Hairbrained Conversations

By Gerard ScarpaciBusiness Arts Fashion & Beauty Careers

Hairbrained Conversations episodes

June 24, 2023 Episode #296: Laurent Philippon, Editorial/Session Styling Icon
Now celebrating the 10th anniversary of his seminal book, "Hair: Fashion and Fantasy," Laurent Philippon is, in his own words, "a hair-thinking war machine." The world-renowned session stylist never stops dreaming about hair, and his passion for the art and craft of hairdressing is unparalleled. Laurent's background and training with both Alexandre de Paris and Julien d'Ys has made his work a truly unique blend of timeless French technique and intuitive organic vision. As such, his work has been featured not only in every significant fashion magazine, but also on the runways of innumerable top fashion houses. This can't-miss episode delves into Laurent's history and thoughts on the craft of hairdressing.

48 min
June 18, 2023 Episode #295, Lupe Voss, @colorspacehair Co-Founder
Lupe Voss is known within the #crafthairdresser community as a top-notch educator and colorist. For a lot of her career, she tailored her education around a color line. But with Color Space, she decided it was time to tailor the color around education and color theory. In this episode, she explains what led her to create Color Space, how deeply she embeds with a salon when they decide to take on a color line, and the robust ongoing education that Color Space salons experience.

46 min
June 10, 2023 Episode #294: Wade Zylstra, Lux Salon owner, and Kasandra Grzanka, @vomor Hair Extension educator
Hair extensions have come a long way in recent years, and so have expectations surrounding them. These days, knowing proper application techniques, how to color match and blend perfectly, and, quite frankly, the art behind extensions is the norm. We chat with Wade Zylstra (@wadecody), owner of Lux Salon in Fullerton, CA, and Kasandra Grzanka (@kgrzanka), VoMor Hair Extension educator, on everything extensions. From understanding the different types of extensions, how long and what type of training is most beneficial, pricing advice and how to layer on to existing services, Wade and Kasandra explain how you can add benefits to (and increase revenue from) the clients you already have.
45 min
June 06, 2023 Episode #293: Miki Wright, Pricing Strategist
One of the most emotionally charged aspects of hairdressing is pricing. Look at almost any hair transformation video on @hairbrained_official, and there's usually a "How much would you charge for this?" question. Fear of losing clients, vague "charge your worth" advice and lack of pricing transparency all play a role. On top of that, hairdressers often emotionally discount, may not have consistent pricing or flat out don't know how to price their services. In this episode, Miki Wright (@mikiwright), pricing strategist and founder of www.beautysuperstars.com, joins us to dispel the confusion around pricing. She shares the best steps to set up a pricing strategy, explains why old-school ways are no longer relevant, and the importance of why creating experiences for your clients plays a huge role in pricing.
57 min
May 27, 2023 Episode #292: Jack Martin, Celebrity Colorist and @k18hair advocate
For years, the idea that "women of a certain age" would willingly embrace their grays was, let's face it, laughable. But when celebrity colorist Jack Martin (@jackmartincolorist) and his stunning gray transformations came onto the scene, perspectives shifted—not only on what it means to age, but also how important craft hairdressers are in helping their clients through graceful transformations. In this episode, we talk with Jack about his journey from everyday working stylist to international superstar, why it's so important to him that people accept who they are, and how he actually achieves these hours-long transformations with the help of @k18hair.
49 min
May 21, 2023 Episode #291, DJ Muldoon, global educator and founder of Knowledge Destroys Fear
One of the best aspects of being a pro in the hair industry is the friendships you make along the way. In fact, this idea of community and shared experiences is at the heart of what Hairbrained is all about. And one of the first Hb community members, DJ Muldoon (@danieljosephmuldoon)—a craft hairdresser, global educator and founder of @knowledgedestroysfear—has been a friend of Hb co-founder Gerard Scarpaci since the beginnings of their careers. In this unplugged conversation, they reminisce about the early days working together and discuss the current state of education and the future of our craft.
55 min
May 07, 2023 Episode #290: Chrystal L., @allhairacademy
Chrystal L. has devoted her career to helping all hairdressers reach their full potential and realize their dreams. In 2019, she launched @allhairacademy, a program for stylists who want to attract a diverse clientele and be confident working with any hair texture. In this episode, she shares tons of actionable tips to help you grow your business and profitability. Chrystal shares advice ranging from email marketing, when and how to raise prices, hiring staff, and much more. You will also find out how Chrystal fared at Missouri Startup Weekend, a program that allows participants to pitch their ideas for a chance to win monetary investment and mentorship. And if you want to learn more about Chrystal's passions and advocacy, listen to Episode 229.
49 min
April 30, 2023 Episode #289: Candace Mansour, Bridal Hair Specialist
What do you do when you hate doing wedding hair? You double down, of course! That is, you do if you're Candace Mansour (@candacemansour), a bridal hair specialist and educator based in the Northeast. Like many, she was intimidated by seemingly complicated updos, and in her own words, "hated bridal hair." But learning and, more importantly, teaching helped Candace build an award-winning, on-location wedding team. Today, Candy Rose Events includes 12 pros who service an average of four weddings every weekend! Learn how Candace started from scratch through marketing and offering clear and simple pricing, and how she effectively communicates with brides to help them feel confident and at ease with her team and services.
58 min
April 23, 2023 Episode #288: Tom Connell, Davines Hair Art Director
Join Gerard as he sits down with Tom Connell (@tommconnell), Hair Art Director for @davinesofficial, for this special episode filmed at the Davines House in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. We go deep into Tom's creative process and his unique way of manifesting original ideas across the spectrum of beauty. Also, Tom offers a sneak peek into what he has planned for Davines Hair On Tour, a multi-city collection inspired by each locale.
45 min
April 16, 2023 Episode #287: Dominique LyVar, ReZo Master Global Educator and Designer
With more than two decades of pro beauty experience, Dominique LyVar (@kingdomofcurls_) has had a transformative career: He's worked as a stylist in corporate salons, taught at the Aveda Institute in NY, and even works as a freelance editorial artist. Today he is a ReZo Master Designer and Master Global Educator whose social media following is steadily growing thanks to his celebration of curls. While he believes that doing great work will get you wherever you want to go in this industry, being a Black artist has come with its unique set of challenges. In this episode, he discusses how he has navigated the pro and editorial worlds of hair and offers advice for those wishing to follow in his footsteps.
50 min

About Hairbrained Conversations

From the publisher's feed

A weekly podcast that takes a deep dive into the minds of some of the most talented artists, educators, influencers, and leaders in the professional salon industry. Hosted by Gerard Scarpaci,…