From Dirty Waters to the World Stage- Byrd Mena on Branding, Giving Back, and Going Global

Byrd Mena... From a Basement in Waterbury to Stages Around the WorldByrd Mena (@byrdmena) is one of the most original minds in the hair industry. Venezuelan roots. Connecticut hustle. Third degree black belt. Call of Duty leaderboard legend. And a brand builder who figured out content creation, community, and global reach before most people knew those were even skills.Fair warning... this one was a blast. Venezuelan food debates, Chuck Norris jokes, a Chuck E. Cheese trauma story, and two guys who walked into the podcast couch as strangers and left as best friends. Plus a special cameo from fellow Venezuelan Alejandra Wolff Pickering (@ale_wlff) who crashed the couch, proved her cachapa credentials, and earned her stamp of approval from Byrd himself.Recorded live at the American Beauty Show in Chicago. Hosted by Corey Gray (@hairdustry), co-hosted by Geno Chapman (@genochapman). Part of our live series sponsored by Serious Business (seriousbusiness.net | January 16-18, 2027, New Orleans).The Origin StoryByrd grew up in Waterbury, Connecticut... the dirty waters... with a barber brother, a hairstylist sister, and a best friend with clippers. He started cutting hair at 13 in a basement with an orange extension cord running to the neighbor's outlet. No proper shop. No formal training. Just a kid who wanted in and friends willing to sit in the chair.From Call of Duty to Content CreatorBefore Sharp Fade, before the stages, before the 40 countries... there was a PlayStation 3 and a Call of Duty leaderboard obsession. Byrd taught himself content creation making YouTube gaming videos in 2007... before Google even bought the platform. That same creative muscle became the engine behind everything that followed.Building Sharp FadeIn 2015 Byrd launched Sharp Fade... a barbering media brand inspired by ESPN. He spotlighted independent artists, flew them around the world with no agency fees, and built a platform with millions of followers that changed how the industry thinks about branding. He did it all while staying faceless for two years... pure Banksy energy.Live Fashion Hair and Giving BackA show in the Canary Islands opened his eyes to a whole new level of creative possibility. Today he is a part owner of Live Fashion Hair, doing shows in Brazil, Las Vegas, and Brooklyn with Davines. Off the stage he helped rebuild a barbershop in the favelas of Brazil for a man who lost his daughter to a stray bullet and his shop to fire... surprising him on stage with the keys in front of 5,000 people. He has also collaborated with Disney and Pixar on the film Soul, runs an annual mentorship retreat, and gives free haircuts to the homeless through a mobile barber program.What You'll Learn in This EpisodeHow to build a brand before anyone is watching. Why authenticity closes million dollar deals better than any suit. The dopamine hack Byrd uses to help creatives grow. And the live idea Byrd and Corey cooked up on the couch that might just become the next big thing.Follow Byrd: @byrdmena on Instagram Special cameo: @ale_wlff on Instagram Co-host: @genochapman on Instagram Hosted by: @hairdustry on Instagram Learn more: Sharp Fade | Live Fashion HairSubscribe to Your Day Off wherever you listen. New episodes every week.🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2lLnEgr3UFY7lFDixapkrZ?si=36231da1a5264815 🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/your-day-off-hairdustry-a-podcast-about-the-hair-industry/id1327156219 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hairdustry 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hairdustry

What Do Hairdressers Do for Retirement? Anna Manukyan Has the Answer.Over 800 hairdressers answered that question in a viral Facebook post. The responses ranged from "marry someone rich" to "we die with scissors in our hands." Certified financial educator and licensed fiduciary Anna Manukyan is on a mission to rewrite that ending... one beauty professional at a time.Recorded live at the American Beauty Show in Chicago with co-host Geno Chapman (@genochapman), this episode is part of our live series sponsored by Serious Business (seriousbusiness.net | January 16-18, 2027, New Orleans).Anna's StoryAnna Manukyan immigrated to the US as a political refugee at 9 years old. She quickly learned what hustle really means. Fell in love with the beauty industry working at a local salon. Signed herself up for beauty school before she could