the Hello Hair Pro podcast

Hosted by Jen & Todd Ford

Business Entrepreneurship Arts

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Episodes

259

Latest episode

Aug 2026

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EN-US

About the show

This is a place for education, inspiration, and entertainment. Our mission is to help as many hair pros, salon, and barbershop owners as possible by sharing our stories, experiences, and thoughts on business.

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September 14, 2026Episode 26246 min

What 5 Years of Podcasting Taught Us About Business [EP:262]

"Send us a message!" Five years. 262 episodes. And we haven't missed a Monday. September 13 marks five years since we published the first episode of Hello Hair Pro. And somewhere along the way, talking about business every week started to change the way we thought about it. So for this episode, we're looking back. We talk about how the podcast has changed, how we've changed as leaders, and what five years of consistently sitting down to question our own ideas, share our opinions, and talk through business has taught us about people, growth, resilience, leadership, and ourselves. We get into becoming more open-minded, learning our individual roles as business partners, getting more comfortable giving honest feedback, letting go of the need to save everyone, building a company around people, and realizing that a successful relationship doesn't have to last forever to have been successful. We also look back at the flood that displaced Hello earlier this year, and what watching our team rally together taught us about trust, resilience, and the culture we'd spent years trying to build. Five years later, we definitely don't have everything figured out. But maybe that's one of the biggest things we've learned. Big Idea Growth isn't reaching a point where you've figured everything out. It's becoming better at questioning what you think you already know. Key Takeaways Consistency matters more than the excitement you feel when you start something. Talking about business every week has forced us to question and refine what we actually believe. Open-mindedness doesn't mean abandoning what works—it means recognizing that your way isn't necessarily the only way. Understanding our individual strengths and roles has made us better business partners. You can't want more for an employee than they want for themselves. A relationship doesn't have to last forever to be successful. Honest feedback isn't cruel. Avoiding necessary conversations can actually hurt someone's growth. Your reputation is built by whether you actually do what you say you're going to do. Mission, vision, and core values become valuable when you actually use them to make decisions. Resilience isn't just an owner trait. A strong team can make the entire business more resilient. Growth isn't only revenue. It's also better leadership, stronger people, improved systems, clearer thinking, and better decisions. Success can make complacency especially dangerous. Time Stamps 00:00 — Five years of Hello Hair Pro 03:00 — Starting is fun. Staying consistent is harder. 06:00 — Learning to form—and question—our own opinions 09:00 — Overrated or Underrated 12:00 — From “this is the way” to “this is a way” 14:00 — Becoming more comfortable having an opinion 16:00 — How we've changed as leaders and business partners 18:00 — You can't want more for someone than they want for themselves 21:00 — A relationship doesn't have to last forever to be successful 25:00 — What actually builds your reputation 27:00 — Candor, feedback, and helping people grow 31:00 — Actually using your mission, vision, and values 34:00 — The flood, our team, and what resilience really looked like 39:00 — Why success can lead to complacency 42:00 — Overthinking, distillation, and continuing to learn 44:00 — One Last Thing Question of the Week What do you believe about your business today that you didn't believe five years ago? Your business should serve you, so that you can serve others. Keep questioning. Keep learning. And don't confuse experience with having everything figured out. Links and Stuff: Our Newsletter Mentoring Inquiries Find more of our things: Instagram Hello Hair Pro Website

September 7, 2026Episode 26139 min

You Don't Have to Like AI. But You Should Understand It. [EP:261]

