Grow My Salon Business Podcast

When one salon already feels like it's running you, scaling a salon business to 230 locations sounds impossible. I'm joined by returning guest Denis McFadden, founder of Just Cuts. Denis has just released his book, The Power of Showing Up, and we talk about the personal story behind it and the thinking that built the brand. And I ask the question every salon owner asks: how do I build a business that keeps growing without everything going through me?

You'll hear why Denis puts systems at the heart of everything, the simple numbers he uses to judge whether a salon can be profitable, and why he's still building at 80. Whatever your size, you'll walk away knowing what to write down, what to measure and where you're overcomplicating things.
IN THIS EPISODE:

✅ Why systems let a business run 10 salons or 200 the same way
✅ Why time and price always belong in the same conversation
✅ How focusing on one thing built a brand, and why Denis keeps saying no to other opportunities
✅ What showing up really means, and how that one habit shaped an entire career

EPISODE TIMESTAMPS

[00:00] Introduction: Denis McFadden returns to talk about his new book
[06:01] The Power of Showing Up: what the title of the book really means
[11:30] Dyslexia, self-belief and why Denis now calls it his superpower
[18:46] Still building at 80: what keeps Denis motivated in business
[21:27] Why systems are the foundation of growing from one salon to many
[24:55] Is the Just Cuts model still relevant to today’s clients and stylists?
[31:41] Are tougher economic times pushing clients to trade down on haircuts?
[35:30] The percentages that decide whether a salon will be profitable
[37:49] Why time and price can never be separated in your salon
[39:54] The future of Just Cuts and why Denis is bringing in experts
[45:36] Would Denis do anything differently? Plus how to get the book
RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

📚 The Power of Showing Up by Denis McFadden – Denis's personal story and the story behind the Just Cuts brand – Find out more

Want MORE to help you GROW?

📚 Check out our Bestselling GROW Books 
🆘 Management overwhelm? Download our free checklist! This checklist will help you get clarity on where you're at 

RECOMMENDED NEXT EPISODE:

Episode 24: The story behind building ‘Just Cuts' a successful salon franchise with Denis McFadden Listen here → https://growmysalonbusiness.com/podcast/024/
 
👉 FOLLOW US!
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👉 FOLLOW JUST CUTS!
Instagram | Website 

RATINGS + REVIEWS

🙏 Thanks so much for joining me this week. 
If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! 
They do matter in the rankings of the show and help other people find my podcast.
👉 Here's what you do:
- On your phone, Click here  (Read steps below first)
- Scroll down to 'Ratings & Reviews'
- Tap on the empty purple stars and rate 5 stars
- Click on ‘Write a Review’ I love to hear what’s been helpful and what you love about the podcast! 
Thank you for your support! 🙏
Until next time!
Antony

Spend any time in hairdressing groups on social media, and you could believe a successful salon business is almost impossible today. Rising costs, staffing problems and shrinking margins are real. But some of the salons I work with tell a very different story. These are profitable businesses with great teams, run by owners who have a life outside the salon. We just don't hear enough about them, and I think it's time we did.

Today's episode will give you a fresh perspective on your own business, a clearer idea of what success means to you, and the foundations that help a salon hold firm when the economy slows.

IN THIS EPISODE:
Why the doom and gloom on social media only tells half the story
The simple swap from "I have to" to "I get to" and how it changes the way you see your business
Why your definition of success can look completely different from the salon down the road

EPISODE TIMESTAMPS

[00:00] Introduction: is the salon industry really all doom and gloom?
[01:23] A coaching client who is tired of the negativity in hairdressing
[02:49] Acknowledging the challenges without letting them dominate your thinking
[06:59] The successful salons you rarely hear about in our industry
[08:35] The low-profile salon on the fourth floor of an industrial building
[09:42] What does success actually mean for you and your salon?
[11:27] Why Antony wants to share more salon success stories on the podcast
[13:00] Warren Buffett, the tide going out, and building a business that lasts
[14:32] The foundations that help a salon cope when times get tough
[17:04] One simple question to ask about your business right now
[19:17] Why success leaves clues, and where to get help

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
➡️ Zenoti – all-in-one salon management platform with AI-powered client communications and automation. GMSB listeners get 50% off their first three months – Find out more

