How to deal with challenging employees?
Because let’s be honest…
Every salon owner has one.
Had one.
Or is currently avoiding one. 👀
If you’ve ever had a team member who:
– Doesn’t listen
– Pushes back on feedback
– Skips meetings
– Gossips
– Drains your energy
– Is wildly talented but slightly (or very) toxic
This episode is for you.
When you first open a salon, you think leadership is:
- Hiring cool people
- Training your team
- Celebrating wins
- Posting team photos
And then reality hits.
Leadership is actually:
– Hard conversations
– Clear boundaries
– Documentation
– Emotional regulation
– Being okay with not being liked
– And holding it together when you low-key want to scream.
In this episode, I break down the 3 REAL reasons someone feels “challenging”:
Lack of Clarity – No standards. No systems. No follow-through.
Skill Deficiency – They were never trained properly.
Character Issue – Gossip. Negativity. Entitlement. Misalignment.
And then I walk you through my 5-Step Framework for handling difficult team members with confidence (and without blowing up your culture):
Regulate yourself first (24-hour rule, always)
Document patterns — not emotions
Have a direct, face-to-face conversation
Create a measurable improvement plan
Decide — growth or release
Sometimes leadership means coaching.
Sometimes leadership means “bless and release.”
You are not a bad leader because someone challenges you.
You become a misaligned leader when you avoid the hard conversation and let it erode your culture.
This one is bold.
It’s honest.
And it might be exactly what you need to hear.
Hit play! 🎙️