Thriving Stylist Podcast

Something is happening in our industry right now that we just need to talk about. Salon closures are happening at scale, coast to coast, and I've personally saved over 60 closure announcements on Instagram just since the start of 2026. This is not normal, and pretending it isn't happening isn't going to help anyone. In this episode, I break down exactly what's driving these salon closures right no...

If you've been in the salon industry for any length of time, you already know the traditional commission model is broken. Stylists feel cheated, salon owners feel cheated, and somehow, we've all just accepted that this is "the way it's done." But what if there was a model where everybody wins, profit is protected, and your top performers actually want to stay? That's exactly what uncapped commissi...

It's no secret that the digital landscape is shifting FAST, and a lot of stylists and salon owners are feeling completely exhausted by the constant updates, the algorithms, and the tech overload. I know it's tempting to want to unplug and just focus on the creative side of what we do, but the reality is that our industry is becoming more connected to the digital world, not less. The good news? Our...

Let's be honest: one of the biggest challenges salon owners are hitting right now is figuring out how to actually attract, motivate, and retain the modern generation of talent. You've heard me say it many times, but if you want a team of self-motivated, hungry stylists, your brand positioning, your backend education system, and your own digital footprint have to be completely aligned. I'm sorry, b...

How would you like to hear the real talk about the massive amount of misinformation, manipulative jargon, and false narratives that float around our industry? We've all seen it and we've all experienced it: the secrecy around how someone actually built their business, or the people who look amazing on social media while we both know the back end tells a very different story.  I've wondered for a l...

We just got back from San Antonio hosting our second annual X Club Retreat, and honestly, I'm still riding the high. Four days with 86 of the highest-performing stylists and salon owners in the industry who are doubling and tripling their revenue, running multi-seven-figure salons, and doing $300,000 a year solo behind the chair, and I walked away with pages of notes I knew I had to bring back to...

Google just changed the rules on reviews, and based on the conversations I've been having, a lot of stylists and salon owners are feeling nervous about what this means for their business. I totally get it, because when a platform that's driving real clientele for you announces major policy updates, it's natural to wonder if everything you've been doing is suddenly wrong!  Here's what I want you to...

My DMs have been blowing up lately with one specific question: "Britt, what do you think of this advice?" It seems like every time I open Instagram, there is a new business coach telling stylists that the way they've been working for years is suddenly obsolete. This week, I'm taking those viral posts to task and ranking them on a brand-new scale to see which ones are actual breakthroughs and which...

Have you ever looked at a viral post and felt like something was missing? This week, a social media campaign from a collection of private beauty schools has been making the rounds, warning that the industry is at risk of collapse due to federal loan defunding. On its face, it sounds terrifying, but once you peel back the layers, you realize the situation is much more complex than just "saving" the...

Are you ready to stop spending every waking hour on Instagram and finally just cut the check? There's a massive misunderstanding about what paid marketing actually is, and if you're not careful, you can easily fall for expensive scams and guaranteed leads that never turn into a booking. In this episode, we're exploring the luxury of trading money for time. I'm walking you through the predatory all...

Are your books feeling a little "gappier" than you'd like, or those new guest requests have started to slow down? If so, I want you to take a deep breath because I've got you covered! We aren't going to buy into the industry noise that "nobody is getting their hair done anymore", because the truth is, a huge portion of the industry is growing faster right now than I've ever seen before. In this ep...

Does your online presence actually match the level of talent you bring to the chair? For most stylists, there's a massive gap between their actual skill and the "DIY" brand they're showing the world, and that disconnect is costing you thousands in high-end bookings. That's going to change, as today, I show you why playing it safe with phone photos is acting as a ceiling on your income!  I'm giving...

Have you ever had a client sit through a three-hour service, love their hair, and then suddenly realize they "forgot" their wallet? It's uncomfortable, it's awkward, and without a system in place, it costs you hundreds in lost revenue and hours spent playing debt collector. In this episode, I'm breaking down the "Failed Payment Trend" I'm seeing across the industry right now. I'm sharing the exact...

