Ready to stop chasing viral trends and start booking clients who are excited about your actual services? We sit down with creative director and educator Sydney Lopez to unpack a simple, repeatable social strategy that turns your feed into a pre-consultation engine. From rainbow hair transformations to realistic blonding timelines, Sydney shows how educational carousels, clear captions, and honest visuals set expectations early and attract the right people to your chair.

We dig into the pain points salon owners share most: low team motivation, scattered posting, and pretty photos that don’t convert. Sydney maps a team-based content system where not everyone has to post everything—identify your shining stars, empower a salon cheerleader to capture wins, and let specialists lead with what they do best. You’ll learn how to define a niche that resonates—curls, trichology and hair loss, creative color, precision fades—and bake real value into every post with formulas, upkeep, timing, and budget guidance. Then we go tactical: find your “sweet spot” lighting at different times of day, pose fast in under two minutes, and turn one appointment into five assets without slowing the floor.

Small profile tweaks deliver big gains. Clean up your handle so it’s easy to search and say. Optimize the Name field with high-intent keywords like rainbow hair, weft extensions, or curly cuts to improve discoverability. And if content creation feels overwhelming, adopt Sydney’s two-clients-per-week plan to keep it sustainable while still showing up. Along the way, you’ll hear how one carousel about going from level 2 black to platinum sparked nearly a million views and, more importantly, gave stylists a save-worthy tool for future consults.

If you want a social presence that’s client-centered, team-friendly, and built to convert, this conversation hands you the roadmap. Subscribe, share this with your salon team, and leave a review with the one change you’ll make to your bio or lighting this week—we’ll shout out our favorites on the next show.

To learn more about how Strategies can help you create more profit, fun, and growth potential for you, your business, and your team, schedule a free 60-minute strategy session:


Strategies: https://www.strategies.com
Salon/Spa Business Coaching: https://strategies.com/memberships/
In-Person Salon/Spa Seminars: https://strategies.com/education
Podcast: https://strategies.com/podcast/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/strategiesteam
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/strategies
Online Education Portal: https://learning.strategies.com/

The Beauty Business Strategies Podcast is designed to give salon, spa, medspa, barbershop, and lash studio owners, just like you, quick tips to make more money, inspire your team, and create world-class client experiences.

The last ten minutes of a service can make or break the whole visit. We invited Robert Reed, founder of Ergo Research and a celebrated educator in professional beauty, to unpack why finishing is so often overlooked and how to turn it into a repeatable system that delights guests, protects stylists’ bodies, and drives real revenue. From the psychology of open-ended questions to the ergonomics of airflow and sectioning, we map a path that makes blowouts teachable, consistent, and profitable.

We dig into the core problem: finishing is usually demonstrated, not trained. Robert shows how to align the finish with the haircut’s intent, use pre-grooming to detangle and direct hair, and guide the conversation back to hair with simple prompts like “Will you show me how you start at home?” With tens of millions of weekly YouTube views on blow drying and detangling, clients clearly want help. When we “touch it, talk about it,” narrating why we chose each product and tool, retail becomes education, not a pitch, and clients leave knowing exactly how to refresh volume, frame their face, and extend day-two wear.

Owners will find a clear business case. Robert outlines an eight-week “Art of the Blow Dry” focus that builds new conversational habits, lifts engagement, and measurably increases sales—especially brushes, the low-hanging fruit most guests use but rarely buy from salons. We share practical routines for huddles, team-led product stories, and station-based teaching that keep finishing front and center without feeling scripted. Add in ergonomic technique—treating the round brush like a roller with a handle, neutral wrist positions, and smart sectioning—and stylists get better results with less fatigue.

If you’re ready to elevate standards, improve at-home re-creation, and make the last ten minutes your signature, this conversation offers the playbook. Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a review with the one finishing question you’ll start asking guests this week.

To learn more about how Strategies can help you create more profit, fun, and growth potential for you, your business, and your team, schedule a free 60-minute strategy session:


Strategies: https://www.strategies.com
Salon/Spa Business Coaching: https://strategies.com/memberships/
In-Person Salon/Spa Seminars: https://strategies.com/education
Podcast: https://strategies.com/podcast/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/strategiesteam
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/strategies
Online Education Portal: https://learning.strategies.com/

The Beauty Business Strategies Podcast is designed to give salon, spa, medspa, barbershop, and lash studio owners, just like you, quick tips to make more money, inspire your team, and create world-class client experiences.

