Hair culture changes from city to city, and Mitsuhiro Ando has seen that firsthand.

Mitsuhiro joins salonMonster to talk about his path from growing up in Tokyo and attending hair school in Japan, to discovering barbering in Melbourne, to building his work in Vancouver.

This short conversation touches on barbering, skin fades, Japanese hair culture, Vancouver’s diverse hair textures, and how inspiration can come from far beyond the salon.

You’ll hear about:

✅How Mitsuhiro got into hairdressing in Tokyo
✅Why he shifted from traditional hairstyling into barbering
✅What drew him to skin fade haircutting
The difference between Japanese hair culture and Vancouver hair culture
✅Why Vancouver’s diversity changes the way barbers think about fit, texture, and style
✅How travel, museums, architecture, and different cities inspire his work
✅What he would tell his younger self about building a barbering career

For hairstylists, barbers, salon owners, and independent beauty pros, this is a reminder that style is shaped by more than technique. It is shaped by place, culture, curiosity, and the people sitting in your chair.

Connect with Mitsuhiro Ando:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mits_ando/
Connect with salonMonster:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/salonmonster/
More salonMonster podcast episodes: https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UC0oGUoOz3xLklSzb3IT5YYw/content/podcasts
Start your 14-day trial: https://salonmonster.com/

Chapters

00:00 Opening
00:25 Meet Mitsuhiro Ando
00:56 Finding a barbershop in Vancouver
01:21 From Tokyo hair school to barbering in Melbourne
01:55 Getting curious about skin fades
02:34 Japanese hair culture vs. Vancouver hair culture
03:11 Working with diverse hair textures in Vancouver
03:37 Advice for his younger barber self
04:02 Finding inspiration through travel, museums, and architecture
05:15 Japanese hair training and North American barbering
06:28 Hair school and apprenticeship in Japan
07:22 Where to follow Mitsuhiro

What does real mastery look like in the hair industry?

In this conversation, Liam talks with Joseph DiMaggio about the long, messy, deeply human path from cutting hair on tour to working backstage at Fashion Week, building education systems, mentoring stylists, and creating tools with intention.

Joseph shares how his early background in engineering shaped the way he thinks about haircutting, finishing, education, and efficiency. Instead of chasing shortcuts, his approach centers on repetition, failure, mentorship, and understanding the “why” behind every choice.

This episode goes into the parts of the beauty industry that don’t always get glamorized: the pressure of backstage work, the emotional weight of teaching, the difference between customer service and true hospitality, and why technical skill alone is not always enough to build a successful salon career.

You’ll hear about:

✅Joseph’s unexpected start cutting hair while touring in a band
✅What Fashion Week teaches stylists that salon work often doesn’t
✅Why failure is one of the most important parts of building confidence
✅The meaning behind Shokunin Click and mastering your craft to serve others
✅How hospitality can set a stylist or salon apart
✅Why consultation, environment, and nonverbal cues matter with difficult clients
✅Joseph’s approach to tools, ergonomics, education, and the Pomo PM1 dryer

For hairstylists, salon owners, educators, barbers, and beauty pros who care about craft, this one is a reminder: the best work is not built on shortcuts. It is built on intention, repetition, mentorship, and doing the work until the why becomes part of your hands.

Connect with Joseph DiMaggio:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fashionmeetspassion/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fashionmeetspassion
Education Platform: https://www.shokuninclikacademy.com/education
Follow salonMonster:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/salonmonster/
More podcast episodes: https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UC0oGUoOz3xLklSzb3IT5YYw/content/podcasts
Start your 14-day trial: https://salonmonster.com/

