Building Profitable People First Salons That Actually Last – Exclusive Interview with Nina Tulio
- Brainz Magazine
- 5 days ago
- 6 min read
Nina Tulio is a respected voice in salon business education, blending people-first leadership with real-world, profit-driven strategies. With 28 years in the industry, including 20 years behind the chair and 11 as a salon owner, she now teaches entrepreneurs how to grow with confidence and clarity. As Oligo Professionnel’s Business Education Ambassador, she is committed to elevating small businesses one leader at a time.
Nina Tulio, Business Coach/Motivational Speaker
Who is Nina Tulio?
Nina Tulio is a former salon owner turned global business educator, speaker, mentor, and Business Education Ambassador for Oligo Professionnel, a leading color brand based in Canada. With nearly three decades in the beauty industry, Nina has spent the last 9 years helping beauty professionals build sustainable, profitable, people-first businesses.
With 20 years behind the chair, 8 years as a multi-salon executive, and 11 years as a commission-salon owner, Nina blends real-world experience with data-driven strategy to teach stylists and owners how to grow without losing themselves in the process.
She is known for her compassionate, no-fluff approach to leadership, pricing, and profitability and her belief that profit is personal, people matter, and every beauty pro deserves a business that supports the life they want, not the other way around.
What inspired you to transition from salon owner to business coach and educator?
Honestly, it wasn’t part of some glamorous master plan. I became a coach because I became the salon owner who almost lost everything. I hit a point where I was burned out, drowning in responsibility, and running a “busy” salon that wasn’t actually profitable. I knew how to inspire my team, but I didn’t understand the “why” behind my numbers and it nearly took me out.
Once I rebuilt my business using simple financial systems, people-first leadership, and dialing in my brand, everything changed. My salon became profitable, my team grew, and, more importantly, I felt like myself again.
I realized this is what stylists and owners needed, someone who could translate the hard business side into something simple, warm, and human. That’s what pulled me into education, helping others avoid the mistakes I lived through.
What is the single biggest mistake salon owners make when it comes to pricing their services?
They price based on feelings, fear, or comparison, not facts and data. Most owners “pick a number” instead of building a menu tied to time, product cost, and the actual expenses of running a salon.
And when you guess at your prices, you guess at your profit. The result? Busy days… with no money left at the end of the month. Pricing is not emotional, it’s a business strategy. It’s the foundation of profit. And most owners don’t realize how much money they’re losing until we run the numbers together.
How does your coaching approach help stylists and salon owners turn busy schedules into real profit?
I teach them to stop chasing more and start focusing on better. Better pricing. Better timing. Better decisions. Better systems. Inside my programs, we break down their P&L, their pricing structure, their timing, and the daily habits that are silently draining profit. Then we rebuild their business using my 3-Part Pricing & Profit System based on data, not guesswork.
The result? They work the same hours, serve the same clients, but keep significantly more money because every service is finally priced with intention.
What does “pricing with intention” mean and why is it vital for salon owners?
Pricing with intention means every service price is rooted in:
your time
your product
your total business expenses
your target profit
Not your fear.
Not your competition.
Not “what you think clients will pay.”
It’s vital because intention gives you clarity, and clarity gives you confidence. When your pricing is aligned with your business reality, you stop questioning yourself, stop undercharging, and finally pay yourself what you deserve.
How do you help independent artists or commission salon owners confidently lead their business to profitability?
I teach them how to lead with clarity, not chaos.
Profit isn’t just about money, it’s about the systems, habits, and decisions that support it. My approach blends:
finance
leadership
culture
communication
Systems and structure
We build a business that doesn’t just make money, but makes sense. When an owner understands their numbers and their people, their confidence skyrockets, and profit follows.
What systems or strategies do you teach to help salon owners scale without burning out?
I focus on building a repeatable, predictable business through:
documented systems
accountability structures
pricing aligned with profit
clear roles + responsibilities
simple financial routines
Monthly clarity meetings
forecasting + goal planning
Scaling doesn’t require more hustle. It requires more structure.
