowski_obs/# YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@opulentbeautypro/featured

    18 min
  8. 194: The Beauty Industry’s Education Problem No One Wants to Fix

    May 15

    194: The Beauty Industry’s Education Problem No One Wants to Fix

    The beauty industry is facing a major shift and most people are not fully understanding what is happening. Federal changes to student loan accountability are putting pressure on beauty schools to prove their graduates can actually earn enough to justify the cost of education. At the same time, apprenticeship programs are being pushed forward as an alternative, especially in Illinois. But what does that really mean? In this episode, I break down the facts behind the new federal regulations, how they impact cosmetology programs, and what could happen if schools begin losing access to federal funding. I also walk through the Illinois apprenticeship bill, including the legal requirements around pay, supervision, training hours, and the often misunderstood 180 hours of supplemental instruction. Most importantly, we are having the conversation no one is having: Are apprenticeships actually solving the problem, or are they shifting the cost and responsibility from the student to the salon owner? If you are a salon owner, stylist, or someone considering entering the industry, this episode will give you the clarity you need to understand where beauty education is headed and what it means for your future. https://www.tiktok.com/@beyondthechairco?_r=1&_t=ZT-96M1yqWuebt

    19 min
See All (286)

4.9
out of 5
38 Ratings

About

Join Patricia Nowakowski every other Monday to elevate your mindset & business! Patricia is a coach for salon owners as well as a commission salon owner, studio rental owner and founder of Opulent Beauty Pro. Patricia shares her two decades of experience in the beauty industry, packing each episode with practical advice that will take you from feeling overwhelmed to feeling empowered in your business!

Information

  • Creator
    Patricia Nowakowski
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    286
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Show Website
    The Elevate Podcast
  • Provider
    The Elevate Podcast

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