It's a Profitable Life

Why Every Entrepreneur Needs an Exit Plan First on It’s A Profitable Life with Michael Cole

 Every entrepreneur reaches a breaking point—the moment when drive meets exhaustion and you realize your business can’t depend on you forever.

In this episode, Michael Cole shares how he went from Navy veteran to first-time barbershop owner to financial planner for beauty professionals—and what he learned about building a business that works for you, not the other way around.

Michael’s story is about leadership, structure, and freedom: creating a culture where people stay, systems that sustain, and financial strategies that secure your future. Whether you’re behind the chair or leading a team, this conversation will change the way you think about ownership, wealth, and balance.

In This Episode:
0:00 - Intro
2:10 - The power of people over profit
6:00 - Lessons from opening a barbershop with zero experience
10:20 - Building culture: hire slow, fire fast
14:00 - Retention as the real measure of success
18:00 - The fear of pricing and learning confidence in value
22:30 - From operator to owner: letting go to grow
27:00 - Designing a business you can step away from
31:00 - Why every entrepreneur must plan their exit early
36:00 - Creating a strategic cash reserve for stability
40:00 - Preparing your family and business for the future
45:00 - You can look rich or be rich—but not both
48:00 - Final reflections

Key Takeaways:

• Retention and culture are stronger than any P&L statement
• You can’t grow if you can’t let go
• Price confidently—undervaluing your work delays freedom
• Plan your exit the day you open your doors
• Build a financial strategy that protects your family and your business
• True wealth is freedom, not appearances

About Michael Cole:
Michael Cole is a Certified Financial Planner, founder of Cole Wealth Management, and owner of a Charleston-based barbershop that has operated successfully for over a decade. His work focuses on helping beauty, salon, and wellness entrepreneurs create wealth, protect their futures, and design businesses that thrive without constant oversight.

Website: https://michaelcole.nm.com

 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/j.michaelcole

Thank You to Our Sponsors
Vish: https://getvish.com

Phorest: https://www.phorest.com

Salon Books: https://www.mysalonbooks.com

Salon Cadence: https://saloncadence.com

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New episodes weekly featuring real stories, practical strategies, and insights from leaders shaping the future of the beauty and wellness industry.

Every entrepreneur reaches a breaking point—the moment when ambition meets exhaustion. In this episode, Leslie Perry shares how she went from running a one-woman bridal makeup business to becoming an executive leader at the Professional Beauty Association (PBA).

Leslie’s story is one of resilience, self-discovery, and redefining what it means to build a business that loves you back.

She opens up about the struggles of being a “team of one,” the lessons learned from burnout, and how community and clarity transformed her career. Whether you’re a salon owner, stylist, or entrepreneur, this conversation will remind you that success isn’t built alone.

💡 In This Episode:

0:00 - Intro
 2:05 - Are you owning a company or just a job?
 6:30 - Accepting where you started from
 10:50 - Lessons from the Data Driven conference
 14:20 - Looking ahead to NaHa and the power of symbolism
 17:45 - The struggle of being a team of one
 22:10 - Focusing on the fundamentals, not the fluff
 26:05 - Finding your true audience
 30:00 - The danger of divided attention
 33:40 - Grit, fitness, and protecting your energy
 38:00 - How the PBA supports beauty professionals
 41:30 - The power of community and mentorship
 45:10 - Final reflections

Key Takeaways:

• Build a business that runs without you—not one that runs on you
• Your past experiences are assets, not detours
• Strategy beats aesthetics every time
• Clarity and focus drive growth
• Self-care is a business strategy
• Community makes success sustainable

About Leslie Perry:

Leslie Perry is an executive at the Professional Beauty Association (PBA), helping elevate and connect professionals across the beauty industry. Her journey from solo bridal artist to industry leader embodies what’s possible when purpose meets perseverance.

Thank you to our Sponsors!!!

Vish: https://getvish.com/
Phorest: https://www.phorest.com/
Salon Books: https://www.mysalonbooks.com/
Salon Cadence: https://saloncadence.com/

🔔 Subscribe for more episodes:

If you’re ready to grow a business that gives you freedom, fulfillment, and profitability, subscribe and turn on notifications.
New episodes every week with real stories, powerful insights, and proven strategies for salon and spa entrepreneurs.

She started with just $200, grew a mission-driven jewelry brand into Nordstrom stores nationwide, and gave away more than 3 million meals to children in need. But after 16 years, Carmin Black faced devastating setbacks that forced her to shut it all down.

