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Welcome to Suite Independence, the podcast designed exclusively for established beauty professionals ready to transform their careers and build the salon business of their dreams. Hosted by industry veteran Kristin Kienzle, founder of Utopia Modern Salon Suites, this show is your essential guide to thriving independently in the beauty world.
Kristin, with over 34 years of experience, understands the unique challenges and incredible opportunities you face. She created Utopia to be a supportive, inspiring community where independent beauty professionals can flourish, and this podcast extends that mission directly to you.
Forget the styling tips; we're diving deep into the business and personal development aspects that truly empower your success. Each episode offers insight, inspiration, and clarity to help you succeed and build your career in a healthy way. Whether you're looking to grow your client base, refine your business strategy, enhance your financial literacy, prioritize your well-being, or ultimately own your own salon, Kristin shares the wisdom and actionable advice you need.
Join a community dedicated to empowering beauty professionals to reach their full potential, ensuring their businesses thrive and afford them the lifestyle they desire. Tune into Suite Independence and start building the vibrant career and fulfilling life you deserve.
Ep08
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Reflecting on 2025: Industry Growth and Intentionality
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[00:00:00]
Kristin Kienzle: With the close of 2025 and looking ahead to the new year, i'm excited about where the industry is going and the conversations I'm hearing. I'm excited about how much more intentional independent beauty professionals are becoming this past year. Brought a lot of growth, not just growth in numbers or visibility, but growth in awareness. People paid closer attention to what worked for them, [00:01:00] what supported their energy and what felt sustainable. They want more of that going forward from where I sit, 2025 was a year of learning and refinement. A year where many beauty professionals got clearer on what kind of business they want to build and what kind of life they want that business to support.
And that clarity creates momentum. So today I wanna talk about what we learned as we navigated through 2025 and why I believe 2026 has the potential to be calmer, more grounded, and more rewarding than ever. Okay. Not because things will be perfect, but because people are making smarter, more intentional choices.
Insights and Predictions
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Kristin Kienzle: You might notice this episode is a little different today. It's just me. I've never done a solo episode before, but this felt like a good time to pause the interviews and just speak directly with you. I wanted [00:02:00] to share what I've been noticing across the industry and what I believe will matter as we head into 2026. And who knows if this goes well, I may sprinkle in a few more solo episodes here and there.
So wherever you're listening in the car between clients or at the end of a long day, I hope this feels like a grounded and encouraging conversation.
Clarity and Simplification in Business Practices
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Kristin Kienzle: One of the things I appreciate most about this past year is how much clarity it offered. 2025 helped people to see their businesses more honestly, in a very helpful way.
It showed where systems were supporting growth. It showed where routines were working, and it showed where just a few simple adjustments could make a really big difference. Many professionals realize they don't actually want more complexity. They want things to feel smoother and easier. They want their weeks to feel more predictable.
They want their [00:03:00] businesses to support their lives, not to compete with them. A lot of people also gained a clearer understanding of their clients. They discovered who they love working with. Who values their work and what kinds of experiences they want to be known for.
Providing that kind of clarity is powerful. It allows you to stop chasing everything and start choosing intentionally, and that is a really strong place to be in the new year. One thing I noticed again and again this year is how many independent beauty professionals are becoming more thoughtful about how they work.
There's been a shift away from constant experimentation.
And toward refinement. Instead of asking, what else should I add? People are asking what's actually working. Instead of wondering, how can I do more, they're asking, what can I simplify? Instead of [00:04:00] reacting quickly, they're pausing and thinking that pause is important. It creates space for better decisions, better boundaries, and better experiences for both.
The professionals and the clients, and it's leading to businesses that feel calmer and much more sustainable.
Redefining Independence: Support and Structure
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Kristin Kienzle: One of the most interesting shifts I've seen is in how independence itself is being redefined. For a long time, independence was all about freedom. Freedom to choose your schedule, freedom to choose your space, and freedom to work in a way that feels aligned, and that's still true and it's still very important, but what's evolving is how people think about support and structure. Within independence. Many professionals are realizing they don't want to do everything alone. They want autonomy, but they also want support. They want flexibility, but they want [00:05:00] stability. They want independence without isolation.
