the Hello Hair Pro podcast

"Send us a message!"The salon industry is struggling. Clients aren't spending. Stylists don't want to work. Salon owners can't make money.At least, that's what you might believe if you spend enough time reading industry conversations online.But is the entire salon industry really in trouble, or are we confusing individual businesses' struggles with the industry's health as a whole?In this episode, we challenge the doom-and-gloom narrative around the salon industry and explore why some salons keep growing while others struggle to keep up.We revisit our concept of Tier A salons: businesses built with intention, strong leadership, financial awareness, and a commitment to creating real careers—not simply doing great hair.We also discuss the importance of client experience, why copying successful salons rarely produces the same results, how technology is changing client expectations, and why much of what the industry calls education might actually be entertainment.In This EpisodeWhy struggling salon owners shouldn't assume the entire industry is struggling.What separates Tier A salons from businesses that are simply surviving.Why business knowledge matters just as much as technical ability.How small, consistent improvements compound into long-term growth.Why your salon's pricing or business model doesn't determine how well you run it.The dangers of copying another salon without understanding its strategy.Why the client experience should be about the client, not the stylist.How online booking, technology, and AI can reduce friction for clients and owners.Why some industry education fails to deliver practical, usable skills.What gives us optimism about the future of the salon industry.The Big IdeaA struggling salon doesn't necessarily mean the industry is struggling. Building a successful business requires more than technical skill. It requires intentional decisions, a willingness to learn, and the ability to adapt.Time Stamps00:00 — Introduction and opening takes04:00 — Is the salon industry really struggling?06:00 — The danger of industry echo chambers08:00 — What we're seeing at Hello Hair Co.10:00 — Small improvements and long-term growth13:00 — Stop assuming what clients can afford15:00 — What separates Tier A salons?18:00 — Why higher prices don't automatically mean a better business20:00 — The danger of copying other salons21:30 — Ego, mentorship, and asking for help23:00 — Putting the client experience first29:00 — Salon policies, boundaries, and professionalism31:00 — Online booking and changing client expectations33:00 — AI and the role of technology34:30 — Is salon education becoming entertainment?38:00 — Why smaller, practical education may be the future39:00 — What we're optimistic aboutQuestion of the WeekAre the challenges you're experiencing in your salon actually industry-wide problems, or are there things within your own business that you have the power to change?Your business should serve you, so that you can serve others.The future of your salon isn't determined entirely by what's happening around you. It's also shaped by the decisions you're willing to make.Links and Stuff:Our Newsletter Mentoring InquiriesFind more of our things:InstagramHello Hair Pro Website

"Send us a message!"Choosing a professional product line for your salon involves more than finding products you like or getting a good deal from a sales rep.You're choosing the products your team will use, the brands your clients will associate with your business, and the companies you'll rely on for products, education, and ongoing support.In this episode, we share what we've learned from years of choosing, testing, and changing professional hair care brands at Hello Hair Co.We discuss why product performance is only the starting point, how to evaluate a distributor relationship, and why exclusivity isn't the competitive advantage you think it is.We also share the story of a product partnership that changed how we approached retail, including the financial and educational opportunities that came from working with a distributor who understood our business.In This EpisodeWhy choosing a product line should begin with your salon's goals and values.How to test products across different hair types before committing to a brand.Why exclusive products aren't automatically better products.What salons can offer clients that Amazon and big-box retailers can't.Why education, communication, and follow-through matter when evaluating a distributor.How the right partnership can support your team beyond product purchases.What to consider when comparing wholesale costs, rewards, inventory, and purchasing programs.Why you need a plan for products that don't sell.How to choose brands that fit the business you're building instead of copying another salon.The Big IdeaDon't choose a product line just because you like the products. Choose a partnership that makes sense for your clients, your team, and your business's future.Time Stamps00:00 — Introduction and opening takes06:00 — Why Hello started rethinking retail08:00 — Product performance and testing across hair types12:00 — The exclusivity trap16:30 — Why salons aren't competing with Amazon21:30 — Choosing the people behind the products27:30 — What went wrong with Hello's previous retail approach31:00 — Finding a distributor who understood the business39:00 — Education and team confidence41:00 — Buying power, rewards, and the economics of a partnership45:30 — Managing inventory risk and planning for products that don't sell48:00 — Four questions to ask before choosing a product lineQuestion of the WeekIf you were choosing your salon's product lines from scratch today, would you choose the same brands and partners you have now?Your business should serve you, so that you can serve others.Choose the products and partnerships that support the business you're actually trying to build.Links and Stuff:Our Newsletter Mentoring InquiriesFind more of our things:InstagramHello Hair Pro Website

"Send us a message!"Every salon says it does great hair. Most promise exceptional service, a personalized experience, and an atmosphere that sets them apart.But if everyone is saying the same thing, why should a client choose you?In this episode of Hello Hair Pro, we're talking about what actually separates one salon or hairstylist from another—and how to communicate those differences in a way that attracts the right clients.We start with a simple distinction: being talented and being discoverable are not the same thing. Doing great hair matters, but clients still need to know you exist, understand what makes you different, and trust you.Jen shares how she built a loyal clientele early in her career by making real connections, not just handing out business cards. We explore why that same principle still matters on social media, where posting beautiful hair doesn't necessarily help potential clients connect with the person behind the work.Then we challenge some of the beauty industry's favorite marketing language. "Luxury. Boutique. Elevated. Exceptional. Personalized."What do those words communicate when everyone uses them?We discuss why salons often compete through amenities and appearances instead of meaningful differences, and why trying to manufacture an attractive identity can be less effective than communicating the one you already have.We also explain how Hello Hair Co. approaches marketing, including our personality, education, Google reviews, website, and client resources. We share an example of a client who read an article about hair extensions and went on to book a consultation with the stylist who helped create it.Finally, we walk through practical ways to identify what truly separates your business: client reviews, behavior, recurring feedback, unmet needs, and what your competitors aren't communicating.Because the goal isn't to appeal to everyone.It's to make it easier for the right people to discover you, connect with you, and choose you.The Big IdeaYour competitive advantage isn't necessarily something you need to invent. It may already exist in your business. The challenge is identifying what clients genuinely value, demonstrating it consistently, and communicating it clearly enough that the right people recognize it.Key TakeawaysGreat hair is expected, not necessarily a meaningful differentiator.Being a talented hairstylist doesn't guarantee that potential clients know you exist.A clear business name, readable signage, and understandable messaging matter.Building a clientele takes effort, consistency, and meaningful personal connections.Showing your personality and solving client problems can create more connection than simply posting finished hair.You don't need to attract everyone. You need to understand who you want to serve.Words like luxury, boutique, and elevated lose meaning without supporting evidence.Amenities can be enjoyable, but they aren't automatically a sustainable competitive advantage.Your brand should reflect the experience clients actually receive.Social media attention isn't the same thing as acquiring paying clients.Google reviews, your website, and useful educational content can help potential clients move from discovering you to booking.Existing reviews and client behavior can reveal strengths you may not recognize.A meaningful difference must matter to your target client and be something you can consistently deliver.Timestamps00:00 — Opening Takes: Getting uncomfortable and planning ahead06:55 — Why doing great hair isn't enough to stand out08:00 — Clear branding, readable signs, and being discoverable11:00 — Why market saturation may not be your biggest problem13:30 — How Jen built a loyal clientele through personal connections16:30 — Why social media needs more than pictures of hair21:30 — Building trust and attracting the right clients23:30 — The problem with luxury, boutique, and elevated marketing26:00 — What clients actually value about Hello Hair Co.29:00 — The danger of building