You can look like you've got everything together on the outside while your brain is running at full volume on the inside.

In this episode, Nic and Tess sit down with salon owner and educator Jess Lewis for a raw, funny, and deeply relatable conversation about being diagnosed with ADHD as an adult—and why so many women spend years believing what they're experiencing is simply anxiety, overwhelm, or the pressure of having too much on their plate.

Jess opens up about what finally prompted her to seek answers, what sensory overload feels like in real time, and how intrusive thoughts and mental spirals can affect relationships, parenting, confidence, and the way you show up as a business owner.

The conversation also explores the reality of running a fully booked salon in a challenging economy while raising three children and carrying the constant responsibility that comes with business ownership and motherhood. Jess shares how hormones, exhaustion, and never-ending demands can impact your capacity—and why understanding what's happening in your brain can be such a powerful first step.

They also get practical about what has helped Jess, from ADHD medication and creating boundaries to recognising masking, protecting her energy, and finding healthier ways to quieten the noise.

Most importantly, this is a conversation about normalising the messy middle and creating space for women to talk honestly about what they're experiencing without shame.

In this episode, you'll learn:
🧠 What led Jess to seek an ADHD diagnosis as an adult
💭 Why ADHD symptoms in women can sometimes be mistaken for anxiety or overwhelm
🔊 What sensory overload, intrusive thoughts, and mental spirals can actually feel like
👩‍👧‍👦 How ADHD, motherhood, hormones, and exhaustion can affect your capacity
💼 The reality of managing a busy salon while trying to be present at home
💊 What Jess has found helpful in quietening the noise and managing her ADHD
🚧 Why boundaries are essential for protecting your energy and capacity
🤍 How masking can affect the way neurodivergent women show up at work and in relationships
🌱 Why normalising the messy middle can help women feel less alone

Whether you've been diagnosed with ADHD, are beginning to question your own experiences, or simply feel like your brain never stops running, this conversation is a reminder that you are not alone—and that understanding yourself can change everything.

To follow our journey:
Instagram @aheadhair_
@the_conscious_salon

Selling a salon might look clean and straightforward on paper—but living through it is anything but.

In this episode, Nic and Tess are joined by Team Leader Tae for an honest conversation about what it's really like to navigate a salon sale from inside the team. With the business changing hands and the new owner coming from within the existing team, Tae shares the mix of sadness, excitement, overwhelm, and fresh energy that comes with what feels like the end of an era.

They explore what happens to team culture when the ground starts shifting, how leaders can create stability during uncertain times, and the difficult question of when to tell your team about a potential sale. From communication and trust to managing expectations when timelines change, this conversation gets real about the human side of business transitions.

The conversation also goes beyond the sale itself and into capacity, time management, and leadership focus. After an intense 24 hours of filming a leadership course, planning future podcast episodes, running a private client session, and still showing up to record, Nic and Tess unpack the belief that "I don't have enough time", and how distractions can quietly take us away from the work that actually moves our business forward.

Because getting off the salon floor to think, plan, and lead isn't a luxury. It's part of building a healthy, sustainable business.

In this episode, you'll learn:
💭 What it really feels like for a team leader when their salon is being sold
❤️ How to navigate sadness, excitement, uncertainty, and change within a team
🗣️ When to tell your team about a potential sale—and when to wait
🤝 How trust and communication can protect your team culture during major transitions
🧠 Why distractions can quietly steal your leadership capacity
⏰ How to rethink the belief that you simply don't have enough time
🚪 Why getting off the salon floor creates space for better leadership and decision-making
🌱 How stepping aside can be a powerful act of conscious leadership when it's time for a new chapter

Whether you're a salon owner considering a sale, a team leader navigating change, or a business owner thinking about succession planning, this episode offers an honest look at the emotional and practical realities of handing over a business you've built.

Sometimes leadership means holding the team steady through change. And sometimes, it means having the courage to step out of the room and make space for what's next.

To follow our journey:
Instagram @aheadhair_
@the_conscious_salon

Does recommending retail products make you feel pushy or "salesy"?

You're not alone. But what if you've been looking at it the wrong way?

