The Bot-tom Line: Jules Molina & Ashley Prowell on Turning the Front Desk Into a Profit Center

[332] Jules Molina — Guest Experience Team Leader, Consultant, and Shareholder — and Ashley Prowell — Phorest North America Education Specialist — share a deep passion for operational systems developed over years of hands-on experience in the hair and beauty sector. In this episode, they stand united in a philosophy that treats this part of a business’s operations as a high-value, dedicated profit center with its own distinct goals, KPIs, and clear career trajectories.
If the conversation begins with the early-2020s deskless salon trend, it moves through time, addressing common myths that keep business owners stuck, touching on coaching, verbiage and accountability, and lands on present-day realities and shifts, exploring how AI is beginning to impact this area of business.
This is a passionate, gracious, no-BS conversation meant to propel you forward with confidence, levity, clarity, and momentum for what’s next in this part of your business operations.
Connect with Jules Molina
Learn more about The Summit Immersive & reserve your spot: https://summitsalon.com/the-summit-immersive
Connect with Jules on Instagram @molina.jules or set up time with her: https://calendly.com/jmolinassbc
Get your complimentary diagnostic here and connect with the Summit Salon Business Center on Instagram @summitsalon
Connect with Ashley Prowell
Connect with Ashley on Instagram @_lady_ashley_
Learn more about Ashley’s Phorest-related education sessions & save your spot here
All things Phorest
Find out how Phorest helps top salons & aesthetic clinics steer their businesses toward happier clients, more productive teams, and greater growth. Say hello to life with Phorest!
Learn more about the Phorest Summit & secure your tickets: https://www.phorestsummit.com/
Enjoyed the episode?
Leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts!
Click here to subscribe to the PhorestFM email newsletter.
This episode was edited and mixed by Audio Z: Montreal's cutting-edge post-production studio for creative minds looking to have their vision professionally produced and mixed. Great music makes great moments.

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 this conversation could easily live in extremes, but this one does not. Rather, it asks a valid and core question of our time: How do you adopt new technology, AI & automation more precisely, without losing what makes your business human?
In this episode, joined by guest co-host Rich Cullen (Principal Product Designer at Phorest), we sit down with Jennifer Jade Alvarez, founder of Naperville, Illinois’ Refined Beauty, to discuss what it has been like to bring AI and automation tools into various areas of her business. And beyond discussing tools, we also spend time discussing decisions: what to automate, the trust factor, and what should perhaps never be automated in a beauty and wellness business.
We unpack the opportunities, the trade-offs, the real-world lessons—including what happens when AI gets it wrong—and the paybacks. All of it, with a deep belief that the businesses that win in the future won’t be the ones to remove the human touch. They’ll be the ones who remove friction around the craft and care.
Connect with Jennifer Jade Alvarez
Download Jennifer’s Top 50 Ways Salon Owners Buy Back Their Time: A free checklist using AI, automations, and virtual assistants
Learn more about the Salon CEO Method™ coaching program, listen to the Beauty Business Game Changer Podcast, and connect with Jennifer on Instagram @JenniferJadeAlvarez
All things Phorest
Learn more about the Phorest Summit & secure your tickets for 2027: https://www.phorestsummit.com/
Learn more about Phorest Software.
Enjoyed the episode?
Leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts!
Click here to subscribe to the PhorestFM email newsletter.
This episode was edited and mixed by Audio Z: Montreal's cutting-edge post-production studio for creative minds looking to have their vision professionally produced and mixed. Great music makes great moments.

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 fertiliser, carrying insight, knowledge, lessons, new ideas, and stories. Many, many of those.
From small seeds, the show has grown enough to change the landscape.
Our intent going into this tenth season is to bring you the energy of the rooms we create and/or find ourselves in this year, and make it a season bound by conversations that bring us forward.
Whether you’re joining us from the salon floor, the treatment room, the clinic, or an industry event, the car park between clients, or the commute home before or after a long day, we’re here to amplify community voices all around the globe. We’re here when you need a spark of inspiration or an extra dose of courage to branch out. When you need a new perspective or someone to listen. Really listen.
Because more than software, we’re on a mission, together with our community, to build a stronger industry. One we’ll always fight to see soar.
The year is 2026, the local time is now, and what’s next… is up to us. If this feels like your kind of journey—bring a friend with you. Season 10 starts on Monday, February 23rd, 2026, with a Live From the Phorest Summit 2026 bonus episode.
Subscribe to the Phorest FM email newsletter to be in the know of our casting calls & more fun stuff, and follow both Phorest Salon Software (@phorestsalonsoftware) & Alex Bélisle-Springer (@a.belspring) on Instagram for video clips and BTS content!
This trailer was edited and mixed by Audio Z: Great music makes great moments. Montreal's cutting-edge post-production studio for creative minds looking to have their vision professionally produced and mixed.

