Booth rental vs commission: what actually changes—income, time, brand.
In this candid chat, Andy Judd shares why he switched and how to do it without burning out.
What you’ll learn:

1. How to decide if booth rental fits your season and goals
2. Pricing without discounts (why “free model” beats markdowns)
3. Building a personal brand inside a well-known salon—then stepping out
4. Mentors, collections, and learning beyond hair school
5. Multi-state licensing/reciprocity realities & avoiding admin overwhelm


Chapters:

00:00 Welcome & Andy’s path (Ohio → Nashville)
02:30 Hustle vs talent—and avoiding burnout
15:20 From commission to booth rental
29:40 Licensing reciprocity & hair school gaps
51:50 Pricing strategy (no discounts; model trades)
01:03:40 Mentors, exit strategy & long-term career

Enjoyed it? Subscribe for more conversations that help independent beauty pros grow—without the hype.

Try salonMonster free (14 days) → https://salonmonster.com/
Andy IG → https://www.instagram.com/andy_doesyourhair/
Andy site → https://www.andydoesyourhair.com/
More episodes → https://www.youtube.com/@salonMonster

Create welcoming, gender-affirming salon experiences—without guesswork. In this episode, Liam and Stephen (SalonMonster) sit down with Kristin Rankin (they/them), founder of the Dress Code Project, to share practical, day-one steps for inclusive consultations, non-gendered menus, and safer space standards. We cover how the Alliance vets salons, why language matters at the chair, and the vision behind the Gender Free Haircut Club—plus the journey to consulting on a gender-affirming salon for the Paris 2024 Olympic Village.

Chapters:

00:00 – Intro & Why Inclusive Salons Matter
03:55 – The Spark: From Salon Client Story to DCP
06:22 – Moving Beyond Gendered Menus
15:34 – Consultation Language That Respects Everyone
18:31 – What “Safer Space” Salons Mean (and First Steps)
24:51 – The Alliance & Directory: 550+ Salons and Growing
28:26 – Partnering with Pantene & Industry Impact
31:13 – Paris 2024: Designing a Gender-Affirming Olympic Salon
32:06 – Gender Free Haircut Club: Access & Mental Wellness

Kristin Rankin IG: https://www.instagram.com/kristinrankinhair/
Dresscode Project IG: https://www.instagram.com/thedresscodeproject/
Dresscode Project Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dresscodeprojectTO?utm_campaign=linkinbio&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=later-linkinbio
salonMonster IG: https://www.instagram.com/salonmonster/
salonMonster 14-day free trial: https://salonmonster.com/

Seeking salon software that aligns with your systems and values? Try salonMonster’s 14-day free trial to explore tools that help you serve every client with confidence.

Open a salon suite in 10 days—Renee & Sadie (Shadow and Shear) share exactly how they went from idea to keys, what they prepped online first, and how they filled their books fast. You’ll hear a candid take on booth rental vs commission, what to line up before signing, and how pre-booking + boundaries keep them fully booked on a 3-day week. We also dig into ADHD-friendly learning, mentorship, and local social that converts (why personality beats follower count).
In this episode, you’ll learn:

1. A realistic 10-day launch playbook (what to do first, what can wait)
2. Commission → rental decision factors (money, community, education)
3. Pre-booking systems & client-messaging boundaries that stick
4. Simple IG tweaks to attract local dream clients

Shadow and Shear IG → https://www.instagram.com/shadowandshearcollective/
Renee IG → https://www.instagram.com/chrysalis.hair/
Sadie IG → https://www.instagram.com/hairbysadies/
More episodes → https://www.youtube.com/@salonMonster
Try salonMonster free (14 days) → https://salonmonster.com/