On this episode of Hairstory, host Jeff Alford sits down with Brittney Bodis, owner of Frontier Barbers & Company in downtown St. Catharines, Ontario.

Brittney shares her journey from hair school in Newmarket to salon work, a brief detour into law clerking, and ultimately finding her passion behind the barber chair. She opens up about renovating a historic downtown space, opening just before COVID, surviving months of shutdowns through creativity and grit, and what it truly takes to run a modern barbershop.

This honest conversation explores leadership, hiring, work-life balance, changing industry expectations, and why barbering remains one of the most human and community-driven professions.

HairStory is sponsored by Preempt & Prevention – Great Hair Begins with a Great Chair.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Hairstory, host Jeff Alford sits down with Shenzy, founder of Shenzy Beauty in Welland, Ontario, to explore her remarkable journey from the Caribbean island of St. Vincent to becoming an influential protective-styling specialist in Canada.

Shenzy shares how she built her business from the corner of her living room, the growing demand for Black hair services in Niagara, and the powerful impact hairstylists have on the emotional well-being of their clients.

From launching her own product line to supporting clients through deeply personal challenges, this conversation highlights the heart, resilience, and purpose that define the real professionals in the hair industry.

HairStory is sponsored by Preempt & Prevention – Great Hair Begins with a Great Chair.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Step into the world of hair, heart, and community with this inspiring conversation between Jeff and veteran hairstylist and entrepreneur Carlo Lombardo.

From growing up in a family of hairdressers to opening his first salon at just 19, Carlo shares his incredible 30-year journey in the beauty industry. He opens up about the evolution of salon culture, the struggles of staffing, rising costs, the emotional bonds with clients, and the profound impact hairstylists have on mental health and community life.

Today, Carlo is expanding from salon owner to North American distributor—proving that passion, resilience, and relationships can build a lifelong legacy.

HairStory is sponsored by Preempt & Prevention – Great Hair Begins with a Great Chair.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fashion-trained and Toronto-raised, Cheryl Gushue has spent a lifetime at the intersection of beauty and creativity—makeup artist, stylist, educator, and now publisher of Beauty Hub Magazine.

In this Hairstory episode, Cheryl walks us through her path from early days at Fiorio and Capucci to award-winning shoots (NAHA & Contessa), televised makeovers (Cityline, Steven & Chris), and global tours styling for Goldwell Color Zoom in Vegas, Berlin, Paris, and beyond.

HairStory is sponsored by Preempt & Prevention – Great Hair Begins with a Great Chair.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Hairstory, we sit down with Kalleigh Sharp, founder and owner of Beauty Bar One in St. Catharines, Ontario — a thriving community hub redefining what a modern salon space can be.

Kalleigh shares how she turned student debt and curiosity into a multi-layered beauty business, building both a training academy with over 25 certified courses and a co-working salon model that gives independent stylists, estheticians, and creatives their own space to succeed.

This episode explores how she’s helping beauty professionals across Niagara find freedom, confidence, and community — and why she believes the future of the beauty industry lies in collaboration, not competition.

HairStory is sponsored by Preempt & Prevention – Great Hair Begins with a Great Chair.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

St. Catharines entrepreneur Alexis Stephenson—owner of Lexi’s Hair Boutique—shares how a teenage hobby became a purpose-driven business. Starting in high school in Brampton, Lexi taught herself through tutorials, built an Instagram portfolio, and began serving family and friends before moving to the Niagara region and opening a professional suite at Beauty Bar One.

Lexi breaks down the world of protective styles—from braids and cornrows to twists, locs, faux locs, and extension work—why they matter for hair health, and how specializing in a niche can be a powerful business model. We talk confidence, community, and mental health (why great hair can lift a day), the real fears of launching without college, finding resources, and the mindset it takes to keep going. She also looks ahead to educating others and building a broader support network for her clients and creators in Niagara.

HairStory is sponsored by Preempt & Prevention – Great Hair Begins with a Great Chair.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Felice Valvano — co-owner of Valvano Salon in St. Catharines, Ontario — shares the story of how his family-run salon has defied trends, avoided the chair-rental model, and thrived for over 25 years.

In this episode, Felice reveals the systems behind the success: an in-house education program that trains every stylist in both skill and communication, monthly performance reviews that turn goals into motivation, and a transparent “scoreboard” that keeps the entire team accountable and inspired.

He also talks about creating Valvano and BLOW, two hair-care lines designed with wellness and sustainability in mind — products built for professionals, clients, and the planet alike.

But beyond the business, Felice’s passion is people. He reminds us that hairstyling is more than a service — it’s a career that builds confidence, connection, and community. His message to young professionals? The world of hair is one of the last great creative industries where you can build a future, touch lives, and have fun doing it.

HairStory is sponsored by Preempt & Prevention – Great Hair Begins with a Great Chair.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For more than 25 years, Tony Valvano has built more than a business—he’s built a community. As co-owner of Valvano Salon in St. Catharines, Ontario, Tony has seen the industry change dramatically, from bustling full-service salons to the rise of independent chair rentals. But through every shift, his philosophy has stayed the same: grow people first, and the business will follow.

In this inspiring episode of Hairstory, Tony sits down with host Jeff Alford to talk about what it really takes to build a strong salon culture in 2025. He shares the strategies that helped him rebuild after COVID—mentorship, education, social media presence, and genuine human connection—and why he believes the future still belongs to salons built on teamwork, trust, and heart.

Whether you’re a salon owner, stylist, or creative entrepreneur, Tony’s story is a reminder that the strongest brands are built on relationships—not rentals.

HairStory is sponsored by Preempt & Prevention – Great Hair Begins with a Great Chair.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lesley Rito-Costa—Manager at Teknik Salon in Kitchener, Ontario—shares a candid, inspiring path from walking in off the street as an assistant to building a 26-year career as a sought-after colorist and cutter. She talks about learning by doing (and watching) before ever touching scissors, the mentors who shaped her (Joe and Dom), a stint educating other salons, and how motherhood reframed her work–life rhythm.

We dig into what’s changed behind the chair: clients arriving “TikTok-educated,” why long hair and growth serums are trending, rising concerns about thinning, and practical advice on wash frequency, scalp care, and products (from her go-to split-end serum to the “10-10” toner she swears by). Lesley reflects on COVID’s lasting impact—DIY color kits, FaceTime haircuts, and many clients embracing their natural grey—and why great stylists still function as confidence builders, counselors, and community anchors. Plus: how she protects her body, leads with empathy, and why she wants government grants back to attract the next generation into the trade.

It’s a grounded, heart-first conversation about craft, clients, and the everyday moments that turn a salon into family.

Sponsored by Preempt & Prevention – Great Hair Begins with a Great Chair.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Domenic Romeo—co-owner of Teknik Salon in Kitchener, Ontario—joins us for a cappuccino-fuelled deep dive into life behind the chair. He shares how a teenage detour from auto mechanics led to a government-sponsored apprenticeship in the ’80s, why cutting is “pure artistry” while color is “applied chemistry,” and how services and trends evolved from perm-heavy days to today’s anything-goes styling. We get candid about TikTok myths vs. professional advice, why scalp health matters more than you think, and the extensions/keratin treatments that truly change clients’ lives (including which extension methods he trusts most). Domenic also reflects on running a modern salon, spending 75% of his time with clients, and the community that carried him through health scares and life’s biggest moments. It’s equal parts craft, business, and heart—told by someone who’s seen it all and still loves the work.

Sponsored by Preempt & Prevention – Great Hair Begins with a Great Chair.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.