What happens when the hardest season of your life becomes the foundation for your strongest one?

In this deeply honest and reflective conversation, Abbe from Koko Cosmetica returns to the podcast two years after her first appearance, and she is not the same woman. Since we last spoke, she’s navigated postpartum depression, grown her salon to five years strong, welcomed a third baby, survived the FIFO juggle, and stepped into a calmer, more grounded version of herself as both a mother and business owner.

We talk honestly about postpartum mental health, delegation in business, the pressure to keep expanding, sustainable systems, and the uncomfortable truth that growth often requires letting go.

If you are a mother in business, a salon owner feeling stretched, or a woman quietly navigating your own hard season, this one will feel like a hand on your back.

What we cover:

1. The reality of postpartum depression as a business owner
2. Why discomfort is often the birthplace of growth
3. Letting go of a business idea that no longer fits
4. Delegation as both leadership and self protection
5. Creating sustainable systems in motherhood and business
6. The power of separating work and home energy

This episode is a reminder that you can survive the mud, grow through it, and come out clearer, calmer, and stronger on the other side.

Timestamps:

00:00 Episode Summary

04:03 Meet Abbe Again: Five Years in Business, FIFO Life & New Baby

05:44 Putting Projects Down: Pausing the Clothing Brand to Focus

07:43 Choosing Baby #3 After Postpartum Depression Fears

11:31 A Healing Postpartum

13:53 Spotting the Signs: Anger, Overwhelm & Business Pressure

20:37 Sustainable Business Habits: Delegation, Stock & Systems

29:12 Motherhood + Business Balance: Separation, Routines & Small Wins

33:04 Ditching Social Media - Replacing Scroll Time with Podcasts

34:13 The 1% Reminders That Change Your Day

35:18 Family Systems That Save Your Sanity

36:49 Delegation Without Perfection

42:27 Close the Loops: Tackle One Annoying Area to Build Momentum

43:57 Why Uncertainty Is Needed to Level Up

48:06 Seasons of Business

50:33 Putting Projects Down and Staying True to You

55:02 Redefining Success & Legacy

Mentioned in this episode:

🎧 Event Spotlight: THIS GENERATION

THIS GENERATION, presented by Monique McMahon, is a one-day, industry-led education experience bringing together three hair artists and three unique creative perspectives.

Joining Monique on the day are Taylah Jones and UK award-winning colourist Luci Green, sharing modern technique, global trends and ideas you can take straight back behind the chair.

The day also includes a business and mindset conversation supported by Salon Rising, with Jen and Samara attending on the day.

📍 Edwards & Co Fortitude Valley
🗓 Monday, 2 March 2026

🎟 Tickets are limited — find all the details via the link below 👇

Loneliness is something we don’t talk about enough in our industry, yet it’s quietly impacting our health, our work, and our relationships.

In this solo Mini Moment, Jen reflects on a recent conversation sparked by Ange Davis and a statistic that stopped her in her tracks: loneliness has a similar impact on the body as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. From there, she explores how modern life, business efficiency, and the rise of solo work can unintentionally strip away real human connection.

This episode is a reminder of the unique role salon professionals play. For some clients, the chair is the only place they’re truly seen, heard, or even touched. And while connection can feel inconvenient, loneliness is far more costly. This Mini Moment invites you to pause, reflect, and consider how small acts of presence can profoundly affect both your clients’ wellbeing and your own.

Because in an industry built on human connection, showing up as a human might be the most powerful service you offer.

Mentioned in this episode:

https://www.salonrising.com

💛 A HUGE Thank You to Our Podcast Sponsors - Timely

We’ve partnered with Timely to bring you something special:

➡ Enjoy a 14 day free trial to see how Timely can transform your salon.

➡ New customers get 50% off their first 3 months.

If you've been thinking about levelling up your salon systems, this is your moment. Timely is designed specifically for salons. Helping you manage bookings, clients, staff, and more with ease.

Use the code SALONRISING at checkout or click the link below to to claim the offer. 👇

Timely

🎧 Event Spotlight: THIS GENERATION

THIS GENERATION, presented by Monique McMahon, is a one-day, industry-led education experience bringing together three hair artists and three unique creative perspectives.

Joining Monique on the day are Taylah Jones and UK award-winning colourist Luci Green, sharing modern technique, global trends and ideas you can take straight back behind the chair.

The day also includes a business and mindset conversation supported by Salon Rising, with Jen and Samara attending on the day.

📍 Edwards & Co Fortitude Valley
🗓 Monday, 2 March 2026

🎟 Tickets are limited — find all the details via the link in the show notes.

This Generation

In this episode of Salon Rising: The Podcast, Sam and Jen sit down with the amazing Chantelle from Telleish for an honest, expansive conversation about what it truly takes to build and lead a large salon business, without losing yourself along the way. From humble beginnings and major personal sacrifice to creating one of Melbourne’s most iconic salons, Chantelle shares the reality behind the growth most people only see from the outside.

Together, they unpack the identity shift from hairdresser to leader, the emotional weight of managing big teams, pricing with confidence, paying stylists well, and why heart led business can be both your superpower and your biggest challenge. Chantelle also opens up about motherhood, stepping back from the floor, navigating staff turnover, and building systems that allow a salon to scale sustainably while still feeling human.

This episode is a grounded, real look at leadership, money, team culture, and long term thinking, especially for salon owners questioning what “success” actually looks like in this season of their life.

What we cover

1. The identity shift from stylist to leader (and why it can feel like grief)
2. Building and sustaining a large team without burning out
3. Pricing, profitability, and the roadmap to higher stylist earnings
4. Why not everyone will like you — and why that’s part of leadership
5. Creating a “salon for life” model that supports clients through every season

This episode is proof that there’s no single “right” way to build a salon. But there is a way to build one that feels rich in life, aligned with your values, and sustainable for the long haul.

Timestamps

00:00 Episode Summary

01:59 Guest Introduction

05:41 The Story Behind Telleish

09:56 Expanding and Innovating the Salon

22:44 Leadership and Team Management

30:00 Navigating Challenges and Personal Growth

41:30 Building Trust in the Workplace

41:46 The Importance of Team Loyalty

43:04 Challenges in the Hair Industry

44:00 Raising Prices to Elevate the Industry

44:48 Investing in Employee Growth

49:45 Balancing Business and Personal Life

55:06 Navigating Financial Challenges

58:26 Adapting to Industry Changes

1:12:22 The Value of Team Diversity

1:17:22 Concluding Thoughts and Future Plans

Mentioned in this episode:

https://www.salonrising.com

🎧 Event Spotlight: THIS GENERATION

THIS GENERATION, presented by Monique McMahon, is a one-day, industry-led education experience bringing together three hair artists and three unique creative perspectives.

Joining Monique on the day are Taylah Jones and UK award-winning colourist Luci Green, sharing modern technique, global trends and ideas you can take straight back behind the chair.

The day also includes a business and mindset conversation supported by Salon Rising, with Jen and Samara attending on the day.

📍 Edwards & Co Fortitude Valley
🗓 Monday, 2 March 2026

🎟 Tickets are limited —...