In this episode, Nic and Tess sit down with Sonia Tomas, also known as The Salon Doctor, to unpack one of the biggest mindset shifts every salon owner and stylist needs to make: selling isn't about making more money, it's about serving your clients well.

Drawing on more than 37 years in the hair industry and helping salons generate over $8 million in retail sales, Sonia shares why so many teams struggle to recommend products, the limiting beliefs holding them back, and how a simple shift in perspective can transform both the client experience and your salon's profitability.

If you've ever felt uncomfortable recommending retail, this episode will completely change the way you think about sales.

In this episode, you'll learn:
💡 Why selling is really about serving your clients—not pushing products
🧠 The mindset blocks stopping salon teams from confidently recommending retail
💬 How asking better questions leads to better client outcomes
🎯 Why consultations should focus on solving problems, not making sales
💰 How creating value naturally increases retail sales and client trust
🤝 Why your clients actually want your professional advice
🚀 Practical ways to increase retail sales without feeling pushy or uncomfortable

Whether you're a salon owner wanting to grow your business or a stylist looking to build more confidence with client recommendations, this episode is packed with practical advice you can implement immediately.


To follow Sonia's journey:
https://www.instagram.com/thesalondr/

To follow our journey:
Instagram @aheadhair_
@the_conscious_salon

What happens when a team member who wants more progression ends up holding the keys to the salon?

In this episode, Nic and Tess sit down with Jess Attard, the new owner of Ahead, to share the real story behind their salon sale. What may look simple from the outside was actually a journey filled with leadership, trust, timing, courage, and a whole lot of patience.

Jess shares her winding path from hairdressing to running a home studio, managing a gym, stepping into the corporate world, and eventually finding her way back to the industry she loved. She opens up about the personal challenges that shaped her, the pressure she puts on herself, and the mindset shift required to move from being a team member to becoming the person responsible for leading a growing business.

Then they go behind the scenes of the salon purchase itself, from the initial conversations and negotiations to lawyers, accountants, lease transfers, landlord approvals, and the long periods of waiting when nothing seemed to be moving.

Throughout the conversation, Nic, Tess, and Jess share what helped them protect their relationship through the transition and why a successful succession is about so much more than signing paperwork. It's about trust, communication, and creating an opportunity where both the outgoing and incoming owner can step into their next chapter with confidence.

In this episode, you'll learn:

💇‍♀️ How Jess went from team member to becoming the owner of a thriving salon
🌱 Why creating opportunities for team progression can completely change someone's career
🧠 The mindset shift required to step from employee into leadership and ownership
❤️ How personal challenges can shape the way you lead and build your business
🤝 Why trust and strong relationships are essential when selling a business to someone you know
📋 What the salon purchase process actually looks like behind the scenes
⏳ The reality of navigating lawyers, accountants, leases, landlords, and unexpected delays
🚀 Jess's vision for creating more opportunities for her team and building deeper community connection

Whether you're a hairdresser dreaming of salon ownership, a salon owner thinking about succession, or a team member ready for your next level of growth, Jess's story offers an honest look at what it really takes to make that transition.

Sometimes the biggest opportunities begin with simply having the courage to say, "What if I could?"

To follow our journey:
Instagram @aheadhair_
@the_conscious_salon

What happens when the business you've poured your heart into no longer feels like the room you're meant to be in?

In this honest and emotional episode, Nic and Tess open up about the decision to sell their salon and the leadership lessons they've learned throughout the process.

Together, they discuss the emotions of letting go, navigating change as a team, communicating openly during uncertain seasons, and why creating a self-led business sometimes means stepping aside so someone else can take it even further.

Whether you're considering selling your business, stepping into a new season, or simply wondering if you've outgrown the role you're in, this conversation is a powerful reminder that leadership isn't about holding on. It's about knowing when to let go.

In this episode, you'll learn:
🌱 How to recognise when you've outgrown the business you built
💭 Why letting go can be one of the greatest acts of leadership
🤝 The importance of honest communication during seasons of change
❤️ How to support your team through uncertainty and transition
🚀 Why building a self-led business creates opportunities for everyone to grow
💡 The mindset shift that helped Nic and Tess confidently sell their salon
🌟 How stepping out of one room creates space for someone else—and yourself—to thrive

If you're navigating change, wrestling with a big decision, or wondering what the next chapter looks like, this episode will encourage you to trust your instincts, embrace growth, and lead with courage.