That realization is changing how people approach their businesses, and that's a really healthy evolution.
Carrying Forward Lessons into 2026
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Kristin Kienzle: As we move into 2026, there are a lot of good things from 2025 worth carrying forward.
One of those is a more realistic understanding of pace. People are paying attention to how their energy moves through the week. They're designing schedules that allow for focus and recovery. Something often overlooked. They're building routines that are sustainable over time.
Another thing people are carrying forward is clarity around their priorities. They care about what matters most and what actually moves the needle, and they're also figuring out what doesn't need as much attention there. Also growing appreciation for consistency, [00:06:00] showing up reliably, delivering great experiences, and building trust over time.
Consistency isn't flashy, but it's incredibly powerful and it's something clients really respond to.
The Power of Consistency and Calm
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Kristin Kienzle: As I look ahead, 2026 looks like a year of steadiness, a year where businesses feel more grounded. A year where professionals feel confident in the choices they're making. Consistency will continue to matter, not just consistency and posting on social media and marketing, but consistency in the experiences they're providing.
Clients value, knowing what to expect. They appreciate clear communication. They appreciate reliable schedules and thoughtful service. Calm businesses are also going to continue to stand out. Calm Creates clarity. Calm creates better decisions, [00:07:00] calm allows growth without burnout. More professionals are also realizing that success doesn't require being booked solid at all times. It requires being aligned, aligned with the right clients, aligned with the right pace, and aligned with the right environment.
That alignment is what creates longevity. Growth is still very important and ambition is still important, but the way people are thinking about growth is what's changing. Growth isn't just about adding more, it's about strengthening what's already there.
It's about building systems that support expansion when it's wanted, and stability when it's needed. It's about making decisions that serve both the business and the person running it, which is you. That kind of growth feels thoughtful, it feels sustainable, and it's very [00:08:00] empowering.
Redefining Success: Predictability and Space
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Kristin Kienzle: One of the things that makes me most optimistic is how success is being redefined. Success looks like predictability. It's knowing what your income generally looks like. It's knowing what your schedule feels like week to week, month to month, and it's knowing what your energy can handle success looks like.
Enjoying your work, feeling present with your clients, and feeling proud of the experiences you provide. It's feeling good at the end of the day. Success looks like space. Space to think, space to plan, and most importantly, space to enjoy life outside of work. That's not a smaller vision. It's a more mature one.
Community and Environment: Keys to Professional Growth
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Kristin Kienzle: Another important shift is how much community and environment matter. The ride environment supports focus. It supports professionalism and it supports growth.
The right community offers encouragement [00:09:00] without pressure. It creates connection without comparison. It allows people to grow alongside one another. More professionals are being intentional about where and how they work, and that intention shows, it shows in their confidence, in their consistency, and it shows in their long-term satisfaction.
As we step into 2026, there's a lot to feel good about. The industry is evolving. Independent beauty professionals are becoming more confident, more intentional, and more grounded.
There's less urgency to do everything and more focus on doing the right things. Well, that shift creates space for creativity, growth, and for enjoyment, and that is a powerful place to be.
Final Thoughts: Building a Business That Supports You
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Kristin Kienzle: As you look ahead to 2026, I want you to know this.
You don't need a complete overhaul. You [00:10:00] don't need to invent. You don't need a complete overhaul. You certainly don't need to reinvent yourself. And you don't need to prove anything. What you need is permission to build a business that actually supports you, A business that feels steady, a business that feels thoughtful, and something you can grow inside of, not constantly manage around.
The professionals who will feel the most confident this year won't necessarily be the busiest or the loudest on social media. They'll be the ones who choose intentionally, who protected their energy and who built a structure that works for them. So here's the question I want you to carry into the new year.
What would it look like to design your business around how you want to live, not just how you want to work. If you start there, the rest gets much simpler. Thank you for spending this time with me. [00:11:00] If these ideas and concepts resonate with you and provide a vision for something better, you'll want to be sure you are subscribed. We are going to have conversations all year long with guests who are implementing this into their lives businesses. So be ready to continue building a business that serves you less chaos, more control.
I can't wait to see what you build next.