In this episode of The Modern Hairstylist Podcast, Hunter Donia and Jodie Brown break down one of the most common mistakes stylists make when trying to grow their clientele, and how it could be stopping new clients from ever finding you.

As more stylists aim to stand out with unique service offerings and specialties, it’s easy to get caught up in niche language, trendy techniques, or add-on services that don’t actually speak to what your dream client is looking for. Hunter shares why focusing too hard on what excites you, without translating it into what your client understands—can lead to missed opportunities and stalled growth.

Whether you’re launching something new, expanding your service menu, or trying to stand out in a crowded market, this episode will help you get clear on your message and connect with the people who are already searching for what you do.

Key Takeaways:

• Speak Their Language: Why the average client isn’t Googling your method and what they are searching for instead.
• Low-Hanging Fruit > Laser Facials: How to lead with the services your clients already want (and layer in your passions later).
• Specialty ≠ Confusion: The difference between strong branding and muddled messaging.
• The 80/20 Rule for Marketing: How to introduce new services without losing sight of what brings people through the door.
• Behind the Chair Strategy: Smart ways to educate and upsell without overwhelming or distracting from your core service.

Why You Should Listen:

If you’ve been promoting your passion projects and wondering why they’re not gaining traction—or if you feel torn between staying booked and staying inspired—this episode will show you how to market your business in a way that feels authentic, strategic, and sustainable. It’s not about watering down your brand. It’s about making sure your message actually reaches the people who need you most.

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In this episode of The Modern Hairstylist Podcast, Hunter Donia and Jodie Brown open up about the all-too-familiar experience of building your beauty business from a place of fear, and how to shift toward something more empowering and sustainable.

From spiraling over client feedback to making reactive business decisions, Hunter shares his personal mindset struggles as an entrepreneur and the hard lessons that came from letting scarcity lead the way. Together, Hunter and Jodie unpack how high-stress hustle culture can sabotage your growth, and how to trade it for calm, confident, and data-backed decisions that actually stick.

Whether you’re gearing up for a price increase, launching something new, or just feeling overwhelmed by “what ifs,” this episode will help you build a business that’s driven by intention, not panic.

Key Takeaways:

• Scarcity vs. Strategy: Why acting out of fear might get fast results, but at what cost?
• Calm Is a Skill: How to self-regulate through spirals and keep your focus on the bigger picture.
• Plan, Then Pivot: The power of sticking to your strategy long enough to make it work.
• Price Increases and Panic: How to raise your rates without letting your inner critic take the wheel.
• Community & Confidence: Why you need people in your corner, and how to borrow belief when you need it most.

Why You Should Listen:

If you’ve ever made a business decision in a moment of stress (and regretted it later), this one’s for you. Learn how to shift out of survival mode and start running your beauty business from a place of grounded inspiration, clarity, and trust in yourself—even when things feel uncertain.

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In this episode of The Modern Hairstylist Podcast, Hunter Donia and Jodie Brown unpack one of the biggest challenges stylists are facing in 2025: feeling maxed out with nothing to show for it.

If you’re working nonstop but your income, energy, or momentum aren’t growing—it’s probably not because you’re lazy. It’s because you’re spending your time in the wrong places (and no one ever taught you what the right ones are).

Hunter breaks down how to start treating your time like your most valuable resource, how to identify the biggest time sucks in your business, and what he’s doing on the Modern Hairstylist Tour to help stylists reclaim their time, income, and freedom behind the chair.

Key Takeaways:

• Where Your Time Is Actually Going: The hidden drains most stylists don’t realize are slowing them down
• Focus Over Frustration: Why doing less is usually the answer to getting more results
• Time vs. Money: How to shift your mindset and your strategy for sustainable growth
• Smarter, Not Harder: The tools Hunter’s teaching on tour to streamline the day-to-day—including how AI can help without taking over

Why You Should Listen:

If you’re an independent stylist who’s exhausted from doing it all and still not seeing progress, this episode will help you pinpoint where your time and energy should be going next. Whether you’re rebuilding, scaling, or just trying to get your life back—this conversation will give you the clarity and direction to finally make your hard work count.

