Would You Rather... Branded or Unbranded?

Would You Rather... Branded or Unbranded?

Would You Rather? Branded or Unbranded In this episode, we play a little game of “would you rather,” to explore what it really looks like to work with a brand vs. going out on your own. We're talking indie education vs. branded education, private labels vs. big logos, sponsorship perks, limitations, visibility, ownership, and everything in between. It's not just about choosing sides, it's about knowing what you want, what you value, and where the industry is headed next. Featuring Sarah Rappolt @sarahrappolt [https://www.instagram.com/sarahrappolt/] Co Founder of It’s the Breakroom @itsthebreakroom [instagram.com/itsthebreakroom/] Garrett Markenson @garrettmarkenson [instagram.com/garrettmarkenson/] Founder of Reverie @gmreverie [instagram.com/gmreverie/] Akela Douglass @akelashair [instagram.com/akelashair/] Owner of Got Roots Color Bar @gotrootscolorbar [instagram.com/gotrootscolorbar/] Lo Shabino @classiclois_hairstylist [instagram.com/classiclois_hairstylist/] Owner of Strangebird Salon @strangebirdsalon [instagram.com/strangebirdsalon/] Sponsor Reverie @gmreverie [instagram.com/gmreverie/] Reverie, a daydream of botanical pleasures founded by Garrett Markenson. Reverie is hair care for all humans, no matter your hair density or texture. The clean and innovative formulas nurture the integrity of your hair for unrivaled results. Made intentionally in California, Reverie utilizes innovative skincare methodology to formulate products of substance, a ritual that stands above and apart. Want Reverie in your salon? Email wholesale@gmreverie.com [wholesale@gmreverie.com]. Mention code DIRTYHAIR10 and save 10% on your opening order. Follow @gmreverie on Instagram for all things botanical pleasures. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

Still Climbing: Movements, Momentum & The Messy Middle

Still Climbing: Movements, Momentum & The Messy Middle Progress isn’t linear. Progress is non-binary. Movements don’t move in straight lines—they stall, fracture, regroup, and keep climbing anyway. In this episode, we talk with Kristin Rankin of The Dresscode Project about gender-affirming hair, the politics of progress, and the emotional labor of pushing an industry that prefers optics over infrastructure. What’s real change? What’s performative? And who’s still doing the unpaid work? Because the climb continues. And the middle? It’s messy as hell. Featuring Kristin Rankin @kristinrankinhair [https://www.instagram.com/kristinrankinhair/?hl=en] Founder of @thedresscodeproject [https://www.instagram.com/thedresscodeproject/?hl=en] The Dresscode Project Our mission is to empower hair stylists and barbers to give people haircuts that help them look the way they feel. We envision a world where every hair salon and barbershop is a gender affirming, safer-space for LGBTQ2S+ clients. We want to provide support, resources and events that help, not only our member salons, but any hairdresser or barber interested in seeking additional knowledge to create safer spaces in their area. For many queer folks, the professional beauty industry has always been considered a safer space but we still have a long way to go with education, acceptance and understanding and it’s our mission to make sure we continue forward momentum. Become a Dresscode Project Member [https://www.dresscodeproject.com/membership] Donate to the Dresscode Project [https://www.dresscodeproject.com/donations] This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

Scalp is the New Money, Hunni!

