New salons open and close frequently. However, The Glam House's journey from a basement studio to a thriving four-location beauty success offers valuable lessons for ambitious wellness entrepreneurs. Founded by Alexandria Grado in 2016, this Colorado-based beauty sanctuary has transformed the traditional salon model by prioritizing transformation, education, and authentic client connections over simple service delivery. In this episode of Growth Diaries, Alexandria joins host Sudheer Koneru to dive into her story of starting in her basement as a single mom with big dreams and how The Glam House brand champions confidence, mentorship, and magnetic customer experiences that go far beyond hair. Alexandria also shares her philosophies on leadership, expansion, team culture, coaching, KPIs, and why empowering others is at the heart of her success.

In an industry where franchising dominates and customer loyalty is fleeting, Vikram Bhatt’s journey of building Enrich Salons into a 115+ location powerhouse challenges conventional wisdom. What started as a favor to help a friend has transformed into one of India’s largest company-owned salon chains, serving 1.4 million customers annually. But the real story isn’t just in the numbers. It’s in how a corporate finance executive revolutionized the Indian beauty industry through an unexpected combination of systematic processes and emotional intelligence. In this episode of Growth Diaries, Vikram joins host Sudheer Koneru to share the full journey, including how he pioneered subscription-based memberships, built a deep culture of stylist retention, and scaled smart by focusing on depth before breadth. He opens up about business discipline, emotional marketing, performance transparency, and the power of resilience, even during crises like COVID-19.

Creating a lasting beauty and wellness brand requires more than just technical expertise. It demands vision, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to excellence. The story of Bubbles Hair & Beauty and Old School Rituals, founded by Smita Vallurupalli & Shashank Kancharla, exemplifies how maintaining these principles can transform a single salon into a thriving beauty empire. In this episode of Growth Diaries, Smita and Shashank join host Sudheer Koneru to share their journey from launching a single luxury salon to building a multi-location beauty empire and natural skincare brand rooted in traditional Indian beauty practices.

A remarkable transformation story is unfolding in India’s beauty and wellness industry. What began as a passionate hobby in army institutes has evolved into Bodycraft, a pioneering chain of over 25 luxury wellness centers that redefine how we think about beauty, dermatology, and wellness services. At the helm of this evolution is Sahil Gupta, an engineer-turned-entrepreneur who took his mother’s vision and scaled it into something extraordinary. In this episode of Growth Diaries, Sahil joins host Sudheer Koneru to reveal the strategic thinking and operational excellence that have helped Bodycraft pioneer a unique business model combining high-end salon services with medical aesthetics. His journey offers valuable lessons for wellness industry entrepreneurs looking to scale their operations while maintaining service excellence.

Creating a successful beauty and wellness franchise model requires more than just a great concept. It demands systemic execution, data-driven decision-making, and an unwavering focus on customer experience. Aaron Meyers, CEO of Hammer & Nails Grooming Shop for Guys, is proving this through the remarkable growth of his men’s grooming franchise, which has expanded to over 50 locations with plans for 1000 units nationwide. In this episode of Growth Diaries, Aaron sits down with host Sudheer Koneru to discuss how he’s revolutionizing men’s grooming through a membership-first approach. Learn why capacity should drive marketing decisions, how to create a friction-free membership model that keeps customers coming back, and proven strategies for scaling to 1000+ locations.

When it comes to medical aesthetics, one entrepreneur saw beyond the clinical approach that dominated the industry. Nicci Levy, Founder and CEO of Alchemy 43, has transformed the medical spa experience into something more approachable, lifestyle-focused, and empowering. Starting from her early days at makeup counters to building a national brand with nice locations across six markets, her journey offers valuable insights for wellness business owners looking to scale while maintaining quality and brand integrity. In this episode of Growth Diaries, Nicci joins host Sudheer Koneru to share her journey from working at cosmetics counters to building a revolutionary medical aesthetics brand. Discover how she scaled from a $7,000 investment to creating a membership-based beauty empire, leveraging strategic locations, strong referral programs, and consistent customer experiences.

Tommy Nielsen didn’t set out to run a salon empire. With a finance and consulting background, the beauty industry wasn’t on his radar until an unexpected partnership led him to Rodeo, a bold new salon concept in Denmark. Under Tommy’s leadership, Rodeo has expanded to 11 locations, attracted over 20,000 members, and redefined what a salon experience can be. In this episode of Growth Diaries, host Sudheer Koneru sits down with Tommy to explore how approaching the salon business like an entrepreneur, not a hairdresser, changed everything, from building an in-house academy and training stylists from day one to creating a membership experience that keeps 95% of clients coming back.

Jason Yeats didn't start out in the grooming industry. With no background in hair or beauty, launching a men's barbershop chain wasn't the obvious path. But when a friend voiced his frustration with the lack of great options for guys, a spark was lit. What began as a side hustle quickly became G.O.A.T. Haircuts: a bold, membership-based grooming experience built for modern men. In this episode of Growth Diaries, host Sudheer Koneru chats with Jason about scaling from one store to over twenty, why unlimited haircuts were a gamble that paid off, and how G.O.A.T. is redefining confidence, from fresh fades to hormone therapy. From creating a culture where stylists stick around for years to expanding into med spas with the same loyal customer base, Jason shares what it takes to grow a brand rooted in service, systems, and a whole lot of swagger.

