In this episode, David sits down with former Destroy The Hairdresser student Elma Siljkovic, owner of Queen of Swords in Brooklyn, to share one of the most powerful stories we've ever featured on the podcast.

After building a salon around systems, trust, and sustainability instead of hustle, Elma was faced with an unimaginable challenge: a cancer diagnosis. Because her business wasn't built to depend entirely on her, she was able to step away, focus on treatment, and give herself the space to heal without watching everything she had worked for fall apart.

This conversation isn't just about salon ownership. It's about building a business that supports your life during the best moments—and the hardest ones. Elma shares how rethinking the traditional salon model gave her the freedom to prioritize her health, trust her team, and return stronger than ever.

Whether you're behind the chair every day or leading a growing team, this episode is a reminder that the most successful businesses aren't the ones that demand everything from you—they're the ones that give something back when you need it most.

David sits down with former Destroy The Hairdresser student Elma Siljkovic, owner of Queen of Swords, to talk about what it really takes to build a salon that reflects your values instead of the industry's expectations.

From finding the confidence to do things differently to creating a business with intention, Elma shares the lessons she learned while growing one of Brooklyn's most respected salons. This conversation is about leadership, trusting your instincts, and why success comes from building something that's authentically yours—not someone else's blueprint.

Whether you're opening your first salon, leading a team, or questioning the "rules" you've been told to follow, this episode is a reminder that the best businesses are built with clarity, courage, and a willingness to be a little disobedient.

e.l.f. just launched an entire haircare line with products priced at $10 or less, and most of the industry is talking about the products themselves.

We're talking about what this launch actually means.

In this episode, Cyd and David unpack why e.l.f.'s move into haircare is a warning sign for the salon industry, what happens when massive consumer brands decide they no longer need hairdressers to sell products, and why the traditional retail model may be reaching a breaking point.

From Target shelves and TikTok Shop to affiliate sales and consumer trust, this conversation goes far beyond shampoo. It's about the future of retail, the changing role of the hairdresser, and why competing on products alone may no longer be enough.

If you've ever wondered why clients are buying more products than ever but less of them from salons, this episode is for you.

🎧 Listen now and join the conversation.

💣 Ready to build a business that isn't dependent on outdated industry rules? Join the Hairdresser Business Club and get your first two weeks free.

🎟️ Want to experience DTH live? Grab your seat for The Disobedience Business Tour in NYC this July and learn how salon owners across the country are creating businesses that work differently.

Everyone says their event is "different."

So what actually makes The Disobedience Business Tour different?

In this episode, Cyd and David pull back the curtain on why they created the tour, what attendees can expect, and why this isn't another weekend of watching stage demos you'll forget by Monday.

From uncomfortable conversations and bold business ideas to real coaching, honest stories, and a room full of people who refuse to settle for "the way it's always been done," the tour is designed to challenge the way you think about leadership, money, hiring, pricing, and what it means to build a salon business that actually supports your life.

If you've been wondering whether this event is for you, this episode is your backstage pass. You'll hear the vision behind the tour, the impact they hope it has on the industry, and why some of the biggest breakthroughs happen when you're willing to question everything.

🎧 Listen now and find out why we're calling this the most disobedient event in the salon industry.

💣 Ready to experience it for yourself? Grab your ticket to The Disobedience Business Tour and join us in New York City. Whether you're a salon owner, independent stylist, or future leader, you'll leave with new ideas, new connections, and a completely different perspective on what's possible.

🤝 Looking for coaching beyond the event? Join the Hairdresser Business Club and get your first two weeks free for weekly coaching, live classes, and a community of salon professionals who are building businesses differently.

What if the biggest sign you're ready to open a salon... is that you're not sure you should?

In this episode, David shares a pattern he's noticed after years of discovery calls with salon owners around the world. The people who seem the most confident aren't always the most prepared. Meanwhile, the hairdressers questioning themselves, thinking through every decision, and feeling the weight of the responsibility are often the ones best equipped to build something that lasts.

We dive into why uncertainty isn't weakness, how overconfidence can become a blind spot, and what separates a dream from a business that actually works. If you've been thinking about opening your own salon or wondering if you're truly ready, this conversation might completely change the way you see your self-doubt.

If you're craving honest conversations about leadership, business, and building a salon differently, come join us inside the Hairdresser Business Club. And if you're ready to experience Destroy The Hairdresser live, grab your seat for the Disobedient Business Tour in NYC before it's sold out. We can't wait to see you there.

Celebrities, Trends & Fashion Week: The Truth About Editorial Hair

Everyone wants to work Fashion Week—until they find out what it's actually like.

In this episode of the Destroy The Hairdresser Podcast, Cyd and David pull back the curtain on the world of celebrity hairdressing, editorial work, and Fashion Week. From working backstage under intense pressure to chasing opportunities that often pay little (or nothing), we discuss the realities that most hairdressers never hear about.

And yes—we even talk about why Fashion Week can feel like a scam.

But here's the twist: that doesn't mean you shouldn't do it.

Editorial work has the power to stretch your creativity, build your confidence, expand your network, and expose you to parts of the industry most hairdressers never experience. Some of the most valuable lessons you'll learn behind the chair happen backstage, on set, and outside the salon.

In this episode, we discuss:

• What it's really like working with celebrities

• The truth about Fashion Week and editorial opportunities

• Why so many artists romanticize editorial work

• What editorial experience can teach you about your craft

• How stepping outside the salon can make you a stronger hairdresser

• Why every hairdresser should experience editorial work at least once

Whether you've always dreamed of working Fashion Week or you're wondering if editorial hair is worth the hype, this episode offers an honest look at an often misunderstood side of the beauty industry.