Scalp is the New Money, Hunni Where we'll uncover why everyone's suddenly obsessed with what's under the hair. From rituals and results to marketing and mindset shifts, we dig into the new goldmine sitting at the root, literally, of the beauty industry. Guests Nicole Cichocki, Founder of @truth_beauty_and_goodness [https://www.instagram.com/truth_beauty_and_goodness/?hl=en] Garrett Markenson @garrettmarkenson [https://www.instagram.com/garrettmarkenson/?hl=en] Founder of @gmreverie [https://www.instagram.com/gmreverie/?hl=en] Lori Huitron @lorihuitron_scalpe_educator [https://www.instagram.com/lorihuitron_scalp_educator/?hl=en] Founder of @huihuiessentials [https://www.instagram.com/huihuiessentials/?hl=en] Sponsor @freeyourhairbrush [https://www.instagram.com/freeyourhairbrush/?hl=en] Founded by @roxiejanehunt [https://www.instagram.com/roxiejanehunt/?hl=en] FREE YOUR HAIR Brush is a small, independent, woman-run business created by hairstylist Roxie Jane Hunt. Designed behind the chair, FYH Brush is a vegan mixed-bristle brush with long bristles that actually reach the scalp, set in a beautiful beechwood handle engraved with hand-drawn art. It’s more than a brush—it’s a daily ritual for scalp health, circulation, and pleasure.And yes—brushing your hair helps it grow. When the scalp is stimulated regularly, circulation improves, shedding decreases, and hair grows stronger and faster. Roxie Jane created this brush for hairstylists and their clients. Teaching clients to brush properly transforms their relationship with their hair while supporting scalp health and growth between appointments. For hairstylists, FYH Brush is also a powerful sales tool. Through the FYH affiliate program, you can share the brush directly with your clients and earn 20% commission on every sale—no inventory required. If you’re a hairstylist who cares about scalp health and wants to offer clients a tool that actually supports their hair growth, sign up for the FREE YOUR HAIR affiliate program today at freeyourhairbrush.com [http://freeyourhairbrush.com] Experience it for yourself with 25% off your first brush using code BRUSHLOVE25. FREE YOUR HAIR Brush — made by a hairstylist, for hairstylists. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

The Contention in Coaching

EP 3: The Contention of Coaching Coaching has become one of the most polarizing topics in the beauty industry. Depending on who you ask, it's either transformational or transactional, empowering or predatory. In this episode, we sit down with the biggest names in coaching from different companies to unpack why coaching has become so contentious and what it actually looks like behind the scenes. We're not here to pick sides. We're here to explore the nuance, the different approaches, the myths, the motives, and where personal responsibility fits in. Guests David Bosscher @davidbosscher [https://www.instagram.com/davidbosscher/?hl=en] & Cyd Charisse @cydcharisse [https://www.instagram.com/cydcharisse/?hl=en] Co-Founders of Destroy the Hairdresser @destroythehairdresser [https://www.instagram.com/destroythehairdresser/?hl=en] Britt Seva @brittseva [https://www.instagram.com/brittseva/?hl=en] Founder of The Thriving Stylist @thethrivingstylist [https://www.instagram.com/thethrivingstylist/?hl=en] This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

Has the Curl Bubble Popped??

EP 2: Has the Curl Bubble Popped? Once the hottest category in hair education, curls were everywhere, and everyone wanted in. But what happens when the bookings slow down and the hype fades? In this episode, we unpack what's really happening with curl education right now. Is it oversaturation? Is the movement still alive? Or has the industry once again commodified a community without doing the real work? We talk about performative allyship, corporate hijacking, and what independent curl educators are seeing behind the scenes. Guests Dominique Lyvar @kingdomofcurls_ [https://www.instagram.com/kingdomofcurls_/?hl=en] Founder of @theuzurimethod [https://www.instagram.com/theuzurimethod/?hl=en] Keya Neal @keyaartistically [https://www.instagram.com/keyaartistically/?hl=en] Founder of @texturevsrace [https://www.instagram.com/texturevsrace/?hl=en] Mahaila Penson @1800hellyeah [https://www.instagram.com/1800hellyeah/?hl=en] Creator of Curlsunlocked Aaron Scott Lacy @aaronscottlacy [https://www.instagram.com/aaronscottlacy/?hl=en] Founder of @asimplelessonforcurls [https://www.instagram.com/asimplelessonforcurls/?hl=en] This Episode is sponsored by Free Your Hair. Free Your Hair Brush is owned and created by Roxie Jane Hunt. She started the brand over a decade ago after 15 years behind the chair working with curly haired people. She saw a real need for education and tools for scalp health and hair care that was simple, sustainable, pleasurable, and effective. She created Free Your Hair Brush as a foundational tool for hairstylists and clients alike to use in their personal, professional, and community care practices. Visit www.freeyourhairbrush.com [http://www.freeyourhairbrush.com] and enter code DIRTYHAIR for 15% off your order. Follow on Instagram at @freeyourhairbrush [https://www.instagram.com/freeyourhairbrush/?hl=en] and at @roxiejanehunt [https://www.instagram.com/roxiejanehunt/?hl=en] for all things Free Your Hair. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy