Meet Allison Daza (@allisondazahair), a salon owner and @davinesnorthamerica educator who is committed to sustainable beauty and regenerative agriculture. Allison shares how she puts her beliefs into practice at her studio and how she embarked on a journey of documenting sustainable beauty in partnership with Davines in a short-film series called “…

Hairbrained is thrilled to welcome beauty industry veteran Gordon Nelson (@gordonwnelson) to the team as our new VP of Brand Partnerships. In this episode, we introduce Gordon to the Hb community by talking about his long history with the industry, which began with his father, who himself was a very well-known hairdresser. Gordon shares his persona…

Evan Joseph (@evanjosephcurls) relishes being an independent educator. But it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, considering he has been fiercely independent his whole life. In this episode, he explains how growing up gay in a small Midwestern town influenced him and his desire to help people whom mainstream hairdressing had tended to overlook: …

When Jorge Blanco met @davinesofficial's Davide Bollati some 20 years ago, little did he know how much it would change the trajectory of his life. At the time, Jorge was flexing his editorial and entrepreneurial muscles as co-founder of a lifestyle magazine. But a meeting of the minds found Jorge quickly accepting a six-month contract to work at Da…

Nick Stenson (@nickstenson) has had his hand in nearly every facet of the beauty business. His achievements include being a makeup artist and nail tech, not to mention an award winning hairdresser, brand ambassador, salon owner and founder of his own brand, @nickstensonbeauty. This cumulative experience gives him a unique and valuable perspective w…

What began with a childhood love for painting has blossomed into a two-decade career that has taken Patricia Nikole around the world, helped her brand @paintedhair amass more than 1 million followers on Instagram and nearly 500K on TikTok, and made her one of the industry’s most sought-out educators. Recently named Schwarzkopf Professional’s Artist…

Diana Osborne’s near miss with leaving the hair industry is a rather common one: Health issues triggered by certain salon products. Rather than leave the industry however, in 2019 Diana opened her own natural-products salon in Toronto. And when shutdowns paralyzed the world, Diana pivoted to an e-commerce focus and now has an online storefront that…

After a short stint in college, Carly Zanoni decided to take a chance on hair, and the rest is history. In this episode, Carly shares her beginnings as a young, insecure stylist to her reinvention as @the.blonde.chronicles, a brand that now includes a salon, education and a collaboration with Schwarzkopf Professional. She touches upon the challenge…

The idea that the opportunities are endless in the beauty industry needs no further proof than Kristin Firrell (@kfirrell). Now the VP of Salon Development at @paulmitchellpro, Kristin got her start as a salon stylist, and it was a transformative course at Sassoon in London that informed and drove her passion for education, which continues to this …

One year ago, Melissa Parizot (@melissawillcutyou) and Olivia Casanova (@livcasanovahair) became co-owners in the much-lauded IGK Salon in the tony SOHO neighborhood in New York City. In this episode, they reveal their backgrounds, career journeys and how they came to their current positions. Additionally, they share their strategies on salon train…

Some of the world's best ideas have been born from dreams: Einstein's Theory of Relativity, the sewing machine, The Beatles' song "Yesterday"—and now we can add Roger Molina's captivating stop-motion haircutting videos to the list. In this episode, we talk with @rogermolinahair, Master Stylist at Lunatic Fringe salon in Park City, Utah, and Sam Vil…

To honor World Mental Health Day, we are joined by Todd Faulk (@spiritualgangster75), educator at Aveda Arts + Sciences Institute in Dallas, to discuss the importance of understanding and recognizing the mental health challenges prevalent in our industry. From discussing how ADHD presents differently in men and women to the power of listening and p…

It may be hard to remember, but there was a time when social media was in its infancy. But @alfredo_lewis, Global Ambassador for K18, remembers—and it's because he was among its first early adopters. We talk with Alfredo about what first led him to understand social media's full potential, how social media has evolved from embracing influencers to …

Tatum Neill's roots in the professional beauty industry run deep. His father, Edwin Smokey Neill, played a pivotal role in helping iconic hairdressers like Horst Rechelbacher, Paul Mitchell, and Irvine Rusk grow and distribute their respective brands during the 1970s and '80s. Today, Tatum and his family run 18 cosmetology schools, own and manage a…

Some people go through their whole lives not knowing what they want to do, and then there are people like Christopher Aaron (@christopheraaronstudio), who always knew he wanted to be a hairdresser. Luckily for him (and us), his high school offered a program that allowed him to attend beauty school. It wasn't always easy, but luckily his mentors hel…

We are honored to count Adam Federico as one of the first Hairbrained Community members, as well as a longtime friend and fellow #crafthairdresser. In this episode, we trace Adam's and his family's deep roots in professional beauty education, going all the way back to his grandfather. And for Adam, what started with playing with student kits in his…

We’ve long heard that scalp health equals hair health, but what exactly does that mean? In this episode, Ricardo Dinis (@ricadodinis), @Aveda Global Artistic Director of Haircutting, sheds light on scalp health and scalp solutions. He shares his journey to becoming a trichologist, a specialist who focuses on problems related to the hair and scalp, …