Grow My Salon Business – free and paid resources to help you build a more profitable, sustainable salon – Find out more

 
👉 FOLLOW US!
Instagram | Facebook | Website
RATINGS + REVIEWS

🙏 Thanks so much for joining me this week. 
If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! 
They do matter in the rankings of the show and help other people find my podcast.
👉 Here's what you do:
- On your phone, Click here  (Read steps below first)
- Scroll down to 'Ratings & Reviews'
- Tap on the empty purple stars and rate 5 stars
- Click on ‘Write a Review’ I love to hear what’s been helpful and what you love about the podcast! 
Thank you for your support! 🙏
Until next time!
Antony

A salon business partnership usually starts with two hairdressers, a strong friendship and a handshake. It feels like a great way to share the load. Yet most of these partnerships fall apart within a few years, often with money lost and friendships damaged. 

The key to a successful partnership is all about how you set it up at the beginning. So here's a question worth asking: if you're thinking about a partner, or already have one, how protected is the business when circumstances change?

What are the conversations to have before you sign anything, and why giving away ownership is so hard to undo. 

IN THIS EPISODE:

• Why needing business expertise is a poor reason on its own to give away equity in your salon
• The questions to answer before you sign anything: ownership, workload, salary, profits and decision-making
• What 50/50 really means when you and your partner disagree
• Why talking about the end at the start is one of the smartest moves you can make

EPISODE TIMESTAMPS

[00:00] Introduction: why so many salon partnerships start with just a handshake
[04:37] The first question to ask yourself: why do you actually want a partner?
[06:17] Why needing expertise doesn't mean you should give away ownership
[08:00] Why shared vision matters as much as complementary skills in a partnership
[11:12] Every partnership ends eventually, so why you should plan for it early
[12:14] The seven Ds that can derail a salon business partnership
[14:20] The conversations to have before you sign a partnership agreement
[16:19] What a 50/50 partnership really means when the two of you disagree
[17:17] Why you can't outsource understanding your own business as an owner
[20:00] The biggest lessons from three very different partnerships
[21:23] How Grow My Salon Business can help you build a better business

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

The GROW Book Series – four bestselling books on building a successful salon business – Find out more

Grow My Salon Business Online Courses – step-by-step courses on money, management, marketing and your team – Find out more 

Coaching – one-to-one support to work through the specific challenges in your business – Find out more 

 
👉 FOLLOW US!
Instagram | Facebook | Website
RATINGS + REVIEWS

🙏Thanks so much for joining me this week. 
If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! 
They do matter in the rankings of the show and help other people find my podcast.
👉 Here's what you do:
- On your phone, Click here  (Read steps below first)
- Scroll down to 'Ratings & Reviews'
- Tap on the empty purple stars and rate 5 stars
- Click on ‘Write a Review’ I love to hear what’s been helpful and what you love about the podcast! 
Thank you for your support! 🙏
Until next time!
Antony

Why do some salon and beauty businesses grow beyond a single location while others struggle to scale? In this episode, I’m joined once again by Sudheer Koneru, co-founder of Zenoti, to discuss his new book, Growth Diaries: How the Best Beauty and Wellness Brands Scale from One Store to One Hundred Plus.

Drawing on conversations with 42 successful founders across the salon, spa, med spa and wellness industries, Sudheer shares the common traits he discovered behind businesses that successfully scale. We talk about why passion and purpose matter, the importance of building systems that work without the owner, why successful entrepreneurs are great listeners, and how people, culture, location and data all play a role in sustainable growth.
Whether your ambition is to build one exceptional salon or one hundred locations, there are plenty of lessons here about what it really takes to build a business that can grow beyond you.

