Building the Dream While Running the Business – with Sara Briscoe

There's a particular kind of calm that only comes after years in the trenches.In this episode, Sam and Jen sit down with the brilliant Sara Briscoe from Roca Verde, an 18 year salon owner, country girl turned Sunshine Coast icon, and one of the most refreshingly real voices in the industry right now.Sara has built, sold, renovated and rebuilt her way through nearly two decades of business, and she brings all of it to this conversation without filters, without fluff, and with a lot of heart.They talk about what it actually looks like to build a salon from the ground up, from a tiny 50 square metre space called Blondies to the stunning Roca Verde, and now into the next chapter with a brand new build in the works. But this episode goes well beyond bricks and mortar. It gets into the stuff that lives underneath the beautiful feed and the full appointment book. The real cost of running a big team, why wages to sales ratios matter more than most people realise, and why so many salon owners are still undercharging and burning out because of it.This is also a deeply human conversation about leadership, letting go, and learning to love the season you are in. Whether that is a season of growth, a season of stillness, or a season of just holding it all together while a new dream takes shape behind the scenes.What we coverSara's journey from country Queensland to building one of the Sunshine Coast's most recognised salonsWhat it really takes to buy, build and renovate salon spaces over 18 yearsSelling a building you love and starting again from scratchWages, pricing and why knowing your numbers changes everythingThe tiered pricing model that brought wages to sales back into a healthy rangeHiring for the person, not just the skill setWhy a bad culture fit can rock an entire businessThe apprentice conversation the industry needs to be havingLearning to let your people go with grace and prideWhy it is not that deep, and how that mindset shift changes everythingThere is one thing that has stayed consistent across 18 years of building, selling, hiring, losing, laughing and starting again. And that is Sara.This episode is a reminder that you are the constant. Everything else is just the season you are in.Timestamps00:00 Episode Summary02:02 Podcast Welcome and Guest04:54 Warts and All Growth09:55 From Country to Salon Owner12:42 Building Roca Verde Empire17:29 Designing The All Space20:43 Selling Up and Staff Trust23:52 New Site and Pop Up Plan30:08 Family Priorities and Burnout33:49 Apprentices vs Freelancers39:20 TikTok vs Instagram Comments39:52 Wages Salon Misconceptions41:03 Apprentice Pipeline Crisis44:57 Pricing Value Perception48:15 Raising Prices Without Guilt54:02 Tiered Pricing Know Numbers01:00:43 Hiring Culture Retention01:06:05 Letting Staff Leave Well01:09:34 Its Not That Deep WrapMentioned in this episode:💖 Celebrating Our Podcast Partner – Christophe Robin, proudly distributed by McM ImportsWe’ve partnered with Christophe Robin and MCM Imports to bring you something beautiful:➡ Experience the Christophe Robin Discovery Box — curated by pro ambassador Monique McMahon.➡ Inside, you’ll find her handpicked favourites — the hero products she swears by in the salon.It’s your invitation to explore the range and discover why Christophe Robin has become a quiet obsession among stylists who know their craft.Click the link below to request your FREE Christophe Robin Discovery Box, exclusively through McM Imports. 👇MCMhttps://www.salonrising.com💛 A HUGE Thank You to Our Podcast Sponsors - TimelyWe’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