"Send us a message!" You don't have to like AI. You don't have to use ChatGPT. And you definitely don't have to like AI-generated content. But if we're going to criticize a technology, we should probably understand what we're actually criticizing. In this episode, we dig into some of the arguments surrounding AI, data centers, water consumption, and the environmental impact of modern technology. We talk about how deeply AI is already embedded in everyday life, from social media and Google searches to fraud detection, GPS, streaming, shopping, and delivery apps, and why the statement “I won't support companies that use AI” quickly becomes complicated. We also look at data centers: what they actually do, why they existed long before the current generative-AI boom, why they use water, the difference between water withdrawal and consumption, and why enormous numbers need context before they're useful. Then we bring the conversation back to business. Todd explains how he actually uses AI at Hello and on this podcast, why AI should amplify your thinking rather than replace it, and why the amount of verification you do should increase with the consequences of getting something wrong. Big Idea You don't need to support every new technology. But skepticism is more useful when it's built on understanding instead of assumptions. Key Takeaways AI is much broader than ChatGPT, image generators, and generative video. AI is already embedded in many everyday technologies and services. Saying “don't use AI, use Canva” ignores Canva's own investment in AI. Data centers existed long before the current generative-AI boom. Modern banking, streaming, shopping, logistics, cloud services, maps, and countless other systems rely on data-center infrastructure. Large numbers without context can make it difficult to understand relative scale. Water withdrawal and water consumption are different concepts. Water use can create legitimate local challenges even if the broader issue isn't simply “the water disappears.” New infrastructure creates costs, tradeoffs, and potential economic benefits. AI can be extremely useful for brainstorming, organizing, editing, learning, and building workflows. The higher the consequence of being wrong, the higher your standard for verification should be. AI slop and misinformation are legitimate problems and examples of what happens when people outsource judgment rather than using the tool thoughtfully. You don't have to like AI, but at least know why you don't like it. Reflection What opinion have you formed because you've actually looked into something, and what opinion have you formed because you've heard the same argument repeated enough times? You don't have to change your mind. But it's worth knowing why you believe what you believe. Your business should serve you, so that you can serve others. Stay curious enough to question your own assumptions, too. Links and Stuff: Our Newsletter Mentoring Inquiries Find more of our things: Instagram Hello Hair Pro Website

August 31, 2026Episode 26040 min

Is Your Salon Really a Great Place to Work? [EP:260]

"Send us a message!" Every salon says it's a great place to work. But what does that actually mean? Supportive. Growth-focused. Great culture. Flexible scheduling. Education. Opportunity. Those words show up in almost every salon hiring post, but they don't tell a stylist very much about what working there will actually be like. In this episode, we break down what we think actually makes a salon a great workplace. We talk about understanding what employees really want, building individual growth paths, defining flexibility, having honest conversations about money, creating security and stability, recognizing people, and giving employees opportunities they may not have seen for themselves. We also get into the responsibilities on both sides. A salon owner must provide leadership, systems, opportunities, marketing, stability, and an environment where people can succeed. But employees have responsibilities too, including trust, effort, buy-in, and actually giving a shit about where they want their career to go. And even if you build a great workplace, people will still leave sometimes. That doesn't automatically mean you failed. The Big Idea A great workplace isn't defined by a list of benefits. It's a place where the right people can see a future for themselves, and where both the business and the employee are willing to invest in getting there. Key Takeaways Before calling your salon a great place to work, ask: great for who? Build an employee avatar just as intentionally as you'd build a client avatar. “Education,” “growth,” “flexibility,” and “good money” mean different things to different people. Flexible scheduling works best when freedom comes with expectations and accountability. Recognition can be as simple—and meaningful—as telling someone you're proud of their growth. Security and stability aren't necessarily the same thing. Security is about how someone feels at work; stability is about trusting the business and its leadership. Great leaders sometimes see potential in people before those people see it in themselves. In a commission salon, marketing and creating opportunity are the owner's responsibility. Employees also have responsibilities: effort, trust, buy-in, teamwork, and ownership of their own growth. Don't just say you develop careers. Build an environment where you can prove it. Someone eventually leaving your company doesn't automatically make their time with you a retention failure. Both sides have to care. As we say at Hello: you can't teach people to give a shit. Reflection Would the kind of stylist you want to hire actually want to work at the business you've built? Don't answer with a list of benefits. Think about what that person wants from their career, what kind of leader they need, what kind of environment they thrive in, and whether your business can genuinely help them get where they want to go. Your business should serve you, so that you can serve others. And a great workplace isn't about being great for everyone. It's about building the right place for the right people. Links and Stuff: Our Newsletter Mentoring Inquiries Find more of our things: Instagram Hello Hair Pro Website

August 24, 2026Episode 25944 min

Why Salon Owners Struggle to Find Clients and Staff [EP:259]

