Do you love weddings and bridal hair? In this episode I'm meeting with Amber McKinney, a venue owner and mentor, who truly understands what it means to run an sustainable business and support your local wedding industry at it's core. You can connect with her further on Instagram at @vow.to.grow

Do you feel like you've been marketing your business but something just isn't working? Here is my advice for a little market research experiment to learn what marketing strategy resonates with you and how you can improve your client experience for new clients searching for a hairstylist.

In this episode we are uncovering recent trends in client spending habits, and uncovering the most important thing I focus on to maintain consistency in my business throughout an evolving economy.

In cosmetology school we are taught to avoid taboo topics like politics in the salon, but how do you completely avoid politics when hair itself has a history of being politically influenced? In this episode I get a little nerdy about the dark history of hair trends influenced by the guillotine (yes, the beheading machine used in the french revolution) and my best advice for gauging how to navigate political conversations behind the chair.

SOURCES (I know there are alot, but honestly I had so much fun reading all of them. There are many more stories included in these articles that I did not fit into this episode that I highly recommend learning about)

Wigs and hair powder:

https://www.battlefields.org/learn/head-tilting-history/rise-and-fall-powdered-wig

https://www.cutmytax.org/post/the-hair-powder-tax-the-reason-why-we-have-short-hair

A la victime : http://www.fashionencyclopedia.com/fashion_costume_culture/European-Culture-18th-Century/Fashion-la-Victime.html

1920s bob and present day:

https://www.stylist.co.uk/beauty/beautys-role-in-social-rebellion-activism-body-hair-red-lips-feminism-protest-history-suffragettes/137928

https://www.europenowjournal.org/2017/01/12/2158/

https://www.vogue.in/beauty/content/the-politics-of-hair-how-protest-hair-became-a-form-of-political-expression

https://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/5117/

https://fashionista.com/2017/04/bob-short-haircut-hairstyle-history

https://venturamuseum.org/research-library-blog/the-bad-bob/#:~:text=The%20new%20generation's%20bobbed%20hair,new%20fashion%20styles%20and%20attitudes.

Native American hair:

https://sistersky.com/blogs/sister-sky/america-s-native-american-boarding-schools-hair-cutting?srsltid=AfmBOooWrSRMh5pi3bxDC1hmlZTut1EXV4LXXRHkGRz2pTjGeGmuNAfG

Civil rights:

https://daily.jstor.org/how-natural-black-hair-at-work-became-a-civil-rights-issue/

CROWN Act:

https://www.epi.org/publication/crown-act/#:~:text=Over%2020%25%20of%20Black%20women%20ages%2025–34,to%20their%20hair%20(Dove%20and%20LinkedIn%202023).&text=While%20the%20Civil%20Rights%20Act%20of%201964,that%20manifest%20race%2C%20such%20as%20hair%20texture.

I know better than to comment on posts I don't agree with, but sometimes journalism is more important than avoiding the trolls in the comment section. So here I am in my inevitable demise. My eye twitching from some of the dumbest arguments from people just looking for a fight, and avoiding my IG notifications like the plague. Maybe I should have recorded something better this week, but I'm a little distracted by the Karen Read trial verdict watch, the heaviness of the world, and blinded by my frustrations of the misinformation being spread by platforms that should know how to fact check their articles– becuase it's not that difficult! But my topic for next week is a good one, so don't worry we won't be playing this ranty game again.

Have you ever been curious about what it's like to style hair for a funeral or if you could use your cosmetology license to become a full time hair and makeup artist for the deceased? In this episode I am sharing about my own experience styling hair after someone has passed, as well as what you need to know if mortuary cosmetics is something you would like to pursue in a more official capacity.

My favorite resources and media mentioned in the episode ⬇️

Bernie - a comedy/thriller starring Jack Black that's based on a true story. Currently available to watch on Amazon Prime

Books by Caitlin Doughty: https://caitlindoughty.com/books/ all of these are available on Amazon, and if you prefer audio books they are perfectly narrated by Caitlin herself and available on Audible— with Smoke Gets In Your Eyes being included in the Audible plus library for free with a subscription. I have read all 3 and enjoyed every single one, although From Here To Eternity is by far my favorite!

Videos by Caitlin Doughty about hair and makeup for funerals:

Part 1 https://youtu.be/tMyzwMCGl-k?si=Ubsmmn1ji8L5if4r

Part 2 https://youtu.be/4NYQ2aM13Hc?si=KV-MRx9xWbPUcH2V

Caitlin also has many more videos as part of her Ask A Mortician series that very educational and entertaining. 

A Good Cry podcast by Michael Cruz Kayne and his audible comedy special Sorry For Your Loss (included for free with and Audible Plus subscription) —if you cope with humor you will greatly appreciate this host!*

Death in the Afternoon podcast hosted by The Order of the Good Death*

*Neither of these podcasts have been updated since 2023, but I still highly enjoy listening to the past episodes 

On today’s agenda, we are talking about Governor Kevin Stitt of Oklahoma vetoing house bill 1030 which would have extended the life of the State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering until July 1, 2028. By vetoing the bill, the current expiration date is set for July 1, 2025 which has sparked a lot of controversy amongst the beauty industry about deregulation and the potential domino effect of this action.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/cosmetologists-try-convince-lawmakers-override-215350000.html

https://oklahoma.gov/governor/newsroom/newsroom/2025/gov--stitt-s-2025-veto-list.html

https://www.bls.gov/ooh/personal-care-and-service/barbers-hairstylists-and-cosmetologists.htm

Everything you need to know about the "No Tax On Tips Act" as a hairstylist or beauty pro so that you don't accidentally commit tax fraud... becuase you actually do still have to claim tips on your taxes.

Sources:

S. 129 - No Tax On Tips Act https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/129

IRS definition of tips https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/tip-recordkeeping-and-reporting#:~:text=Cash%20tips%20include%20tips%20received,directly%20and%20indirectly%20tipped%20employees.

PBA Economic Snapshot of the Salon Industry https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/eoDownloadDocument?pubId=&eodoc=true&documentID=212246#:~:text=One%20in%20Three%20Salon%2DIndustry,of%20Labor%20Statistics;%202021%20data

Have you ever felt frustrated by people not respecting your decision to be a hairstylist or all of the work you have done to build your salon into what it is today? Well hopefully this episode can give you some insight into my theory on how to actually gain the respect for your career that you're craving, and it might not be what you think.

Lawsuits are full of allegations and shade, but they also reveal a lot of the nuance that surrounds the truth. If you would like to read more about this case you can visit the links below 👇

https://www.cosmetologyschoolsettlement.com/home/documents/

https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/USCOURTS-mied-5_14-cv-10887/USCOURTS-mied-5_14-cv-10887-3/context