The Apprenticeship Godmother

In this episode of The Apprenticeship Godmother Podcast host Sarah Abel discusses her plans to rebrand and relaunch her podcast in the new year.   She talks about stepping back from the Apprenticeship Godmother brand to focus more on training and helping hair and beauty business owners scale their businesses through accessing funding for training. Sarah shares some of her favourite past episodes t...

In this episode of The Apprenticeship Godmother Podcast host Sarah Abel talks to Sydney about her journey into the nail industry.   Sarah learns about Sydney's experience leaving school and working various jobs before finding her passion in nails. Sydney discusses starting her training at a local salon and the support she receives. She shares her desire to continue learning and one day open her ow...

In this episode of The Apprenticeship Godmother Podcast host Sarah Abel talks to Chris about his journey returning to hairdressing after trying different careers.   Chris discusses leaving hairdressing for a period of time due to personal issues but realising it was his passion. He talks about doing the accelerated route through TNB Training to get back into the industry faster. Sarah and Chris al...

In this episode of The Apprenticeship Godmother Podcast host Sarah Abel talks to Alison, owner of two salons in Kent.   Alison discusses how she has grown her business over the past decade from a small salon of five chairs to now employing over 20 staff members. She emphasises the importance of developing her team through opportunities for growth, recognition of achievements, and an emphasis on wo...

In this episode of The Apprenticeship Godmother Podcast, host Sarah Abel talks to her apprentice Teesha about her experience in the traineeship program.   Teesha discusses how she struggled in college due to bullying and lacked confidence, but found success in the apprenticeship. She learned new hair skills, enjoyed various modules like customer service, and aims to start her own business. Teesha...

In this episode of The Apprenticeship Godmother Podcast host Sarah Abel discusses the power of selling and why it’s often the key area preventing businesses from growing.   Sarah talks about the importance of loving and believing in the products that you sell. A difficulty in business is teaching apprentices who have never sold before how to sell, and Sarah provides examples of how she teaches her...

In this episode of The Apprenticeship Godmother Podcast host Sarah Abel discusses the benefits of coaching and NLP both within your business and with your clients.   Sarah talks about the recent revelations she’s had with NLP, particularly when providing coaching, and even gives examples of where this has worked. She explains why coaching is about asking questions, how to overcome the fear of miss...

In this episode of The Apprenticeship Godmother Podcast, host Sarah Abel talks to Naomi and Tanya about their experiences in the beauty industry and advice for newcomers.   They discuss the importance of gaining qualifications from accredited courses and institutions. Naomi and Tanya also stress gaining work experience, as this allows you to develop practical skills and determine if the industry i...

In this episode of The Apprenticeship Godmother Podcast host Sarah Abel talks to her daughter Naomi about her journey from being an apprentice in Sarah's salon to now running her own successful business. Naomi discusses starting out working Saturdays in the salon from a young age to gain experience and save money towards eventually buying her own car.   She went on to complete various qualificatio...

In this episode of The Apprenticeship Godmother Podcast host Sarah Abel reminisces with her friend Tanya. They talk about the early days of Sarah's salon business and Tanya's journey from renting a room at Sarah’s salon to getting her qualifications and starting her own successful business focusing on airbrush tanning, bio sculpture nails, and other treatments. They share funny stories from their...

In this episode of The Apprenticeship Godmother Podcast, host Sarah Abel discusses the importance of implementing "taster days" at both training academies and salons.   She shares how offering taster experiences has helped reduce dropout rates for potential apprentices at her training academy, TNB. By allowing young people and career changers to experience a day in the life at a salon through hand...

In this episode of The Apprenticeship Godmother Podcast, host Sarah Abel discusses the differences between being "job ready" versus "industry ready" in the hair and beauty sector.   Many salon owners express concerns about trainees not being commercially viable when they finish their qualifications. Sarah describes the programs and funding options available through her training academy that aim to...

