Let me tell you something... your salon culture is EVERYTHING when it comes to growing a strong, loyal, and high-performing team. It's what keeps your stylists engaged, motivated, and OBSESSED with being a part of your business. And guess what? YOU get to decide what your culture looks and feels like!

In this episode, I'm pulling back the curtain on: 

✅ What culture REALLY means and why it's the backbone of your business 

✅ How my own culture was a MESS in 2018/2019 and the hard lessons I learned

✅ Proven strategies to make work FUN, engaging, and a place your team LOVES to be 

✅ The biggest mistakes salon owners make with culture (and how to fix them!)

Culture doesn't happen by accident—it happens by DESIGN!

Listen in now, and let's design a culture that fuels your success!

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What's your biggest fear about hiring an assistant?

For most salon owners, it isn't finding someone... it's investing time, money, and energy into training them only to have them leave.

In this episode, I'm sharing the mindset shift that completely changed the way I look at hiring and growing a team. We talk about why fear keeps so many salon owners stuck, why courage comes before confidence, and how to stop letting the "what ifs" hold you back from building the business you actually want.

If hiring has been on your mind, this episode is one you don't want to miss.

✨ The biggest hiring fear salon owners face

✨ Why fear is keeping you stuck

✨ How to stop taking turnover personally

✨ Why growing a team creates more freedom and opportunity

✨ The mindset shift that changed everything for me

If this episode encouraged you, be sure to share it with another salon owner who needs to hear it!!

Grab your FREE LG Education Tracker here ⤵️

https://lg-education.kit.com/79e22eb54f

One of the questions I get asked all the time is…

"Should I pay for my assistant's education and certifications?"

In this episode, we're diving into one of the biggest debates in the salon industry. Should salon owners cover the cost of extension certifications, education, and training? Or should assistants be responsible for investing in their own careers?

I'm sharing exactly how we've approached this in our salon, why I believe ownership matters, and how you can support your assistants without taking on the entire financial responsibility.

✨ Should You Pay for Extension Certifications? Why my answer is usually no—and why learning to invest in themselves is one of the greatest lessons you can teach an assistant.

✨ The 90-Day Reimbursement Strategy A simple system that rewards commitment while protecting your business and encouraging long-term growth.

✨ Your Apprenticeship Is Already an Education Your assistants are learning behind the chair every single day. Hands-on experience, mentorship, and monthly education are already a huge investment in their future.

✨ Using Retail Commission to Fund Education Offering retail commission toward classes can be a great incentive—but make sure you have clear expectations if someone leaves your team.

✨ People Value What They Invest In When assistants contribute to their own education, they're more committed, more engaged, and more likely to take their growth seriously.

✨ Skills Matter More Than Certificates A certification doesn't automatically make someone a great stylist. Consistent practice, coaching, and experience are what truly build confidence and mastery.

✨ Lead with Generosity—But Be Wise Supporting your team doesn't always mean paying for everything. Learn how to create a culture of generosity while also setting healthy business boundaries.

If you've ever struggled with deciding what you should (or shouldn't) pay for when it comes to assistant education, this episode is for you.

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If you've ever told yourself, "I'll start Monday," "I just need more motivation," or "I can't seem to stay consistent," this episode is for you.

This week on The Level Up with Lacey Podcast, I'm joined by the very first repeat guest in podcast history, Jess from White Fox Styling! 🎉

We're diving into the daily rituals, habits, and routines that have completely transformed not only our businesses, but our lives. From morning routines and Sunday prep to nutrition, sleep, discipline, and personal development, we're talking about the small things that create BIG results over time.

In this episode, we discuss:

✨ Why daily rituals can change your life

✨ The truth about motivation vs. discipline

✨ Morning and evening routines that set you up for success

✨ Why protein, sleep, and movement matter more than you think

✨ How leaders can coach by example

✨ The power of personal development for salon owners and teams

✨ Getting back on track when life happens

✨ Breaking free from the all-or-nothing mindset

✨ Creating accountability without micromanaging

✨ Why investing in yourself is always worth it

If you've been feeling stuck, overwhelmed, inconsistent, or simply ready for your next level of growth, this conversation will give you practical takeaways you can start implementing immediately.

