SUMM IT UP

Hosted by Summit Salon Business Center

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118

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Jun 2026

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About the show

SUMM IT UP is a podcast from Summit Salon Business Center that engages salon, school, barbershop and spa professionals on our shared path toward happiness in the beauty industry. Hosted by stylist, salon owner, educator, and “Top 30 Colorist Under 30” Blake Reed Evans, SUMM IT UP brings you frank conversations with changemakers from all corners of the beauty world, with a focus on business and interpersonal relationships. New episodes every Wednesday.

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60 recent

June 3, 202634 min

Future-proof salon: AI & the human touch ft. Phorest's Ronan Perceval

Guest Ronan Perceval began his journey in the beaty industry as a receptionist at a busy salon in Dublin, Ireland. While he loved the salon culture and people, he found that constant "admin-y conversations" -- like explaining the parking situation or cancellation policy -- were sapping taking time away from more meaningful client interactions. Now founder & CEO of Phorest Salon Software, Ronan designs AI tools that handle the admin, so service providers can focus on what we do best -- making our guests look and feel great. Phorest AI handles admin like booking, consultation forms and self check-in, but now there's so much more. Stylists can use mobile apps to track their tickets, tips and progress toward earling goals, with gamification features. Phorest even integrates with Instagram to help you micro-target ads to the perfect clients in your area. And once you have a returning client, Phorest will track their services and retail purchasing patterns so you can be ready with the next recommendation. Listen for the human side of the story. Follow Summit Salon Business Center on Instagram @SummitSalon, and on TikTok at SummitSalon. SUMM IT UP  is now on YouTube! Watch extended cuts of our interviews at www.youtube.com/@summitunlockedFind host Blake Reed Evans on Instagram @BlakeReedEvans and on TikTok at blakereedevans. His DM's are always open! You can email Blake at bevans@summitsalon.com. Visit us at SummitSalon.com  to connect with others in the industry. SUMM IT UP is produced and edited by Andrea Muraskin. The executive producer is Tim Fisk.  

May 20, 202631 min

This salon grew more than 16% in 2025. Here's their formula

Success story time! Host Blake Reed Evans sits down with Heather Meredith and Maegan Moore of Ahead of Hair Salon in Midlothian, Virginia to unpack how a legacy Summit salon achieved 16.76% growth in 2025 — 23 years into ownership. It wasn't easy: In their time working together, owner Heather and director of operations Maegan navigated a major walk-out, which led them to evaluate and build more flexibility into staff schedules. They also rennovated their space down the the studs, and revamped their associate program, all with a little help from Summit coach Deb McMahan. Ahead of Hair is able to offer a matching 401(k) program and offer health insurance. With a 43-person team including ten mentors, the salon company has worked with Summit to expand their stylist level structure up to Level 10. Listen to learn how they pulled off all that, and more. Follow Ahead of Hair on Instagram @aohsalon and on Facebook at Ahead of Hair. Follow Summit Salon Business Center on Instagram @SummitSalon, and on TikTok at SummitSalon. SUMM IT UP  is now on YouTube! Watch extended cuts of our interviews at www.youtube.com/@summitunlockedFind host Blake Reed Evans on Instagram @BlakeReedEvans and on TikTok at blakereedevans. His DM's are always open! You can email Blake at bevans@summitsalon.com. Visit us at SummitSalon.com  to connect with others in the industry. SUMM IT UP is produced and edited by Andrea Muraskin. The executive producer is Tim Fisk.  

May 6, 202639 min

Employees struggling? Lead with curiosity ft. Araceli Castaneda

In an industry with high turnover and lots of workers fresh out of school, on-the-job education is par for the course. But even for experienced owners and managers, the skills needed to handle personal and performance issues that come up in the salon are often not fully developed. That's why were so lucky to have a conversation with today's guest, Araceli Castañeda. Araceli is a leadership trainer in Summit Salon Business Center's Leadership and Wellness Training division. She's also COO, General Manager and an owner at The Fixx Hair Studio in New Braunfels, Texas. Araceli has a bachelors degree in psychology and a masters in Marriage and Family Therapy. As Araceli shares with host Blake Reed Evans, managers should go into conversations with employees with an attitude of curiosity. You'll get a lot from this conversation with two seasoned salon leaders including: What kind of questions to ask How to listen Understanding generational shifts in expections of reward and disapointment Advice for checking internal biases Self-regulation mini-skills for leaders Legal and ethical limitations of managment-employee conversations RESOURCES Learn more about Araceli and schedule a 30 minute discovery call. You can also email her at acastaneda@summitsalon.com. Sign up for Araceli's Summit leadership subscription series. Take the Summit Owner Burnout Diagnostic, a research-backed self-assessment to help salon owners identify burnout patterns and receive personalized recommendations for sustainable wellness. Find more information about burnout and the diagnostic tool here. Follow Summit Salon Business Center on Instagram @SummitSalon, and on TikTok at SummitSalon. SUMM IT UP  is now on YouTube! Watch extended cuts of our interviews at www.youtube.com/@summitunlockedFind host Blake Reed Evans on Instagram @BlakeReedEvans and on TikTok at blakereedevans. His DM's are always open! You can email Blake at bevans@summitsalon.com. Visit us at SummitSalon.com  to connect with others in the industry. SUMM IT UP is produced and edited by Andrea Muraskin. The executive producer is Tim Fisk.  

