A strong barbering career is not built by buying every new clipper or pushing yourself harder every day. It is built through listening, mentorship, steady practice, and enough self-kindness to keep growing.

Vincent Franklin grew up around the hair industry and comes from a sixth-generation hair family, but his own path into barbering took time. After working in office environments, the disruption of COVID led him to reconsider his career, attend hair school in Vancouver, and commit to the profession he had been interested in since childhood.

Vincent shares what helped him develop during his first three years behind the chair: taking the craft seriously without allowing ambition to become self-punishment, bringing communication skills from previous jobs into client conversations, finding generous mentors, and understanding that barbering knowledge is passed from one generation of professionals to the next.

As a new father and commission-based contractor, he also reflects on schedule flexibility, emotional fulfilment, and how meaningful work can give you more energy for life outside the shop.

You’ll learn:

✅Why listening is one of the most valuable skills behind the chair
✅How mentorship and community can accelerate your development
✅Why ambition needs to be balanced with self-kindness
✅How barber training and hair culture differ between Germany and Canada
✅Why mastering one tool may be more valuable than constantly buying new equipment
✅How cutting with both hands can support balance, body positioning, and ergonomics
✅What Vincent values in the salon software and support he uses

This conversation offers a grounded look at starting a barbering career, developing technical skill, building stronger client relationships, and finding a sustainable way to grow in the beauty industry.

CONNECT WITH VINCENT

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/barbervince604/

MORE FROM SALONMONSTER
salonMonster Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/salonmonster/
Watch more salonMonster podcast episodes:
https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UC0oGUoOz3xLklSzb3IT5YYw/content/podcasts
Start your 14-day salonMonster trial:
https://salonmonster.com/

Chapters

00:00 Meet Vincent Franklin
00:22 Growing Up in a Sixth-Generation Hair Family
02:01 Starting Barber School During COVID
03:20 Balancing Ambition with Self-Kindness
04:22 Listening and Communication Behind the Chair
05:45 Parenthood, Contract Work and Schedule Flexibility
08:02 Finding Mentors in the Vancouver Barber Community
09:52 Barbering as a Trade Passed Through Generations
10:51 Hair Education in Germany vs Canada
13:17 Why Mastering One Tool Beats Chasing New Gear
14:16 Cutting with Both Hands for Better Ergonomics
15:31 Vincent’s Experience Using salonMonster

A lasting career in hair isn’t built on talent or hustle alone. It takes humility, strong fundamentals, genuine client relationships, and the confidence to stay true to yourself.

Jermaine Mendoza shares the path that took him from cutting hair in garages and experiencing homelessness to becoming a salon education director and national educator for R+Co. His story is honest about the work behind a beauty career—and clear about why success has to mean more than staying busy or making money.

You’ll learn why:

✅New hairstylists must be willing to unlearn habits and return to the fundamentals
✅Technique becomes more useful when educators explain the “why” behind it
✅The right mentor can recognize your potential before you recognize it yourself
✅Client loyalty is built through presence, trust, service, and genuine relationships
✅Humility and confidence both matter when they remain in balance
Imposter syndrome can exist alongside real expertise
✅Hard work is necessary, but hustle culture should not consume your life
✅Being yourself can help you attract the clientele and career that genuinely fit you

Jermaine and Liam also discuss cosmetology school, salon education, haircutting and clipper foundations, ergonomics behind the chair, learning through teaching, dealing with negative feedback, balancing family and work, and defining success on your own terms.

Jermaine also shares his idea for informal salon “play dates”—community gatherings where beauty professionals can cut hair, exchange knowledge, ask questions, and learn from one another without cameras, competition, or a formal audience.

This conversation is for hairstylists, barbers, salon owners, educators, and beauty professionals who want to build a career that is technically strong, personally sustainable, and rooted in real relationships.

CONNECT WITH JERMAINE MENDOZA

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/_sharp_one_/
Form Hair Salon:
https://www.formhairsalon.com/

CONNECT WITH SALONMONSTER

Follow salonMonster on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/salonmonster/
Watch more salonMonster podcast episodes:
https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UC0oGUoOz3xLklSzb3IT5YYw/content/podcasts
Start your 14-day salonMonster trial:
https://salonmonster.com/

Chapters

00:00 Jermaine Mendoza’s path into the hair industry
05:11 Why surviving in hair takes more than talent
08:55 Unlearning old habits and mastering the fundamentals
12:52 Work ethic, passion, and the hustle-culture trap
17:19 Redefining success through client relationships
21:00 Building salon education around the fundamentals
24:23 Balancing education, family, and life outside the salon
25:31 Everyday mentorship and asking better questions
27:55 Beginner’s mind and educator imposter syndrome
31:05 Balancing humility, ego, and confidence
35:38 Teaching the “why” behind technique and ergonomics
39:16 Jermaine’s advice for new beauty professionals
43:11 Learning social media and creating salon “play dates”
47:35 Growing an idea without losing the joy
48:39 Final thoughts

What happens when a salon stops asking people to fit the industry—and starts building the workplace around the people inside it?

