November 18, 2025 • 45 mins
The future of beauty leadership doesn’t live in hustle culture or lone-wolf success stories—it lives in healthy companies where people grow, paychecks are stable, and culture drives the numbers. Robert Maraglia sits down with Barbara and Brett Pierce to share why they bought a three-decade education company and how they’re modernizing it without losing the backbone: financial clarity, team-based pay, and no-compromise leadership.
We unpack what changed our own salons from stressed to strong: real systems, clear values, and a team model that unlocks more than just “two hands.” Barbara explains how focusing on whole-person contribution—education, mentorship, guest experience, and innovation—reduces burnout and lifts results. Brett gives a grounded take on no-compromise leadership: hold fast to goals and values, stay flexible on methods, and build the consistency that creates trust and stable incomes.
You’ll hear how Strategies is evolving education with the online Academy, small-group collabs, and packed in-person events designed for both owners and teams. We talk practical solutions for today’s challenges—churn, no-shows, cancellations—plus the early expectations and clear career paths that keep new talent in the industry. From AI-enabled systems to hands-on workshops, every tool points to the same outcome: resilient, people-first salons that last.
If you’ve been watching from the sidelines, consider this your nudge. Test one new play, pilot a clearer path, and see what happens when your culture and numbers finally pull in the same direction. Subscribe, share with a fellow owner, and leave a review with the one change you’ll make this month—we’ll feature our favorites in a future episode.
To learn more about how Strategies can help you create more profit, fun, and growth potential for you, your business, and your team, schedule a free 60-minute strategy session:
Strategies: https://www.strategies.com
Salon/Spa Business Coaching: https://strategies.com/memberships/
In-Person Salon/Spa Seminars: https://strategies.com/education
Podcast: https://strategies.com/podcast/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/strategiesteam
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/strategies
Online Education Portal: https://learning.strategies.com/
The Beauty Business Strategies Podcast is designed to give salon, spa, medspa, barbershop, and lash studio owners, just like you, quick tips to make more money, inspire your team, and create world-class client experiences.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_01 (00:06):
Before we get started, a quick note.
SPEAKER_00 (00:09):
We recorded this between other meetings in
different locations, and wefound some audio imperfections
when we were listening back.
We thought about re-recordingit, and then we decided no,
we're not going to re-record it.
It was too authentic.
And Robert did such a great job.
It was just where we wanted itto be.
SPEAKER_01 (00:25):
Yeah, we hope you'll listen past the static for the
substance because thisconversation matters.
SPEAKER_00 (00:31):
Thank you.
SPEAKER_03 (00:32):
Hi everyone, and welcome to the Beauty Business
Strategies podcast.
I'm Robert Maraglia, customerexperience specialist here at
Strategies, and I'm so gladyou're tuning in today.
If you've been a part of theStrategies community for a
while, you probably know we'vegone through some exciting
changes over the past year.
(00:53):
New leadership, new energy, anda renewed commitment to helping
beauty business owners buildprofitable, people-first
companies that actually last.
Today I'm joined by ownersBarbara and Brett Pierce, and
we're pulling back the curtainon what this next era of
strategies really looks like.
(01:14):
Welcome, welcome, welcome,Barbara, Brett.
Glad we could do this today.
SPEAKER_00 (01:20):
I know, I'm so excited.
I'm really excited it's you,Robert.
I love getting to talk to you.
SPEAKER_02 (01:27):
Yeah, it's the same here.
SPEAKER_03 (01:29):
Yes, I'm excited.
I'm excited.
So we'll just get it kicked off.
Let's go.
Let's start at the beginning.
Uh, you know, there's a lot ofeasier paths in business than
buying an education companythat's been around for nearly 30
years.
So, why strategies?
What did you see in this companyor the industry that made you
(01:52):
say this is worth building on?
So that is a loaded question.
Let's just go on.
SPEAKER_00 (01:59):
Brett, do you want to start?
SPEAKER_02 (02:01):
Absolutely.
I'll begin.
I'll begin it.
Um, so I'll first answer thisway there was already the
established relationship.
And in that establishedrelationship, Barbara and I have
been working with the samecompany.
So we had access to thecustomers that already believe
in things that are all samestrategies.
(02:24):
And then there's this amazingteam that we worked with.
So all these people that werewith us that were fighting so
hard.
Not often do you get theopportunity to see how people,
how strongly they believe insomething, as we did with the
people that were working aroundus.
So we were already just we werewe we were just drenched and
(02:46):
immersed, immersed in and allthings move companies forward,
all things take care of otherpeople, that heart of service.
So we were already there in thatpart.
So there was the love there.
There was the love of of that.
Could it have been that we wentout and built one from the
ground up?
I'm sure that we could couldhave could have done that.
(03:07):
We would be absolutely capableof doing so.
But you had just like you mayhave that beautiful house that
you see that's been built formany of years, you know it was
built with with good materials,you know that the the thought
that went into it was awell-planned design.
And you go and you make thathome better by purchasing it.
(03:30):
Well, that's the same thing forus for strategies.
We wanted to see that portion ofit.
And so we saw all the the thingsthat were happening now and then
the potential of moving itforward with a continued voice,
but a fresher look at it, adifferent, not necessarily
(03:53):
vision as much as just havingthe view of the of the landscape
of the uh of the future.
SPEAKER_00 (04:00):
And you know, for me, we as owners of a salon in
our, you know, in our area, um,we found strategies a long, long
time ago.
I mean, it was what, Brett, 2006that we first started working
with strategies as strategiesclients.
And, you know, coming frommyself, I did not come from a
(04:22):
background in beauty um in thebeauty industry.
And so I was doing behind thescenes payroll books, things
like that.
And I was really kind ofconfused by how this industry
does things at the time.
And when we found strategies,you know, was not everybody who
comes to strategies comesbecause they're having some kind
(04:45):
of challenge.
Sometimes they are just stagnantor they want to grow or they're
looking for a different way toview their company.
But for us, we had very realchallenges.
Our company was struggling, itwas in disrepair.
Strategies helped us get back onour feet and learn how to run it
as a company and build a healthycompany.
And that's something that I havefound since is kind of lacking
(05:07):
in our industry is that supportto build healthy companies or
even what a healthy companylooks like.
We all just keep doing it thesame way because the industry
dictates how you perform yourbusiness or your, you know,
handle your business.
And what we realized is thatstrategies helped us become a
real company, a healthy company,and and thrive.
(05:29):
And so we both ended up umriding two horses with one
caboose, as it were.
We were both working in thesalon and working for strategies
and other things too.
Um we became coaches forstrategies, and then we really
got to see more of the industryand how the solid business
foundations that we learned atStrategies can help everybody
(05:53):
because they're just solidbusiness foundations, period.
It's not reinventing the wheel,it's teaching people how to run
a healthy company.
So when Neil, we knew that Neilwas getting ready, he Neil
Dukoff was the founder ofStrategies and we knew he was
getting ready to retire.
And what was going to become ofthe company, we could not bear
to watch anything happen to thecompany.
(06:15):
Um we wanted the company tocontinue so that it could do the
work that it had always beendoing, which is is help salon
spaws, med spaws, and our beautyindustry, which is a beautiful
industry, thrive, grow, repair,get healthy, excel, evolve,
elevate, all of the things.
So that's that's the reason thatwe made the decision is we
(06:37):
wanted to see this companycontinue to serve our industry
in the manner that it has beenserving our industry for over 30
years, and then some, and toevolve with our industry.
SPEAKER_03 (06:48):
I mean, I joined Strategies in 2015 uh with our
company um in in Atlanta, and uhit made such an impact on us
that I became a coach in 2018,and then we sold our company in
2019, and lo and behold, whoknows what was gonna happen
(07:10):
next.
Um, but it was and thatcompany's still thriving today.
So I I I hear you, I hear thatthere's this drive and there's
this um almost conviction towhat you know, that we gotta
share it, we gotta spread thenews, we gotta share this with
(07:32):
people and and help everyone andsupport them in the best
possible way.
SPEAKER_00 (07:37):
Well, and Robert, you point you're pointing out
something, you know, that'sreally important that that the
coaches that you encounter atstrategies all either owned or
were high-level management in aSwan Spa, med spa, in a beauty
industry company, just likeyourself, just like us.
Um, we've all been in thetrenches, we've all you know
(08:00):
been in this industry.
So I think that's a reallyimportant thing to know about
strategies.
And one of the reasons that itwas so important to us that we
keep this company together wasbecause all of the coaches like
you found strategies, foundtheir home, found their healthy
company, and then have a passionfor, like you, helping other
(08:21):
companies grow and get healthytoo.
SPEAKER_02 (08:23):
Yeah, that's a great point.
I'm glad you noticed that,Barbara and Robert.
I'm glad you said what you saidbecause you know, I've I grew up
my entire life in the beautyindustry.
I've I've I've been exposed toall aspects of it.
And I've seen all the differenttypes of evolutions for it.
I've seen the you know differenttrends that came in and even
(08:46):
different ways that things thatwere handled as far as business
went.
And I was very fortunate to havemy my dad who influenced me
mostly on the business side, buton the business side too, he he
saw he was really gifted atseeing people.
He was gifted at seeing whattheir their gifts were, and um
(09:07):
uh and he was he was gifted inseeing that their skills, the
things that they were capableof, that if you expanded on
those things, you could makereally great people, you could
you could grow those betterhumans, right?
