Chris Baran's Headcases

Today’s guest is a seasoned salon owner who recently celebrated a diamond milestone—25 years in the business. He now serves as the Director of Business and Leadership Development for the Salon 124 Group out of Atlanta, Georgia—an impressive company with over 200 team members, a cosmetology school, and more than $11 million in annual sales. He’s a lifelong learner, a John Maxwell certified speaker and educator, and an outstanding coach. He also co-founded the industry-leading Shop Talk podca...

Today’s guests are the husband and wife team from Salon 27 in Mesa, Arizona. They added a virtual element to their consultations that has completely changed their business. They’re here to tell us how it's done with a simple four-step process. As the salon's Creative Director, Amber brings the artistry and training. With Chet's background in marketing and data analytics, he's driving the innovation. Together, they balance business and creativity beautifully. They are profitable owners, phenom...

Today’s guest brings the perfect blend of heart and business savvy to the salon industry. With a business degree in hand, he helped elevate his salon both culturally and financially—earning a place in Salon Today’s Top 200 nearly every year since. As a business coach he helps good salons become great, guiding them to award-winning success. He is an inspiring keynote speaker, a grounded thought leader, and a trusted common-sense coach. If you want your salon to have the culture where clients s...

Today’s guest is an absolute firecracker in the salon industry and you’ll feel it the moment she starts speaking. Her systems, strategies, and no-nonsense approach have helped salon owners hit seven-figure success and service providers reach six-figure incomes—without burning out. She has empowered thousands of professionals to break through their limits, boost their profits, and build thriving businesses. She is a dynamic speaker, master transformation coach, and true industry disruptor, and...

This is the second time we’ve had the pleasure of welcoming this incredible guest to Headcases, and for good reason. We started with a powerful conversation about the role of questioning in the salon, as owners, as educators, and as leaders, and it became something much deeper. His perspective as a corporate executive coach carries so much insight I knew I had to bring him back and share even more of that wisdom with you. Jay Williams is an executive coach who’s worked with Fortune 500 compan...

Welcome back to Headcases! Part 1 of our conversation with Celene Dupuis was incredible - she came in strong, busting industry myths and dropping leadership wisdom that every salon pro needs to hear. In Part 2, we’re picking up right where we left off. Celene continues to challenge the status quo, offering real talk, practical strategies, and powerful insights to help you grow as a leader and build a sustainable, high-performing business. It's time to rethink the way our industry works - Let’...

Hi, and welcome once again to Headcases. For a long time now I've wanted someone on the show who could bust some of the biggest myths that still haunt our industry—and today we have the perfect guest. She is an award-winning entrepreneur and leadership coach known for helping individuals and organizations unlock their full potential. While mentoring leaders, entrepreneurs, and teams across the beauty world, she also built a high-performing, sustainable business as CEO of Revamp Salon Company....

My friends, welcome to another episode of Headcases — and this one’s a good one. My guest is a true powerhouse in the beauty industry. You probably already know her as a celebrity stylist, with a client list including Alicia Keys, Rihanna, Jennifer Hudson, Lady Gaga, Kim Kardashian, and Serena Williams. She made history as the first African American beauty professional spokesperson for Pantene and as Aveda’s first Global Artistic Director for Textured Hair. Today, she’s the Global Artistic Di...

Today’s guest is making a real impact in our industry. She’s the Executive Director of the Professional Beauty Association (PBA), bringing her unique blend of experience as a licensed aesthetician, makeup artist, and business owner. Before stepping into her role at PBA, she ran a successful cosmetics and skincare business in Michigan, and spent 15 years in corporate communications and community relations in the health and wellness space, including with the YMCA. She holds a bachelor’s degree ...

She co-founded the highly successful Julian August Salon in California, where she spent 32 years perfecting her craft behind the chair. Her passion for teaching—combined with her unmatched technical skill—made her one of the most sought-after colorists and educators in North America. While working full-time in the salon, she also founded Hair Color Magic, an education program that helped colorists around the world thrive. Most recently, she co-founded both CCB Collective Color Brands and Colo...