Chapters

00:00 Meet Joseph DiMaggio
02:09 Cutting hair on tour before cosmetology school
04:34 The haircut that changed Joseph’s path
06:02 From New York salons to Fashion Week
07:58 Why editorial success did not feel like enough
14:41 Moving deeper into hair education and mentorship
18:42 Building systems with an engineering brain
20:15 What backstage teaches salon stylists
23:42 Creating a trained, non-cutthroat Fashion Week team
29:43 How stylists train for Joseph’s backstage team
33:20 What “Shokunin Click” means
43:38 Taking the long road instead of shortcuts
47:06 Why educating is its own craft
51:17 Failure, confidence, and learning through mistakes
55:18 Joseph’s advice for new hairstylists
58:36 Why clients really come to the salon
1:05:09 Consultations, difficult clients, and earning trust
1:11:08 Why finding the right mentor matters
1:14:06 Joseph’s tool background and the Pomo PM1 dryer
1:27:56 Where to find Joseph

Finding the right salon is not just about getting a chair. It is about finding a space where you can grow, be respected, and actually feel like you fit.

Rin Csinos joins salonMonster to talk about their path into hair, from cutting hair as a kid to going through hair school, apprenticing, working independently, and eventually finding a salon environment that felt right.

This conversation is especially useful for hairstylists, apprentices, independent beauty pros, and salon owners who care about culture, education, and making the day-to-day business side feel less overwhelming.

You’ll hear about:

✅How Rin got started in hair
✅Why salon fit matters so much for stylists
✅What they learned from apprenticeship and early salon environments
✅Why new stylists should invest in their own education
✅How online hairstylists and creators can be powerful learning resources
✅The value of watching other stylists work
✅Why salonMonster feels approachable and easy to use
✅How streamlined booking software can help independent hairstylists run their business with less friction

Rin also shares honest advice for stylists starting out: listen more, learn as much as you can, and don’t rely only on a salon to build your education for you.

Connect with Rin Csinos:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rinowyid_hair/?hl=en
Connect with salonMonster:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/salonmonster/
More salonMonster podcast episodes: https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UC0oGUoOz3xLklSzb3IT5YYw/content/podcasts
Start your 14-day trial: https://salonmonster.com/

Chapters

00:00 Meet Rin Csinos
00:34 How Rin got into hair
00:59 Hair school, apprenticeship, and early salon experiences
01:41 Finding a salon space that fits
02:28 Advice Rin would give their younger stylist self
03:25 Why stylists should invest in their own education
04:01 Where Rin finds hair inspiration online
04:34 Hairstylists and creators Rin recommends
05:12 How salonMonster helps day to day
05:48 Why salonMonster works for independent hairstylists
06:30 Couch upholstery, salon chaos, and keeping it human
07:04 Closing thoughts

Great haircuts are not built on technique alone.

Bronwen Robinson joins Liam to talk about the deeper craft of hairdressing: developing your eye, learning how to read the client in front of you, and understanding why the feeling behind a haircut matters just as much as the shape.

Bronwen shares her path from being drawn to fashion, to early education with Tony & Guy, to starting over as an apprentice at Bumble and Bumble in New York. She reflects on the impact of razor cutting, the Bumble education legacy, and what it means to move beyond copying collections into making choices that actually fit the person in the chair.

This conversation is especially valuable for hairstylists, barbers, salon owners, and beauty educators who care about craft, consultation, and building a long-term career behind the chair.

You’ll hear about:

✅Why some stylists learn visually while others learn technically
✅How to develop your eye as a hairdresser
✅The role of emotion, references, and intuition in haircutting
✅Why clients give information, but stylists still need to interpret it
✅How honesty in consultation can build more trust
✅What razor cutting education can teach beyond the tool itself
✅Why teaching from fear does not help stylists grow
✅Bronwen’s time at Bumble and Bumble and the legacy of that education
✅Building a career that still feels creative after decades in the industry

For any beauty pro who has ever thought, “I know the technique, but something still feels missing,” this one will hit.

