Your Day Off @Hairdustry; A Podcast about the Hair Industry!

Tabatha Coffey: Intentional Awareness, Cosmetology School Legislation, and Why Your Body Is Running Your Business She spent 11 years studying how the brain and body work. Then she went to Washington DC to fight for the industry. This conversation covers both. Recorded live at ABS Chicago with co-host Geno Chapman, Corey sits down with Tabatha Coffey (@tabathacoffey) for a conversation that moves f...

Universe Walker: Beauty Desk AI and the AI Receptionist Built for the Beauty Industry She took a coding class at Princeton, built a prototype, and created the first AI receptionist designed specifically for salons by someone who actually runs one. Corey sits down with Universe Walker (@universewalkerismyname), Bay Area hairstylist, owner of Knuckleheads and Harlots in Oakland and Scarlet Salon in...

atum Neill: Serious Business, Elevate Hair, and Why Hairdressers Can Change the World** He threw a rogue after party before anyone asked him to. That is just how Tatum Neill operates. Recorded live at ABS Chicago with co-host Geno Chapman, Corey closes out the weekend with Tatum Neill, co-creator of Serious Business and founder of Elevate Hair. This one covers the origin stories of both, the curre...

Bobbi Powell: Beauty School, Haven House, and Building Something Nobody Asked For She cold emailed a press team, showed up with no connections, and built something the industry didn't know it needed. Recorded live at ABS Chicago with co-host Geno Chapman, Corey sits down with Bobbi Powell (@beautyschoolbobbi) for a conversation that covers beauty school ownership, community service, self-advoc...

Byrd Mena... From a Basement in Waterbury to Stages Around the World Byrd 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 wa...

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...

Alfredo Lewis and Emily Chen: Qoat and the Product the Hair Industry Has Been Missing Five 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...

Tyler Kelbert and Dayna Gamba: Depot North America and What a Real Brand Relationship Looks Like Some 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...

Nick Stenson: Cancer, Clarity, and What It Really Takes to Build a Brand He 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 y...

Ted Gibson and Jason Backe Live at ABS Chicago Some 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 Here Neither Ted nor Jaso...

Episode Title:  Sheri Doss… From Redken to Costa Rica to Bumble and Bumble Hosts:  Corey Gray and Katie May  Guest:  Sheri Doss, Education and Artistry at Bumble and Bumble Episode Summary Sheri 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...

Episode Summary Corey 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...

Show Notes – Season 9, Episode 2 What 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. Fashio...

Season 9, Episode 1: State of the Industry w/ Gordon Miller In 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 , br...

Stop Putting Sh*t In Your Hair — with Boone & Ben of Highland Style In this episode of  Your Day Off Podcast , Corey sits down with  Boone and Ben , founders of  Highland Style , the clean-beauty disruptors behind the now-iconic phrase:  Stop Putting Sh*t In Your Hair . What started as two friends fed up with toxic, lab-engineered formulas turned into a mission to create prestige products root...

AI for Hairstylists: How Chrystal Graves’ LiQUiD Boosts Salon Profits Season 8, Episode 46 — Your Day Off Podcast Chrystal L. Graves  — Founder & CEO of  LiQUiD , the first AI-powered business assistant built for hairstylists and salon owners. A former stylist, salon owner, and educator, Chrystal created  LiQUiD  to help beauty professionals make  more money without working more.  She’s a  Tec...

Guest:   Jennifer Boutwell  — salon owner, industry leader, consultant, and author of  I See You: A Guide to Finding Your Inner Strength, Confidence, and Voice after Trauma and Abuse  (Gretna, LA). She spent 30 years behind the chair before stepping into full-time entrepreneurship and consulting. She’s also a proud mom to Conner & Bryson (and furbaby Cooper). From a mall salon start to owning ...

Guest:  Ben F’n Mollin — celebrity hairdresser turned endurance athlete, suicide prevention specialist, and author of  Deconstructed: Kill the Thing That’s Killing You. Corey sits down with longtime friend and industry legend  Ben F’n Mollin  for a raw, unfiltered conversation about burning down everything that was killing him — and rebuilding a life grounded in truth, grit, and miles. From Bravo’...

Shock & Awe Guest:   Garrison Neill – Neill Group (@garrisonneill) Mentioned:   @seriousbusinessconf Episode Summary: In this episode of  Your Day Off Podcast , host  Corey Gray  sits down with  Garrison Neill ,  Chief Marketing Officer of Neill Corporation  and  President of Paris Parker Salons and Spas . As part of a third-generation family business shaping the future of beauty through educa...

Corey Gray and co-host  Geno Chapman (@genochapman)  sit down in Ibiza with  Depot Male Tools Global Ambassadors  —  Luca Malnati (@luca.malnati) ,  Dario J Braun (@dariobarbers.nl) , and  Tom Hoffman (@diligents_tom @diligentssalons)  — for a raw, funny, and inspiring conversation about creativity, connection, and community in the barber world. Recorded live at  Hairtopia , powered by  BeautyNova...

Why this weekend proves social puts the scissors back in your hands? Hosts: Corey Gray with Co Host Geno Chapman @genochapman Guests: @andrewsmithhairstylist @shelleylane_inspires @gianlucagrechi @milkshakehairpro Backstage energy Electric prep… tribal goddess hair to the floor… avant garde build tactics… securing heavy pieces without drama. Social as your voice And brands used to dictate the look...

Show Notes (listener benefits first): What if your career wasn’t just about cutting hair, but about shaping culture? In this conversation with  Tatum Neill , we talk about what happens when hairdressers stop competing and start connecting. From the inspiration behind  Elevate  and the soulful depth of  Serious Business , to how music, artistry, and community collide… you’ll hear why these events m...

Season 8, Episode 39 Guest:  @ mistyjayne - Ranting Money 🎧 Listen on @spotify @spotifypodcasts or anywhere you get your podcasts Misty Jayne isn’t here to give you a budget. She’s here to shift your mindset. In this episode, she walks through how she used the  debt snowball  method to get out of debt—and why small wins matter more than perfect spreadsheets. We talk about: How the brain craves gr...

Why this is the future of salon success without burnout Jennifer Jade Alvarez Salon Owner | Speaker | Tech Advocate | Host of the  Beauty Business Game Changer Podcast Instagram:  @jenniferjadealvarez Co-Host:  Gabby Bach  @gabbymarieedits How Jen fully stepped away from behind the chair… and scaled instead of burned out Why most salon owners are leaking money (and how to fix it) The mindset shift...

Why Surrender Is Presence… and Why That Changes Everything 📍Episode:  Season 8, Episode 37 🎧 Host:  Corey Gray (@hairdustry) 👥 Guest:  Ambrosia Carey (@ambrosiacarey) 💛 Powered by:  Hair Love University (@hairloveuniversity) 📝 Episode Summary: What does it  really  mean to be present—and why is surrender the key to getting there? In this vulnerable and wide-ranging conversation, host Corey Gr...