"Send us a message!" Salon owners ask us two questions constantly: How do I find more clients? How do I find good staff? They're legitimate problems. But before you start looking for another marketing strategy, hiring system, coach, or quick fix, there's a more important question: Is that actually your problem? In this episode, we talk about diagnosing what's happening inside your business before throwing solutions at symptoms. Maybe you don't need more clients. Maybe your retention isn't strong enough to keep the ones you're already getting. Maybe you don't need better recruiting. Maybe people are finding your salon but don't see a reason to work there, or they're joining and leaving. We get into foundations, client acquisition, retention, marketing, recruiting, employee development, and what it actually looks like to put sustained effort behind a strategy, rather than trying something once and declaring it doesn't work. And eventually, we get to one of the harder realities of owning a business: " Nobody cares. You still have to figure it out." That doesn't mean everything is your fault. It doesn't mean every problem is fair. And it definitely doesn't mean you'll always know what to do. It means that when you choose to own a business, solving the problem becomes your responsibility. The Big Idea Before looking for another answer, make sure you're solving the right problem. Then put yourself in the best possible position to succeed. Key Takeaways "I need more clients" and "I can't find good staff" may be symptoms rather than the actual problem. Try something, measure it, learn from it, adjust, and try again. Your mission, vision, and core values should actually influence how you run the business. More clients won't fix weak retention, poor systems, or a bad client experience. Your existing clients may represent more opportunity than constantly chasing new ones. If you genuinely need new clients, you need to understand why someone should choose your salon. Marketing isn't about likes and comments. It's about reaching the right people and earning their trust. Trying something once isn't a strategy. Recruiting won't solve a workplace people don't want to join—or stay at. Career growth, leadership, autonomy, stability, support, opportunity, recognition, and belonging are meaningful reasons for someone to choose a salon. Don't just say you develop people. Show evidence that you've actually done it. Business problems aren't always fair, but they're still yours to solve. Failure, mistakes, and losing are part of ownership. What matters is what you do next. What Would You Do? Your highest-producing stylist is becoming your biggest cultural problem. They're regularly late, ignore policies, and other staff members are beginning to notice that they get away with things nobody else does, but they're also responsible for a significant amount of revenue. What would you do? Reflection What problem are you blaming on clients, employees, the economy, or the industry that might actually require a change inside your business? You don't need to pretend the problem doesn't suck. You don't need to pretend everything is fair. But eventually, you have to decide what you're going to do next. Your business should serve you, so that you can serve others. Whatever happened, put yourself in the best possible position to succeed. Links and Stuff: Our Newsletter Mentoring Inquiries Find more of our things: Instagram Hello Hair Pro Website

August 17, 2026Episode 25845 min

Why Salon Owners Make Business Too Complicated [EP:258]

"Send us a message!" Salon owners have a habit of making business more complicated than it needs to be. We chase industry standards. We add policies because one client did something annoying. We build enormous service menus, obsess over retail percentages, force rebooking, complicate hiring, and try to manufacture culture with perks, outings, and branding days. But does any of that actually make the business better? In this episode, we bounce through four conversations that all come back to a similar idea: build the business you actually need instead of blindly following what the industry tells you a salon is supposed to look like. We talk about what actually makes a salon a great place to work, how to know when something needs more time versus when it's time to make a change, the parts of business owners tend to overcomplicate, and some of the salon-industry "rules" that deserve a simple question: Who told you that? The Big Idea A better business doesn't have to be a more complicated business. Know what you're trying to accomplish, build systems that support it, and stop assuming someone else's rules have to become yours. Key Takeaways Strong leadership, opportunity, stability, accountability, and growth matter more to employees than superficial perks. A useful question for every owner is: Would you want to work at your own business? Some business decisions need patience and data; others need immediate action. Patience can become complacency, just as decisiveness can become an emotional reaction. Pricing should account for your time, costs, and profit, not somebody else's preferred pricing model. Policies should solve actual business problems, not individual annoyances. Marketing gets simpler when you know exactly who you're trying to attract. Service menus should make booking easier for clients, not showcase everything you're capable of. Culture isn't created by mandatory outings, perks, or branding shoots. "Industry standard" doesn't automatically mean it's right for your business. KPIs only matter when they help you understand what's actually happening in your business. Timestamps 00:00 — Opening takes: the bus test & the industry's obsession with retail 04:00 — What actually makes a salon a great place to work? 06:00 — Leadership, opportunity & meaningful growth 07:00 — Standards, accountability & stability 09:00 — Autonomy, challenge & being part of something bigger 11:00 — Would you want to work at your own salon? 12:00 — When should you actually change something? 13:00 — What requires patience: marketing, staff development & culture 15:00 — Making decisions instead of looking for a cosign 16:00 — What needs to be fixed quickly 18:00 — Data, intuition & knowing when you've waited long enough 19:00 — When patience becomes complacency 20:00 — The power of pausing before you react 21:00 — When immediate action really is necessary 24:00 — What salon owners make way too complicated 24:00 — Pricing 25:00 — Policies & cancellations 27:00 — Marketing & attracting the right clients 29:00 — Retail 31:00 — Service menus 33:00 — Culture & forced team building 36:00 — Hiring 37:00 — "Who told you that?" 38:00 — Retail percentages & 50% commission 39:00 — "Everyone wants to rent" & "clients won't pay that here" 40:00 — Questioning traditional salon KPIs 42:00 — Why rebooking doesn't tell the whole story Reflection: What part of your business have you made more complicated simply because someone told you that's how it's supposed to be done? Before adding another policy, system, benchmark, perk, or strategy, ask whether it actually solves a problem in your business. Your business should serve you, so that you can serve others. And sometimes making your business better doesn't require adding another thing. It requires the courage to question what you're already doing. Links and Stuff: Our Newsletter Mentoring Inquiries Find more of our things: Instagram Hello Hair Pro Website

August 10, 2026Episode 25735 min

Why Salon Owners Make the Wrong Business Decisions [EP:257]

"Send us a message!" Salon owners are constantly looking for answers. What product line sells best? Should I add a head spa? Are Google Ads worth it? What software should I use? Should I expand? Those sound like reasonable business questions. But what if the answer has nothing to do with the actual problem you're trying to solve? In this episode, we talk about learning to diagnose a business problem before jumping to a solution. We use examples from retail, marketing, new services, hiring, profitability, and some of our own mistakes at Hello Hair Co. to show why copying someone else's answer rarely fixes what's happening inside your business. We also get into something we believe strongly: business is its own skill. Being great at hair doesn't automatically teach you finance, leadership, marketing, hiring, systems, operations, or strategy. Those skills have to be learned just like anything else. If you constantly find yourself looking for the next product, service, strategy, coach, system, or quick fix, this episode is about slowing down long enough to figure out what question you should actually be asking. The Big Idea: Better business decisions don't start with better answers. They start with understanding the problem you're actually trying to solve. Key Takeaways The question you're asking may not reflect the problem you actually have. New products and services won't fix weaknesses in the underlying business. Marketing can't solve poor retention, bad pricing, or an unprofitable business model. Being good at hair and being good at business require completely different skill sets. Coaches, books, podcasts, and systems should support your thinking—not replace it. You can't want success more than an employee wants it for themselves. Holding onto the wrong people can damage the team you're trying to protect. Sometimes improving your business means removing something instead of adding something. Mission, vision, and core values can serve as practical filters for business decisions. Every yes consumes bandwidth and may prevent you from pursuing a better opportunity. Timestamps 00:00 — Opening takes: lifelong education & positioning 04:00 — Are salon owners asking the wrong questions? 05:00 — The three layers behind every business problem 08:00 — Why changing product lines may solve nothing 10:00 — Amazon isn't your salon's competition 11:00 — The danger of shiny new solutions 14:00 — Head spas, permanent jewelry & adding new services 15:00 — Marketing can't fix every business problem 17:00 — Business is its own skill 21:00 — Coaches, systems & outsourcing your thinking 24:00 — What our biggest mistakes taught us 25:00 — You can't want success more than your employees do 27:00 — Protecting your team and culture 29:00 — The team that gets you from 1 to 10 31:00 — Sometimes the answer is removing something 32:00 — A simple filter for making business decisions 34:00 — Pause before looking for the answer Reflection: What problem are you actually trying to solve? Before you add something, buy something, hire someone, change systems, or ask another owner what worked for them, spend some time figuring out whether you're solving the actual problem—or just treating the symptom. Your business should serve you, so that you can serve others. And better business decisions don't always come from finding better answers. Sometimes they come from asking better questions. Links and Stuff: Our Newsletter Mentoring Inquiries Find more of our things: Instagram Hello Hair Pro Website

