Booked & Blooming - The Beauty Business Podcast

By Grant KantsiosBusiness Entrepreneurship Marketing

Booked & Blooming - The Beauty Business Podcast episodes

October 08 Selling a Salon, Scaling Products, and Teaching Spray Tan Success
Grant Kantsios welcomes Teasha Buxton back for their third conversation, tracing her shift from running a brick-and-mortar salon to building Stupid Happy’s product and education businesses. Teasha shares what she learned from selling her salon to a former employee, launching tanning products on Amazon, navigating costly marketing and influencer mistakes, and using pre-order “drops” to manage inventory.
The conversation also explores her ADHD-friendly spray tan education program, why she brought back personal coaching and her “Business in a Box,” and how she helps students add spray tanning to an existing beauty business. Along the way, She also makes the case for testing products through white labeling, protecting your creative voice while using AI, and finding the clients who make you “stupid happy” to serve.
55 min
September 16 Turning Your Website Into a Client-Generating Marketing Tool
In this episode, Jackie turns the interview around and puts Grant in the guest seat for a practical conversation about beauty business websites and search engine optimzation, or SEO. Grant explains SEO in plain language, why dedicated service pages can drive searches for bridal and mobile tans, facials or any other beauty services, and how a beautiful website can still fail if it’s not designed properly. They also discuss Google Business Profiles, analytics, blogs, AI-generated content, booking-platform websites, and the point when outsourcing your website becomes the smarter business move. Jackie brings the real-world perspective of running multiple studios, where visibility, functionality, and customer service matter more than having the most expensive equipment or the fanciest design.
1 hr 16 min
August 19 Unlocking Business Growth: Ivy’s Top Five No-Cost Strategies for Salon Owners
Welcome back to the Booked & Blooming Beauty Business Podcast! In today’s episode, Grant reconnects with Ivy Potter from Innove Beauty and Wellness, a 20-year veteran of the tanning and beauty industry, educator, and business consultant. Drawing from her extensive experience as a salon owner, industry ambassador, and now a champion for fellow business owners, Ivy dives deep into the tried-and-true strategies that can ignite growth for any beauty business—without breaking the bank. Together, Grant and Ivy explore five actionable, low- or no-cost methods to better market your business, strengthen customer relationships, and expand your reach locally. Get ready to take notes as they reveal insider tips—from leveraging local brand ambassadors to maximizing your Google Business Profile—designed to help you stand out and thrive in your community.
57 min
July 01 Building a Franchise Empire: Onyi Shares Lessons From Glow Tanning’s Explosive National Growth
Welcome to this episode of the Booked & Blooming Beauty Business Podcast, where we dive deep into the journey of Onyi, the visionary behind Glo Tanning—one of the fastest-growing franchises in the wellness and beauty space.
With over 16 years of experience, Onyi shares his unique path from nursing school to becoming a beauty industry leader, the lessons learned from selling and rebuilding his business, and the innovative strategies that led Glo to unprecedented growth and zero store closures.
From the power of recurring revenue models and employee ownership programs to breakthrough branding and scaling secrets, Onyi’s story is packed with actionable insights for anyone in the beauty business—whether you’re just starting out, scaling up, or ready to revolutionize your approach.
Tune in for inspiration, practical advice, and a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to build a thriving, resilient beauty brand.
48 min
June 03 Selling, Starting Over, and Scaling Up: Entrepreneur Insights From Lauren Abrams
Welcome back to the gohappybeauty podcast! In today’s episode, host Grant Kantsios sits down with Lauren Abrams, the founder of Spray Tans by Lauren, to explore her impressive journey through the spray tan industry. With nearly 15 years of experience, Lauren Abrams shares how she built her first business from scratch in Atlanta, sold it, pursued exciting opportunities in the film and bridal industries, and ultimately launched a successful second venture. Tune in to hear Lauren Abrams discuss the evolution of spray tanning, the importance of patience and self-care in business growth, strategies for attracting clients in competitive markets, and her advice for those looking to turn a passion into a thriving brand. Whether you’re considering starting your own beauty business or looking for inspiration to take your existing business to the next level, this episode is packed with actionable insights and real-world wisdom.
57 min
May 13 Kickstart Your Business Success: The Power of Proper Bookkeeping and Financial Clarity
