Marketing is one of the most misunderstood parts of running a salon, and it’s often the reason growth feels inconsistent or exhausting.

In this episode of Hairstylist Rising, Jodie sits down with Katie, salon owner turned founder of MYA, to break down what effective salon marketing really looks like when it’s designed to support retention, team culture, and sustainable growth.

Katie shares how her experience building and scaling commission salons led her to uncover one of the biggest issues in the industry: clients leaving after one visit simply because they weren’t matched with the right stylist the first time. From there, the conversation expands into how salons can use marketing to create stronger connections, better first impressions, and longer-lasting client relationships.

You’ll also hear a refreshingly practical take on email marketing, SEO, personal branding within salons, and why marketing should feel more like relationship-building than selling.

1. Why marketing is about far more than getting new clients in the door
2. The real reason many new clients don’t return after their first visit
3. How better client-stylist matching improves retention and team morale
4. What salon owners should prioritize when it comes to websites and SEO
5. Why email marketing still matters for salons in 2026
6. How personal brands can strengthen, not threaten, the salon brand
7. What it actually means to nurture clients beyond the first appointment

1. Learn more about MYA: https://joinmya.com/
2. Follow MYA on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joinmya
3. Katie’s book, From First Date To Forever

You can have all the education… and still feel completely stuck.

In this episode of the Hairstylist Rising Podcast, I’m joined by returning guest Misty Jane to talk about something many hairstylists don’t expect to struggle with — knowing exactly what to do, but not being able to take action.

We’re breaking down why more classes, certifications, and strategy don’t always lead to confidence or momentum behind the chair, and how overthinking, people-pleasing, and fear of being seen quietly hold hairstylists back.

This conversation is especially for you if you’ve invested heavily in education, have the skills, have the clients — and still feel frustrated with yourself for not moving forward.

1. Why hairstylists can have all the strategy and still feel stuck
2. The difference between coaching, mentoring, education, and consulting for hairstylists
3. When continuing education helps — and when it becomes avoidance
4. Why confidence for hairstylists comes from action, not more learning
5. How people-pleasing and overthinking show up behind the chair
6. When hiring a coach makes more sense than buying another class
7. How burnout can exist even in a successful hairstyling career
8. Why many hairstylists know they need change but struggle to implement it

Misty Jane works with in-demand hairstylists and creatives who are ready to stop overthinking, set better boundaries, and build businesses that support their lives. Her coaching focuses on helping clients move out of mental loops and into aligned, confident action — without piling on more information.

1. Listen to the Starting Messy Podcast
2. Follow on Instagram: @misty_jane
3. Learn more at mistyjane.com

If this episode made you realize that the problem isn’t your skill level (but what’s happening underneath it) share it with another hairstylist who’s been stuck in learning mode and ready to move.

If you’re a hairstylist or beauty professional relying on one income stream behind the chair and wondering how long that’s sustainable, this episode is for you.

In the final episode of Year of Hairstylist Rising, Jodie sits down with Maddie Cook to have an honest, grounded conversation about building multiple income streams in the beauty industry without quitting your job, burning out, or overcomplicating the process.

This episode breaks down what actually works right now when it comes to creating leveraged income through online education, digital offers, and scalable programs. No hype. No “quit your job tomorrow” energy. Just real strategy, lived experience, and clear next steps.

Maddie shares her journey from working class hairstylist to world class educator, what she would do differently if she started again in 2026, and the exact approach she teaches stylists who want more financial stability, flexibility, and long-term options.

1. Why relying on a single income stream behind the chair is risky long term
2. The difference between service income and scalable income
3. Why online education is one of the most sustainable income streams for hairstylists
4. How to validate an income idea before you build it
5. What pre-selling actually looks like and why it works
6. Why micro-specific offers outperform broad courses
7. How to start earning outside the chair without complex funnels or tech
8. How to build income alongside a full clientele
9. The mindset shift required to stop trading time for money
10. Why digital courses are not dead and what buyers actually pay for now

1. Beyond the Chair Fest – a free live education event happening January 11
2. Part two of this conversation on the Sought After Educator podcast, where Jodie and Maddie dive deeper into branding and marketing your education

1. 🎟️ Get your free ticket to Beyond the Chair Fest
2. https://maddicook.com/beyond-the-chair-fest
3. 📲 Follow Maddie on Instagram
4. https://www.instagram.com/maddiecookcoaching
5. 🎧 Listen to part two of this conversation on the Sought After Educator...

