Why Referrals and SEO Alone Are a Trap for Personal Stylists

Is your ego getting in the way of taking your business to the next level? If you think you should have all the answers because of shame or pride, these same emotional hang-ups aren’t just holding you back, but also blocking your ideal clients!In this episode of The Six Figure Personal Stylist podcast, you’ll discover how shame and pride are two sides of the same coin that keep you from reaching your full business potential and financial power. I’ll reveal how these emotional patterns show up as defensive responses, how they serve as mirrors between you and your clients, and why working through them creates a truly transformational business.3:20 – How shame shows up in your responses6:17 – How pride shows up in your responses8:21 – Why it’s important to recognize these behavior patterns in your audience11:37 – Consequences of not understanding how shame and pride operate in you and others13:42 – How your pride and shame issues mirror your clients’ issues20:08 – Three ways in which operating with shame and pride will block your next level23:21 – The path to your next level of successMentioned In How Shame and Pride Keep Stylists From Creating True Client TransformationBrené BrownIncome Accelerator Program ApplicationHow the Income Accelerator Program Can Elevate Your Styling BusinessFollow Nicole on InstagramLeave a rating and reviewIf you're an established personal stylist, tired of the income rollercoaster, and know your business is capable of more, I know exactly what it feels like to be there. I was there for years until I built the systems that moved me from burnout to consistent high-ticket income. And that's why I created Income Accelerator.If you're ready to scale strategically, apply now at thestylingconsultancy.com/incomeaccelerator.

Are you running a styling business built on referrals and SEO alone? Then you’re risking your livelihood in a constant game of Russian roulette.Many personal stylists (especially those with early success) fall into the trap of relying exclusively on referrals or search engine optimization for business growth. While it's certainly nice to have client recommendations and traffic from word-of-mouth and Google, this can leave your business and your income at the mercy of factors outside of your control.In this episode of The Six Figure Personal Stylist podcast, I’ll highlight why, despite being able to get to six figures using this strategy, it often leads to inconsistent income, frustration, and exhaustion. I’ll show you what you need to do to truly succeed and feel in control of your styling business.1:27 – Downsides of reaching six-figures with a referrals-only business model5:13 – The root cause of my reliance on word-of-mouth and why it was a selfish act7:19 – Why relying on referrals or SEO doesn’t guarantee you’ll gain the right clients9:58 – Why your messaging still matters, even with strong word-of-mouth12:26 – How the landscape of SEO is changing and what it means for your business18:21 – Why you surrender control of your business by clinging to referrals and SEO19:49 – The psychological toll of depending on referrals and search engine optimization23:38 – How to start using marketing to attract and qualify ideal clientsMentioned In Why Referrals and SEO Alone Are a Trapfor  Personal StylistsIncome Accelerator Program ApplicationHow the Income Accelerator Program Can Elevate Your Styling BusinessFollow Nicole on InstagramLeave a rating and reviewIf you're an established personal stylist, tired of the income rollercoaster, and know your business is capable of more, I know exactly what it feels like to be there. I was there for years until I built the systems that moved me from burnout to consistent high-ticket income. And that's why I created Income Accelerator.If you're ready to scale strategically, apply now at thestylingconsultancy.com/incomeaccelerator.

Looking to scale your styling business with the launch of a course or other passive product? You might be making a HUGE mistake!Many stylists rush into passive products without a solid foundation. They're trying to scale like online course creators instead of understanding how luxury businesses truly grow.In this episode of The Six Figure Personal Stylist podcast, you’ll discover why perfecting your highest-ticket, one-to-one service is the most critical first step to creating a scalable and profitable business. I'll break down how to master your signature offer, reveal three non-negotiable components you need to effectively scale, and give examples of how clarity with your foundational service attracts high-value clients and creates breakthrough opportunities you never thought possible.3:16 - What it truly means to scale your business5:26 – What you must understand before rushing into creating courses for passive income9:21 - Three steps to mastering your premium-priced 1-to-1 offer14:32 - How an imperfect blog post led to a $39,500 contract and changed my styling career19:39 - Other examples of how clarity (not perfect action) is key to changing the course of your business22:21 – Three non-negotiable things you must have if you’re serious about scaling your business26:16 – The hard truth about stylists who rush into passive offers without mastering their core 1-to-1 offerMentioned In The B-Minus Blog Post That Secured a $39,500 Contract and Scaled My Styling Business“There Are a Lot of Ways to Be a Personal Stylist” Instagram PostDubsado | HoneyBook | CalendlyIncome Accelerator Program ApplicationHow the Income Accelerator Program Can Elevate Your Styling BusinessFollow Nicole on InstagramLeave a rating and reviewIf you're an established personal stylist, tired of the income rollercoaster, and know your business is capable of more, I know exactly what it feels like to be there. I was there for years until I built the systems that moved me from burnout to consistent high-ticket income. And that's why I created Income Accelerator.If you're ready to scale strategically, apply now at thestylingconsultancy.com/incomeaccelerator.

