Retention isn’t a one-size-fits-all concept, especially for hairstylists running unique business models. In this episode of The Modern Hairstylist Podcast, we’re challenging the traditional ideas of success and diving into why a low-retention clientele doesn’t have to mean low revenue—or failure. If you’ve ever wondered how to make the most out of clients who only see you once or twice, this episode is for you.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• The Real Deal on Retention: Why retention rates vary across different business models and why that’s okay.
• The Risks and Rewards of Low Retention: What makes this business model both exciting and challenging.
• How Retention Impacts Growth: The overlooked connection between retention and key decisions like pricing and marketing.
• Rethinking Client Value: Why focusing on frequency isn’t the only way to build a successful hairstyling business.

Why It Matters:
For stylists specializing in high-ticket services, major transformations, or clients with low-frequency needs, traditional retention metrics might not tell the whole story. It’s time to rethink the numbers and focus on strategies that make sense for your unique business.

Learn why client retention isn’t the ultimate measure of success and discover the surprising ways you can build stability, boost income, and reduce stress—even with clients who rarely return.

Who This Episode is For:

• Hairstylists running low-retention models like transition services or high-maintenance transformations.
• Stylists wondering if their low client return rates are a red flag or just part of the game.
• Anyone ready to break free from outdated retention myths and embrace a modern approach to business.

Don’t Miss:
Hunter’s insights into how to shift your mindset about retention and redefine what success looks like for your business.

Tune in to The Modern Hairstylist Podcast for actionable strategies, empowering advice, and a fresh perspective on retention.

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Are you ready to elevate your approach to working with texture and redefine what efficiency looks like behind the chair? In this episode, Hunter sits down with the legendary Keya Neal to discuss the nuances of textured hair, common time-wasters, and actionable ways to enhance client experiences while preserving your energy and time. This lively, no-holds-barred conversation is packed with insights about leveling up your mindset, services, and business strategy—while staying true to your mission of providing exceptional value to your clients.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• The #1 time-waster stylists face when working with textured hair—and how to avoid it.
• How to shift your mindset from mundane tasks to elevated services that clients value.
• Why understanding the "fabric" of hair is the key to becoming efficient and effective.
• The truth about charging for extra time and how to approach pricing for textured hair services fairly.
• Keya’s groundbreaking approach to redefining luxury and its impact on your service menu.

Why It Matters:
Efficiency isn’t just about saving time—it’s about creating a seamless and luxurious experience for your clients that also aligns with your bottom line. Understanding textured hair is no longer optional; it’s a critical skill that opens doors to more opportunities, builds trust, and positions you as an expert in the industry. Keya Neal’s wisdom in this episode will help you bridge the gap between proficiency and profitability.

Who This Episode Is For:

• Hairstylists looking to improve their approach to textured hair services.
• Salon owners wanting to train their team on better efficiency and client care.
• Beauty professionals seeking to create elevated experiences for clients.
• Anyone who wants to feel confident working with a spectrum of hair types.

Don’t Miss:
Keya’s hot take on charging for extra time and why penalizing clients for inefficiency isn’t the answer. Plus, a sneak peek into the Philly tour stop and how you can unlock exclusive discounts for Keya’s upcoming TVR event!

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Goal setting as a hairstylist isn’t about chasing arbitrary benchmarks or comparing yourself to others—it’s about creating a vision for your life and building a business that supports it. In this episode of The Modern Hairstylist Podcast, Hunter breaks down a simple yet powerful framework for setting meaningful goals that align with what you truly want, without getting bogged down by anyone else’s “shoulds.”

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• The Foundation of Goal Setting: Why your goals should start with your personal vision, not someone else’s standards.
• How to Align Your Business with Your Life Goals: The critical questions you need to ask to ensure your business supports what matters most to you.
• The Power of Focus: Why honing in on a few key metrics (KPIs) can create massive impact without overwhelming you.
• How to Avoid the Comparison Trap: Why your growth percentage or benchmarks shouldn’t be dictated by others.

Why It Matters:
Setting goals for your business without a clear reason behind them is like driving without a destination—it might look productive, but it won’t get you where you truly want to go. This episode is all about breaking free from the pressure of arbitrary standards and creating goals that make sense for YOUR life and business.

Hunter’s no-nonsense approach will help you focus on what really matters: a plan that’s rooted in your personal priorities and backed by intentional, measurable actions.

