AI is changing Google search faster than most salon owners realise, and whether you like it or not, it’s going to impact your business. In this episode, I'm joined by returning guest Phil Evans from Salon Guru, and we're diving into what AI is doing to Google search and what that means for your salon business.

We break down how Google's AI is already showing up in your potential clients' search results, what's actually driving which salons appear at the top, and why content and reviews still remain the foundation of everything.

We also get into the practical stuff, how to use AI tools like ChatGPT without sounding like a robot, why you need to know your traffic and rank numbers before anything else, and the simple phone test you can do today that will tell you exactly where your salon stands. Phil's homework at the end of this episode is worth the listen alone.

IN THIS EPISODE:

[00:00] Introduction and marketing course waitlist announcement

[01:13] Welcoming Phil Evans from Salon Guru back to the show

[02:00] What AI has actually changed about Google search

[03:15] How AI search works in practice, with real examples

[07:57] The numbers behind salon website traffic (and what "good" looks like)

[09:13] What determines which salon ranks first for "best balayage near me"

[10:00] Why content and reviews are 90% of the job

[11:31] The three most important things a small salon owner should focus on

[16:00] How to use AI writing tools without sounding like a robot

[19:25] What happens if a salon ignores AI and search over the next few years

[21:00] How to make your existing content AI-ready

[22:39] Three practical takeaways you can action today

[23:08] The free rank report from Salon Guru (and how to find your numbers)

[25:10] How local search radius works, and the wake-up call most salons need

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/

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

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

Join the waitlist for our Online Salon Marketing Course

Salon Guru - Rank Report

👉 FOLLOW US!

Instagram | Facebook | Website

👉 FOLLOW SALON GURU!

Instagram | Website

There are many responsibilities that come with being a salon owner, and if we're honest, most of us give very little thought to them before we open our doors. One of the biggest blind spots is the ongoing training and development of our teams. Too many salon owners assume their people will arrive fully formed and ready to perform. But it just doesn't work like that.

In this episode, I'm asking the question: have we created an industry where owners and managers are afraid to be the leaders we're meant to be? Because when there's no real training culture in a salon, the cost is real: poor retention, fragmented culture, no career path. And that lack of leadership is one of the key drivers pushing good stylists towards self-employment.

But this episode isn't just about the problem; it's about the solution. What does a salon with a real training culture actually look like? And what changes for your team and your business when you stop waiting for people to show up ready and start developing them yourself?

IN THIS EPISODE:

[00:00] Welcome

[00:45] Why salon owners expect too much before they've given enough

[02:06] The transition from stylist to salon owner, and what gets missed along the way

[03:00] How teams are left to pick up bits and pieces from social media and product events

[07:28] The real cost: poor retention, no culture, no career path

[07:58] Why the self-employment exodus is a leadership problem, not a people problem

[09:20] What a real training culture actually looks like

[10:40] You don't have to do it yourself, but you do have to make it happen

[12:25] The numbers that tell you whether your stylists really know their stuff

[13:11] The leverage you have as a leader: productivity and pay

[13:57] What real leadership looks like in practice

[14:59] The takeaway: it's your responsibility to develop them

[15:40] How structured training changes everything

[16:00] Final thoughts and next steps

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/

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

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

The Super Stylist Online program - Find out more

Free Masterclass - Creating a Productive and Profitable Salon Culture - Save your seat

👉 FOLLOW US!

Instagram | Facebook | Website

In today’s episode, I’m joined by Gerard Scarpaci, co-founder of Hairbrained and host of the Hairbrained Conversations podcast.

We talk about the big shifts happening in hairdressing right now, how the next generation learns differently, and why the old business models have been turned on their head. Gerard shares what excites him most about the industry today, but he’s also refreshingly honest about the risks, particularly around lack of direction, mentorship, and the pressure many hairdressers are carrying without even realising it.

We also dig into job satisfaction, education, live events, the changing relationship between salons and manufacturers, and why content creation is becoming one of the biggest opportunities for young hairdressers today. This is a wide-ranging, honest conversation about what it really takes to build a sustainable, fulfilling career in today’s salon business.

