Salon Goals with Lauren Lappin

Hosted by Lauren Lappin

Business Marketing Arts

Website RSS feed

Episodes

211

Latest episode

Nov 2026

Language

About the show

Salon Goals is where we talk about what actually goes into running a profitable, sustainable beauty business — the kind that doesn’t rely on you being everywhere, and doing everything, all the time. I’m Lauren Lappin, a 7-figure salon owner and business coach. I’ve spent the last 12 years building and running a staff-led beauty business, and coaching other salon owners through the same challenges. This podcast is where I share the conversations I wish more people were having earlier. You’ll hear honest, practical episodes on leadership, money, systems, team management, pricing, growth, and the decisions that matter once your business moves beyond survival mode. No trends, no aesthetics, no surface-level advice — just real insight based on what actually works in the day-to-day of running a salon. Some episodes are solo. Some are conversations with industry experts. All of them are designed to help you think more clearly, lead more confidently, and build a business that supports your life, not consumes it. If you want to run your beauty business properly — with structure, intention, and long-term sustainability — you’re in the right place. New episodes are released every Tuesday.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

November 2, 202642 min

Ep. 211: Booked out? Raise your prices with Matty Carvosso (Pt 1)

Grab your seat at The Salon CEO Day AI Workshop, Melbourne, 13th November. Ticket sales close Sunday 8th November: https://www.laurenlappin.com.au/salon-ceo-day Matty on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/podcastmeraki Meraki Tattoo Parlour: https://www.instagram.com/merakitattooparlour “If we put our price up, people will cancel and we won’t be as booked out.” I hear this from beauty business owners constantly, so when my first ever in-person guest said it to my face, I had to call it out. In Part 1 of my chat with Matty Carvosso from the Meraki Podcast and Meraki Tattoo Parlour, we get into how he and his partner Amy moved their tattoo business to Albury and booked out months ahead super quickly, with zero paid ads. Then I put my coaching hat on: why being booked out is your sign to raise your prices, how to track the free time you’re giving away, and why your minimum charge needs to cover a quiet day. Part 2 drops next week. Raw and uncaffeinated, plus welcoming my in-studio guest [00:00] . Meet Matty: tattoo shop owner, mental health podcaster and charity director [02:07] . How an Instagram DM turned into a nearly three-hour chat on his podcast [02:50] . Moving interstate and starting a business together after six months as a couple [06:15] . Booked out three months ahead with no paid ads, and why tattoo clients are so loyal [08:31] . The tools, chairs and NRL player freebie that got the shop off the ground, and why I told Matty to raise his prices in January 2027 [16:00] . Double bookings, manual DMs and what an online booking system would fix [20:40] . My PayPal deposit disasters, disappearing bookings and chargebacks I couldn’t win [21:59] . Why I switched to Stripe and what the new card surcharging rules mean for small business owners [23:54] . How I halved my card fees, earn points on every payment and what’s holding Matty back from a price rise [26:01] . Client-picked songs, free snacks and the little touches that keep clients coming back [29:20] . Quoting by time, giving away free hours and why a minimum charge protects your quiet days [34:25] . .... Lauren on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurenlappin _ The Salon Goals Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/salongoals_podcast Questions? Email me: hello@laurenlappin.com.au