In this episode, we get to know Kati Whitledge (@katiwhitledge), entrepreneur, salon owner, professional speaker, author and fellow podcaster. She shares her journey of how, as a "thirsty" hairdresser, she was fascinated with business development and why people choose brands or, more importantly, connect with certain types of people. She developed …

In this episode, Maggie Hancock, @maggiemh, @schwarzkopfusa artist reveals how determination, grit and humility helped her achieve her goals. She shares how she not only took on multiple jobs to make her dream of opening a salon a reality, but also volunteered her time and talent on photo shoots, which led her to her current role at Schwarzkopf Pro…

To celebrate our 300thpodcast episode, Hairbrained cofounders Gerard Scarpaci and Randy Taylor reflect on Hb’s past, present and future—and the immense gratitude they feel to each of you who have been part of the journey. They reminisce about the early days, when over pizza and beer they realized the massive opportunities that social media created …

Aristotle once said, "The more you know, the more you realize you don't know." Ben Brown (@benbrownhair) had this epiphany when a student asked him why he was doing a technique in a certain way, and he realized he didn't actually know. So the left-handed hairdresser made it his mission to master his craft by becoming the ultimate student. He began …

With more than two decades in the pro beauty space, not to mention a master's degree in business, Stef Fox (@stef_fox) has had a long and varied career that allows her to simultaneously have an intimate as well as a bird's eye view of the industry. And for the past few years, the founder of Talent Match (@salonrecruiting) has conducted an annual su…

On the eve of @paulmitchellpro's latest release, the nine-SKU semi-permanent hair color line Colorways, we're joined by Artistic Director for Color @colincaruso and Colorways Brand Ambassador @fernthebarber. Creative color is experiencing a renaissance, and not just in the salon—as a barber, Fern shares how he's seen an uptick in client requests as…

Now celebrating the 10th anniversary of his seminal book, “Hair: Fashion and Fantasy,” Laurent Philippon is, in his own words, “a hair-thinking war machine.” The world-renowned session stylist never stops dreaming about hair, and his passion for the art and craft of hairdressing is unparalleled. Laurent’s background and training with both Alexandre…

Lupe Voss is known within the #crafthairdresser community as a top-notch educator and colorist. For a lot of her career, she tailored her education around a color line. But with Color Space, she decided it was time to tailor the color around education and color theory. In this episode, she explains what led her to create Color Space, how deeply she…

Hair extensions have come a long way in recent years, and so have expectations surrounding them. These days, knowing proper application techniques, how to color match and blend perfectly, and, quite frankly, the art behind extensions is the norm. We chat with Wade Zylstra (@wadecody), owner of Lux Salon in Fullerton, CA, and Kasandra Grzanka (@kgrz…

One of the most emotionally charged aspects of hairdressing is pricing. Look at almost any hair transformation video on @hairbrained_official, and there's usually a "How much would you charge for this?" question. Fear of losing clients, vague "charge your worth" advice and lack of pricing transparency all play a role. On top of that, hairdressers o…

For years, the idea that “women of a certain age” would willingly embrace their grays was, let’s face it, laughable. But when celebrity colorist Jack Martin (@jackmartincolorist) and his stunning gray transformations came onto the scene, perspectives shifted—not only on what it means to age, but also how important craft hairdressers are in helping …

One of the best aspects of being a pro in the hair industry is the friendships you make along the way. In fact, this idea of community and shared experiences is at the heart of what Hairbrained is all about. And one of the first Hb community members, DJ Muldoon (@danieljosephmuldoon)—a craft hairdresser, global educator and founder of @knowledgedes…

Chrystal L. has devoted her career to helping all hairdressers reach their full potential and realize their dreams. In 2019, she launched @allhairacademy, a program for stylists who want to attract a diverse clientele and be confident working with any hair texture. In this episode, she shares tons of actionable tips to help you grow your business a…

What do you do when you hate doing wedding hair? You double down, of course! That is, you do if you're Candace Mansour (@candacemansour), a bridal hair specialist and educator based in the Northeast. Like many, she was intimidated by seemingly complicated updos, and in her own words, "hated bridal hair." But learning and, more importantly, teaching…

Join Gerard as he sits down with Tom Connell (@tommconnell), Hair Art Director for @davinesofficial, for this special episode filmed at the Davines House in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. We go deep into Tom's creative process and his unique way of manifesting original ideas across the spectrum of beauty. Also, Tom offers a sneak peek into what he has pla…

With more than two decades of pro beauty experience, Dominique LyVar (@kingdomofcurls_) has had a transformative career: He’s worked as a stylist in corporate salons, taught at the Aveda Institute in NY, and even works as a freelance editorial artist. Today he is a ReZo Master Designer and Master Global Educator whose social media following is stea…