IN THIS EPISODE:

[00:00] Welcome and Introducing Gerard Scarpaci

[01:48] What excites Gerard about the industry today

[05:00] The concerns and risks of increased independence

[09:00] The Hairbrained Confidence Index explained

[12:36] Why industry data is emotional, not scientific

[16:26] What successful salons are doing differently

[17:56] Job satisfaction, pressure, and performance

[23:08] Learning, relevance, and modern education challenges

[29:36] Fundamentals vs "timely and relevant" learning

[32:32] The changing relationship between brands and salons

[37:00] Online education, live events, and what's working now

[44:28] Opportunities for the next generation of hairdressers

[48:00] Where to connect with Gerard and closing thoughts

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/

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

👉 FOLLOW US!

Instagram | Facebook | Website

👉 FOLLOW HAIRBRAINED!

Instagram | Website

👉 FOLLOW GERARD SCARPACI!

Instagram

Nearly four years ago, I recorded an episode about why hairdressers should be recommending professional retail. And yet, here we are, still having the same conversation. The fundamentals haven’t changed, but the world we’re operating in absolutely has. Inflation, online shopping, influencers, and changing client behaviour… all of it has added new layers to old objections.

In this episode, I break down why so many stylists still avoid recommending retail and, more importantly, what’s really sitting underneath those objections. I walk through the most common excuses I hear, grouped into skill issues, mindset issues, fear issues, and systems issues and explain why teaching product knowledge or scripts alone will never fix the problem.

This isn’t about being pushy or “selling.” It’s about professionalism, service, responsibility, and ultimately the sustainability of your business. If you’re a salon owner or a stylist who wants stronger client relationships, better results, and a more profitable salon, this is a conversation you can’t keep avoiding.

IN THIS EPISODE:

• [00:00] Intro: Retail version 2.0: what’s changed

• [01:58] Same salon, same clients, very different retail results

• [02:43] Why scripts and commissions don’t solve retail

• [03:22] The three real reasons hairdressers should recommend retail

• [06:49] The 4 categories behind all retail objections

• [07:39] Skill issues: “I don’t know how” and product knowledge

• [09:40] Mindset issues: “It’s not my job”

• [12:09] Fear issues: The fear of being pushy or transactional

• [20:06] Systems issues and retail culture in salons

• [26:30] Final thoughts

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/

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

👉 FOLLOW US!

Instagram | Facebook | Website

In this final episode of our three-part series on the five pillars of salon success, I take a different approach by talking you through the journey of Sarah, a real salon owner who in many ways reflects the journey that salon owners everywhere go through.

Sarah’s a very good hairdresser, and she definitely doesn’t have a work ethic problem, but despite working harder than ever, doing everything “right” as a stylist, her business was barely surviving. She was exhausted, overwhelmed, and wondering if she’d made a huge mistake.

Over 12 months of working together, everything changed, not because she worked harder still or took on more clients, but because she stopped trying to fix business problems with hairdressing skills.

Instead, she learned how to run her business the right way. Over the course of 2025, we focused on leadership, systems, money, marketing, team development, and culture and the results were incredible and became the blueprint for my Business School Intensive program.

This episode shows you what real change actually looks like when you commit to learning the business side of running your salon properly. And if you see yourself in this story, it might just help you decide what you’re going to do next.

IN THIS EPISODE:

• [00:00] Introduction & recap of the five pillars series
• [01:30] The moment how I saw my business changed
• [03:34] “You don’t own a salon, you own a business that happens to do hair”
• [04:27] Meet “Sarah” a talented stylist drowning as an owner
• [05:37] What her life really looked like behind the scenes
• [09:29] The night she finally faced her numbers
• [10:37] Making the decision to get business education
• [20:44] Where Sarah is today, the results after 12 months
• [25:08] Final thoughts and choosing a different future

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/

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

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

Free 3-part video series ‘The 5 Things Holding Your Salon Back From Growing (and how to fix them)’
Register and get them sent straight to your inbox

👉 FOLLOW US!

Instagram | Facebook | Website

In this episode, I’m diving deep into the Money Pillar of salon success, because after more than 20+ years of coaching salon owners all over the world, I know this to be true: you can have a full appointment book, a talented team, and great marketing, and still be broke. Being busy does not automatically mean you’re profitable, and for a lot of salon owners, that realisation is both confusing and exhausting.

I talk through the three biggest money problems that keep salon owners stuck: not knowing if they’re actually profitable, underpricing services based on fear instead of maths, and tracking the wrong numbers, or no numbers at all. If you’ve ever looked at a busy month and wondered where all the money went, this episode will explain exactly why that keeps happening.

Most importantly, I show you what to focus on instead. The key numbers that actually matter, how to stop guessing, and how financial literacy changes everything once you learn it. Because when you understand your numbers, you stop hoping and start running your salon with confidence, clarity, and profit.

