Podcasting Tips & Some Biz Questions [EP:146]

Navigating the Podcasting Journey: Our Tips and Tricks

In this episode, Todd shares a funny recent haircut decision and celebrates receiving the first fan mail, which sparks a discussion about starting a podcast. 

Todd and Jen share various tips and tricks for new podcasters, including the importance of figuring out the show’s structure and core values, the technical setup, and editing tools like Descript. 

They also delve into some questions they've read online, offering advice on avoiding color waste in salons and the best practices for hiring stylists. 

They stress the importance of raising prices if you’re turning away clients and the significance of alignment with the right systems and mentors for your business. 

Tune in for an honest, insightful, and energetic conversation about podcasting and salon management.

00:00 Introduction and Personal Updates
00:35 First Fan Mail and Podcasting Advice
02:22 Podcasting Equipment and Tools
04:36 Content Creation and Structuring Your Podcast
08:41 Challenges and Learning from Mistakes
11:25 Engaging with Your Audience
12:23 Advice for Salon Owners
17:00 The Value of Applying Knowledge
17:27 Avoiding Cookie-Cutter Business Approaches
18:59 Learning from Failures
19:59 The Importance of Resilience
21:34 Managing Color Waste in Salons
27:14 Hiring the Right Stylists
33:06 Concluding Thoughts and Fan Engagement

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Transcript

146
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Todd: [00:00:00] What's up, everyone? Welcome back. Happy Monday, or whenever you're listening. How's it going, Jen?

Jen: Great.

Todd: Good. You know what I did recently for people listening?

Jen: Nope.

Todd: Shaved my hair off. Most of it.

Jen: Oh,

Todd: Totally pissed you off.

Jen: no comment. Sure.

Todd: I don't like long hair on myself. in the summer. So, since it's my hair, I got rid of it. Here we are. All right. So, I actually, I want to start with, we got our, we got our first fan mail, it's called. So, if you go on the Apple app, where you listen to podcasts, Apple podcast, it's called. If you look at the Top of the description there.

It says send us a text message.

Jen: Oh yeah. Yeah.

Todd: So somebody went through and sent us one and [00:01:00] Actually, you know what, let me pull it up and I'll just read it. Give me a second. It's about podcasting and I don't know who this is because it doesn't to protect you. It doesn't give us any information It just gives me your about location and the last four I would imagine Yeah, definitely.

The last four of your cell phone. So this person wrote, Hi, I want to start a podcast and have absolutely no idea where to start. I googled it, but the results were overwhelming. I'm hoping you can give me advice on where to start. Great question. So,

Jen: advice would come from you, Todd. Not

Todd: I think I think both of us and what I'd like to do is I'd like to put together an episode on this because I've had actually a few people ask that. And I think we could help and simplify things. But for now, I didn't want to ignore people Because I'm hoping to get more of those fan mails.

Jen: Right.

Todd: So I would say the biggest piece of advice to get started before [00:02:00] you really dive into anything or everything that you're going to have to do is figure out what you want your show to look like and what you want your show to be.

So. And

Jen: core values and vision?

Todd: with a podcast, like, what are you trying to accomplish? Where are you going to be recording? What do you want it to look like? Are you going to be using video? Because in the beginning we got a bunch of lighting, which I still use. I have lighting going right now because it's dark. It's a dark, you know, day here recording and we use lighting, but we had backdrops.

We had different video cameras. We had all this stuff that we didn't need and we eventually found uses for it. But. You can, you can start off more simple. And I think that's what people should do. And trust me, we didn't go crazy. We wouldn't have like a Hollywood set or anything, but we had more stuff than we probably needed in the beginning.

Yeah. We've definitely scaled down our [00:03:00] operation. I would, yeah. Figure out what you, what you want to do. If you're going to be just talking, all you really need is an iPhone to get started. You can find an app on there to record and publish right through. We use Buzzsprout for our. Hosting, and then it goes out from Buzzsprout.

So it's. You can find the links right in our show notes, but from Buzzsprout, then the podcast goes out to Apple and Spotify and WebPlayer and iHeartRadio. What all these, yeah, there's like 40 different

Jen: Platforms for

Todd: that yeah, platforms. Exactly. Thank you. But I would figure out, like, do you need a video camera?

