Maria Fontana Show Notes:

**Introduction**
- Host introduces Maria Fontana, a 30+ year salon owner turned online coaching consultant, who shares her wisdom on mindset and success in the beauty industry.

**About Maria Fontana (00:00:54 - 00:02:36)**
- Maria Fontana is a veteran salon owner, hairstylist, and online coaching consultant.
- She emphasizes the diverse avenues in the beauty industry beyond traditional salon work.
- Maria highlights her journey, including hardships, success, reinvention, and the importance of inner healing and mindset work.

**Getting Started in the Salon World (00:02:36 - 00:03:37)**
- Maria started her career after attending a vocational school with the goal of making money quickly.
- She opened her first salon at 19 and emphasizes the importance of knowing oneself and staying true to personal values.
- Maria shares her experience of losing everything in a divorce, reinventing herself, and the value of resilience in the industry.
**Adapting to Changes in the Industry (00:04:00 - 00:08:17)**
- Maria discusses the transformation of the beauty industry over the years.
- She emphasizes the significance of personal branding, especially through Google Business, as a million-dollar secret to growing a salon brand locally.
- Maria advises stylists to simplify their online presence and marketing strategies for consistency.
- The importance of knowing your ideal client and specializing in a niche is discussed.
**Engaging Clients for Referrals (00:08:52 - 00:10:56)**
- Maria emphasizes the importance of personal development in building a successful salon business.
- She shares strategies for engaging clients in conversations about referrals and how to offer value without discounting services.
- Maria highlights the significance of mindset and inner work to navigate challenges and criticisms in the industry.
**Finding Your Niche (00:11:52 - 00:16:49)**
- Maria explains how one's niche may change over time and suggests finding what feeds the soul and feels authentic.
- She encourages stylists to be clear about who they are talking to, focusing on specialized services.
- The importance of collaborating with salon leaders and being in the right salon environment is emphasized.
**Being Featured in Salon Today (00:17:14 - 00:20:36)**
- Maria shares her experience of being featured in Salon Today and how it felt like a dream come true.
- She expresses gratitude for the opportunity to touch more lives and help others with her message.

**Books and Charity Work (00:20:36 - 00:23:48)**
- Maria discusses her books, including "Love and Light," her journey of healing, and two bestsellers written with other authors.
- The books focus on personal growth, creating joy, and making a positive impact.
- Maria emphasizes her mission to give back to communities and charities through book sales.
**Motivational Quote (00:23:48 - 00:24:23)**
- Maria shares her motivational quote: "What you think of me is none of my business."
- The quote encourages focusing on personal growth, intuition, and forward-looking goals, rather than external opinions.
**Next Steps and Mission (00:24:49 - 00:26:58)**
- Maria's mission is to expand and help beauty and wellness professionals create additional streams of income.
- She emphasizes the need for professionals to think bigger, offering examples like private labels, online courses, coaching, and consulting.
**Closing and Where to Find Maria (00:26:58 - End)**
- Maria provides information on where to find her online, including her website, podcast, and various social media platforms.
*Note: Timestamps are approximate and may vary slightly.*