Connect with Bronwen Robinson:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bronwenrobins/
Website: https://www.robinsnestbybronwen.com/
Education: https://www.robinsnestbybronwen.com/pro-education
Follow salonMonster:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/salonmonster/
YouTube Podcast Channel: https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UC0oGUoOz3xLklSzb3IT5YYw/content/podcasts
Try salonMonster free for 14 days: https://salonmonster.com/

Chapters

00:00 - How Bronwen found her way into hair
03:31 - Early education, Tony & Guy, and learning to teach
05:38 - Moving to New York to connect hair with fashion
08:19 - Starting over at Bumble and the roots of razor cutting
13:40 - Visual vs. technical learning in hairdressing
16:16 - Developing the eye, feeling, and using references
20:05 - Reading between the lines in consultation
22:22 - Why clients guide the cut but do not dictate it
24:06 - Honest experimentation and building trust
27:09 - Curiosity, students, and the puzzle of education
30:23 - Bumble mentors, fashion, and industry legacy
36:14 - Life after Bumble and earning choice
41:16 - Freelance education, look-and-learns, and workshops
47:38 - Teaching from safety instead of fear
56:21 - Custom classes and how Bronwen teaches now
58:45 - How to book Bronwen for education

What makes a salon team stay?

Samuel Bligh, owner of Proper Hair Salon in Vancouver, joins salonMonster to talk about the long, real path from stylist to salon owner, and what he has learned about building a salon where people feel supported, clients feel connected, and growth does not come at the cost of culture.

Samuel shares how he got started in the Vancouver hair industry, the moment he decided to open his own salon, and what it actually took to take over an existing space, renovate fast, keep the team steady, and slowly build something that felt like his own.

This conversation goes beyond the usual salon ownership story. Samuel talks openly about the hard parts of managing people, the difference a strong salon manager can make, and why giving your team a clean, professional space is not always enough. For him, the real work is connection: making stylists feel appreciated, giving them support, and creating a place where their career can grow.

You’ll hear about:

✅Samuel’s start in the Vancouver hair industry
✅Taking over and renovating his first salon space
✅The shift from stylist to salon owner
✅Why managing people became one of the biggest learning curves
✅How bringing in a salon manager changed the business
✅Building a hybrid salon with commission, chair rental, and contract work
✅Growing from 7 chairs to 15 chairs without losing the team culture
✅Why education still matters after 10, 15, or 20 years behind the chair
✅Staying creative with an established clientele
✅The role of community in building Proper Hair Salon
✅Why salon software choice became part of the bigger brand conversation

For hairstylists, salon owners, barbers, nail artists, lash techs, independent beauty pros, and educators, this episode is a grounded look at what it takes to build a salon that is not just busy, but healthy, consistent, and built around people.

Connect with Samuel Bligh:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samuel_properhairsalon/?hl=en
Follow salonMonster:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/salonmonster/
More salonMonster podcast episodes: https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UC0oGUoOz3xLklSzb3IT5YYw/content/podcasts
Start a 14-day trial: https://salonmonster.com/

Chapters
00:00 Meet Samuel Bligh of Proper Hair Salon
00:12 Starting in the Vancouver hair industry
01:32 Early salon experience, AXIS, and Davines
02:41 Going independent after 10 years behind the chair
03:41 The story of buying his first salon
06:00 Taking over the Dunsmuir salon space
06:04 Renovating the salon in nine days
08:41 The hardest part of becoming a salon owner
09:44 Finding Lisa and bringing in a salon manager
11:19 Why front-of-house support changed the business
13:38 The lesson Samuel would tell his younger owner self
16:12 Why ongoing education still matters
18:30 Moving Proper Hair Salon into a larger space
21:38 Building a hybrid salon model
22:59 Growing from 7 chairs to 15 chairs
24:36 Helping stylists take initiative with education
27:29 Staying creative with long-term clients
28:59 Mentors and staying excited after 22 years
31:03 Why community matters at Proper Hair Salon
32:07 Why Proper Hair Salon chose salonMonster
34:07 Closing thoughts

What does it actually take to build a salon where people feel comfortable walking through the door?