Traci Sakosits (@tracisak_hair) has devoted her career to uplifting and educating future hairdressers. After spending the last decade coaching students as the North American Creative Director at Sassoon Academy, she is now the VP of Education and Creative for Aveda Arts + Sciences Institutes. We dive deep into a discussion on the current state of e…

Many brands have been known to pivot during their lifetime, but none quite like Olivia Garden (@oliviagarden_int). Established in 1967 by Jean and Micheline Rennette in Belgium, the company began life as a high-quality synthetic wig manufacturer. But as tastes changed, Olivia Garden transitioned to distributor, to education company and finally, as …

With the brand-new Premiere Anaheim trade show just around the corner, Ed McNeill, SVP of Premiere Show Group, shares his insights into @premierebeautyshows' evolution and the continued importance of trade shows in today’s digital age. In this episode, you’ll learn how Premiere grew from humble beginnings into one of the most respected and must-att…

One of the industry's best educators—not to mention a polished facilitator and presenter—Sonna Brado (@sonnabrado) reinvented her career during the pandemic by creating educational videos that offer value both to hairstylists and clients alike. As a result, Sonna's social media following grew exponentially, which has allowed her to successfully lau…

It has long been reported by government and private statistics reports that many, if not most, hairdressers earn less than the poverty level. But because of inconsistencies and confusion in reporting, Tom and Erin Kuhn believed these figures weren’t truly representative of hairdressers’ salaries, and could be dissuading people from following their …

A non-conformist filled with ambition since her teens when she found her passion and talent for hair, Janine Jarman has continually strived to do things her way. Janine frankly discusses how being persistent and following her gut has led her on her journey from salon owner to brand ambassador to being awarded “Fan Favorite” on Bravo’s Shear Genius …

Not many can claim they went from driving a forklift at Home Depot to becoming one of the industry’s most recognizable educators. But this unique origin story befits Fern Andong, better known as @fernthebarber, and his unique approach to hair and education. In this episode, Fern reveals not only his humble beginnings, but also the benefits and chal…

Over the past several years, Jayne Matthews (@jayne_edosalon) has blazed a trail across our industry using social media to share her "carving petals" approach to razor cutting. But her success has been hard earned; she had to overcome many challenges to find her authentic voice and approach to the craft, commerce and culture of hairdressing. Jayne …

One wouldn’t think that being an introvert would actually help a hairdresser become a celebrity stylist. But that’s just what happened to Ryan Richman (@ryanrichman), who was recently named an @aveda ambassador. Ryan’s incredible roster of star clients reads like a Young Hollywood It List: Sarah Hyland, Sadie Sink, Kate Mara, Sophie Turner, Maisie …

Meet the "fantastic four" founders of @igkhair: @franckhair, @chasehair, @aarongreniahair and @leohairofficial. Together they have built a salon brand and product line that is redefining the next generation of pro beauty. With salon locations in NYC and Miami, they keep their finger on the pulse of creativity and funnel all they learn into an innov…

Humor with a down-to-earth attitude and top-notch hairdressing and educating skills—that’s what @jacobhkhan is known for. In this episode, we dive deep with the @goldwellus Ambassador and his frequent co-creator and fellow craft hairdresser, Ben White. (Spoiler: Jacob makes a big announcement about the state of their friendship.) The pair talk abou…

You know when two of the industry's sharpest minds come together, it's going to be a good podcast! Robert Cromeans (@robertcromeans), Global Artistic and Business Director for @paulmitchell, and Antony Whitaker, founder of @growmysalonbuisness, volley back and forth about marketing yourself as a hairdresser; whether the frequency of appointments wi…

Episode #274: Greg and Joanne Starkman, Innersense Organic Beauty Founders Seasoned beauty pros and founders of @innersenseorganicbeauty Greg and Joanne Starkman share their deeply intertwined personal and brand story. After the birth of their special needs child, Morgan, the Starkmans realized how important it is to be aware of the chemicals we us…

We're kicking off 2023 with a very special guest: longtime Hairbrained friend, Reuben Carranza. One of the most successful and prolific C-suite leaders in pro beauty, Reuben is currently CEO for Amika and Eva NYC. In this episode, he shares the many lessons learned growing up with a hairdresser mom, as well as practical advice that hairdressers nee…

Erica Lee Moomey is a St. Louis-based master haircutter, session stylist and @lorealpro_education_us national educator. As stated in her online biography, Erica is "a force to be reckoned with"—and we wholeheartedly agree. She's not only a regular behind the scenes at New York Fashion Week, but she's also a three-time Midwest Hairstyling Awards Hai…

In the sixth and final episode of our @SalonCentric-supported series on building your business and career, Daniel Mason-Jones (@danielmasonjones) discusses how to have a long and successful career. Be sure to check out past episodes on goal setting; knowing and using your numbers to help set your prices and schedule in a way that supports your goal…

A longtime friend of Hairbrained, Cory Couts' resume includes successful salon owner, renowned business coach, highly respected pro beauty executive, true innovator in the hairdressing industry's early days of digital and social media—and now SVP of Global Professional Sales for @olaplex. Cory helps connect the dots between the times we're in and, …