Content creation doesn’t have to hijack your day behind the chair. In this conversation, Vivian from The Hairdresser’s Social Club and I map out a practical system for running content days and Share the Love days so you can batch what you need, train your team, and market your services without compromising the client experience. We cover how to source the right models, set expectations with a simple agreement, and leave with an album full of reusable b-roll and finished looks that actually convert.

What we cover:

→ Why content days remove pressure from the salon floor

→ Share the Love days for team education and culture building

→ How to use model days to grow a niche service

→ Building a house-model list you can call any time

→ Local micro influencer strategy that works without big budgets

→ Simple “six-hour block” prep to maximize output

→ What to ask models to do on stories, reviews, and tags

→ B-roll you can reuse for months with new hooks and captions

→ Guest experience first and how to keep filming from feeling invasive

→ Quick start checklist

→ Decide the goal of your content day (service to grow, team training, or b-roll)

→ Post a specific model call with reference photos and DM instructions

→ Pre-consult and patch test, then share a one-page expectations sheet and release

→ Prep looks, outfits, shot list, and a short caption bank

→ Assign roles for the day (stylist, filmer, runner) and block six hours

→ Capture process, space, and finished looks from multiple angles

→ Ask for stories during the appointment and a review after

→ File assets into named albums so you can repurpose fast

Guest

Vivian, founder of The Hairdresser’s Social Club, teaches hair and beauty pros how to use Instagram to attract new clients with content that actually connects.

Connect with Vivian

→ Instagram: @thehairdresserssocialclub

→ TikTok: @thehairdresserssocialclub

→ Website: thehairdresserssocialclub.com

If you loved this episode

→ Share it with your team and pick a date for your first content day

→ Tag me @itsjodiebrown and let me know your biggest takeaway

→ Leave a quick review — it helps the show reach more stylists who need it

Say hi to Lisa on Instagram

Lisa Huff is a hairstylist and beauty business coach, and the founder of Stylist Soul Tribe. In this conversation, we dig into her cycle of success and show how it plays out in real salon life. You will hear how to ground your mindset, cast a clear vision, design a schedule that protects energy and admin time, refine your clientele with intention, price with data, and create the white space that sparks your next big idea.

→ mindset comes first, decisions land when belief is present

→ vision sets the target, tactics become simple once you know where you are going

→ schedule is strategy, include working hours, admin, relationships, and you time

→ clientele refinement matters, try the yes no maybe list to see patterns

→ income is math, use demand and availability to guide price increases

→ white space feeds creativity, make room for thinking and stillness

→ big magic arrives when you are ready, notice the nudge and act

We open with why success is cyclical and why you return to mindset at every stage. We talk through vision casting that starts with your life, not just your books, and we map a dream schedule even if you are a few phases away from it. You will learn how to identify energy drains in your client list, why awareness alone can shift behavior, and how to approach pricing without emotion so you can grow sustainably.

→ 00:00 intro and why success is cyclical

→ 05:30 mindset as the foundation

→ 07:00 vision casting beyond the business

→ 12:45 schedule design and time as your finite resource

→ 20:00 yes no maybe list to refine your book

→ 27:45 pricing by supply and demand

→ 29:50 how clientele and pricing dance together

→ 31:30 white space and unlocking big magic

Your action steps are simple. Read Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert. Block two hours of white space this week and leave your phone behind. Make your yes no maybe list, then notice the themes before you make changes.

→ connect with lisa on instagram, link in the show notes

→ learn more about stylist soul tribe, link in the show notes

If this episode helped, follow the show, share it with a stylist friend, and DM me the stage you are focusing on this month.

Meet Alice Kapitein, an educator and bridal stylist (and one of my incredible former clients) known for clean, polished hair that photographs beautifully and lasts all day. We cover technique, client experience, and the backend pieces that make a bridal business feel effortless for both you and your brides.