IN THIS EPISODE:
The real reason most salons plateau at a single location and never expand
Which phase of growth trips up almost every founder, and what gets them through it
The three traits the world's fastest growing beauty and wellness brands all share
Why retention and rebooking matter more than chasing new client numbers

EPISODE TIMESTAMPS

[00:00] Introduction: why so few salons ever scale past one location 
[00:39] Meet Sudheer Koneru, founder of Zenoti and author of Growth Diaries 
[03:19] Sudheer's own path from Microsoft into building wellness businesses 
[04:58] Why timing changes which sectors are easiest to scale today 
[07:00] What surfaces when founders talk beyond their usual PR story 
[09:00] Two stories of founders who built huge brands from nothing
[13:00] The phases of growth most likely to trip up an owner 
[16:26] Why owners underestimate how much they personally are the system 
[19:00] Founder or business partner: what separates the two growth paths 
[22:22] Why going from one location to two is the hardest step 
[26:12] Three things the most successful beauty and wellness brands share 
[35:39] Sudheer's advice for a young stylist wanting to build something bigger

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

Growth Diaries by Sudheer Koneru – a new book drawn from 42 conversations with beauty and wellness founders who scaled from one location to over a hundred → You can get the book here

Zenoti – salon, spa and wellness management software, founded by today's guest – head here for 50% off for the first 3 months  

RECOMMENDED NEXT EPISODE:

If you enjoyed this episode, you'll also like: Episode 268: Can One Salon Management Software System Fill All Your Needs? Listen here → https://growmysalonbusiness.com/podcast/268

 
👉 FOLLOW US!
Instagram | Facebook | Website
👉 FOLLOW Zenoti!
Instagram | Website 

RATINGS + REVIEWS

🙏Thanks so much for joining me this week. 
If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! 
They do matter in the rankings of the show and help other people find my podcast.
👉 Here's what you do:
- On your phone, Click here  (Read steps below first)
- Scroll down to 'Ratings & Reviews'
- Tap on the empty purple stars and rate 5 stars
- Click on ‘Write a Review’ I love to hear what’s been helpful and what you love about the podcast! 
Thank you for your support! 🙏
Until next time!
Antony

Growth sounds like the obvious goal for any salon owner, but chasing a bigger business without a plan can break the one you've already built. I've seen owners open a second location only to end up with two salons that struggle instead of one that thrives. So what would your business actually need to look like if it grew the way you truly want?

In this episode, I share the five things I believe every salon owner needs before they scale: a clear vision, real systems, people who can lead, a handle on the numbers, and the willingness to grow as a leader. You'll get a practical insight to decide if growth is the right goal, and how to build a business that gives you the life you want.

IN THIS EPISODE

• The five things you need in place before you scale a salon business
• Why expansion doesn't just duplicate what was already working; it duplicates the problems as well.
• How to build systems that let your business run without you
• Why business growth is really people growth, and how to develop leaders under you
EPISODE TIMESTAMPS

[00:00] Introduction
[01:33] Why there is no single definition of salon business success
[03:15] The assumption that bigger automatically means better, and why it isn't
[04:02] The five things you need in place for growth to be sustainable
[06:16] The mistake most salon owners make when they open salon number two
[07:47] How growth reveals whether you built a business or just a job
[10:00] Why business growth is really about growing people, not just adding them
[12:24] Why you need to know the numbers before you think about expanding
[14:22] Why evolving as a leader is the hardest part of growing a business
[16:09] The owner who believes nobody can do it as well as they can
[17:00] A recap of the five things sustainable salon growth actually requires
[18:11] Where to find the free video series on salon management skills
RESOURCES MENTIONED

Free Management Video Series – Four Essential Lessons in Salon Management to Set You Up For Success, a free four-part video series (each video around 15 minutes) that also explains how the management course and coaching program work.
👉 Register here https://growmysalonbusiness.com/management-video-series and get them sent straight to your inbox

Want MORE to help you GROW?

📚 Check out our Bestselling GROW Books: https://growmysalonbusiness.com/books/

🆘 Management overwhelm? Download our free checklist! This checklist will help you get clarity on where you're at: https://growmysalonbusiness.com/management-checklist/
👉 FOLLOW US!
Instagram | Facebook | Website
RATINGS & REVIEWS

🙏 Thanks so much for joining me this week. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated!

They do matter in the rankings of the show and help other people find my podcast.

👉 Here's what you do:
- On your phone, click here (read the steps below first): https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/grow-my-salon-business-podcast/id1456014220
- Scroll down to 'Ratings & Reviews'
- Tap on the empty purple stars and rate 5 stars
- Click on 'Write a Review'

I love to hear what's been helpful and what you love about the podcast! 
Thank you for your support! 🙏

Until next time!
Antony