August 3, 2026Episode 25641 min

Rapid Fire: Our Honest Thoughts on Running a Salon [EP:256]

"Send us a message!" The best conversations aren't planned. For this episode, we filled a bowl with random salon and business topics, took turns drawing them out, and challenged ourselves to answer each one in just a few minutes. From difficult clients and Google reviews to commission, hiring, social media, core values, AEO, expansion, cancellation policies, and client expectations, you'll hear our honest thoughts without a script. Some topics could have been entire episodes. Others were quick takes. But together they paint a pretty clear picture of how we think about building a salon business. The Big Idea: Great businesses aren't built by having all the answers. They're built by consistently thinking through the right questions. Key Takeaways Difficult clients don't always belong in your business. Core values should guide every major decision. Expansion should happen only after you've maximized your current business. Amenities rarely differentiate your salon. Social media should solve client problems—not just showcase hair. Standards protect both your clients and your culture. Commission is a business model, not a recruiting strategy. Hiring systems matter more than hiring quickly. Business owners should spend time on work that only they can do. Time Stamps 00:00 — Opening takes: negativity & owner responsibilities 04:00 — Difficult clients & team meetings 07:00 — Hustle culture & core values 11:00 — Expansion & Google reviews 15:00 — Standards & commission salons 21:00 — Amenities & social media 28:00 — Cancellation policies & client expectations 34:00 — AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) 37:00 — Hiring systems that actually work Reflection: Which topic challenged your thinking the most? More importantly... which one are you actually going to act on this week? Your business should serve you, so that you can serve others. And sometimes the biggest breakthroughs don't come from finding new answers—they come from asking better questions. Links and Stuff: Our Newsletter Mentoring Inquiries Find more of our things: Instagram Hello Hair Pro Website

July 27, 2026Episode 25552 min

The Biggest Risk in Business Is Playing It Safe [EP:255]

"Send us a message!" Most business owners don't fail because they take too many risks–they fail because they avoid them. In this episode, we examine the hidden costs of playing it safe—from avoiding difficult conversations and delaying price increases to protecting underperforming employees and making decisions based on comfort rather than conviction. We also share real stories from our own businesses, including some of our biggest leadership mistakes, how those mistakes nearly cost us everything, and what finally changed our perspective. If you've ever delayed a difficult decision because it felt uncomfortable, this episode is for you. Key Takeaways Playing it safe often creates bigger risks than taking action. Avoiding difficult conversations hurts your team more than having them. Your mission, vision, and core values should guide difficult decisions. Growth requires discomfort. Great leaders challenge people because they care about them. Stop reacting emotionally and start responding intentionally. Build systems around your future—not your fears. Business never gets easier; your ability to solve problems improves. Time Stamps 00:00 — Opening takes: why snacks don't retain staff 03:00 — Why you should already be planning for December 05:00 — What "playing it safe" actually looks like 07:00 — Difficult conversations every owner must have 10:00 — The hidden cost of avoiding discomfort 13:00 — How playing it safe hurts your culture 16:00 — Using your mission and core values to make decisions 18:00 — Why saying "no" often grows your business 20:00 — The Evo product story and finding the right fit 29:00 — Leadership requires uncomfortable conversations 34:00 — Todd's gym leadership mistakes 36:00 — Jen's biggest leadership lessons 40:00 — The price increase that changed Hello Hair Co. 45:00 — Reacting vs. responding as a business owner 48:00 — Building a team instead of protecting one person 50:00 — Why business never gets easier Reflection: What's one decision you've been avoiding because it feels uncomfortable? What would change if you addressed it this week? Your business should serve you, so that you can serve others. And sometimes the greatest risk isn't making the wrong decision—it's avoiding the right one because it feels uncomfortable. Links and Stuff: Our Newsletter Mentoring Inquiries Find more of our things: Instagram Hello Hair Pro Website