October 26, 202628 min

Ep. 210: How to set up an end of day cash process for your salon

The Salon CEO Day, Melbourne 13th November - grab your ticket! https://www.laurenlappin.com.au/salon-ceo-day “So how do you close down money? Timely, EFTPOS... who does this? I have two new employees, so I need a more professional system.” This question came through my Instagram DMs, and it’s something I teach every one of my coaching clients. In this episode I’m walking you through the counts we do every day and why the timing matters, how we bank our cash and check the safe, the security setup that deters theft, and how to get a team on board who’ve never had to count a till before. Why I have such strong feelings about end of day, and why it matters even if you’re solo right now [00:00] . The listener DM: two new employees and the need for a more professional system [02:34] . What end of day actually means, and how it changes depending on your booking system and card terminal setup [03:16] . Making your booking system, cash till and EFTPOS settlement all match, and why this gets more important as your team grows [03:53] . The midday dummy count that catches mistakes while the person who made them is still in the salon [07:26] . The second check before my manager goes home, and how it shrinks the window you need to search [09:27] . Closing at 8pm without detective work, and when you can skip the extra counts [11:28] . Checking the day from anywhere, two people on close, and using CCTV to solve the client who walked out without paying [13:39] . Our weekly banking process, and how a safe count catches the stray $50 note [16:40] . Why your team gets careless when you stop checking, and what to do when you’re worried they won’t want to count the till [18:19] . Why I pay my closing team for an extra 15 minutes [21:57] . Letting your team see the daily totals, and walking them through where the money actually goes [22:38] . Why I balanced every single day even when I worked on my own [25:30] . The boring systems that protect your income [26:20] . Wrap up, and how to leave a rating or review [27:03] . .... Lauren on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurenlappin _ The Salon Goals Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/salongoals_podcast Questions? Email me: hello@laurenlappin.com.au

October 12, 20261 hr 9 min

Ep. 209: How Nicola Dainton doubled her salon revenue in the last 12 months

Salon CEO Day, Friday 13 November, Melbourne CBD - grab your spot! https://www.laurenlappin.com.au/salon-ceo-day “I don’t know how to hire someone. I hardly know how to run a business myself.” That was Nic in 2024, still working out of her garage, when her first team member asked her for a job. My Salon Boss Mastermind member Nicola Dainton from Nic’D Collective in Shepparton, Victoria started doing lashes on her three-seater sofa in 2021, on friends, with no plan for it to become a business. In this episode Nic shares why building slowly let word of mouth do the heavy lifting, how getting obsessed with her numbers changed everything, and how she uses AI to take admin off her plate. We also get real about choosing your hard, and why the path everyone else in the industry seems to be on doesn’t have to be yours. Welcome Nic, and how a lash conference led her to the podcast and Salon Boss Mastermind [00:00]. From real estate to lashes on the couch, moving into the garage, and hiring Ally then Kayla [03:52]. Leasing the commercial space before she felt ready, and finally separating home and work [08:07]. Why the people who spend the most on fancy beds and lights early often struggle the most [10:20]. Going from “I thought I knew my numbers” to doubling revenue in 12 months [12:22]. Fitting out two shops at once with her partner stuck overseas, and why the money always follows [17:22]. Why fewer client hours made the salon more money, and how it made Nic a better boss [20:05]. Sick leave culture, the comments I copped online, and why we’re both over our phones [33:58]. Setting up AI employees with Grok Bots and Whisperflow, plus your Salon CEO Day invite [38:05]. Claude vs ChatGPT, the quick Claude Design fix, and automating your weekly reports [47:15]. Choose your hard, and the Runway Lash Co story behind why I sold it [55:26]. Final takeaways, and where to follow Nic’s journey [1:06:16]. Want to set up Claude Design the way we talk about in this episode? Grab my AI masterclass here: https://www.laurenlappin.com.au/ai-masterclass Follow Nic and Nic’D Collective in Shepparton, VIC: Website: https://www.nicdcollective.com.au Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicdcollective/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nicdcollective .... Lauren on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurenlappin _ The Salon Goals Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/salongoals_podcast Questions? Email me: hello@laurenlappin.com.au

September 28, 202624 min

Ep. 208: Listener Q&A - How do I build a clientele for my new team member?

