On this episode of Mourning Tea, I’m joined by one of the most impressive salon owners I’ve ever met—Jessica, aka Jess X Ness on Instagram. She’s built not one, not two, but three thriving booth rental salons (plus a skincare studio) in California—and get this: she has a waitlist for stylists who want to work with her.

We talked about what it really takes to build culture, why she still works behind the chair three days a week, how she filters for green flags during interviews, and the vending machine setup I still dream about. If you’ve ever struggled to build—or keep—a team that feels like a team, this one’s for you.