Sh!t I told my Hairdresser

What do hairstylists really think about their clients?

In this brutally honest episode, Jason sits down with Rocki Mara to expose the unfiltered truth about life behind the chair—from nightmare clients and bad hygiene to awkward salon moments no one talks about out loud.

We’re talking:

• Clients who don’t know what they want (and never stop talking)
• Bad breath, worse attitudes, and zero self-awareness
• Drunk parents, punishme...

Burnout isn’t a badge of honor—it’s a warning sign.

In this episode of Sh!t I Told My Hairdresser, we sit down with a veteran stylist and author to break down the real causes of burnout in the beauty industry—and why so many hairdressers are trapped in a cycle of overwork, low boundaries, and fake success.

We dive into the dangerous myth that being fully booked equals success, how hustle culture is glorified on social...

This episode pulls back the curtain on the hair industry’s biggest lie—that working for a major brand, doing Fashion Week, and chasing influencer fame is the ultimate dream.

It’s not.

We sit down with a veteran stylist who left behind the corporate beauty world after years of travel, burnout, toxic contracts, and being treated as disposable talent. From behind-the-scenes chaos at Fashion Week to the reality of brand politic...

What happens when two of the most respected names in beauty—Ted Gibson and Jason Backe—pull back the curtain on an industry built on ego, burnout, and outdated rules?

In this raw, unfiltered episode of Sh!t I Told My Hairdresser, we dive into the real future of the beauty industry—where wellness, science, AI, and business strategy are replacing hustle culture and empty salon hype.

From $2,400 celebrity haircu...

Think you understand 1099 vs W2 in the salon industry? Think again.

In this episode of Sh!t I Told My Hairdresser, we break down a shocking real-life story from a stylist trapped in a toxic salon environment—where illegal 1099 practices, manipulation, and straight-up exploitation were the norm.

From being forced to work full-time hours as a “1099 contractor”, to having credit cards charged without consent, to...

The debate is back—and it’s louder than ever.

After a viral episode on trauma dumping in the salon, we dive into Part 2 with therapist insights, real client comments, and the backlash that shook the industry. Some hairdressers say it’s part of the job. Others say it’s emotional burnout disguised as “being nice.”

So what’s the truth?

In this episode, we break down:

• Why clients treat hairdressers like unpaid therapists
• The r...

Hiring in the hair industry has officially gone off the rails.

In this episode of Sh!t I Told My Hairdresser, we sit down with veteran stylist and educator Emily Bloom to break down what’s really happening behind the chair—and why finding good talent feels nearly impossible in today’s salon world.

From a stylist who tried to take over the salon within 48 hours to shocking truths about how beauty schools ...

What happens when you give your entire identity to hairdressing… and it gives nothing back?

In this brutally honest episode of Sh!t I Told My Hairdresser, we sit down with UK stylist Luke to expose the reality behind the salon chair—burnout, toxic work environments, low pay, client trauma dumping, and the mental toll no one prepares you for.

From being threatened with non-competes to needing therapy just to process clients’ emot...

Hairdressers hear everything—but sometimes the stories clients tell in the salon chair are almost too crazy to believe.

In this episode of Sh!t I Told My Hairdresser, Jason, Lauren, and guest hairstylist Joti dive into the uncomfortable reality of what beauty professionals deal with behind the chair. From shocking client confessions to suspicious tragedies, we explore the growing trend of “sad fishing”—when clients...

In this episode of Shit I Told My Hairdresser, we break down one of the most confusing — and often abusive — pay structures in the beauty industry: the 1099 commission hairstylist.

If you’re a hairstylist, barber, or cosmetology student who has ever wondered:

• Should I be paid 1099 or W-2 in a salon?

• Why does my salon take 50% commission but still call me self-employed?

• Why am I suddenly responsible for 40...

In this legendary episode of Shit I Told My Hairdresser, we sit down with Allen Edwards — the celebrity hairstylist who created the iconic Farrah Fawcett haircut for Charlie’s Angels and changed hair history forever 

From Beverly Hills salon rivalries to cutting Marcia Clark’s hair during the OJ trial, Allen breaks down the real stories behind the fame, the PR machine, and the industry politics no one talks about...

In this brutally honest episode of Shit I Told My Hairdresser, we expose the dark side of the beauty industry — from predatory cosmetology school loans to sliding scale commission traps inside corporate salons.

Kelly shares her real journey through $20,000 beauty school tuition, unpaid assistant labor, booth rent disasters, and commission structures designed to keep stylists broke. We break down how retail quotas, hidden deduct...

In this wild episode of Shit I Told My Hairdresser, we break down one of the craziest salon horror stories we’ve ever experienced — including the infamous foot fetish client from Philly and a toxic salon client meltdown during a real-life medical emergency.

From entitled holiday clients who think their haircut matters more than a collapsing lung, to a grown man attempting to lick a stylist’s feet mid-service… this epi...

In this episode of Shit I Told My Hairdresser, Jason and Jack break down the most exhausting clients in the salon industry — the ones who cancel last minute, abuse the front desk, try to intimidate stylists, and pull the classic line: “I know the owner.”

From a returning “Daddy” client who screamed at staff and learned the hard way about cancellation policies, to price-shopping emails, box dye lies, and clients w...

What really happens behind the chair isn’t glamorous—and it’s definitely not professional.

In this episode, we break down real salon horror stories including coworkers stealing supplies, toxic behavior in high-end salons, and clients who cross boundaries in ways most people wouldn’t believe. From stolen developer and quiet revenge, to creepy shampoo-bowl behavior, inappropriate oversharing, and power plays inside the beauty industry...

Anya joins Jack and Jason for a no-filter episode of Shit I Told My Hairdresser that hits everything from fake hair products and shady beauty education to the real reality of working behind the chair with a speech impediment. They talk stuttering in the salon, how clients and strangers react, and why confidence matters more than “perfect” speech—especially in an industry obsessed with image.

Then it gets wil...

What happens when clients cross the line—and expect you to stay quiet because they’re “paying”?

In this episode, we break down the real reasons hairstylists fire clients and why bad behavior in the salon is no longer tolerated. From clients blasting phone calls on speaker, to entitlement, false accusations, boundary violations, and emotional manipulation, this conversation exposes the ugliest side of salon culture&nbs...

Jason sits down with his mother, Elizabeth Townsend—a Honduran immigrant and veteran hairdresser with 47 years behind the chair—to share the real, unfiltered truth about building a long-term career in the beauty industry.

Elizabeth recounts immigrating from Honduras to California as a teenager, starting her hairdressing career in the late 1960s, and building a loyal clientele without social media, influencers, or modern marketi...

Beauty school didn’t fail you by accident — it failed you by design.

In this episode of Sh!t I Told My Hairdresser, we break down the biggest lie sold to aspiring hairstylists: the promise that you’ll graduate “salon ready” and make six figures right out of school.

Spoiler alert: you won’t.

This honest, no-fluff conversation pulls back the curtain on what beauty school actually prepares you for (passing state board...