The mirabellamindset’s Podcast

How Much Money Should a Salon Owner Make in 2026?

 🚀 READY TO BUILD A HIGH-PROFIT SALON & STEP FULLY INTO OWNERSHIP?👉 Apply to join the Level Up Academy: https://nickmirabella.com/pages/applyIn this powerful live episode of the Mirabella Mindset Podcast, host Nick Mirabella delivers a direct, no-BS breakdown of what is truly possible for salon owners, suite renters, booth renters, and beauty entrepreneurs heading into 2026.
This episode is part strategy session, part reality check, and part mindset shift.
Inside this episode, Nick covers:
What salon owners should realistically be earning in 2026
How AI is changing profitability, accounting, marketing, and operations
How to build a personal economy beyond the chair
Why intention and data matter more than hustle
The difference between being a stylist, a manager, and a true owner
Marketing, ads, SEO, rebooking, pricing, and commission structures
Why oversaturation is an excuse and how to win in any market
How to scale without burnout or losing profitability
This live Friday Q&A also answers real questions from salon owners and stylists, including:
How much profit owners should be taking home
Suite vs booth rental vs commission models
Commission percentages that actually work
How to increase rebooking and repeat visits
What to do during slow seasons
How new stylists can get booked fast
Google vs social media marketing
When scaling helps and when it hurts profitability
If you are exhausted, stuck behind the chair, underpaid, or constantly putting out fires, the issue is not the industry. It is the system. Systems can be fixed.
TAKE THE NEXT STEP
If you are a salon owner or stylist who is serious about making more money, building real systems, leveraging AI, improving marketing, stepping into ownership, and creating freedom beyond the chair, this is your next move.
Apply to the Level Up Academy:https://nickmirabella.com/pages/apply
Or connect with Nick on Instagram for more real-world salon business insights.
ABOUT THE MIRABELLA MINDSET PODCAST
The Mirabella Mindset Podcast is for salon owners, stylists, and beauty professionals who want more income, more clarity, stronger leadership, and more control over their future.
If you found value in this episode: Like the video Comment with your biggest takeaway Subscribe for future episodes Share this with a salon owner who needs to hear it
Let’s dominate 2026.

How to Build Salon SOPs That Actually Work

 🚀 READY TO BUILD A HIGH-PERFORMING SALON THAT RUNS WITHOUT YOU?👉 Apply to join The Level Up Academy: https://nickmirabella.com/pages/applyIf you’re done being stuck in the chair, tired of being the bottleneck in your business, and ready to operate like a true salon owner not just a stylist, this is your next step. What if your salon could operate smoothly even when you’re not there?
In this episode of the Mirabella Mindset Podcast, Nick Mirabella breaks down the exact SOP Standard Operating Procedure framework he uses to eliminate chaos, remove himself as the bottleneck, and build salons that run with consistency, accountability, and leadership without micromanagement.
This isn’t theory. This is real-world salon ownership strategy built from decades of experience and hard-earned lessons.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
Why most salon SOPs fail and how to fix them
The Camcorder Method for creating bulletproof SOPs
How to stop hallucinating roles you no longer do
Why your team should create SOPs not you
How to train staff to think like owners not employees
The 1-3-1 problem-solving framework every salon needs
How to take vacations without your salon falling apart
The difference between owning a salon vs owning a job
How SOPs eliminate micromanagement and burnout
What to do when senior stylists resist standards
How to enforce culture, dress code, retail, and accountability
Leadership vs boss mentality in modern salons
How to create consistency with employees, renters, and rev-share stylists
Who This Episode Is For:
Salon owners who feel trapped in day-to-day operations
Stylists opening their first salon
Owners afraid to step away because everything breaks
Leaders who want systems, standards, and scalability
Anyone serious about building a salon that lasts
Big Takeaway:
If your salon can’t function without you, you don’t own a business, you own a job. SOPs aren’t about control. They’re about freedom, leadership, and growth.
🔥 Want hands-on support, real systems, and elite-level coaching? 👉 Apply for The Level Up Academy: https://nickmirabella.com/pages/applyThis is where salon owners learn how to scale, lead, and win without burning out.

How to Build a Salon That Runs Without You Behind the Chair

🚀 READY TO STEP AWAY FROM THE CHAIR & BUILD A REAL SALON BUSINESS?👉 Apply to join the Level Up Academy: https://nickmirabella.com/pages/applyIf you’re serious about breaking into salon ownership at the highest level, scaling your salon, leading a team, and building income beyond yourself, this is your next move.
In this episode, Nick breaks down exactly how to build a salon that runs without you behind the chair without fluff, scripts, or theory. This is raw, real-world salon ownership strategy from someone who has done it.
If you’re a stylist who owns a salon but still feels like the business depends entirely on you, this conversation will challenge your mindset and give you a clear roadmap forward.What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
Why owning a salon requires an identity shift and why most owners never make it
How to replace yourself behind the chair without killing your income
The mistake owners make by doing ten dollar an hour tasks instead of thinking like a CEO
How to delegate admin, inventory, marketing, and operations the right way
Why leadership and marketing are the two most important skills for salon owners
How to transition clients to your team without losing trust or retention
The difference between being a stylist who owns a salon vs. a true entrepreneur
How to build a salon that grows with or without you present
Nick also dives deep into:
Commission vs. rental models
Creating leverage through education, systems, and org charts
Why learning the language of business protects you from bad agencies and bad decisions
How to stop being the bottleneck in your own salon
This episode is especially for: ✔ Salon owners stuck behind the chair ✔ Stylists thinking about opening a salon ✔ Owners struggling with leadership, marketing, or delegation ✔ Anyone who wants freedom, scalability, and real profit in this industry
ABOUT THE LEVEL UP ACADEMYThe Level Up Academy is where salon owners learn how to scale beyond themselves, lead high-performing teams, master marketing, leadership, and operations, and build profitable salons that do not depend on constant chair time.
👉 Apply here: https://nickmirabella.com/pages/apply
Don’t forget to:
👍 Like this episode
💬 Drop your questions or takeaways in the comments
🔔 Subscribe for more real, unfiltered salon business strategy
This is the mindset shift every salon owner must make. Welcome to the next level.

How Much Should a Salon Owner Actually Pay Themselves?

🚀 READY TO GET PAID AS A SALON OWNER AND BUILD REAL FREEDOM?👉 Apply to join The Level Up Academy: https://nickmirabella.com/pages/applyIf you are done working nonstop and want real profit, structure, and ownership, this is your next step.
🎙️ Mirabella Mindset Podcast
In this episode, Nick breaks down one of the biggest problems in the salon industry: owners who work harder every year but never pay themselves properly.
Most salon owners:
Do not take a consistent paycheck
Reinvest everything and still feel broke
Confuse being busy with being profitable
Stay stuck thinking like a stylist instead of an owner
This episode walks through the real math, mindset shifts, and systems needed to:
Pay yourself as an owner, not just a stylist
Separate owner income from behind-the-chair income
Build a salon that works without you
Create a business worth owning and selling
 What You Will Learn:
The three main salon business models and how they affect owner pay
How to identify your freedom number
Why pricing and parts and labor matter
How Profit First applies to salons
How to stop leaking money and start building profit
Want Help Implementing This?
Nick teaches these systems step by step inside The Level Up Academy.
👉 Apply here: https://nickmirabella.com/pages/apply
Stay Connected:
Instagram: @NickMirabella
Website: https://nickmirabella.com
If this episode helped you, like, subscribe, and share it with another salon owner who needs to hear it.

Why Your Salon Isn’t Profitable (And Exactly How to Fix It)

