Libsyn Directory

Leading a Salon Team: Setting Expectations & Creating Accountability

Release Date: 03/04/2025

Successful Stylist Academy

In the fast-paced world of hairstyling, it’s easy to feel stuck in “artist mode”...busy, talented, and booked, yet still overwhelmed and unsure how to scale. In this Successful Stylist Academy podcast breakdown, Ambrosia Carey shares how adopting a Salon CEO mindset can transform your income, schedule, and long-term business success without abandoning the artistry that made you fall in love with the industry. You’ll learn why mindset is a direct driver of revenue, boundaries, and growth strategy, how the comfort-zone trap can keep even high-performing stylists stuck, and why...

The 5% Client Retention Rule That Can Double Your Income as a Hairstylist

Successful Stylist Academy

Are you exhausted from constantly chasing new clients on Instagram, TikTok, and referral apps, but not seeing your income reflect how hard you work behind the chair? In this episode, Ambrosia Carey breaks down the data-backed 5% client retention rule and shows you how a tiny improvement in retention can boost your salon revenue by 25–95% without adding more days, longer hours, or triple-booking chaos. If you’re a hairstylist, colorist, booth renter, or salon owner who wants to build a sustainable, freedom-based beauty business, this conversation walks you through the difference...

Where Does Our Money Go? The Waterfall Map for Salon Profits

Successful Stylist Academy

In this episode of the Successful Stylist Academy Podcast, Ambrosia pulls back the curtain on one of the most confusing parts of running a profitable business as an independent stylist or salon owner: where your money actually goes. Instead of just looking at your bank balance and hoping for the best, she walks you through a simple “waterfall” visual so you can see how every dollar flows through your business, into costs, marketing, overhead, education, and finally: profit. You’ll learn realistic percentage benchmarks for each category, the most common money leaks that silently...

Proven Ways to Amplify Your Income Using Hair Extensions

Successful Stylist Academy

Offering extensions can transform your average ticket, attract premium clients, and position you as an expert. In this episode I break down how to use “scholarship” (free-labor) installs to sprint your social proof, fill your portfolio, and raise prices with confidence, without giving away the store. You’ll get scripts, a 7-day action plan, and the math to make it smart. Get FREE access to our profit making webinar: Get 20% off your first order & subscribe to Rooted Hair for ongoing deals & education: ...

Burnout to Purpose: The Hairstylist’s Guide to Serving with HairAid

Successful Stylist Academy

What is HairAid and how can a hairstylist actually change a life in one week? Ambrosia talks with Alannah Zilkowsky (HairAid project lead) and Corey/Hairdustry about HairAid’s volunteer-led projects in Cambodia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, and Guatemala. Learn how teams teach core foundational haircuts in less than a week, why graduates can earn income immediately, who can volunteer (you don’t need to be an educator), costs and logistics, real success stories, and why many stylists return feeling re-energized and burnout-free. If you’ve wondered how to use your salon...

Why Your Time Is Worth More Than You Think

Successful Stylist Academy

Your time is your most valuable and limited business asset. In this episode, Ambrosia Carey reveals how to calculate your true hourly rate, spot hidden time drains, and protect your schedule so your business actually works for you. Perfect for hairstylists, salon owners, and creative entrepreneurs ready to scale without burning out. Get your free time tracker here: Watch our FREE profit maker webinar here: Key Take-Aways: 1. No one talks about the one...

The Mindset Shift Every Hairstylist Needs to Make More Money

Successful Stylist Academy

As a hairstylist, increasing your income isn’t always about adding more, it’s about deepening the way you communicate, consult, and recommend. In this episode, we explore the mindset shifts and soft skills that make all the difference. You’ll learn how to remove the ick from sales by shifting your focus from pushing to partnering. From understanding the stories you tell yourself about selling, to crafting recommendations that actually help your clients feel seen and supported, this conversation goes deep into what it truly means to build trust behind the chair. We’ll talk...

Money Moves for Creative Entrepreneurs

Successful Stylist Academy

In this episode, we sit down with Carrie Scott, Financial Advisor with Cetera Investors, to talk about building real, sustainable wealth as a creative business owner. Whether you’re a hairstylist, solopreneur, or growing your side hustle, this conversation is packed with approachable tips on setting up financial systems, the biggest mistakes creatives make with money, how to plan for slow seasons and long-term wealth, shifting from hustle mode to intentional money moves. Carrie breaks down complex topics with warmth, clarity, and zero judgment. This is the episode every creative...

Building Your Marketing Message

Successful Stylist Academy

Struggling to market your creative business or attract high-quality clients? In this episode, we join Jodie Brown who walks through the exact steps to define your ideal client, clarify your brand message, and choose the right marketing channels to grow your business. Learn why niching down helps you stand out, how to stop overthinking your content, and how to use repetition to build reputation. Whether you're a hairstylist, salon owner, or creative entrepreneur, this episode will help you simplify your strategy and create marketing that actually works. ...

The Path from Stylist to Salon Owner

Successful Stylist Academy

In this episode of the Successful Stylist Academy Podcast, we sit down with one of our Business Collective attendees, Vanessa Gross, to share her real, raw journey from working behind the chair to opening the doors of her very first salon. We dive into what inspired her leap, the mindset shifts she had to make, and the systems that helped her scale. If you’ve been thinking about salon ownership or looking for motivation to grow, this is the conversation you need to hear. Get FREE access to our profit making webinar: ...

More Episodes

Running a salon team isn’t just about great hair—it’s about clear expectations, accountability, and strong leadership. In this episode, we break down why stylists ignore responsibilities, how to get them to care, and the key shifts that turn frustration into teamwork. Learn how to lead with confidence, and create a culture where everyone takes ownership. If you’re tired of repeating yourself or struggling with follow-through, this episode is for you.

Get FREE access to our Creative Service Profit Maker Webinar now! https://small-kiwi-98108.myflodesk.com/ao7u0l0qzq

Key Take-aways:

1. One of the biggest reasons a task isn’t done is they just don’t see how it can benefit them.

2. Rather than should’s or shouldn't's, focus on tying responsibilities to personal success.

3. Creating a culture of salon leadership brings up future leaders, making your business more sustainable.

4. Be firm but kind

5. Another reason someone doesn’t take responsibility is because they assume someone else will take care of it.

6. When addressing, keep it short and simple, and pull them away privately.

7. When someone owns a task, they’re more likely to do it.

8. Create a sanitation list and introduce it at a meeting.

9. Another reason something isn’t done is because someone doesn't feel accountable.

10. Try a nomination box to bring team morale together, give a gift card to the most nominated employee.

11. Personally thank and publicly recognize when someone goes above and beyond.

12. Come up with solutions during team meetings. Ask your staff if they have ideas.

13. Focus on clarity over assumption

14. Have policies like this written in a team handbook or policy guide.

15. Address issues 1:1 and not in a group. Calling someone out publicly is a form of public shaming.

16. If you have high turnover, it’s time to take a look at how you’re leading your culture and environment.

17. Frame your approach as collaboration so that you can work together and bond as a team.

18. The bigger picture is to create a team that builds a sustainable business, and therefor creating opportunity and freedom to make choices or take risk.

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