And so he saw that aspect and heit it always had inspired me.
So as I began to mature in thebusiness and as I began began to
(09:30):
you know desire to move awayfrom performing services,
because that was my backgroundwas performing services, and as
I saw, you know, areas for me toto expand in, I started
searching for what would be thebest way of doing this.
And I had tried severaldifferent things, several
different companies, looking at,you know, uh everything from
(09:50):
our, you know, the brands thatwe worked with, education that
they were providing.
I was looking at everything,even outside of our industry,
and I feel as though I stumbledon something that had been in
existence at that time for 20years, um, and how I missed it,
I don't know.
But when I did, I was I waslike, this is my happy place,
(10:11):
this is where I'm home.
So you answering the earlierquestion, you know, why wouldn't
we?
Because it was already home tome.
Why wouldn't we buy strategies?
It was already home to me.
And then all these people movedinto the home with me.
Uh and it sounded like a a crazyhome, but but but but but but
they moved in with us side byside and are locked arm in arm.
(10:32):
And everybody in our companytook things so seriously while
having fun, but I mean, seriousin the things that we wanted to
deliver to customers, how wewanted the people, other people
to thrive, how we wanted them tohow them them grow, and we took
such pride in it.
And it was just naturalprogression for me, and then for
(10:54):
me and Barbara to do ittogether, that was a dream come
true.
To be to do this together withher, and I think she feels the
same way about me, was just adream come true.
For us to take this and continueto evolve and and continue the
legacy.
SPEAKER_03 (11:13):
I love that.
Um, Barbara, I've heard you saywe didn't buy it to preserve it
in amber.
You know, so so what were whatare you most excited about to
evolve rather than justmaintain?
What do you what do you foresee?
What is coming?
SPEAKER_00 (11:31):
Well, you know, strategies has always been
rooted in solid financial umstewardship in companies.
We've always, you know, reallystressed understanding your
numbers, understanding thebusiness side and the business
foundation.
But one of the key ways thatwe're evolving is our focus on
team and growing team membersand really owning the knowledge
(11:54):
that team members have in thecompany and and and helping them
get to that place where theygrow more beyond what they do
with their two hands.
We're we're very much helpingowners and team members look at
the company more holisticallyand what does the company need
besides just how fast I can dohair or how quick I am, you
(12:15):
know, at you know, how how Iadhere to time standards and how
many people I run in and out ofthe treatment room.
We're really about how do wegrow and evolve as a company
where we can use the the talentsof the whole individual to kind
of elevate the company that wehave and innovate.
And um, so I really feel likeone of the things that we're
(12:37):
doing looking on the horizon isgetting teams more involved,
making sure that team membersunderstand the business side
more and what it means for theirindividual growth.
I think a lot of people havethis misconception that because
we advocate for team-basedcompanies, that we try to make
little robots where everybody'sthe same and cookie cutter.
And that couldn't be furtherfrom the truth.
(12:59):
We're really about elevating theindividual in a way where the
individual can use all of theirskills and avoid the burnout of
just how busy they can get orhow quick they can sling clients
through, but really how they canlook at what the company needs
overall and help the companygrow and educating because it's
really hard in our industry tohelp owners and team members
(13:21):
understand how to do that whenour industry tells them your
only growth path is to getbusier and see more people.
And so we help companiesunderstand that that is not the
only way.
And so one of the big key thingsthat we want to do is is that
team involvement and gettingteam involved more in the
company and really digging intothe culture of your company and
(13:44):
and understanding how muchculture drives the numbers.
And but my biggest thing, likemy soapbox moment, is I am
absolutely about stopping thechurn in our industry.
And you've heard me say itbefore, I'll say it again and
again and again.
The best count that we can getright now is four out of five
people coming into cosmetologyschools will not be in our
(14:06):
industry two years from now.
They come in, they're lookingfor stable companies with
supportive teams and a careerpath, and they're not finding it
and they're bouncing.
We, you know, we see such a justa big hole in the bucket where
we're losing people from thisindustry, and they're bouncing
(14:27):
to places like nursing.
Um great career, but you'rehere, you love this.
Why would you leave it?
So we've got to get ourcompanies healthier so people
stick.
SPEAKER_03 (14:39):
There's probably structure and education and
skills training and a strongcareer path in nursing, like
that's very well laid out.
And that's been something that Iknew in my company that was not
the case.
And that's what helped us uhlook for strategies to get that.
SPEAKER_00 (15:01):
Yeah, and stable pay.
I mean, a stable payroll thatthe you know, they can count on
their paycheck and they justshow up and do their thing and
and work well and work hard andand their pay is stabilized.
SPEAKER_02 (15:14):
Yeah, and if you think about like Robert, what
you just said there is the thestable portion of it with with
what how your company comparedto and what you did with it and
what Barbara's talking aboutwith like with even in the
nursing and talking about theterm, one of the things that
that is for let's say nursingfor a seven second, and we'll
talk about that industry.
(15:35):
The expectations are very clearwhen you go into to nursing.
It's very clear.
And what's gonna happenafterwards is it's very, very
clear.
Um, who you might go work for,what field you might go work in,
that type of thing.
The evolution that that we feellike needs to happen to support
what Barbara's talking about, wegotta start sooner.
(15:57):
We gotta get to the foundationalcomponents, get to get to where
even in the early parts ofeducation or even prior to going
into technical training, whetherit be um cosmetology, whether it
be aesthetics, whether it besomething to do with the med
spa, any of that stuff, prior tothat, setting the right
expectations.
(16:18):
Cosmetology, for instance, whatoften happens is that there's
the talk of the love, thepassion, the beauty, the beauty
you're creating, and that typeof stuff, and you must, must
have it.
You must have it.
And there is a lot ofconversation around your team,
that type of thing.
But then we get into a lot of Imean mine, and it stops being
about team and how we you'regonna get on this one single
(16:41):
pass and it's gonna be, it'sgonna benefit you, it's gonna
benefit you.
But we don't really explain whatthat really, really, truly looks
like even during the admissionsprocess entering into a
technical school.
And we need to get to thatportion of it too.
It needs to start early.
And it needs to be evolutionthat happens even for those that
are educating others.
(17:02):
So when we think about what wehave now, what strategies
create, what strategies setspeople on the path for, we have
to make sure that the evolutionis such that when we change
these things in the industrythat it is understood and we
give them a career when theyexit, not just simply a job, and
(17:25):
not just simply going to theonly way to do it is to do insta
famous, to do something that'sindividual, to just themselves.
Because it's it has been said ummany times, and by one of our
coaches, um uh Dennis Gullo, inin order to go to go fast, go
(17:48):
alone.
But in order to go far, go witha team.
And we seek those that wish wishto go far, that can continue in
it, that don't become burnedout, that see that we can work
as a team and take our time withdeveloping our skills and take
our time and taking care ofcustomers and that heart of
(18:08):
service.
Because heart of service is herefor us, but that's why sometimes
hard of that's why sometimes ago-to in the industry that's
also got hard of service, butwith more consistency.
SPEAKER_03 (18:19):
Right.
Right.
That that's great.
Um you touched on a couple ofthings, you know, about uh, you
know, the ideas that builtstrategies, the foundations,
like poor business outcomes,team-based pay, no compromise
leadership.
I mean, those things are justlike at our core, um, and maybe
(18:41):
are you know just are alwaysgonna be and in the cender
blocks or the cornerstones ofthis foundation?
Um, you know, but I know you'vesaid it's not about changing
what works, it's about changinghow we teach it.
So how are we gonna do itdifferently?
SPEAKER_00 (19:00):
Well, we it starts with our our education director,
Jess Turkesson, who is socreative and has developed so
much education around doing itdifferently and around that team
aspect.
Um, we've, you know, it's a lotof getting the information out
(19:21):
is how we'll do it differently.
You know, we've startedStrategies Academy, our online
education, and um we've gotten alot more, our our experience has
gotten a lot richer at ourclasses.
Um it's not just going in andand sitting and learning, it's
way more doing andcollaborating, hands-on, and you
(19:41):
know, having that experiencethat's different, that that
creates a community, and that'spart of what we want to do is
help form that community backtogether.
Um, I feel like there's been alittle splintering in our
community, um the beautyindustry as a whole, and so
watching people really cometogether and knit together.
Um so the education and the waythat we are getting the
(20:02):
information out there isevolving and getting better.
Um, and the team members that wehave, new and ones that have
been with us for a while, areall evolving and learning
different ways to get thatinformation out.
Um, different ways, you know,even when we're coaching,
different ways to engage withthe clients that we're fortunate
(20:22):
to serve.
Um, you know, it it's justevolving the whole process of
communication and and how weinteract with the people that
we're privileged to work with.
SPEAKER_03 (20:33):
I love that.
So, Brett, um what does nocompromise leadership mean in
today's world, especially forowners that want flexibility and
balance and no burnout.
SPEAKER_02 (20:49):
Well, so no compromise leadership in just in
a nutshell, there is that whichwe say we will do, we'll do.
And we don't compromise on anyof the things that we set as our
values and who we are.
So if a leader chooses, so tochooses things that create that
(21:12):
safe world for them, they've gotto communicate that with their
team.
And in communicating with ateam, everybody has to live it
equally.