Tax talk gets real when it changes how much cash you keep. We sat down with CPA and beauty industry specialist April McDaniel to decode the $25,000 tip income deduction, the permanent FICA tip credit now available to salons and spas, and the exact systems owners need to make tip reporting airtight. April explains who qualifies, why married filing separately is a deal-breaker, and how income thresholds and documentation rules will shift between 2025 and 2026.

We get tactical about payroll and accounting. If your team receives tips by cash, card, or apps, those amounts must flow into the correct W‑3 box for Social Security tips, or you risk losing credit and triggering notices. April shares a copy‑and‑paste email you can send to your payroll provider, why the FICA tip credit reduces your payroll tax deduction to avoid double dipping, and how credits pass through on K‑1s. We also surface a hidden risk: when employees add unreported tips at tax time, the IRS can bill the salon for the employer FICA match on that extra income.

Beyond compliance, we focus on financial literacy as a growth engine. Proper tip reporting strengthens your team’s access to mortgages, car loans, Social Security, and disability benefits, raising the professional profile of stylists and estheticians. We discuss why many who tried booth rent are returning to strong employee salons, how to read clean financials, and where owners slip on deductions. Heads up for 2026: many workplace meals and celebration meals lose deductibility, while international and cruise conference deductions have tight rules—plan with your CPA before you spend.

If you’re heading to our NEXT event in Austin, bring your year-end statements and questions. We’ll help you tighten reporting, protect cash flow, and make smarter bets using break‑even and ROI. Enjoy the conversation, subscribe for more practical beauty business strategy, and share this episode with an owner who needs clarity on tips and taxes.

To learn more about how Strategies can help you create more profit, fun, and growth potential for you, your business, and your team, schedule a free 60-minute strategy session:


Strategies: https://www.strategies.com
Salon/Spa Business Coaching: https://strategies.com/memberships/
In-Person Salon/Spa Seminars: https://strategies.com/education
Podcast: https://strategies.com/podcast/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/strategiesteam
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/strategies
Online Education Portal: https://learning.strategies.com/

The Beauty Business Strategies Podcast is designed to give salon, spa, medspa, barbershop, and lash studio owners, just like you, quick tips to make more money, inspire your team, and create world-class client experiences.

In this episode, Jenn Cody sits down with Jess Tergesen, the Director of Education at Strategies, for a heartfelt conversation about leadership, empowerment, and the future of beauty business education. Jess shares her unexpected journey from reluctant cosmetology student to industry leader, her 11-year tenure at a values-based team company, and her vision for transforming how beauty professionals learn and grow.

Whether you're a salon owner looking to build a stronger team culture or a stylist wanting to step into leadership, this episode delivers powerful insights on creating businesses where everyone thrives.

Key Topics Covered

• From Behind the Chair to Director of Education: Jess's unconventional path into the beauty industry and why she stayed at one company for 11 years
• Values-Based Business Culture: What it really means to lead with values and how it shapes team loyalty and retention
• Leadership Is Not a Title: Why everyone in your business can (and should) be a leader, regardless of their role
• Empowerment Through Self-Trust: Jess's personal definition of empowerment and the growth cycle every leader experiences
• The Future of Strategies Education: A complete breakdown of N.E.X.T. Austin 2026 and the new CoLab class format
• Team + Owner Collaboration: How shared language around numbers, leadership, and culture creates transformation
• Felt Experiences vs. Taught Information: Why education should be experienced, not just absorbed

Episode Highlights

On Choosing Hair School: "I had my daughter when I was in high school and I was like, what am I going to do with my life to quickly get a job, be independent? I'm super creative and I like to talk to people. So I thought, I could be a hairstylist."

On Leadership Being a Behavior, Not a Title: "Leadership is not a title. Anybody can be a leader no matter what their tenure is, no matter how long they've worked there. I believe that people can lead at each and every level."

On Her Definition of Empowerment: "Empowerment comes from within. It means learning to trust yourself as a leader. It starts with humility, saying 'I don't know everything and I am willing to learn.'"

On Building Shared Language: "When you're anchored in your values, when everybody knows why you're doing what you're doing, it becomes easier to coach to the behaviors that are required to hit the goals."