Remember: Success isn't built in one giant moment. It's built in the small habits you repeat every single day.

If your salon team has been showing up a little too casual lately, you’re not imagining it… and you’re definitely not alone!

In this episode, we're getting real about that moment every salon owner dreads: when your once-polished, on-brand team starts looking more “Sunday Target run” than “$100/hour luxury service.” But don’t worry… we’re not here to shame anyone or stir up drama. We’re here to fix it with love, leadership, and zero nagging.

If you've ever looked around your salon and thought, "How do I address this without hurting feelings?" this episode is for you.

 In this episode, you'll learn:

✨ How to have dress code conversations without making them uncomfortable

✨ Why seasonal reminders matter more than one-time policies

✨ How visual examples can eliminate confusion

✨ A simple self-assessment exercise your team can use

✨ Ways to create a culture where presentation and professionalism matter

✨ The importance of hygiene, effort, and showing up as the professional you are

Because at the end of the day... People buy beauty from people who look like they believe in beauty.

Grab our Salon lace. Dress code here ⤵️

Dress Code⁠

Click the link below to give me any podcast recommendations that YOU want to hear!!

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Grab your notebook and let's dive in! 🎙️✨

Let's have a real conversation today...

If you've ever felt stuck, second-guessed yourself, worried about what other people might think, or hesitated to make a big move in your business because it felt scary AF... this episode is for you.

I'm sharing some personal stories, lessons I've learned through building my business, and the reality of what it takes to grow. Because the truth is, success isn't reserved for the lucky few. It's available to the people willing to take calculated risks, bet on themselves, and keep moving forward even when fear shows up.

In this episode, we'll chat about:

- Why building a strong team can completely change your business and your life

- The relationship between risk and reward

- How to handle criticism without letting it derail you

- Why staying busy and focused matters when self-doubt creeps in

- The importance of having a strong support system around you

- How to stop letting fear make decisions for your future

At the end of the day, everything you've been wanting the growth, the freedom, the success, the impact… lives on the other side of fear.

So if you've been waiting for a sign to go all in on yourself... this is it.

We are doing something a little new and exciting this summer!! This episode is part of our Summer Replay Series. ☀️ Where we’re bringing back some of the most downloaded, most shared, and most impactful episodes in The Level Up with Lacey Podcast history. These are the conversations that sparked huge breakthroughs, major mindset shifts, and BIG lightbulb moments for salon owners everywhere… and this one is absolutely worth revisiting.

Your stylists want full books… but they’re refusing to market themselves… 

If you’re constantly reminding your commission team to post on social media, share openings, take photos, make reels, or simply show up online… this episode is for YOU.

Because here’s the truth:

In 2026, social media is no longer optional for hairstylists. It’s part of the job.

In this episode, we’re talking about:

✨ What to do when stylists say they “hate social media”

✨ How to stop feeling like you have to babysit grown adults

✨ The difference between being overwhelmed vs. unwilling

✨ Why unclear expectations create frustrated salon owners

✨ How to create a culture where marketing is NORMAL

✨ The hard conversation: are they actually the right fit for your team?

We’re also unpacking the constant excuses:

“I don’t know what to post.”

“I don’t like being on camera.”

“I don’t want to feel salesy.”

Are those valid struggles? Sometimes.

But are they also keeping stylists broke and dependent Absolutely.

This episode is a little ranty, a little tough love, and VERY necessary for salon owners trying to build a team of stylists who actually take ownership of their growth.

Because building your clientele is part of being a professional stylist now. Period.

🔥 Grab Lacey’s Social Strategies, Social Commitment + Social Batch Training: https://lg-education.kit.com/c1d5ad7811

🎧 Listen to Slow Growing Assistants: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/slow-growing-assistants/id1680369235?i=1000619121116

🖤 Join Coach Ani’s Content Coven: https://clients.contentcovenedu.com/courses/offers/8865d193-657e-42c6-bb7a-7f678c378401

Let’s talk about one of the BIGGEST fears salon owners have when growing a team…
“How do I put a brand-new stylist on the floor without clients freaking out?”