Feeling stuck is a universal experience for all business owners, even established ones with over 20 years of experience. It’s never too early or too late to invest in mentorship to help get you unstuck. Yet, many entrepreneurs never take that plunge and either remain stuck or choose the difficult and long road of figuring it out the hard way. If you’re hesitating to invest in coaching, perhaps hearing from personal stylists who’ve experienced how a mentor helps spark the shifts needed to overcome challenges and produce the kind of breakthroughs that change everything would really benefit you right now.So in this episode of The Six Figure Personal Stylist Podcast, you’ll get a behind-the-scenes peek at what it really looks like to level up and build a six-figure business as an established stylist. You’ll hear directly from personal stylist clients on how the right coaching saves you time and frustration with tangible results, increases your confidence in your pricing, and helps you attract the right clients and build their trust before they even reach out to hire you.1:53 - How Brigitta moved away from only feeling confident in selling multiple low-priced offers to offering a clear, premium-priced signature service5:33 - How helping Katie and Kat gain clarity and certainty made everything fall into place for them (and inspired an insane compliment from a client, in the best way)8:28 - The difference that knowing how to effectively communicate your value can have in attracting premium clients to your personal styling business11:49 - Why Kristen and Katie overcame their hesitation in working with me despite having a frugal history and a completely dry business season, respectivelyMentioned In How Personal Stylists Break the Cycle of Overworking and UnderchargingApply today for the Income Accelerator ProgramHow the Income Accelerator Program Can Elevate Your Styling BusinessFrom Trial and Error to a Thriving Stylist Business with Brigitta CatineanFrom Hourly Rates to Premium Styling Services with Molly HudsonOvercome Perfectionism and Unleash Your Business Potential with Kristen CainFollow Nicole on InstagramLeave a rating and reviewIf you're an established personal stylist, tired of the income rollercoaster, and know your business is capable of more, I know exactly what it feels like to be there. I was there for years until I built the systems that moved me from burnout to consistent high-ticket income. And that's why I created Income Accelerator.If you're ready to scale strategically, apply now at thestylingconsultancy.com/incomeaccelerator.

When it comes to investing in your styling business, it’s not about how much you spend. It’s about the order in which you invest. Many stylists waste money on things that look good when they haven’t done the essential foundational work to pull it all together.So if I were starting a styling business today, how exactly would I invest in it? After spending over half a million dollars on business expenses, I can offer a powerful, proven path that helps you invest in and run your business on purpose and profit, not just on hope and luck.In this episode of The Six Figure Personal Stylist podcast, you’ll get an unfiltered look at the common pitfalls that keep stylists stuck in a cycle of ineffective spending and stagnant growth. I’ll discuss the foundational work you must do before considering a major marketing push or rebrand so you can make informed, strategic investment decisions that truly move the needle.2:31 - An example of why the order in which you invest matters more than the amount3:42 - What you need to establish before spending on external marketing services4:30 - Aesthetics as a non-essential factor in your converting potential clients6:59 - The “sexy spending trap” that wastes money and makes your problem bigger8:53 – Two other areas that stylists invest in way too soon (and how to get a better return for your money and time)15:40 – Walkthrough of what to do (in order) before you start investing in expensive services20:11 – Sequence of services that I’d invest in after the foundational work is done23:06 - The loop you can get stuck in that comes at a far greater cost than any financial lossMentioned In How I’d Invest If I Started My Styling Business Today (and Avoid Wasting Thousands)Help a Reporter Out (HARO)Follow Nicole on InstagramLeave a rating and reviewIf you're an established personal stylist, tired of the income rollercoaster, and know your business is capable of more, I know exactly what it feels like to be there. I was there for years until I built the systems that moved me from burnout to consistent high-ticket income. And that's why I created Income Accelerator.If you're ready to scale strategically, apply now at thestylingconsultancy.com/incomeaccelerator.