For most salon owners, the dream is simple: hire a stylist, keep them happy, and watch them stay with the team forever. But let's be real. That "forever" goal is incredibly rare, and more often than not, the systems we have in place are the very things driving new talent right out the door. Today I shed some light on why the industry's "normal" way of training is actually hurting your chances of k...

Are you making multiple 6-figures but your back hurts, you're missing dinner with your family, and your mental health is in the trash? If so, you haven't won and in fact, you've just lost the plot and I'm going to share why in this episode. We've been sold a lie that "working smarter" means double-booking your life away and that being booked out for six months is a "flex." In reality? It's a finan...

How often do you audit the strategies you use in your business? If you're still relying on "tried and true" methods from 5 or 10 years ago, you might actually be working against the modern consumer. Today, I take a candid, transparent look at the strategies that were once staples of the Thriving Stylist Method, but have since been phased out entirely. Whether you're a returning Thriver or a new me...

For over a year, we haven't checked in on the state of Instagram marketing, but the game has changed - A LOT. If your Instagram is gaining followers but your bank account isn't growing, something is broken. Today, I reveal what it actually takes to turn a profile into a profit-generating machine. We're moving away from the "dopamine hit" of likes and comments and focusing on the only metric that m...

For decades, the industry standard was that a successful stylist had to be a "jack of all trades," but that old-school way of thinking is officially holding your bank account back. In a world where consumers are looking for experts, not generalists, choosing to niche down is the fastest way to increase your demand and your income, and I'm showing you exactly how to do it in this episode. Today we...

Are you properly priced for growth, or are you resting on your laurels in a shifting market? I am so amped up to dive into a topic that is arguably the biggest structural bottleneck in the industry today. I've spent the better part of this month looking at the backend financials of thousands of businesses, and I'm ready to show you exactly what is holding so many of you back. This isn't just about...

If you've spent any time in a salon breakroom lately, you've heard the narrative: " The J-months are just slow, " " Everyone is struggling right now ," or " Clients just aren't spending money. " I'm here to tell you that the "everyone is struggling" narrative is simply false, because while some stylists are watching their schedules fill with gaps, thousands of others are having $300k and $400k yea...

I've noticed a dangerous trend lately where stylists and salon owners are treating DMs as a burden instead of a gift. We're shutting them off, ignoring them (or even worse) hiding behind auto-responders that act as total lead killers. I get it; DMs can feel time-consuming. But in a world where AI is rapidly disrupting the workforce, human connection is the one thing we need to cling to, and that's...

For years, I've been one of the biggest proponents of salon retail. I've taught the programs, I've shared the scripts, and I've preached that retail equals retention. But I've hit a point where I can no longer be complicit in a system that I'm watching settle like a lead weight on the books of salons across the industry, and that's what today's show is all about. In this episode, I address the dra...

Are you still pricing yourself based on what the salon down the street charges, or maybe a "gut feeling" that you're worth more? Do you actually know if your current rates are protecting your profit, or are you accidentally losing money in the tiny gaps of your workday? In this episode, I'm finally sharing a MASSIVE update that's been months in the making. We have officially evolved from our class...

Why do we all get into this industry to make money, yet feel so uncomfortable actually managing it? Is your "dream career" turning into a self-sacrificing cycle because you're making emotional financial decisions instead of logical ones? If you're still praying for a big tax refund or keeping a pile of receipts in your center console, it's time for a serious financial intervention, and today I bri...

Is your business actually feeling the "crunch" of this 2026 economy, or are you just stuck on the wrong side of the Great Divide? If that effortless "glory season" of building a clientele feels like a distant memory, you aren't imagining it. The industry has shifted from a quantity game to a quality game, and honestly? Your marketing has to evolve or it's going to get left behind. Today, I'm getti...