Beauty Business School – Details, episodes & analysis

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Your nervous system is running your business. And not in a good way.

If you've ever made a decision from a place of panic, said yes to the wrong client because you were scared of the quiet, or doom scrolled for an hour and felt worse after, this episode is going to hit close to home.

Kimberley sits down with Sherri Ponisi, breathwork facilitator, former hairdresser of 20 years and ex-salon owner, to talk about what's actually going on in your body when you're stressed, burnt out and still trying to run a business.

In this episode:

• Why fear is just an emotion stored in your body (and what to actually do with it)
• The difference between burnout and needing to slow down (they are not the same thing)
• Why doomscrolling is making your anxiety worse, not better
• What breathwork actually is, explained simply with zero intimidation
• A grounding exercise you can do in your car after a horrible phone call
• How to audit the people around you the same way you audit your business
• Why the decisions you make when your nervous system is dysregulated are almost always the wrong ones

If you've been running at 100 miles an hour and wondering why nothing feels right, this episode will make a lot of things click.

Find Sherri at @connectedbeingco on Instagram and her podcast Connected Combos wherever you listen. www.connectedbeingco.com 

Are you looking to level up your salon in 2026? Every beauty business owner needs Beauty Business Foundation, this is the KEY areas you need to have a successful beauty business. Want to learn more? 

 https://beautybusinessschool.com.au/beauty-business-foundations/ 

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What if the thing you’ve spent your whole life trying to “fix” is actually your superpower?

In this deeply personal episode, Kimberley opens up about something she’s never fully shared before being diagnosed with ADHD and autism as an adult while navigating motherhood, business, burnout, perfectionism and the pressure to keep it all together.

From feeling “different” as a child… to struggling with self-worth, hyper-fixation, comparison, relationships, and running multiple successful businesses this episode is an unfiltered look inside the mind of a beauty business owner with a “spicy brain.”

Kim shares:

• The emotional moment that led to her diagnosis
• How ADHD + autism actually show up in women
• The business superpowers no one talks about
• Why she chose not to medicate
• The hidden battle between hyper-productivity and burnout
• The mindset shifts helping her stop fighting herself

This episode will either deeply trigger you, deeply heal you… or both.

And if you’ve ever felt “too much,” “too emotional,” “too disorganised,” “too intense,” or like your brain works differently to everyone around you this conversation might change the way you see yourself forever.

Are you looking to level up your salon in 2026? Every beauty business owner needs Beauty Business Foundation, this is the KEY areas you need to have a successful beauty business. Want to learn more? 

 https://beautybusinessschool.com.au/beauty-business-foundations/ 

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Awards in the beauty industry can feel intimidating… like something only the “big salons” or “industry elites” go for.

But what if entering awards could actually grow your business, sharpen your strategy and build serious credibility?

In this episode, I’m joined by Nicola from Red Lipstick Effect, an industry powerhouse who has helped clinics win 30+ beauty industry awards and judged some of the biggest awards in Australia.

Nicola shares her journey from a shy beauty therapist to becoming one of the industry's leading award experts and breaks down exactly how salons can start entering awards (even as a solo operator).

We talk about:

✨ Why awards are actually a powerful business growth tool
✨ The biggest mistakes salons make in applications
✨ How to know if you're “good enough” to enter
✨ The real reason the same businesses keep winning
✨ Simple strategies to make your application stand out to judges
✨ Why the process alone can transform how you run your salon

If you’ve ever looked at awards and thought “that’s not for me”  this episode might change your mind.

Because sometimes the thing holding you back… is just putting yourself out there.

You Can Find Nicola Here:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolalelievre/
Website: https://nicolalelievre.com/

Are you looking to level up your salon in 2026? Every beauty business owner needs Beauty Business Foundation, this is the KEY areas you need to have a successful beauty business. Want to learn more? 

 https://beautybusinessschool.com.au/beauty-business-foundations/ 

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You’re hunting for the “one thing” that will change your business. Here’s the truth:

 “There is no one marketing trick that is actually going to get your business to where you want to go.”