 🚀 READY TO BUILD A PROFITABLE, SCALABLE SALON BUSINESS?👉 Apply to join The Level Up Academy: https://nickmirabella.com/pages/apply
If you’re done working nonstop with nothing to show for it, this episode is for you.
In this episode of the Mirabella Mindset Podcast, host Nick Mirabella breaks down one of the most misunderstood and most painful topics in the salon industry:
PROFIT.
Why you don’t have it. Why it disappears even when revenue looks “good.” And how to finally keep money at the end of the year without burning out behind the chair.
Nick pulls back the curtain on:
The Profit First system and how to adapt it specifically for salons
The dangerous mindset shift most owners never make
Why doing over $1M a year can still leave you broke
How to separate real revenue vs. fake revenue
The exact buckets every salon owner should be using for:
Commission
Color and parts
Profit
Owner pay
Taxes
Operating expenses
This isn’t theory. This is real-world salon ownership from someone who’s lived it.
Key Lessons You’ll Learn in This Episode:
 ✔ Why salon owners self-sabotage profits out of guilt ✔ How to stop paying expenses first and why that keeps you broke ✔ The smartest way to handle assistants, front desk, and non-revenue roles ✔ How to tie every salary position to revenue ✔ What key man risk is and how it quietly destroys salons ✔ Why mindset, not hustle, is usually the real bottleneck ✔ The difference between being a stylist who owns a salon vs. a salon owner who might do hair
Nick also dives into:
Pricing psychology where you do not charge for time, you charge for results
Why discounting is killing your authority
How marketing, not location, makes salons profitable
How to rebuild fast when you move to a new area
Why today is the easiest time ever to grow a busy salon if you’re willing to do the work
The Hard Truth:
If you’re working 60 hours a week and still struggling If payroll stress keeps you up at night If you feel trapped behind the chair
You don’t need another workbook. You need a system, strategy, and accountability.
That’s exactly what Nick teaches inside The Level Up Academy.
Apply here: https://nickmirabella.com/pages/apply
Subscribe to the channel for daily lives, real salon strategy, and zero-fluff business truth.📩 Have questions? Drop a comment. We read them live.
Welcome to the next level of salon ownership.

Why So Many Salon Owners Secretly Hate Their Own Salon

🚀 READY TO STOP DREADING YOUR OWN SALON AND START LEADING AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL?👉 Apply to join the Level Up Academy now: https://nickmirabella.com/pages/applyIf you’re serious about stepping into true salon ownership, building elite systems, and leading with confidence, this is where it starts.Do you feel frustrated, overwhelmed, or resentful walking into the business you worked so hard to build?You’re not alone, and more importantly, you’re not stuck.
In this raw, unfiltered episode, Nick breaks down why so many salon owners secretly hate their day to day reality and exactly how to fix it. From unclear vision and weak standards to avoiding hard conversations and being “too nice,” this episode exposes the real reasons salons fall apart, even when they’re busy and booked out.
Inside this episode, you’ll learn:
Why being “too nice” is often the fastest way to lose control of your salon
The difference between being an employer vs. being a mentor and leader
How lack of standards destroys culture, morale, and client experience
How to set non negotiable expectations without micromanaging
The power of vision, core values, culture contracts, and position agreements
How to stop being held hostage by staff, systems, or your own schedule
Why busy does not equal profitable and how real owners buy back their time
How to stop dreading work and start loving ownership again
Nick also dives deep into:
Rehiring and realigning your team
Fixing gossip, disrespect, and broken culture
Handling pay guilt, staff jealousy, and leadership pressure
Creating systems so your salon runs without you
Shifting your identity from hairstylist who owns a salon to true business owner
 This episode is mandatory listening for:
Salon owners who feel burnt out, overwhelmed, or trapped
Stylists thinking about opening their own salon
Owners who are busy but not profitable
Leaders who want respect, clarity, and alignment from their team
Anyone ready to stop surviving and start building a real business
If this episode hit home and you’re ready to fix your salon for real:👉 Apply to join the Level Up Academy: https://nickmirabella.com/pages/apply
This is where salon owners learn:
Elite leadership and ownership skills
Systems that create freedom, profit, and leverage
How to build a team of killers, not passengers
How to scale without losing your sanity
Stay connected with Nick Mirabella
Follow on Instagram for daily leadership and salon growth insights
Subscribe on YouTube for weekly episodes, lives, and trainings
Drop your questions in the comments, Nick reads them

Why Your Clients Aren’t Rebooking (And How to Fix It Fast)