It can't be what's good for memay not be good for you kind of
thing, or what's not good foryou is fine for me.
We want to have that nocompromise approach around those
(21:33):
those type of things.
So if if a if a leader islooking for that that balance in
their life, the best way to getthat is in or is to lead by that
example and to allow it to bethere for them as well, and to
not compromise on the thingsthat mean the most to you and
(21:57):
that mean the most to thecompany and mean the most to the
team.
We just don't want to compromiseon that.
It compromise, you know, to beno compromise sometimes can seem
like a rigid, inflexible way ofdoing things.
It's not.
We're just saying that we arenot going to give up on those
things that we value and we'renot gonna forget them just
(22:20):
because it became too hard andbecause somebody made me feel
uncomfortable about it.
It's who we are and we're gonnastick to that.
SPEAKER_00 (22:28):
I like if I can add to that, I like the phrase we
will not compromise on our goalsor our values, but we will be
flexible on the way we achievethem.
So it's not that there's a lackof flexibility, and it's not
that it's rigid.
No compromise just means when ifit has to be done, we get it
done.
And so we're not gonnacompromise on the goal.
(22:50):
Um, we're not gonna compromiseon who we are, but we can be
flexible on the journey.
SPEAKER_03 (22:56):
Right.
I love that because I mean wewant to be we want that
consistency in our paycheck, wewant that consistency in uh the
doors being open and a place tocome work.
So that to me, that's like apart of that.
You just don't wake up onemorning and go, eh, not today.
No, you we get up and we go doit.
(23:17):
We need to go do it.
Um, you know, so I I love that.
And um thank you for it.
We're still holding true to it.
We're just expanding how weshare it and helping people
understand how it how it doeswork, because I think it gets
easily misconstrued or seemsharsh, but really it's like, oh,
(23:43):
that's like stability there.
I love that.
SPEAKER_00 (23:46):
Well, and you know, Robert, when you think about the
flexibility, or that seemsharsh, um, it's not harsh when
you get a consistent paycheck.
So you you know, we want nocompromise when it means taking
care of our responsibilities tothe company.
We want no compromise when itmeans making sure that we hit
(24:07):
our goals so that we asindividuals inside of the
company can grow and continuealong our career path.
So I think the terminologysometimes makes people cringe,
like, oh, that sounds really touse our our words, dictatorial
and inflexible.
Um, but we're it's not, it justmeans when it has to be done, we
get it done.
(24:27):
We just do, we find a way, weadapt and overcome.
SPEAKER_03 (24:31):
Right, right.
SPEAKER_00 (24:33):
And I'm not going to compromise the values of the
company for anybody.
SPEAKER_02 (24:38):
Right.
No, and these are thecommitments that we make.
SPEAKER_00 (24:41):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (24:42):
Yeah.
There it's a commitment.
That's what we're doing.
SPEAKER_00 (24:46):
Yes.
SPEAKER_03 (24:47):
Okay.
You've spent the past yearreally listening to the
industry, to our clients, ourpast members and teams.
What have you heard from themthat's shaped the direction of
this new strategies era?
SPEAKER_00 (25:02):
Well, for me, yeah I've heard a lot of praise and
support for the things thatwe've we've always done right.
You know, the healthy companies,the financial responsibility,
the understanding your numbers.
Um, one of the things that I'veheard from the industry that has
kind of shaped the direction is,and I know, I know, I know we've
(25:26):
heard it, we've heard it, weheard it, the work-life balance
thing.
Um but what that means to me ishow do we create space for
people to enjoy their livesoutside of their work day?
And I I you know, when we saywork-life balance, if you think
about a seesaw, um, there'sstill two people on that seesaw.
(25:50):
There's still two things on thatseesaw.
We to to in order to have thatlife outside of work, we have to
have the work to afford it,right?
And so what you know, when wethink about what people are
asking for, it's how do we makethe experience in our companies
better so that the time that wespend there is more gratifying
(26:15):
and more fulfilling for us.
So it's not like I can't wait toget away from my J-O-B so I can
get to my real life.
It's on both sides.
I've got my my life outside ofwork with my family, my friends,
and it's lovely.
And I also have my life insideof work and it it too is lovely.
And I think a lot of times theturn is created by the the
(26:38):
situation that we create in ourown companies with that go, go,
go, turn, turn, turn, you know,focus on your individual numbers
instead of that supportive, warmcocoon of this is almost like a
family too.
And the balance becomes I enjoyboth.
I enjoy when I'm at work doingthe things that I love in my
(26:59):
career, and I enjoy when I'm notthere having a great life with
my family and friends too.
And so what we hear is how do wecreate an environment that
people want to be in day in andday out that doesn't run them
off into the medical field oranother field cause them to
leave?
And listen, they're leaving.
That's just facts, that'snumbers, that's statistics.
(27:22):
They're leaving our industryquickly.
And so, how do we hold them in?
Because it's a beautifulindustry done right.
It gives you that balance and itgives you that harmony inside of
your work.
So, how do we create theexperiences in our company that
make people want to stay in ourindustry so that the work-life
balance part of the seesaw isthe beauty industry niche that
(27:44):
we're in in our companies?
So that's you know, one of thethings that we're working on.
SPEAKER_02 (27:50):
Yeah.
And see and you know, inaddition to that, and and
Barbara said it perfectlybecause it is the balance
between, and if you think aboutthe seesaw, it's it's it's no
fun if it's just out of balance.
If it if one person's sitting onthe ground and one person's way
up in the air, we have to haveit moving the whole time.
(28:11):
That's what creates theexcitement around it, and
creating the atmosphere forsomebody to want to be there.
If I if I'm having a great timewhere I am, I'm gonna want to be
there more.
I'm gonna want to be a there apart of it.
And if it's open communication,if it is a career path, if it is
um continued education, if it'sthe things that really make life
(28:33):
exciting for me or bring valueto my life, I want to be there
in that that world around it.
And when we think about whatbalance really is, the idea for
balance was for us not to worktoo hard in one area and so that
you could create balance.
It wasn't it wasn't intended forit to not be have things that we
(28:56):
needed to get done.
And we still had to have thosethings get done.
Thinking about what also thatpeople are looking for out
there, some of the things thatwe begin to hear, and they've
been there, but we didn't knowexactly how to direct it as
much.
And it's in the education form.
You know, now they're wanting tosee more um uh they're they're
(29:18):
wanting to get back to realclasses, so we're seeing some of
that.
But at the same time, they wantto have the option of online
classes, they want to havecontinued, you know, videos to
go back and visit over and overand over, and they want to see
that education.
They want to be able to revisitit again and re be reminded of
it and be and and and see itthat portion.
Um, when it comes to coachingaround those things, the one on
(29:42):
one coaching is still verystrong, but at the same time,
they're really, really lovingthe small group coaching so they
can interact and network withpeople.
So you're seeing all of these,all these different compilations
of ways to learn.
And as we pay attention to itmore, we start realizing.
Hey, everybody's got a differentlearning style, but sometimes
(30:03):
those different learning stylesdepend on the situation, they
depend on the mood, it dependson where it's going to be, and
it depends on what it is thatthey're trying to be
knowledgeable on.
You know, if it's if it's askill moving in your hands, you
got to be there in real life.
It's hard to just watchsomething on a screen.
And the same is true if you'renetworking with people.
It's better to be in a group.
(30:24):
Being in a large group wherewe're trying to learn
networking, and then havingthings that are just touch
points along the way that arevideos and that type of stuff,
or or online education, thoseare the things that kind of keep
the wheels going, keep youexcited, you know, keep you
interested.
I can just go listen to thisreal quick and come back.
SPEAKER_00 (30:43):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (30:43):
Right.
So I know that we we've launchedthe Academy, which is all
online.
So we offer differentsubscription packages to that as
far as or the or class types ordifferent kinds of outcomes that
we're we're looking for.
We've off uh just launched thecollabs, which we're excited
(31:04):
about.
Those are um in person um andonline with the group coaching.
So I'm I'm excited to see thatwe've we've kind of bridged that
gap between people having to begone so long from their
businesses, where they have tomake that choice between, oh, I
(31:25):
I need to go, but I can't begone that long.
Um, so I I love that we've madethat shift already.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (31:35):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (31:35):
We we've had we had um kind of a frontier move.
Uh back in 2019, I think it'smaybe 18-19, we had developed
online classes.
And we happened to be in theforefront just quick enough
before COVID hit.
(31:56):
And it's like, oh, we are wayout ahead of that.
And we and it was just veryfortunate.
We were just very fortunate.
So over time, we developed itand got it better.
We got it better, got theplatforms have gotten better,
and we've just been able toexpand on it.
SPEAKER_03 (32:09):
That's great.
And Barbara, I I mean, you workwith Jess as well on the
education and building thosethings out.
And uh, what are you excited tosee coming up for this next
year?
unknown (32:20):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (32:21):
Well, um right now, currently, I'm most excited.
We get asked a lot aboutconference.
Um, are we gonna haveconference?
Are we gonna have conference?
And we had, because of thechange and everything, we had
pumped the brakes on conferenceum and promised everybody that
we would in one to two yearsmaybe look at bringing
conference back.
So, in the meantime, what wehave going on in 2026 in March,
(32:46):
so hurry, hurry if you'reinterested, um, is the next
event.
And it's a fairly large event.