Built to Last: Two 'Unicorn' Stories From the 2025 Salon Today 200

[310] Have you ever considered entering the Salon Today 200? Or want to know more about this industry-leading program that showcases salon business success? Behind every honoree's recognition are pages of essays. Stories of innovation, vulnerability, resilience and transformation.
In this episode, we pull back the curtain on the competition and celebrate the grit and vision of two 2025 Salon Today 200 honorees in the Technology best practice category: Soleil Salon & Spa and Eric Fisher Salons.
From navigating crises with creativity to reimagining systems, these salons discuss the real-world decisions that shaped their transformation. Alongside Stacey Soble, Director of Brand Content Strategy at Salon Today, we also unpack the judging process, reveal tips and strategies for submitting essays that stand out, discuss the power of storytelling, and why authenticity always wins.
Guests: Bobbi Springer (@beautybar_allure), Maggie Di Falco (@maggiethesalon), Stacey Soble (@salontodayofficial), Luisa Gladymir Garcia (@soleilsalonspanh), Eric Fisher & Cathy Salas (@efsalon) and Veronica Ballard (Phorest).
Click here to learn more about the Salon Today 200.
Enjoyed the episode? Leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts!
Click here to subscribe to the PhorestFM email newsletter or here to learn more about Phorest Salon Software.
This episode was edited and mixed by Audio Z: Montreal's cutting-edge post-production studio for creative minds looking to have their vision professionally produced and mixed. Great music makes great moments.

Stories & Smiles Across Miles: Hand-Delivering The Client Experience Awards 2024 (Part 2)

[302] The Client Experience Award is an annual celebration of salons, clinics, and spas that consistently go above and beyond to deliver exceptional services and unforgettable experiences. More precisely, it recognizes the Phorest salons that have reached and maintained a specific criteria for ratings and reviews from their clients.
This year—and for the first time—the Phorest team hit the road to personally celebrate with these award-winning salons in Ireland, the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, Finland, Germany, and beyond. We were honored to share these special moments and proud to celebrate their dedication to client care.
To us, it was more than handing over an award. It was about connecting with our community, hearing their stories, and even offering ad-hoc support where needed!
Featured in this episode: Ronan Perceval, Sarah Russell, Sian Gray, Helen Devenney, Rich Cullen, Abba Studio & Hair Boutique, The Curly Red Head
Links:
Learn more about the Client Experience Awards 2024: https://shorturl.at/iw0vA
Click here to subscribe to the PhorestFM email newsletter: https://bit.ly/3WvQiI7
This episode was edited and mixed by Audio Z: Montreal's cutting-edge post-production studio for creative minds looking to have their vision professionally produced and mixed. Great music makes great moments.
Leave a Rating & Review: http://bit.ly/phorestfm 
Read the transcript, or click here to learn more about Phorest Salon Software.

Stories & Smiles Across Miles: Hand-Delivering The Client Experience Awards 2024 (Part 1)

[301] The Client Experience Award is an annual celebration of salons, clinics, and spas that consistently go above and beyond to deliver exceptional services and unforgettable experiences. More precisely, it recognizes the Phorest salons that have reached and maintained a specific criteria for ratings and reviews from their clients.
This year—and for the first time—the Phorest team hit the road to personally celebrate with these award-winning salons in Ireland, the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, Finland, Germany, and beyond. We were honored to share these special moments and proud to celebrate their dedication to client care.
To us, it was more than handing over an award. It was about connecting with our community, hearing their stories, and even offering ad-hoc support where needed!
Featured in this episode: Ronan Perceval, Shauna Grace, Hairtech Coiffure, You Derma Ltd, Salon Bliss
Links:
Learn more about the Client Experience Awards 2024: https://shorturl.at/iw0vA
Click here to subscribe to the PhorestFM email newsletter: https://bit.ly/3WvQiI7
This episode was edited and mixed by Audio Z: Montreal's cutting-edge post-production studio for creative minds looking to have their vision professionally produced and mixed. Great music makes great moments.
Leave a Rating & Review: http://bit.ly/phorestfm 
Read the transcript, or click here to learn more about Phorest Salon Software.