Do you? Are you going to be interviewing people? If you are, we use Squadcast, which is what we record on here, and you can do

Jen: we

Todd: that.

Jen: to, that's new for us. Mm hmm.

Todd: Yes, exactly, and it's new because we pair it with another software called Descript, which we use for creating our content, and I actually use it for editing now. 

It will [00:04:00] transcribe your podcast, so all you do is record. So, what we're doing right now, we just record. We load it into Descript and Descript creates transcripts. And then you edit your podcast like it's a Word doc. So it's really kind of super simple to go through. You can use it to take out all your filler words.

It has some cool new AI features. And I don't think I get anything for telling you that, but that's what I would check out. I would check out Squadcast paired with Descript and see if that fits your needs. You might. If it's just you talking, cause I have no idea who this person is. I would just seriously, I would start with the phone.

And I think the biggest thing is sort of getting your first few out there.

Jen: hmm.

Todd: going to suck. I look back on ours and I tell people, please don't go back. Cause every once in a while we see a run on the early episodes and it's like someone just discovered our podcast.

Jen: Ooh.

Todd: listened to like a halfway decent episode.

And then was like, I want to start from the beginning because that's human [00:05:00] nature, right? You you're like, I like this. I want to start from the beginning, which is cool. But the podcast you're getting today is nowhere near the podcast. When we started, because we didn't know what we were doing, but it's important to just get those first.

Yeah. You have to get those first few episodes out there. Committing to

Jen: consistent.

Todd: Yeah. Committing to a schedule. So we don't miss a Monday. Regardless, and we've had times where we've had to record an episode on a Monday. We have a Excuse me, we have a business, we have three kids, a dog, a snake, our relationship, a house,

Jen: of

Todd: family, like, we have a lot of stuff going on, so it happens, it's an imperfect system, and we try to batch record, we've already talked about in the fall, that will be a lot easier, for us, like, it's Sunday, And I'm recording this episode for Monday.

Jen: Right.

Todd: Is that ideal? No, but it, it sticks us to our, or it keeps us [00:06:00] honest with our schedule. And we're on, this is episode one 46. We haven't missed a Monday. The only hiccup I can think of is one time I hit the wrong date. So the podcast published on Sunday rather than Monday. And that happens too. You're going to make mistakes.

So I didn't take it down. I left it a challenge, I guess, people to find that one that's off in there. Probably just look at the dates, but

Jen: you said is if it's one person just using your phone and whatever that app was, I'm sure you'll put that in the show notes too and just get started. And the goal there would be as who are you speaking to? What does your audience look like? Or what are you trying to put out for information? Todd and I will do like, In the beginning, when we first started what we call like a brain dump and literally had our whole island full of like paper and just throwing ideas out so that we could easily go back. And we knew all of the ideas. Stayed focused and organized to the content we were trying to put [00:07:00] out so we could grab from that and then get creative on what we wanted to speak about that day.

So. Now we get our, our inspiration from all, all different types of places. It's not just our brain dump. So it's kind of fun that way. And as we've gotten going, it's to kind of accumulate, accumulate the information we want to speak about. but in the beginning, the brain dump helped a lot for just going back to keeping us focused on the information we wanted to put out and like I said, organizing our thoughts with staying on the course of action of how we wanted the podcast in the beginning to, to be.

Todd: yeah, I love that stuff. And another thing with the content is I. Now we're much more relaxed in the beginning. We went through and created a list. Like you said, Jen, I was just looking for it cause I was going to hold it up. But we listed, like, what topics could we speak about to salon owners or hair pros?

And it was like, dress code, how to charge for your services, discounting, what salon tech do you use, innovation. And we listed everything out, and you want to [00:08:00] almost get to a point, I think, this is my two cents, where you can just have a conversation, and it's less sort of scripted.

Jen: Yes,

Todd: beginning, you're going to be learning how to maybe work with headphones on, which is different.

Jen: Navigate a bunch of stuff.

Todd: Yeah. You're going to have, we have a mixer, I guess, or sound interface that we use. We have software that we're always running. There's microphone etiquette. You need to learn. There's going to be all these things. So having to come off the top of your head with speaking about all these things, that might not be the.