IN THIS EPISODE:

[00:00] Introduction and the five pillars recap

[02:30] Busy does not equal profitable

[04:16] Problem #1: Not knowing if you’re actually profitable

[05:22] Why your bank balance lies

[05:46] Understanding your profit and loss statement

[07:05] Problem #2: Pricing based on fear instead of maths

[08:42] The real cost of underpricing services

[09:35] Problem #3: Tracking the wrong numbers

[10:18] Profit margins and industry benchmarks

[11:00] Average ticket and why it matters

[11:35] Client retention and the biggest leak in your business

[12:03] Cost per service explained

[12:27] Revenue per hour and stylist productivity

[15:07] Free training and Business School Intensive overview

[17:13] Final thoughts and what’s coming next week

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/

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

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

Free Business Bootcamp: The Five Things Holding Your Salon Back from Growing (and how to fix them.) Register below and get instant access to the first video, then receive one new training each day for three days. Register Here

👉 FOLLOW US!

Instagram | Facebook | Website

After 20+ years of coaching salon owners, I can spot the pattern in under 5 minutes. Talented stylist opens dream salon, becomes overwhelmed operator, wonders what went wrong. If you're working harder than ever but not getting ahead, if you're the busiest person in your salon but still stressed about money, you're not alone.

In today’s episode, I'm revealing the #1 mistake that keeps talented salon owners stuck. The problem is that you're trying to solve business problems with technical skills instead of business skills. You cannot solve business problems by doing more hair.

I'm breaking down the 5 Pillars of Salon Success, the framework that separates struggling salons from thriving ones. Most salon owners are working on 1 or 2 of these pillars. The successful ones master all 5.

IN THIS EPISODE:

[00:00] Why this episode might change how you see your business

[01:19] The pattern I see constantly with salon owners

[03:00] What most salon owners do when struggling

[04:03] The #1 mistake: You can't solve business problems by doing more hair

[06:00] The shift successful salon owners make

[07:02] The 5 Pillars of Salon Success framework

[07:19] Pillar #1: Management & Systems

[08:09] Pillar #2: Money & Financial Clarity

[09:03] Pillar #3: Marketing That Actually Works

[10:14] Pillar #4: Super Stylist (Team Performance)

[11:12] Pillar #5: Team & HR (Hiring, Culture, Retention)

[12:34] Why all 5 pillars must work together

[13:00] Why overwhelm comes from incomplete business education

[13:22] Announcing the free 3-part video training

[15:00] Introducing GROW Business School (12-month program)

[15:25] How to access the free training

Want MORE to help you GROW?

FREE 3-PART VIDEO TRAINING:

"The Five Things Holding Your Salon Back From Growing (And How to Fix Them)"

👉Register and get the free video series sent straight to your inbox

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

👉 FOLLOW US!

Instagram | Facebook | Website

NEXT WEEK:

Episode 331 - Part 2 of the series: Deep dive into the Money Pillar. Why your salon is busy but not profitable, and exactly how to fix it.

A new year always brings with it a sense of possibility. It’s that “that was then, this is now” moment where you get to draw a line in the sand and decide what happens next. But let’s be honest, for many salon owners right now, business feels tougher than ever. Clients are cautious, bookings feel unpredictable, and the world around us feels uncertain.

In this episode, I talk about the reality of running a salon in times like these and why focusing on everything outside your control is a guaranteed way to feel overwhelmed. Global uncertainty, economic pressure, and changing consumer behaviour are real, but they’re not where your power lies.

Instead, I break down exactly what is within your control, both as a salon owner and as a stylist. Because when you focus on the controllables, the systems, the standards, the leadership, and the client experience, you put yourself back in the driver’s seat. And when you do that, growth isn’t just possible. It’s predictable.

IN THIS EPISODE:

[01:43] The reality that many salon owners are facing right now

[02:23] Not everyone is struggling, why that matters

[03:06] Why being in business has always been hard

[03:32] Global uncertainty and its impact on client spending

[04:17] What you can control vs what you can’t

[04:50] Control the controllable, leadership starts here

[05:09] What stylists are in control of every single day

[07:42] What salon owners are in control of

[09:32] Why focusing on the controllables guarantees growth

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/

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

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

Free Online Training: ‘The five things holding your salon back from growing and how to fix them’. Join the waitlist to be sent the first training on 12th January.

👉 FOLLOW US!

Instagram | Facebook | Website