In this episode of The Apprenticeship Godmother Podcast host Sarah Abel discusses launching a new program to help over 19s and mothers get into the hair, beauty, and nails industry through free government-funded training.   She details how the program works, providing both skills training and paid client work experience. Sarah also talks about the importance of confidence building, business skills...

In this episode of The Apprenticeship Godmother Podcast, host Sarah Abel discusses how she experienced imposter syndrome after facing setbacks during the COVID-19 pandemic that caused her to doubt her abilities as a business owner.   She shares how investing in training for herself and her team through coaching, mentoring, and courses helped overcome doubts by setting clear goals. Sarah advocates...

In this episode of The Apprenticeship Godmother Podcast host Sarah Abel discusses her experience at an 80s music festival over the weekend and the business lessons she was reminded of during her time there.   She talks about how working as a team to set up early and assign tasks like securing a prime spot and transporting gear allowed their group to have the best experience. Sarah also stresses th...

In this episode of The Apprenticeship Godmother Podcast, host Sarah Abel discusses helping employees to set goals and achieve them.   She talks about understanding employees' personal aspirations and setting measurable short and long-term professional goals. Sarah stresses the importance of breaking goals down into small, actionable steps and providing marketing training to help employees build th...

In this episode of The Apprenticeship Godmother Podcast, host Sarah Abel talks about the importance of defining your brand when recruiting new members of staff.   Sarah explains why you need clear defined values when recruiting, and how you can define your values for yourself. She talks about what to look for in new apprentices, and why you need to align your employees with the core values of your...

In this episode of The Apprenticeship Godmother Podcast, host Sarah Abel discusses various aspects of building successful salon teams and nurturing apprentices.   She recaps her recent live session where she aided salon owners in team development and shared insights from her experiences. Sarah shares the story of an apprentice who chose to leave a business, emphasising the importance of maintainin...

In this episode of The Apprenticeship Godmother Podcast, host Sarah Abel talks about the importance of empowering your team.   Sarah emphasises having confidence in your team members and empowering them to contribute to the growth of your businesses. She shares a story about her husband's dental treatment journey highlighting the worries and anxieties that consumed her while he was away for an ext...

In this episode of The Apprenticeship Godmother Podcast, host Sarah Abel talks to Sue Davies, a seasoned professional in the salon industry since 2002, who has now ventured into the tech world with her innovative system, Nabuno.   Sue explains the importance of having a fit for purpose education provider, emphasising the importance of Nabuno’s approach to push the education system forward. She sha...

In this episode of The Apprenticeship Godmother Podcast, host Sarah Abel discusses the crucial theme of valuing your time and cherishing what truly matters.   She speaks about the emotional journey of having her dog Milo put down, one of the hardest decisions she has ever had to make. She speaks on the pressure of working full-time in her businesses and how she realised the significance of creatin...

In this episode of The Apprenticeship Godmother Podcast, host Sarah Abel speaks with Holly from Apprentivia, who is a passionate advocate for apprenticeships and young people.   Holly shares her personal journey as an apprentice and discusses how she got started in the field. She also highlights the significance of putting the effort in when applying for apprenticeships. Sarah talks about her own...

In this episode of The Apprenticeship Godmother Podcast, host Sarah Abel discusses what you need to do when taking on new staff and the significance of apprenticeships in scaling a business.   She speaks on the value of apprenticeships, debunking the misconception that they are solely for technical skills. Sarah discusses attracting apprentices on TikTok and reveals the things social media can ach...

In this episode of The Apprenticeship Godmother Podcast, host Sarah Abel talks to Wendy from Expressions salon.   Wendy talks about her journey and how she got started in the industry. She shares her experience and passion for coaching, highlighting the significance of mentoring and business mentoring in the salon industry. She emphasises the need to step away from the daily operations and focus o...

In this episode of The Apprenticeship Godmother Podcast, host Sarah Abel discusses the 25 characteristics needed for success in the salon industry, whether you're a salon owner, a hair professional starting your own business, or an apprentice beginning your career journey.   Sarah acknowledges Stephen Green, her mentor who has documented these characteristics. While she admits she hasn't always st...