We've capped it because of thespace that we have at 150.
Um, and we're fast approaching.
So please, if you're interested,hurry and get your tickets for
next.
But it's a huge event thatbrings together owners, teams,
um, and we're really workingthrough all aspects of we're
(33:10):
from numbers to how we grow asindividuals and team in our
company to leadership.
I mean, we go through all of thethings in three very jam-packed
days.
And we talk to owners in ownerspeak and what owners need to
know.
We talk the same topics in TeamSpeak and what teams need to
(33:31):
know, and we teach them how towork together.
And there's going to behands-on, there's gonna, it's
huge.
So that one I'm very muchlooking forward to.
Um, I'm very much lookingforward to getting back in the
classroom more.
We had a smaller um while weretooled education and Jess took
the reins and started buildingum from the ground up our new
education.
(33:51):
Um, we kind of pumped the brakesa little bit.
And so we didn't have quite asmany in-person opportunities
this year.
Next year is packed within-person opportunities.
Um and the resources that goalong with these, the downloads,
the workbooks, the I mean,there's so much yummy education
(34:12):
resources coming for people andso many ways to engage.
I feel like we've just flung thedoors open and invited everybody
in.
You want online, we've got youonline.
You want in person, we've gotyou in person.
You want an event, we've got anevent.
You want to download some thingsand get your hands dirty, we got
that.
We've got smaller coachingpackages where we can really
(34:32):
focus on the things that youneed to get done in your
company.
So I just feel like we took alook at our industry as a whole
and all the different needs, andwe found the ways in our style,
in our voice, how do we reachpeople and make sure that they
get what they need?
And um, and it's not just Jess,it's this whole team.
(34:54):
I mean, everybody has had a handin it, and we've got so much
expertise to draw from on thisincredible group of people, this
team, um, that I feel like it'sjust gonna be an avalanche of of
good stuff coming in 2026.
SPEAKER_03 (35:11):
So I'm excited.
Can't wait.
Can't wait.
So, you know, you both are stillsalon owners yourselves, and uh
we're in the trenches solvingthe same challenges our clients
face.
So, how does that show up in howwe teach and support owners
today?
(35:31):
And what do you hope people feelwhen they come back and
experience this new version ofstrategies?
SPEAKER_00 (35:39):
Well, I think the the way it it kind of shapes
what we do.
And, you know, going back towhat I said earlier, so many
people in our company still owncompanies or recently sold their
company because it was reallyhealthy and they could.
Um, but it keeps our finger onthe pulse.
And, you know, look at Brett,he's sitting in his office at
(36:01):
the salon, even as we speak.
Um, so I mean, we we really arethere and we see what's going on
in our industry, all of us onthe team.
We we do, like I said, have haveour finger on the pulse and
we're looking dead in the eyesat the challenges and the new
innovations that we see in inour industry.
(36:23):
And we get to train and groundsome of this stuff.
We get to test it out.
You know, we're there, we'reutilizing it.
AI is a huge thing, it'sbecoming a huge thing in our
company.
Um, we have tech strategies thatyou can take advantage of.
And AI is going to be growingalong with that tech.
And how do we utilize that inour companies?
(36:44):
And so there's so much right nowthat we can see coming toward us
because we're still doing thethings.
We're still there and in thoseplaces with everybody else.
Um, so I think that really keepsus responsive to the industry.
It keeps us immersed with, youknow, the up and coming things
and the challenges that we have.
(37:05):
And and I've lived long enough,Robert, that I've seen multiple
generations too.
And and they're all differentand not in a bad way.
We're all all of the generationshave their own uniqueness to
them.
And so, how do we we've got teammembers that go across all of
those generations as well.
(37:26):
And so I feel like we've alsogot the ability to really reach
and dig into what do we need toreach all of the generations
that we see in our workforceright now, too.
So I feel like we we really arein the cat bird seat at the
moment with with you know thefact that we can kind of see
what's going on and and still beimmersed in it.
SPEAKER_02 (37:45):
Yeah, I think that's brilliantly said too, Barbara.
I'm just gonna add this onelittle last piece of it.
It takes us from being sometimesabout theory and teaching just
this is a theory of what youshould do as far as being a
leader or talking to your team.
We we're living those aspects.
(38:06):
And what are what are their mostwhat are their most uh current
concerns?
And right now in our industry,as far as the cosmetology
industry at least goes, youknow, one of the challenges you
run into is um uh cancellationsand no-shows, uh moving
appointments out, moving themfurther out, that type of stuff.
(38:30):
Well, you know, we can talkabout what are the things that
we should be doing to addressthat, but if we're not living
it, we don't feel the same pain.
And we do live it.
We do feel the same pain, we dosee the same thing happen.
And it's not unique to just onearea, um, not just unique to one
area of the industry and notunique to just one area
(38:51):
geographically.
It's it's it's happening acrossthe board, but we we see what
works best.
We see how you help to curtailthat.
And by doing those things, we'reable to then take it and put it,
put, take that theory and put itinto actionable items that we
(39:11):
know have worked.
And we also, when we work withcoaching clients and that type
of thing, we get to see it howhow it works there.
But we can actually come from aplace of hey, we do know this,
we do, we have experienced this.
So this is what you can expectas well.
SPEAKER_03 (39:28):
I love that.
So, final question What wouldyou like to say to those
watching from the sidelinesbefore we close?
SPEAKER_00 (39:39):
What are you doing on the bench?
Life's short.
Get off the bench.
Like, why are you on thesidelines?
And you know, is it fear?
Um, been there, had fear.
So put that down and and get in,get in the game.
Like, what are you doing?
And what I would really like tosay to those watching from the
sidelines is if you've beendoing the same thing over and
(40:03):
over and over and getting thesame results, why are you such a
big defender of the same thing?
Like, why don't you explore thepossibility that there are some
other ways out there that youcan run your company and gain
more health than maybe you haveright now?
If you're on the sidelines,there's a reason.
And it could be fear, or itcould be shame, or it could be,
(40:24):
you know, I'm not in a goodspace, or it could be I'm in a
good space, but I'm afraid oftrying to do better because what
if I knock myself backwards?
And there's so many reasons thatpeople find themselves on the
sidelines and stay there.
And I'm old enough now to say,get off the freaking sideline.
What are you waiting for?
SPEAKER_02 (40:42):
Yeah.
And just and and just viewingother people doing well or
having successes.
I mean, yeah, I understand it,but but at the same time,
immerse yourself in it.
You know, go for it, be a partof things.
And we tend to be an industry,and we tend to be an industry
(41:02):
that in order for us to thrive,we have to have customers come
in.
And those customers have to havechange of some sort.
Yes, you have people who wantthe same look time after time.
Yeah, that that does occur.
But they're also looking forchange.
And especially when you get intoaesthetic, especially when you
get into the med spot, they areseeking a change.
They want to change it for abetter, right?
(41:25):
But ask yourself this.
Are you willing to acceptchange?
Are you willing to use change tomake things better for you?
Or are you just wanting to stayright where you are because
you're comfortable with whereyou are?
Yeah, it may not be thegreatest, but I know what it is.
(41:45):
Move away from that.
Give yourself an opportunity.
Life's too short just to live inthat aspect.
And that's what we are here for.
That's that's what changed myworld.
It's what changed the world forus for our own salon, was
bringing in change, even thoughit was uncomfortable at times,
(42:07):
because it meant we had to wehad to do differently than what
we had been doing.
And even spending had to change,you're like, I don't want to
change my spending.
But you had to make the change,and then all of a sudden, life
is better.
So I understand seeing it fromthe sideline, but immerse
(42:27):
yourself and be a part of it.
Be of what be a part of whatmoves the industry further.
SPEAKER_03 (42:34):
We just need to get curious and say what if and give
it a try.
That's that's what all this isabout, is like, well, what if I
did do this differently?
That could be good.
And let's and why, and it wouldbe more fun to do with more
people that are doing the samething.
We're not alone in this.
We don't have to be.
SPEAKER_02 (42:53):
Very good set, very well said.
SPEAKER_03 (42:55):
I love it.
SPEAKER_00 (42:56):
Robert, you've been asking us questions this whole
time.
I want to put you on the hotseat and ask you what are you
excited about for the comingyear for strategies?
SPEAKER_03 (43:06):
I'm excited about um.
Um, I I love the new educationcontent that's coming out.
Um, I love how action-packed itis and really gives everyone
something to take home with themand to refer back to because we
(43:27):
tend to be really good for abouttwo weeks and then we forget,
and then we go, Oh, I don'tremember, and all those things.
Um I'm also excited to be a partof the uh client experience
team.
So really doing what we do,yeah, and um personalizing each
(43:50):
um each program for each companyand their leaders.
SPEAKER_00 (43:56):
So I and I'm thrilled to have you on that
client experience team, Robert,because one of the things I
think that Strategies has alwaysexcelled at is caring for the
people that we are privileged toserve and really getting in
there and and digging inshoulder to shoulder and working
side by side and you know,feeling having the empathy and
(44:16):
the the heart of service um thatthis industry is known for.
I think we excel at that, andyou especially.
SPEAKER_02 (44:23):
So having you on that client experience team, one
100%, 100%.
And that also is what makes thisso great as a as a as a company,
as a team, because we learn fromeach other so much.
And I have learned volumes fromyou, Robert.
