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We see it constantly: salon owners saying they’re overwhelmed, stressed, exhausted, and unsure what to work on next. They’re putting in the effort, working long hours, and still feeling behind, and it doesn’t have to be that way.

In this episode, we break down why overwhelm shows up so often for salon owners and why it’s usually not a time or effort problem. We talk about bad advice, vague soundbites, echo chambers, and the pressure to do everything at once, and how all of that creates mental fatigue instead of progress.

We also share practical ways to reduce overwhelm immediately: narrowing priorities, identifying what season your business is in, eliminating services and tasks that don’t serve you, focusing on one problem at a time, and replacing multitasking with focused work that actually moves your business forward.

Your business should serve you, so that you can serve others.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, this episode will help you slow the noise, regain clarity, and take back control — one decision at a time.

Key Takeaways

• Overwhelm is usually a priority problem, not a workload problem.
• Vague advice and soundbites create confusion, not clarity.
• Multitasking increases stress and reduces meaningful progress.
• Focused work outperforms scattered effort.
• Small wins build momentum; something is always better than nothing.
• Simplifying services and tasks reduces mental load.
• Every business moves through seasons; you can’t work on all of them at once.
• Money, people, demand, and systems are the most common constraints.
• Systems reduce chaos and decision fatigue over time.
• Overwhelm fades when clarity, focus, and ownership increase.

Time Stamps

00:00 — Why salon owners feel overwhelmed
01:00 — Jen’s opening take: saying no, staying in your lane
04:00 — Todd’s opening takes: technician vs owner + complacency
06:00 — Bad advice, soundbites, and industry echo chambers
09:00 — Why vague guidance creates paralysis
11:00 — Multitasking, task-switching, and mental fatigue
13:00 — Focused work blocks and the “accomplished list”
15:00 — Small wins > doing nothing
16:00 — Confirmation bias and online noise
18:00 — Eliminating services, simplifying menus, reducing friction
20:00 — Business seasons: growth, repair, stabilization, preparation
22:00 — Stop trying to do every season at once
23:00 — Common constraints: money, people, demand, systems
25:00 — Systems reduce chaos and decision fatigue
27:00 — Avoidance, uncomfortable tasks, and leadership growth
29:00 — Final thoughts: focus, clarity, one step forward

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We hear it all the time: “Stop working in your business and start working on it.”
The problem? Almost no one explains what that actually means.

In this episode, we break down what salon owners should really be working on when they’re not behind the chair and why so many owners step back only to feel stuck, unproductive, or pulled right back into old habits.

We talk about why cleaning, hovering, answering phones, and “being available” aren’t owner work; how avoiding leadership decisions keeps businesses from growing; and why simply changing your location in the salon doesn’t change your role.

We explain the four buckets that owners are soley responsible for — money, people, growth, and systems — and how to structure your time so that the work you’re doing compounds, removes friction, and creates long-term stability.

Your business should serve you, so that you can serve others, and that starts with stepping into the work only you can do as an owner.

Key Takeaways

• Stepping away from the chair without redefining your role can lead to stagnation.
• Cleaning, answering phones, and hovering are not owner work.
• Owners avoid leadership decisions by defaulting to “busy” tasks.
• Pricing must be rooted in math, not emotion or staff opinion.
• Owners are responsible for money, people, growth, and systems — no one else.
• Support without direction creates dependency, not growth.
• Marketing only when slow guarantees continued slow seasons.
• Systems create freedom, consistency, and trust.
• Owner work should compound, remove friction, and create clarity.
• Fifteen focused minutes a day beats zero intentional effort.

Timestamps

00:00 — Why “working on the business” is rarely explained
02:00 — Opening takes: decision fatigue, snowstorms, and perspective
05:00 — Why pricing must be math-based, not emotional
07:00 — The mistake owners make after stepping away from the chair
09:00 — Changing your role vs changing your location
11:00 — Low-level work vs owner-level work
14:00 — Owner Bucket #1: Money (P&L, break-even, pricing, allocation)
18:00 — Why owners must own pricing decisions
20:00 — Owner Bucket #2: People (hiring, onboarding, training)
23:00 — Apprenticeships, assistants, and development pipelines
26:00 — Support without direction creates dependency
28:00 — Owner Bucket #3: Growth (marketing, branding, partnerships)
31:00 — Why marketing only when slow keeps you slow
33:00 — Owner Bucket #4: Systems and direction
36:00 — SOPs, standards, and consistency
38:00 — Hovering, over-availability, and lack of trust
40:00 — Owner self-development and mentorship
42:00 — How to audit your work: compounding, clarity, friction
44:00 — Weekly action steps + closing thoughts

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Slow seasons have a way of making people freeze. Owners hesitate. Teams lose momentum. Decisions get postponed while everyone waits to “see what happens.” But the truth is simple: nothing changes when you pause; everything changes when you lead.

In this episode, we talk about how to stay in motion when business feels slow. We break down why slow periods are often misdiagnosed, how mindset and leadership energy impact your team more than you realize, and why this time of year can actually be one of the most valuable windows for growth if you use it intentionally.

We also talk about knowing your numbers, using downtime to train and systemize, creating momentum instead of waiting for it, and why busy weeks are not a reason to take your foot off the gas. This conversation is about shifting from reaction to leadership, even (and especially) when things feel uncertain.

Your business should serve you, so that you can serve others.

Leadership doesn’t show up when things are easy — it shows up when it would be easier to wait.

Key Takeaways

• Slow seasons don’t hurt businesses — inaction does.
• Leadership energy matters more than words during downtime.
• Shiny new ideas won’t solve foundational business problems.
• Knowing your numbers reduces stress and clarifies decisions.
• Downtime is the best time for training, systems, and planning.
• Busy weeks still require marketing, content, and follow-through.
• Repeating “this month is always slow” guarantees it stays that way.
• Momentum comes from small, intentional actions — not waiting.
• Mentorship and outside perspective help you regain focus.
• Progress doesn’t require perfect conditions, just movement.

Time Stamps

00:00 — Welcome + why this episode is intentionally relaxed
01:00 — Jen’s opening take: self-care, sustainability, and planning ahead
04:00 — Todd’s opening take: shiny objects don’t fix real problems
07:00 — Why pausing during slow seasons makes things worse
10:00 — Leadership during downtime: keeping teams in motion
13:00 — Training, laundry, content, and creating positive momentum
16:00 — Why blaming the economy doesn’t help your business
18:00 — Knowing your numbers changes everything
21:00 — Reading your P&L and removing financial anxiety
23:00 — Busy weeks vs slow weeks — both require leadership
26:00 — Marketing, content, and staying visible year-round
29:00 — Fixing “October is always slow” thinking
32:00 — Automation, systems, and building stability
34:00 — When you feel stuck: get outside your echo chamber
36:00 — Mentorship, focus, and staying in forward motion
39:00 — Final thoughts + holiday reset

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