If anyone deserves the title of GOAT in hair color, it’s today’s guest. Fresh out of university and beauty school, she was appointed Director of Education at Clairol. She later consulted for brands like Redken and Joico to help develop major professional color lines. She has traveled the globe, training thousands of colorists. She co-owned the famous Minardi Salon in New York. A true celebrity stylist, she has worked with stars like Mandy Moore, Sarah Jessica Parker, Julianne Moore, and Brad ...

This week on Headcases we are joined by a true force in the beauty industry. He’s built a remarkable career as a celebrity hairstylist, a master colorist, a brand ambassador, and a business executive. He’s taken his expertise worldwide, teaching sold-out classes around the world. Specializing in balayage, blonding, and advanced color techniques, he has not only perfected his craft but also mastered the social media game, amassing an impressive 3 million followers. Today, we’ll dive into his j...

Today’s guest on HeadCases is a third-generation hairdresser, a salon owner, and internationally recognized artist with over 40 years behind the chair. In that time, he’s traveled more than 3 million miles, sharing his knowledge and passion. He is a visionary philanthropist committed to protecting the health of clients and hairdressers both. He made it his mission in creating his own brand, Surface, promoting personal health, respect for the Earth, and helping others to grow. Let’s get into t...

his week I'm chatting with someone I admire very much as a no-nonsense truth teller who leads with love. She is a published author. She is a world-renowned keynote speaker. She owns three schools and three salons where her mission is not to hire employees but to develop future partners. This mindset makes her a key part of the John Maxwell Team, one of the world's top leadership training organizations. She led nationwide values-based leadership initiatives for 25,000 leaders with Maxwell at t...

⭐️⭐️⭐️ Check out more episodes and the videos at https://chrisbaran.com/podcast ⭐️ Join our FREE Facebook community for Salon Team Trainers today. https://facebook.com/groups/salonteamtraining ✅ Exclusive content on how to implement and scale your salon training the easy way ✅ Save time and learn what works from people just like you ✅ Get back to your mission of building the salon business and creating more jobs Learn more here - https://bit.ly/trainersplaybook Join our FB grou...

"What would you do if a person with autism sat in your chair for a haircut? What if the sounds of the salon triggered an episode—causing them to holler, scream, or bounce? Or if they were terrified of clippers? Would you know how to help? That’s exactly why I’m so excited about today’s guest. Welcome to another episode of Head Cases! Our guest is not only a visionary but also the founder and CEO of Sensory Safe Solutions. With 24 years in the salon industry, she brings not just professional e...

This week I’m speaking with a Harvard and Wharton Business School grad and founder of Busy Salons. He is president of Salon Ninja, and the creator of A-Game Mastery Coaching. He is a Hi-Performance coach and has worked with many high profile salon artists. It’s my honour today to chat with Andrew Finkelstein. Andrew shares how he got started in the beauty industry after graduating from Harvard business school How business school was helpful to a point, but he realized that many people ha...

This week I'm with a great friend who is a 13-time NAHA finalist and winner. His work has appeared in almost every industry magazine in the world. He’s been on Oprah, CNN, and Good Morning America. He has styled for movies, music videos, and fashion runways. Here is Mr Nicholas French! • One of the best pieces of advice that Nicholas got from his father when he was only 10 years old: “Keep your eyes open 24 hrs a day because you never know what you are going to see”. You have to always be on ...

Today I sit down with the Midwest Hairstyling Awards Hairstylist of the Year, NAHA Educator of the Year and Director of the Hair Labs Detroit Barber School, Mr Rodrick Samuels. Rodrick shares some great nuggets of wisdom this week including his top 3 list for students - you have to show up, you have to work hard and you have to listen. He shares how education has changed so much from when he was in school, how teaching is 1000% different now. Hear about the importance of fai...

Today’s guest is not just a dear friend but a certified visionary who has left an indelible mark on the beauty industry. He’s an award-winning colorist and stylist, a former Global Artistic Director for Matrix, and a creative force whose work has graced international magazine covers, advertising campaigns, and stages worldwide. But that’s not all—he’s also an internationally acclaimed photographer, capturing breathtaking moments with his own creations and those of other exceptional artists. H...