The best for you starting out, you'll get,

Jen: we recorded. And then when we were done, like Todd would be like, that was shit. We're not, I'm not posting that. And I'd lose my mind. I'm like, we just wasted 40 minutes. Are you kidding me? We have to figure it out. And it would be like, no, that's shit. We're not doing it. We had an interview, whole interview.

The sound was off. Neither one of us said anything. And then at the end, I'm like, that was really hard to understand what we were like, [00:09:00] what all. Us with the person we were interviewing. And Todd went back there. He's like, well, maybe, you know. it gets transcribed, it'll just work itself out. And it was a shit again.

So we had to like notify the person that was part of that interview. Like this isn't worthy of like being published, like it's bad. But again, that was our, our time. So we have of episodes that just either didn't fit the integrity of what we were trying to put out or just things. It just didn't work out like we planned and now we have to redo them.

So that happens too and it's frustrating, but the goal for us was just keep putting out good content and love how we've grown into this more kind of flowing nature of just like having a conversation. To me, that's the type of podcast I listen to. I would not, I don't like the ones that are super structured, like do this, do that and are just, you know, I don't know.

They're too structured, I guess. So it's, it's been fun kind of growing into who we are today. You know?

Todd: yeah, a hundred percent. And like I said, I would definitely bullet out your [00:10:00] ideas in the beginning to have that structure so that you can glance that something and you

Jen: I

Todd: can sort of.

Jen: in front of me

Todd: Yeah. I would have notes on my phone notes on my computer, a notebook. Yeah. All sorts of stuff in the beginning because I would lose track and I would freak out.

And. I guess that brings out one more point. And then we've been talking for 11 minutes now on a episode. We said we weren't going to do about podcasting, but see how, see how it goes. You just start talking. I would keep in mind that you can edit. You don't have to be an edit editing genius, but. If you say something wrong, or you're like, that doesn't work for me.

If you're on your phone, take a screenshot. So, you know, where in your podcast, it was a trick that I learned, or I saw somewhere and I used to use it all the time was to clap, so I would clap. So that way, when I was editing our podcast, I would see that spike in the audio and I would know this is where.

Like right before the spike is something that I wanted to remove or something I wanted to [00:11:00] highlight or whatever I was using it for. So. Keep in mind, you can edit and it's, it, it doesn't have to be perfect. I don't think it should be perfect. We're not out here trying to be the Joe Rogan of hair podcasts.

I mean, that would be cool, but what we're trying to do is have a creative outlet. Share some information and hopefully, and we've had people reach out like, Hey, this really helped me, whatever. I love your show. Thanks so much to those people. You know, we're, we're just doing this mostly for our, like I said, creative process, it helps me feel like I'm creating something that your typical salon owner, I don't know if they have a podcast, but I doubt it.

We do. So it.

Jen: And just

Todd: It makes me feel good.

Jen: and realize like some situations, you're normal, like where you feel like you're alone. You're like, Oh, other people go through that crap. I love when people reach out to us and you're like, I feel like you're talking directly to me. Actually, somebody just said that the other day to me, every time I was in your podcast, I feel like you're talking directly to me.

I'm like, that is the best compliment we can get. [00:12:00] Cause talking to whoever will listen, but you know, Hoping to, to touch points with people so they can resonate with it. So when we get that, I, day made.

Todd: Yeah. And I'm often not talking to someone directly. So when someone says that I was like, I, I always get blown away as well. I'm always like, awesome. Then, then I am talking to you. I just didn't know that you were the specific person. So today let's go through some stuff that we found online. This is from some Facebook groups and it's

Jen: Fun. Hmm.

Todd: So I don't feel bad about sharing it. And I don't feel like anybody's going to find anything or call anybody out because. Well, because right? I saw this question recently, and this was from I imagine a salon owner.

Let's screenshot it.

What courses or programs have you guys taken that you think helped make you a great salon owner?

Do you have an answer for that, Jen? 

Jen: No,

Todd: Oh, Okay. [00:13:00] It's not the same. All right. We're done.

Jen: where i'm at which to me Is the worst fucking advice you could ever give because that person's salon and your salon are not the same It may have worked for them But I Do not like at all.

