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So many salon owners spend their time looking sideways instead of forward. They watch what everyone else is doing, copy systems, pricing, commission structures, and branding, and hope that if it worked for someone else, it will magically work for them, too.

In this episode, we talk about why copying is one of the most dangerous habits in business. Not because learning from others is wrong, but because blindly copying skips the most important part: understanding your numbers, your values, your clients, and your vision.

We break down why templates, playbooks, and “just follow this person” advice often fail, how copying becomes a shortcut for thinking, and why running someone else’s business will never build confidence or long-term stability. We also talk about pricing, commission models, culture, AI, education, and why learning principles matter more than memorizing answers.

If you want a salon that feels aligned, sustainable, and truly yours, this episode will challenge you to stop copying and start building.

Your business should serve you, so that you can serve others.
Borrow the principles. Build your own systems.

Key Takeaways

• Copying is often a shortcut for thinking.
• Templates don’t replace understanding your own business.
• Blindly following others skips responsibility and learning.
• Pricing without knowing your numbers is dangerous.
• Being great technically doesn’t mean you’re ready to run a business.
• Borrow principles, not full systems.
• Culture becomes shallow when it isn’t built on your own values.
• Copying guarantees you’ll always be second best.
• Confidence comes from building something you understand.
• Small, intentional changes beat massive overhauls.

Time Stamps

00:00 – Welcome + why people copy
01:00 – Jen’s opening take: have the conversation
05:00 – Todd’s opening take: AI, tools, and base knowledge
10:00 – Why copying feels safer than deciding
13:00 – Pricing without knowing numbers is dangerous
15:00 – Technician skill ≠ business skill
17:00 – Why copying avoids responsibility
20:00 – Facebook advice vs real problem solving
22:00 – Copying skips learning
25:00 – Dunning-Kruger effect in business
28:00 – Borrow principles, not templates
30:00 – Cooking analogy: recipes vs techniques
32:00 – Discounts don’t fix broken systems
35:00 – Copying creates a shallow culture
37:00 – You can only be second best when you copy
39:00 – What to ask instead of “what should I charge?”
42:00 – Build the business you want to work in
44:00 – Small changes > total overhauls
46:00 – Final thoughts: build your own path

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We see so many salon owners who are busy every day but still feel stuck. They’re cleaning, reorganizing, researching, scrolling, and “preparing,” yet nothing meaningful seems to change. The problem isn’t effort. The problem is direction.

In this episode, we talk about momentum and what actually moves the needle in your business. We break down why busy work feels productive but rarely compounds, why indecision often disguises itself as preparation, and how small, boring decisions create far more progress than flashy ones.

We share real examples from our own journey, from complicated booking systems and tree-named stylist levels to endless research on vacuums, software, and tools that ultimately don’t matter. Momentum isn’t built through perfection. It’s built through action, testing, and refining.

Your business should serve you, so that you can serve others.

Momentum comes when you stop waiting for certainty and start making decisions that actually shape your future.

Key Takeaways

• Busy work creates motion, not momentum.
• Momentum is built through decisions, not perfection.
• Simple systems outperform creative but confusing ones.
• Endless research often hides fear of commitment.
• Owners must make the uncomfortable decisions others can’t.
• Reputation and culture compound faster than tactics.
• Boring work usually produces the biggest growth.
• Systems don’t need to be perfect to be powerful.
• Indecision is more expensive than mistakes.
• Momentum grows when action replaces hesitation.

Time Stamps

00:00 — Welcome + defining momentum
01:00 — Jen’s opening take: simple booking beats creative systems
03:00 — Todd’s opening take: sunk cost fallacy
05:00 — Why busy ≠ progress
07:00 — Technician vs entrepreneur mindset
09:00 — The danger of endless research
11:00 — Social media consumption vs real work
13:00 — What momentum actually creates (clients + hiring)
15:00 — Reputation and culture compound
17:00 — Shortcuts vs long-term leadership
19:00 — Boring work builds businesses
21:00 — Indecision disguised as preparation
23:00 — Decisions only owners should make
25:00 — Systems, standards, and consistency
27:00 — Discomfort is part of momentum
29:00 — Final thoughts + new year momentum

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The start of a new year often comes with pressure: new goals, new systems, new ideas, and a long list of things people think they should be doing. But more often than not, that approach creates chaos instead of clarity.

In this episode, we talk about how to kick off a new year in your business without overcomplicating it. We break down why adding more isn’t usually the answer, why pausing to assess matters more than rushing forward, and how clarity, simplicity, and focus create real momentum.

We also discuss education, leadership, systems, and why so many businesses stay stuck repeating the same problems year after year. From writing things down instead of keeping them in your head, to choosing one problem to solve instead of ten, this episode is about building a stronger foundation before you try to build anything new.

If you’re entering the year feeling motivated but overwhelmed, this conversation will help you slow down, refocus, and move forward with intention, one step at a time.

Key Takeaways

• The new year doesn’t require more ideas — it requires clarity.
• Education, leadership, and systems should serve the people they impact.
• Simplicity is harder than complexity — and far more effective.
• Keeping things “in your head” guarantees confusion for your team.
• Written systems reduce repeated questions and owner burnout.
• Solving one problem well is better than touching ten problems poorly.
• Real change takes time, testing, and patience.
• Promises to your team only matter if they’re delivered.
• Busy work creates noise; focused work creates progress.
• You don’t need a full reset — you need a clear next step.

Time Stamps

00:00 — Welcome + first episode of 2026
01:00 — New year pressure and doing too much too fast
02:00 — Jen’s opening take: education should serve others, not ego
04:00 — Todd’s opening take: simplicity beats overwhelm in education
06:00 — Why “dazzling” people doesn’t equal teaching
08:00 — Foundations matter more than advanced techniques
09:30 — Adding more vs assessing what already exists
11:00 — Getting ideas out of your head and onto paper
12:30 — Mission statements, SOPs, and clarity for teams
14:30 — Why teams get confused when systems aren’t written
16:30 — Staff asking peers instead of owners (and why it happens)
18:00 — Choosing one problem to solve first
19:30 — Why slow progress is still progress
21:00 — How long real change actually takes
23:00 — What Hello Hair focused on last year
25:00 — Promises vs delivery and owner accountability
27:00 — Reordering priorities as the year unfolds
29:00 — Noise, trends, and low-impact decisions
31:00 — Why busy doesn’t mean productive
33:00 — What actually grows a business
34:30 — One system, one number, one relationship
36:00 — Final thoughts: simplify, focus, and move intentionally

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