Who This Episode is For:

• Stylists who feel overwhelmed by goal setting and want a simpler, more personalized approach.
• Hairstylists who want to align their business strategies with their life goals, whether it’s financial freedom, more family time, or less burnout.
• Anyone ready to stop chasing someone else’s version of success and start creating their own.

Don’t Miss:
Hunter’s practical example of breaking down a big-picture life goal into actionable business steps—and how to make your numbers work for you, not against you.

Tune in to The Modern Hairstylist Podcast and learn how to take control of your goals, your business, and your vision for the future.

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In this high-energy episode of The Modern Hairstylist Podcast, Hunter Donia welcomes the queen of Instagram herself, Jamie Dana! Together, they unravel the real tea about using Instagram as a hairstylist in 2025. With social media trends evolving faster than ever, this conversation is packed with insights into what’s working right now and how to keep your strategy simple and impactful.

💡 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Is Instagram still relevant for hairstylists to grow their clientele? (Spoiler: YES, and here’s why!)
• The importance of creating a seamless “follower experience” to convert Instagram views into booked appointments.
• Why marketing fundamentals like inclusivity and diversity in your content are more critical than ever.
• The perfect balance of showcasing your work, personality, and client experience on your profile.
• Strategies to stay consistent without the overwhelm—and maybe even have fun with your content!

💬 Jamie also gives a sneak peek into her upcoming class at the Modern Hairstylist Tour 2025 in Dallas, Texas, where she’ll share exclusive Instagram tips and live page audits to level up your marketing game. 🎉

Tune in, take notes, and get ready to reignite your Instagram strategy with actionable advice and authentic vibes from these two industry powerhouses. ✂️📲

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Today we're diving in on the scariest part of running your own business... taxes!

Michelle and I are breaking down what an S-Corp even is and how it can help you when it comes to the dreaded tax time.

Tune in to hear all the in's and out's of what you should be doing to help make your business more profitable this tax season!

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How do you know if your business is ready for a price increase? It’s not just about being booked solid—it’s about the type of clients filling your books. In this episode, we dive into the concept of Client Concentration Risk and break down how your client mix impacts your pricing, stability, and long-term success.

You’ll learn:

• Why relying on a small number of high-ticket clients can be both rewarding and risky.
• How a larger pool of low-ticket clients offers stability but comes with its own challenges.
• The pros and cons of balancing both high- and low-ticket services.
• Why repeat clients feel price increases more—and how to evaluate if your business can handle one.

Whether you’re a stylist looking to raise your prices, restructure your services, or simply gain insight into building a more resilient business, this episode will give you the tools and clarity you need to make empowered decisions.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

1. The Concept of Client Concentration Risk:
   Why having a diverse pool of clients is critical to protecting your business from fallout and instability.
2. How Client Mix Affects Pricing Decisions:
   The difference between being booked with unique clients versus repeat clients—and why it matters for price increases.
3. Breaking Down the Math:
   Real examples that illustrate how different client types react to price increases—and the impact on your income.
4. High-Ticket vs. Low-Ticket Clients:
   The pros and cons of specializing in high-ticket services versus maintaining a larger pool of low-ticket clients.
5. Finding Balance:
   How having a mix of clientele can provide stability but comes with its own set of challenges.

Key Takeaways:

• It’s not about being fully booked; it’s about how secure your client mix is.
• Raising prices requires evaluating the frequency and diversity of your client base.
• Every business model has pros and cons—there’s no right or wrong way to build your dream business.

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Welcome to another episode of The Modern Hairstylist Podcast! Today, Hunter explores a revolutionary shift in the hairstyling industry that could redefine how clients find their dream stylists—and how you can position yourself to thrive.

You’ll hear a story that will make you rethink the way clients are discovering hairstylists today. Plus, Hunter dives into a trend that’s no longer “on the horizon” but is happening right now, shaking up the way business is done in the beauty world.

What to Expect in This Episode

• A groundbreaking moment from a hairstylist that might make you question everything you know about client acquisition.
• The surprising ways technology is quietly reshaping the industry—and how you can ride the wave instead of being swept away.
• Why some hairstylists will thrive while others might struggle to adapt to this new reality.

Hunter asks the tough questions: Are you doing enough to future-proof your business? Is your online presence working for you—or against you?

Key Themes We’ll Cover

• The importance of being crystal clear about who you are as a stylist. Hunter challenges you to think deeply about your specialty and how your messaging connects with the people you want to serve.
• The role of trust in the hairstylist-client relationship and why it’s more crucial than ever to create transparency around your services and values.
• How technology is changing the way clients make decisions. Hunter discusses how these tools are quietly but powerfully filtering through the noise to bring clients closer to the right stylist for them.