"How do I build a clientele for a new team member when they're also doing reception?" This is a listener Q&A episode, with three of your questions on the table: new staff, rebooking and team meetings. In this episode I'm sharing how to structure a role that mixes reception and client work so nobody ends up resentful, how to market a new team member so their column actually fills, the exact wording my team uses when clients want to "go home and check their roster" before rebooking, and how I plan my weekly team meetings and one-on-one catch-ups. Mentioned in this episode: Episode 203, hiring front of house and a salon manager https://player.captivate.fm/episode/5d97d0e7-e281-4cf8-8831-76dac2de31cf Listener Q&A kickoff, and the three questions on the table this week [00:00]. Why a new team member can't build a clientele while covering reception with no structure [00:54]. How I block out reception time with set tasks, so nothing gets left to a panic at close [02:37]. Marketing your new team member flat out, from intro posts and stories to offers for existing clients [05:51]. Why a full column takes nine to 12 months, and the retention rates that would actually worry me [09:23]. The rebooking conversation I use when clients want to check their roster and book online later [13:00]. Using FOMO to manage expectations, and why your team should rebook from a place of help [15:10]. How I plan my weekly team meetings, from the running note on my phone to the monthly team goal [19:33]. What I cover in my one-on-one coffee catch-ups, and wrap up [22:26]. .... Lauren on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurenlappin _ The Salon Goals Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/salongoals_podcast Questions? Email me: hello@laurenlappin.com.au

September 21, 202630 min

Ep. 207: How I beat procrastination with AI (spicy brain approved)

Grab my free procrastination AI prompt pack here: https://www.laurenlappin.com.au/adhd-prompt-pack or DM me ADHDPROMPT on Instagram: @laurenlappin_ Salon Goals Academy - doors are OPEN! https://www.laurenlappin.com.au/salon-goals-academy "It just feels too big. I can't even get my head around what I need to do first. Where the hell am I meant to start?" One of my Salon Goals Academy members said those exact words to me about her upcoming salon rebrand, and honestly, the longer I'm in the beauty industry, the more spicy-brained business owners I meet who experience the same. In this episode, I'm walking you through the exact method I have been using with AI to break down the "impossible" tasks, the WisprFlow and Claude setup I use every day, how I turned the Salon Goals Academy launch into a printed three-week plan with time estimates and delegation suggestions, and the momentum hack that means you only ever have to commit to fifteen or twenty minutes at a time. Spicy brains, ADHD and why time management was easier working for a boss [00:00] . Why motivation is fleeting when nobody else knows how much is on your plate [02:25] . The mopping vs presentation problem: when everything feels equally urgent [03:49] . Task avoidance, unread emails and why big tasks never get started [06:47]. The five-minute task method that gets you moving and feeds the dopamine [09:10] . My exact setup: brain dumping into Wispr Flow and prompting Claude [11:13] . How I finally launched the Salon Goals Academy after months of putting it off [15:16] . Time blocking, Parkinson's Law and getting AI to suggest what to delegate [19:33] . The free procrastination prompt pack and how to grab it [24:18] . The ten-minute gym rule and why starting is the only hard part [27:08] . .... Lauren on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurenlappin _ The Salon Goals Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/salongoals_podcast Questions? Email me: hello@laurenlappin.com.au

September 14, 202630 min

Ep. 206: Is LED the future of lash extensions? Here's my take

Try LED lashes with 10% off the Lash Plus LED Tweezer with my code LAUREN: https://lash-plus.com/discount/LAUREN?redirect=%2Fproducts%2Fled-tweezer%3Fref%3DLauren The Salon Goals Academy: https://www.laurenlappin.com.au/salon-goals-academy Sarah's LED tweezers at Lummuse: https://www.instagram.com/lummuse_/ "What equipment do you use? Do you charge more? What lamp should I buy?" The LED questions have been nonstop in my DMs and at every conference and networking event lately, so this episode is the full download. I first saw LED technology back in 2019 at a lash conference in LA and completely wrote it off. Fast forward to 2024, I was the model at our first LED training, and for the first time ever I got through a full set with no stinging, no watery eyes and no chemical burn. We've been offering LED in my salon for over two years now, it has overtaken normal lashes on our menu, and our 60-minute LED volume refill is holding a 92% client retention rate. In this episode I'm sharing exactly what LED lashes are, why they're a game changer for team-led salons with mixed experience levels, how much more I charge and why clients happily pay it, the free-trial method I used to introduce them (the same way I brought in volume back in 2014), and the safety boxes you need to tick before you buy anything. Welcome, and why the LED questions have been nonstop [00:00] . What LED lashes actually are, and why salon conditions no longer matter [01:25] . The retention game changer, especially for teams with mixed experience levels [03:04] . The allergy claim doing the rounds that is simply not true [05:15] . My own experience as a sensitive-eyed client, and why LED changed it [06:48] . Big gooseneck lamps vs tweezer lights, and which one I'd choose [10:18] . The business benefits: faster full sets, fuller refills and what I charge extra [14:18] . The free-trial method I used to introduce LED, borrowed from my 2014 volume launch [18:25] . Safe wavelengths, certificates to check, and why you shouldn't buy off AliExpress [21:50] . The ROI numbers, including our 92% retention rate on LED volume refills [23:18] . Using the October card surcharge changes to shuffle your menu and price LED right [26:03] . Wrap up, the Lash+ discount code and what to do next [28:56] . .... Lauren on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurenlappin _ The Salon Goals Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/salongoals_podcast Questions? Email me: hello@laurenlappin.com.au

