Sh!t I told my Hairdresser

Most hairstylists leave beauty school knowing how to pass a state board exam—but not how to build a successful career.

In this episode, Jason Townsend and Paula Dahlberg sit down with educator, salon owner, author, and entrepreneur Amber Hopson to discuss the business skills, marketing strategies, and mindset shifts that separate struggling stylists from thriving salon professionals.

Amber shares the lessons she learned from bu...

Is beauty school preparing students for real careers—or setting them up to fail?

In this episode of Sh!t I Told My Hairdresser, Jason Townsend and Paula Dahlberg sit down with cosmetology school director Heather Laws, a 20+ year industry veteran who transformed a struggling beauty school from 12 students to over 200 and is now helping shape legislation that could change cosmetology education forever. 

Heather pulls back th...

In this explosive episode of Sh!t I Told My Hairdresser, veteran salon owner and hairstylist Nicole “Super Hairo" Nikki Cestaro joins Jason Townsend and Paula J Dahlberg for a brutally honest conversation about what really happens inside the beauty industry. 

From toxic salon culture and sabotaging coworkers to nightmare clients, entitled stylists, burnout, salon ownership struggles, and the shocking reality of train...

The Do No Harm Bill is forcing a long-overdue conversation in the beauty industry—and most people still don’t fully understand what’s at stake.

In this episode of Sh!t I Told My Hairdresser, we break down the real impact of the bill on beauty schools, student debt, and career outcomes for hairdressers. From rising tuition costs to low post-graduation income, the numbers don’t lie—and...

What do hairstylists really think about their clients?

In this brutally honest episode, Jason sits down with Rocki Mara to expose the unfiltered truth about life behind the chair—from nightmare clients and bad hygiene to awkward salon moments no one talks about out loud.

We’re talking:

• Clients who don’t know what they want (and never stop talking)
• Bad breath, worse attitudes, and zero self-awareness
• Drunk...

Burnout isn’t a badge of honor—it’s a warning sign.

In this episode of Sh!t I Told My Hairdresser, we sit down with a veteran stylist and author to break down the real causes of burnout in the beauty industry—and why so many hairdressers are trapped in a cycle of overwork, low boundaries, and fake success.

We dive into the dangerous myth that being fully booked equals success, how hustle cultur...

This episode pulls back the curtain on the hair industry’s biggest lie—that working for a major brand, doing Fashion Week, and chasing influencer fame is the ultimate dream.

It’s not.

We sit down with a veteran stylist who left behind the corporate beauty world after years of travel, burnout, toxic contracts, and being treated as disposable talent. From behind-the-scenes chaos at Fashion Week to the realit...

What happens when two of the most respected names in beauty—Ted Gibson and Jason Backe—pull back the curtain on an industry built on ego, burnout, and outdated rules?

In this raw, unfiltered episode of Sh!t I Told My Hairdresser, we dive into the real future of the beauty industry—where wellness, science, AI, and business strategy are replacing hustle culture and empty salon hype.

From $2,40...

Think you understand 1099 vs W2 in the salon industry? Think again.

In this episode of Sh!t I Told My Hairdresser, we break down a shocking real-life story from a stylist trapped in a toxic salon environment—where illegal 1099 practices, manipulation, and straight-up exploitation were the norm.

From being forced to work full-time hours as a “1099 contractor”, to having credit cards charged w...

The debate is back—and it’s louder than ever.

After a viral episode on trauma dumping in the salon, we dive into Part 2 with therapist insights, real client comments, and the backlash that shook the industry. Some hairdressers say it’s part of the job. Others say it’s emotional burnout disguised as “being nice.”

So what’s the truth?

In this episode, we break down:

• Why clients trea...

Hiring in the hair industry has officially gone off the rails.

In this episode of Sh!t I Told My Hairdresser, we sit down with veteran stylist and educator Emily Bloom to break down what’s really happening behind the chair—and why finding good talent feels nearly impossible in today’s salon world.

From a stylist who tried to take over the salon within 48 hours to shocking truths about how&nb...

What happens when you give your entire identity to hairdressing… and it gives nothing back?

In this brutally honest episode of Sh!t I Told My Hairdresser, we sit down with UK stylist Luke to expose the reality behind the salon chair—burnout, toxic work environments, low pay, client trauma dumping, and the mental toll no one prepares you for.

From being threatened with non-competes to needing therapy just to process ...

Hairdressers hear everything—but sometimes the stories clients tell in the salon chair are almost too crazy to believe.

In this episode of Sh!t I Told My Hairdresser, Jason, Lauren, and guest hairstylist Joti dive into the uncomfortable reality of what beauty professionals deal with behind the chair. From shocking client confessions to suspicious tragedies, we explore the growing trend of “sad fishing&rdquo...

In this episode of Shit I Told My Hairdresser, we break down one of the most confusing — and often abusive — pay structures in the beauty industry: the 1099 commission hairstylist.

If you’re a hairstylist, barber, or cosmetology student who has ever wondered:

• Should I be paid 1099 or W-2 in a salon?

• Why does my salon take 50% commission but still call me self-employed?

• Why am I suddenly respo...

In this legendary episode of Shit I Told My Hairdresser, we sit down with Allen Edwards — the celebrity hairstylist who created the iconic Farrah Fawcett haircut for Charlie’s Angels and changed hair history forever 

From Beverly Hills salon rivalries to cutting Marcia Clark’s hair during the OJ trial, Allen breaks down the real stories behind the fame, the PR machine, and the industry politics ...

In this brutally honest episode of Shit I Told My Hairdresser, we expose the dark side of the beauty industry — from predatory cosmetology school loans to sliding scale commission traps inside corporate salons.

Kelly shares her real journey through $20,000 beauty school tuition, unpaid assistant labor, booth rent disasters, and commission structures designed to keep stylists broke. We break down how retail quotas, hidden ...

In this wild episode of Shit I Told My Hairdresser, we break down one of the craziest salon horror stories we’ve ever experienced — including the infamous foot fetish client from Philly and a toxic salon client meltdown during a real-life medical emergency.

From entitled holiday clients who think their haircut matters more than a collapsing lung, to a grown man attempting to lick a stylist’s feet mid...

In this episode of Shit I Told My Hairdresser, Jason and Jack break down the most exhausting clients in the salon industry — the ones who cancel last minute, abuse the front desk, try to intimidate stylists, and pull the classic line: “I know the owner.”

From a returning “Daddy” client who screamed at staff and learned the hard way about cancellation policies, to price-shopping email...

What really happens behind the chair isn’t glamorous—and it’s definitely not professional.

In this episode, we break down real salon horror stories including coworkers stealing supplies, toxic behavior in high-end salons, and clients who cross boundaries in ways most people wouldn’t believe. From stolen developer and quiet revenge, to creepy shampoo-bowl behavior, inappropriate oversharing, and power plays in...