How To Cut It in the Hairdressing Industry

In today’s episode, Dom chats with Darren Cunningham and George Waterfield, owners of Leicester’s The Secret Garden, on building a truly welcoming, LGBTQ+ inclusive salon—and why inclusion is both practical and profitable.

Hear how they opened at speed, navigated Leicester’s lockdown from a family garage, and replaced “ladies/gents” with gender‑neutral, length‑ and time‑based pricing. They share lessons on risk‑taking, constant education, and turning hate toward their Pride flag into powerful community solidarity, culminating in a 140‑person drag‑queen re‑raising.

Plus, their growth playbook: DMing influencers, smart pro bono collabs that led to Netflix premiere work and headline moments, and brand partnerships with L’Oréal. If you want culture, pricing, and marketing strategies that actually move the needle, this one’s for you. Hit Play!

 



 

CHAPTERS

2:36: Pricing Without Labels
5:02: Hairdressing Journeys
8:03: How They Met
9:13: Strengths In Partnership
13:01: From Idea To Salon
15:00: COVID Garage Pivot
17:46: Influencer Wins
20:26: Kate Price Event
22:57: Finding Inclusive Pricing
24:56: Gender-Neutral Pricing
28:02: Brand Impact
29:16: Hate And The Flag
30:53: Community Support Rally:
32:50: Simple Inclusion Steps
34:07: Rethinking The Menu
36:13: Awards And Brands
38:35: Saying Yes To Growth
39:41: Dreaming Bigger
43:36: Future Goals

 



EPISODE RESOURCES

Connect with The Secret Garden on Instagram @thesecretgardenhair
DISCOVER TODAY SPONSORS KERATIN COMPLEX PRODUCTS HERE

Are scary ingredient headlines warping your colour decisions? In this episode brought to you by Wella Professionals UKI, we’re joined by Ursus Schweitzer—an R&D connector who bridges the lab and the salon floor. He observes how productsare really used, then translates complex chemistry into clear, salon-ready truths.

Ursus cuts through the noise and decode what’s really inside the bottle so you can make smarter choices and educate clients with confidence.

You’ll learn how to separate study-based evidence from clickbait, why full formulations and purpose-built systems (including alkalizers) matter more than single “hero” or “villain” ingredients, how credible sourcing, biodegradability, and sustainability guide modern development, and practical ways to translate science into salon language.

An episode perfect for hairdressers and salon owners who are ready to swap noise for knowledge. Hit play!

 



 

CHAPTERS

6:32: Why Ingredients Matter Now
10:54: Ammonia Versus MEA
16:15: The Truth About Controversial Ingredients
21:06: Talking Confidence With Clients
23:08: Busting Ammonia Myths
26:05: Responding To Ingredient Concerns
28:24: The Future Of Formulation
33:13: Curiosity Over Caution

 





RESOURCES


FOR MORE ON WELLA EDUCATION CLICK HERE
VISIT WELLA STORE HERE
CONNECT WITH WELLA PROFESSIONALS UKI ON INSTAGRAM @WELLAPROFESSIONALSUKI

Are scary ingredient headlines warping your colour decisions? In this episode brought to you by Wella Professionals UKI, we’re joined by Ursus Schweitzer—an R&D connector who bridges the lab and the salon floor. He observes how productsare really used, then translates complex chemistry into clear, salon-ready truths.

Ursus cuts through the noise and decode what’s really inside the bottle so you can make smarter choices and educate clients with confidence.

You’ll learn how to separate study-based evidence from clickbait, why full formulations and purpose-built systems (including alkalizers) matter more than single “hero” or “villain” ingredients, how credible sourcing, biodegradability, and sustainability guide modern development, and practical ways to translate science into salon language.

An episode perfect for hairdressers and salon owners who are ready to swap noise for knowledge. Hit play!

 



 

CHAPTERS

6:32: Why Ingredients Matter Now
10:54: Ammonia Versus MEA
16:15: The Truth About Controversial Ingredients
21:06: Talking Confidence With Clients
23:08: Busting Ammonia Myths
26:05: Responding To Ingredient Concerns
28:24: The Future Of Formulation
33:13: Curiosity Over Caution

 





RESOURCES


FOR MORE ON WELLA EDUCATION CLICK HERE
VISIT WELLA STORE HERE
CONNECT WITH WELLA PROFESSIONALS UKI ON INSTAGRAM @WELLAPROFESSIONALSUKI

Are scary ingredient headlines warping your colour decisions? In this episode brought to you by Wella Professionals UKI, we’re joined by Ursus Schweitzer—an R&D Product Developer who bridges the lab and the salon floor. He observes how products are really used, then translates complex chemistry into clear, salon-ready truths.

Ursus cuts through the noise and decode what’s really inside the bottle so you can make smarter choices and educate clients with confidence.

You’ll learn how to separate study-based evidence from clickbait, why full formulations and purpose-built systems (including alkalisers) matter more than single “hero” or “villain” ingredients, how credible sourcing, biodegradability, and sustainability guide modern development, and practical ways to translate science into salon language.

An episode perfect for hairdressers and salon owners who are ready to swap noise for knowledge. Hit play!

 


CHAPTERS

6:32: Why Ingredients Matter Now
10:54: Ammonia Versus MEA
16:15: The Truth About Controversial Ingredients
21:06: Talking Confidence With Clients
23:08: Busting Ammonia Myths
26:05: Responding To Ingredient Concerns
28:24: The Future Of Formulation
33:13: Curiosity Over Caution



 

RESOURCES

FOR MORE ON WELLA EDUCATION CLICK HERE
VISIT WELLA STORE HERE
CONNECT WITH WELLA PROFESSIONALS UKI ON INSTAGRAM @WELLAPROFESSIONALSUKI

What if colour work could be approached less like guesswork and more like investigation? In this episode I'm joined by Samantha Blues, founder of Colour Science Investigation, who explains her crime-scene-style framework for helping stylists move from guessing to predicting in colour.

Samantha discusses why many stylists are taught to focus on the finished look rather than what is happening inside the hair, and why hair reading, residue, underlying pigment and consultation questions are essential. She also covers toners, colour correction and the limits of relying on formulas alone, saying the goal is to build confidence, structure and better client communication.

Hit Play!

 
CHAPTERS

5:03: Why the Industry Fails Stylists
10:10: Toning Without Panic
12:24: Samantha’s Personal Turning Point
14:43: What Makes Great Colour
15:44: Stronger Consultations, Better Results
18:19: Hidden Colour Problems Exposed
20:15: Simplifying the Science
22:24: Inside the Six-Week Course
22:56: Why This Course Matters
25:27: Finding Time to Learn
27:11: Confidence, Loyalty, and Pricing Power
30:10: Facing Embarrassment and Learning
31:22: Brand Neutral and Accessible
33:09: Why Guessing Leads to Disaster

 



 
EPISODE RESOURCES

FOR ALL COURSES AND MORE WITH SAMANTHA BLUES VISIT HERE
CONNECT WITH SAMANTHA ON INSTAGRAM @SAMANTHABLUESCOLOURCOACH
DISCOVER TODAY SPONSORS KERATIN COMPLEX PRODUCTS HERE
TICKETS TO HAIRCON CLICK HERE USE CODE HTCI10 FOR 10% DISCOUNT