Lynn Heublein didn't always know she would lead one of the nation's most trusted aesthetic skin clinics. With roots in tech and consulting, launching SkinSpirit wasn't the obvious next step. However, blending medical expertise with real human care turned out to be exactly where she belonged. Today, SkinSpirit is redefining what it means to feel good in your own skin, combining clinical rigor with a personal touch that keeps clients coming back. In this episode of the Growth Diaries podcast, host Sudheer Koneru sits down with Lynn to explore how she's scaling a brand built on trust, from investing in the best training and safety practices to creating an experience in the best training and safety practices to creating an experience that goes far beyond the treatment room.

Lucan Salem never planned to follow in his father's footsteps. After studying chemistry and auditing at PwC, the last place he imagined landing was back at the salon his father founded nearly 50 years ago. But when legacy called, Lucan answered. Today, HARI’s Hair and Beauty Salon is a multi-location London brand blending old-school craftsmanship with modern leadership. In this episode of the Growth Diaries podcast, host Sudheer Koneru sits down with Lucak to unpack how he's keeping the tradition alive while evolving the business, from building a training-first culture and empowering stylists as entrepreneurs to introducing wellness practices and a grassroots content movement.

When Marilyne Gagné opened her first clinic in Sherbrooke at age 30, she wasn't chasing industry domination; she just saw doctors struggling to manage the business side of medicine and knew she could help. What started as a single clinic with a hands-on founder answering phones has grown into Dermapure, Canada's largest network of premium aesthetic clinics, with 75+ locations and backing from L’Oréal. In this episode of the Growth Diaries podcast, host Sudheer Koneru sits down with Marilyne to discuss her journey from sales to skin, how "positive aging" became her brand philosophy, why empathy is her #1 hiring metric, and how leading with values helped her scale without losing her spark.

When Shabana Karim launched The Nail Spa in Dubai in 2002, she wasn't thinking about scale. She just wanted to create a better experience for women like herself. What began as a single-location nail spa quickly evolved into House of Enspa, a multi-brand beauty empire with nearly 20 luxury locations and over 500 staff. In this episode of the Growth Diaries podcast, host Sudheer Koneru speaks with Shabana about how she went from educator to entrepreneur at age 40, why empathy shaped her customer philosophy, and how she unknowingly scaled long before she knew the term.

In an industry often driven by quick wins and trendy treatments, Silver Mirror Facial Bar exemplifies the value of a long-term approach. The result? From a single location in New York, it has grown to a successful multi-market business. What's their secret? In this episode of the Growth Diaries podcast, host Sudheer Koneru is joined by Matt Maroone, Co-founder and CEO of Silver Mirror Facial Bar, to explore the company's successful facial bar concept that's revolutionizing skincare services.

What began as a modest clinic founded by his parents is now a 17+ location strong brand built on trust, tech, and tenacity. In this episode, Arpit Goel, CEO of Berkowits Hair & Skin Clinic, shares the inside story of the brand’s evolution—from its humble roots to becoming a go-to name in India’s fast-growing aesthetic market.Arpit discusses how he introduced newer treatments, invested in technology to streamline operations, and built a team focused on performance and empathy. He also opens up about franchise expansion, consumer trust in clinical results, and the future of AI in personalized skincare.

After a back injury left her in constant pain, Shane Evans set out to build the wellness experience she wished existed—affordable, consistent, and high-quality self-care. In this episode, the Co-founder & CEO of Heights Wellness Retreat (formerly Massage Heights) shares how she turned personal pain into a 100+ location brand. From launching a disruptive $49.99 membership model to leading through crises and rebranding, Shane’s story is a powerful lesson in purpose-driven growth. 

In this episode of Growth Diaries, Sudheer Koneru (CEO, Zenoti) dives into a conversation with Vanessa Yakobson, the visionary behind Blo Blow Dry Bar’s explosive growth. Vanessa opens up about her non-traditional path into beauty, the bold bets that paid off, and how staying obsessive about guest experience and consistency helped shape Blo into a household name. She discusses how franchising became the vehicle for scale, how brand values and culture are maintained across 100+ locations, and how tech enables elevated service delivery. Whether you're an aspiring founder, franchise owner, or brand leader—Vanessa’s story is packed with honest insights and actionable inspiration

How do you take a single gym concept and scale it into a 5,000+ location global franchise? In this episode of Growth Diaries, Dave Mortensen, Co-Founder of Anytime Fitness and Purpose Brands (previously Self Esteem Brands), shares his journey of disrupting the fitness industry with a 24/7 gym model and a relentless focus on culture, execution, and people-first leadership. Now leading Purpose Brands, Dave continues to help businesses grow with impact. He dives into the importance of purpose-driven leadership, scaling with the right values, and building a brand that stands the test of time.

Kyla Dufresne shares how she turned bartending tips into a beauty empire. She reveals her scrappy, grassroots marketing tactics, the power of community-driven growth, and how introducing laser hair removal transformed her business. Kyla also dives into franchising lessons, leadership insights, and the importance of brand culture in scaling a company.

Sisters Manda Mason and Lauren Vesler turned a gut feeling into The W Nail Bar, a thriving beauty brand built on clean beauty, employee care, and exceptional customer service. With no outside investors, they scaled their business while staying true to their values. In this episode of Growth Diaries, they share their journey of bootstrapping success, prioritizing people, and redefining the nail salon experience.

From stock markets to skincare, Molly Lyons took an unconventional path to entrepreneurship. In this episode, she shares how her personal struggle with acne led her to leave a corporate career, earn an MBA, and become an esthetician—against all odds. Molly launched Oasis Face Bar, a fresh take on skincare that ditches the traditional spa model for quick, high-quality facials in a fun, welcoming space. She opens up about the challenges of business ownership, navigating COVID-19, and why relationships are the core of her brand. Now, with 17+ locations, she’s empowering other women to take the leap into business ownership.