🚀 READY TO BREAK INTO SALON SALES AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL?👉 Apply to join The Level Up Academy: https://nickmirabella.com/pages/applyIf you’re done struggling with rebooking, inconsistent income, and running your salon on hope instead of systems, this is your next move.
Why do clients come in once, maybe twice, and then disappear?
In this raw, unfiltered episode, Nick Mirabella breaks down the real reasons clients don’t rebook and why it’s almost never just about your haircut, color, or technique.
With nearly 30 years in the beauty industry, Nick has built, scaled, taken over, and 10x’d salons from the ground up. He’s made every mistake so you don’t have to, and in this episode, he pulls back the curtain on the entire client journey, from first contact to long-term loyalty.
Inside this episode, you’ll learn:
Why competing on price kills retention and what to do instead
The 50/50 rule of personality vs. skill and how it directly impacts rebooking
How to eliminate price shoppers before they ever sit in your chair
The biggest mistake stylists make during first-time appointments
Why being really good isn’t enough to build a full book
How to use client communication before, during, and after appointments to drive loyalty
The difference between a stylist mindset vs. an owner and entrepreneur mindset
How oversubscribed stylists get clients to pre-book months in advance
Why “be more interested than interesting” changes everything
How top salons use systems, data, and leadership, not hope
Nick also dives deep into:
Coaching stylists using retention data
Why most salon owners are stuck because they’re still behind the chair
How to train your front desk and team to work as one unit
Rebooking language that works without pressure or discounts
Why marketing, communication, and experience matter more than talent alone
This episode is a masterclass for salon owners, stylists, barbers, and beauty entrepreneurs who are serious about building a booked-out business, higher ticket clients, and real freedom.
Who this episode is for:
 ✔️ Salon owners who feel stuck behind the chair ✔️ Stylists tired of inconsistent income ✔️ Barbers relying on walk-ins who want structure ✔️ Beauty professionals ready to charge premium prices ✔️ Anyone who wants clients to stay, not just try them once
NEXT STEPS:
Subscribe for daily salon business strategy and mindset
Comment with your biggest takeaway
Share this episode with a stylist who needs to hear it
Apply to The Level Up Academy: https://nickmirabella.com/pages/apply
If you’re ready to stop guessing, stop discounting, and start running your salon like a real business, this episode is for you.
Don’t struggle alone. There is a better way.

How to Increase Your Salon’s Average Ticket Without Raising Prices

🚀 READY TO BREAK INTO SALON SALES AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL?👉 Apply to Join the Level Up Academy: https://nickmirabella.com/pages/applyIf you’re a stylist or salon owner who wants to increase your income, raise your average ticket, and build a scalable salon business, this is your next move.
In this episode, Nick breaks down one of the most misunderstood but most powerful KPIs in the salon industry: Average Ticket Per Client.
If you’ve ever felt uncomfortable charging more… If your clients disappear for months after one big service… Or if you’re working nonstop but your income isn’t reflecting it…
This episode will change how you price, sell, and serve forever.
 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
Why one huge ticket is killing your long-term income
How to raise your average ticket without raising prices
The micro-service strategy that creates consistent cash flow
How to position add-ons so clients say yes without resistance
Why volume and consistency beats high-ticket ego pricing
How Nick generated $25K to $30K months behind the chair without extensions
The real reason younger stylists struggle to charge and how to fix it
How to structure a la carte menus for maximum flexibility and profit
Why retention matters more than almost any other KPI
How to confidently sell without selling by serving, not pitching
Who This Episode Is For:
 ✔ Salon owners stuck at the same revenue level ✔ Stylists afraid to charge their worth ✔ Suite renters trying to get busier fast ✔ Commission salon owners building teams ✔ Anyone who wants predictable income without burnout
Nick doesn’t teach theory. He teaches what actually works in real salons, right now.
If you’re tired of guessing… If you’re done playing small… And if you’re ready to operate like a top-earning professional…
👉 Apply to the Level Up Academy: https://nickmirabella.com/pages/apply
 📌 Subscribe for more real salon business strategy 📌 Drop your biggest takeaway in the comments 📌 Share this with a stylist who needs to hear it
See you in the next episode.