Renee (she/her/they/them), co-owner of Shadow and Shear, shares how an unexpected move from a small micro-suite to a full salon became an opportunity to rethink salon culture from the ground up.

Instead of recreating a traditional high-end salon environment, Renee and business partner Sadie created a relaxed, inclusive space where clients and beauty professionals can drop the professional mask, receive the accommodations they need, and connect as themselves.

Renee talks honestly about the first year of salon ownership, including imposter syndrome, protecting personal time as a single mom, and making the difficult shift from thinking primarily as a hairstylist to thinking as a business owner.

The conversation explores:

✅Creating an inclusive and neurodiverse-friendly salon culture
✅Moving from a micro suite into a full salon
✅Setting boundaries around clients, work, and personal time
✅Chair rental, commission, assisting, and flexible career paths
✅Simple salon accommodations such as earplugs, fidget toys, blankets, and low-pressure activities
✅Using community outreach to connect with aligned clients
✅Why a locally focused social media presence can be more valuable than a large following
✅Bringing transferable skills from management, art, makeup, and previous careers into the beauty industry
✅Hiring hairstylists based on values, personality, attitude, and technical ability
✅Building a supportive salon team without relying on hustle, hierarchy, or workplace drama

Renee also explains why community events are not treated as marketing campaigns, even though they often introduce Shadow and Shear to new clients. By showing up for communities they genuinely care about, the salon attracts people who already connect with its values.

This conversation is for salon owners, hairstylists, barbers, beauty educators, and independent beauty professionals who want to create a sustainable salon business without forcing themselves—or their team—into a culture that no longer fits.

CHAPTERS

00:00 Meet Renee of Shadow and Shear
00:41 The First Year of Salon Ownership
03:41 Time Boundaries as a Single Mom and Business Owner
05:13 From a Micro Suite to a Full Salon
08:30 Chair Rental, Commission, and Flexible Career Paths
10:35 Inclusive Salon Accommodations
12:36 Community Outreach and Attracting Aligned Clients
15:15 Trusting the Skills You Bring From Outside Hair
16:55 Why Transferable Skills Matter in Beauty Careers
19:31 Why Shadow and Shear Chose salonMonster
20:41 The Story Behind Renee’s Mug
21:42 Hiring for Values, Personality, and Skill

CONNECT WITH RENEE AND SHADOW AND SHEAR

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/chrysalis.hair
Website:
https://www.shadowandshear.com

MORE FROM SALONMONSTER

Follow us on Instagram:
www.instagram.com/salonmonster
salonMonster podcast episodes:
studio.youtube.com
Start your 14-day trial:
salonmonster.com

Real hair education isn’t about memorizing one formula, one pattern, or one perfect Instagram result. Ashlee Norman joins salonMonster to talk about what it actually takes to build skill behind the chair: mentorship, theory, repetition, hands-on practice, and learning how to think through hair instead of copying one technique at a time.

Ashlee is a hairstylist, independent educator, international brand artist, tool creator, online education founder, and mother of three. She shares how she went from beauty school and salon education to teaching across cities, working with major global brands, and building a career rooted in depth instead of hype.

This one’s for hairstylists, colorists, salon owners, apprentices, educators, and independent artists building a long-term career in beauty.

You’ll hear about:
✅Why beauty school is only the beginning of real salon education ✅The difference between memorizing techniques and understanding theory
✅How Ashlee built her education brand while raising three kids
✅Why word of mouth still matters in a social-media-driven industry ✅The difference between “width” and “depth” when building a personal brand

✅Why hands-on education beats watching demos online ✅How highlight theory helps colorists understand placement, separation, and technique choice
✅What new stylists should look for in mentorship and apprenticeship ✅Why great education should help you problem-solve in the salon the next day

Ashlee also talks about the reality behind platform work, trade shows, brand partnerships, motherhood, travel, finances, and what it means to build something sustainable instead of just chasing visibility.

Connect with Ashlee Norman:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleenormanhair/
Website: https://www.ashleenormanhair.com/
Education Platform: https://ashlee-norman.thinkific.com/ 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 Ashlee Norman
03:51 From beauty school to salon education

08:00 Why Ashlee started teaching

10:29 Rejection, redirection, and building a new path

18:15 Teaching while pregnant and growing an education brand

23:07 Learning to teach on bigger stages

25:40 Pandemic pivots, refunds, tools, and online education

29:50 Showing up as her own brand at trade shows

32:14 Depth vs. width in the hair industry
39:15 Motherhood, travel, and global education

42:10 Why memorized hair education falls short

44:11 Building theory into haircutting and color

45:39 The four methods of highlight separation

50:19 Where haircutting and color theory meet

52:26 Advice for new stylists

55:09 Choosing mentorship and hands-on education

58:03 Ashlee’s Vegas academy and what’s next

1:01:01 Closing thoughts

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