Grow My Salon Business Podcast

349 How AI Is Changing the Front Desk with Universe Walker

May 26, 2026

AI has already and will continue to impact the salon industry. One area that is getting a lot of attention is the front desk and the role of AI in streamlining the client booking process, capturing missed calls and directly having a positive impact on salon revenue.  My guest today is Universe Walker, a hairdresser, salon owner, and the founder of Beauty Desk AI, whose AI receptionist Eve answers calls and texts, books appointments, handles escalations, and never puts anyone on hold. We dig i...

348 How to Use AI in Your Salon Without Losing the Human Touch with Frank Westerbeke

May 19, 2026

AI in the salon industry is moving fast, and most salon owners genuinely don't know where to start. My guest this week is Frank Westerbeke, co-owner of Gadabout and VerVe, a multi-generational salon group with six locations and nearly 300 staff in Tucson, Arizona. Frank's been using AI across his business for years, not just for Instagram captions, but for people management, financial analysis, team communication, and the client experience.What you'll hear in this conversation will make AI fe...

347 There Is No Perfect Salon Pay System (And That's the Problem)

May 12, 2026

How you pay your salon team is one of the most confusing decisions you'll make as a salon owner. Salon owners often compare pay structures with other salons, copying what seems to be working elsewhere.But the real problem isn't which pay system you're using. It's that most salon owners have never stopped to ask what a good pay system actually needs to do.In this episode, I cut through the noise around salon pay structures and explain why there is no universal right answer. Instead, I walk thr...