I’m thrilled to introduce today’s guest, someone I owe a lot to for being one of the first influencers I connected with when I ventured into this industry. Meet Nina Tulio: a salon industry veteran, a powerhouse consultant, and a motivational speaker who knows the salon business inside and out.
Nina’s journey started at vocational school, where she was at a crossroads between becoming a hairstylist and a dolphin trainer. Yes, you heard that right—dolphin trainer! But her dislike for traditional schooling led her to pursue a career in the beauty industry.
Nina cut her teeth by managing multiple chain salons before going all-in and starting her own business, a small salon in Pennsylvania. Although the road was far from easy—accumulating debt, fighting through a recession—she managed to pivot her situation and grow her business exponentially, all while maintaining a loyal clientele.
From Struggling Salon Owner to Thriving Multi-Passionate Entrepreneur
In this episode, we dive deep into the financial lessons Nina learned along the way—lessons that you won’t want to miss if you’re serious about running a profitable salon. From her early struggles with a $90,000 debt to how she managed to grow her business by 20-30% year over year for five consecutive years, Nina has experienced the ups and downs of entrepreneurship first-hand.
We also touch on the emotional rollercoaster of selling a business. Nina sold her salon when it was at its peak profitability and navigated the complex realities of letting go. Based on this experience, she offers her insights on how to value a service-based business when you’re the face of the brand and how to structure the sale for maximum benefit and minimum heartache.
After her salon journey, Nina transitioned into coaching, a space she’s equally passionate about. She now offers two main coaching programs—Synergy Academy and Make That Money—that are designed to give salon owners and independent artists, respectively, the tools they need to flourish. From customizing one-on-one coaching services to traveling across the country for speaking events, Nina is all about serving the industry and inspiring people.
This is an episode you won’t want to miss, filled with powerful lessons on finance, growth, emotional intelligence, and so much more. With that, I hope you enjoy this episode of the Unchained from the Chair Podcast with Nina Tulio.
Episode Highlights
[09:06] Nina Tulio shares her experience opening her own hair salon in Pennsylvania and the challenges she faced as a salon owner.
[17:29] Brett and Nina discuss the practical and emotional aspects of selling a hair salon.
[22:03] Nina’s transformation from hair salon owner and stylist to international business coach.
[33:24] Nina Tulio shares the number-one reason stylists come to her for coaching: pricing.
[44:03] Why going into debt was the low point of Nina’s entrepreneurial journey and what she learned from that experience.
Links Relevant to this Episode
Nina Tulio: Official Website
Make That Money: A 5 Week Course for Suite Owners and Renters
Nina Tulio’s Instagram
Looking for more tips on how to grow, scale, and ultimately sell your hair salon business? Check out our other Unchained From the Chair podcast episodes.