In this episode of It’s a Profitable Life, Carmin shares the unfiltered truth about building, scaling, and walking away from a company she poured her life into. From supply chain failures to leadership lessons to the hidden revenue strategy most salon and medspa owners ignore, this conversation is a masterclass in resilience and reinvention.

Watch this episode to learn:

- How Carmin built a brand from $200 into a global impact company
- Why protecting your vision and setting boundaries is non-negotiable
- What closing a company taught her about leadership and life
- The retail strategy every salon, spa, and medspa owner is missing

If you’ve ever questioned your path as an entrepreneur, this episode will show you what it really takes to build again, pivot with purpose, and scale smarter the next time.

In this heartfelt and high-energy episode of It’s a Profitable Life, Ronit is joined by copywriting powerhouse, curriculum architect, and brand whisperer Lacey Simmons. With years of experience helping 7- and 8-figure brands articulate their voice and vision, Lacey shares her journey from instructional design to marketing mastery—and how she helps entrepreneurs transform raw ideas into irresistible, profitable content.

Thank you to our Sponsors!!!

Vish: https://getvish.com/
Phorest: https://www.phorest.com/
Salon Books: https://www.mysalonbooks.com/
Salon Cadence: https://saloncadence.com/

✨ Episode Highlights

Words Into Wealth:
✨ How Llacey helps business owners turn raw ideas into revenue-generating brand stories
Million-Dollar Copy:
✨ Behind the scenes of her critical role on the Salon Cadence team, translating messy thoughts into magnetic copy
Radiating Positivity:
✨ One truth from the episode—“You literally pour positivity into every person you meet”
Parent vs. Professional:
✨ Llacey gets vulnerable as she shares how she balances being a single mom and a bad-ass writer.
You Are Your Best Writer:
✨ Llacey reveals how to tap into your inner voice to grow your personal brand.

Success doesn’t come without failure, and this podcast is here to share the REAL journey—so you can learn, grow, and build your own profitable life. ✨

🔥 Subscribe now & let’s grow together! 🔥

In this special episode of It’s a Profitable Life, Ronit & Nicole are joined by longtime friend, HR expert, and serial entrepreneur Rhamy Alejeal—the founder of People Processes. Rami shares how he and his wife built their HR business from the ground up, starting at just 22 years old. His story is one of endurance, innovation, and seeing opportunity in crisis. This episode is part laughter, part strategy—and all heart.

Thank you to our Sponsors!!!

Vish: https://getvish.com/
Phorest: https://www.phorest.com/
Salon Books: https://www.mysalonbooks.com/
Salon Cadence: https://saloncadence.com/

✨ Episode Highlights

The Breaking Point:
✨ A real moment of vulnerability—the business low that nearly derailed everything
Thriving in Chaos:
✨ How economic downturns and regulatory mess became growth engines
Adapt or Stall:
✨ The importance of adaptability in HR, especially during uncertain times
HR, Fully Handled:
✨ What People Processes does for businesses—from hiring to compliance to team support
Change Is Fuel:
✨ Why the best entrepreneurs don’t fear change—they run toward it

Connect with Rhamy:
Website: https://peopleprocesses.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@peopleprocesses

Connect with Salon Cadence:
https://saloncadence.com/
[email protected]

#HRforBusiness #PeopleProcesses #EntrepreneurLife #BusinessResilience #SmallBusinessTips #Adaptability #SalonOwners

Success doesn’t come without failure, and this podcast is here to share the REAL journey—so you can learn, grow, and build your own profitable life. ✨

🔥 Subscribe now & let’s grow together! 🔥

Welcome to It’s a Profitable Life, where today we have Brandie and Stacey, the dynamic duo behind Steel Blade Men’s Salon in Albuquerque, New Mexico. They share their journey running a successful men’s grooming specialty salon, including how they manage their finances with the Profit First system—distributing 50% of profits to owners and reinvesting the rest back into their business growth.

If you’re looking to learn how to scale a men’s salon or just want some honest, inspiring entrepreneurial insights, this episode is for you.

Thank you to our Sponsors!!!

Vish: https://getvish.com/
Phorest: https://www.phorest.com/
Salon Books: https://www.mysalonbooks.com/
Salon Cadence: https://saloncadence.com/

✨ Episode Highlights

Tiny Habits:
✨ Brandy & Stacey’s top tip—put away even a little money regularly; it snowballs faster than you think!
Big Goals:
✨ Their next move? Buying their own building—because big growth needs smart financial planning
Profit Balance:
✨ How using Profit First helped them perfectly align owner income with sustainable business growth
Trust the Journey:
✨ Their mantra for entrepreneurs—trust the process and take it one step at a time

Connect with Brandie & Stacey:
Website: https://steelblademenssalon.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/steelblademen/

