How Michelle Golden Opened A Salon For $35K—and Built A Waitlist In 90 Days Stylist Soul Tribe Conversations podcast

How Michelle Golden Opened a Salon for $35K—and Built a Waitlist in 90 Days

3M ago 34:26

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In this deeply inspiring episode, I’m joined by longtime Stylist Soul Tribe member and salon owner, Michelle Golden, for a powerful conversation about grit, growth, and building a beauty business with heart.

Michelle takes us behind the scenes of her journey—from being a shy, self-doubting booth renter to launching Salon Au in Ankeny, Iowa, with only $35K… and filling all five chairs within three months.

We go deep. Michelle opens up about:

The childhood trauma that shaped her resilience
What it really took to fund her salon (including a $10K client donation!)
Why she refuses to operate like a traditional landlord-style booth rental owner
Her unique “Golden Experience” brand philosophy
The launch of her Golden Ticket marketing campaign inspired by Taylor Swift
And how she’s leading with transparency, community, and pure gold-level service

Whether you're dreaming of salon ownership or reinventing your culture, this episode will light a fire in you.

📲 Connect with Michelle:

Instagram: @michellegoldenhairstylist
Salon: Salon Au, Ankeny, IA
Want to reach out or ask questions? Slide into her DMs—she’s an open book!

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