Phorest FM, The Salon Owners Podcast: The Best Of 2018

The year 2018, done & dusted! What a year full of surprises and good news. It started strong with the podcast getting nominated and winning Silver in the category ‘Best Podcast’ at the 2017 Digital Media Awards! Then, Phorest FM got shortlisted another two times throughout the year, at the Sockies Irish Social Media Awards and the Podcast Awards (supported by iTunes’ Podcast Connect). All in all, we produced about 18 hours of discussions, hosted live recordings, went out for interviews, had guests from all around the world connect with us and really refined the show’s mission statement. Based on what you’ve listened to this year, here’s the best of 2018: Phorest FM’s ten most popular and downloaded episodes of the year! 

The Best Of 2018’s Episodes On Phorest FM, The Salon Owners Podcast

Before you jump into the countdown, I just wanted to share Phorest FM’s mission statement with you: our goal is to build a community through exchanges, bridge the gap between salon owners, tech & various industry thought leaders, and create a bank of invaluable insights for salon owners and staff already in business or for anyone looking into getting into the hair and beauty industry. We sincerely hope you join us in 2019!

10. Episode 059: Reviewing Your Salon’s Business Strategy: From Reports To Results

Synopsis: This episode looked at identifying common areas of struggle when reviewing a past year’s business strategy, while also sharing knowledge on what industry experts know works. To discuss this, we were joined by Jennie Lawson (Mimosa Beauty, UK), who has successfully rebranded her business to be 100% eco-friendly, Paul Davey (Davey Davey & Hairdressing Live), reputed for his creative craft as well as his online training Academy, and last but not least, Sean O’Sullivan, from Phorest’s very own Customer Success Team for his expertise in business and data analytics.

Released on January 23, 2018 (316 downloads) | Read the transcript here.

9. Episode 082: Jennifer Swaine On The Importance Of Social Media In The Salon Industry

Synopsis: As with any form of advertising, businesses want to be seen everywhere to maximise every opportunity to reach their target market. With 20 years in the beauty industry owning and managing salons on top of getting certified in digital marketing, Jennifer Swaine knows well about creating a brand narrative and promoting beauty services online. So much so that she’s caught TV3 Xpose’s attention in Dublin with her latest business venture Leeson Beauty Lounge, where she and her team provide high quality express beauty treatments (nails, brows, lashes) for busy women on the go! On episode 82, she joined us to discuss the role and the importance of social media in the hair and beauty industry.

Released on August 14, 2018 (316 downloads) | Read the transcript here.

8. Episode 080: Jerrod Roberts On His Journey As A Hairstylist & Working At Fashion Week Events

Synopsis: In this episode, we welcomed NYC-based hairstylist and global artist for R+Co, also represented by The Wall Group, Jerrod Roberts. Discover how he went from studying sports medicine to working in a salon and having a full book, to then working at Fashion Week events and landing a solo editorial cover shoot with Naomi Campbell. Get yourself a cup of tea or coffee, because you’re in for a unique life story and an episode full of advice for anyone wanting to go down that same road.

Released on July 13, 2018 (317 downloads) | Read the transcript here.

7. Episode 062: Up For Discussion What Is GDPR And How Can You Prepare For It?

Synopsis: May 25th, 2018 marked the day the GDPR came into effect. This legislation was going to make it mandatory for salons within the EU to collect, house and protect clients’ personal data and information securely. But also, to be uber-transparent about how it was collected. Salons would now be required to provide a clear audit trail as to how the information was collected. Failure to comply with this legislative requirement could cost their business thousands — or worse, they could lose it altogether. On this episode of Phorest FM, we were joined by Phorest Salon Software’s VP of Marketing, Connor Keppel, to understand the GDPR better and help salon owners prepare for it.

Released on February 12, 2018 (318 downloads) | Read the transcript here.

6. Episode 069: Rowena Doyle On Visual Merchandising In The Hair & Beauty Industry

Synopsis: We kicked off our exclusive 2018 #30Days2Grow interview series with Salon Owners Summit workshop speaker and Founder of Visual Sense, Rowena Doyle, to discuss all things visual merchandising. Is there a theory behind displaying products? What are the best ways to get retail displays to stand out? What strategies tend to be most useful when you want to announce special offers and promotions? All this and more in this Phorest FM episode.

Released on April 2, 2018 (331 downloads) | Read the transcript here.

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5. Episode 061: Saad Aslam On Strategies For Retaining Employees And Minimising Turnover

Synopsis: People quit their jobs for various reasons: some leave because of a work-life imbalance, others for lack of growth opportunities or for feeling undervalued. But for the sake of one’s business and customer experience, the goal is to maintain consistency within staff teams and develop employees skilled beyond measure. On this episode, we welcomed to the show Saad Aslam, CEO of HC MedSpa, an award-winning chain of Luxury Beauty Clinics in North London and Hertfordshire. Set out to raise standards and redefine the client experience, the ambitious entrepreneur discussed the cost of high staff turnover rates and shared some of the strategies he considers crucial to keeping those numbers at their lowest.

Released on February 5, 2018 (340 downloads) | Read the transcript here.

4. Episode 071: Gavin Hoare On Customer Experience & Acting Like The Expert You Are

Synopsis: For the third instalment of the special #30Days2Grow interview series, Killian and Zoe were joined by Salon Maitre D’ Gavin Hoare, or as described by some, the ‘master of all salon managers’. As a vital part of the management structure at the London-based salon Richard Ward Hair & Metrospa, Gavin runs the ultimate super salon with 90 staff, 1,200 clients per week and 250 innovative hair and beauty treatments and services. His unique and unrivalled talents as a leader and a ‘people person’ coupled to his background in hairdressing make him the ideal guest to not only discuss how to define and deliver the ultimate client experience, but also touch upon staff empowerment.

Released on April 18, 2018 (381 downloads) | Read the transcript here.

3. Episode 067: Nicola Sharp On Salon Experience & Preparing For GDPR In The UK

Synopsis: For a salon which prides itself on delivering a standout salon experience, could GDPR turn into an opportunity to build even more trust with existing and potential clients? And for UK-based salons, also in the midst of dealing with Brexit, was the announced GDPR taken just as seriously as it is within the EU? On this episode of Phorest FM, we discussed the topic with Nicola Sharp, owner of award-winning salon Enhance Beauty & Spa, in Penicuik, and whose mission is all about providing the best salon experience.

Released on March 19, 2018 (393 downloads) | Read the transcript here.

2. Episode 072: David Barnett On Charging What You’re Worth

Synopsis: For the fourth and final interview of the 2018 special #30Days2Grow series, we welcomed back salon coach and industry expert David Barnett (High-Performance Stylist) to the show. Known for taking salons and stylists to 7 figures, he discussed his tried-and-tested formula & techniques for increasing prices and charging what you’re truly worth.

Released on April 23, 2018 (482 downloads) | Read the transcript here.

1. Episode 057: Steve Martin And Tabatha Coffey On Salon Success (Live From The Summit)

Synopsis: The Summit’s 2018 theme was ‘Great Starts Here’ and starred speakers Gavin Hoare, Steve Martin, Valerie Delforge and Tabatha Coffey. To kick off the year in style, we headed over to the event for exclusive interviews with both Steve Martin (Science of Persuasion) and Tabatha Coffey (Tabatha Takes Over on Bravo TV), as well as gather vox pops, thoughts and reflexions on the day!

Released on January 10, 2018 (504 downloads) | Read the transcript here.

Thanks for reading! #LetsGrow

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