April 22, 202633 min

Reduce salon waste and boost your bottom line ft. Shane Price

Did you know that salons in the United States and Canada generate about half a million pounds of waste every day? Beauty shouldn't come at the planet's expense. Guest Shane Price founded Green Circle Salons in 2009, a company that parters with salon companies to recover up to 95% of salon waste. That includes hair clippings, foils, tubes, excess color and more. The program is supported through a small fee on guests' tickets at no cost to the salon. It can boost revenue by appealing to increasingly eco-conscious customers. And as Blake points out, Gen Z stylists place a high value on sustainability. Blake and Shane also address recycling skeptics! Learn more at greencirclesalons.com and sign up by April 30 to take advantage of their Earth Month special offer with $650+ in added value. Follow Green Circle on Instagram @greencirclesalons. Follow Summit Salon Business Center on Instagram @SummitSalon, and on TikTok at SummitSalon. SUMM IT UP  is now on YouTube! Watch extended cuts of our interviews at www.youtube.com/@summitunlockedFind host Blake Reed Evans on Instagram @BlakeReedEvans and on TikTok at blakereedevans. His DM's are always open! You can email Blake at bevans@summitsalon.com. Visit us at SummitSalon.com  to connect with others in the industry. SUMM IT UP is produced and edited by Andrea Muraskin. The executive producer is Tim Fisk.  

April 8, 202631 min

Gaining a social media following as a colorist with Alejandro Lopez

What is a day in the life of a content creator like? How do you balance your responsibilities as a creator with your work as a stylist behind the chair? And what does it take to amass a significant following on social media in the hair salon industry? Our guest this episode is Alejandro Lopez, an incredibly talented stylist based in Orlando, Florida, with over 870K followers on Tiktok and 670K on Instagram as of April 2026. Alejandro chats with Blake about his background in braiding, how he transitioned to vivid color work, and what his daily life is like as both a stylist behind the chair and content creator. LEARN MORE Follow Alejandro on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube @artistic.aestheticss. This episode was produced by Erica Furgiuele. It was originally published in September 2024. Get in touch with Summit and let us know what you think of the podcast or what topics you’d like us to cover next. Follow Summit Salon Business Center on Instagram @SummitSalon, and on TikTok at SummitSalon. SUMM IT UP  is now on YouTube! Watch extended cuts of our interviews at www.youtube.com/@summitunlockedFind host Blake Reed Evans on Instagram @BlakeReedEvans and on TikTok at blakereedevans. His DM's are always open! You can email Blake at bevans@summitsalon.com. Visit us at SummitSalon.com  to connect with others in the industry. SUMM IT UP is produced and edited by Andrea Muraskin. The executive producer is Tim Fisk.  

March 25, 202633 min

How to get featured in SALON TODAY ft. Stacey Soble

SALON TODAY recently announced their 2026 SALON TODAY 200 honorees, one of the industry's most coveted awards. Does your salon company have spectacular customer service? Enviable growth numbers? An amazing culture? A kick-ass education program? Here's how you can get featured next year. Stacey Soble is Editor in Chief of SALON TODAY, the only salon industry media outlet solely focused on business. She's also the organizer and a judge of the SALON TODAY 200, one of the industry's most coveted awards. She's been involved in the conversation of salon business for more than two decades—as a reporter, a consultant and as the editor in chief of SALON TODAY. In this episode, host Blake Reed Evans chats with Stacey about the relationship between industry media and salon pros and some of the business innovations she's most excited about. Is your salon company newsworthy? Stacey explains how to get the judges' attention in your application for SALON TODAY 200, and more. Learn more about the awards, Sign up for the Salon Today newsletter on their homepage to be notified as soon as applications are available. Follow Salon Today on IG @salontodayofficial, and follow Stacey @staceysoble. This episode was originall published in July 2024. Follow Summit Salon Business Center on Instagram @SummitSalon, and on TikTok at SummitSalon. SUMM IT UP  is now on YouTube! Watch extended cuts of our interviews at www.youtube.com/@summitunlockedFind host Blake Reed Evans on Instagram @BlakeReedEvans and on TikTok at blakereedevans. His DM's are always open! You can email Blake at bevans@summitsalon.com. Visit us at SummitSalon.com  to connect with others in the industry. SUMM IT UP is produced and edited by Andrea Muraskin. The executive producer is Tim Fisk.  