legally rent a car.Her dad's response: "We brought you to the United States so you can cut hair? How dare you embarrass the family."That contrast... the dream of possibility versus the harsh reality of how the world sees this industry... lit a fire that never went out. She went on to spend 20 years at L'Oreal in education and business development, leading teams of 30 artists, sitting in boardrooms, and working with beauty professionals at every level across the country.The Money Problem Nobody Talks AboutAfter decades in the industry, Anna kept seeing the same thing. Hairdressers working into their 70s. No retirement. No plan. Just scissors and hope. She became a certified financial educator, got her securities license, and became a licensed fiduciary... the only financial designation legally required to act in the client's best interest. Then she founded Beautiful Wealth Academy to make sure no hairdresser ends their career with a GoFundMe. Because knowledge really does equal power.Beautiful Wealth AcademyAnna built Beautiful Wealth Academy to make financial education accessible and digestible for the creative brain. Download the Level Rewards app, find Smart Finance or License to Thrive, enter code THRIVE for a free $250 finance class. Grab the free 7-step money guide at beautifulwealth.com.What You'll Learn in This EpisodeWhy the longer you stay in the industry without a financial plan, the less money you actually make. How inflation is quietly making you pay your clients to sit in your chair. ETFs vs. mutual funds in plain language. Why $27,000 in Starbucks could have been a $116K portfolio. How to open a brokerage account from scratch.Free Resources from AnnaFollow Anna: @amanukian on InstagramLearn more: beautifulwealth.comSubscribe to Your Day Off wherever you listen. New episodes every week.🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2lLnEgr3UFY7lFDixapkrZ?si=36231da1a5264815🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/your-day-off-hairdustry-a-podcast-about-the-hair-industry/id1327156219📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hairdustry📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hairdustry

Alfredo Lewis and Emily Chen: Qoat and the Product the Hair Industry Has Been MissingFive minutes. One bottle. Up to $32,000 in added annual revenue. And a brand new category that has never existed before.Recorded live at ABS Chicago with co-host Geno Chapman, Corey sits down with Alfredo Lewis and Emily Chen to introduce Qoat (pronounced coat)... the first ever professional hair color top coat that seals, protects, and illuminates every color service. Compatible with all color brands. Five minutes at the back bar. Launching in Salon Centric July 1st.What It DoesThe concept came from nail polish. Nobody was putting a top coat on hair color, and the result was the same as skipping it on a manicure: the color fades fast. Alfredo spent two years with a chemist developing a proprietary blend called Hydro Glow Shield. After toning, you apply one to three ounces of Qoat, comb through, process five minutes, rinse. Alfredo's vivid pink client went from calling him two weeks after her service saying her color was already gone... to making it two and a half months. Emily tested swatches thousands of times trying to make them ugly. They refused.The Shareholder ModelAlfredo built Qoat with five artist shareholders, not ambassadors. Each one owns a piece of the company. Emily Chen, Kara Williams, Jacob Conn, Zach Mesquite, and Philip Wolff. Every one of them comes from a different brand family. That was intentional. Qoat is brand agnostic and compatible with every color line on the market.The NumbersApproximately 17 services per bottle. MSRP around $55 to $58. Add-on service charge of $15 to $35 per client. Profit per year between $15,000 and $32,000. For five minutes at the back bar. Launching in Salon Centric and Modern Beauty Canada July 1st.Emily Sold Her SalonEight years in, with her education career pulling her in a different direction, Emily gifted her salon to Megan, a former assistant who had built her book faster than almost anyone Emily had ever seen. She gave the team four months notice, laid out both outcomes clearly, and let Megan step into it. The culture she spent eight years building is intact.Break Room EmilyEmily taught two ways for years without realizing it. Brand-approved stage Emily and break room Emily who made analogies involving Cool Ranch Doritos. When she started bringing break room Emily into her presentations, people retained more and rooms responded better. She has been full break room Emily ever since.Find Alfredo at @alfredo_lewis and Emily at @emchenhair. Follow Geno at @genochapman. Qoat launches in Salon Centric July 1st.🎧 Spotify📸 @hairdustryThis episode is brought to you by Serious Business. January 16-18, 2027 in New Orleans. seriousbuisness.net