I really have.
(44:43):
I mean, where I know I wanted tobe more empathetic, you have a
way of looking at things thathelp us to be stronger in that.
SPEAKER_00 (44:50):
I mean, you just y'all, Robert McWise.
You're gonna learn.
Stay with the podcast and seemore of Robert.
SPEAKER_03 (44:58):
Thanks.
Thanks.
All righty.
Well, thank you guys so much.
I was so glad that we were ableto get to do this.
Uh, thank you, Barbara and Brad.
I look forward to connectingagain very soon.
We're gonna do more of these.
I can't wait.
Um, and to learn more abouteverything, we're building visit
(45:19):
strategies.com.
Thank you for listening, andthank you for being part of this
next chapter.
We're not just preserving alegacy, we're building the
future of leadership in thebeauty industry.
I'm Robert Maraglia, and we'llsee you next time on the Beauty
Business Strategies podcast.
SPEAKER_00 (45:39):
Thanks, Robert.
SPEAKER_03 (45:41):
Thank you, Robert.
Before we get started, a quick note.
SPEAKER_00 (00:09):
We recorded this between other meetings in
different locations, and wefound some audio imperfections
when we were listening back.
We thought about re-recordingit, and then we decided no,
we're not going to re-record it.
It was too authentic.
And Robert did such a great job.
It was just where we wanted itto be.
SPEAKER_01 (00:25):
Yeah, we hope you'll listen past the static for the
substance because thisconversation matters.
SPEAKER_00 (00:31):
Thank you.
SPEAKER_03 (00:32):
Hi everyone, and welcome to the Beauty Business
Strategies podcast.
I'm Robert Maraglia, customerexperience specialist here at
Strategies, and I'm so gladyou're tuning in today.
If you've been a part of theStrategies community for a
while, you probably know we'vegone through some exciting
changes over the past year.
(00:53):
New leadership, new energy, anda renewed commitment to helping
beauty business owners buildprofitable, people-first
companies that actually last.
Today I'm joined by ownersBarbara and Brett Pierce, and
we're pulling back the curtainon what this next era of
strategies really looks like.
(01:14):
Welcome, welcome, welcome,Barbara, Brett.
Glad we could do this today.
SPEAKER_00 (01:20):
I know, I'm so excited.
I'm really excited it's you,Robert.
I love getting to talk to you.
SPEAKER_02 (01:27):
Yeah, it's the same here.
SPEAKER_03 (01:29):
Yes, I'm excited.
I'm excited.
So we'll just get it kicked off.
Let's go.
Let's start at the beginning.
Uh, you know, there's a lot ofeasier paths in business than
buying an education companythat's been around for nearly 30
years.
So, why strategies?
What did you see in this companyor the industry that made you
(01:52):
say this is worth building on?
So that is a loaded question.
Let's just go on.
SPEAKER_00 (01:59):
Brett, do you want to start?
SPEAKER_02 (02:01):
Absolutely.
I'll begin.
I'll begin it.
Um, so I'll first answer thisway there was already the
established relationship.
And in that establishedrelationship, Barbara and I have
been working with the samecompany.
So we had access to thecustomers that already believe
in things that are all samestrategies.
(02:24):
And then there's this amazingteam that we worked with.
So all these people that werewith us that were fighting so
hard.
Not often do you get theopportunity to see how people,
how strongly they believe insomething, as we did with the
people that were working aroundus.
So we were already just we werewe we were just drenched and
(02:46):
immersed, immersed in and allthings move companies forward,
all things take care of otherpeople, that heart of service.
So we were already there in thatpart.
So there was the love there.
There was the love of of that.
Could it have been that we wentout and built one from the
ground up?
I'm sure that we could couldhave could have done that.
(03:07):
We would be absolutely capableof doing so.
But you had just like you mayhave that beautiful house that
you see that's been built formany of years, you know it was
built with with good materials,you know that the the thought
that went into it was awell-planned design.
And you go and you make thathome better by purchasing it.
(03:30):
Well, that's the same thing forus for strategies.
We wanted to see that portion ofit.
And so we saw all the the thingsthat were happening now and then
the potential of moving itforward with a continued voice,
but a fresher look at it, adifferent, not necessarily
(03:53):
vision as much as just havingthe view of the of the landscape
of the uh of the future.
SPEAKER_00 (04:00):
And you know, for me, we as owners of a salon in
our, you know, in our area, um,we found strategies a long, long
time ago.
I mean, it was what, Brett, 2006that we first started working
with strategies as strategiesclients.
And, you know, coming frommyself, I did not come from a
(04:22):
background in beauty um in thebeauty industry.
And so I was doing behind thescenes payroll books, things
like that.
And I was really kind ofconfused by how this industry
does things at the time.
And when we found strategies,you know, was not everybody who
comes to strategies comesbecause they're having some kind
(04:45):
of challenge.
Sometimes they are just stagnantor they want to grow or they're
looking for a different way toview their company.
But for us, we had very realchallenges.
Our company was struggling, itwas in disrepair.
Strategies helped us get back onour feet and learn how to run it
as a company and build a healthycompany.
And that's something that I havefound since is kind of lacking
(05:07):
in our industry is that supportto build healthy companies or
even what a healthy companylooks like.
We all just keep doing it thesame way because the industry
dictates how you perform yourbusiness or your, you know,
handle your business.
And what we realized is thatstrategies helped us become a
real company, a healthy company,and and thrive.
(05:29):
And so we both ended up umriding two horses with one
caboose, as it were.
We were both working in thesalon and working for strategies
and other things too.
Um we became coaches forstrategies, and then we really
got to see more of the industryand how the solid business
foundations that we learned atStrategies can help everybody
(05:53):
because they're just solidbusiness foundations, period.
It's not reinventing the wheel,it's teaching people how to run
a healthy company.
So when Neil, we knew that Neilwas getting ready, he Neil
Dukoff was the founder ofStrategies and we knew he was
getting ready to retire.
And what was going to become ofthe company, we could not bear
to watch anything happen to thecompany.
(06:15):
Um we wanted the company tocontinue so that it could do the
work that it had always beendoing, which is is help salon
spaws, med spaws, and our beautyindustry, which is a beautiful
industry, thrive, grow, repair,get healthy, excel, evolve,
elevate, all of the things.
So that's that's the reason thatwe made the decision is we
(06:37):
wanted to see this companycontinue to serve our industry
in the manner that it has beenserving our industry for over 30
years, and then some, and toevolve with our industry.
SPEAKER_03 (06:48):
I mean, I joined Strategies in 2015 uh with our
company um in in Atlanta, and uhit made such an impact on us
that I became a coach in 2018,and then we sold our company in
2019, and lo and behold, whoknows what was gonna happen
(07:10):
next.
Um, but it was and thatcompany's still thriving today.
So I I I hear you, I hear thatthere's this drive and there's
this um almost conviction towhat you know, that we gotta
share it, we gotta spread thenews, we gotta share this with
(07:32):
people and and help everyone andsupport them in the best
possible way.
SPEAKER_00 (07:37):
Well, and Robert, you point you're pointing out
something, you know, that'sreally important that that the
coaches that you encounter atstrategies all either owned or
were high-level management in aSwan Spa, med spa, in a beauty
industry company, just likeyourself, just like us.
Um, we've all been in thetrenches, we've all you know
(08:00):
been in this industry.
So I think that's a reallyimportant thing to know about
strategies.
And one of the reasons that itwas so important to us that we
keep this company together wasbecause all of the coaches like
you found strategies, foundtheir home, found their healthy
company, and then have a passionfor, like you, helping other
(08:21):
companies grow and get healthytoo.
SPEAKER_02 (08:23):
Yeah, that's a great point.
I'm glad you noticed that,Barbara and Robert.
I'm glad you said what you saidbecause you know, I've I grew up
my entire life in the beautyindustry.
I've I've I've been exposed toall aspects of it.
And I've seen all the differenttypes of evolutions for it.
I've seen the you know differenttrends that came in and even
(08:46):
different ways that things thatwere handled as far as business
went.
And I was very fortunate to havemy my dad who influenced me
mostly on the business side, buton the business side too, he he
saw he was really gifted atseeing people.
He was gifted at seeing whattheir their gifts were, and um
(09:07):
uh and he was he was gifted inseeing that their skills, the
things that they were capableof, that if you expanded on
those things, you could makereally great people, you could
you could grow those betterhumans, right?
And so he saw that aspect and heit it always had inspired me.
So as I began to mature in thebusiness and as I began began to
(09:30):
you know desire to move awayfrom performing services,
because that was my backgroundwas performing services, and as
I saw, you know, areas for me toto expand in, I started
searching for what would be thebest way of doing this.
And I had tried severaldifferent things, several
different companies, looking at,you know, uh everything from
(09:50):
our, you know, the brands thatwe worked with, education that
they were providing.
I was looking at everything,even outside of our industry,
and I feel as though I stumbledon something that had been in
existence at that time for 20years, um, and how I missed it,
I don't know.
But when I did, I was I waslike, this is my happy place,
(10:11):
this is where I'm home.
So you answering the earlierquestion, you know, why wouldn't
we?
Because it was already home tome.
Why wouldn't we buy strategies?
It was already home to me.
And then all these people movedinto the home with me.
Uh and it sounded like a a crazyhome, but but but but but but
they moved in with us side byside and are locked arm in arm.