To follow our journey:
Instagram @aheadhair_
@the_conscious_salon

What happens when your own team puts you in the hot seat?

In this special episode, the tables are turned as Team Leader Tae takes over the podcast, asking Nic and Tess the questions they weren't expecting. What starts as a fun role reversal quickly becomes one of the most honest and vulnerable conversations they've ever shared.

Together, they reflect on the moments that shaped who they are as leaders, from childhood experiences and personal challenges to grief, motherhood, business ownership, and the lessons that continue to influence how they lead today.

This isn't a conversation about having all the answers. It's about becoming more self-aware, leading with intention, and recognising that great leadership begins with understanding yourself.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• 🎙️ What happened when Nic and Tess swapped seats and became the ones answering the questions
• 🌱 How childhood experiences continue to shape leadership, relationships, and decision-making
• 🧠 Why nervous system regulation is one of the most underrated leadership skills
• ❤️ The lessons grief, motherhood, and challenging seasons taught them about resilience
• 💬 How "proving energy" can quietly impact the way you lead your team and your life
• ⏳ Why you don't need to have everything figured out by a certain age
• 🌟 The leadership moments they're most proud of, and why they have nothing to do with business success

Whether you're leading a salon, growing a business, or simply navigating a season of personal growth, this episode is a reminder that conscious leadership starts from within.

To follow our journey:
Instagram @aheadhair_
@the_conscious_salon

What does it really take to build a salon that thrives without relying on you every single day?

In this episode, Nic and Tess sit down with award-winning salon owner Maria Unali to explore the leadership journey behind building multiple successful salons, creating an incredible team culture, and learning how to step back without sacrificing growth.

Maria shares the lessons she's learned over decades in the industry, from taking over her father's salon, navigating motherhood while growing a business, embracing conscious leadership, and using AI to streamline operations and create more freedom.

This is an honest conversation about leadership, resilience, personal growth, and building a business that supports the life you want to live.

In this episode, you'll learn:
💼 How Maria built multiple award-winning salons and a thriving salon culture
🌱 Why conscious leadership transformed the way she leads her team
🤝 The importance of hiring for values and building long-term team alignment
👩‍👧 How motherhood changed her approach to leadership and business
💬 Why the conversations you avoid today become the problems you face tomorrow
🚀 How to create a salon that can grow without relying on you every day
🤖 How AI is helping salon owners save time, create systems, and lead more effectively

Whether you're growing your first salon or leading a large team, Maria's story is packed with practical leadership lessons and mindset shifts that will leave you thinking differently about what it means to build a successful business.


To follow Maria's journey:
https://www.instagram.com/maria_unali/

To follow our journey:
Instagram @aheadhair_
@the_conscious_salon

Building a sales-focused team isn't about teaching better sales scripts—it's about building confidence.

In this episode, Nic and Tess unpack one of the biggest reasons salon teams struggle to sell, recommend premium services, or confidently charge their prices. The answer isn't a lack of skill. It's often a team's relationship with money, self-worth, and the beliefs they've developed over time.

They explore how money mindset influences sales conversations, why people-pleasing can lead to undercharging, and how salon owners can coach their teams through these challenges with curiosity instead of judgment.

If you want a team that confidently recommends what's best for clients, charges appropriately, and contributes to a thriving salon business, this episode is for you.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• 💰 Why money mindset has a direct impact on your team's sales performance
• 🧠 How limiting beliefs stop stylists from confidently recommending premium services
• ❤️ The connection between people-pleasing and undercharging clients
• 🔍 How to uncover the real reason your team avoids selling or upgrading treatments
• 🗣️ Coaching strategies that build confidence instead of creating shame
• 🚀 Practical steps to help your team confidently charge their worth and create a stronger sales culture

To follow our journey:
Instagram @aheadhair_
@the_conscious_salon