Tyler Kelbert and Dayna Gamba: Depot North America and What a Real Brand Relationship Looks LikeSome brands want your following. This one wants you.Recorded live at ABS Chicago with co-host Geno Chapman, Corey sits down with barbers Tyler Kelbert and Dayna Gamba, two of the newest additions to the Depot North America team. The conversation covers what drew them to the brand, what the product has been like behind the chair, and why Depot's culture feels different from anything else in the barber space. Tyler tells the story of doing 365 consecutive days of content twice. Dayna talks about using her chair to quietly change lives. Two barbers. Two ways of showing up. Both doing it right.What Is DepotDepot is an established European men's grooming brand covering scalp health, hair, skin, body, and scent. The US launch is building deliberately. Products are organized by numbers: pre-wash in the 100s, washing in the 200s, styling in the 300s. Tyler's go-to is the 304, a strong-hold product that holds all day. Dayna's clients are already asking to cocktail products and wanting more. Distribution is still being worked out but the demand is there.The Culture Is the ProductDepot does not require influencer status. No follower count minimum. They want authentic artists who are good at what they do. Corey and Geno, who spent time with the Depot and Milkshake teams in Ibiza, came away with the same read: family, not a hair brand. Tyler put it plainly... if you're a good barber and you're not a dickhead, there's probably a home for you here.What Dayna Brought to the RoomTyler called out Dayna's positivity as one of his biggest takeaways. She'd flip a negative into something constructive without missing a beat. Contagious. Twenty-three years in the industry, time with Orbe and Davines, and a genuine belief that Depot fills gaps the barber space has been missing. She also runs a charity raffle out of her salon. The prize is free haircuts for a full year. Tickets run $20 to $50 and every dollar goes to a family in need. Quiet generosity. No big following required.Tyler's 365 Days of Content... TwiceFirst run was great for his career and rough on everything else. The second time he came in with a plan, used AI for content ideas, built variety across tutorials, education, humor, and unboxings, and thought about it from the consumer side first. He also brought a carry-on full of outfit changes to the salon every day. His coworkers thought he was out of his mind. Eventually he figured out nobody's watching that closely. It was always about the content.Depot is actively building its US team. Real artists. No ego. Throw your hat in.

Nick Stenson: Cancer, Clarity, and What It Really Takes to Build a BrandHe left one of the most powerful jobs in the beauty industry to bet everything on himself. Then he got cancer. This is that story.Recorded live at ABS Chicago with co-host Geno Chapman, Corey sits down with Nick Stenson, celebrity hairdresser and founder of Nick Stenson Beauty, for a conversation that earns every minute of your time. Nick has been a creative director at Matrix, rose to Senior Vice President of Salon Services and Store Operations at Ulta Beauty, and spent seven years quietly building his own hair care line before leaving corporate life entirely. Months after walking away, he was diagnosed with Stage 3 Hodgkin Lymphoma. This episode covers all of it.Seven Years to a BottleNick started developing his product line before he even accepted the job at Ulta. The brand, built around a three-step philosophy covering what you do in the shower, out of the shower, and before you walk out the door, currently sits at 12 SKUs. Every product was designed to be a hero. Nick spent 19 formulations on his hairspray alone. His goal from the start was to create a brand complete enough that he'd never need another one. The line is now available in Ulta, Nordstrom, Macy's, and Amazon, with more retail partnerships coming. He put his name on the bottle because he wanted his reputation attached to everything inside it.Building a Brand in the WildNick breaks down what marketing a hair brand actually looks like from the inside. TikTok rewards