Are you an image consultant or color analyst who feels stuck in a cycle of undercharging, overworking, and watching clients walk away after one appointment? Perhaps you consistently meet your client numbers but still struggle to reach your revenue goals without burning out. So why does it feel impossible to achieve that dream of a profitable but sustainable business and still have the time and energy for family, friends (and hobbies)? Because you’re probably inadvertently building your business around the wrong thing.In this episode of The Six Figure Personal Stylist podcast, you’ll discover why so many image consultants and color analysts struggle to get high-paying, long-term clients. I’ll reveal how your approach accidentally limits your income potential and client impact, and most importantly, how you can resolve it so that you develop deeper client relationships in your business without it consuming your entire life.2:40 - Your biggest blind spot as an image consultant or color analyst6:38 - The impact of running your business with a high-volume, low-ticket approach8:45 - The pervasiveness of the image consulting industry’s scarcity mindset and outdated pricing advice14:26 - Why image consultants are ill-equipped to market effectively and make more money16:59 - How one burned-out image consultant went from offering $249 consultations to selling four-figure packages19:12 - The culprit behind your low rate of repeat clients as an image consultant or color analyst24:09 - What you need to know if you think people don’t invest in bigger packages from image consultantsMentioned In Why Image Consultants Lose Money Without the Right Business ModelHouse of ColourFollow Nicole on InstagramLeave a rating and reviewIf you're an established personal stylist, tired of the income rollercoaster, and know your business is capable of more, I know exactly what it feels like to be there. I was there for years until I built the systems that moved me from burnout to consistent high-ticket income. And that's why I created Income Accelerator.If you're ready to scale strategically, apply now at thestylingconsultancy.com/incomeaccelerator.

Many transformational stylists struggle to attract clients who are truly ready for real transformation. Whether you’re just starting or you’re already making six figures, you can still feel stuck, burnt out, and like you’re constantly chasing new clients who aren’t truly aligned with the depth of your work.So how do you transform your marketing and attract clients who are truly ready for the deep work you provide? In this new installment of the Transactional vs. Transformational Styling series on The Six Figure Personal Stylist podcast, you’ll learn why your current marketing efforts might be attracting the wrong type of clients and how to fix it. I’ll teach you the two powerful psychological principles behind transformational marketing that’ll call in your ideal clients and elevate your business from transactional to truly impactful.3:08 - How you might be accidentally training clients to see you as transactional instead4:34 - How transformational marketing primes your ideal clients to do deeper work with you7:35 - The “one foot in, one foot out” trap you need to avoid in your offers10:25 - The “possible selves” theory used in my marketing framework12:54 - The “self-perception” psychological principle I introduce to clients15:30 - Examples of how I leverage these principles in my marketing 18:51 - The key to consistently building a business that supports the transformation you want to give clients22:30 - Honesty as both an ideal client attractor and a misaligned client repellent27:25 - Why your unique perspective is your powerMentioned In Why Your Marketing Needs to Be Transformational if You Want to Deliver Real Results as a StylistAshley Pardo | Instagram | TikTokThe Shifts That Helped Gab Saper Attract the Right Personal Styling ClientsWhat Type of Personal Stylist Do You Want to Be? Defining 3 Types of Personal StylingTransactional Styling Defined: How to Be a Successful Transactional Personal StylistTransactional Styling Defined: How to Be a Successful Transformational Personal StylistFollow Nicole on InstagramLeave a rating and reviewIf you're an established personal stylist, tired of the income rollercoaster, and know your business is capable of more, I know exactly what it feels like to be there. I was there for years until I built the systems that moved me from burnout to consistent high-ticket income. And that's why I created Income Accelerator.If you're ready to scale strategically, apply now at thestylingconsultancy.com/incomeaccelerator.