And I think it's very, very, very bad advice to tell other salon owners. Like if you do what I did, you'll be successful. And they will listen because just like that person put in the group, they're literally like, somebody helped me. Like, what, what can I do? And. You, you can take that advice and then maybe learn from it and think about how those things could affect your business. But there's [00:14:00] no way that what one salon does is going to be the exact same success rate or look the same for your salon. And trust me, I've done it. We took this class, my last salon, and they were like, do this, this, this. So we went back to our salon. We're like, we're doing all this and we're going to be as successful.

And my salon closed. There we were great. Cool. I listened to this great person whose salon was wicked successful. And guess what? Mine went to shit. So my advice would be is.

Todd: I did tell you that math was wrong, by the way.

Jen: maybe get inspiration. And I'm talking on like three or four levels. I've seen, I've gone to different things, with that salon.

We tried things and nothing worked. I think the idea is maybe you, you can take what worked for them and look at it if it would work for you. Or honestly, like what Todd and I do is we're like, We talk with our accountant, where is our business at? How are we looking? Are we healthy? He'll question where we're spending money.

Why are you putting so much into marketing right now? And is it working? And what are you seeing in the return? And then we'll go to him with certain ideas of how we may want to structure different things every year and he'll poke holes in it. And. We're maybe [00:15:00] very lucky that we have an amazing accountant that we have a great relationship with. But I would say right now that is part of like our business coaching. Todd does a lot with the small business group in New Hampshire to get ideas and would go on conversations every month in the beginning to help like get ideas for the business. But to me, I don't. There's no black and white course to just be like, there are some out there.

So if you want to implement those, go right ahead. But to me, it's really looking at what would work for your business. What are you trying to grow in your business? What things need to be like looked at right away. And then maybe you find a business coach that helps you grow. Your business doesn't tell you what to do, helps you find the answers that will help your business.

I, if you're looking for someone to tell you what to do, you probably shouldn't be running a business. I'll be honest. That was very long winded, sorry.

Todd: That's okay. So I, I have, my answer is a little different than yours. I think we need to reform the question. So [00:16:00] what courses have you taken that make you a better salon owner? I guess I could list courses and I've taken a bunch like with you and I've taken a bunch, you know, on my own. And,

Jen: books.

Todd: I, I've read a bunch of books and all that stuff and I think what it boils down to is asking the question, who are your people and who do you align with?

So, who, who out there, if you're looking for a salon coach or a mentor or a whatever, who are going to like jive with? Who are you going to flow with? Because you can take all the courses in the world, and if you don't apply anything, it didn't do anything. So the act of taking the course is really not what you're looking for,

Jen: Right.

Todd: if that means.

Jen: that takes all the online education, but never applies any of it.

Todd: Yeah, you have to apply some lesson or principle or something. Or else it doesn't [00:17:00] matter. And you could go to the best business school in the world and come out and not apply any of that knowledge. And it's the act of going to that school did nothing for you. I think a lot of people think, and I said this, I think even in our last podcast, I think I posted it as a clip on Instagram, but a lot of people think if I take a class, that's.

Setting me apart somehow. That's it's not the class that sets you apart. It's what you do with the information after

Jen: That's

Todd: and that's and that's why we strongly believe in the non cookie cutter approach because we've taken a bunch of the cookie cutter stuff and it just it needs to be reworked for you so much that as an individual person and business owner and what you want to get out of your business.

That it's not worth reworking. You might as well just do your own thing at that point.

Jen: right.

Todd: if you like, like Jen said, if you follow it word for word, how they want to, like, it's, we've seen it firsthand. It's devastating, devastating to a [00:18:00] business. We had stuff happen at hello. That was just set us back like two years and it's you get sucked up and stuff.

And you're like, oh, this is going to work. I'm just going to go for it. And. If you don't put a lot of time into poking holes and stuff which is another thing that I would highly suggest that you do, not just find someone and be like, this person's brilliant. This person's going to save my business. No, you should be interviewing them constantly.

Like, why is this going to work for me? Why, why are you telling me this? Is this what you tell every person?

Jen: right, right.

