word. with Gordon Miller

With the first 6 months of 2023 coming to a close, here's my update on industry trends across categories including business models, education, events, distribution, brands & media - looking at the rest of 2023 & beyond. Check out episodes #1 and 2 for added context. For early access to future episodes, please visit www.socialbeautymakers.com to sign up for my free weekly e-newsletter.

An off-the-top of my head last-minute episode for the holiday weekend focused on never-ending, fast-coming AI learnings - along with some tips on how to get the most out of experimenting with these powerful tools. I also share a bit of a rant on the daily negativity I continue to experience on Social Media -and how we can perhaps be better. For early access to future episodes, please visit www.soc...

A special encore episode to close out Pride 2023: Jack Howard and Gordon share their perspectives on being outwardly gay men in the professional beauty industry - in the past, the present, and their hopes for the future. A renowned colorist, educator, @LorealPro brand ambassador, and out and proud gay man, Jack shares his unique take on the topic as well as an update as to his big year ahead.

Google search is now 25+ years old -and, for the first time, has competition that could drive innovation in how consumers and businesses use the web and other platforms. Over time, we have adapted our presence online and across social platforms to meet ever-changing algorithms driving search and discovery. With the advent of more advanced AI, many project big changes in how we use 'search'...

Profits are the lifeblood of any sustainable for-profit business – as without them, no matter how great your brand’s services, products, and/or team might be, it’s all but impossible to exist over time. To that point, understanding the math behind beauty is essential. But with the advent of viral information, there is a lot of what I can only call crazy bits of business advice… being shared to the...

Part 3 of my 3-part series focused on the fast-evolving field of Artificial Intelligence (AI). This series is a part of my ongoing effort to offer important context as to the potential of AI to be highly relevant to salon professionals, managers, and owners. In this episode, I focus on how AI will likely influence work - across industries including the professional beauty industry. From research a...

Part 2 of 3 part series focused on the fast-evolving field of AI to offer important context as to its potential relevance to salon professionals, managers, and owners. In this episode, I focus on how AI will likely influence the attitudes and behaviors of consumers/clients - and what that means for salons and pros. For early access to future episodes, please visit www.socialbeautymakers.com to sig...

Part 1 of 2 (possibly 3!) episodes focused on the fast-evolving field of AI to offer important context as to its potential relevance to the lives of salon professionals, managers, and owners. In this episode, I share my take on historically and culturally relevant context as well as thoughts around the many and varied 'feelings' being shared by salon pros about this controversial topic. As...

After 4 decades of industry-specific experience, I admit to having a few "pet peeves" (defined by Websters as meaning "a frequent subject of complaint"). In this episode, I talk about my challenges around (1) lack of knowledge in business fundamentals, (2) the term "artists", (3) echo chambers of information, ideas, and inspiration and how they can hold us back, (4) the opp...

Apologies in advance for this rant on the danger of uninformed 'experts' actively encouraging total de-regulation of the pro-beauty industry by way of their Instagram posts. After decades of concerted efforts to promote and maintain the value of licensing, it's shocking to read posts by coaches with a big following irresponsibly sharing what I can only call 'fake beauty news'....

My solo riff on the challenges the industry faces today with workforce retention (across all categories of business models) and how beginning to talk about this topic as a larger industry could have a profound and positive impact on our perceived 'labor shortage'. As independence rises, more are arguably at risk of leaving the industry sooner rather than later - and that has a ripple effec...

If you follow me on IG, you likely know I'm a huge fan of quotes for the purpose of adding context to conversations, learning, business and/or life. Here's one that helps explain why: "It is often not the words but the message behind the words that makes a quote so meaningful. Even the shortest of quotations can convey the most powerful of messages, provide meaningful perspective, and...

