We’re in the era of the “hands-off salon owner”—but let’s get real: no system can replace your presence.

In today’s episode, I’m sharing the hard-earned lessons from the seasons I tried to lead from a distance, what fell apart (and why), and how I’ve come to use systems as a support to my leadership—not a substitute for it.

If you’ve been hoping your SOPs would run the show while you check out, this is your reminder that sustainable success still needs a present leader. Let’s talk about the difference between a salon that runs without you and a salon that grows because of you.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

• Why “autopilot” doesn’t mean “hands-off”

• How to identify what only you can do in your business

• Where systems help—and where they hurt—when leadership is absent

• What happened when I thought SOPs were enough

• How I use regular check-ins to amplify my leadership (not micromanage)

• Why sustainability needs both systems and presence

  The difference between taking a break and walking away completely

Let’s get brutally honest… there’s always one.

The high earner. The it girl. The diva who makes you the most money and low-key runs your salon—until you realize, wait a minute, I’m the freaking owner.

In this episode, we’re unpacking a hard but necessary leadership lesson: what happens when you give your power away in exchange for keeping the peace (and the revenue). And how to take it back without burning it all down.

Here’s what we’re diving into:

• How fear of loss (aka people pleasing) disguises itself as leadership

• What really happens when you let money talk louder than your mission

• The ripple effect of giving one stylist too much power

• Why every salon has “that girl”—and how to handle her differently

• The exact moment things shifted and the culture started healing

• What it looks like to lead from confidence, not cortisol

• How to set standards everyone can thrive under (without exceptions)

If you’ve ever been stuck between protecting your culture and pleasing your highest earner… this one’s for you.

Ready to lead with clarity instead of fear? Join us inside The Monday Club—your leadership gets to grow in a room like this.

You built this business for a reason. Let’s lead it like we mean it.

Hiring quickly to fill a gap might feel like survival—but it can cost you your culture, your sanity, and your bottom line. In today’s episode, we get brutally honest about one of the biggest leadership mistakes you can make: hiring for potential instead of alignment.

We’re talking about:

• Why liking someone is not enough to bring them onto your team

• The expensive (and exhausting) fallout of hiring without systems

• How self-leadership and clear expectations set your team—and you—up to win

• The real role of systems in protecting your energy and your business

• What Lexi would tell her younger self before every hiring decision

If you've ever made a hiring decision you regret—or want to avoid one—listen in and you’ll walk away with clarity and confidence.

👇 Want mentorship, support, and structure in your leadership journey? Check out The Monday Club right here: https://www.lexilomax.com/monday-club

Ahhh, summer. The season of sunshine, sandals… and salon owners accidentally letting their momentum nosedive into a beach chair.

Look, we all need rest. But if you’re treating July like a business sabbatical without the systems to back it up, Lexi’s got news for you: you’re about to f around and find out. 🙃

In this episode, she’s pulling back the curtain on one of the biggest leadership mistakes of her 19-year career—and how being “too nice” nearly wrecked her team, her culture, and her peace.

This is your no-fluff pep talk and your friendly warning: the kind of summer that feels good shouldn’t cost you the kind of business you’ve worked your butt off to build.

Inside this episode:

• Why summer slowdown ≠ summer sabotage

• The difference between grace and enabling

• The real reason you can (or can’t) take a guilt-free day off

Halfway through the year. Did that hit you like a freight train too?

If you’re feeling like time is flying and you’re still winging it behind the scenes of your salon, this episode is a pause-and-check-in moment just for you.

We’re not just talking about goals or vision boards—we’re talking about what it actually takes to be the kind of leader your business needs. Not the perfect kind. Not the always-likes-confrontation kind. The durable kind. The kind that knows how to have hard conversations without ghosting the whole team or turning into Miss Trunchbull overnight.

Inside this episode:

• Why “not being a natural leader” isn’t a problem
• What really causes salon owners to burn out on leadership
• The leadership traps we all fall into (people-pleasing, ghosting, overcorrecting… sound familiar?)
• How separating your likability from your leadership is the unlock
• What every good leader actually has (hint: it’s not charisma)
• Why you need tools, not just inspiration

You don’t need to be born for this. You just need the right tools and a little bit of help from someone who gets it. Good news—that’s exactly what we’ve built.

Come find out what it looks like to stop surviving leadership and actually get good at it.