Between Alienation and Belonging: Quickfire Questions (Bonus)

[279] We all have stories to share. Some shape or empower us, and others change our lives — but if there's one thing Alex Belisle-Springer (@a.belspring) has learned from nearly a decade of sharing stories from the salon floor, it's familiarity more than knowledge that colours people's perspectives and allows them to embrace discomfort. Only when we take the time to listen and connect with one another do we open the door to vulnerability, acceptance and long-lasting positive change.
In a bonus to their conversation with Ronan Perceval, CEO of Phorest Salon Software, this episode features Alex Bélisle-Springer answering a quickfire round of questions from Shauna O'Halloran, Head of Education, Training & Support at Phorest.
Links:
Get your tickets for the next Salon Owners Summit: https://www.salonownersummit.com/tickets
Click here to subscribe to the PhorestFM email newsletter: https://bit.ly/3WvQiI7
This episode was edited and mixed by Audio Z: Montreal's cutting-edge post-production studio for creative minds looking to have their vision professionally produced and mixed. Great music makes great moments.
Leave a Rating & Review: http://bit.ly/phorestfm 
Read the transcript, or click here to learn more about Phorest Salon Software.

Between Alienation and Belonging: Ronan Perceval in Conversation With Alex Bélisle-Springer

[278] Few introverts can claim to have made a name for themselves by facilitating over 250 podcast conversations, but Alex Bélisle-Springer (@a.belspring) is not your typical introvert. As the Global Content Education Lead at Phorest and resident host of the PhorestFM podcast, Alex has made inspiring contributions to the salon community over the past seven years, resulting in various speaking opportunities and content collaborations featured in renowned print and digital industry media.
Blending advocacy, mentorship and personal experiences, Alex offers intersectional approaches and practical guidance to business owners and their staff on fostering safer spaces and more inclusive cultures in which understanding, kindness, curiosity and compassion prevail.
In conversation with Ronan Perceval, CEO of Phorest Salon Software, this episode has them reflect on their keynote at The Salon Owners Summit 2024, their life and experiences of alienation and belonging.
Links:
Get your tickets for the next Salon Owners Summit: https://www.salonownersummit.com/tickets
Click here to subscribe to the PhorestFM email newsletter: https://bit.ly/3WvQiI7
This episode was edited and mixed by Audio Z: Montreal's cutting-edge post-production studio for creative minds looking to have their vision professionally produced and mixed. Great music makes great moments.
Leave a Rating & Review: http://bit.ly/phorestfm 
Read the transcript, or click here to learn more about Phorest Salon Software.

S08 Launches on February 19th, 2024

... we're back!
And with lots to celebrate together — including Phorest's 20th birthday, PhorestFM's 300th episode milestone, more of the Live From… episodes and, of course, plenty more stories from the salon floor to enjoy on your commutes, dog walks, mornings or evenings, with or without your team!
To make sure you don't miss a beat this year, subscribe to the Phorest FM email newsletter and follow both Phorest Salon Software (@phorestsalonsoftware) & Alex Bélisle-Springer (@a.belspring) on Instagram!
Watch the video teaser: https://youtu.be/62p6DhevG70
This trailer was edited and mixed by Audio Z: Great music makes great moments. Montreal's cutting-edge post-production studio for creative minds looking to have their vision professionally produced and mixed.