Connect with Salon Cadence:
https://saloncadence.com/
[email protected]

#ProfitFirst #SalonBusiness #EntrepreneurLife #FinancialFreedom #BusinessGrowth #WomenEntrepreneurs #MensSalon

Success doesn’t come without failure, and this podcast is here to share the REAL journey—so you can learn, grow, and build your own profitable life. ✨

🔥 Subscribe now & let’s grow together! 🔥

In this lively and heartfelt episode of It’s a Profitable Life, Ronit & Nicole reconnect with beauty industry power couple Ted Gibson and Jason Backe. With over 30 years together, this dynamic duo has weathered every high and low of entrepreneurship, from launching brands and reinventing business models to rethinking wellness in beauty. Get ready for real talk, uncontrollable laughter, and a deep dive into the mission behind their latest venture: Ted Gibson Beauty Wellness Science. Whether you're a salon pro or a beauty wellness enthusiast, this episode will inspire you to dream big—and laugh often.

Thank you to our Sponsors!!!

Vish: https://getvish.com/
Phorest: https://www.phorest.com/
Salon Books: https://www.mysalonbooks.com/
Salon Cadence: https://saloncadence.com/

✨ Entrepreneurial Evolution:
The lessons learned from building, closing, and rebuilding businesses together
✨ Lessons from Lockdown:
Reflections on resilience and what COVID taught them about adaptability and honesty
✨ Shroom Boom Origins:
The birth of Ted Gibson Beauty Wellness Science and the meaning behind the “Shroom Boom”
✨ Product Preview:
Their upcoming product launches, including Ascension and Reincarnation
✨ Pro to Consumer Bridge:
How they’re building a brand that speaks to both professionals and consumers
✨ Purpose-Driven Beauty:
What it means to create wellness-forward beauty with impact and integrity

Connect with Ted & Jason:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tedgibson
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jasonbacke
Website: https://tedgibson.com/

Connect with Salon Cadence:
https://saloncadence.com/
[email protected]

#BeautyWellness #SalonLife #ProductLaunch #EntrepreneurJourney #ProfessionalBeauty #ShroomBoom #WellnessBeauty

Success doesn’t come without failure, and this podcast is here to share the REAL journey—so you can learn, grow, and build your own profitable life. ✨

🔥 Subscribe now & let’s grow together! 🔥

In this inspiring episode, host Ronit Enos sits down with industry icon Candy Shaw—aka the “Balay Lama”—to talk about the highs, lows, and defining moments of building her beauty empire. From growing up in a family salon to founding Sunlights Balayage and shaping the future of hair education, Candy opens up about the emotional cost of entrepreneurship, the power of independence, and how she learned to trust her instincts in the face of adversity. If you’ve ever questioned whether you’re enough, this episode is a must-listen.

Thank you to our Sponsors!!!

Vish: https://getvish.com/
Phorest: https://www.phorest.com/
Salon Books: https://www.mysalonbooks.com/
Salon Cadence: https://saloncadence.com/

From Stylist to Educator:
✨ How Candy Shaw went from second-generation stylist to global educator and beauty brand founder
The Costs of Launching:
✨ The emotional and financial realities of launching Sunlights Balayage
The Near-Giveup Feeling:
✨ What it felt like to almost give up—and the moment that brought her back
Mentor’s Wisdom:
✨ Wise advice from a mentor on staying true to your joy: “If it’s not fun, quit”
The Confidence Mantra:
✨ The one mantra that helped Candy reclaim her confidence: You are enough

Connect with Candy Shaw:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebalaylama/
Website: https://sunlightspro.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SunlightsPro

Connect with Salon Cadence:
https://saloncadence.com/
[email protected]

#BeautyEntrepreneur #SalonSuccess #WomenInBusiness #EntrepreneurMindset #BusinessGrowth #Salons #SalonOwner

Success doesn’t come without failure, and this podcast is here to share the REAL journey—so you can learn, grow, and build your own profitable life. ✨

🔥 Subscribe now & let’s grow together! 🔥

Success doesn’t come without failure, and this podcast is here to share the REAL journey—so you can learn, grow, and build your own profitable life. ✨

If you're a Salon, Spa, or Med Spa owner looking for real, unfiltered insights into building a successful business, you’re in the right place! This show is all about the good, the bad, and the ugly of the entrepreneurial journey.

✨ What to Expect:
✔️ Real stories from industry experts & business owners
✔️ No fluff—just raw, honest conversations
✔️ Insights on growth, confidence, and resilience
✔️ Weekly episodes packed with lessons & inspiration

🔥 Subscribe now & let’s grow together! 🔥