Because the truth is… most salon owners are terrified that the second a guest hears the word “new”, they’ll immediately assume inexperienced, low quality, or risky.

But here’s the reality:
Your fully booked senior stylist was once the stylist nobody knew about yet too.

In this episode, I’m breaking down exactly how to confidently launch a new talent stylist, how your front desk should position them, how to market them online, and how to fill their books FAST… without making them sound “cheap” or inexperienced.

We’re talking about:
✨ The luxury language your front desk SHOULD be using
✨ What NOT to say when booking new talent
✨ How confidence from your team directly impacts guest trust
✨ The exact mindset shift salon owners need to make
✨ Social media and website ideas to market emerging stylists
✨ How to use availability and intro pricing strategically
✨ Why guests actually LOVE discovering rising talent
✨ How to position your salon as an education-based salon brand

And one of the biggest reminders in this episode:New talent does NOT mean low value.

If your salon has structure, training, and consistency behind the scenes… your guests will feel that.

This episode is packed with practical scripts, positioning strategies, and mindset shifts that will help you stop apologizing for your new stylists and start confidently building future demand inside your salon.

🎧 Listen now if:
— You’re preparing to launch an assistant onto the floor
— Your front desk struggles explaining pricing tiers
— You’re scared clients won’t trust newer stylists
— You want to grow your team without hurting your salon brand

Ultimate Assistant Guide:
Ultimate Assistant Guide

Podcast Recommendations:
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This one might hit a nerve… but we’re saying it anyway.

Assistants are SLOW in the beginning.

That’s normal. That’s expected. That’s part of the process.

But here’s where things start to go sideways…They stay slow—and you start getting frustrated—without ever giving them a clear target to work toward.

In this episode, I’m breaking down the difference between normal beginner slowness and a full-blown training gap… and what you need to fix ASAP if you want your assistants to actually improve.

We’re talking about:

• Why “pick up the pace” is NOT real direction (and what to say instead)
• The exact moment you should start focusing on speed in your training program
• How reps + timing + pressure = confidence (and faster assistants)
• The biggest mistake salon owners make when it comes to assistant growth
• My simple system to build speed without sacrificing skill

Because here’s the truth…
Speed is a skill. And skills are built with reps and clear expectations.

If you don’t have timing standards, structure, or urgency built into your training… you don’t have a “slow assistant” problem—
You have a system problem.

And we’re fixing that today.

Grab the tools I mentioned:Timing Goals Sheet: https://canva.link/32anwhjqghy3u3vUltimate Assistant Guide: https://lg-education.mykajabi.com/ultimateassistantguide

Got something you want me to cover on the podcast? Send it my way... I’m all ears.

Have Something You Want to Hear on the Podcast

If I had to rebuild my salon from the ground up… I wouldn’t do ten things differently. I’d do THREE. That’s it.

Because when I look back, most of the struggles I went through weren’t random… they were the result of what I wasn’t doing yet.

In this episode, I’m breaking down the three things that would have changed everything for me sooner—and will for you too.

We’re talking about:

• Why hiring from desperation will always cost you more (and what to do instead)

• The systems I wish I started YEARS earlier... and how they remove you as the bottleneck

• The real reason your team might feel “off”… and how to fix it with one shift

This episode is simple, but powerful.

Because these three things build on each other:

The right people. The right structure. The right direction.

If you’re feeling overworked, doing everything yourself, and stuck wondering where to even start… this is for you.

Pick ONE thing from this episode and start there. That’s how everything begins to change.

And if that one thing is systems…

My Ultimate Assistant Guide is exactly what I wish I had when I was building this from scratch. It walks you through your training, onboarding, expectations... everything.

Right now it’s $200 off (just $99 with code 2026) → Click Here!

If this episode hit for you, send it to another salon owner who needs to hear it.

And if you have a topic you want me to cover next, there’s a link below to submit it... I read every single one!

Have Something You Want to Hear on the Podcast

Nothing changes if nothing changes.

So pick one… and just start.