Why Six Figures Still Feels Like Survival Mode

It’s one thing to reach six figures in your styling business. It’s another to actually feel like you’ve arrived there. Too many stylists keep sprinting on the hamster wheel long after they’ve “made it,” believing that being overbooked, exhausted, and constantly available (even after hiring help) means things are working. The reality is that this is just survival mode, and it keeps your business stuck at the exact level you’re trying to grow past.In part three of our Multi Six-Figure Stylist Series on The Six Figure Personal Stylist Podcast, we’re talking about something that trips up a lot of high-achieving stylists—believing that staying booked and constantly moving means the business is growing. It doesn’t. Your next level shows up when you’re not buried in client work and reacting to every task, but when you finally have room to make decisions and move the business forward.2:13 – The deeper truth behind why six-figure stylists can’t see their next level3:03 – How “busy” becomes a false marker of safety and success4:54 – Hidden cost of staying in motion and why it keeps you small6:11 – The expense of always being busy (and the feeling that makes it worse)8:19 – Why subtracting (not adding) is the real key to expansion11:17 – The nervous system’s role in keeping you overbooked and burnt out13:32 – The essential mindset shift that separates experts from hustlers14:50 – What it actually looks like to slow down without losing progress18:30 – How to start releasing things in your business that no longer serve youMentioned In Why Being Busy Is Blocking Your Next Level as a Personal StylistCreative CEO CoachingFollow Nicole on InstagramLeave a rating and review

Like many, Erin Stoll started her career by helping friends with closet edits and styling for parties. She experimented on Instagram, showed up consistently, and took on opportunities that scared her. Little by little, she created a body of work that is as unique as it is impactful, creating a full-time business in the process.Erin’s journey offers inspiration for what it takes to build a sustainable, fulfilling personal styling business rooted in authenticity, creativity, and courage. Her story also underscores the power of mentorship, community, and being willing to pivot away from traditional notions of success to create a career that truly fits your passion.In this episode of The Six Figure Personal Stylist Podcast, you’ll hear about Erin’s evolution from a six-figure corporate fundraiser to a successful personal styling entrepreneur and influencer. You’ll discover the challenges and strategic decisions she made while staying authentic to her values, her innovative approach to merging creativity with business, and her advice for stylists looking to grow their business sustainably while remaining genuine.2:30 – How Erin began her styling business journey6:43 – Why Erin initially struggled (and still does) with the influencer label11:02 – What aided Erin’s growth on Instagram and why she barely works with brands now16:50 – How I encouraged Erin and gave her a lifeline when I myself was still a stylist22:27 – How the pandemic led Erin to quit her job and go full-time in her business26:56 – Creating a movement and difficult (but vital) business challenges Erin faced34:23 – The development of Erin’s live stage show, Style Thief Fashion37:39 – Planned tour stops in 2025-2026 and the uniqueness of Erin’s show39:40 – Erin’s advice for stylists trying to build a full-time business who feel stuck44:11 – How Erin was the catalyst to my transition from stylist to styling business coachHow Erin Stoll Turned Showing Up into a Six-Figure Styling CareerStyle Thief Fashion | InstagramThe Self-Styled PodcastCreative CEO CoachingFollow Nicole on InstagramLeave a rating and review

Many stylists mistakenly believe that scaling a team means scaling their business. As a result, they find themselves overworked, underpaid, and feeling stuck in the same business challenges they had at $50k. Instead, you need to take the reins as a creative CEO, a leader who remains the primary decision-maker while strategically building support around you. In part two of our Multi Six-Figure Stylist Series on The Six Figure Personal Stylist Podcast, I’m breaking down why outsourcing execution is not the same as outsourcing responsibility. I’ll discuss how failing to define your own standards, vision, and success metrics can create more chaos and how to course-correct by reclaiming your role as the ultimate driver of your business.1:46 – Why hiring help too early (or ineffectively) after hitting six figures can harm more than help you3:29 – How six-figure stylists can fall into the trap of outsourcing responsibility5:45 – Why simply hiring help won’t move your business forward8:52 – Why the expensive trap in hiring people isn’t the money spent acquiring them12:23 – What you’re really doing when you hire support for your styling business13:54 – The dividing line between running a successful business and it running you15:48 – You are the decider in your business, no matter how much you makeMentioned In The Mistake Stylists Make When They Start HiringCreative CEO CoachingFollow Nicole on InstagramLeave a rating and review