hooks and speed. Instagram builds community and brand culture over time. Google runs differently from both. He's learned that most founders pull the plug on a marketing channel too early, before the algorithm has had enough time to respond. Six months is the minimum before you can evaluate whether a platform is working. Each retailer also operates in its own ecosystem, and breaking through to their consumer requires its own strategy layered on top of your own.The DiagnosisNick had been in pain across his chest and back for months. Chiropractors, x-rays, adjustments three times a week, up to 20 Advil a day. He wrote it off as a workout injury. The fatigue he attributed to stress. Then a lump appeared on his collarbone and a doctor friend spotted it at a weekend trip. Four weeks later it had doubled in size. He found out through his patient chart, sitting in a car with that same friend, who started to cry. By Monday he was in a doctor's office. By Thursday he was in surgery. He had cancer in his lymph nodes around his shoulder, vocal cords, chest, armpit, and back. His doctor told him clearly: we are going to cure you. Those five words changed everything.What It ChangedNick describes going public with his diagnosis as a deliberate choice to be a safe place for people who didn't have his network, his doctors, or his support system. He spent hours in bed responding to DMs from strangers going through cancer. He calls that healing. On the other side of treatment, he is calmer, more generous when things go wrong, and quicker to celebrate his team instead of spiral. He also got clear on who belongs in his life. Some people who showed up during the hardest moments were removed not because they did anything wrong in that moment, but because their access to him had already expired. Cancer just made it easier to see.Presence, Meditation, and the Hard ConversationThe episode ends somewhere unexpected. Corey opens up about experiencing suicidal ideation every day of his life until two years ago, and the realization through meditation that it was never really about wanting to die. It was about pressure. Seeing it for what it was made it stop. Nick picks up the thread and talks about learning to separate the hard moments he created in his own head from the ones that are actually real. Both men land in the same place: the world is happening for you, not against you. Doing the hard things now is the only way to earn the easy later.

Ted Gibson and Jason Backe Live at ABS ChicagoSome conversations remind you why you got into this industry in the first place. This is one of them.Recorded live at ABS Chicago with co-host Geno Chapman, Corey sits down with Ted Gibson and Jason Backe for an hour covering three decades of hustle, heartbreak, reinvention, and beauty from the inside out.The Roads That Led HereNeither Ted nor Jason took a straight path in. Jason was a raver kid in Minneapolis who walked into beauty school and for the first time felt seen by a teacher. Ted was a Texas athlete who walked into a salon called Zan and Friends, saw a room full of stylish people in starched Wranglers, and decided that was the life. What followed was barber school, a cross-country move seeking fame, a detour to Atlanta to answer phones while switching his license, and a room with Confederate flags on the wall. He stayed anyway. The sacrifices nobody sees are always the foundation of the success they do.What Fame Actually CostsSaying yes to Angelina Jolie's hair for Tomb Raider changed everything. Vogue. Marie Claire. A PR firm that told them to drop the name Fame and call it Ted Gibson. A Fifth Avenue salon. A DC licensing deal tied to the Real Housewives. A move to LA where they gambled everything and learned more than they earned. Three years in Palm Springs that have brought more inspiration than anywhere else they've lived. Success is not linear. It never was.The Client Relationship... and When It EndsTed's rule: treat every client like it's the first time you've seen her. She is a different person. Jason goes deeper, describing 20 years of New York clients who didn't care what it cost, and how COVID ended it overnight. He had to create a new category... client friends. Losing them felt like grief. It changed how he understood his work entirely.Ted Gibson Beauty Wellness ScienceAfter Ted's mom was diagnosed with dementia, they dove into brain health and found lion's mane mushroom. They felt it. They kept going. A scientist in Oregon with 30 years studying fungi and algae helped them