September 7, 202626 min

Ep. 205: Should you close your salon to become a mentor/trainer?

The Salon Goals Academy - doors are OPEN! https://www.laurenlappin.com.au/salon-goals-academy "I see a lot of people closing their big salons and choosing to downsize, or going back to working solely on their own on a specific thing like training or coaching. I'd love to hear more about this." This listener question was too big for a short form post, so I'm giving it a whole episode. I've been watching this trend since 2023: beauty business owners closing down solid, growing salons because a coach with sexy photoshoot marketing convinced them mentoring would be easier / more money. I'm a coach myself, so I'm de-influencing you with firsthand experience, including the week influenza A flattened me and my coaching income stopped dead while my salon kept ticking along without me! Then I'm flipping to the part of the question I love: my exact game plan if I went back to working solo, from enforcing hard boundaries and knowing your profit per hour, to niching your service menu, outsourcing everything outside client work, and booking your holidays before the clients get there first. Intro and the listener question that sparked this whole episode [00:00] . The wave of salon closures I've been watching since 2023 [01:46] . The MLM style coaches, the telltale marketing, and the salons that closed chasing them [02:30] . You're just swapping one hard for another [06:14] . The week influenza A stopped my coaching income dead, and why my salon kept earning [07:11] . Marketing yourself when you can't hide behind a brand name, and why selling yourself still feels ick six years in [10:52] . My exact game plan if I went back to working solo tomorrow [14:12] . Hard boundaries and set trading hours: designing the week you actually want [15:12] . Working backwards from your weekly profit to your pricing, and the minimum you should earn every hour [17:26] . Niching your service menu down to your highest profit, easiest to stock services [19:27] . Outsourcing the admin, the cleaning, and even the cooking at home [20:40]. Why I'd book two holidays a year in advance, and the burnout that taught me to [22:02] . Wrap up: choose your hard and know your goal before you pivot [24:31] . Ratings, reviews and how to share the podcast with me [25:53] . .... Lauren on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurenlappin _ The Salon Goals Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/salongoals_podcast Questions? Email me: hello@laurenlappin.com.au

August 31, 202624 min

Ep. 204: Can I Switch My Salon's Niche Without Losing Money?

Salon Goals Academy - doors are OPEN! https://www.laurenlappin.com.au/salon-goals-academy "I want to niche down to mainly SPMU treatments. I'm currently mainly nails. How can I grow this?" That's the first of three listener questions I'm answering in this Q&A episode, and it's one I haven't been asked before. I'm walking you through exactly how I'd pivot a booked-out nail business into SPMU without flipping a light switch on your income: culling the menu, raising prices to create white space, and shifting your content months before you announce anything. Then I'm getting honest about apprentices, including the coaching client whose trainee still wasn't covering her wage six months in, and why I spent years being a shit boss before I learnt that staff problems usually start with the owner. And to finish, the messy truth about how I manage my time with ADHD, and the one system I always come back to because it actually works. Episode intro [00:00]. Niching into SPMU: why experts win and how to start the switch [01:26]. Be ruthless with your nail menu: what to cull and why [02:39]. The price rise that creates white space without earning less [03:55]. Marketing your new direction so your feed backs up the word of mouth [05:27]. Turning your best nail clients into discounted SPMU models [08:55]. When an apprentice should cover their wage, and how to count the work you can't see in your reports [09:40]. Why getting clients in the door is your job, never your employee's [11:23]. Teaching the soft skills that get clients rebooking with your apprentice [12:50]. Booked and Busy, my client retention training for you and your team [16:11]. The honest answer on how I manage my time with ADHD [16:46]. Time blocking: treating tasks like appointments so they actually get done [17:33]. Parkinson's Law, and why open-ended time gets wasted [21:07]. Wrap up, and how a rating or review helps the show [23:01]. Grab my "Booked and Busy" salon client retention training: https://www.laurenlappin.com.au/booked-and-busy .... Lauren on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurenlappin _ The Salon Goals Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/salongoals_podcast Questions? Email me: hello@laurenlappin.com.au