a brand around amenities31:00 — Communicating your real identity instead of manufacturing one34:00 — Social media attention versus actual client acquisition36:45 — How Google, reviews, and our website help clients find us40:00 — The client who booked after reading an educational article43:30 — How to discover what genuinely separates your salon47:30 — Four questions to test your competitive differences49:30 — One Last ThingQuestion of the WeekIf you removed your salon's name and logo from your website and social media, would potential clients still recognize what makes your business different?Your business should serve you, so that you can serve others.Build a business that reflects who you actually are, and give the right people a reason to choose you.Links and Stuff:Our Newsletter Mentoring InquiriesFind more of our things:InstagramHello Hair Pro Website

"Send us a message!"A million-dollar salon. A fully booked schedule. A growing team. Multiple locations. Thousands of social media followers.Sounds successful, right?Maybe. But none of those things tell the whole story.Your salon might look successful from the outside. But what's actually happening behind the scenes?In this episode of Hello Hair Pro, we're challenging the things salon owners often associate with success and exploring what it really takes to build a business that works.We start with the numbers: why impressive revenue doesn't guarantee profitability, why being busy isn't the same as being financially healthy, and why copying another salon's strategies can be dangerous when you don't understand its business.Then we look beyond the financial statements. How do you know whether your employees are genuinely engaged? What does a healthy salon culture actually look like? And how can you tell whether the client experience you're delivering matches the expectations you've created through your marketing?We also share real experiences from Hello Hair Co., including difficult decisions that shaped our culture, our evolving approach to retail, a new client who chose us partly because of how we responded to negative reviews, and an area of our client experience that still needs improvement.Finally, we revisit why we started Hello Hair in the first place. Jen wanted to build a salon with a strong commitment to education and become a different kind of leader. Todd wanted purpose, meaningful work, and the freedom to eventually pursue new opportunities.We've built a business that looks very different from what we started with. But is it the business we actually wanted?Because a successful salon shouldn't just look impressive to everyone else.It should work for the people who own it, work in it, and choose to visit it.The Big IdeaSuccess isn't defined by how impressive your salon looks from the outside. It's determined by the business's financial health, the opportunities it creates for employees, the experience it delivers to clients, and whether it's accomplishing what you set out to build.Key TakeawaysHigh revenue, a full schedule, awards, and multiple locations don't automatically indicate success.Profitability matters more than impressive sales figures alone.Your profit and loss statement can reveal weaknesses and opportunities that revenue doesn't show.Copying other salons without understanding their financial circumstances can create problems.A healthy culture shows up in employee behavior, enthusiasm, trust, and buy-in.Leaders have to earn their team's trust through consistent actions.Different employees have different definitions of career success.Business decisions, including retail expansion, should align with your goals and values rather than industry trends.Your website, reviews, marketing, and booking experience all establish expectations for clients.Great marketing can't compensate for an experience that fails to deliver on those expectations.Consistency matters, including how you treat longtime clients, friends, and family.Owners need to define success for themselves rather than chase someone else's version.Freedom doesn't necessarily mean doing nothing. It means being able to choose what comes next.Timestamps00:00 — Opening Takes: Control what you can and a questionable marketing photo05:00 — This or That: Five difficult choices07:45 — Why some salons look more successful than they are09:30 — Revenue, awards, and the illusion of success11:30 — Fully booked schedules, staffing, and multiple locations13:00 — Followers, burnout, and financial health14:00 — Finding opportunities in your profit and loss statement16:00 — The danger of copying other salons17:00 — How employee happiness contributes to success19:00 — Measuring culture through trust, enthusiasm, and buy-in22:00 — Making changes employees don't immediately embrace24:00 — Different employees, different career goals26:00 — Our approach to retail and why we took our time28:30 — Does your salon experience match your marketing?33:00 — The client who found us through our review responses36:00 — Where we still need to improve our client experience39:00 — Did we build the business we wanted?43:00 — Different owners, different definitions of success45:00 — One Last ThingQuestion of the WeekIf nobody could see your revenue, follower count, awards, or how busy your salon looks, would you still consider your business successful? Why?Your business should serve you, so that you can serve others.And remember, success isn't about building a business that impresses everyone else. It's about building one that delivers what matters most to you.Links and Stuff:Our Newsletter Mentoring InquiriesFind more of our things:InstagramHello Hair Pro Website