Michelle joins salonMonster to talk about her path from hair school in Victoria to opening Vamp, stepping into salon ownership, and slowly building a space rooted in trust, communication, education, and community.

This conversation is for hairstylists, salon owners, independent beauty pros, and educators who care about more than just the technical side of the work. Michelle shares what helped her grow behind the chair, why confidence often means doing the thing that feels awkward, and how creating a welcoming salon culture can shape the entire client and team experience.

You’ll hear about:

✅Michelle’s early path into hairdressing
✅What she learned from mentorship and ongoing education
✅Opening a salon with a friend, then becoming the sole owner
✅Creating an inclusive salon space where people feel comfortable
✅Building clientele through walk-ins, referrals, and simply showing up
✅Why clear communication matters when leading a team
✅The difference between chair rental, employees, and hybrid salon models
✅How education changes once you become a salon owner
✅Why slow steps can build a stronger foundation for ownership
✅The importance of leaning on community instead of doing everything alone
✅Michelle also talks about salonMonster, simple tools that make the day run smoother, and why small efficiencies can make a real difference behind the chair.

Connect with Michelle:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hairbymichelleprive/?hl=en
Follow salonMonster:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/salonmonster/
YouTube Podcast Channel: https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UC0oGUoOz3xLklSzb3IT5YYw/content/podcasts
Try salonMonster free for 14 days: https://salonmonster.com/

Chapters

00:00 - Meet Michelle
01:06 - Hair school, mentorship, and early education
02:12 - Opening Vamp and becoming a salon owner
03:02 - Creating a space for “weird, awkward” people
03:21 - Building an inclusive salon culture
04:27 - Confidence advice for younger stylists
05:20 - COVID, adaptability, and compassion
06:03 - Products, tools, and simple efficiencies
07:23 - Michelle’s favorite salonMonster feature
07:43 - Growing a clientele through referrals and walk-ins
08:48 - What Michelle would tell herself on day one
09:29 - Chair rental, employees, and a hybrid salon model
10:37 - Why salonMonster feels easy to use
10:51 - Finding inspiration in vintage magazines
12:04 - Building team culture with clear communication
12:30 - Education, ownership, and staying curious
14:22 - Avoiding burnout by changing roles
15:16 - Slow steps and the foundation of ownership
15:43 - Why salon ownership takes a village
16:11 - Final thoughts

Can old-school barbering still build a strong book in 2026?

Ivan Zoot thinks so. Known to many as Clipper Guy, he joins Liam to talk barbering, client retention, and why the fundamentals of good service have not changed much at all.

After 40 years in the business, Ivan is heading back into the barbershop part-time with a simple hypothesis: despite social media, online booking, AI, and everything else that has changed, cutting hair for money still runs on the same human basics.

It gets into the real stuff: building clientele, why word of mouth still matters, what keeps a client long-term, and why being 100% booked is not always the goal. Ivan's clearest advice for new barbers and stylists is to show up, be present, and do the work. That means connecting with people in person, not just through a phone screen.

You'll hear about:

Ivan's return to the barbershop after the pandemic

Why old-school barbering fundamentals still matter

The "three haircut" approach to client retention

Why 80% booked may actually be fully booked

Barber shop community and connecting with other pros

What new barbers and stylists need to know about building a career

Why social media helps, but should not replace real relationships

Being an interesting human outside of work

Lessons from education, stage work, and staying in the game

For barbers, stylists, salon owners, and educators building something steady and sustainable behind the chair.

Connect with Ivan Zoot:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ivanzoot/

Website: https://www.ivanzoot.com

Education Platform: https://www.ivanzoot.com/usd100k-haircutter

Follow salonMonster:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/salonmonster/

More podcast episodes: https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UC0oGUoOz3xLklSzb3IT5YYw/content/podcasts

Start a 14-day trial: https://salonmonster.com/

Chapters

00:00 Meet Ivan Zoot

00:14 Ivan's intro: Clipper Guy and 40 years in the business

01:44 Returning behind the chair after the pandemic

03:04 Ivan's old-school barbering hypothesis

05:45 Why people have not changed as fast as technology

08:55 "It's not like it used to be"

12:10 The three-haircut rule for client retention

17:34 Why 80% booked is fully booked

20:13 Barber shop community and the barber breakfast idea

24:01 Why the shop across the street is not your enemy

25:37 Barber unions, licensing, and industry standards

30:17 Being licensed does not always mean

What builds confidence behind the chair?

