Confidence as a salon owner is a funny thing. You can be incredible in the chair, calm with clients, talented as hell… and still feel completely rattled by team stuff, quiet weeks, money pressure, reviews, or the fear of being judged.

In this episode, Sam and Jen unpack the invisible weight salon owners carry and why confidence doesn’t mean “nothing goes wrong”, it means you keep leading even when things do.

We talk about the difference between winging it as a stylist (with foundations underneath) versus winging it as a business owner (and accidentally winging the outcome). This is your reminder that confidence is built through clarity, numbers, boundaries, brave conversations, and keeping promises to yourself. Not through pretending you’re smashing it when you’re secretly drowning.

What we cover

1. Why confidence gets shaken by team issues, quiet weeks, reviews and judgement
2. The difference between “faking it” and leading with real foundations
3. Why business owners lose confidence when they don’t know their numbers
4. How systems, boundaries and clarity create calm leadership
5. Why brave conversations (and owning your mistakes) build trust fast

In short: confidence isn’t something you magically have. It’s something you build, one clear decision, one hard conversation, and one honest look at your numbers at a time.

Timestamps:

00:00 Episode Summary

02:50 Confidence and Team Dynamics

06:58 Handling Judgement and Self Worth

11:07 Continuous Learning and Adaptation

23:33 External Validation and Self Worth

28:02 Living the Day Twice

28:29 Financial Planning and Sacrifices

29:11 Support Systems and Confidence

30:55 Boundaries and Business Decisions

36:28 Systems and Procedures

37:31 Knowing Your Numbers

39:41 Leading with Clarity

43:58 Brave Conversations

51:02 Building Confidence

53:18 Homework for Confidence

Mentioned in this episode:

First Align, then Redesign — Live Masterclass

If you’ve been moving from one season to the next without really stopping, this is for you. First Align, then Redesign is a live $99 masterclass for salon owners who want to pause, step out of autopilot, and create a clear, grounded vision for their life and business in 2026. You’ll get the live session, full replay access, and the RE-ALIGN Workbook to guide you through the process. ✨ $99 refunded if you upgrade into a Salon Rising course. Learn more and join here 👇

Align Masterclass

https://www.salonrising.com

💖 Celebrating Our Podcast Partner – Christophe Robin, proudly distributed by McM Imports

We’ve partnered with Christophe Robin and MCM Imports to bring you something beautiful:

➡ Experience the Christophe Robin Discovery Box — curated by pro ambassador Monique McMahon.

➡ Inside, you’ll find her handpicked favourites — the hero products she swears by in the salon.

It’s your invitation to explore the range and discover why Christophe Robin has become a quiet obsession among stylists who know their craft.

Click the link below to request your FREE Christophe Robin Discovery Box, exclusively through McM Imports. 👇

MCM

💛 A HUGE Thank You to Our Podcast Sponsors - Timely

We’ve partnered with...

Growing your salon doesn’t always mean adding more days, more late nights or running yourself into the ground.

In this Mini Moment, Sam and Jen break down what actually moves the needle when you want more profit without more exhaustion.

This is a practical, honest chat about working smarter not harder. From optimising your appointment book, to charging correctly for the work you’re already doing, to being confident enough to say no to bookings that don’t serve your business.

If your diary feels full but your bank account doesn’t, this one will hit home.

What we cover:

1. Why optimising your appointment book can unlock thousands without adding hours
2. The real cost of undercharging
3. How treatment menus and client choice remove the awkwardness around retail
4. When it’s okay to say no to smaller bookings to protect higher value services
5. Why knowing your hourly number changes everything about how you book clients

This episode is a reminder that more clients isn’t always the answer. Better systems, clearer pricing and smarter booking decisions are.

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction to the Podcast

00:17 How to Grow Your Salon Without Working More Hours

00:37 Optimising Appointment Books

01:13 Offering Additional Services

03:03 Pricing Strategies for Salon Services

03:41 Efficient Booking Practices

06:18 Balancing Workload and Client Satisfaction

10:30 Final Thoughts and Tips

www.salonrising.com

Mentioned in this episode:

https://www.salonrising.com

💖 Celebrating Our Podcast Partner – Christophe Robin, proudly distributed by McM Imports

We’ve partnered with Christophe Robin and MCM Imports to bring you something beautiful:

➡ Experience the Christophe Robin Discovery Box — curated by pro ambassador Monique McMahon.

➡ Inside, you’ll find her handpicked favourites — the hero products she swears by in the salon.

It’s your invitation to explore the range and discover why Christophe Robin has become a quiet obsession among stylists who know their craft.

Click the link below to request your FREE Christophe Robin Discovery Box, exclusively through McM Imports. 👇

MCM

💛 A HUGE Thank You to Our Podcast Sponsors - Timely

We’ve partnered with Timely to bring you something special:

➡ Enjoy a 14 day free trial to see how Timely can transform your salon.

➡ New customers get 50% off their first 3 months.

If you've been thinking about levelling up your salon systems, this is your moment. Timely is designed specifically for salons. Helping you manage bookings, clients, staff, and more with ease.

Use the code SALONRISING at checkout or click the link below to to claim the offer. 👇

Timely

What happens when the babies on hips become teens with attitudes, endless school events and bigger problems…but business still needs you too?

In this raw, funny and very real episode, Sam and Jen return to one of the Inner Sanctum’s most loved topics...Motherhood in Business. And dive into what it really looks like when you’re raising kids while running a salon and carrying the mental load of it all.

From chaotic mornings and four different school drop offs, to the guilt, the overwhelm, the constant tabs open in our heads and the pressure to do it all… this episode is equal parts cathartic, comforting and hilariously relatable.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing the school run with one hand and holding your business together with the other, this one is for you.

What we cover

• The mental load of older kids: bigger ages, bigger stakes
• Why business owners need more support than ever
• The money traps busy mums fall into (and what to look at instead)
• Systems, hacks and tiny changes that save your sanity
• How to find pockets of joy when life feels like “too much”

In short, this episode is a love note to every exhausted salon mum doing her best. A reminder that you’re not alone, you’re not losing it, and you’re allowed to choose joy and support over self sacrifice.

Timestamps

Mentioned in this episode:

💛 A HUGE Thank You to Our Podcast Sponsors - Timely

We’ve partnered with Timely to bring you something special:

➡ Enjoy a 14 day free trial to see how Timely can transform your salon.

➡ New customers get 50% off their first 3 months.

If you've been thinking about levelling up your salon systems, this is your moment. Timely is designed specifically for salons. Helping you manage bookings, clients, staff, and more with ease.

Use the code SALONRISING at checkout or click the link below to to claim the offer. 👇

Timely

💖 Celebrating Our Podcast Partner – Christophe Robin, proudly distributed by McM Imports

We’ve partnered with Christophe Robin and MCM Imports to bring you something beautiful:

➡ Experience the Christophe Robin Discovery Box — curated by pro ambassador Monique McMahon.

➡ Inside, you’ll find her handpicked favourites — the hero products she swears by in the salon.

It’s your invitation to explore the range and discover why Christophe Robin has become a quiet obsession among stylists who know their craft.

Click the link below to request your FREE Christophe Robin Discovery Box, exclusively through McM Imports. 👇

MCM