"Send us a message!"“Young people just don't want to work anymore.”We hear it constantly from salon owners. They can't find good employees. Nobody wants to work weekends. The younger generation isn't loyal. People don't want to put in the effort.But what if the generation isn't the problem?In this episode, we're challenging one of the salon industry's most common complaints and asking a different question: Have we actually built workplaces that today's professionals want to be part of?We talk about what younger hairstylists and beauty professionals want in their careers, why the expectations we grew up with aren't always worth preserving, and how salon owners can adapt without compromising their businesses.We share how we approach flexibility, autonomy, education, growth, recognition, and leadership at Hello Hair Co.—including why giving employees freedom also means holding them accountable for their choices.Jen shares a story about attending an expensive education event early in her career, only to return to a salon that wouldn't let her apply what she'd learned. We also discuss why loyalty has to go both ways, what owners actually owe their employees, what employees owe the business, and why developing people who eventually surpass you might be one of the clearest signs of successful leadership.Because attracting great people isn't just about finding employees willing to work for you.It's about creating a business where talented people can build careers worth staying for.The Big IdeaStop expecting people to want what you wanted. Find out what they want, build opportunities around it, and give them the leadership and accountability to succeed.Key TakeawaysBlaming an entire generation for your recruiting problems doesn't solve anything.Younger professionals may want to work differently than previous generations—and that isn't automatically a bad thing.Ask people what they want from their careers instead of assuming you already know.Flexibility and autonomy can coexist with standards, professionalism, and accountability.Employees need to understand how their choices affect their earnings and opportunities.The business must remain sustainable. Not every employee request should become a policy.Great education means giving people opportunities to apply what they've learned.Freedom, growth, recognition, purpose, connection, and leadership can matter just as much as traditional job benefits.Salon owners should deliver the experience and opportunities they promise during hiring.Loyalty is earned in both directions.Employees owe the business honesty, professionalism, engagement, and a commitment to serving clients.Measure career development by more than how long someone stays.Leadership means listening, coaching, removing unnecessary obstacles, and helping people reach their goals.A team member surpassing the owner isn't a threat. It can show the owner is developing people successfully.Timestamps00:00 — Opening Takes: Build around people and embrace change03:00 — Do younger generations really not want to work?06:00 — Recruiting is an owner's problem to solve07:00 — Rethinking weekend schedules and employee flexibility09:00 — Adapting without putting the business at risk11:00 — Why employees may be voting with their employment13:00 — What today's beauty professionals actually want16:00 — Education, growth, and delivering what you promise18:00 — Jen's story: Education without opportunity21:00 — Freedom with accountability23:00 — How time off and scheduling decisions affect earnings26:00 — What salon owners owe their employees29:00 — Why loyalty has to go both ways31:00 — Listening, removing friction, and building relationships35:00 — What employees owe the business37:00 — Measuring engagement and growth with TEGI40:00 — Why employees want attention from their leaders42:00 — Are you willing to let your employees outgrow you?44:00 — One Last ThingQuestion of the WeekIf you were looking for a salon to build your career today, would you choose to work for yourself?Your business should serve you, so that you can serve others.Keep building a business where people can grow, contribute, and become more than they imagined possible.Links and Stuff:Our Newsletter Mentoring InquiriesFind more of our things:InstagramHello Hair Pro Website

"Send us a message!"Being fully booked sounds like the goal. But should it be?This week we're keeping things a little lighter and working through three salon-business questions we haven't spent much time preparing for ahead of time.First, why are recruiting and retention still such massive challenges for salon owners? We talk about what salons compete on, whether the careers we're offering have evolved with what employees actually want, and why promising a great workplace isn't enough if the reality doesn't match.Then we question one of the industry's favorite measures of success: being fully booked.If you're booked at 100% for the next six weeks, is that something to celebrate—or does it mean you waited too long to raise prices, have no room for new demand, can't accommodate existing clients who need to reschedule, and have eliminated flexibility from your business?Finally, we look at salon revenue. Industry data shows revenue increasing even while clients, visits, and services remain slightly down. So if your revenue increased because your prices increased, did your business actually grow?Revenue matters. But so do demand, profitability, utilization, client count, employee income, capacity, and what you're actually taking home.Sometimes the number going up isn't the whole story.Key TakeawaysRecruiting problems aren't necessarily solved by simply offering a higher commission.Your hiring process, mission, values, employee growth opportunities, leadership, and understanding of who you want to attract all matter.Don't promise employees a workplace experience you aren't actually delivering.Salon careers need to evolve with what today's professionals actually value.Being 100% booked isn't automatically the ultimate sign of success.Extreme utilization may signal that you've waited too long to raise prices.A completely full schedule leaves little room for cancellations, rescheduling, new clients, last-minute demand, or employee flexibility.If clients repeatedly can't get an appointment, eventually they may stop trying.The goal isn't an empty schedule, but the sweet spot probably isn't a permanently locked schedule either.Revenue growth and business growth aren't necessarily the same thing.If revenue increases only because prices rose while demand stayed flat or declined, you need more information before declaring victory.Profit matters.Demand matters.Capacity and utilization matter.Employee earnings matter.Serving fewer clients can still represent improvement if you're producing more profit, more income, or a better business with less work.The correct definition of growth ultimately depends on what you're trying to build.Time Stamps00:00 — Opening Takes04:00 — This or That09:00 — Why is salon recruiting still so difficult?10:00 — What are salons competing on for employees?11:30 — Have salon careers evolved with the workforce?13:00 — Why copying other salons doesn't solve recruiting15:00 — Delivering what you promised employees17:00 — Is being fully booked actually the goal?18:00 — What does 100% utilization really tell you?19:00 — Underpricing, demand and availability20:00 — The hidden problems with being booked six weeks out22:00 — Last-minute booking behavior has changed24:00 — Full books can eliminate flexibility and future demand25:00 — Salon revenue is growing—but is the business?27:00 — Revenue growth vs. demand growth28:00 — Why profit changes the conversation30:00 — What real salon growth looks like32:00 — The first question to ask when someone says their salon grew32:30 — One Last ThingQuestion of the WeekIf your salon's revenue grew 10% this year, what else would need to improve for you to consider that real growth?Your business should serve you, so that you can serve others.And as always, keep learning, keep growing, and keep having fun.Links and Stuff:Our Newsletter Mentoring InquiriesFind more of our things:InstagramHello Hair Pro Website

"Send us a message!"Anyone can call themselves an expert. The harder part is proving it.If you're a hairstylist, barber, nail tech, esthetician, or salon owner, you probably already have knowledge your clients are looking for. The question is whether anyone can find it before they sit in your chair.In this episode, we're breaking down something we're actively building at Hello Hair Co.: turning the knowledge already inside our team into useful resources that help clients solve problems, build trust, and choose the right professional for them.We talk about why a website shouldn't only tell people your hours, prices, services, and how to book; why beautiful hair photos aren't always enough to differentiate you; and why simply calling yourself a blonding expert doesn't establish authority.We also dig into the pressure hair pros feel to constantly post, make Reels, chase trends, gain followers, and become content creators—and why we think there's another path.Instead of constantly starting over with the next post or trend, we're focused on building evergreen assets: useful answers to questions clients are already asking that can continue being