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361 episodes for longitudinal research
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The professional hair, beauty, and medi-aesthetics industry has a lot to be proud of. Phorest has always been in awe of it. The energy. The camaraderie. The creativity. Being a business owner takes courage, but it can sometimes become an isolating, all-consuming reality. Amidst the daily whirlwind of tasks, there’s still the challenge of thinking ahead, of carving a path forward.
The PhorestFM podcast celebrates innovative ideas, methods, and bold perspectives on business management and growth, marketing, leadership, and building great teams and cultures. Launched in 2017, it is hosted by Alex Bélisle-Springer (he/they), Global Education Content Lead at Phorest Salon Software. New episodes every second week, with occasional bonus drops on ”off” weeks.
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Recent Episodes
S10E331 Raquel Merlini on Building a Broader System of Care & World of Integrity in Aesthetics
[331] Raquel Merlini is the founder of R SKIN Aesthetics in Michigan. As a seasoned Registered Nurse and Certified Aesthetic Nurse Specialist with over 14 years of experience in the plastics…
S10E330 Leading In Alignment With Joanne Starkman: A Continuous & Conscious Return to Self
Connect with Joanne Starkman and Innersense Organic Beauty For Joanne’s podcast, check out Trust Your Innersense with Joanne Starkman, and EP58 for her interview with Louise Keane or EP59 for her…
S10E329 Jennifer Jade Alvarez on Where AI & Automation Can Drive Impact in an Industry Built on Human Connection (w/ Rich Cullen)
[329] AI is soon coming to Phorest, and this serves as officially non-officially the first conversation in a string of ones to be sprinkled into the podcast’s schedule during Season 10. A version of…
S10E328 Juliann Upton on Change As an Invitation to Come Alive
[328] Thinking about change can often bring up questions about readiness. Are we ready to move into this bigger space, to move cities, to grow the team? Juliann Upton, the founder and driving force…
S10 Live From the Salon Owners Summit 2026 with Davina Devine
In this second (and final) bonus episode from the Salon Owners Summit 2026, more on-the-floor reactions from salon, spa, and clinic owners attending the event, an overview recap of the 2026 lineup…
S10E327 Heather Harris on Strategic Delegation: Survival Mode Has an Expiry Date
[327] You’re booked and busy; what every business owner wants. But has over-functioning ever felt safer (or at the very least more familiar) than to say, “I feel like I’m drowning”? If the answer is…
S10 Live From the Salon Owners Summit 2026 with Calvin Stovall
Calvin Stovall, customer experience and leadership keynote speaker, joins the show live from the Salon Owners Summit 2026, shortly after his main-stage talk on the art of the 'WOW' experience. In…
S10 S10 Launches on February 23rd, 2026
For the past nine seasons, the PhorestFM podcast has been steadily putting down roots. Growing slowly, but steadily, like the trees in the Phorest forest. And every episode’s been its own brand of…
S9E326 Love Letters to the Industry and Its People: End of Year Gratitude and Reflections
When Phorest salons shared, in early 2025, that "growth" was their number one priority this year, we got busy. On Season 9 of the PhorestFM podcast, we brought you insightful interviews, case…
S9E325 Tom Kuhn on What Top-Performing Salons Do Differently: Benchmarks & Data-Backed Profitability Insights
[325] In 2024, Qnity’s research arm, the Qnity Institute, conducted a study. At the heart of it was one core question: ‘What does a financially successful salon look like?’ In this episode, Tom Kuhn,…
S9E324 Lance Courtney on How Opportunity Lies Ahead of Co-Creation and Collaboration
In this episode, keynote speaker, business coach, and educator Lance Courtney explores what salon leadership looks like in an era shaped by Gen Z, shifting values, and rapid cultural change. Drawing…
S9E323 Experience the Difference: A Case Study in Turning Service into Predictable, Consistent Retail Sales
[323] Featuring Derrick Rutherford (Co-Owner, Valentini’s), Arif Isikgun (CEO & Founder, Ai Beauty Consultancy), and Cole Marker (Founder & Builder in Chief, thync.c), this episode reimagines…
S9E322 Wafaya Abdallah on Leading With Heart and Becoming Fluent in the Silent Language of Energy
[322] For Wafaya Abdallah, owner of Oasis Curl Salon (@curlyoasis), real growth happens when we let go of control, release the need for perfection, and create a safe space for others to rise. In this…
S9E321 Grief as a Teacher: Luis Miguel Bujia on Lessons in Honourship and the Power of Sharing
[321] Every now and again, there’s an episode that asks us to slow down, sit with what’s real, and see what it has to teach us. This is one of those episodes. Becoming who we are — as people,…
S9E320 The Work of Happiness: Heather Bagby on Transforming Leadership and Life
[320] When approached with intention, leaning into happiness can become a powerful tool for personal and professional growth. In this episode, Heather Bagby (@heatherbagby on Instagram) — the…
S9 Live From the 2025 Aesthetic Extender Symposium With Dr. George Baxter-Holder
Get a glimpse of the energy and people at the 18th Annual Aesthetic Extender Symposium in Boca Raton, Florida! Hosted by Shauna O'Halloran (Head of Brand & Communications at Phorest), this short…
S9E319 Dave Evans & Debbie Halls-Evans on 'Being More Kid' and Building Curious Cultures
[319] If you’ve ever sat down for a chat with Dave Evans and Debbie Halls-Evans, founders of and. coaching (@andcoachme), you know you’re in for a bold and disarmingly honest one. High off a year so…
S9E318 Stefanie Fox on How Lasting Teams Are Built With Intention, Not Found
[318] At Phorest, we know that the magic happens when you get the team right. Clients feel it. Reviews show it. Your bottom line reflects it. Building a strong team is an advantage, but great teams…
S9E317 Anne Butterly & Kelly Swann on Harnessing the Power of Business as a Force for Good (w/ Daniel Johnson)
[317] It’s one thing to say your business stands for something, and it’s another to prove it. Certified B Corporations around the world are doing just that. Featuring Anne Butterly, Founder of…
S9E316 Betsy Morem on Burgers, Botox & the Power of Community-Rooted Businesses (w/ Joe DiFalco)
[316] CPA and co-founder of Morem & Waller CPAs, med spa co-owner, and now steward of Austin, Minnesota’s 87-year-old beloved Tendermaid burger joint, Betsy Morem (@heavenstobetsss) wears many…
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