On the New CoLab Education Format: "CoLab stands for collaborate and L.A.B. stands for Leadership, Action, and Breakthroughs. I wanted collaboration between owners and team members, and collaboration between diverse topics."

What's Coming in 2026: N.E.X.T. Austin

Strategies is launching a reimagined education experience March 2-4, 2026 in Au

To learn more about how Strategies can help you create more profit, fun, and growth potential for you, your business, and your team, schedule a free 60-minute strategy session:


Strategies: https://www.strategies.com
Salon/Spa Business Coaching: https://strategies.com/memberships/
In-Person Salon/Spa Seminars: https://strategies.com/education
Podcast: https://strategies.com/podcast/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/strategiesteam
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/strategies
Online Education Portal: https://learning.strategies.com/

The Beauty Business Strategies Podcast is designed to give salon, spa, medspa, barbershop, and lash studio owners, just like you, quick tips to make more money, inspire your team, and create world-class client experiences.

Frizz doesn’t need to flatten your personality. Andrew Caruso from Pure Brazilian joins us to rethink what “Brazilian” means today, breaking down the difference between smoothing and straightening, how modern formulas protect curls and coils, and why a clean, low-odor service changes everything for clients and teams. If you’ve been wary of fumes, downtime, or harsh grow-out lines, this conversation gives you a fresh, practical playbook.

We dig into the science in plain terms: where an ingredient sits on the label signals potency, how hydrolyzed keratin works alongside superfoods like cocoa seed butter and açaí, and why you can reduce frizz, boost shine, and speed up blow-dry time without sacrificing texture. Andrew shares what salons really want to know—how to grow revenue now. The Express Blowout slots into services you already do, adds four to eight shampoos of smooth hair, and creates a natural path to the full 90-minute treatment that lasts three to four months. No ponytail bans, no multi-day restrictions, and a client experience that feels lighter, cleaner, and repeatable.

We also talk pricing and positioning so you charge confidently for 90 minutes of high-value work, whether your market tops at $250 or supports $600. With fewer visits and tighter schedules, smoothing becomes a strategic lever: better average ticket, faster appointments, and stronger rebooking built on results rather than obligation. Round it out with retail that shares the same hydrolyzed keratin DNA to maintain results between visits, plus simple messaging—texture management, frizz control, reduced blow-dry time—that clients immediately understand.

Ready to keep the curls and lose the chaos? Hit play, then subscribe, share with a stylist friend, and leave a quick review so more pros can discover smarter, safer smoothing.

To learn more about how Strategies can help you create more profit, fun, and growth potential for you, your business, and your team, schedule a free 60-minute strategy session:


Strategies: https://www.strategies.com
Salon/Spa Business Coaching: https://strategies.com/memberships/
In-Person Salon/Spa Seminars: https://strategies.com/education
Podcast: https://strategies.com/podcast/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/strategiesteam
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/strategies
Online Education Portal: https://learning.strategies.com/

The Beauty Business Strategies Podcast is designed to give salon, spa, medspa, barbershop, and lash studio owners, just like you, quick tips to make more money, inspire your team, and create world-class client experiences.

The future of beauty leadership doesn’t live in hustle culture or lone-wolf success stories—it lives in healthy companies where people grow, paychecks are stable, and culture drives the numbers. Robert Maraglia sits down with Barbara and Brett Pierce to share why they bought a three-decade education company and how they’re modernizing it without losing the backbone: financial clarity, team-based pay, and no-compromise leadership.

We unpack what changed our own salons from stressed to strong: real systems, clear values, and a team model that unlocks more than just “two hands.” Barbara explains how focusing on whole-person contribution—education, mentorship, guest experience, and innovation—reduces burnout and lifts results. Brett gives a grounded take on no-compromise leadership: hold fast to goals and values, stay flexible on methods, and build the consistency that creates trust and stable incomes.

You’ll hear how Strategies is evolving education with the online Academy, small-group collabs, and packed in-person events designed for both owners and teams. We talk practical solutions for today’s challenges—churn, no-shows, cancellations—plus the early expectations and clear career paths that keep new talent in the industry. From AI-enabled systems to hands-on workshops, every tool points to the same outcome: resilient, people-first salons that last.

If you’ve been watching from the sidelines, consider this your nudge. Test one new play, pilot a clearer path, and see what happens when your culture and numbers finally pull in the same direction. Subscribe, share with a fellow owner, and leave a review with the one change you’ll make this month—we’ll feature our favorites in a future episode.