Welcome to another episode of the gohappybeauty podcast! Today, we’re talking all things numbers with Danielle Hayden founder of Kickstart Accounting, as she joins Grant in a candid conversation about the financial side of running a beauty business. From her journey as a creative-turned-CFO to launching a firm dedicated to serving small businesses, Danielle is on a mission to help entrepreneurs understand, manage, and leverage their finances with confidence.
We cover everything from overcoming the fear of bookkeeping, the importance of knowing your numbers, setting aside tax reserves, and how proper financial management can be a game-changer for achieving your business goals. Whether you’re new to the world of business finances or looking to take your profit planning to the next level, this episode is packed with practical advice, tough love, and real-world examples aimed at helping you become a more empowered and educated business owner. Stay tuned—your financial health check starts now!
41 min
April 08 Overcoming Self Doubt and Building a Thriving Spray Tan Business
Welcome back to the gohappybeauty podcast! In today’s episode, we sit down with Shawna Schimnowski, a true veteran of the sunless tanning industry with over a decade of experience and more than 16,000 spray tans to her name. Starting her journey in a small town outside Winnipeg, Shawna dove headfirst into spray tanning—becoming one of the original franchisees of Organic Tan, which later became Sunna Tan. Her story is one of passion, resilience, and empowering women to feel confident in their own skin, even through personal health battles and the challenges of entrepreneurship.
Together, we’ll explore Shawna’s unique path—from building her business with the support of a strong franchise network, to making the bold leap to independence, and navigating everything from movie sets and celebrity clients to the uncertain times brought on by the pandemic. Shawna also shares invaluable insights for aspiring business owners—including the power of relationships, the importance of community, and the realities of overcoming self-doubt.
Whether you’re looking for inspiration to start your own sunless tanning business or want honest talk about what it takes to succeed in the beauty industry, this episode has something for you. Let’s dive in!
You can follow gohappybeauty here:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/gohappybeauty
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@gohappybeauty
Website - www.gohappybeauty.com
38 min
March 11 Franchise Versus Startup: Exploring Beauty Business Paths with Bennett Maxwell
On this episode of the gohappybeauty podcast, host Grant Kantsios sits down with franchise expert Bennett Maxwell for an in-depth look into the world of franchising—specifically in the beauty and tanning industry. Bennett, known for scaling Dirty Dough cookies and now working with Glo Tanning™, brings a wealth of experience as he breaks down what it really takes to own and operate a successful franchise.
52 min
February 25 Celebrating National Spray Tanning Day: Entrepreneurial Journeys and Industry Insights
Welcome to a special episode of the gohappybeauty Podcast! In honor of National Spray Tanning Day on March 6th, we’ve teamed up with Innove Beauty and Wellness—creators of iconic spray tan booths like Mystic and VersaSpa and the innovators behind Norvell handheld spray tanning equipment and Norvell University. Our mission in this episode is to shine a light on the sunless tanning industry and the countless entrepreneurial opportunities it offers.
1 hr 16 min
February 12 Reimagining Beauty: Bethany Parker’s Journey from Spray Tans to Community-Centered Salon Owner
Welcome back to the gohappybeauty podcast! In this episode, Grant Kantsios sits down with Bethany Parker, a returning guest whose journey in the beauty and spray tanning industry has taken her through remarkable twists and turns. Since their first chat in 2019, Bethany Parker has reinvented herself and her business—relocating, taking time off to focus on family, and ultimately returning to her hometown to open The Society, a unique beauty salon and social club. In today’s conversation, Bethany Parker shares how she went from spray tanning in a spare bedroom to launching a full-scale salon, navigating everything from renovating a decades-old space to building an inclusive community of beauty professionals.
She opens up about training others, selling her client list, surviving the pandemic, and the importance of intentional branding and client experience. Whether you’re a beauty industry veteran or thinking about making your first leap, you’ll find inspiration and practical advice on pursuing your business dreams, embracing change, and creating something truly special. Let’s dive in and catch up with Bethany Parker as she shares the lessons, challenges, and triumphs from her amazing journey back in the world of sunless tanning and beauty entrepreneurship.
44 min

About Booked & Blooming - The Beauty Business Podcast

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Real-world marketing, SEO, automation, and growth strategies for salon owners, spa owners, estheticians, lash artists, spray tan professionals, and beauty entrepreneurs who want to…