Todd: Has the person even asked you what your mission is for your business or what your core values are? If they haven't run. Like they should be wondering what you're after instead. What I see a lot of, and I would avoid this person looking for courses.

If you're listening, you're probably not. I would avoid those people that are like, this is just the way to do this. Period.

Jen: I

Todd: It's just, it doesn't work. So

Jen: too what's really [00:19:00] cool what Todd just said is Understand. So we've been in of us have had businesses for a very long time. Like, I don't know, I think it's 40 something years combined, like of where we're at. And through that we have fallen on our face a shit ton of times

Todd: yeah.

Jen: learned every single time from that.

So a lot of times the failures that we've faced, even though they're Extremely difficult to face. We have become a better business owner every time. So every time we're like, why did that fail? What did we do wrong? What didn't we do to, to see that this was coming? And that has been really why we are where we are today. It's not easy to fail, but you will fail. It's, it's inevitable. So realize that and enjoy the successes

Todd: I think

Jen: But

Todd: the opposite,

Jen: are where you learn.

Todd: I think the opposite, it's easy to fail. You're going to

Jen: Yeah,

Todd: a business. You're going to fail. It's wicked easy. I know, I get what you're saying. It's not easy to deal with the failure.

Jen: Yes. The feeling of failure

Todd: Yeah, I knew, I knew what you were saying, but the,

Jen: you said, we had one, it took [00:20:00] us two years to get out of. It was just a choices that we made. But it was one of those like, dig deep. Here we go. It's a marathon and are we doing this or not? You know, and how are we getting there? And that was a day to day, week to week thing of just keep going.

Todd: and we had already decided that we weren't quitting and we weren't giving up as much as you are. When I think it's really easy to, so here's a little side note, you have a business partner and they're your spouse. It is so easy to be like, I'll just walk away from this. If you want, you can have it all. If you want, like, it's so easy to do that.

And I wouldn't do that. I would commit to each other. And like Jen and I have over, I would say even this past year, like we're not walking away from this. We're already talking about our, what our next lease looks like and what our plans for the future of Hello are. And we're going to be passing year five soon.

And. It's just, you, you got to stick with stuff, I guess, is what you're saying is what you were saying and what I was trying to sort of back up, but

Jen: Pivot, innovate at times, [00:21:00] but yeah, you have,

Todd: it's so easy.

Jen: what you, that mission and core values and vision is really why we're still here. We go back to that. Like, what are we doing? Why are we doing it?

Todd: Yeah.

Jen: doing it? Like it keeps us real. It keeps us honest. Everything.

Todd: And it is very difficult to get up from being smacked down. And some days it feels like you get smacked down, smacked down, smacked down to where you're like, if I could just find a course that tells me what to do, but that's not going to make you more resilient and that's not going to build your fortitude.

So yeah. There you go. Here's another question. So what systems do you use to avoid color waste? And then what I wanna highlight is not necessarily the answer, and I'll let you answer this question in a second, but in the comments, this is what you see. Everyone lists like who they use, and the writes is the best.

So by default, all these companies cannot be the best. There can only be one best, best, in my opinion here is going to be subjective. It's the needs of your individual business. [00:22:00] And that is something that people are rarely taking into account is what you're looking for. They want to get on their soap box and tell you what's the best from their perspective.

And they've probably only used one, maybe two of these systems. I'd be shocked if it's two, because it's a pain to change stuff.

Jen: Correct.

Todd: So what is your two cents on that? And I, I have a, I have my question. I mean, my answer to that question, but I'll let you go first because I like that.

Jen: I don't know if it's the best to like what you said because I've only used one. And actually I've used, I'll say two ways. One was old school, which is we had a bucket and everything for waste. Every single stylist had their own bucket and your waste went in each bucket. So literally it was like a waste shaming party.

I'll say, I'll tell you. And I don't know what we did with that. Maybe you. got in trouble or something. I highly doubt that I would never want anyone in trouble. So it just made you look like a piece of shit because you wasted the most. And we literally had these little Home Depot paint bucket things and

Todd: That's a cool way to motivate people.

Jen: I told, right? That's what I'm saying. Like

Todd: So awesome. I'll be.

