What if you built your salon around the life you actually want? Not what others expect.

In this Mini Moment, Samara, Jen, and Taryn from Brow Substance dive into the powerful (and often overlooked) question: What do you really want your business and life to look like?

From the pressure to “progress” into salon ownership, to the reality of balancing family, staff, and clients, this episode explores why success doesn’t always mean bigger. Sometimes the most powerful move is choosing a path that aligns with your values, your energy, and the season of life you’re in.

💡 In this episode, you’ll hear:

• How to map out what you want your life (and mornings, weekends, and energy) to look like
• Why salon ownership isn’t the only definition of growth or success
• The trade offs of scaling vs. staying lean, and how to know which is right for you
• Two different but equally purposeful paths from Taryn and Jen
• Why purpose driven decisions build stronger businesses and happier lives

This is your reminder to pause, reflect, and choose a business model that fuels your life, not drains it.

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction

01:18 Personal Experiences and Reflections

03:09 Balancing Business and Personal Life

03:58 Deciding on Business Expansion

07:03 Supporting Young People in the Industry

14:20 Final Thoughts and Advice

What actually makes teams high performing (and salons sustainable)?

Leadership & culture coach Emma Campbell joins Samara to unpack why a sense of safety and purpose at work is the secret to performance, profit, and long term team loyalty.

Together, they explore how salon owners can step out of the bottleneck, empower their teams, and create a culture where people feel supported to bring their best selves to work. Expect honest conversation, practical strategies, and some “aha” moments about what really drives engagement.

💡 In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why team culture rooted in safety creates performance and profit
• How to share financials without overwhelming your team
• What to let go of (and delegate) so you’re not running on fumes
• What psychological safety is and why it’s the secret to high performing teams
• How to balance purpose and profit without guilt
• Practical tools for checking in on your culture and your own energy

This isn’t about buzzwords or business fads. It’s about building a salon culture where people feel safe, inspired, and motivated and where you as the owner don’t burn out in the process.

Also mentioned in the episode:

• Take Emma's Phycological Safety quiz - HERE
• HERE is Emma's podcast episode on Phycological Safety

Timestamps

00:00 Episode Summary

01:49 Meet Emma Campbell: Leadership and Culture Guru

04:22 Emma's Journey: From Small Town to Corporate Life

08:00 Discovering Purpose-Driven Business

09:24 The Importance of Purpose in Business

17:24 Balancing Business and Personal Life

23:25 Dealing with Pre-Teen Anxiety

24:58 Navigating Big Emotions

27:17 Seeking Support and Therapy

35:58 The Importance of Psychological Safety

40:16 Final Thoughts and Resources

Mentioned in this episode:

Timely

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LIVE Programs

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Timely

What happens when you need to step away from your salon, for a holiday, maternity leave, or even an unexpected 10 months...and you still want the business to thrive?

In this Mini Moment, Samara sits down with Brodie from Smooth Hair to unpack how she set her salon up to run without her. From building trust in a manager, to breaking down the numbers, to avoiding money sitting idle in stock, Brodie shares the real steps that kept her salon financially sound and her team motivated while she was away.

💡 How to Handle It Without Losing Momentum:

• Why financial transparency (done right) empowers your team
• The simple way to break targets into achievable numbers
• How to set your manager up for success and why bonuses matter
• Smart ordering strategies that protect cash flow
• The balance between culture, accountability, and freedom

Whether you’re planning leave, dreaming of an extended holiday, or just want your salon to be less dependent on you, this conversation shows it is possible.

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction to Salon Rising Podcast

00:18 Setting Up Your Salon for Success

00:51 The Importance of Trusting Your Manager

02:04 Financial Transparency with Your Team

04:11 Breaking Down Financial Goals

05:40 Efficient Ordering and Inventory Management

08:00 Empowering Your Team and Manager

09:45 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

What does success look like when you’ve been in beauty for 22+ years...and still love it?

In this episode, Samara and Jen sit down with Taryn from Brow Substance to unpack reinvention, pricing with confidence, and building a business that serves your life (not the other way around).

From Yellow Pages days to TikTok, from home studio to shared clinic space, Taryn shares the mindset and money shifts that kept her passionate and profitable. Expect straight talk on bottom dollar vs profit, charging without guilt, posting availabilities (yes, you should), and designing a business around motherhood, sport schedules, and real life.

You’ll learn:

• How to price without guilt (and why “bottom dollar” is not the goal)
• The reinvention mindset: niching, un-niching, and staying relevant
• Posting availabilities without looking “quiet” (and why it works)
• Spreadsheets, tax, and paying yourself first (hello, bonuses)
• Superannuation for women in business and why future you needs it
• Choosing growth or simplicity: ego vs the life you actually want

This one’s practical, honest, and wildly freeing.

Timestamps

00:00 Episode Summary

03:11 Guest Introduction: Taryn from Brow Substance

04:03 Taryn's Journey in the Beauty Industry

04:59 Adapting to Industry Changes

05:50 Social Media Evolution

10:35 Financial Realities and Business Strategies

13:21 Personal Growth and Business Insights

15:49 The Importance of Continuous Learning

33:07 Setting Financial Goals and Bonuses

35:09 Weekly Planning and Assessments

35:41 Content Creation and Marketing Strategies

36:18 Importance of Goals and Motivation

40:57 Debate on Posting Availabilities

47:08 Balancing Business and Personal Life

48:28 Evaluating Business Decisions

01:03:55 Financial Planning and Superannuation

01:06:04 Conclusion and Reflections

Mentioned in this episode:

Timely

Sick leave is never easy to manage. But how you handle it says more about your salon culture than you might think.

