Does anyone else feel like it's the wild west out there right now? Some of us have already reopened, some of us are waiting to do so, and whether you've been in the salon and spa business for a few years or a few decades... this is new.

So to me, that means it's the perfect time to sit and chat with you about balance and boundaries. Do you have strong boundaries, or have the lines gotten a little bit blurry? And ego aside, how are you showing up? For your staff, your managers, but also for yourself?

Listen. There's so much noise and heaviness lately, so much second-guessing and uncertainty, that this week? I just need to have some real talk. Real talk about finding our own lane and staying in it. Real talk about showing (back) up authentically, on brand, and with your culture intact.

Grab a coffee (or a glass of wine, I won't judge) and tune in. Deep breaths, loves. We got this.

Well, here we are, Shutdown Week... Seven? Eight?

Confession: I've completely lost track. And from what I've heard from some of you, I'm definitely not alone. Things are changing at warp speed, and the world looks completely different from when we close our eyes at night to when we wake up in the morning.

With all that in mind, I thought it would be the perfect time to share the inspiring story and beautiful wisdom of Jennifer Goldman. She owns Essential Rose Life, the first mood enhancing beauty brand for skin and emotional wellbeing (sign me UP!). So tune in and get ready to fall in love with Jennifer — and to show some love to yourself, too.

Welcome back everyone! This week, I'm sharing my very first interview with the wise and wonderful Emillee Fernandes. Emillee is the owner of Jem Glamorganic Spa up in Canada, and the Dean and Founder of Jam Aesthetics Academy. 

Emillee and I went deep on fear of the unknown, the p-word (pivot), and a collective energy reactivation — no big deal! 

"We've mandated this time for our staff as personal growth time. Time to live, and figure out how we want to show back up [...] I've asked them to discern what they want their new normal to look like, what that feels like, what their soul craves. It can be as abstract as possible, because when we have that freedom to express and create, we can come together."

Emillee, thank you so much for being my first guest on Salon and Spa Coffee Talk! I could talk to you for hours, so I hope my listeners enjoy our conversation as much as I did. Thanks to everyone out there listening, too! If you want to learn more about Emillee, head on over to her website, or check her out on Instagram.

Welcome to the very first episode of Salon and Spa Coffee Talk! To kick things off, I want to tell you a little bit about some of the struggles I've had to overcome during my 20+ years in the beauty industry. I don't just mean running out of high-demand products or clean towels — I mean the big, catastrophic, life-changing stuff.

Because guess what? I've been through a lot of that. And as many of us salon and spa owners are staring at an uncertain future right now, I want you all to know: you will get through this. Together.

Hey fellow salon and spa owners, are you ready for some real talk? In my 25 years in the beauty and wellness world, I've discovered some hard truths under all the glam — truths about our finances, our business plans, and what it takes to make it.

I'm Melissa Joy Olson, and my new podcast is about all of that. Every other week, I'll be talking shop with the mentors and industry friends who helped me get where I am today, and with other salon and spa owners who are changing the game today. From the pain points to the beauty points, we'll dive deep into why we're here, what we value, and where we're going next.

Want in? Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform, and I'll see you soon with episode 1. It's time to make this industry beautiful from the inside out.