(10:32):
And everybody in our companytook things so seriously while
having fun, but I mean, seriousin the things that we wanted to
deliver to customers, how wewanted the people, other people
to thrive, how we wanted them tohow them them grow, and we took
such pride in it.
And it was just naturalprogression for me, and then for
(10:54):
me and Barbara to do ittogether, that was a dream come
true.
To be to do this together withher, and I think she feels the
same way about me, was just adream come true.
For us to take this and continueto evolve and and continue the
legacy.
SPEAKER_03 (11:13):
I love that.
Um, Barbara, I've heard you saywe didn't buy it to preserve it
in amber.
You know, so so what were whatare you most excited about to
evolve rather than justmaintain?
What do you what do you foresee?
What is coming?
SPEAKER_00 (11:31):
Well, you know, strategies has always been
rooted in solid financial umstewardship in companies.
We've always, you know, reallystressed understanding your
numbers, understanding thebusiness side and the business
foundation.
But one of the key ways thatwe're evolving is our focus on
team and growing team membersand really owning the knowledge
(11:54):
that team members have in thecompany and and and helping them
get to that place where theygrow more beyond what they do
with their two hands.
We're we're very much helpingowners and team members look at
the company more holisticallyand what does the company need
besides just how fast I can dohair or how quick I am, you
(12:15):
know, at you know, how how Iadhere to time standards and how
many people I run in and out ofthe treatment room.
We're really about how do wegrow and evolve as a company
where we can use the the talentsof the whole individual to kind
of elevate the company that wehave and innovate.
And um, so I really feel likeone of the things that we're
(12:37):
doing looking on the horizon isgetting teams more involved,
making sure that team membersunderstand the business side
more and what it means for theirindividual growth.
I think a lot of people havethis misconception that because
we advocate for team-basedcompanies, that we try to make
little robots where everybody'sthe same and cookie cutter.
And that couldn't be furtherfrom the truth.
(12:59):
We're really about elevating theindividual in a way where the
individual can use all of theirskills and avoid the burnout of
just how busy they can get orhow quick they can sling clients
through, but really how they canlook at what the company needs
overall and help the companygrow and educating because it's
really hard in our industry tohelp owners and team members
(13:21):
understand how to do that whenour industry tells them your
only growth path is to getbusier and see more people.
And so we help companiesunderstand that that is not the
only way.
And so one of the big key thingsthat we want to do is is that
team involvement and gettingteam involved more in the
company and really digging intothe culture of your company and
(13:44):
and understanding how muchculture drives the numbers.
And but my biggest thing, likemy soapbox moment, is I am
absolutely about stopping thechurn in our industry.
And you've heard me say itbefore, I'll say it again and
again and again.
The best count that we can getright now is four out of five
people coming into cosmetologyschools will not be in our
(14:06):
industry two years from now.
They come in, they're lookingfor stable companies with
supportive teams and a careerpath, and they're not finding it
and they're bouncing.
We, you know, we see such a justa big hole in the bucket where
we're losing people from thisindustry, and they're bouncing
(14:27):
to places like nursing.
Um great career, but you'rehere, you love this.
Why would you leave it?
So we've got to get ourcompanies healthier so people
stick.
SPEAKER_03 (14:39):
There's probably structure and education and
skills training and a strongcareer path in nursing, like
that's very well laid out.
And that's been something that Iknew in my company that was not
the case.
And that's what helped us uhlook for strategies to get that.
SPEAKER_00 (15:01):
Yeah, and stable pay.
I mean, a stable payroll thatthe you know, they can count on
their paycheck and they justshow up and do their thing and
and work well and work hard andand their pay is stabilized.
SPEAKER_02 (15:14):
Yeah, and if you think about like Robert, what
you just said there is the thestable portion of it with with
what how your company comparedto and what you did with it and
what Barbara's talking aboutwith like with even in the
nursing and talking about theterm, one of the things that
that is for let's say nursingfor a seven second, and we'll
talk about that industry.
(15:35):
The expectations are very clearwhen you go into to nursing.
It's very clear.
And what's gonna happenafterwards is it's very, very
clear.
Um, who you might go work for,what field you might go work in,
that type of thing.
The evolution that that we feellike needs to happen to support
what Barbara's talking about, wegotta start sooner.
(15:57):
We gotta get to the foundationalcomponents, get to get to where
even in the early parts ofeducation or even prior to going
into technical training, whetherit be um cosmetology, whether it
be aesthetics, whether it besomething to do with the med
spa, any of that stuff, prior tothat, setting the right
expectations.
(16:18):
Cosmetology, for instance, whatoften happens is that there's
the talk of the love, thepassion, the beauty, the beauty
you're creating, and that typeof stuff, and you must, must
have it.
You must have it.
And there is a lot ofconversation around your team,
that type of thing.
But then we get into a lot of Imean mine, and it stops being
about team and how we you'regonna get on this one single
(16:41):
pass and it's gonna be, it'sgonna benefit you, it's gonna
benefit you.
But we don't really explain whatthat really, really, truly looks
like even during the admissionsprocess entering into a
technical school.
And we need to get to thatportion of it too.
It needs to start early.
And it needs to be evolutionthat happens even for those that
are educating others.
(17:02):
So when we think about what wehave now, what strategies
create, what strategies setspeople on the path for, we have
to make sure that the evolutionis such that when we change
these things in the industrythat it is understood and we
give them a career when theyexit, not just simply a job, and
(17:25):
not just simply going to theonly way to do it is to do insta
famous, to do something that'sindividual, to just themselves.
Because it's it has been said ummany times, and by one of our
coaches, um uh Dennis Gullo, inin order to go to go fast, go
(17:48):
alone.
But in order to go far, go witha team.
And we seek those that wish wishto go far, that can continue in
it, that don't become burnedout, that see that we can work
as a team and take our time withdeveloping our skills and take
our time and taking care ofcustomers and that heart of
(18:08):
service.
Because heart of service is herefor us, but that's why sometimes
hard of that's why sometimes ago-to in the industry that's
also got hard of service, butwith more consistency.
SPEAKER_03 (18:19):
Right.
Right.
That that's great.
Um you touched on a couple ofthings, you know, about uh, you
know, the ideas that builtstrategies, the foundations,
like poor business outcomes,team-based pay, no compromise
leadership.
I mean, those things are justlike at our core, um, and maybe
(18:41):
are you know just are alwaysgonna be and in the cender
blocks or the cornerstones ofthis foundation?
Um, you know, but I know you'vesaid it's not about changing
what works, it's about changinghow we teach it.
So how are we gonna do itdifferently?
SPEAKER_00 (19:00):
Well, we it starts with our our education director,
Jess Turkesson, who is socreative and has developed so
much education around doing itdifferently and around that team
aspect.
Um, we've, you know, it's a lotof getting the information out
(19:21):
is how we'll do it differently.
You know, we've startedStrategies Academy, our online
education, and um we've gotten alot more, our our experience has
gotten a lot richer at ourclasses.
Um it's not just going in andand sitting and learning, it's
way more doing andcollaborating, hands-on, and you
(19:41):
know, having that experiencethat's different, that that
creates a community, and that'spart of what we want to do is
help form that community backtogether.
Um, I feel like there's been alittle splintering in our
community, um the beautyindustry as a whole, and so
watching people really cometogether and knit together.
Um so the education and the waythat we are getting the
(20:02):
information out there isevolving and getting better.
Um, and the team members that wehave, new and ones that have
been with us for a while, areall evolving and learning
different ways to get thatinformation out.
Um, different ways, you know,even when we're coaching,
different ways to engage withthe clients that we're fortunate
(20:22):
to serve.
Um, you know, it it's justevolving the whole process of
communication and and how weinteract with the people that
we're privileged to work with.
SPEAKER_03 (20:33):
I love that.
So, Brett, um what does nocompromise leadership mean in
today's world, especially forowners that want flexibility and
balance and no burnout.
SPEAKER_02 (20:49):
Well, so no compromise leadership in just in
a nutshell, there is that whichwe say we will do, we'll do.
And we don't compromise on anyof the things that we set as our
values and who we are.
So if a leader chooses, so tochooses things that create that
(21:12):
safe world for them, they've gotto communicate that with their
team.
And in communicating with ateam, everybody has to live it
equally.
It can't be what's good for memay not be good for you kind of
thing, or what's not good foryou is fine for me.
We want to have that nocompromise approach around those
(21:33):
those type of things.
So if if a if a leader islooking for that that balance in
their life, the best way to getthat is in or is to lead by that
example and to allow it to bethere for them as well, and to
not compromise on the thingsthat mean the most to you and
(21:57):
that mean the most to thecompany and mean the most to the
team.
We just don't want to compromiseon that.
It compromise, you know, to beno compromise sometimes can seem
like a rigid, inflexible way ofdoing things.
It's not.
We're just saying that we arenot going to give up on those
things that we value and we'renot gonna forget them just
(22:20):
because it became too hard andbecause somebody made me feel
uncomfortable about it.
It's who we are and we're gonnastick to that.
SPEAKER_00 (22:28):
I like if I can add to that, I like the phrase we
will not compromise on our goalsor our values, but we will be
flexible on the way we achievethem.
So it's not that there's a lackof flexibility, and it's not
that it's rigid.