Dr David Basketter on Patch Testing and the Allergy Risks of Hair Dyes

[273] Have you ever wondered why some people are highly allergic to hair dye while others seem immune to its effect? The global hair colour market generated a value of about 25 billion U.S. dollars in 2022 and is forecasted to reach nearly 42 billion U.S. dollars by 2029. Yet, there is still a blatant lack of standardized policies and protocols when it comes to allergy screening in the industry.
Deep dive into the complexities of hair dye allergies with renowned expert toxicologist Dr David Basketter, highlighting the importance of proper allergy testing, examining the continued usage of PPD despite a surge in allergy reports, uncovering the truth behind the advertising of PPD-free hair dyes and discussing innovative tools like Colorstart (@colourstart_uk) to ensure client safety.
Links:
Learn more about Colourstart: www.colourstart.com
Get started with Phorest + Colourstart: https://www.phorest.com/demos/colourstart/
Watch "A Better Way to Patch Test" (free webinar recording)
Read "Testing Times" by Helen Ward
Read the transcript and subscribe to the PhorestFM email newsletter: http://bit.ly/2T2gUj1
Leave a rating & review: http://bit.ly/phorestfm 
This episode was edited and mixed by Audio Z: Montreal's cutting-edge post-production studio for creative minds looking to have their vision professionally produced and mixed. Great music makes great moments.

You Asked, We Listened: Get Ready for the Phorest Summer Collection

[267] The Summer Collection, like everything else at Phorest, was designed to better help you manage your business with Phorest and started from conversations with real business owners and their teams. To celebrate this release and its transformational updates, this hourlong episode focuses on four specific features: the Phorest Ads Manager, PhorestGo 2.0, Expert Recommendations and Premium Consultations.
Featured in this episode:
Ronan Perceval, Founder & CEO at Phorest Salon Software
Patrick Monaghan, CPO at Phorest Salon Software
Edyta Laveryd, Senior Product Manager at Phorest Salon Software
Brian Finnegan, Product Lead at Phorest Salon Software
Rich Cullen, Lead Product Designer at Phorest Salon Software
Cillian Moloney, Product Lead at Phorest Salon Software
Jackie O'Brien, Body Connection Spa @bodyconnection1, Ireland
Tracey Tognini, Togninis Hair @togninis, Australia
Karen Thompson, Beauty Secrets Spa @beautysecretssalonandspa, UK
Lilac Miller, Sleeping Beauty Salons @sleepingbeautysalon, UK
Anechka Spaddy, [salon]718 @salon718, USA
Dr Brian Cotter, Sisu Aesthetic Clinic @sisuclinic, Ireland
Links:
Watch the Salon Floor Series videos: Tracey Tognini (EP1), Anechka Spaddy (EP2), Karen Thompson (EP3), Dr Brian Cotter (EP4), Pat Phelan (EP5)
Get your Salon Owners Summit 2024 tickets now: https://www.salonownersummit.com/tickets
Read the blog (Get Noticed. Get Booked. Phorest Ads Manager): https://tinyurl.com/2f7a2brc
Read the blog (You Asked. We Listened. Get Ready for PhorestGo 2.0): https://tinyurl.com/4pjb28az
Read the blog (Give Your Clients Product Recommendations from the Experts They Trust…You!): https://tinyurl.com/25eu3d2m
Read the blog (Your Expertise. Our Tech. Give Your Clients a Premium Consultation.): https://tinyurl.com/26mfwpsx
Read the blog (Phorest Reports. Now With More Dashboards for Even More Insight): https://tinyurl.com/2kx6u8k6
Click here to subscribe to the weekly Phorest FM email newsletter: http://bit.ly/2T2gUj1
This episode was edited and mixed by Audio Z: Montreal's cutting-edge post-production studio for creative minds looking to have their vision professionally produced and mixed. Great music makes great moments.
Leave a Rating & Review: http://bit.ly/phorestfm 
Read the transcript, or click here to learn more about Phorest Salon Software.