Social media? Podcasts? Ads? “If you are relying on one sole source of marketing in your business, I can guarantee you at some point it’s going to fall flat.” When it does, you have nothing.

The real trick isn’t a trick. It’s showing up, being seen, solving a problem. “If you are the best-kept secret in your town, that ain’t helping no one.” 

Build trust. Connect. Educate. Be founder-led. 

“Your ideal client is hanging out there looking at other businesses because they don’t even know you exist.”

And yes... you need to sell. “The only person who can stop you from doing new, incredible, insane things is you… You are here to solve a problem.” Your products, your services, your expertise — that’s the solution.

Stop waiting for the one thing. Step into visibility. Solve the problem. Sell. 

Thats the trick.

Madi Cured Masterclass: https://beautybusinessschool.com.au/madi-cured-collab/

You can find Madi Here: https://www.instagram.com/madi_cured/

Are you looking to level up your salon in 2026? Every beauty business owner needs Beauty Business Foundation, this is the KEY areas you need to have a successful beauty business. Want to learn more? 

 https://beautybusinessschool.com.au/beauty-business-foundations/ 

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Chantel didn’t need another qualification. She needed structure behind her brilliance. Within three weeks she took her retail from $300 a week to $3,000 a week.. not by posting more, discounting or hustling harder, but by niching properly, tightening her messaging and actually implementing.

And what makes this even more powerful? Her business isn’t built on wanting to make more. It’s built on heart and family. She got into skin to help her own family. She treats from the inside out. She leads with integrity. 

The systems didn’t replace that, they amplified it.

Here’s the truth: if you’re not willing to implement, what’s the point? No one is coming to save your salon.

This is an identity shift from busy to profitable, from guessing to ownership, from passion without structure to purpose with power.

The difference wasn’t talent.

It was ownership.

If you’re ready to stop winging it and start building something that actually supports your life and your family, this one will hit.

You can find Chantel HERE

Are you looking to level up your salon in 2026? Every beauty business owner needs Beauty Business Foundation, this is the KEY areas you need to have a successful beauty business. Want to learn more? 

 https://beautybusinessschool.com.au/beauty-business-foundations/ 

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Look, business isn’t supposed to feel safe.

It’s messy. Brutal. Sleepless nights. Crying kids. Living off coffee and still showing up.

If you think anyone hits $20K months without falling flat on their face first… this is your wake up. 

So, what does it actually take? The 10 traits that push people past $20K.

Some are brutal. Some will make you squirm. Some will make you rethink everything you thought you knew about yourself.

Curious? Good. You should be.

Listen here and find out if you’re ready to play in the big leagues.

Are you looking to level up your salon in 2026? Every beauty business owner needs Beauty Business Foundation, this is the KEY areas you need to have a successful beauty business. Want to learn more? 

 https://beautybusinessschool.com.au/beauty-business-foundations/ 

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Kayla didn’t grow her salon because everything went right.

She grew it while everything was falling apart.

Ever feel like your team is slipping through your fingers just when you need them most? That was Kayla Carlton’s reality. From losing staff during maternity leave to stepping back into a business full of uncertainty, she faced the kind of challenges that would make most salon owners freeze.

But Kayla didn’t just survive, she rebuilt. 

With the right systems, leadership strategies and mindset shifts, she transformed her salon into a thriving, organised space where her team thrives, clients rebook consistently and her business hits record months.

In this episode, we dive into Kayla’s journey of heartbreak, resilience and ultimate triumph. Learn how she:

• Navigated losing key staff while juggling maternity leave
• Implemented systems that keep her salon running smoothly
• Built a team she can truly rely on, while still loving the treatments she does

Whether you’re struggling with staff retention, scaling your salon, or trying to reclaim balance as a salon owner, Kayla’s story is a masterclass in leadership, strategy, and building a team that sticks.

Fast forward to now, KS Beauty is having its biggest months ever, with stronger retention, a supported team and a business that runs without constant stress.

