In this episode of Cutting Through the Noise, Hayley Mears catches up with co-host Stephanie Mason for a candid, unscripted check-in on a huge year for both of them — from brand scaling and business exits to the AI education boom reshaping the salon industry.

Stephanie shares what's been happening since wrapping her contract at Cloud Nine earlier this year, and how she's poured her energy back into Global Brand Connect, the agency she runs with business partner Jen. She walks through the wave of new brands she's brought on board — including Amali (skincare), Karin (accessories), Malia, Wild by Oscar Oscar, Public (Netherlands) and Flo (Canada) — and explains why she deliberately keeps her client roster small: strict confidentiality, deep due diligence, and a refusal to spread herself too thin across competing brands. She also opens up about ...