Want more conversations that challenge conventional industry thinking? Join us inside the Hairdresser Business Club, where salon owners and hairstylists gather every week for business coaching, marketing support, leadership development, and real conversations about the future of our industry.

And don't miss the Disobedient Tour. We're hitting cities across the country to help hairdressers rethink success, challenge outdated industry rules, and build careers on their own terms.

Listen now and discover why Fashion Week might be both the biggest scam and one of the best experiences, you'll ever have as a hairdresser.

What if we told you the fastest way to ruin your clients is to switch to hourly pricing?

In this episode of the Destroy The Hairdresser Podcast, Cyd and David break down why so many clients become completely spoiled once they experience time-based pricing. No more surprise charges. No more confusing service menus. No more feeling like they're being upsold every five minutes.

Instead, clients get transparency, trust, and the freedom to book based on their goals,not a list of services they don't fully understand.

The truth? Once clients experience hourly pricing, many of them never want to go back to traditional salon pricing models.

We discuss:

• Why clients are actually asking for more transparency

• How hourly pricing changes the salon experience

• The psychology behind why clients prefer time-based pricing

• Common fears salon owners have before making the switch

• Why the future of pricing may look very different than the past

If you've ever wondered whether hourly pricing could work in your business or why so many salon owners are making the change, this episode is for you.

Want help implementing modern pricing models, improving profitability, and building a salon business that actually works for your life? Join us inside the Hairdresser Business Club, where we host weekly coaching, business classes, marketing support, and real conversations with salon owners who are challenging industry norms every day.

And if you're ready to experience Destroy The Hairdresser in person, grab your tickets for the Disobedient Tour. We're traveling across the country helping salon owners rethink everything they thought they knew about leadership, pricing, culture, and the future of the salon industry.

Listen now and find out why hourly pricing might just ruin your clients forever, in the best possible way.

In this nostalgic (and slightly chaotic) episode of the Destroy The Hairdresser Podcast, Cyd and David take a trip down memory lane and revisit their early days living in New York City. From tiny apartments and big dreams to career pivots and financial uncertainty, they share stories that shaped who they are today.

But this episode isn't just about looking back.

It's a reminder that every stage of life comes with challenges. When you're starting out, you stress about making enough money. As you grow, you stress about maintaining momentum, supporting a team, raising a family, and protecting what you've built. The problems change but they never completely disappear.

If you've been telling yourself, "I'll finally be happy when..." this conversation may be exactly what you need to hear.

Join us inside the Hairdresser Business Club, where salon owners and hairstylists come together every week for coaching, business strategy, marketing support, and honest conversations about what it really takes to build a sustainable career behind the chair.

And don't forget, the Disobedient Tour is back. If you're ready to challenge industry norms, rethink how you run your business, and connect with other rebellious hairdressers, grab your tickets and come hang out with us in person.

Because success isn't about reaching a destination, it's about learning how to navigate every chapter along the way. 🎙️✨

Want more conversations like this?

Head spas are everywhere right now.

From social media feeds to salon conferences, owners are being told this is the next big thing that's going to transform their business. But is it really?

In this episode, Cyd and David unpack the head spa trend, the pressure salon owners feel to jump on every new opportunity, and the costly mistakes that happen when businesses invest in trends without a real strategy behind them.

They discuss:

• Why trendy services aren't automatically profitable
• The hidden costs of adding new services to your salon
• How forcing staff into new services can create resentment and burnout
• The surprising similarities between aggressive head spa sales and retail sales pressure
• Why "more services" doesn't always equal more revenue
• The difference between adding a service because it's trending versus because it supports your business model
• What successful head spa businesses are doing differently

This isn't an anti-head spa episode. It's a conversation about making intentional business decisions instead of chasing shiny objects.

If you're considering adding a head spa, wellness service, or the next big trend to your salon, this episode might save you thousands of dollars and a lot of headaches.

🎙️ Listen now and learn how to evaluate opportunities through the lens of profitability, sustainability, and long-term business growth.

🔥 Want deeper conversations like this? Join us inside the Hairdresser Business Club, where we help salon owners build profitable businesses without chasing every industry trend.

🚐 Don't forget to check out the Disobedient Tour as we bring these conversations on the road and challenge everything you've been taught about running a salon.

What happens when a salon owner decides to stop following the industry rulebook and starts building a business on her own terms?

In this episode of the Destroy The Hairdresser Podcast, David sits down with longtime DTH student Susan Ferrell, owner of Beauty Junkie Jax, for an honest conversation about entrepreneurship, leadership, and navigating an industry that often feels like the Wild West.

Susan shares her journey as a salon owner, the challenges she faced while building her business, and the lessons she learned about creating systems, setting boundaries, and leading with confidence. Together, David and Susan explore how the salon industry has evolved over the years, why so many business owners feel stuck, and what it takes to challenge outdated norms in pursuit of something better.

This episode is packed with real-world insights, hard-earned wisdom, and plenty of stories from the trenches for salon owners, stylists, and beauty professionals who are ready to think differently about business.

Whether you're struggling with leadership, navigating growth, or simply trying to make sense of an industry that doesn't come with a roadmap, Susan's perspective is a reminder that there is no single right way to build a successful salon.

Ready to stop figuring it all out alone?

Join us inside the Hairdresser Business Club for weekly coaching, live classes, leadership conversations, and a community of salon owners and stylists who are committed to building businesses differently.

And if you're looking for an in-person experience that will challenge the way you think about business, leadership, and the future of the salon industry, join us this July at the Disobedient Business Tour in NYC. 💣