→ Clean and polished styling fundamentals that prevent frizz at every step

→ The product layering Alice uses from prep to pinning

→ Why ninety percent of her brides wear extensions and how that changes hold

→ Trial process that reduces opinions and increases clarity

→ What to send brides before the trial so the day runs smoothly

→ On-location prep instructions that save time

→ Booking systems that keep everything organized in one place

→ Content and captions that build trust on instagram

→ 2025 bridal hair trends brides are requesting now

• Alice’s path from office job to full bridal book and educator
• Choosing a clear niche and why it made marketing easier
• How consistent posting plus specific captions created demand
• Building trust with before and afters for thin, thick, and curly hair
• Extensions as a standard for loose styles and glam waves
• Trial structure, boundaries, and clear expectations
• On-site workflow, prep from the night before, and using a crimper for grip
• Keeping buns modern and small with padding and ponytail strategy
• Business tools: using a dedicated bridal booking system for contracts, emails, and portals
• Trends for 2025: soft glossy glam waves, smooth half-up twists, tight modern buns

→ Smooth as you go: liquid hairspray, spray wax, comb or fork at each phase

→ Layer products lightly and consistently instead of fixing frizz at the end

→ For very heavy hair, anchor a center ponytail first, then build clean structure

→ Include extensions for longevity on loose styles and waves

→ Send a trial guide that covers hair prep, guests, timing, and limits

→ Recommend brides come alone to the trial to avoid too many opinions

→ Use a client portal to centralize contracts, timelines, and inspo photos

→ Write captions that teach and build trust, not just pretty photos

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alicekapitein_hairstyling/

Education and online academy: see the link in her bio

Listen to Sought After Educator on Apple

Listen to Sought After Educator on Spotify

What we cover

→ The shift from brand-centric marketing to building your own stylist brand

→ Why no extension method is truly damage free and how to talk about risk honestly

→ How inconsistent hair quality happens at scale and what to do about it

→ Moving from retail pricing to buying hair wholesale for higher margins

→ Turning profit into freedom, education, and strategic ad investment

→ Messaging that builds authority without relying on brand locators

→ Customization over methods: bead work, density, texture, elasticity, scalp type

→ Setting prices based on demand, not brand rules

Key takeaways

→ Your brand is the asset. Borrowed credibility has limits.

→ Educate clients on customization and outcomes, not logos.

→ Wholesale sourcing can triple profit margins when quality is vetted.

→ Consistency beats hype—be clear about maintenance and realistic results.

→ Reinvest profit into visibility and strategy that compound results.

Tyler’s numbers + impact

→ Tripled profit margin after moving to wholesale

→ Grew annual revenue from ~100–150k to 300–400k during peak years

→ Stylists using Styx report charging premium rates while spending less on hair

Resources

→ Styx Hair: styxhair.com

→ Instagram: @styxhair

→ Listen next: the Sought After Educator episode on Tyler’s rebuild + brand launch

Connect with Misty on Instagram: @_mistyjane

Money talk without the shame. In this episode, financial educator and stylist Misty Jane shares how to feel safe and confident with your finances even with an irregular schedule. We unpack why traditional budgeting advice can fall apart for stylists, how to plan around cancellations, and the simple framework that helps you build security before you hit the big goal.

• Why irregular income makes traditional budgets hard and what to do instead
• How to separate self-worth from your prices and income
• A nervous system friendly way to handle no-shows and last-minute gaps
• The discipline → results → motivation loop and how to use it
• Misty’s Cash Confidence Stylist Framework:
• • Reveal what is really happening with your money
• • Rewire the story so you drop the shame and make cleaner choices
• • Rebuild with a simple spending plan you can actually follow
• Practical cues that you might have more money than you think
• How to create time freedom without sliding back into scarcity

• Awareness is step one, acceptance is step two, choice comes after
• Plan from your baseline income and treat anything above as extra
• Spend on what you value and cut what creates buyer’s remorse
• Money is a relationship and you can build trust with it

• “Awareness is step one, acceptance is step two.”
• “If you don’t know how to handle a hundred dollars, you won’t handle ten thousand.”
• “It is not about spending less, it is about wasting less.”
• “Discipline creates results and results create motivation.”

• Join Misty’s free class Why Your Budget Is Failing and What To Do About It on October 6. DM her on Instagram or grab the link in her bio.

• Follow the podcast and leave a review if this helped you feel lighter about money
• Share this episode with a stylist friend who is ready to feel secure and supported