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Welcome to The Conscious Salon.
Here for the real talk salon owners actually need.
The Conscious Salon Podcast is where salon owners get clear guidance without the fluff. Hosted by Nic & Tess, we break down leadership, team culture, money, client journey, systems and numbers into simple moves you can use this week. Expect straight talk, real stories, lots of laughs and practical frameworks that help you lead well, grow profit, and have a life outside the salon.
You will hear from salon owners, industry leaders and working mums who have done the hard yards. We cover mindset that holds under pressure, meetings that improve your team culture, and the habits that build a self led team.
Follow the show and start with leadership posture, client journey design, and money mindset.
Listen in, implement, and stay conscious.
167 Episodes
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Freedom sounds amazing, until it bumps into your need to control every detail. In this episode, we sit down with Tae, our salon manager, to unpack how control quietly creeps into salon leadership, and what truly shifts when you replace micromanagement with trust. This isn’t theory, it’s lived experience. We get real about giving someone a title without real power, double-checking that crushed initiative, and the moment we realised our “supportive” words were actually restricting action. Tae s...
What if the key to building a strong, connected salon team before the silly season isn’t another checklist but honesty, pressure, and celebration? In this episode, we take you behind the scenes of our Life Ahead Team Development Day: a mix of raw journaling, a horror-themed escape room, and a practical debrief on communication, roles, and trust. It was messy, emotional, and incredibly powerful. The biggest surprise? How clearly our team patterns showed up, and how small shifts in language and...
The moment you meet Jess Lewis, you feel it: a rare mix of warmth, authenticity, and unstoppable drive that has made her a legend among millennial hairdressers across Australia. From humble beginnings in a home salon with her sister as an apprentice, Jess built one of the country’s most recognised blonde specialist salons, attracting clients who would travel hours for her craft. Her influence extends far beyond the salon chair. Jess pioneered live workshops that transformed the way stylists l...
Ever felt like your brand looks like a swan gliding gracefully across the water, while underneath your legs are thrashing just to stay afloat? In this episode, we dive straight into the “smoke and mirrors” that so many salon and clinic owners face: the glossy grids, pedestal leaders, and feel-good routines that often hide shaky numbers, wobbly culture, and leadership habits we’d rather not admit. No shame. No spin. Just truth, clarity, and the real power that comes from facing what matters....
In this vulnerable episode, Tess shares her story of a past relationship that left deep emotional scars, and the strength it took to walk away. She reflects on how grief made her more vulnerable, how the red flags were easy to dismiss, and the pivotal moment that gave her the courage to finally choose herself. Seven years on, Tess speaks with honesty about the lingering impact of shame and self-doubt, while also showing how her healing has given her a renewed sense of purpose. She opens up ab...
That gut-wrenching moment when a team member resigns. We have all been there. The sinking feeling, the self-doubt, the questions about what this means for your business. You are not alone, and you do not have to navigate it from a place of panic. In this episode, we offer your emergency pep talk for when a resignation lands on your desk. We share our own vulnerable mistakes (yes, even the tearful clinging!) and the lessons that helped us shift from taking resignations personally to seeing the...
In this riveting conversation, Amelia Jane—known as Australia's Queen of Blondes—reveals the extraordinary journey behind her meteoric rise in the hair industry. What begins as a shocking revelation (she actually abandoned hairdressing for six years and once hated colouring hair) unfolds into a masterclass on resilience, reinvention, and authentic entrepreneurship. Four years ago, Amelia launched Milly the Space, naming it after her grandmother's nickname for her. With raw honesty, she recoun...
In this final episode of our Motherhood Series on The Conscious Salon Podcast, we close out with a deeply personal conversation as I (Nicola) interview my sister and co-host, Tessa. This time, Tess takes the hot seat as she shares her journey into motherhood, her experience of maternity leave, and the lessons she has learned about balance, presence, and control while running two thriving businesses. Tess is a business owner, mentor, stepmother, dog-mum, partner, and now mother to her little b...
In this episode of The Conscious Salon Podcast, we continue our Motherhood Series with a very special conversation that turns the microphone onto one of our own. I sit down with my sister and co-host, Nicola Pollock, to unpack her deeply personal journey into motherhood while simultaneously running a salon during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nicola shares what it was like to give birth in 2020, a time of strict lockdowns, curfews, and immense uncertainty. From the surreal experience o...
In this episode of the Conscious Salon Podcast, we welcome Tegan Mac, a leader in the beauty industry, to discuss her journey through balancing a thriving business and motherhood. Tegan shares her personal experiences of pregnancy loss, the transition into motherhood, and how it has shaped her leadership style. The episode also explores the importance of authenticity in the beauty profession and provides a heartfelt glimpse into the emotional and practical challenges of merging bu...
In this episode of The Conscious Salon, we had the absolute pleasure of sitting down with the powerhouse that is Martha Kourt - business owner, educator, and the creative force behind BODA. From the moment we began chatting, it was clear this was going to be a conversation that went far beyond surface-level business talk. We explored the mindset, strategy, and heart it takes to build a brand that not only succeeds but also truly reflects who you are. Martha shared openly about her journey in ...
In this episode of The Conscious Salon, we’re thrilled to be joined by someone who has been walking beside us in business and friendship for many years - Tamara Reid. You might know her from her incredible work as the Head of Partnerships at Timely, her deep involvement in the professional hair and beauty industry, or from her own thriving business journey. This conversation is a raw and real look into what it actually means to navigate leadership, friendship and ambition as women - especiall...
In this incredibly heartfelt episode of The Conscious Salon, we’re joined by someone who inspires us endlessly - Sheridan-Rose Shaw. Sheridan is the founder of Mama West, a creative leader, mentor, entrepreneur and now, a beautiful new mum. We’ve wanted to have this conversation with her for so long, and the timing couldn’t have been more perfect. We speak honestly about what it’s really like to navigate the early days of motherhood while running a business and leading a team. Sheridan shares...
In this episode of The Conscious Salon, we’re diving deep into one of the most important - and often overlooked - areas of salon success: team productivity during downtime. We’ve all been there - appointments shift, cancellations pop up, and before you know it, there’s an unexpected gap in the day. Instead of letting those moments drag you into a low-energy spiral, we’re here to flip the narrative and show you how to transform downtime into opportunity. We share what we’ve learned from years ...
Welcome to a transformative episode of the Conscious Salon podcast, where we explore the powerful theme of financial independence and empowerment for women. In a world where societal norms often dictate financial roles, we challenge these conventions and encourage women to embrace their financial ambitions unapologetically. Join us as we share personal stories, practical tips, and insights to help you navigate your journey to financial freedom. Whether you're a business owner or an employee,...
In this episode of the Conscious Salon podcast, we dive into the challenges and growth opportunities for salon owners and leaders. We things off with some light-hearted banter about mum life and the chaotic attempts at recording the podcast. We reflect on past episodes and discuss the importance of embracing all versions of ourselves. The highlight of the episode is our 'Leadership Archetype Quiz.' We guide you through a series of questions designed to help you identify whether you're a reac...
In this episode of The Conscious Salon Podcast, we dive into a conversation that every salon owner and team leader needs to hear - how to spot red flags in your team and what to do when they come up. If you've ever felt confused or blindsided by a team member’s behaviour, you're not alone. We’ve been there too. After years in leadership, managing a range of personalities and navigating the ups and downs of salon culture, we’re sharing our biggest lessons when it comes to recognising behaviour...
In this very special episode, we recorded live from our annual Ahead Retreat – a two-day immersive mindset experience where we take our team out of the salon and into a dedicated space for growth, connection, and transformation. Every year, we press pause on the day-to-day and create space for our team to connect, reflect, and elevate. This retreat is not a reward – it’s a crucial part of our culture and the foundation of a conscious, connected, and high-performing team. In this episode, we s...
In this episode of The Conscious Salon, we’re pulling back the curtain on a topic that continues to come up in our community and coaching sessions - hiring. More specifically, we’re diving into the mindset shifts salon owners need to embrace to attract the right people, hire with confidence and lead without losing themselves in the process. Hiring is often seen as a practical process - put up a job ad, wait for applications, choose someone who’s technically skilled. But we’ve learnt that...
In this episode of The Conscious Salon, we’re diving deep into the idea of personal responsibility and exploring how often we carry things that aren’t actually ours to hold. Off the back of a wholesome weekend sleepover with our team (and their husbands), we reflect on a beautiful, chaotic night full of board games, too many wines and a spontaneous osteo appointment on the treatment table. But beyond the mashed potato pivot and parenting tag-teams, what really stood out to us was how often we...
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