discovered long after they're published.And we're already seeing it work.Clients have chosen individual hair pros at Hello after reading their articles. Our team is asking to contribute more. And one recent client drove about 30 minutes to Hello after discovering us online and connecting with our commitment to education. You don't need to become an influencer.You need to give people a reason to trust what you know.The Big IdeaAuthority isn't something you call yourself. It's something you demonstrate.Key TakeawaysTreat your staff like professionals if you want them to begin seeing themselves as professionals.Clients aren't always searching for a generic “salon near me.” They're increasingly looking for someone who understands a specific problem or service.Attention isn't the same thing as trust.Great photos can show your work, but they don't necessarily show how you think.Anyone can call themselves an expert. Authority comes from demonstrating what you know.Teach something, explain it simply, help someone make a decision, or solve part of their problem before they ever pay you.Your website shouldn't only explain how someone can do business with you. It should help explain why they should trust you.Build authority around the individual people inside the company, not only the salon brand.Giving staff opportunities to share their expertise can support client growth, professional development, pride, and contribution.Social media can be useful for attention—but likes and followers aren't necessarily business outcomes.You don't need to become an influencer to build a successful clientele.Use attention to move people somewhere they can learn more about you and your expertise.If you don't know what content to create, start with the questions clients ask you repeatedly.Evergreen content compounds. A useful resource can continue being discovered instead of resetting to zero with every new post.Don't chase every trend. Build a growing library of useful information.Generic content isn't enough. Knowledge, personality, experience, and real stories are what differentiate your expertise.Don't create content about something you don't understand. Stick to what you know—or document what you're genuinely learning.Search platforms and AI need useful information to answer people's questions. The strategy isn't to trick them; it's to provide better answers.Build useful things on platforms you control whenever possible. 264 264 264Time Stamps00:00 — Opening Takes02:30 — Train or Fire06:30 — Why we started building Client Resources09:30 — How clients actually choose a salon or hairstylist11:00 — Why calling yourself an expert isn't enough13:00 — What creates trust before the appointment?14:30 — What clients are really looking for in a consultation16:00 — Experience, confidence, and demonstrating authority18:00 — Give away knowledge before someone pays you20:00 — Your website shouldn't just tell people how to book21:00 — Building the authority of your staff—not just the salon22:00 — Why this creates opportunities for your team25:30 — We're already seeing clients choose people because of the content28:00 — A client trusted us before we'd even met30:00 — You don't have to become an influencer32:00 — Attention is useful. What happens after you get it?34:00 — Don't know what to create? Answer your clients' questions35:30 — Why we're building evergreen assets38:00 — Stop restarting from zero every week39:00 — Search, AI, and becoming a trusted source41:00 — Why generic content won't work44:00 — How to start building authority today45:30 — What we're betting on for the future47:30 — One Last Thing 264 264Question of the week.What question have your clients asked you 100 times that you still haven't answered publicly?Your business should serve you, so that you can serve others.Stop telling people you're an expert. Give them something that proves it.Links and Stuff:Our Newsletter Mentoring InquiriesFind more of our things:InstagramHello Hair Pro Website

"Send us a message!"“Know your numbers.”Salon owners hear it constantly.Rebooking. Retail percentage. Average ticket. Productivity. Retention. New clients.But knowing your numbers isn't the same thing as understanding your business.In this episode, we're digging into KPIs (key performance indicators) and why blindly tracking the same handful of industry-standard metrics may be giving you an incomplete picture of what's actually happening inside your salon.We talk about why a KPI should start with a question, not a benchmark; how a “good” number can still tell the wrong story; and why sometimes you need to go another layer deeper before deciding what to do.We use real examples from Hello, including declining rebooking while revenue, profit, visit frequency, and retention remained strong; why being 100% booked can actually create problems; how we think about customer acquisition cost and lifetime value of a client; and why we've started creating our own measurements for things like team engagement, growth, culture, and client stability.Because the goal isn't to collect more numbers.It's about understanding what the numbers are telling you—and using them to make better decisions. The Big IdeaDon't start with the KPI. Start with the question you're trying to answer.Key Takeaways “Know your numbers” isn't enough if you don't know what to do with them.  