You can’t just step into the world of transformational styling as a newbie and expect success. You need to build up business experience first, and your best route to doing so is starting as a transactional personal stylist.But if you want to transition into a transformational stylist, how do you put yourself in the best position for success? In this next installment of the transactional vs transformational styling series on The Six Figure Personal Stylist podcast, you’ll learn the strengths of the transformational approach to personal styling, what implementing this service looks like, and how you can structure your package(s). I’ll also teach you about the kind of styling client who seeks out this service, their expectations, how to speak to them in your marketing content, and more!4:08 - How transformational leadership is defined and how that relates to being a transformational stylist9:22 - Why transformational personal styling is a relatively new thing and the job of the transformational styling world13:32 - What transformational styling services look like and how to get the client buy-in that this type of relationship requires17:07 - How you can package your transformational services to keep a client longer and the biggest differentiator between transformational and transactional styling21:07 - The type of people who are looking for a transformational personal styling service26:44 - The kind of marketing content that speaks to people who want a transformational styling experience (and why you need a certain level of business acumen to pull it off)31:22 - Transformational client expectations and what to consider about your pricing and style discovery process if you want them to hire you and like their experienceMentioned In Transformational Styling Defined: How to Be a Successful Transformational Personal StylistWhat Type of Personal Stylist Do You Want to Be? Defining 3 Types of Personal StylingTransactional Styling Defined: How to Be a Successful Transactional Personal StylistFollow Nicole on InstagramLeave a rating and reviewIf you're an established personal stylist, tired of the income rollercoaster, and know your business is capable of more, I know exactly what it feels like to be there. I was there for years until I built the systems that moved me from burnout to consistent high-ticket income. And that's why I created Income Accelerator.If you're ready to scale strategically, apply now at thestylingconsultancy.com/incomeaccelerator.

“What type of personal stylist do you want to be?”That’s the question I posed on the show a few weeks ago when I defined the three types of personal styling. Now I’m going to further define two of the ones I outlined, transactional and transformational styling.So, let’s kick off this transactional vs transformational styling series and dive a little deeper into what being a transactional personal stylist looks like in action! In this episode of The Six Figure Personal Stylist podcast, you’ll learn how transactional differs from transformational and discover the attributes of transactional styling. I’ll also teach you what interactions with clients seeking a transactional service look like, what their expectations are, and how to attract them (and only them) in your marketing.1:53 - Where the terms transactional and transformational come from and how they reflect leadership styles4:11 - A peek into what a transactional client interaction can look like and why this is good for getting your bearings as a personal stylist7:44 - Characteristics of a transactional personal styling business11:37 - How to understand high-end transactional clients16:56 - How to understand the client who wants to take baby steps and what they’re looking for from you20:42 - Why a styling self-discovery process helps cut down on miscommunication22:37 - The confusion that sometimes crops up about trends and why trend styling doesn’t deserve a bad rap25:02 - What to focus on in your marketing to attract specific types of transactional styling clientsMentioned In Transactional Styling Defined: How to Be a Successful Transactional Personal Stylist“What Type of Personal Stylist Do You Want to Be? Defining 3 Types of Personal Styling”Follow Nicole on InstagramLeave a rating and reviewIf you're an established personal stylist, tired of the income rollercoaster, and know your business is capable of more, I know exactly what it feels like to be there. I was there for years until I built the systems that moved me from burnout to consistent high-ticket income. And that's why I created Income Accelerator.If you're ready to scale strategically, apply now at thestylingconsultancy.com/incomeaccelerator.

Have you ever given yourself space to think about how you want to show up as a stylist?People (including stylists) often get different types of stylists mixed up. The way many in the industry tend to market themselves only contributes to that confusion.However, each kind of personal styling has its own hallmarks, limitations, and skill sets. I’ve broken them down into three categories: retail, transactional, and transformational. In order to provide the best service to your clients, you need to critically evaluate your process and determine the type of stylist you want to be.In this episode of The Six Figure Personal Stylist Podcast, you’ll learn about each type and see examples of how they work. I’ll also highlight their differences and reveal how they impact your marketing and your client’s expectations.4:47 - What retail styling is and its restrictions9:29 - The truth about transactional personal styling and why it’s often confused with transformational styling15:31 - How expectations of the personal styling process can differ among clients22:07 - The level of depth you need as a transformational stylist and why promising confidence is problematic29:52 - How the world’s thinking about the purpose of style has changed Mentioned In What Type of Personal Stylist Do You Want to Be? Defining 3 Types of Personal StylingStatus and Culture by W. David MarxFollow Nicole on InstagramIf you're an established personal stylist, tired of the income rollercoaster, and know your business is capable of more, I know exactly what it feels like to be there. I was there for years until I built the systems that moved me from burnout to consistent high-ticket income. And that's why I created Income Accelerator.If you're ready to scale strategically, apply now at thestylingconsultancy.com/incomeaccelerator.