For Ricardo Vacas, the answer is simple: repetition, discipline, humility, and real practice on real people.

Ricardo talks with Liam from salonMonster about how he went from cutting his own hair as a teenager in Spain to becoming a Vancouver barber, shop owner, and educator. He is honest about the parts people skip over: early-career ego, the moments that humble you, and the gap between knowing the theory and having enough reps to trust your hands.

For beginner barbers, stylists, salon owners, and educators, it is a reminder that skill is built through practice and feedback, not shortcuts.

In this episode, Liam and Ricardo talk about:

Why hair schools need more hands-on practice

Doing more real haircuts early on

How repetition builds confidence behind the chair

Why scissor-over-comb is still a foundation skill

The difference between knowing something and teaching it

How education brought Ricardo's passion back

Why advanced education is an investment, not an expense

Staying humble after decades in the industry

Building a barbering career, a shop, and an education path in Vancouver

Connect with Ricardo Vacas:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kerpbarber/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kerpbarber

Education Platform: https://www.instagram.com/kerpeducation/

Connect with salonMonster:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/salonmonster/

More podcast episodes: https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UC0oGUoOz3xLklSzb3IT5YYw/content/podcasts

Start a 14-day trial: https://salonmonster.com/

Chapters

00:00 Intro to Ricardo Vacas, aka Kerp Barber

00:54 From Spain to Vancouver and finding barber education again

03:59 Fine Edge, Rodney, and building a barber education network

05:19 How Ricardo started cutting hair as a teenager

07:15 Going to hair school and starting as an apprentice

09:20 What Ricardo would tell new barbers and stylists today

10:31 Why hair school needs more real hands-on practice

11:50 Cutting 1,500 people before working professionally

13:46 Why one haircut a day is not enough

14:47 Why experience is still the best teacher

17:40 What hair schools should change: practice, discipline, foundations

19:36 Why scissor-over-comb is still a foundation skill

20:56 Fixing bad scissor habits and building muscle memory

29:02 Early-career confidence, ego, and getting humbled

31:00 The haircut correction Ricardo never forgot

34:38 Beginner's mind and staying humble in your craft

36:47 How teaching barbering happened by accident

39:24 Learning haircut terminology in English

41:04 Why Ricardo keeps investing in advanced education

42:35 How online education changed access for barbers and stylists

43:36 Taking one-to-one education with DJ Muldoon

44:37 How one class changed Ricardo's approach to hair

45:55 The big takeaway: reps, education, and humility

46:47 What's next for Ricardo, Kerp Barber, and education

49:31 Stepping back from the chair to focus more on teaching

50:06 Where to find Ricardo online

A long hair career does not happen by accident.

Charlie Price has been in the industry since the 1980s, and his path has touched every corner of hairdressing: salon ownership, Aveda education, Revlon Professional, New York and Milan Fashion Week, editorial work, competitions, and underground magazines.

Liam and Charlie talk about what keeps hairdressers inspired over time: strong education, real fundamentals, creative risk, mentors, and salon culture. Charlie also gets honest about awards, social media, influencer-style education, and why the basics still matter no matter what the trend is called this month.

One for stylists, salon owners, educators, barbers, and colorists building a long-term career.