A useful KPI should help you understand what's happening, what's working, what's not working, or what to do next.  Don't automatically adopt someone else's KPIs just because they're considered industry standards.  Start with the problem or question, then decide what you need to measure.  Traditional salon KPIs can still be valuable—but sometimes you need to go another layer deeper.  A low number isn't automatically the problem. Study the people with strong numbers and ask what they're doing well.  Rebooking can tell an incomplete story when clients increasingly prefer online and last-minute booking.  A “good” KPI can even hide a business problem. Being 100% booked isn't necessarily the same thing as maximizing opportunity.  Beware of inherited assumptions—ideas repeated so often that people stop asking why they're true.  Revenue isn't profit, and top-line revenue shouldn't be treated as the final score.  Customer acquisition cost is more useful when you also know where clients come from and what happens after you acquire them.  Lifetime value can change how your team thinks about cancellations and long-term client relationships.  Culture can be measured more intentionally than simply saying, “We have a great culture.”  Custom metrics can help you measure the business you're actually trying to build.  Use industry benchmarks for context and inspiration—not as unquestionable rules.  Before adopting a KPI, ask: Does this apply to my business? What problem does it solve? What information does it give me? What assumptions is it built on? Time Stamps00:00 — Opening Takes 03:00 — Do salon owners actually “know their numbers”? 05:00 — What a KPI is supposed to do 07:00 — Don't start with the KPI—start with the question 09:00 — Are salons measuring the wrong things? 11:00 — Knowing a number vs. knowing what to do with it 13:00 — What can you learn from your most-booked stylist? 17:00 — Why Hello's declining rebooking didn't scare us 20:00 — When rebooking becomes a misleading number 22:00 — How a good KPI can tell the wrong story 25:00 — Inherited assumptions and why we stop asking “why” 26:00 — Are men's haircuts actually less profitable? 31:00 — Measuring culture: Hello's custom KPIs 37:00 — Customer acquisition cost: go another layer deeper 39:00 — Lifetime value and rethinking cancellations 43:00 — Why universal KPI claims can mislead you 44:00 — Revenue isn't profit 45:00 — So which KPIs should you actually track? 48:00 — Check the work + One Last Thing Question of the WeekWhat are you measuring in your business simply because someone told you that you should?That's better than “What's your most important KPI?” because it reinforces the actual challenge you're making in the episode.Your business should serve you, so that you can serve others.Learn from other businesses. Use the benchmarks. Check the work. Then build the business that actually works for you.Links and Stuff:Our Newsletter Mentoring InquiriesFind more of our things:InstagramHello Hair Pro Website

"Send us a message!"Five years. 262 episodes. And we haven't missed a Monday.September 13 marks five years since we published the first episode of Hello Hair Pro. And somewhere along the way, talking about business every week started to change the way we thought about it.So for this episode, we're looking back.We talk about how the podcast has changed, how we've changed as leaders, and what five years of consistently sitting down to question our own ideas, share our opinions, and talk through business has taught us about people, growth, resilience, leadership, and ourselves.We get into becoming more open-minded, learning our individual roles as business partners, getting more comfortable giving honest feedback, letting go of the need to save everyone, building a company around people, and realizing that a successful relationship doesn't have to last forever to have been successful.We also look back at the flood that displaced Hello earlier this year, and what watching our team rally together taught us about trust, resilience, and the culture we'd spent years trying to build.Five years later, we definitely don't have everything figured out.But maybe that's one of the biggest things we've learned.Big IdeaGrowth isn't reaching a point where you've figured everything out. It's becoming better at questioning what you think you already know.Key TakeawaysConsistency matters more than the excitement you feel when you start something. Talking about business every week has forced us to question and refine what we actually believe. Open-mindedness doesn't mean abandoning what works—it means recognizing that your way isn't necessarily