Why This Matters Now

The hairstyling industry has always been about connection, creativity, and craft. But now there’s a new layer to consider—one that could make or break your ability to reach the people who need you most.

Whether you’re ahead of the curve or feeling behind, this episode will get you thinking: Am I ready for what’s next?

Resources:

Podcast Episodes-

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In this episode of The Modern Hairstylist Podcast, host Hunter Donia dives into the marketing missteps that might be holding independent hairstylists back from attracting new clients. If you’ve ever felt like your marketing efforts aren’t delivering results—whether it’s through social media, your website, or local outreach—this episode is packed with actionable insights to help you optimize your strategies and uncover hidden opportunities for growth.

Key Takeaways:

• The Funnel Fix: Learn how to get more eyeballs on your website, social media, and booking platforms by leveraging local outreach and SEO best practices.
• Avoid Common Pitfalls: Discover how small tweaks, like optimizing your Instagram bio or ditching stock photos, can make a big impact on your client bookings.
• Nailing Your Niche: Understand the power of specialization and why honing in on your expertise is essential for thriving in today’s competitive beauty industry.
• Speak Their Language: Find out how to communicate with clients in clear, non-industry jargon to build trust and improve conversions.
• Proven Marketing Tactics: From referral programs to research-backed SEO strategies, Hunter shares modern methods to reach your ideal audience effectively.

Why You Should Listen:

Are you tired of feeling like you’re spinning your wheels with your marketing? This episode is a game-changer for hairstylists looking to attract ideal clients and grow their businesses with smarter, more effective strategies. Tune in to pinpoint what’s missing in your marketing approach and start making the changes that matter most.

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Welcome back to The Modern Hairstylist Podcast! Chronic reschedulers, constant cancellers, and repeat latecomers can wreak havoc on your salon schedule—but dealing with them doesn’t have to be a nightmare. In this episode, I’m sharing effective strategies for managing these challenging client behaviors while maintaining professionalism and protecting your boundaries.

We’ll go beyond the basics of cancellation and late policies, diving into advanced techniques for mitigating these issues before they escalate. Learn how to establish clear boundaries, craft proactive policies, and have those tough-but-necessary conversations—all without damaging client relationships.

Key Takeaways:

• Create Advanced Policies: Learn how to implement clauses that address chronic behaviors without alienating your clients.
• Set Clear Expectations: Discover how to communicate your boundaries with confidence, ensuring clients respect your time.
• Balance Boundaries and Client Care: Understand how to enforce your policies while still delivering a high-quality client experience.
• Avoid Wasted Time and Money: Find out why strategies like “scheduling earlier than booked” or padding appointment blocks can hurt your business—and what to do instead.
• Master Difficult Conversations: Get actionable scripts for addressing chronic lateness and rescheduling with professionalism and empathy.

Why You Should Listen:
Struggling to manage clients who are always late, cancel last minute, or constantly reschedule? It’s time to take control of your salon schedule and reclaim your time—without losing your cool or risking a bad review. Tune in to learn how to handle these tricky situations like a pro!

Watch this episode on Youtube: https://youtu.be/w8MwJauOQnI

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In this episode of The Modern Hairstylist Podcast, host Hunter Donia shares strategies for hairstylists who are feeling burned out or overwhelmed by the demands of running a business. If you're struggling to balance behind-the-chair work with the constant hustle of business growth, this episode is for you. Hunter discusses how to take a break from your business without letting it stagnate or lose momentum, and how building the right systems can help you recharge without sacrificing your success.

Key Takeaways:

• How to Recover Without Losing Ground: Learn how to take time away from business development without letting your growth plateau.
• When Is It Okay to "Coast"?: Discover the key signs that it’s time to ease up on business hustle, and when you should push through.
• Maximize Your Time and Energy: Practical tips on building systems, setting boundaries, and using automation to reclaim your time.
• The Dangers of Burnout: Find out how to avoid burnout by taking care of both your business and your personal well-being.
• Real Talk About the Growth Phases: Whether you’re just starting out or have an established clientele, Hunter breaks down what taking a break looks like at every stage of your business.

Why You Should Listen:
Are you feeling like you're on the edge of burnout? Tired of juggling clients and business tasks with no time to breathe? It’s time to get strategic about taking breaks, without letting your business suffer. Tune in to learn how you can step back, recharge, and still keep your business on track.

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