Checkout the LAST TWO dates of the Modern Hairstylist Tour here: https://www.hunterdonia.com/tour

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In this episode of The Modern Hairstylist Podcast, Hunter Donia and Jodie Brown talk through a deep dive into the real way hairstylists should be using AI in their business and what to avoid if you want your content to still sound like you.

After airing out their AI frustrations in a recent episode, "Why ChatGPT is Trash," Hunter and Jodie are back with a more strategic conversation about how tools like ChatGPT can actually save you time and make your marketing easier—without compromising your brand voice or client connection.

From better prompts to the exact model Hunter uses daily, this episode will help you cut through the cringe, stop getting robotic results, and finally start using AI in a way that feels good and works.

Key Takeaways:

• Free vs Paid ChatGPT: Why the version you use matters way more than you think, and how to get better results instantly.
• Stop Sounding Like a Bot: Hunter’s simple shift to make AI write like you, not every other stylist on Instagram.
• Better Prompts = Better Content: The 3 prompt tweaks that instantly improve your captions, emails, and more.
• Think Like a Strategist: Why AI shouldn’t replace your brain but can help you organize, polish, and execute faster.
• Personal Use Bonus: How Hunter uses ChatGPT to plan meals, prep grocery lists, and reduce overwhelm in everyday life.

Why You Should Listen:

If you’re an independent stylist who's feeling burnt out by content creation—or if you’ve tried ChatGPT and hated the results—this episode will show you how to use AI intentionally and strategically to get your time (and voice) back. It’s not about cutting corners. It’s about cutting the fluff and building a smarter, more streamlined business behind the scenes.

🎧 Want Hunter’s full list of 30 ways to use AI in your personal and professional life? Head to hunterdonia.com/chat or DM him AITools (no space) on Instagram

Checkout the LAST TWO dates of the Modern Hairstylist Tour here: https://www.hunterdonia.com/tour

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Join us on the Modern Hairstylist Tour!

In this episode of The Modern Hairstylist Podcast, Hunter Donia is joined by the one and only J Ladner for a fiery and empowering conversation about the real key to working faster behind the chair—confidence-led efficiency. If you’re constantly running behind, overfoiling to “prove” yourself, or stuck in outdated techniques that are burning you out—this episode is your wake-up call.

Jay breaks down why overthinking, bloated service menus, and “baby light syndrome” are slowing so many stylists down—and how taking back your authority at the chair can change everything. From simplifying your systems to re-training your clients to trust your leadership, Jay shares the mindset and strategies that will help you cut your application time in half without sacrificing results.

Key Takeaways:

• Baby Light Syndrome Is Real: Why it’s time to stop relying on heavy foiling for credibility and start working smarter.
• Lead, Don’t Ask: How to confidently take charge of the appointment and stop letting clients dictate your process.
• Simplify to Amplify: The benefits of streamlining your service menu so clients understand their options and your value.
• System = Freedom: How Jay’s signature “depth, contrast, coverage” framework saves time, builds trust, and boosts profit.
• You’re Not Lazy—You’re Efficient: Why being fast isn’t the problem—it’s the intention behind every move you make.

Why You Should Listen:

If you’re an independent stylist who wants to stop overworking, reclaim your power, and finally feel in control behind the chair—this episode is packed with the bold truth, practical systems, and inspiration you need to create the business (and schedule) you actually want. This isn’t just about speed—it’s about leadership, confidence, and sustainability.

Follow J Ladner on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsmrjladner/

Join us on the Modern Hairstylist Tour: https://www.hunterdonia.com/tour

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In this episode of The Modern Hairstylist Podcast, Hunter Donia is joined by Lisa Huff and Jodie Brown for a brutally honest (and hilarious) conversation about the risks and realities of using ChatGPT and AI tools in your beauty business. If you’ve ever wondered whether AI is helping or hurting your brand voice, marketing, and client experience—this episode is for you.

Together, they unpack the ways stylists are leaning too heavily on automation, how AI-written content is starting to look and feel the same, and why relying on tools like ChatGPT without understanding your brand fundamentals can actually slow down your growth. They also dive into the ethical concerns, environmental impact, and emotional dangers of using AI without critical thinking.