How do you help salon owners build a salon culture that attracts top talent and keeps them motivated?
Culture isn’t a vibe, it’s a system.
I help owners create cultures that are:
clear
consistent
communicative
People-first and heart-led
grounded in fair standards
When a team knows what the standard is, trusts leadership, feels included and valued, and feels supported, they don’t just stay, they show up stronger and more engaged. The byproduct of a healthy culture? Happy engaged employees, higher retention. Consistent Growth, and predictable profit.
What kind of mindset shift do stylists need to go from “just surviving” to thriving as business owners?
The shift from “I’m just a stylist” to “I’m a business.” Thriving requires understanding:
your value
your numbers
your boundaries
your schedule
your profit
your leadership
Once a stylist sees themselves as a business leader, not just a service provider, everything changes: income, confidence, and most importantly, clarity for their future.
How have your own experiences, including debt and burnout, shaped the advice you give to clients now?
Deeply. When I say “I understand,” I don’t mean it lightly. I’ve lived the fear. The debt. The shame. The burnout. The anxiety. I’ve rebuilt from the bottom more than once. My first year in business, I had $800 left in my bank account. I somehow landed a paid ad in the newspaper, and thankfully it brought in a wave of new clients that kept us afloat.
But by year five, during the 2009 recession, I was $90K in debt, and I had to sell my home just to keep my salon open. I made a lot of mistakes, and the turning point wasn’t luck… It was accountability.
Once I held myself accountable, really accountable, everything shifted. My team and I were committed to rebuilding. That meant networking events, showing up in our community, and creating a brand that people remembered and trusted. And it worked.
From year 6 to year 11 (when I sold my salon), we grew 20-30% in revenue every year and went from zero profit to 17-23% net profit. Those tough seasons became my greatest teachers, and honestly, I’m grateful for them. Because of that journey, I teach with compassion and clarity.
I will never forget the human behind the business. Yes, I help beauty pros build profit. But I also help them protect their peace, confidence, and purpose, because sustainable success requires all three.
For a stylist who feels overwhelmed by finances and growth planning, what is the first step you recommend?
Start with one thing, your budget. Before you touch your pricing, your marketing, or your long-term goals, you need a clear understanding of what your business actually costs to run. A budget gives you the truth, not the emotional version, not the “I think I’m okay” version, but the real numbers that show where your money is going and what your business needs to grow.
From there, the next step is learning how to read your P&L (Profit & Loss statement). Most owners avoid it because they think it’s complicated, but once you understand it, your entire business becomes easier. Your P&L shows you what’s profitable, what’s draining you, and what needs to shift.
When you have a budget and a P&L working together, everything becomes clearer:
What you should charge
What you can afford
Where you’re overspending
How much profit you’re actually keeping
What growth looks like financially, not just emotionally
It’s not about becoming a finance expert overnight.
It’s about building a foundation that makes every decision easier, and helps you grow with confidence instead of fear.
Why should a stylist or salon owner reach out to you today if they want lasting, profitable change?
Because I’ve been exactly where they are, overwhelmed, underpaid, guessing, and doing everything I could just to stay afloat. I don’t teach from theory.
I teach from experience… the kind that comes from rebuilding my business more than once, digging out of debt, navigating a recession, and learning how to grow a salon without losing myself in the process. That’s why my approach isn’t about pushing harder or hustling more. It’s about giving beauty pros the two things I never had in the beginning:
Clarity and a real system that supports them, financially, emotionally, and sustainably. When someone works with me, they get a partner who understands the numbers and the human behind them. Someone who knows how scary money can feel… but also how empowering it becomes once you finally understand it.
If a stylist or salon owner is ready for a business that feels profitable, peaceful, and purposeful, then I’m ready to walk that path with them. Lasting change doesn’t come from hustle. It comes from clarity, support, and a strategy built for your life. And that’s exactly what I help them create.
Want more tools, education, and guidance to build a profitable, people-first business? Click here to check out my website or connect with me on Instagram.