July 20, 2026Episode 25438 min

Why the Future Belongs to Curious Salon Owners [EP:254]

"Send us a message!" What if the biggest business advantage isn't talent, experience, or even hard work? What if it's curiosity? In this episode, we explore why the best salon owners aren't the ones who blindly copy trends or follow outdated advice; they're the ones willing to ask better questions. We talk about challenging industry assumptions, learning from other businesses, embracing new technology, building original systems, and why curiosity has been one of the biggest competitive advantages in growing Hello Hair Co. From Google Ads and AI to hiring, apprenticeships, pricing, and marketing, we share why asking why has consistently led us toward better answers than simply asking how . Your business should serve you, so that you can serve others. And the future belongs to the owners willing to think for themselves. Key Takeaways Curiosity is one of the greatest competitive advantages in business. Copying outcomes is not the same as understanding why they worked. Better questions lead to better decisions. Innovation begins with curiosity, not certainty. Build systems that fit your business—not someone else's. Patience requires engagement, not passivity. Long-term thinking beats quick fixes. New technology rewards curious business owners. Your ideas are worth exploring, even if they don't all succeed. Learn from others without outsourcing your own thinking. Time Stamps 00:00 — Opening takes: stop criticizing the next generation 03:00 — Why the past shouldn't dictate the future 05:00 — The salon industry's copycat problem 06:30 — Copying outcomes vs. understanding causes 08:00 — Asking better questions in business 09:00 — Why profitable salons think differently 10:00 — Assigned stations, apprenticeships, and challenging tradition 12:00 — Hiring with curiosity instead of fear 14:00 — Why change feels uncomfortable 16:00 — Curiosity built Hello Hair Co. 18:00 — Google, SEO, and long-term thinking 20:00 — The Five Whys and deeper questions 22:00 — Why stylists choose some salons over others 24:00 — Patience vs. complacency 26:00 — Building business frameworks that last 28:00 — Turning frustrations into better systems 30:00 — Build your future instead of inheriting it 31:00 — AI, technology, and curiosity 34:00 — Your ideas are worth exploring 36:00 — Don't outsource your thinking 38:00 — Final thoughts: think for yourself Links and Stuff: Our Newsletter Mentoring Inquiries Find more of our things: Instagram Hello Hair Pro Website

July 13, 2026Episode 25340 min

Why Busy Salon Owners Never Build Great Businesses [EP:253]

"Send us a message!" "I'm just so busy." It's one of the most common things we hear from salon owners. But being busy and building a business aren't the same thing. In this episode, we revisit one of our favorite leadership frameworks: the Five Modes of Ownership, and explain why so many owners stay stuck working harder instead of building systems that create long-term growth. We discuss the difference between busy work and compounding work, why diagnosing problems matters more than reacting to them, how to know which "mode" your business needs most, and why your future should determine where you spend your time today. Your business should serve you, so that you can serve others. That starts by giving your attention to the work that actually compounds. Key Takeaways Being busy isn't the same as building a business. Compounding work creates long-term value. Every business owner must lead in different modes. Diagnose problems before reacting to them. Focus on one type of work at a time. Leadership requires intentional attention. Crisis mode demands calm, not panic. Invisible work often produces the biggest results. Systems reduce future chaos. Your future should determine how you spend today. Time Stamps 00:00 — Opening takes + preparing for slow seasons 05:30 — Stop believing manufactured business problems 07:00 — Why owners always feel busy 08:00 — The Five Modes of Ownership refresher 10:00 — Busy work vs. compounding work 11:30 — Operations vs. systems 12:30 — Leadership, strategy, and crisis mode 14:00 — Diagnose before you react 16:00 — Choosing the right leadership hat 18:30 — Why working harder isn't the answer 20:30 — Give each mode your full attention 23:00 — Why focus creates better results 25:00 — Where the Five Modes came from 28:00 — Lessons from navigating a true crisis 31:00 — The invisible work that builds businesses 34:00 — Why business owners need long-term thinking 36:00 — Building tomorrow instead of surviving today 39:00 — Final thoughts on intentional leadership Links and Stuff: Our Newsletter Mentoring Inquiries Find more of our things: Instagram Hello Hair Pro Website