build a superfood powder: lion's mane, chaga, reishi, tremella, and blue-green algae in a coconut milk base with vanilla and coffee. Tremella is shown to be 100 times more effective than hyaluronic acid at moisture retention. Mix it into anything. A book is coming.Convergence: Beauty Wellness Science SummitMay 2-3 in Palm Springs. Professionals and consumers in the same room to collaborate, not compete. Mainstage education in cut, color, and dressing. Panel discussions including Guts, Brains and Beauty and Stars, Shrooms and Psychedelics. Breakout rooms. A cocktail party. The Beauty in Motion Evening Performance headlined by Ted and his artistic team. Day two is all professional education with business coaching from Steve Gomez. Blue Zones leads a purpose workshop for the Palm Springs community. Hotel reservations at the Marriott via the link in bio.@tedgibson... @jasonbacke... @genochapmanSponsored by Serious Business. January 16-18, 2027 in New Orleans. Tickets at seriousbuisness.net

Episode Title: Sheri Doss… From Redken to Costa Rica to Bumble and BumbleHosts: Corey Gray and Katie May Guest: Sheri Doss, Education and Artistry at Bumble and BumbleEpisode SummarySheri Doss spent 30+ years at Redken before walking away to be near her mom in Costa Rica. She opened an 80-seat taco restaurant and thought she was done. Then Bumble and Bumble came calling.As of February 2025, Bumble is on Salon Centric shelves for the first time ever... and Sheri is leading the education behind it. Corey and Katie May dig into what that means for every hairstylist in America.What We CoverWhy a third of hairdressers leave the industry every yearHow 50 hours of cutting curriculum isn't enough to survive behind the chairWhat Bumble's Salon Centric partnership means for suite stylists and independentsBuilding a team around mission... not contracts or post quotasThe House of Bumble New York Experience launching June 2025How to get into brand education as a working stylistAbout Sheri DossSheri grew up the daughter of a struggling salon owner in Southern California. She earned her manicuring license first, then her cosmetology license, built a color clientele fast, and was recruited by Redken as an artist. She spent 30+ years educating, managing teams, and helping hairdressers build sustainable careers. She now leads Education and Artistry at Bumble and Bumble.Find Bumble and Bumble Pro Instagram: @bumblepro YouTube: Bumble and Bumble ProSearchable Terms bumble and bumble education 2025, sheri doss bumble, hair industry podcast, why hairdressers quit, how to work for a hair brand, salon centric bumble, razor cutting education, your day off podcast, hairdustry, Katie May hairdustry, Corey Gray hairdustry

Episode SummaryCorey Hairdustry is joined by co-host Katie May for a conversation with Ajahn Tri Dao, a Buddhist monk and spiritual counselor. Inspired by the Walk for Peace, they explore the shift from “world peace” as an idea to internal peace as a daily responsibility—and why that change matters in a loud, fast, overstimulated world.What You’ll Learn• Why Buddhism can be understood as both a religion (protected by law) and a philosophy/practice (tested in real life)• The Walk for Peace’s core message: inner peace creates the conditions for world peace• A clear definition of “suffering” (dukkha): the uneasiness that comes from resisting reality, clinging, and trying to control what you can’t• How coping behaviors often show up when people can’t sit with pain (and why slowing down changes everything)• Why America’s pace (work, stress, constant stimulation) fuels emotional reactivity and disconnection• The Middle Way: not grinding yourself into burnout, and not numbing yourself into stagnation• How to start building awareness without making it complicated: journal first• A practical journaling framework: track sleep, mood, triggers, and reactions to expose patterns you’ve normalized• Beginner-friendly meditation advice: start guided with music, then build toward silence and breath-focused practice• Breath techniques shared: counting breaths, noticing temperature, and training the mind to do one thing at a time• What progress looks like: it’s not “no thoughts,” it’s responding differently when life pokes you• The takeaway: “Stop. Reflect. Write. Breathe.” and finish what you started.Key Quote-Level Takeaway“Peace is free from disturbing emotions—and you can train for it.”If you want, tell me: do you want the IG caption to feel more spiritual/soft, or more hard-hitting/straight talk?