March 11, 202629 min

Learn to recognize signs of domestic violence and how you can help ft. Liz McKeon

Salon professionals have a unique ability to create a safe space for our clients, lend a friendly ear and build years-long relationships. For someone in a domestic violence situation, the salon may be the one of few or even the only place they can go without their abuser. So how do we identify the signs of domestic violence, and offer the right kind of support for clients and team members who may be in danger? Our guest Liz McKeon is a salon business expert, author of the best-selling book, ’30 Days to Beauty Business Success’, and and UK & Irish Ambassador for Shear Haven Domestic Violence Training. Access the training at shearhaventraining.org. Learn more about Liz at lizmckeon.com. Follow her on Instagram lizmckeonbizliz. If you feel unsafe at home, find a hotline for your country or location here. This episode does not contain descriptions of violent acts. It was originally recorded in June 2024. Follow Summit Salon Business Center on Instagram @SummitSalon, and on TikTok at SummitSalon. SUMM IT UP  is now on YouTube! Watch extended cuts of our interviews at www.youtube.com/@summitunlockedFind host Blake Reed Evans on Instagram @BlakeReedEvans and on TikTok at blakereedevans. His DM's are always open! You can email Blake at bevans@summitsalon.com. Visit us at SummitSalon.com  to connect with others in the industry. SUMM IT UP is produced and edited by Andrea Muraskin. The executive producer is Tim Fisk.  

February 25, 202631 min

Legacy, loyalty, and giving back with Lester Crowell

“He’s been with us for 13 years. He’s the new guy.” When host Blake Reed Evans heard those words on a visit to Three-13 Salon in Marietta, Georgia, he knew we had to talk about this business’ staying power on the show. Our guest Lester Crowell is a managing partner at Three-13, a departmentalized salon and spa company that’s been running for 52 years. What’s their secret? The formula combines lots of structure, weekly service provider education, and schedule flexibility when it comes to guests. Three-13 also gives back to the community. Lester is a two-time heart transplant recipient, and fifteen years ago Lester and Three-13 launched Angels of Life, a hair and fashion show benefiting the Georgia Transplant Foundation. Through the show and employee bake sales, Three-13 has raised over $1 million to help transplant recipients. Learn more at three-13.com . Follow Summit Salon Business Center on Instagram @SummitSalon, and on TikTok at SummitSalon. SUMM IT UP  is now on YouTube! Watch extended cuts of our interviews at www.youtube.com/@summitunlockedFind host Blake Reed Evans on Instagram @BlakeReedEvans and on TikTok at blakereedevans. His DM's are always open! You can email Blake at bevans@summitsalon.com. Visit us at SummitSalon.com  to connect with others in the industry. SUMM IT UP is produced and edited by Andrea Muraskin. The executive producer is Tim Fisk.  

February 11, 202634 min

Find your financial blind spots with Kevin Robinson

For salon professionals transitioning to management and ownership, leading a salon company can be a steep learning curve. Don't be a passenger on your own business journey. Join Blake Reed Evans and Kevin Robinson, CFO of Summit Salon Business Center, for an essential conversation about financial literacy for salon owners. Learn how to shift from reactive to proactive financial management, identify common blind spots, and build sustainable business practices -- all while embracing an abundance mindset. Learn more about Summit Financial Services and book a discovery call. Or email Nikke Salmon at nsalmon@summitsalon.comFollow Kevin on Instagram: @kev_robin. Follow Summit Salon Business Center on Instagram @SummitSalon, and on TikTok at SummitSalon. SUMM IT UP  is now on YouTube! Watch extended cuts of our interviews at www.youtube.com/@summitunlockedFind host Blake Reed Evans on Instagram @BlakeReedEvans and on TikTok at blakereedevans. His DM's are always open! You can email Blake at bevans@summitsalon.com. Visit us at SummitSalon.com  to connect with others in the industry. SUMM IT UP is produced and edited by Andrea Muraskin. The executive producer is Tim Fisk.  

January 28, 202637 min

Inside a 4 generation family salon business with Chris Huffstutter

It all began with Viola, who's salon did so well that she made more money than the doctor who delivered her son -- in the Great Depression, no less. That son went to hair school and joined the family business too. Fast forward to today, and a small family business has become large and legendary: Viola's great grandchildren own and operate a four-location salon company and a Summit Salon Academy. Our guest this episode is Chris Huffstutter, owner of Summit Salon Academy Portland, shareholder at Anastasia Salon, and a Summit School Coach. Listen for a fun and frank conversation on the joys and pitfalls of working with your siblings, and learn how the Huffstutter brothers draw on their dad's wisdom and the latest tech to bring more happiness to their family and employees. Reach out to Chris about cosmetology school coaching here. Follow Summit Salon Academy Portland on Instagram @summitsalonacademy_pdx. You can catch Chris's brother Luke on a previous SUMM IT UP episode, Stop losing money on color ft. Vish's Tim Howard with Les McFadden and Luke Huffstutter. Follow Summit Salon Business Center on Instagram @SummitSalon, and on TikTok at SummitSalon. SUMM IT UP  is now on YouTube! Watch extended cuts of our interviews at www.youtube.com/@summitunlockedFind host Blake Reed Evans on Instagram @BlakeReedEvans and on TikTok at blakereedevans. His DM's are always open! You can email Blake at bevans@summitsalon.com. Visit us at SummitSalon.com  to connect with others in the industry. SUMM IT UP is produced and edited by Andrea Muraskin. The executive producer is Tim Fisk.  