Key Takeaways:

• Tool vs. Crutch: Learn how to spot when you’re using AI to streamline your work—and when it’s doing the thinking for you.
• The Real Cost of AI Content: Discover how AI-first marketing can dilute your brand and blend you into the noise online.
• Your Voice Still Matters: Why human connection, brand tone, and lived experience will always outperform AI-generated content.
• Fact-Check Everything: How ChatGPT confidently gets things wrong, and what you need to double-check before publishing.
• Beyond the Screen: A powerful discussion on how AI can affect client relationships, conflict resolution, and mental health if misused.

Why You Should Listen:

If you’ve felt unsure about how to use AI in your business—or you’ve been using it heavily and wondering why your content suddenly feels off—this episode is the reality check you didn’t know you needed. Tune in to laugh, learn, and walk away with a better understanding of how to use ChatGPT wisely, without losing your voice or your values.

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In this episode of The Modern Hairstylist Podcast, host Hunter Donia and branding educator Jodie Brown dig into an emotional but all-too-relatable topic: imposter syndrome. Even after you've built a thriving business, hit major milestones, or earned respect in the industry—why does that self-doubt still creep in?

This episode takes an honest look at how imposter syndrome evolves (not disappears) as you grow, and how your fear of judgment, failure, or “losing it all” can feel even louder once you’ve found success. Hunter opens up about the mental spiral that can happen when people outside the industry question your choices—and how to stay rooted in your purpose anyway.

Whether you’re pushing into a new level, rebranding, or simply working through your own growth mindset, this conversation offers powerful validation and practical tools to show up with confidence—even when it feels hard.

Key Takeaways:

• Imposter Syndrome at Every Stage: Why self-doubt doesn’t disappear with success—it just shapeshifts.
• External vs. Internal Validation: How to hold firm when people in your personal life don’t “get it.”
• The Price of Building Something Beautiful: Why fear gets louder when there’s more at stake—and what to do with that fear.
• Make Room for Duality: You can feel unqualified and still be the best person for the job.
• You Don’t Need to Feel Ready: How to take bold steps forward even when confidence isn’t 100%.

Why You Should Listen:

If you've ever thought, “Who am I to do this?”—even while actively succeeding—this episode is your reminder that you're not alone. Learn how to quiet the inner critic, shift your mindset, and show up powerfully as the stylist and business owner your dream clients are looking for.

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In this episode of The Modern Hairstylist Podcast, host Hunter Donia speaks directly to independent hairstylists who’ve already built a thriving business—but are left wondering what’s next. If you’ve filled your books, hit your revenue goals, and created a loyal client base, this episode is your next step roadmap. Hunter unpacks how to leverage the success you’ve built to open new doors in your business, create more freedom, and scale without burning out.

Whether you’re craving a lighter schedule, ready to raise your prices, or curious about adding new revenue streams—this episode will show you what’s possible after you hit your initial goals, and how to evolve without losing what you’ve built.

Key Takeaways:

📈 Leverage What You’ve Built: Understand what “leverage” really means and how to use your current momentum to safely grow your business.

🧠 Maximize Lifetime Client Value: Learn how to increase your average ticket and diversify your revenue without overcomplicating your business.

🛠 Delegate & Systematize: Discover which tasks to offload, when to automate, and how to reclaim your time for bigger-picture projects.

📦 Scale Your Brand Beyond the Chair: Explore next-level options like retail expansion, virtual consultations, eBooks, and education—only when your business is ready for it.

💬 Personalized Growth Paths: Hear how Hunter’s mastermind students break through glass ceilings with custom plans designed around their strengths, schedule, and goals.

Why You Should Listen:

You’ve already built the business everyone told you wasn’t possible—but now you’re asking, “What else am I capable of?” This episode is for the stylist who isn’t satisfied with staying comfortable, who knows there’s more they could offer, and who wants to scale with intention. Tune in for a real, motivating conversation on what’s next—and how to chase it, confidently.

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