And for even more support you didn’t know you were missing, check out The Monday Club: https://www.lexilomax.com/monday-club

Ever had one of those days where you fantasize about locking the salon doors and tossing the keys into the ocean? Same. In this episode, we get real about the defining moments that shaped our journeys as salon owners. This is for the days when you’re carrying too much and wondering if it’s all even worth it.

Inside this episode:

• Why your first goals still matter, even if they make you laugh now
• How a foundation built years ago still shapes what’s working today
• What it really means when you’re questioning everything
• Why support systems (emotional and structural) are non-negotiable
• The truth about burnout, leadership, and why it feels so personal

It’s normal to want to walk away sometimes. But it doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong. You’re just tired. Let’s talk about it—and how to build something strong enough to carry you through.

If you need help with all of this (especially building those essential systems), you need to check out the Monday Club. Learn more here: https://www.lexilomax.com/monday-club

Being a salon owner is deeply emotional work—even if no one tells you that upfront. In this episode, we're talking about what it really means to be an emotional container in your salon: for your team, your clients, and everyone in between.

Whether it’s handling trauma-dumping clients, overly chatty assistants, or the team member who always has “just one more thing,” you’re constantly being pulled on emotionally. And the truth is? You were never meant to carry it all.

We’re diving into:

• Why leadership becomes emotional labor without boundaries
• The mindset shift needed to stop being your team’s therapist
• Emotional containers vs. emotional filters—and why you need both
• How to set systems in place that protect your energy and leadership
• The red flags of burnout, resentment, and why they sneak in fast

You don’t need to become cold or unapproachable—you just need to lead with clarity instead of carrying everyone else’s chaos. This episode is your permission slip (and practical guide) to do exactly that.

Ready to create leadership systems that protect your energy, not drain it? Join the Monday Club for emotional filter templates, leadership support, and done-for-you resources to help you lead with strength: https://www.lexilomax.com/monday-club

If you’ve ever walked away from a team meeting with your heart pounding and your mind spinning, this episode is for you.

Leading a team isn’t just about systems and strategy—it’s deeply personal. And when things don’t go as planned, it hits different.

In today’s episode, we get real about the emotional side of salon ownership, why leadership is personal, and how to care deeply without letting every bump in the road derail your confidence.

Here’s what you’ll hear:

• Why leadership is emotional—and why that’s not a bad thing

• How to separate feelings from feedback in hard conversations

• The importance of having a safe space to process challenges

• What happens when you don’t have systems to support you emotionally

• Why the right support (like the Monday Club!) changes everything

Salon ownership is more than a job—it’s a calling. And leading well means learning to protect your peace while still showing up fully for your team. Whether you’re navigating growing pains or feeling emotionally spent, this episode reminds you: you’re not alone, and you’re doing better than you think.

Join the conversation inside the Monday Club—your safe space to lead with clarity, strategy, and heart: https://www.lexilomax.com/monday-club

If your business feels fragile—even while the numbers look good—you’re not alone.

Most salons skip a crucial step when growing: building out backend systems that actually support their success. In this episode, we’re talking about what it really takes to scale sustainably, why working harder isn’t the answer, and how to stop relying on sheer willpower to hold everything together.

You'll learn why strong systems—not just talent or hustle—are the key to real growth, and how to shift from reactive leadership to a business that runs with rhythm. Whether you’re managing a team, juggling behind-the-chair work, or just trying to stay ahead, this is the mindset and strategy shift that changes everything.

If you're ready for structure, clarity, and actual ease in your salon, this one’s for you.

In this episode, we cover:

• How I’m rebuilding my business for next-level growth (and what that means for you)
• Why you can’t scale chaos—systems that actually support you and your team
• The hard truth about doing “all the things” but still feeling stuck

Ready for less stress and more strategy?

Join us inside The Monday Club here: https://www.lexilomax.com/monday-club

As salon owners, we’ve all had moments where we made a decision out of guilt, fear, or trying to keep the peace. But when emotion is your strategy, things get chaotic fast—and your business feels more reactive than intentional.

In this episode, we’re digging into what it really looks like to lead with clarity, maturity, and confidence. We're talking about how to shift from emotional responses to empowered leadership.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why emotions can’t drive your leadership

• The difference between babysitting your biz vs. building it to thrive

• The systems that create unshakable foundations

• My new resource that is a total game-changer for salon owners

The Monday Club is officially open! Get all the details here: https://www.lexilomax.com/monday-club