To learn more about how Strategies can help you create more profit, fun, and growth potential for you, your business, and your team, schedule a free 60-minute strategy session:


Strategies: https://www.strategies.com
Salon/Spa Business Coaching: https://strategies.com/memberships/
In-Person Salon/Spa Seminars: https://strategies.com/education
Podcast: https://strategies.com/podcast/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/strategiesteam
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/strategies
Online Education Portal: https://learning.strategies.com/

The Beauty Business Strategies Podcast is designed to give salon, spa, medspa, barbershop, and lash studio owners, just like you, quick tips to make more money, inspire your team, and create world-class client experiences.

What if your clients chose your salon for the experience and results, not the name on the station? We sit down with Cindy Reynolds, owner of Mermaid Hair Extensions in Seattle and Kirkland, to unpack a brand-first, team-based model that turns marathon extension services into a smooth, three-hour transformation. Instead of booking a stylist, guests book the salon. The calendar reads “Team Mermaid,” the pricing is transparent and all-inclusive, and the systems guarantee speed, consistency, and hospitality.

Cindy walks us through the mechanics: two to three stylists on a service, overlapping roles, and an apprenticeship pipeline that keeps prep and finishing seamless. When a client cancels or someone calls out, the brand absorbs the shock—appointments aren’t tied to a single person, so the promise holds. That reliability survived a full post-pandemic rebuild and fueled a 65% surge in 2022. The Starbucks analogy applies: people return for the product and experience, even if their favorite barista moves on; consistency builds trust, and trust builds retention.

We also dig into hiring and culture. Candidates choose between building a solo brand or joining a salaried team with strong benefits, paid medical, a 401k match, and predictable income. Mermaid offers flexibility—unlimited unpaid time off with notice—while holding firm to full-day shifts and daily huddles that keep the machine aligned. With high-ticket packages, a 1.5 stylists-per-column cadence, and clear roles, the business funds education, travel, and a real career path. Most importantly, the mission stays front and center: give women more hair, more confidence, and more joy—those “hugs and tears” moments that make the work matter.

If you’re ready to strengthen client loyalty, stabilize your book, and elevate your team’s careers, this conversation lays out the playbook. Subscribe, share with a salon owner who needs fresh thinking, and leave a review to tell us which system you’ll try first.

To learn more about how Strategies can help you create more profit, fun, and growth potential for you, your business, and your team, schedule a free 60-minute strategy session:


Strategies: https://www.strategies.com
Salon/Spa Business Coaching: https://strategies.com/memberships/
In-Person Salon/Spa Seminars: https://strategies.com/education
Podcast: https://strategies.com/podcast/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/strategiesteam
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/strategies
Online Education Portal: https://learning.strategies.com/

The Beauty Business Strategies Podcast is designed to give salon, spa, medspa, barbershop, and lash studio owners, just like you, quick tips to make more money, inspire your team, and create world-class client experiences.

UPDATED NOTES!

Laws have been updates since this was recorded. Important updates are time stamped:

7:36     Start discussion about $25k tip income deduction.

10:52   Reminder that laws are still being written.

11:35  Reminder that this is a Federal law, States may or may not do something, FICA still applies. Must file joint return if single.  NEW – must have income to take deduction

15:10   Shift to owner’s discussion.

15:58  Could be eligible for $50k if both have tip income.  NEW - We now have law that says it will be limited to $25k per return.

16:56  NEW - 1993 FICA tip tax credit started for restaurants.  Originally it was indicated as early 80s.

20:34  FICA Tip Tax Credit is the amount paid and will get back what paid.  CLARIFY – If not paying tax, may be carried back 1 year and/or carried forward a max of 20 years. Treated like other general credits so there are many different factors based on the personal taxpayers’ situation.  This is a FICA tax credit – not a state deal. 

Tax talk that actually puts money back in your pocket starts here. We sat down with April McDaniel of Kopsa Otte to decode the new rules on tips for the beauty industry and map out simple steps that protect your income, benefits, and long-term security. From why 100% of tips must be reported to how the new incentives work, we connect the dots so employees and owners can act with confidence.