An identity crisis often arises when hustle meets success for established stylists. Despite hitting that magical six-figure revenue milestone, you feel disillusioned, burned out, or stuck. It’s like you’re still in business survival mode, just focused on getting the next client.But now you’re ready to lay the foundation for your business’s evolution. Whether you’re chasing your next revenue goal or stuck in old patterns that have plateaued your profits, this four-part Multi Six-Figure Stylist Series is your call to upgrade and build the styling business you actually want.In this premiere episode of the series on The Six Figure Personal Stylist Podcast, I’m revealing the truth behind why reaching $100,000+ in revenue rarely feels like how you imagined it would. I’ll discuss why business owners at this stage often feel more exhausted, unclear, and unsupported than ever, and what it takes to pivot from stylist-for-hire to creative CEO.1:23 – How hitting six figures doesn’t guarantee clarity, peace, or freedom6:18 – The high cost of chaos at higher income levels7:33 – A widespread occurrence with financial milestones to avoid9:59 – The key internal shift needed to step into a creative CEO mindset15:43 – The importance of understanding your business to hire support effectively19:15 – Why you need to upgrade your marketing and positioning at this level23:15 – Why you shouldn’t wait to upgrade your identity, systems, and marketingMentioned In Why Six Figures Still Feels Like Survival Mode How Shame and Pride Keep Stylists From Creating True Client TransformationHow to Think Like a Thought Leader, Not a Personal StylistCreative CEO CoachingFollow Nicole on InstagramLeave a rating and review

When you don’t have new clients lined up, it’s tempting to whip up a brand-new offer, slash the price, and call it a solution. It gives you a quick dopamine hit, but it’s panic mode, not strategy. And that cycle of tweaking and adding services is one of the fastest ways to burn out your styling business.Every new offer isn’t just the service itself. It comes with hidden jobs: packaging it, building systems to deliver it, and marketing it well enough to sell. That extra work stacks on top of what you already have, leaving you scattered, confusing your audience, and exhausting yourself before you ever see consistent results.In this episode of The Six Figure Personal Stylist Podcast, I’m sharing why “offer hopping” keeps stylists stuck and the three legitimate reasons you might actually add something new. You’ll walk away knowing the difference between an offer that strengthens your business and one that only distracts you from the momentum you’re trying to build.3:55 – Why simply copying other stylists’ service menu never works5:57 – Three invisible jobs you commit to with each service you create8:24 – Why client droughts aren’t a signal to offer more services10:06 – Three externally-driven reasons why stylists create new offers14:40 – Three times it makes sense to add a new offer to your styling menu19:25 – What to do when you feel the urge to copy another stylist’s serviceMentioned In Why Adding Offers When Your Styling Business Feels Slow Is a MistakeFollow Nicole on InstagramLeave a rating and review

It’s time for a wake-up call. If you’re a stylist feeling stuck despite doing all the things, yet hesitate to invest in your growth to get unstuck, then you need to be aware of some uncomfortable truths…ones that too many business owners don’t want to say out loud. In this episode of The Six Figure Personal Stylist Podcast, I’ll show you three truths that will either give you the clarity to take action investing in your business or the realization that you’re not ready yet to move forward.Inspired by a viral trend, this episode pulls no punches. You’ll discover why honesty and emotional maturity are essential for you to achieve sustainable business success.3:08 – Why posting from what inspires you isn’t working effectively7:54 – The marketing content metric you should focus on tracking8:58 – Why you’re not competing on the same playing field as top stylists13:41 – A need to check your thought process about “pay to play”17:44 – The fast-changing styling industry and stylists who will thrive regardless20:04 – What is required for business growth in this industryMentioned In 3 Truths Personal Stylists Don’t Want to Hear (But Must to Hit Six Figures)Income Accelerator Program ApplicationHow the Income Accelerator Program Can Elevate Your Styling BusinessFollow Nicole on InstagramLeave a rating and review

You don’t find out if your styling business is healthy by looking at likes or followers. You find out by looking at your repeat client rate. That number tells you the truth about whether your business is built to last.When clients come back, it’s never just about the service they booked once. It proves that your marketing, your pricing, your offers, and your delivery are all working together. And when they don’t, that’s the clearest sign something is off. A healthy styling business should see 30–40% of clients rebooking season after season. Anything less, and you’ll always feel like you’re hustling for new clients.In this episode of The Six Figure Personal Stylist Podcast, I’ll show you why your repeat client rate is your business report card, how to use it to spot gaps, and the habits that quietly tank retention—from over-giving to chasing the wrong buyers.2:32 – Why rebooking existing clients is easier and more profitable than chasing new ones5:49 – What your repeat client rate actually reveals about the way your business is designed9:50 – How to tell if your client experience is strong enough to make people want to return12:04 – The connection between your marketing, positioning, and retention15:39 – The trap of trying to sell to everyone instead of the right clients17:10 – Why “more packages” on your menu doesn’t mean a better business18:46 – How over-giving in your services drives clients away instead of bringing them back22:05 – Using your repeat client rate as the ultimate business report cardMentioned In Why Repeat Client Rates Matter in Your Styling BusinessIncome Accelerator Program ApplicationHow the Income Accelerator Program Can Elevate Your Styling BusinessFollow Nicole on InstagramLeave a rating and review

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 review

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 review

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 review