If you’re tired of holding everything together alone, this episode will feel like someone finally understands what you’re carrying.

Are you looking to level up your salon in 2026? Every beauty business owner needs Beauty Business Foundation, this is the KEY areas you need to have a successful beauty business. Want to learn more? 

 https://beautybusinessschool.com.au/beauty-business-foundations/ 

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Mums, can I just say it? Running a business and raising kids is HARD. The guilt. The “I’m failing at everything” feeling. I feel this hard my loves!
 

In Episode 64 of the Beauty Business School podcast, I get real about what I am currently navigating and how I tackle this as it comes up:
 

🌸 Why “balance” is a myth and presence actually matters.

🌸 How to be a mum and a beauty business owner without burning out.

🌸 The small, crazy moments with your kids that actually mean the most.

🌸 Letting go of guilt for wanting BOTH a thriving business and a happy family.

Click the link below to listen to this trust me its going to give you a real look at building a multi 6 figure business as a mum.
 

You’re doing better than you think.

Questions I Answered on the Podcast:

1. Do you ever feel like you have to choose between being a good mum and a successful businesswoman? What does that conflict actually sound like in your head?
2. What's the moment in a typical week that makes you feel the guiltiest, and why?
3. If you stopped right now, truly stopped, what would fall apart first?
4. When you’re away for work or traveling, what do you fear your child will remember about you?
5. Where do you wish someone would step in and help, but you don’t know how to ask?
6. What version of success secretly terrifies you because you’re not sure you could hold it all?

Are you looking to level up your salon in 2026? Every beauty business owner needs Beauty Business Foundation, this is the KEY areas you need to have a successful beauty business. Want to learn more? 

 https://beautybusinessschool.com.au/beauty-business-foundations/ 

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Can I be honest for a sec?

If you don’t plan 2026, it will plan you.

And spoiler: chaos usually wins.
 

In the latest episode of the Beauty Business School Podcast, I’m walking you through exactly how to map out your year so you’re not:

❌ Throwing random specials at the wall

❌ Posting content with no direction

❌ Wondering why everyone else seems “luckier” than you

This episode is your roadmap for:
✨ planning your entire year by quarters
✨ choosing only FOUR specials (yes, that’s it)
✨ creating visibility without burning out
✨ setting goals that actually convert into money
✨ stepping into the CEO version of you (not the overworked technician)

Grab a pen. Pause when you need to. Download your FREE planner HERE

It’s strategic, practical, slightly unhinged (you’re welcome) and honestly one of the most important episodes I’ve recorded.
 

Are you looking to level up your salon in 2026? Every beauty business owner needs Beauty Business Foundation, this is the KEY areas you need to have a successful beauty business. Want to learn more? 

 https://beautybusinessschool.com.au/beauty-business-foundations/ 

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Where should your education budget actually go?
 

Every January we start planning…
What courses we’ll do.
What conferences we’ll attend.
What education we’ll invest in.
 

But not all education is created equal and not all of it deserves a spot in your budget.
 

In this episode, I’m joined by Tiarne McKew from The Lash Summit to break down how to assess education properly (beyond certificates or hype) and how to think about ROI in a way that actually supports business growth.
 

We cover:
🌸 How to tell if an event or course is actually worth your money
🌸 What ROI in education really looks like (and what it doesn’t)
🌸 Why some rooms create real opportunities — and others don’t
🌸 How to stop investing in education you never implement
🌸 How to make smarter, more intentional decisions with your education budget

We also accidentally touch on socials along the way.. because let’s be honest, it all connects.
 

Find Tee & Lash Summit: https://www.instagram.com/thelashsummit.australia/

💋 To attend Lash Summit - use code BBS for $52.50 off 💋
https://mrslashcoaching.thrivecart.com/lash-summit-australia-2026/

Before you book the next thing, Listen to this first.

Are you looking to level up your salon in 2026? Every beauty business owner needs Beauty Business Foundation, this is the KEY areas you need to have a successful beauty business. Want to learn more? 

 https://beautybusinessschool.com.au/beauty-business-foundations/