Jen: salon [00:23:00] again, learning, learning a long time ago. So that was how I dealt with waste at my first salon. And at Hello, we Todd had found this company called Vish, which we've done a podcast with. I actually worked with them briefly. I'd say, I don't know if, if they are the best for color management, but the things they stand for, how they align themselves, it works for what we're doing at Hello. So Vish is, who we now use it stores, the formulas you reweigh, it helps with color waste and basically. It really helps to coach our team just on percents of color waste. Like, Hey, you're not reweighing your bowls. I don't, there's no shaming. There's nothing at this point, it's just the standard that every it's. talk about it. Like it's just takes care of color waste. It helps us with overusing product and having product charges go to the client so that there's really no waste on the side of color and on the side of cost. It works for us. So Vish is who we use. It just works. There's lots out there. I think. People will say to you like, Oh, well, how much is it is expensive. How, what do you want to pay? Are you really dealing with color races? Is it really that big of a deal to you? Because if it's that big of a deal to you, [00:24:00] you should be using one of these companies to help control the waste and help with the product costs of that. I don't

Todd: I did see.

Jen: it. It's just worth it.

Todd: I did see. So yeah, you can go back and find our episode with Tim Howard. And he, he's great. And they, those guys will jump on the phone with you someone from their team. Again, we're not sponsored or anything. We just, this is who we use and align with. I saw the cost come up in there and people were like, is Vish expensive?

Or is, you know, salon scale expensive or whatever. You must have a huge salon. If you're going through that color and wasting that much, it's not only about the waste. It's also about recouping and charging for the extra color that you're putting out, because that's not just waste. Now that's money that you're paying out that you're not recouping for your business.

On the other end, so not only does it help eliminate the waste? Yes, and that's great for the environment and sustainability and the things that we believe in,

Jen: Yes,

Todd: but it's also helping your bottom line because you're not sitting there going. [00:25:00] This person is always, you know, uses a ton of product. And I don't care how much product somebody needs to do hair, it doesn't matter because we're charging for it

Jen: totally.

Todd: without, without a way to track, you're not charging for it and you're just leaving dollars on the table and that's silly to own a business and not try to collect those dollars.

Okay.

Jen: Especially in today's world. With Vish, it also helps you realize like per cost, what each employee is, is really costing you, like how much waste is happening and you can see kind of where that is. And it's just a different way to look at it. And it, it gives you in real time. So you're not guessing.

Like, know a lot of people, you're probably 90 something percent of you are going to relate to this. Like they just charge an arbitrary number for an extra bowl of color, like 10 for the extra bowl, but they don't know. If that 10 is enough for covering it, if it's too much, like they have no clue. So what these other like Vish and salon scale and those do is that it accounts for it in a way that it's actually accounting for what you're using.

So there's just integrity behind that. Like when we used to [00:26:00] do it, my first line employee color, when they got their hair done, we just be like, 20 bucks. Just cover it. Now I'll tell you this. It probably is. Most often around that price. But in Vish, we now have employee color and it counts for everything they use.

So when they check out themselves, they know exactly how much color they use and they're paying for it. So it's again, it just, we're using it on all different levels.

Todd: My official answer to the question, by the way,

Jen: Yes.

Todd: is I don't think it really matters as long as you use something.

Jen: Agreed.

Todd: So call the two or three companies.

Jen: Don't do that.

Todd: Call the two or three companies and that are out there. I'm sure there's more, but there are probably two or three major ones. Call them, have a conversation and whatever one aligns with you.

They're all going to give you all the features. They're all going to tell you what they do that the others don't. It just find who you vibe with. Find who you align with and roll with them and then challenge them to show, show me the data, show me that this is worth this, you're saying that in six, nine, 12 months, this [00:27:00] product is paying for itself.

Just show me that. And I'll be happy. And you're doing your part and eliminating some waste. Next, do you have anything else on that?

Jen: That's great.

Todd: So we'll do, we'll do one more of these. Somebody asked where the best place to look for hiring stylists. would be.

Jen: This is a good one.

Todd: in the comments, somebody said I'm dying not having enough people to take all the clients we have.

So, if you are, do you want to start again?

Jen: No, go ahead. You start this time.