Verna Wall on Research at Phorest and Success Stories From the Salon Floor

[263] For the past 12 months, Verna Wall (Research Manager), Rich Cullen (Lead Product Designer) and the Phorest Research Team have been on the road visiting salons and on Zoom, starting conversations with business owners all over the world. They've been looking at the data and asking questions, all with a simple motive: to find out what the best salons are doing to be successful.
Featuring Verna Wall, this episode explores what the role of a researcher entails and what research looks like at Phorest, all the while discussing specific data points and insights.
Also featured in this episode:
Maggie Di Falco, Maggie The Salon @maggiethesalon, USA
Sarah Doyle, Templeogue Beauty Clinic @templeoguebeauty, Ireland
Patrick Monaghan, Phorest Salon Software
Erin Jones, Urban Evolution Salon @urbanevolutionsalon, USA
Sheri Hancock, Fine Bella Salon @finebellasalon, USA
Stacey Holmes, Steel Blade Men's Salon @steelbladebadassleader, USA
Mary Camille King, The Ritz Inc @theritzinc, USA
Bonnie Conte, Avalon Salon Spa @avalonsalonspas + Vibe Salon @vibesalonlakezurich, USA
Erin Raber, Pin-Up Curls @pinupcurlssalon, USA
Links:
Get your Salon Owners Summit 2024 tickets now: https://www.salonownersummit.com/tickets
Read the blog (Verna Wall & Rich Cullen on Success Stories from the Salon Floor – Salon Owners Summit 2023 Recap): https://shorturl.at/fsJM1
Click here to subscribe to the weekly Phorest FM email newsletter: http://bit.ly/2T2gUj1
This episode was edited and mixed by Audio Z: Montreal's cutting-edge post-production studio for creative minds looking to have their vision professionally produced and mixed. Great music makes great moments.
Leave a Rating & Review: http://bit.ly/phorestfm 
Read the transcript, or click here to learn more about Phorest Salon Software.

S07 Launches on March 6th, 2023

New episodes of the PhorestFM podcast are coming soon, and this season, we're getting personal!
We've been having inspiring conversations with some of the industry's most innovative industry professionals, and we can't wait for you to hear them!
Tune in for the seventh season of the show, launching Monday, March 6th, 2023. And just like the overlapping leaves that make the Phorest logo, every conversation on this show contributes to something larger than us, reminding us why we do what we do and why we love what we do. PhorestFM Season 7, brought to you by Phorest Salon Software.
Watch the video teaser: https://youtu.be/LzjEByxhO98
Subscribe to the Phorest FM email newsletter: http://bit.ly/2T2gUj1
This trailer was edited and mixed by Audio Z: Great music makes great moments. Montreal's cutting-edge post-production studio for creative minds looking to have their vision professionally produced and mixed.

Abigail Walsh on Bringing the Salon Owners Summit Back to Ignite Growth and Action

[252] After a forced two-year hiatus, the flagship event of the year and Europe's most prestigious milestone on the salon ownership adventure is back and ready to inspire growth and action.
Featuring Phorest's Global Events & PR Manager Abigail Walsh, this episode dives into everything Salon Owners Summit related: ethos, format change, attendee profile, venue change, speaker lineup... name it and we've covered it! Over 700 salon owners are expected to fly in to attend the thought leadership event, and we can't wait to see you. Find out why, year after year, so many industry professionals choose the Salon Owners Summit as their conference of choice to attend!
Links:
Secure your tickets for the Salon Owners Summit 2023: https://www.salonownersummit.com
Click here to subscribe to the weekly Phorest FM email newsletter: http://bit.ly/2T2gUj1
This episode was edited and mixed by Audio Z: Montreal's cutting-edge post-production studio for creative minds looking to have their vision professionally produced and mixed. Great music makes great moments.
Leave a Rating & Review: http://bit.ly/phorestfm 
Read the transcript, or click here to learn more about Phorest Salon Software.

Sian Gray on Phorest’s Commitment to Helping Salons Reach Their Growth Potential

[235] In CEO Ronan Perceval’s words: “We have taken the next step in our growth journey with a brand new look, but it means nothing unless our salons are on that journey beside us.”
It’s what comes with our new look that matters most to us and this industry, our industry.
Introducing the Phorest Growth Fund: a new initiative announced by Phorest Salon Software and our commitment to helping salons worldwide reach their growth potential by providing a financial boost to their growth plans. In this episode, hear Sian Gray, Director of Global Marketing at Phorest, discuss the initiative's "why," share its exciting details and answer some of the most frequently asked questions!
Links:
Learn more about the Phorest Growth Fund at this link: https://www.phorest.com/resources/the-phorest-growth-fund/ or reach out by email at growthfund@phorest.com
Click here to subscribe to the weekly Phorest FM email newsletter: http://bit.ly/2T2gUj1
This episode was edited and mixed by Audio Z: Montreal’s cutting-edge post-production studio for creative minds looking to have their vision professionally produced and mixed. Great music makes great moments.
Leave a Rating & Review: http://bit.ly/phorestfm 
Read the transcript, or click here to learn more about Phorest Salon Software.