No compromise just means when ifit has to be done, we get it
done.
And so we're not gonnacompromise on the goal.
(22:50):
Um, we're not gonna compromiseon who we are, but we can be
flexible on the journey.
SPEAKER_03 (22:56):
Right.
I love that because I mean wewant to be we want that
consistency in our paycheck, wewant that consistency in uh the
doors being open and a place tocome work.
So that to me, that's like apart of that.
You just don't wake up onemorning and go, eh, not today.
No, you we get up and we go doit.
(23:17):
We need to go do it.
Um, you know, so I I love that.
And um thank you for it.
We're still holding true to it.
We're just expanding how weshare it and helping people
understand how it how it doeswork, because I think it gets
easily misconstrued or seemsharsh, but really it's like, oh,
(23:43):
that's like stability there.
I love that.
SPEAKER_00 (23:46):
Well, and you know, Robert, when you think about the
flexibility, or that seemsharsh, um, it's not harsh when
you get a consistent paycheck.
So you you know, we want nocompromise when it means taking
care of our responsibilities tothe company.
We want no compromise when itmeans making sure that we hit
(24:07):
our goals so that we asindividuals inside of the
company can grow and continuealong our career path.
So I think the terminologysometimes makes people cringe,
like, oh, that sounds really touse our our words, dictatorial
and inflexible.
Um, but we're it's not, it justmeans when it has to be done, we
get it done.
(24:27):
We just do, we find a way, weadapt and overcome.
SPEAKER_03 (24:31):
Right, right.
SPEAKER_00 (24:33):
And I'm not going to compromise the values of the
company for anybody.
SPEAKER_02 (24:38):
Right.
No, and these are thecommitments that we make.
SPEAKER_00 (24:41):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (24:42):
Yeah.
There it's a commitment.
That's what we're doing.
SPEAKER_00 (24:46):
Yes.
SPEAKER_03 (24:47):
Okay.
You've spent the past yearreally listening to the
industry, to our clients, ourpast members and teams.
What have you heard from themthat's shaped the direction of
this new strategies era?
SPEAKER_00 (25:02):
Well, for me, yeah I've heard a lot of praise and
support for the things thatwe've we've always done right.
You know, the healthy companies,the financial responsibility,
the understanding your numbers.
Um, one of the things that I'veheard from the industry that has
kind of shaped the direction is,and I know, I know, I know we've
(25:26):
heard it, we've heard it, weheard it, the work-life balance
thing.
Um but what that means to me ishow do we create space for
people to enjoy their livesoutside of their work day?
And I I you know, when we saywork-life balance, if you think
about a seesaw, um, there'sstill two people on that seesaw.
(25:50):
There's still two things on thatseesaw.
We to to in order to have thatlife outside of work, we have to
have the work to afford it,right?
And so what you know, when wethink about what people are
asking for, it's how do we makethe experience in our companies
better so that the time that wespend there is more gratifying
(26:15):
and more fulfilling for us.
So it's not like I can't wait toget away from my J-O-B so I can
get to my real life.
It's on both sides.
I've got my my life outside ofwork with my family, my friends,
and it's lovely.
And I also have my life insideof work and it it too is lovely.
And I think a lot of times theturn is created by the the
(26:38):
situation that we create in ourown companies with that go, go,
go, turn, turn, turn, you know,focus on your individual numbers
instead of that supportive, warmcocoon of this is almost like a
family too.
And the balance becomes I enjoyboth.
I enjoy when I'm at work doingthe things that I love in my
(26:59):
career, and I enjoy when I'm notthere having a great life with
my family and friends too.
And so what we hear is how do wecreate an environment that
people want to be in day in andday out that doesn't run them
off into the medical field oranother field cause them to
leave?
And listen, they're leaving.
That's just facts, that'snumbers, that's statistics.
(27:22):
They're leaving our industryquickly.
And so, how do we hold them in?
Because it's a beautifulindustry done right.
It gives you that balance and itgives you that harmony inside of
your work.
So, how do we create theexperiences in our company that
make people want to stay in ourindustry so that the work-life
balance part of the seesaw isthe beauty industry niche that
(27:44):
we're in in our companies?
So that's you know, one of thethings that we're working on.
SPEAKER_02 (27:50):
Yeah.
And see and you know, inaddition to that, and and
Barbara said it perfectlybecause it is the balance
between, and if you think aboutthe seesaw, it's it's it's no
fun if it's just out of balance.
If it if one person's sitting onthe ground and one person's way
up in the air, we have to haveit moving the whole time.
(28:11):
That's what creates theexcitement around it, and
creating the atmosphere forsomebody to want to be there.
If I if I'm having a great timewhere I am, I'm gonna want to be
there more.
I'm gonna want to be a there apart of it.
And if it's open communication,if it is a career path, if it is
um continued education, if it'sthe things that really make life
(28:33):
exciting for me or bring valueto my life, I want to be there
in that that world around it.
And when we think about whatbalance really is, the idea for
balance was for us not to worktoo hard in one area and so that
you could create balance.
It wasn't it wasn't intended forit to not be have things that we
(28:56):
needed to get done.
And we still had to have thosethings get done.
Thinking about what also thatpeople are looking for out
there, some of the things thatwe begin to hear, and they've
been there, but we didn't knowexactly how to direct it as
much.
And it's in the education form.
You know, now they're wanting tosee more um uh they're they're
(29:18):
wanting to get back to realclasses, so we're seeing some of
that.
But at the same time, they wantto have the option of online
classes, they want to havecontinued, you know, videos to
go back and visit over and overand over, and they want to see
that education.
They want to be able to revisitit again and re be reminded of
it and be and and and see itthat portion.
Um, when it comes to coachingaround those things, the one on
(29:42):
one coaching is still verystrong, but at the same time,
they're really, really lovingthe small group coaching so they
can interact and network withpeople.
So you're seeing all of these,all these different compilations
of ways to learn.
And as we pay attention to itmore, we start realizing.
Hey, everybody's got a differentlearning style, but sometimes
(30:03):
those different learning stylesdepend on the situation, they
depend on the mood, it dependson where it's going to be, and
it depends on what it is thatthey're trying to be
knowledgeable on.
You know, if it's if it's askill moving in your hands, you
got to be there in real life.
It's hard to just watchsomething on a screen.
And the same is true if you'renetworking with people.
It's better to be in a group.
(30:24):
Being in a large group wherewe're trying to learn
networking, and then havingthings that are just touch
points along the way that arevideos and that type of stuff,
or or online education, thoseare the things that kind of keep
the wheels going, keep youexcited, you know, keep you
interested.
I can just go listen to thisreal quick and come back.
SPEAKER_00 (30:43):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (30:43):
Right.
So I know that we we've launchedthe Academy, which is all
online.
So we offer differentsubscription packages to that as
far as or the or class types ordifferent kinds of outcomes that
we're we're looking for.
We've off uh just launched thecollabs, which we're excited
(31:04):
about.
Those are um in person um andonline with the group coaching.
So I'm I'm excited to see thatwe've we've kind of bridged that
gap between people having to begone so long from their
businesses, where they have tomake that choice between, oh, I
(31:25):
I need to go, but I can't begone that long.
Um, so I I love that we've madethat shift already.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (31:35):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (31:35):
We we've had we had um kind of a frontier move.
Uh back in 2019, I think it'smaybe 18-19, we had developed
online classes.
And we happened to be in theforefront just quick enough
before COVID hit.
(31:56):
And it's like, oh, we are wayout ahead of that.
And we and it was just veryfortunate.
We were just very fortunate.
So over time, we developed itand got it better.
We got it better, got theplatforms have gotten better,
and we've just been able toexpand on it.
SPEAKER_03 (32:09):
That's great.
And Barbara, I I mean, you workwith Jess as well on the
education and building thosethings out.
And uh, what are you excited tosee coming up for this next
year?
unknown (32:20):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (32:21):
Well, um right now, currently, I'm most excited.
We get asked a lot aboutconference.
Um, are we gonna haveconference?
Are we gonna have conference?
And we had, because of thechange and everything, we had
pumped the brakes on conferenceum and promised everybody that
we would in one to two yearsmaybe look at bringing
conference back.
So, in the meantime, what wehave going on in 2026 in March,
(32:46):
so hurry, hurry if you'reinterested, um, is the next
event.
And it's a fairly large event.
We've capped it because of thespace that we have at 150.
Um, and we're fast approaching.
So please, if you're interested,hurry and get your tickets for
next.
But it's a huge event thatbrings together owners, teams,
um, and we're really workingthrough all aspects of we're
(33:10):
from numbers to how we grow asindividuals and team in our
company to leadership.
I mean, we go through all of thethings in three very jam-packed
days.
And we talk to owners in ownerspeak and what owners need to
know.
We talk the same topics in TeamSpeak and what teams need to
(33:31):
know, and we teach them how towork together.
And there's going to behands-on, there's gonna, it's
huge.
So that one I'm very muchlooking forward to.
Um, I'm very much lookingforward to getting back in the
classroom more.
We had a smaller um while weretooled education and Jess took
the reins and started buildingum from the ground up our new
education.
(33:51):
Um, we kind of pumped the brakesa little bit.
And so we didn't have quite asmany in-person opportunities
this year.
Next year is packed within-person opportunities.
