The Dressing Gown CEO

What would make you walk away from 19 years of your life with nothing lined up? For my guest today, Jean Vadnal, it was clarity. COVID stripped everything back, revealing exactly what she was tolerating, so she left. No plan, two kids at home, a mortgage, and a baby who didn't sleep. What she created next is one of Canberra's fastest-growing salons, a team who genuinely love each other, an...

A business decision like this questions your brand, and that's the scary part. Twelve years into this, a decision was made that I never thought I would have to... We permanently dropped our prices at Foil Me on the 3rd of August. This was a deliberate, planned move that I genuinely struggled with because every instinct I have as a founder told me it could look like we were going backwards and that...

Can trauma be transformed into leadership? For this episode of The Dressing Gown CEO podcast, I’m joined by James Henderson - hair artist, owner of two salons called Clarity, and a certified mindset coach. After his powerful presentation at our Metamorphosis event, we sat down to dive far deeper into his personal story. From stepping up as a protector at age 14 in a childhood marked by domestic vi...

What does it take to back yourself when nobody around you sees the vision? Lauren Herzog grew up on a 183-acre farm in Pennsylvania, shovelling sh*t, picking produce, and bottle-feeding calves in the freezing cold.  Twenty-one years later she's a nationally recognised balayage artist, award-nominated, published in Beauty Launchpad, and co-owner of a salon she opened with her two best friends....

MJ Freitas built Floractive into one of the most recognised names in the Oceania hair industry, introduced an entire technology category to a market that had no word for it, trained over 3,000 hair artists through her online university, and did all of it beside her husband, Sam, while raising two kids.  On paper it reads like a dream. In reality it was 9,000 salons to convince, a product nobody ha...

Conviction, not convincing. - Gary Vee This quote is something I have been trying to put into words for a long time. When you genuinely believe in something, you don't need to convince anyone. The conviction does the work. The convincing is what's left when the belief isn't there. In this episode, I'm pulling apart why so many talented women in the beauty industry are stuck in convincing mode, and...

How to Talk So Clients Listen And listen so clients stay Tom Hendrick is back. And this time, we're getting into the conversations that make or break a salon business. Your host is Emily Ciardiello, CEO, Creative Director and Co-Founder of Foil Me, a multi-million dollar global hair brand that started in a back shed in Adelaide. When Emily's not designing foils or running a global business from he...

In this episode of The Dressing Gown CEO, Emily sits down with James Henderson and Sophie Margetts, two of the key presenters for Foil Me’s upcoming education event, Metamorphosis. This conversation goes far beyond hair and is a sneak peek into the upcoming event. We tell all of what it REALLY takes to grow in the hair industry; from mindset and self-belief to communication, consultations and step...

Hellooo! How exciting that I got to do another episode recording with my hubby and co-owner of Foil Me, Ili! He has a WEALTH of knowledge and a very chill way of explaining stuff so listen up as we go through the mistakes, the wins and the stories of 12 years of building Foil Me. Which was an idea that became a global business that is now doing over $4 million in revenue.  We talk about: – How Foi...

In this episode of The Dressing Gown CEO, I sit down with Rebecca Wood; former hairdresser educator + salon owner turned straight-shooting coach, and host of the Rebel 25 Mentor Podcast. This conversation is real, raw, and wide open: we discuss identity shifts, resilience, boundaries and how to create and keep them, and what it looks like to rebuild yourself after devastation in your life changes...

In this episode of The Dressing Gown CEO, I sit down with the brilliant Mackenzie Hayward; a WA hairdresser-turned-inventor who’s been in the industry since she was 15 and is now changing the way we work at the basin. We talk about why she left school at 15, how she found hairdressing through pure instinct (and a careers teacher who actually listened), and what it really takes to leap from salon l...

What does it really take to build a purpose-driven business and a meaningful life? In this powerful and deeply personal episode, Emily sits down with business and marketing strategist Olivia Jenkins; also known as The CEO's Wingwoman , to unpack the story behind her multi-7-figure consulting business, the impact of being raised by a single mum and entrepreneur, and the mindset shifts that help...

Welcome to the first episode of The Dressing Gown CEO for 2026. In this relaxed, honest conversation, I’m joined by a familiar voice; my husband and business partner, Ili; as we kick off the year by sharing the simple yet intentional changes we’re making to improve our lives in 2026. We walk through five habits we’re actively introducing this year, from daily movement and stretching to hydration,...

