It’s 2008, and a retail manager with no hairdressing background convinces his parents to lend him money for a salon purchase. Two days. That’s all it took. Then the Global Financial Crisis hits just as the keys trade hands, and most people would’ve called it a disaster. But Brendon saw it differently.

Today, Epic Hair Designs operates 18 salons across Brisbane and the Gold Coast, employing over 200 hairdressers and apprentices, and has become a blueprint for building a thriving multi-location beauty business in an increasingly competitive market. In this episode of Growth Diaries, Brendon Mann, Owner and Director at Epic Hair Designs, shares the full story.

What You’ll Learn:

Why Epic Hair redefined the salon experience around busy professionals' needs
The academy model for talent retention
How to leverage partnerships for exponential marketing ROI
Why Epic Hair adopted Qantas-style membership structures integrated with CRM systems
AI as an operational multiplier

Brendon Mann is the Owner and Director of Epic Hair Designs, a luxury, affordable salon chain with 18 locations across Brisbane and the Gold Coast, servicing over 200 hairdressers and apprentices. With a background in retail management at major corporations like Big W and Woolworths, Brendon transformed his entrepreneurial vision into a thriving salon empire by focusing on operational excellence, staff development, and community impact.

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Chapters:

[00:00] Introduction
[01:30] From One Salon to 18
[02:58] The Side Hustle That Became a Franchise
[05:17] Why Time Is the Real Luxury
[07:33] Solving the Talent Problem with an In-House Academy
[11:50] The Real Growth Engine
[14:10] Philanthropy That Drives 600+ New Clients per Week
[16:19] Stealing Playbooks From Airlines and Hotels
[18:25] Membership Models That Drive Loyalty
[20:42] The Founder Trait That Matters Most
[25:47] Growing Without Investors
[27:13] Replacing HR with AI
[30:31] Why Social Media Isn’t The Main Growth Channel
[31:38] Why Brendon Wouldn’t Start a Salon Today
[32:27] Final Thoughts

Previous guests include: Matt Maroone of Silver Mirror Facial Bar, Shabana Karim of House of Enspa, Marilyne Gagne of Dermapure, Smita Vallurupalli & Shashank Kancharla of Bubbles Hair & Beauty and Old School Rituals, Rob Peetoom of Rob Peetoom Salon.

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