August 24, 202622 min

Ep. 203: "How do I afford a receptionist?" The maths, the timing and the risk

Salon Goals Academy - doors are OPEN! https://www.laurenlappin.com.au/salon-goals-academy "How do I know when to hire a front desk person or a manager, and how do I afford to do it?" This question came through more than once when I asked for your listener questions, so I'm giving it a whole episode. I'm taking you back to 2017, when I was fully booked, drowning in missed calls and DMs, getting complaints from clients about being left on the bed mid appointment, and having a meltdown at home over the ordering and wages. That was the moment I hired a full-time receptionist, and I haven't looked back. In this episode I'm sharing how to know if you can actually afford this hire, the money you're already losing without one, and exactly what to hand over to a manager or 2IC so you don't end up paying someone a manager's wage to do a receptionist's job. Listener Q&A setup, and the manager questions you sent through [00:00] . Receptionist vs manager: why you don't have to combine the roles like I have [01:15] . Why I hired reception: fully booked, walk-ins interrupting appointments, and the service level I wanted [03:21] . The real cost of no front desk: wrong bookings, missed cancellations and short-changed clients [06:24] . The Monday meltdown that made the decision for me, and the money reality behind it [08:50] . How to know if you can afford the hire (and when you definitely shouldn't) [10:03] . Part-time options, and putting a dollar value on the time you get back [12:59] . What duties to outsource to a manager or 2IC, and the questions to ask first [16:39] . Why you need a position description early, and the expensive lesson I learnt without one [19:32] . Wrap up, and what's coming in the next Q&A episode [21:25] . .... Lauren on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurenlappin_ The Salon Goals Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/salongoals_podcast Questions? Email me: hello@laurenlappin.com.au

August 17, 202630 min

Ep. 202: Who are you posting content for? The social media mistake keeping beauty business owners stuck

Salon Goals Academy - doors are OPEN! https://www.laurenlappin.com.au/salon-goals-academy A post from a salon that hadn't posted in two months landed in my feed, and the comment section was full of beauty business owners saying "same." Then another post stopped me in my tracks: "has our industry confused being good at social media with being good at our craft?" In this episode I'm unpacking who you should actually posting for, why chasing likes from artists on the other side of the country won't fill your books, and when it's genuinely fine to go quiet on socials. Plus the one move I'd suggest if you want to be recognised in the industry as an educator or brand ambassador. Why I haven't talked social media in a while, and the post that changed that [00:00] . The MIA salon post, and when going quiet actually works for your business [01:33] . Reading the viral caption that so many of you resonated with [04:28] . The question that fixes everything: who are you posting for? [08:06] . What content actually gets local clients through your door [09:15] . A million views vs real bookings, and how to know if your socials are working [12:16] . Want to be an educator, trainer or brand ambassador? Why you need a separate account [14:28] . Growing your team or moving locations? When consistency really matters [19:09] . The pressure to post perfect work, and who you're actually trying to impress [24:31] . Why paying clients aren't always your best content subjects [26:50] . Wrap up, and how to go deeper on this inside the Salon Goals Academy [28:26] . .... Lauren on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurenlappin _ The Salon Goals Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/salongoals_podcast Questions? Email me: hello@laurenlappin.com.au