Um and the resources that goalong with these, the downloads,
the workbooks, the I mean,there's so much yummy education
(34:12):
resources coming for people andso many ways to engage.
I feel like we've just flung thedoors open and invited everybody
in.
You want online, we've got youonline.
You want in person, we've gotyou in person.
You want an event, we've got anevent.
You want to download some thingsand get your hands dirty, we got
that.
We've got smaller coachingpackages where we can really
(34:32):
focus on the things that youneed to get done in your
company.
So I just feel like we took alook at our industry as a whole
and all the different needs, andwe found the ways in our style,
in our voice, how do we reachpeople and make sure that they
get what they need?
And um, and it's not just Jess,it's this whole team.
(34:54):
I mean, everybody has had a handin it, and we've got so much
expertise to draw from on thisincredible group of people, this
team, um, that I feel like it'sjust gonna be an avalanche of of
good stuff coming in 2026.
SPEAKER_03 (35:11):
So I'm excited.
Can't wait.
Can't wait.
So, you know, you both are stillsalon owners yourselves, and uh
we're in the trenches solvingthe same challenges our clients
face.
So, how does that show up in howwe teach and support owners
today?
(35:31):
And what do you hope people feelwhen they come back and
experience this new version ofstrategies?
SPEAKER_00 (35:39):
Well, I think the the way it it kind of shapes
what we do.
And, you know, going back towhat I said earlier, so many
people in our company still owncompanies or recently sold their
company because it was reallyhealthy and they could.
Um, but it keeps our finger onthe pulse.
And, you know, look at Brett,he's sitting in his office at
(36:01):
the salon, even as we speak.
Um, so I mean, we we really arethere and we see what's going on
in our industry, all of us onthe team.
We we do, like I said, have haveour finger on the pulse and
we're looking dead in the eyesat the challenges and the new
innovations that we see in inour industry.
(36:23):
And we get to train and groundsome of this stuff.
We get to test it out.
You know, we're there, we'reutilizing it.
AI is a huge thing, it'sbecoming a huge thing in our
company.
Um, we have tech strategies thatyou can take advantage of.
And AI is going to be growingalong with that tech.
And how do we utilize that inour companies?
(36:44):
And so there's so much right nowthat we can see coming toward us
because we're still doing thethings.
We're still there and in thoseplaces with everybody else.
Um, so I think that really keepsus responsive to the industry.
It keeps us immersed with, youknow, the up and coming things
and the challenges that we have.
(37:05):
And and I've lived long enough,Robert, that I've seen multiple
generations too.
And and they're all differentand not in a bad way.
We're all all of the generationshave their own uniqueness to
them.
And so, how do we we've got teammembers that go across all of
those generations as well.
(37:26):
And so I feel like we've alsogot the ability to really reach
and dig into what do we need toreach all of the generations
that we see in our workforceright now, too.
So I feel like we we really arein the cat bird seat at the
moment with with you know thefact that we can kind of see
what's going on and and still beimmersed in it.
SPEAKER_02 (37:45):
Yeah, I think that's brilliantly said too, Barbara.
I'm just gonna add this onelittle last piece of it.
It takes us from being sometimesabout theory and teaching just
this is a theory of what youshould do as far as being a
leader or talking to your team.
We we're living those aspects.
(38:06):
And what are what are their mostwhat are their most uh current
concerns?
And right now in our industry,as far as the cosmetology
industry at least goes, youknow, one of the challenges you
run into is um uh cancellationsand no-shows, uh moving
appointments out, moving themfurther out, that type of stuff.
(38:30):
Well, you know, we can talkabout what are the things that
we should be doing to addressthat, but if we're not living
it, we don't feel the same pain.
And we do live it.
We do feel the same pain, we dosee the same thing happen.
And it's not unique to just onearea, um, not just unique to one
area of the industry and notunique to just one area
(38:51):
geographically.
It's it's it's happening acrossthe board, but we we see what
works best.
We see how you help to curtailthat.
And by doing those things, we'reable to then take it and put it,
put, take that theory and put itinto actionable items that we
(39:11):
know have worked.
And we also, when we work withcoaching clients and that type
of thing, we get to see it howhow it works there.
But we can actually come from aplace of hey, we do know this,
we do, we have experienced this.
So this is what you can expectas well.
SPEAKER_03 (39:28):
I love that.
So, final question What wouldyou like to say to those
watching from the sidelinesbefore we close?
SPEAKER_00 (39:39):
What are you doing on the bench?
Life's short.
Get off the bench.
Like, why are you on thesidelines?
And you know, is it fear?
Um, been there, had fear.
So put that down and and get in,get in the game.
Like, what are you doing?
And what I would really like tosay to those watching from the
sidelines is if you've beendoing the same thing over and
(40:03):
over and over and getting thesame results, why are you such a
big defender of the same thing?
Like, why don't you explore thepossibility that there are some
other ways out there that youcan run your company and gain
more health than maybe you haveright now?
If you're on the sidelines,there's a reason.
And it could be fear, or itcould be shame, or it could be,
(40:24):
you know, I'm not in a goodspace, or it could be I'm in a
good space, but I'm afraid oftrying to do better because what
if I knock myself backwards?
And there's so many reasons thatpeople find themselves on the
sidelines and stay there.
And I'm old enough now to say,get off the freaking sideline.
What are you waiting for?
SPEAKER_02 (40:42):
Yeah.
And just and and just viewingother people doing well or
having successes.
I mean, yeah, I understand it,but but at the same time,
immerse yourself in it.
You know, go for it, be a partof things.
And we tend to be an industry,and we tend to be an industry
(41:02):
that in order for us to thrive,we have to have customers come
in.
And those customers have to havechange of some sort.
Yes, you have people who wantthe same look time after time.
Yeah, that that does occur.
But they're also looking forchange.
And especially when you get intoaesthetic, especially when you
get into the med spot, they areseeking a change.
They want to change it for abetter, right?
(41:25):
But ask yourself this.
Are you willing to acceptchange?
Are you willing to use change tomake things better for you?
Or are you just wanting to stayright where you are because
you're comfortable with whereyou are?
Yeah, it may not be thegreatest, but I know what it is.
(41:45):
Move away from that.
Give yourself an opportunity.
Life's too short just to live inthat aspect.
And that's what we are here for.
That's that's what changed myworld.
It's what changed the world forus for our own salon, was
bringing in change, even thoughit was uncomfortable at times,
(42:07):
because it meant we had to wehad to do differently than what
we had been doing.
And even spending had to change,you're like, I don't want to
change my spending.
But you had to make the change,and then all of a sudden, life
is better.
So I understand seeing it fromthe sideline, but immerse
(42:27):
yourself and be a part of it.
Be of what be a part of whatmoves the industry further.
SPEAKER_03 (42:34):
We just need to get curious and say what if and give
it a try.
That's that's what all this isabout, is like, well, what if I
did do this differently?
That could be good.
And let's and why, and it wouldbe more fun to do with more
people that are doing the samething.
We're not alone in this.
We don't have to be.
SPEAKER_02 (42:53):
Very good set, very well said.
SPEAKER_03 (42:55):
I love it.
SPEAKER_00 (42:56):
Robert, you've been asking us questions this whole
time.
I want to put you on the hotseat and ask you what are you
excited about for the comingyear for strategies?
SPEAKER_03 (43:06):
I'm excited about um.
Um, I I love the new educationcontent that's coming out.
Um, I love how action-packed itis and really gives everyone
something to take home with themand to refer back to because we
(43:27):
tend to be really good for abouttwo weeks and then we forget,
and then we go, Oh, I don'tremember, and all those things.
Um I'm also excited to be a partof the uh client experience
team.
So really doing what we do,yeah, and um personalizing each
(43:50):
um each program for each companyand their leaders.
SPEAKER_00 (43:56):
So I and I'm thrilled to have you on that
client experience team, Robert,because one of the things I
think that Strategies has alwaysexcelled at is caring for the
people that we are privileged toserve and really getting in
there and and digging inshoulder to shoulder and working
side by side and you know,feeling having the empathy and
(44:16):
the the heart of service um thatthis industry is known for.
I think we excel at that, andyou especially.
SPEAKER_02 (44:23):
So having you on that client experience team, one
100%, 100%.
And that also is what makes thisso great as a as a as a company,
as a team, because we learn fromeach other so much.
And I have learned volumes fromyou, Robert.
I really have.
(44:43):
I mean, where I know I wanted tobe more empathetic, you have a
way of looking at things thathelp us to be stronger in that.
SPEAKER_00 (44:50):
I mean, you just y'all, Robert McWise.
You're gonna learn.
Stay with the podcast and seemore of Robert.
SPEAKER_03 (44:58):
Thanks.
Thanks.
All righty.
Well, thank you guys so much.
I was so glad that we were ableto get to do this.
Uh, thank you, Barbara and Brad.
I look forward to connectingagain very soon.
We're gonna do more of these.
I can't wait.
Um, and to learn more abouteverything, we're building visit
(45:19):
strategies.com.
Thank you for listening, andthank you for being part of this
next chapter.
We're not just preserving alegacy, we're building the
future of leadership in thebeauty industry.
I'm Robert Maraglia, and we'llsee you next time on the Beauty
Business Strategies podcast.
SPEAKER_00 (45:39):
Thanks, Robert.
SPEAKER_03 (45:41):
Thank you, Robert.
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