When Ryan Mallard met his wife Nese Atlas, he was introduced to a side of the hairdressing industry he had never seen before. Through Nese’s lived experience as a stylist, Ryan began to understand the gaps and saw an opportunity to do things differently.

Coming from over 20 years in the corporate world Ryan brought in what he knew, clear pathways for growth, strong team culture, and investment in people. Ryan and Nese set out to build a salon that redefined what it means to truly support a team.

Now with a team of 35 and a thriving apprenticeship programme, their model speaks for itself low staff turnover, strong loyalty, and a new standard for what’s possible in the industry. This is a conversation about bridging two worlds together, challenging norms, and building something that truly works for the people who make the industry what it is.

In this episode of KM Radio, hosts Nathan Gorman and Sarah Lund sit down with the inspiring Holly Santelli, founder of Ash & Willow Salon in Illinois, one of KEVIN.MURPHYS most loved and visionary salon partners in North America.

Holly shares her deeply personal journey back into the industry and how a lifelong connection to nature, wellness, and Celtic folklore shaped the intentional world of Ash & Willow. The conversation explores how Ash & Willow seamlessly blends beauty with holistic wellness, including The Nest - a dedicated in-salon sanctuary offering meditation, Reiki, sound baths, face yoga, and alternative healing practices for clients, practitioners, and the team alike.

Holly also opens up about Camp ReWild, a nature-based retreat designed to support salon culture, mental health, and connection through movement, mindfulness, and time outdoors.

Nathan and Sarah dive into Ash & Willow’s powerful apprenticeship and give-back programs, including their long-standing partnership with Avenues to Independence, where emerging stylists provide complimentary haircuts to people with special needs.

This month on KM.RADIO, Nathan Gorman sits down with Janine Simons, salon owner, business strategist, and now tech founder, launching Color Bar Manager, a purpose-built software platform for salons to track colour usage, manage inventory, and optimise profitability.

Janine takes us behind the scenes of her career from starting, scaling, and selling multiple salons, to hitting that big question so many face: what’s next? Retire… or pivot?

In this chat, Janine shares how each of her salons was built on a different strategy shaped by changing clients, growing teams, and an industry that never stands still. Now, as the founder of Color Bar Manager, Janine is helping salons around the world work smarter and cut colour waste.

Learn about Color Bar Manager here: https://colorbarmanager.com/

Follow Color Bar Manager Here: https://www.instagram.com/salonauntie_colorbarmanager/