First, we break down the $25,000 employee tip deduction: who qualifies, how to document tips correctly on a W-2, what “modified adjusted income” means for phaseouts, and why FICA still applies. We also cover special cases like self-employed artists keeping separate tip records, married filing status pitfalls, federal versus state differences, and the 2025–2028 window that makes this a timely priority. The message is clear: clean records now lead to smoother filings and bigger benefits later.

Then we shift to the owner’s playbook. April explains how the long-standing FICA tip credit, claimed on Form 8846, now applies to salons and spas. We detail the payroll and reporting steps that unlock the credit, when minimum wage rules limit eligibility, and how the credit flows through for S corps and partnerships. You’ll hear practical policies that eliminate off-book cash and app tips, ways to leverage salon software for accurate reporting, and a simple compliance framework that stops leaving money on the table.

This conversation champions a mindset shift: tips are not coffee money, they are real income that should fund goals, build credit, and secure benefits. If you’re ready to level up your business, align your team, and claim what the law now offers, this is your roadmap. Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a review to help more beauty pros grow smarter and stronger.

Find out more about April and Kopsa Otte at h

To learn more about how Strategies can help you create more profit, fun, and growth potential for you, your business, and your team, schedule a free 60-minute strategy session:


Strategies: https://www.strategies.com
Salon/Spa Business Coaching: https://strategies.com/memberships/
In-Person Salon/Spa Seminars: https://strategies.com/education
Podcast: https://strategies.com/podcast/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/strategiesteam
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/strategies
Online Education Portal: https://learning.strategies.com/

The Beauty Business Strategies Podcast is designed to give salon, spa, medspa, barbershop, and lash studio owners, just like you, quick tips to make more money, inspire your team, and create world-class client experiences.

In this episode, we’re joined by Sydney Lopez, a social media expert and stylist with over a quarter million followers on Instagram, to explore how salon and spa owners can revolutionize their approach to social media. Sydney shares her client-centered strategy that shifts the focus from showcasing services to celebrating the real stars of your business: your clients. Learn how to create an online community, craft compelling content, and highlight your salon’s unique culture to drive real growth.

Whether you’re struggling to engage your team in social media efforts, attract new clients, or recruit top talent, Sydney’s practical tips will empower you to elevate your online presence. Discover how to turn social media from a chore into a tool for building relationships, boosting bookings, and showcasing your salon’s culture and values.

Connect with Sydney on Instagram: @sydneyannlopezhair

Register for Sydney's 2-day Digital Branding & Social Media Workshop: https://strategies.com/seminar/digital-branding-social-media-crosswalk-03-25

Watch the video version of this episode: https://youtu.be/YVajfMz8BIk

To learn more about how Strategies can help you create more profit, fun, and growth potential for you, your business, and your team, schedule a free 60-minute strategy session:


Strategies: https://www.strategies.com
Salon/Spa Business Coaching: https://strategies.com/memberships/
In-Person Salon/Spa Seminars: https://strategies.com/education
Podcast: https://strategies.com/podcast/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/strategiesteam
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/strategies
Online Education Portal: https://learning.strategies.com/

The Beauty Business Strategies Podcast is designed to give salon, spa, medspa, barbershop, and lash studio owners, just like you, quick tips to make more money, inspire your team, and create world-class client experiences.

In this episode, we sit down with Tim Howard from Vish to uncover how salons can dramatically cut color waste, improve profitability, and create a more sustainable business. Learn how Vish’s groundbreaking technology reduces waste from 40% to just 5%, while making every service on your menu equally profitable.

Tim shares insights into the latest trends in salon data and practical tips on how to maximize your color bar's efficiency. Discover how smarter pricing strategies and streamlined systems can empower you to take control of your salon's finances and create a better client experience.

Watch the video version of this episode: https://youtu.be/KN5x-nGlEQU

Connect with Vish: https://hubs.ly/Q02-1K3T0

To learn more about how Strategies can help you create more profit, fun, and growth potential for you, your business, and your team, schedule a free 60-minute strategy session:


Strategies: https://www.strategies.com
Salon/Spa Business Coaching: https://strategies.com/memberships/
In-Person Salon/Spa Seminars: https://strategies.com/education
Podcast: https://strategies.com/podcast/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/strategiesteam
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/strategies
Online Education Portal: https://learning.strategies.com/

The Beauty Business Strategies Podcast is designed to give salon, spa, medspa, barbershop, and lash studio owners, just like you, quick tips to make more money, inspire your team, and create world-class client experiences.