A trip into the weeds of some big-picture industry numbers as well a look at best practices related to growing the salon business. And it was done with the help of my research assistant Roger (note: I've named my ChatGPT-4 bot Roger- and they actually respond to it!).   For early access to future episodes, please visit www.socialbeautymakers.com and sign up for my free weekly e-newsletter.

Today, social platforms like Instagram are searchable - including by way of Google; and that is a game-changer for salons and pros. Consumers use social content to make decisions about how & where they spend. Many pros looking at employment opportunities check out salons on IG to help them decide if they should apply; & many looking to hire use IG as a first impression before interviewing....

A renowned coach, marketer, & thought leader in social/digital media, Nina Kovner, Passion Squared CEO, gives us a 15-minute master class on the fundamentals of 'brand' & 'branding' -two words too often used interchangeably... in error. Today perhaps more than ever before, the essence of who we are & how we show up (as businesses, professionals, or as humans) matters to...

Bringing back another HOT TOPIC that resulted in a LOT of great feedback: Few topics 'trigger' the collective industry more than public conversations (i.e. posts) about the government's suggestion that the mean annual income of hairdressers in the USA is $28,000+. We've been having versions of this conversation for at least 30 years - and yet have done little real work to set the r...

The always inspiring @NinaTulio is here to talk about the need for pros to “know who you are, be real - & do the work" as a foundation for growing careers -and making more money! The straight-talking business coach, educator, Oligopro Brand Ambassador AND podcaster (No Stylist Left Behind co-host with @ItsMrJLadner),is a wealth of knowledge, experience (26+), and wisdom.  For early access...

Bring this one back as it’s probably my most talked about and shared episode to date! Note: the title is a play off a podcast titled “F**K Retail” that left me angst-filled. In response, this is my "rant" on the larger idea of 'fake beauty news' - something that feels like a mirror image of disinformation in the larger world (that most on all sides of politics agree exists). Rebutt...

A solo riff to reinforce my take on the never-ending challenge facing our larger industry: the lack of early career-focused education to help new professionals make it through the early years in the salon. Perhaps most importantly, everyone should realize that this larger challenge impacts us all in varied and significant ways. Today's topic is very much connected to and inspired by episodes #...

This is part 2 of my popular 4-part series on the ongoing evolution of specific segments of the pro salon industry. This episode shares observations on the current state of digital education - and ask what i hope are thought-provoking questions related to the future of the category. Past episodes in the series offer up my observations around Media, Events, Distribution and Brands. For more content...

After receiving numerous requests to delve deeper into the state of social media (following Episode 25), today's discussion will be an extemporaneous riff on just that. Many of us have been active on social media for well over 15 years now, and it's clear that we're entering a new era in how we approach the various platforms. It's important today to consider changes in how we measu...

One of our most downloaded episodes to date is #19, Part 4/5 of a 5-part series on the ongoing evolution of the pro salon industry. In this episode, I share observations on both the history (the abridged version for some context) and the   current state of our distributor (including stores) and pro-brand segments; and ask what I hope are thought-provoking questions related to the future of each. ...

Iconic educator and platform artist Tippi Shorter Rank left day-to-day life in the salon over 15 years ago - but recently found herself thinking "something was missing" from her professional life. Not long after, the @mizani Global Artistic Director got to work creating the Hair Love Salon KC (in Kansas City, Missouri). In the process, the one-time NYC-based salon owner re-thought traditio...

Our 2nd most listened-to episode is back. Considered one of the most iconic names in the pro beauty space, @TabathaCoffey has long been pushing the salon industry to be the very best version of ourselves. The self-described "Truth Teller, Dream Chaser, And Coach For Women Just Like You" has inspired countless professionals to reach for their dream careers and businesses. In this episode, T...

My solo riff on the challenges the industry faces today with workforce retention (across all categories of business models) and how beginning to talk about this topic as a larger industry could have a profound and positive impact on our perceived 'labor shortage'. As independence rises, more are arguably at risk of leaving the industry sooner rather than later - and that has a ripple effec...