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Articles
The Independent Chair
Real interviews, spotlight profiles, and straight business advice from people actually doing the work, not filler. New pieces land regularly, and you can filter by what you're after below.
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Are You Ready to Go Solo? An Evidence Check for Hairstylists
Going solo is a business decision, not a leap of faith. A practical framework for measuring client demand, real costs, and support before you make the move.
September 2, 2026
What Sally Lemmo Taught Me About Hair, Boundaries and Showing Up
What Sally Lemmo Reminded Me About This Industry Some conversations just have momentum from the first minute. That was this one. When I sat down with Sally Lemmo, it felt less like a formal interview and more like getting a front-row seat to the kind of industry conversation you wish you could overhear at a…
August 16, 2026
Before You Split Rent, Split the Rules
Sharing a salon room can lower overhead — but only if you agree on money, inventory, and the exit before you need to use it.
August 15, 2026
Charlie Price on Fashion Week, Hair Awards, iPhone Shoots and Why the Basics Still Matter
Every once in a while, an interview feels less like a formal conversation and more like getting pulled into the best corner of a hair show afterparty. My conversation with Charlie Price had that energy. Charlie is a hairdresser from Denver, Colorado, and saying he has “done a lot” in the industry feels almost rude.…
August 11, 2026
Enforcing your cancellation policy without starting a fight
Part 3 of 3 in our cancellation policy series. Catch up on Part 1: why a policy matters and Part 2: building your policy. You’ve defined the terms. You’ve written the policy. Now comes the part that actually tests you: carrying it out when the day is busy, the client is apologetic, and you’d honestly…
August 7, 2026
Building a salon cancellation policy you’ll actually enforce
Part 2 of 3 in our cancellation policy series. New here? Part 1 covers why a policy matters and the terms worth defining first. There is no universal “correct” cancellation window or fee for every beauty business. A barber with 30-minute appointments can sometimes refill an opening faster than a colourist who reserved half a…
August 3, 2026
The Appointment Is Finished. Your Payment Admin Should Be Too.
You finish a colour service, sweep the floor, walk your client to the counter, and take payment on a separate terminal. Then the payment admin begins. You type the sale into one system. You enter the card total into another. At the end of the day, you compare numbers and try to work out why…
August 1, 2026
Backstage with Sonya Dove: 45 Years, One Brand, and a Salsa Show
There are conversations you walk away from feeling like you’ve just had coffee with someone who’s lived three lifetimes in a single career. My chat with Sonya Dove was one of those. If somehow you don’t know the name: Sonya is the artistic director for Intercoiffure, a 42-year veteran of Wella, and a member of…
July 27, 2026
A cancellation policy is a boundary, not a punishment
Part 1 of 3 in our cancellation policy series. Your five-hour colour appointment does not cancel itself. It arrives as a text at 10:47 p.m.: “So sorry! Something came up. Can we do next week?” Now you are deciding whether to charge a fee, waive it, explain the rule you thought the client knew, and…
July 20, 2026
The Bold Idea Is the Point
There’s a specific moment most people don’t notice happening to them. An idea shows up: a weird one, a big one, the kind that doesn’t come with instructions. And before it’s even finished forming, a second voice jumps in: Would that actually work? That question feels like good judgment. It isn’t. It’s premature finishing. You’re…
July 12, 2026
The Antihero Has Entered the Chat (And They’ve Been Behind Your Chair the Whole Time)
There’s a character showing up everywhere right now, in the shows everyone’s watching, in the brands people are actually loyal to, in the conversations that stick with you after you’ve already left the room. They’re not the hero. They’re not trying to be. They don’t have a highlight reel. They’re not performing gratitude for the…
June 21, 2026
A Day Off Is Not an Empty Slot
It is Sunday morning. You planned coffee, pyjamas, and absolutely no salon decisions. Then a client books the one opening your calendar still thinks is available. You can honour the booking and lose the day. Or you can send an awkward message and move it. Either way, Admin Chaos has found your phone. Here is…
June 10, 2026
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Podcast
The Digital Chair by salonMonster
Conversations with stylists, salon owners, and educators. Currently on YouTube, with more places to listen coming soon.
Listen wherever you listen
Stop Memorizing Hair Formulas: Ashlee Norman on Real Hair Education
01:01:42
Playlist
salonMonster Radio
Turn it up. A running playlist for full days and long shifts, made by us and updated whenever we've got a new volume worth sharing. Currently playing: Vol. 08, Dial Tone.
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Salon coaches & educators
Find a coach who gets appointment-based work.
Business educators who actually understand the chair. We don't take money for listings.
Adam Federico
Adam Federico is the kind of educator who treats haircutting like composition — structure, negative space, tension, release.
Andy Judd
A Nashville-based stylist and educator who treats hair like a mixtape — part romance, part punk show, all feeling.
Anh Co Tran
Helps stylists build the kind of haircut that doesn't peak on day one — it gets better on day seven.
Ann Bray
A Huntsville, Alabama–based hair educator and salon founder who's spent decades turning hairdressing into something closer to performance art.
FAQ
New to salonMonster? Start here.
The questions we get most from people who've never heard of us before.
What is salonMonster?
Booking and business software built specifically for salons, spas, and independent stylists: online booking, scheduling, client records, automatic confirmations and reminders, POS, and integrated payment processing, without the extra features built for other kinds of businesses.
Who is salonMonster for?
Independent stylists and salons of any size. Whether you're a solo booth renter or running a full team, you use the same core plan and only pay more as you add staff.
How much does salonMonster cost?
Plans start at $30/mo for one staff member, plus $15/mo for each additional staff member you add (staff without their own schedule are free), capping at $120/mo for 7 or more staff. Every plan includes unlimited clients, email and SMS reminders, POS, reporting, and bulk email marketing.
Is there a free trial?
Yes. Every plan is free for 14 days and no credit card is required to start.
Sign up here →Do I have to sign a contract?
No. There are no contracts and no cancellation fees, and you can change or cancel your plan at any time.
Can I bring my existing client data over?
Yes. salonMonster migrates your clients from your current system for free, so you're not starting from a blank list.
Does salonMonster handle payment processing?
Yes, salonMonster has integrated payment processing (powered by Stripe) built into your account, with transparent rates and no monthly fees. See the payment processing page for current rates in your region.
What support do I get if I need help?
Phone and email support are included on every plan, at 1-800-901-1001.
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