the only way.Understanding our individual strengths and roles has made us better business partners. You can't want more for an employee than they want for themselves. A relationship doesn't have to last forever to be successful. Honest feedback isn't cruel. Avoiding necessary conversations can actually hurt someone's growth.Your reputation is built by whether you actually do what you say you're going to do. Mission, vision, and core values become valuable when you actually use them to make decisions. Resilience isn't just an owner trait. A strong team can make the entire business more resilient. Growth isn't only revenue. It's also better leadership, stronger people, improved systems, clearer thinking, and better decisions. Success can make complacency especially dangerous. Time Stamps00:00 — Five years of Hello Hair Pro 03:00 — Starting is fun. Staying consistent is harder. 06:00 — Learning to form—and question—our own opinions 09:00 — Overrated or Underrated 12:00 — From “this is the way” to “this is a way” 14:00 — Becoming more comfortable having an opinion 16:00 — How we've changed as leaders and business partners 18:00 — You can't want more for someone than they want for themselves 21:00 — A relationship doesn't have to last forever to be successful 25:00 — What actually builds your reputation 27:00 — Candor, feedback, and helping people grow 31:00 — Actually using your mission, vision, and values 34:00 — The flood, our team, and what resilience really looked like 39:00 — Why success can lead to complacency 42:00 — Overthinking, distillation, and continuing to learn 44:00 — One Last Thing Question of the WeekWhat do you believe about your business today that you didn't believe five years ago?Your business should serve you, so that you can serve others.Keep questioning. Keep learning. And don't confuse experience with having everything figured out.Links and Stuff:Our Newsletter Mentoring InquiriesFind more of our things:InstagramHello Hair Pro Website

"Send us a message!"You don't have to like AI. You don't have to use ChatGPT. And you definitely don't have to like AI-generated content.But if we're going to criticize a technology, we should probably understand what we're actually criticizing.In this episode, we dig into some of the arguments surrounding AI, data centers, water consumption, and the environmental impact of modern technology. We talk about how deeply AI is already embedded in everyday life, from social media and Google searches to fraud detection, GPS, streaming, shopping, and delivery apps, and why the statement “I won't support companies that use AI” quickly becomes complicated.We also look at data centers: what they actually do, why they existed long before the current generative-AI boom, why they use water, the difference between water withdrawal and consumption, and why enormous numbers need context before they're useful.Then we bring the conversation back to business. Todd explains how he actually uses AI at Hello and on this podcast, why AI should amplify your thinking rather than replace it, and why the amount of verification you do should increase with the consequences of getting something wrong. Big IdeaYou don't need to support every new technology. But skepticism is more useful when it's built on understanding instead of assumptions.Key Takeaways AI is much broader than ChatGPT, image generators, and generative video.  AI is already embedded in many everyday technologies and services.  Saying “don't use AI, use Canva” ignores Canva's own investment in AI.  Data centers existed long before the current generative-AI boom.  Modern banking, streaming, shopping, logistics, cloud services, maps, and countless other systems rely on data-center infrastructure.  Large numbers without context can make it difficult to understand relative scale.  Water withdrawal and water consumption are different concepts.  Water use can create legitimate local challenges even if the broader issue isn't simply “the water disappears.”  New infrastructure creates costs, tradeoffs, and potential economic benefits.  AI can be extremely useful for brainstorming, organizing, editing, learning, and building workflows.  The higher the consequence of being wrong, the higher your standard for verification should be.  AI slop and misinformation are legitimate problems and examples of what happens when people outsource judgment rather than using the tool thoughtfully.  You don't have to like AI, but at least know why you don't like it. ReflectionWhat opinion have you formed because you've actually looked into something, and what opinion have you formed because you've heard the same argument repeated enough times?You don't have to change your mind.But it's worth knowing why you believe what you believe.Your business should serve you, so that you can serve others.Stay curious enough to question your own assumptions, too.Links and Stuff:Our Newsletter Mentoring InquiriesFind more of our things:InstagramHello Hair Pro Website