{"podcast":{"title":"Grow My Salon Business Podcast","slug":"grow-my-salon-business-podcast-758002","podcast_index_feed_id":758002,"rss_url":"https://feeds.transistor.fm/grow-my-salon-business-podcast","website_url":"https://growmysalonbusiness.com","image_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/lW0WZ-18vPmWdJ3dOYmF1alivkMsOJIwXwt7L8FmAiQ/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:1400/h:1400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9zaG93/LzQ3MzgwLzE3MDEz/NDU5OTQtYXJ0d29y/ay5qcGc.jpg","author":"Antony Whitaker","episode_count":354,"summary":"I know that being in business isn’t always easy. Along with the many highs and ‘a ha’ moments it can sometimes be soul destroying, frustrating and a very lonely place to be. Being a business owner is one of life’s greatest educations and it gives you two clear choices, either you continually learn, adapt and grow, or you resist change, stagnate and perish. We live in ever changing and sometimes challenging times, so being informed and constantly inspired is more important than ever. Join Antony Whitaker talking to thought leaders on the business side of the hairdressing industry discussing insightful, provocative and inspiring ideas that matter. Get ready to learn, get ready to be challenged, get ready to be inspired and most importantly get ready to grow your salon business!","last_synced_at":"2026-06-30T16:23:08.674425+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/grow-my-salon-business-podcast-758002"},"episode":{"title":"348 How to Use AI in Your Salon Without Losing the Human Touch with Frank Westerbeke","slug":"348-how-to-use-ai-in-your-salon-without-losing-the-human-touch-with-frank-westerbeke","published_at":"2026-05-19T09:51:55+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/grow-my-salon-business-podcast-758002/348-how-to-use-ai-in-your-salon-without-losing-the-human-touch-with-frank-westerbeke","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/grow-my-salon-business-podcast-758002","url":"https://growmysalonbusiness.com/podcast/348","audio_url":"https://media.transistor.fm/f49c180f/a88ab0ae.mp3","summary":"AI in the salon industry is moving fast, and most salon owners genuinely don't know where to start. My guest this week is Frank Westerbeke, co-owner of Gadabout and VerVe, a multi-generational salon group with six locations and nearly 300 staff in Tucson, Arizona. Frank's been using AI across his business for years, not just for Instagram captions, but for people management, financial analysis, team communication, and the client experience. What you'll hear in this conversation will make AI feel far less intimidating. Frank is not a tech person. He's a salon person. And the way he talks about AI, as a bridge, not a replacement, will shift how you think about it. IN THIS EPISODE: [00:00] Introduction: AI in the salon industry and what's at stake [01:04] Meet Frank Westerbeke, co-owner of Gadabout and VerVe [02:09] Running 6 salons and 300 staff, Frank's role as the human connector [04:14] How Frank uses AI voice on the drive to a salon before a tough conversation [06:44] Why Frank gave his managers permission to use AI and what changed [10:23] Turning managers into leaders with AI as the bridge [18:07] Why Frank's marketing team uses AI to enhance creativity, not replace it [22:45] The client experience: where AI helps and where the human must stay [27:00] Using AI to free up human connection in the salon [41:42] Frank's advice for salon owners who haven't started yet RATINGS + REVIEWS 🙏 Thanks so much for joining me this week. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show and help other people find my podcast. I love to hear what's been helpful and what you love about the podcast! Thank you for your support! Until next time! Antony RESOURCES MENTIONED IN…","meta_description":"AI in the salon industry is moving fast, and most salon owners genuinely don't know where to start. My guest this week is Frank Westerbeke, co-owner of Ga…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":2811,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/grow-my-salon-business-podcast-758002/episodes/348-how-to-use-ai-in-your-salon-without-losing-the-human-touch-with-frank-westerbeke/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/grow-my-salon-business-podcast-758002/348-how-to-use-ai-in-your-salon-without-losing-the-human-touch-with-frank-westerbeke.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}