You'll hear about:

Charlie's early days in Denver and his start in beauty school

The Aveda years, advanced education, and working with major industry names

What Fashion Week taught him about creative hair

Why awards helped his career, and why he eventually stepped back

The difference between real education and attention-driven hair content

Why hairdressers need credentials, confidence, and proper pricing

Editorial hair, underground magazines, zines, and staying creatively connected

What still excites Charlie about hair after decades in the industry

Connect with Charlie Price

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/charliepricehair/?hl=en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/charlie.price.16

Connect with salonMonster

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/salonmonster/

YouTube Podcast Channel: https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UC0oGUoOz3xLklSzb3IT5YYw/content/podcasts

Start a 14-day trial: https://salonmonster.com/

Chapters

00:00 Meet Charlie Price

00:15 From Denver hairdresser to Aveda, Revlon & Fashion Week

03:39 Beauty school, Aveda roots & Sassoon-influenced training

05:47 Falling in love with the salon environment

06:21 Knowing he wanted the creative side of hair

07:25 First fashion shows and learning every hair texture

08:34 Competitions, NAHA, and the pull of awards

10:16 When awards started to feel political

13:09 Why awards once mattered for educators and clients

16:29 Career advice for new hairdressers

18:10 Making money, committing to growth, and charging properly

21:21 The gap in educator training

21:57 Influencers, educators, and scattered hair education

24:44 Why creative teams and hair shows felt different before social media

27:45 Global salon culture and how hairdressing is valued differently

30:14 Editorial work, print magazines, and underground zines

32:15 Retirement, photo shoots, and keeping the creative itch alive

37:43 Shooting on iPhone and editing by hand

40:05 Travel, hair show circuits, and the reality behind the stage

43:40 Health

Hairdressers face more inspiration photos, faster trends, bigger expectations, and now AI-generated "hair" that isn't always possible on a real human head.

Liam sits down with Sonya Dove to talk about real longevity in the hair industry: patience, mentorship, honest education, creative growth, and telling clients the truth when their dream hair needs more time than social media suggests. Sonya shares stories from her 45 years in hairdressing, including her early competition days, her long relationship with Wella, her move from England to the US, and the lessons that shaped her as an educator and mentor.

They also discuss how education has changed since digital learning emerged, why face-to-face connection still matters, and how AI images, edited competition photos, and unrealistic celebrity transformations make honesty in hair color more important than ever.

In this episode:

Why success takes longer than social media makes it look
How mentorship helps stylists find their lane
Why color work is getting more complex
The danger of AI-generated hair inspiration
Why honest consultations protect client and stylist

Connect with Sonya Dove:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesonyadove/?hl=en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sonya.dove.7

More from salonMonster:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/salonmonster/
YouTube: https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UC0oGUoOz3xLklSzb3IT5YYw/content/podcasts

Start a 14-day trial: https://salonmonster.com/

Chapters

00:00 Meet Sonya Dove
00:50 42 years with Wella and the start of her career
01:31 Entering hair competitions and learning patience
02:29 From Devonshire salon owner to Wella educator
03:26 The move from England to the United States
06:35 Why the grass is not always greener with another brand
07:52 How hair education changed from in-person to digital
10:28 Teaching through a screen during COVID
15:03 Sonya's advice for young hairdressers seeking mentorship
16:01 Film hair, Game of Thrones, and finding your lane
18:26 How specialization changed the industry
19:25 Why color is getting harder
21:13 Why great artists do not always make great teachers
24:42 Why students need to speak up when they do not understand
26:18 Why real success can take 15 years
27:12 Salon suites, team salons, and learning by osmosis
30:37 Finding people who will tell you the truth
32:14 Sonya's role as Artistic Director for Intercoiffure
33:43 Knowing where your energy belongs
35:32 When things happen too quickly in the industry
36:30 AI, competitions, and edited hair images
40:07 Unrealistic celebrity hair transformations
41:34 The Sophie Turner blonde story
43:00 Why hairdressers need more truth on social media
43:27 Butterfly cuts, wolf cuts, and trend names
44:23 Why AI hair inspiration can mislead clients
46:38 What Sonya is working on now
48:00 Dance, fear, and doing something outside of hair
51:11 Where to find Sonya Dove