Why Salon Retail Fails (And How Top Stylists Sell Without Feeling Salesy)

🚨 READY TO MASTER RETAIL, SCALE YOUR SALON, AND PLAY AT THE TOP?👉 Apply to Join The Level Up Academy: https://nickmirabella.com/pages/apply
If you are done struggling with retail sales, team performance, or feeling stuck behind the chair, this is your next move.
Most stylists say:
“I’m not a salesperson.”
But here is the truth. Retail is not selling. It is serving. And if you are not doing it correctly, you are leaving thousands of dollars on the table every single month.
In this episode, Nick Mirabella breaks down exactly how top-performing salons and stylists dominate retail without being pushy, awkward, or sleazy, and why your consultation conversation is the real key to higher income, better retention, and long-term client loyalty.
This is not theory. This is behind-the-chair, real-world strategy from someone who consistently outsold entire salons in retail.
What You Will Learn in This Episode:
 ✔️ Why retail starts in the consultation, not at checkout ✔️ How to diagnose hair problems and prescribe solutions clients want to buy ✔️ The “Client’s Right to Know” method that skyrockets trust and conversion ✔️ How to use photos, events, and real-life moments to sell effortlessly ✔️ Why clients will buy, just not always from you ✔️ How retail increases retention, referrals, and rebooking ✔️ What to do if you hate the product lines your salon carries ✔️ How barbers can dominate retail just like salons ✔️ The mindset shift that separates struggling stylists from seven-figure salons
The Hard Truth:
If your retail-to-service percentage is under 20%,you are not having the right conversations. Period.
Clients are already in the buying zone. If you do not guide them, Amazon, Sephora, Ulta, and Costco will.
Ready to Stop Guessing and Start Scaling?
If you want:
Stronger retail numbers
A smarter consultation process
Better team performance
More profit with less burnout
Apply to Join The Level Up Academy:https://nickmirabella.com/pages/apply
This is not another course. It is coaching, community, accountability, and execution built for salon owners, stylists, and barbers who want to operate like real business owners.
Subscribe for weekly episodes on leadership, sales, mindset, and scaling in the beauty industry📲 Follow Nick Mirabella on Instagram for daily business breakdowns💬 Drop a comment below. What is your biggest challenge with retail right now?
Stop leaving money on the table. Start serving better. Level up.

Why Clients Ghost Stylists and What Top Salons Do Differently

🚀 READY TO BREAK INTO SALON SALES AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL?👉 Apply to Join the Level Up Academy: https://nickmirabella.com/pages/apply
If you’re tired of clients ghosting you, no-showing appointments, or coming in once and never returning, this episode will completely change how you think about the client journey, communication, and retention in your salon.
🎙️ Mirabella Mindset Podcast
Hosted by Nick Mirabella
In this episode, Nick breaks down why clients really ghost stylists and salons. It has nothing to do with your technical skill and everything to do with trust, emotional intelligence, and the experience you create before, during, and after the appointment.
Too many salons are unknowingly pushing clients away with friction-filled booking processes, generic automation, and missed emotional cues. Nick shares real stories from behind the chair, hard-earned lessons from building multiple successful salons, and practical strategies that turn first-time clients into raving, lifetime fans.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
Why long, complicated booking forms kill conversions
The real psychology behind client anxiety and no-shows
How simple, personal communication wins the client before they walk in
Why emotional intelligence matters more than skill alone
The biggest retention mistakes stylists do not realize they are making
How to create touchpoints that eliminate ghosting
The seven-star review concept that reveals hidden deal-breakers
How to rebook clients naturally without sounding salesy
Why great hair is not always enough to keep clients coming back
Nick also answers live questions about:
Handling unfair or inaccurate online reviews
Client feedback and criticism
Booth rental versus salon ownership retention
Emotional intelligence, personality, and client connection
Why Listen to Nick Mirabella?
Nick has been behind the chair since 1997, built his clientele from $0 to $30,000 per month in just over a year, and owns and operates multiple salons. Everything shared in this episode is based on real-world experience, not theory.
If You Want:
Higher retention
Fewer no-shows
Better rebooking
Stronger trust with clients
A client experience that sells for you
👉 Apply to Join the Level Up Academy:https://nickmirabella.com/pages/apply
This is where salon owners and stylists learn sales, client journey mastery, leadership, and real business systems without fluff.
Connect with Nick:Instagram: @NickMirabella
👍 Like, subscribe, and share this episode with a stylist or salon owner who needs to hear it.
Drop your biggest takeaway in the comments 👇