Ask The Color Expert

Are you building a career—or building an exit plan?

In this heartfelt and eye-opening episode, Elaine sits down with longtime Hair Color Secrets Insider member Jack Mahoney to discuss something most stylists never think about until it's too late: retirement and succession planning.

After more than 50 years behind the chair, Jack made the difficult decision to retire and spend precious time with his husband during a challenging ...

What happens when you stop trying to fit into the “perfect stylist” mold and finally show up as yourself?

In this honest, hilarious, and heartfelt episode, Elaine chats with Lauren Herzog (@thehillbillyhairpainter) about building a salon career rooted in authenticity, boundaries, education, and real life balance.

From crying in her first salon suite… to becoming a salon owner and independent educator, Lauren shares...

Are stylists craving more than just another online class?

 In this heartfelt and passionate episode, Elaine shares the behind-the-scenes magic of her annual Beauty at the Beach retreat—and why genuine connection, community, and hands-on education matter now more than ever.

🎙️ What you’ll learn:
 ✨ Why small-group, in-person education creates deeper transformation
 💡 The power of community in...

Are stylists relying too much on formulas—and not enough on fundamentals?

In this honest, no-fluff episode, Elaine sits down with color educator and chemist Dennis Gebhart for a powerful conversation about what’s really missing in hair color education today. From beauty school gaps to gray coverage myths, they unpack why so many stylists struggle with formulation—and how understanding the why changes everything.

🎙️...

Are your clients dealing with thinning, scalp issues, mineral buildup—or color that just won’t cooperate?

In this honest, science-backed episode, Elaine sits down with certified trichologist, American Board Certified Haircolorist, and Malibu C national educator Erica Billingsley to talk about the connection between scalp health, hair loss, corrective color, and what stylists need to understand behind the chair.

🎙️ What y...

Are you using AI… or letting AI use you? 🤖💬

 In this episode Elaine sits down with Chrystal Graves, founder + CEO of LiQUiD to talk about what AI can do for stylists (and what it absolutely shouldn’t).

Crystal breaks down how Liquid is built to be a salon assistant that pays for itself—helping you price correctly, prep smarter, increase average ticket, and stop giving away your time for free.

🎹 What you&...

What if starting over isn’t starting from scratch—but starting from experience?

In this inspiring, real-talk episode of Ask the Color Expert, Elaine sits down with Kelly Oliver—a 51-year-old healthcare executive, fluent Japanese speaker, and beauty school student—to talk about what it really looks like to enter the beauty industry later in life.

🎓 Kelly shares how decades of life experience, curiosity, and di...

Are you letting fear hold you back—or ready to live more fully? In this heartfelt episode, Elaine sits down with Alealani Gian, a Hawaii‑based stylist whose life changed in an instant when she survived a shark attack. What followed was unexpected growth, self‑acceptance, and more courage than she ever knew she had.

🎹 What you’ll learn:
✨ How one traumatic moment became a catalyst for deeper self‑love
💡 What rea...

Are you juggling humor, artistry, and authenticity in a world that wants you to choose one? In this honest and wildly entertaining episode, Elaine sits down with stylist, creator, and educator Morgan Thomas — the creative mind behind Jade Beauty Co. — to talk balancing humor with professionalism, navigating social media, mentorship, and the realities of life behind the chair.

🎹 What you’ll learn:
✨ How humor c...

In this honest, no-fluff episode, Elaine shares why she’s skipping the shampoo (kind of) — and what it taught her about creativity, burnout, and the surprising power of stillness.

🎹 What you'll learn:
✨ Why your best ideas hit when the water does (literally)
💡 The science behind “shower thoughts” — and how to use them
🧠 What stylists miss when there’s never quiet or pause
🚿 Why...

Are your stylists clinging to glaze and toner recipes without ever checking the hair first? In this honest, no-fluff episode, Elaine pulls back the curtain on why “recipe‑only” glazing is a dangerous illusion — and shares the mindset shift that’ll actually get you predictable, beautiful results.

What you’ll learn:

✨ Why you can’t choose a glaze until you see how the hair lifted 💡 Why improper ...

Are you heading into Q4 at the salon feeling frazzled instead of fulfilled? In this no‑fluff episode, I share how cultivating gratitude and showing appreciation to your existing clients can completely change the way you approach the busy months ahead.

 🎹 What you’ll learn:

 ✨ Why maintaining your current clients matters more than chasing new ones
 💡 How to set boundaries during the holiday rush (yes,...

Are you still stuck carrying business cards and answering clients on your personal phone after hours? In this no‑fluff episode, Elaine shares how she’s upgraded her daily tech habits—and why every stylist needs to follow.

 🎹 What you'll learn:

 ✨ Why giving your personal cell number to clients is costing your sanity

 💡 How to ditch printed business cards and still give a stellar first impressio...

Are your formulas still living by the swatch — and leaving your clients with hot roots instead of the perfect tone?
 In this honest, no‑fluff episode, I share a real forum post gone wrong and break down exactly what went wrong — and how you can avoid it behind the chair.
 🎹 What you'll learn:
 ✨ Why a swatch book is not your hair color result
💡 How the natural hair base (pigment + gray + te...

Are your clients chasing “greenwashed” promises—or ready to believe in real change?

In this transparent, no‑fluff conversation, Elaine sits down with returning guest Jacquelyn Rodriguez—author of Changeworthy, founder of The Holistic Salon Academy, and co-founder of the Green Beauty Community—to explore what it truly takes to build a salon that honors people, profit, and the planet.

🎹 What you'll learn:

...

Are your clients chasing roots—or ready to lean into reinvention?
 In this raw, vulnerable episode, Elaine opens up about closing her salon of 36 years—and stepping fully into her next season.

🎹 What you'll learn:

✨ How to recognize when it’s time to let go (even when everything is on the line)
💔 The emotional weight of dismantling a dream—and the freedom on the other side
🤝 How generos...

Beyond the Chair: Why Your Eulogy Won’t Mention Your Schedule

After attending a funeral, Elaine reflects on what really matters—beyond the hustle, the foils, and the packed books.

💡 Why clients (and stylists) are tired of the 4-week root routine

 🎯 The truth about gray blending vs. gray transitioning

 🔍 How to adapt color formulas for aging skin, softer tone, and real lifeThi...

Are you feeling stuck in routines—or ready to explore your full stylistic potential?
 In this honest, insightful episode, Elaine chats with award-winning stylist Vivienne Mackinder about the archetypes that shape every artist’s journey—from Puppet to Perfectionist to Artist to Pedestal.

What you'll learn:

• The four (plus one) archetypes that inform how you show up—and how to balance them.
• Why technic...

Are you stuck in a rut—or ready to reclaim your edge?

 In this heartfelt episode, Elaine reframes the dreaded “7‑year itch” as a powerful signal for growth—not failure.

What you'll learn:
 – Why that nagging feeling at work, friendships, or life is often a gift

 – How shift‑points—whether relationships, careers, or routines—hit in predictable cycles

 &nd...