Todd: If you're in the position where you're, first thing I would ask, okay, is are you really turning away a lot of clients? Like, is it, are people really talking to you? Yeah. Are people really knocking your door down every day or are you like getting an inquiry and

Jen: Right.

Todd: somebody is calling to maybe come in because those are two different things.

So we have days at our salon that are like slow, nothing's happening. And I know this is with [00:28:00] every business, but we do have more and more often now days where the phone is ringing off the hook and people are stopping in on the weekends and you know, dads are bringing their sons in for last minute haircuts.

And sometimes we have people available. Sometimes we don't. Yeah. And I think the first thing you need to do is sort of look at your metrics and how are you measuring that you're turning away all these people? What does all these mean? Is it a lot? Like I said, is it a large number? Are you actually turning away people?

Or are you just like booked out and have a hard time fitting your clients in? If you're actually turning people away, or if you're booked out and having a hard time fitting clients in, I don't know if you necessarily need to hire, you might need to raise your prices. You might need, if you're charging. So little that people are knocking and maybe you're not charging so little, maybe you're amazing and people are knocking your door down for haircuts.

Great. I would look for staff, but I would also raise those prices up because you have [00:29:00] something at a higher demand and that's what you need to leverage to again, collect those dollars because that's what this game is all about. What's your answer, Jen? Where do you look for staff?

Jen: Oh currently.

Todd: to, you don't have to go crazy if you don't want. Okay.

Jen: And what we did this year, we took on three people out of school. The goal was hopefully one lasted. We had them assist first. So I could really get to know, like. Who they were as people, where they are with their talents. you [00:30:00] know two out of

Todd: You

Jen: lasted and here we are. So the school is where they're coming from. You can pray to all the hair gods that someone with a clientele is going to show up and they're talented and you get that, that's,

Todd: I don't know if

Jen: shot.

Todd: is looking for that though because they said in their question we're turning clients away. So I don't know if they're looking for something that would hurt them and not hurt. But you know what I mean? Like,

Jen: so I guess either you are going to the schools, like I said, but again, that's a long game because you need to then train them coming out of school. They're coming out with a foundation. That's it. You, it's, we all know that at a school you're eager to learn and you need to teach them. You

Todd: right. And they're not going to be clients right up right out of school for the most part what we've seen. So I'm going to do a little bit of coding here, and I'm going to do [00:31:00] a little bit of

Jen: I try to make connections with them and,

Todd: Okay.

Jen: like Todd does a lot of work with our social media, which looks pretty to clients, but also to staff. That's what they're looking for is people that have a strong online presence, a good social media looking platform. So that does attract other stylists and then we work with the schools

Todd: Match. It has to match.

Jen: Yeah,

Todd: Don't put out your social media needs.

Jen: media really

Todd: I've needs to [00:32:00] be when you walk in because I see a lot of people's pages that are sort of representing or marketing this one thing. But when you get to their space, you're like, wow, this is not what that looks like at all. So make sure you're matching.

Jen: it's two, it's the school and then it's all the work you put in to get attract people that are like, Oh, that looks fun to work at. I should check that out. So I guess it's just, That's where it's at. I did see it might've been on that poster somewhere else. Like someone's like, Oh, use indeed.

And I think like 20 years ago, people use indeed. I mean, go nuts. Maybe that is where the people you're trying to attract are, but I really think it's in the schools and then it's how you're performing on Google and on your, your platforms of social media that will attract the right people. And again, it's long game. I don't might get someone overnight, but usually it's the work you're putting in.

Todd: I stand by my super simple answer. I think in the case that you are truly turning away a ton of business, raise your prices and a lot of your problems will be solved. You have to have hard conversations probably with [00:33:00] yourself. Your clients will stay. But anyways,

Jen: there.

Todd: what I, all right, cool. Thanks, Jen.

Thanks everyone for listening. If you are listening, go ahead and drop us a text in that fan mail.

Jen: Yeah,

Todd: go on this text message and yeah, super fun. And I don't know, maybe we'll do something with that and we'll have prizes or something. I feel like we can have some fun with that fan mail.

Jen: and I love prizes. I'm in.

Todd: All right.

Thanks for listening. Bye everyone.

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