The Hair Game

Latest Episodes:

Ep. 211 • Growing a Family & Business Together w/ Ashlee Norman Sep 20, 2021

Show notes

Hairstylist, Independent Educator, Mom, Wife.... Ashlee Norman @ashleenormanhair has been balancing all of it for years now. We discuss how she started her education business during her first pregnancy, as well as advice on managing it all.

This week's topics:

• Doing hair for high school theatre; going to beauty school and college

• Having a rough few years starting out; joined friend's salon and began steady education for herself and teaching others

• Leaving the salon to do independent education

• Building her brand before and during her pregnancy

• Advice for mothers balancing work & family

Have you left a review for The Hair Game Podcast yet? We have a monthly drawing to win $500 cash! To enter, just leave a review on the Apple podcasts app or iTunes. ⁣⁣Don't forget to leave your Instagram handle so we can find you!⁠

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Ep. 210 • I Was Right There When the Towers Fell w/ @nickarrojo Sep 13, 2021

Show notes

Master Hair Cutter and educator Nick Arrojo @nickarrojo had just opened his salon in New York a week before 9/11. He shares his incredible story of being a block away when it happened. We also discuss navigating catastrophes such as 9/11 (and now Covid) as a salon owner.

This Week's Topics:

• Walking into Vidal Sassoon salon at 16 years old to ask for apprenticeship

• Moving to London and New York to advance career

• Starting a business with partners – leaving to operate independently

• His experience living 1 block away from twin towers during 9/11

• Getting his salon restarted after 9/11

• Navigating the Covid shutdown – Having to permanently shut down a location

• Discussion on grant programs and financial assistance

• Lack of advocacy and lobbyists in the beauty industry – Why?

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Ep. 209 • Why I Went Independent After 25 years w/ @davidjohnla Sep 06, 2021

Show notes

For nearly three decades, stylist David John has been doing hair at some of the busiest, high-end salons in Los Angeles. He recently left commission salons and opened his own studio inside Salon Republic in Beverly Hills. He shares with us what factors helped him make the switch to indie.

This Week's Topics:

• Becoming a Russian Linguist & doing hair in the Army

• Finding hair school in Santa Monica

• What new hairdressers need to do: habits and steps

• How Covid helped him learn he could run his own business

• Being able to do both cut + color as an indie stylist

https://www.modernsalon.com/1074219/after-30-years-in-salons-why-this-stylist-went-solo

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Ep. 208 • Leaving Everything & Moving to LA w/ Dean Lauer Aug 30, 2021

Show notes

Men's hairstylist and educator Dean Lauer @deanothebarber_ built a foundation of skills early by grinding hard.... owning a shop AND starting a barber school within the first few years of graduating hair school.

He left it all behind to follow his dream to work in LA. He shares the whole story this week!

This week's topics:

• Trying to set up his future in baseball; gets injured

• Going to a primarily African-American barber college

• Opening a barber shop at 19; and then a barber school shortly after

• Leaves everything to move to LA

• Advice to new stylists

• His Hair Horror Story

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Ep. 207 • The 5 Steps to Doubling Your Income in 12 Months w/ Yene Damtew @yenedamtew Aug 23, 2021

Show notes

We continue with Yene Damtew this week and focus on her 5 most important steps for scaling revenue as a hairstylist. We also discuss her advice for marketing your business in the current climate and her passion for creating a more inclusive industry.

This Week's Topics:

• The five most important steps to doubling your income in 12 months

• Best ways to market your business right now

• Her strive for a more inclusive industry

• Her Hair Horror Story!

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Ep. 206 • How I Became Obama's Hairstylist w/ Yene Damtew Aug 16, 2021

Show notes

Stylist and Mentor @yenedamtew shares her story of moving across the country for an assistant position she knew would be beneficial for her career. We also discuss the important financial strategies she has learned working independently and as a salon owner.

This Week's Topics:

• Going to cosmo school at 16 yrs old; leaving for college because of parents but going back

• Moving across the country for an assistant position in DC for the Obamas

• Her move to working independently & salon ownership; learning important financial strategies

• Her business education academy

Click below to view the San Francisco vaccine mandate:

https://sfdph.org/dph/alerts/coronavirus-healthorders.asp

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Ep. 205 • Why Beauty Schools Can't Prepare You 100% for Life in the Salon Aug 09, 2021

Show notes

The most common complaint we hear about beauty schools is how they don't prepare stylists for real life in the salon.

As the President/Owner of Salon Success Academy, operating 6 locations in Southern California, Robert Gross gives us the inside look at what it's like running a beauty school and the challenges that are constantly presented.

He has long championed the need to raise the professionalism and image of the beauty industry in the state of California by co-founding, and participating as an active board member of the Professional Beauty Federation of California.

This Week's Topics:

• The complications of beauty school and funding for students

• Accreditation issues when trying to modernize beauty school

• Trying to change and update state requirements

• SB 803 – the good and the bad

• Response to the complaint of beauty school not preparing them for life in the salon

• What he would change about the industry – the industry's image from the outside

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Ep. 204 • How I Went From Assistant to Salon Owner w/ Blake Evans Aug 02, 2021

Show notes

Stylist Blake Evans @blakereedevans has leveled up consistently and now is co-owner of the salon he started at as an assistant. We discuss his path, as well as the topics he covers as a social media coach with Summit Salon Business Center.

This Week's Topics:

• Leaving marketing major and going to hair school

• Assisting at a salon and working hard to provide for family

• The unique ownership structure of his salon – how it operates

• Incentivizing and helping employees retail

• Tactics for advancing your business through social media

- taking pictures of your clients

- planning for social

- the emergence of TikTok

• The perception of hairstylists charging too much

• His hair horror story!

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http://www.facebook.com/salonrepublic

Ep. 203 • Gaining Control of Your Long-Term Goals w/ Dawn Bradley Jul 26, 2021

Show notes

We continue our conversation with Dawn Bradley @dawnbradleyhair this week and get in-depth with the strategies she has employed to combat her anxiety and achieve success. These have become the core of her education and coaching classes.

This week's topics:

• Review of her consultation process

• Setting boundaries with clients

• Pricing & the anxiety surround it

• Finance and planning for your future

• Her advice for young stylists

• Her coaching and education classes for stylists

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Ep. 202 • Stop Trying to Please Everyone! It's Sabotaging Your Business w/ Dawn Bradley Jul 19, 2021

Show notes

Hairstylist, educator and business coach Dawn Bradley @dawnbradleyhair has struggled with anxiety and imposter syndrome throughout her career. In dealing with her anxiety and insecurities, she has developed effective teaching courses for hairdressing as well as business. We discuss how setting boundaries can improve your business (and happiness) behind the chair.

This week's topics:

• Getting her dream job at 24 and having anxiety & self-sabotage; quitting and moving back home

• Avoiding unfamiliar situations and people to avoid anxiety

• Moving to Calgary and building a clientele out of her basement through social media

• A bad client experience that caused a major panic attack & wake-up call

• Top things a hairdresser can do to improve their situation behind the chair

Have you left a review for The Hair Game Podcast yet? This week's Pod Loot winner is getting a Roomba! To enter, just leave a review on the Apple podcasts app or iTunes. ⁣⁣Don't forget to leave your Instagram handle so we can find you!⁠

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http://www.instagram.com/salonrepublic

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