In this Mini Moment, Samara and Jen unpack how to handle sick leave without burning out your team. From setting boundaries with staff, to managing client expectations, to recognising when sick leave is really a sign of deeper cultural issues, they share lessons every salon owner can use.

💡 In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How to handle sick leave without burning out your team
• Why sick leave can reflect the health of your culture
• The boundaries that make sick days easier to manage
• Why supporting staff well encourages loyalty
• How to manage client reschedules with care and clarity

This isn’t just about staff being “off”, it’s about creating a salon culture where your team feels supported, your clients feel respected, and your business stays steady no matter what.

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction and Greetings

01:01 Discussing Sick Leave

01:06 Personal Experiences with Sick Leave

02:57 Impact of Sick Leave on Business

04:51 Handling Sick Leave Effectively

08:46 Final Thoughts on Sick Leave

12:20 Conclusion and Farewell

What happens when life throws you the unimaginable and you’re still responsible for a business and a team?

In this raw and deeply moving episode, Samara sits down with Brodie, owner of Smooth Hair in Alstonville, who opens up about the most challenging year of her life.

What began as a five week family holiday turned into a nine month stay in Perth after her 2 year old daughter was diagnosed with leukemia. From that moment, Brodie was thrust into balancing motherhood, cancer, and running a salon from 4,000km away.

She shares how she kept her business not just afloat, but thriving. The loyalty and dedication of her team, and the perspective shifts that have transformed how she leads.

💡 In this episode, you’ll hear:

• How Brodie's salon stayed afloat while she was away for nearly a year
• The raw reality of parenting a child through chemotherapy
• Lessons in leadership, loyalty, and letting go
• The importance of building a business with deep roots and real relationships

This is more than a business conversation, it’s a powerful story of resilience, perspective, and the strength it takes to lead in your hardest season.

Timestamps

00:00 Episode Summary

01:27 Meet Brody from Smooth Hair

02:20 The Journey to Smooth Hair

07:12 Building a Supportive Salon Family

12:52 The Decision to Move to Perth

15:10 Maxie's Health Crisis

19:50 Facing Leukemia: A Mother's Perspective

24:05 Navigating Business and Personal Challenges

28:10 The Struggles of Parenting a Sick Child

29:01 Finding Community in Unexpected Places

30:31 Returning Home and Resuming Normalcy

33:00 Balancing Work and Personal Life

37:08 A Surprise Engagement

38:24 Expecting a New Baby

41:56 Managing a Business Through Personal Challenges

47:57 The Importance of Support and Resilience

52:00 Final Thoughts and Gratitude

Mentioned in this episode:

Timely

In this powerful Mini Moment, Nicki from Salon Purpose returns to talk about the early lessons that helped her grow from a solo operator into the leader of a 19 staff salon.

If you're still doing everything yourself, from stock to scheduling to xero, this one’s for you. Nicki shares how she finally got out of her own way, why hiring a bookkeeper was her first move, and how letting go of perfection created space for business growth and personal freedom.

💡 What You’ll Learn

• How to delegate with intention
• The power of hiring before you're ready
• Systems that support freedom, not just structure
• Why you must know how to do the task before offloading it
• How letting go of control opens the door to real growth

You’ll hear honest insights about control, burnout, systems, and self worth. It’s the kind of advice you wish you had when you started, and might still need to hear today.

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction to the Inner Sanctum

00:22 Starting Out: Nicki's Journey

03:00The Importance of Delegation

05:00 Balancing Personal and Professional Life

06:50 Practical Tips for Salon Management

11:05 Empowering Your Team

12:00 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

This week in the Inner Sanctum, we welcome back the incredible Monique McMahon, owner of Que Colour and global ambassador for Christophe Robin.

In this heartfelt and honest episode, Monique shares how small shifts in efficiency have transformed her business. Why profitability doesn’t always mean having more staff. And the personal changes that are fuelling her success.

From cutting out coffee and alcohol to scaling her team with intention, Monique reveals the behind the scenes strategies that are keeping her salon thriving. All while preparing for a major US tour.

Expect candid conversations about rebooking rates, cutting costs without cutting corners, the role of presence in leadership, and why Google Reviews are more powerful than you think.

💡 What you’ll learn:

• How fewer staff can sometimes mean higher profits
• Smart ways to boost salon efficiency without sacrificing client care
• Why presence matters as much as skill in building client loyalty
• The truth about social media (and why you don’t have to do it)
• How small personal changes can ripple into massive business success

Timestamps

00:00 Episode Summary

02:31 Team Dynamics and Business Challenges

04:33 Efficiency and Business Operations

22:07 Client Experience and Rebooking Strategies

23:01 The Importance of Presence and Confidence

34:02 Training Framework and Social Media

35:28 Balancing Social Media and Business

40:10 Google Reviews and Client Engagement

43:40 Team Meetings and Delegation

49:50 Lifestyle Changes and Business Efficiency

51:38 Innovative Hair Products

59:18 Future Plans and Ambitions

1:04:25 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

✨ Whether you’re a salon owner, solo operator, or stylist ready to level up, this conversation with Monique will leave you inspired and ready to take action.

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Mentioned in this episode:

Timely