Show Notes – Season 9, Episode 2What does it really take to work Paris Fashion Week as a behind-the-chair hairstylist?In this episode, Corey sits down with Dallas-based master colorist Michelle Bowden to unpack how one simple ask turned into a backstage pass to Paris.Michelle has spent 23 years in the same salon, building a loyal clientele and refining her craft as a specialist colorist. Fashion Week wasn’t part of some grand master plan. It came from staying curious, investing in education, and having the courage to raise her hand when opportunity showed up.Here’s what you’ll hear in this conversation:• How Michelle built a long-term career in one salon without job hopping• Why specializing (cut vs. color) helped her master her craft• How taking a wig and styling masterclass opened the Fashion Week door• The exact moment she asked to be considered for the team• Why she almost said no when the Paris invite came• What backstage at Fashion Week is really like (tight spaces, fast timelines, controlled chaos)• Why speed and solid technique matter more than glam• How creative projects improve your confidence behind the chair• The truth about “pay to play” Fashion Week scamsMichelle shares honestly about insecurity, imposter syndrome, and the mindset shift required to step into rooms where no one knows your name. She also talks about how staying grounded behind the chair keeps her creatively fulfilled—even while expanding into global opportunities.This episode is a reminder that:Opportunity doesn’t always knock loudly.Sometimes it shows up quietly and waits for you to speak first.If you’ve been waiting to feel “ready,” this is your nudge.You don’t need to leave your chair to elevate your career.But you do need to put yourself out there.Listen in and let us know:If you got the invite to Fashion Week… would you go?

Season 9, Episode 1: State of the Industry w/ Gordon MillerIn this annual “State of the Industry” conversation, Corey and Katie sit down with Gordon Miller to unpack what actually happened in 2025 and what salon pros should pay attention to moving into 2026.We’re kicking off Season 9 with perspective, data, and real talk — not clickbait.Gordon, now the new General Manager of Intercoiffure, brings decades of industry insight to break down what’s actually happening behind the headlines.According to aggregated industry data (KIM Report pulling from thousands of POS and booking systems):Overall revenue was roughly flatGuest counts are downFrequency of visit is decliningRetail dipped, especially in smaller businesses and suitesLarger team-based salons (20+ providers) are seeing growth againPrice increases helped stabilize revenue — but without them, many businesses were slightly down.Emotionally? The industry feels uncertain and reactive — mirroring the larger world.From “don’t prebook” to “retail is dead,” viral advice is spreading fast — even when it applies to only a small percentage of stylists.The reality:Most stylists are not booked out months in advance.Smart prebooking and retention systems still work.Social media today is marketing-driven, not community-driven — and that shifts what voices get amplified.Retail didn’t collapse — but it’s soft.Historically, retail accounts for about 5% of salon revenue (7% at its peak). The larger issue? The industry never consistently built strong retail systems.The act of recommending matters — even if the client doesn’t purchase from you.It builds trust, retention, and authority.For suite owners especially, inventory strategy and cash flow management are critical.Suites surged during COVID but growth is leveling off. Larger suite companies are now acquiring smaller regional operators.Chair rental remains larger overall.Meanwhile, 20+ person salons are seeing team growth again — suggesting a quiet shift back toward structured environments.Many newer stylists have never experienced strong in-salon education or structured mentorship due to post-COVID cuts and digital pivots.Independent educators can be transformational — but they reach only a small portion of the industry.Education — especially business education — remains the biggest opportunity.From AI concierge systems booking appointments after hours to tools helping managers communicate and analyze numbers more effectively, AI is already improving operations.It’s not replacing stylists — it’s supporting better business.The opportunity to do great hair depends on sitting on top of a strong business.Creativity matters.But sustainability requires systems, education, and intentional leadership.The industry isn’t broken — it’s evolving.The question is: Are you building a business that evolves with it?2025: Flat — But Not FineThe Clickbait EffectRetail: The Real StorySuites, Rental & Team-Based SalonsEducation & The Missing ExperienceAI in Real SalonsThe Core Takeaway