In this solo episode of The Dressing Gown CEO, I slow things down and invite you into that in-between space. The days just before Christmas, where you’re still doing life, still showing up, but your mind has already started wandering toward what’s next. Right now, it feels like the right moment to pause. Not in January; and not once the fireworks have gone off. But now, while we’re still sitting i...

In this episode of The Dressing Gown CEO , Ili and I (and at times, Leo our cat) sit down for a raw, behind-the-scenes chat about Black Friday; why we almost skipped it this year, and what made us change our minds. We unpack what really goes into prepping for a week-long sale event when you're a small business. Some of the things we discuss are: consumer expectations and luxury branding, logis...

What really happens behind the scenes of building a powerful brand in the hair industry? In this episode, I sit down with my long-time friend and inspiring business woman, Yovanka Loria , founder of Yovanka Loria Extensions , for a raw, honest, no-BS conversation about what it actually takes to start and grow a brand that disrupts, withstands backlash, and actually uses it drive the business forwa...

Ever wondered what it takes to pivot from the salon floor to running a creative agency, leading a team, launching new ventures and staying deeply rooted in your purpose? In this episode of The Dressing Gown CEO , I chat with the brilliant Hayley Mears ; founder of Six Underground Media , host of the Cutting Through The Noise podcast, creative director, and multi-hyphenate business owner who's carv...

In this episode of The Dressing Gown CEO ,  I sit down with the stylish and soulful Zebulen Hair ; an Aussie-born creative making his mark in the UK hair industry. From moving to Melbourne with just $250 in his pocket to navigating the emotional and physical toll of Bell’s Palsy, Zeb’s story is one of resilience, reinvention, and real talk. With honesty and humour, he shares how hustle culture nea...

In this solo episode of The Dressing Gown CEO, you’re getting me, no guest, no script, just real talk. I’ve been asked how I manage running a business while navigating perimenopause , so here it is. From planning work around my cycle to the symptoms no one talks about, this episode is for anyone who’s felt off and wondered, “What’s wrong with me?” (Spoiler: nothing is.) And if you’re a man and you...

In this episode of The Dressing Gown CEO , I sit down with the incredible Anna Haldane; master colourist, Behind the Chair One Shot finalist, a founder of our official Foil Me community and the newly appointed Educational and Technical Manager for Eco Heads . Anna shares her journey of building an international profile, pioneering techniques for Asian, coarse, brunette hair, and navigating big per...

In this episode of The Dressing Gown CEO podcast, I sit down with Tom Hendrick , founder of Tom Hendrick Public Speaking , co-director of Talent Academy , and father of two littlies, to explore how to speak with confidence, clarity, and impact. Tom shares his journey from practising as a top-tier tax lawyer to becoming one of Australia’s most sought-after public speaking coaches. We discuss the st...

It’s been six months since Emily and Ili (aka the husband-wife duo behind Foil Me) sat down to record a podcast together; and let’s just say,  a lot  has happened. In this episode of The Dressing Gown CEO, we pull back the curtain on the messy, beautiful, often stressful reality of running a business, raising a family, and staying married after 23 years, while still choosing each other every day....

In this heartfelt and insightful episode, I sit down with Fiona Beamish — interim CEO of the Australian Hairdressing Council (AHC) — to unpack what it really means to lead in today’s hair industry. With a career spanning apprentice to salon owner, educator to CEO, Fiona brings a grounded, future-focused perspective on the challenges and opportunities salon owners face right now. Together, we discu...

In this episode, I sit down with the incredible Blythe Langford – salon owner, freedom coach, breathwork facilitator, and financial sovereignty mentor – to dive into what truly creates success in both business and life. Blythe shares her journey from buying a salon in six-figure debt to turning it into a thriving, purpose-led space. She opens up about overcoming cancer, finding alignment through n...

In this episode, I sit down with the incredible Trang Nova—a TEDx speaker, coach, and expert in communication who once described herself as shy, introverted, and full of self-doubt. She shares the surprising moment (yes, involving a snail!) that sparked her quarter-life crisis and set her on the path to becoming the powerful, magnetic woman she is today. We chat about: Why finding your voice start...