

I’m Ayla, the heart behind It’s More Than a Haircut and the founder of Transcending Trims—an invite-only salon rooted in ritual, beauty, and radical authenticity. After nearly two decades behind the chair, I created this podcast as a space to share the unfiltered truth about life in the beauty industry—the healing, the heartbreak, the power we hold, and the pieces we sometimes lose. This is where we talk about what’s underneath the surface... because hair is never just about hair.

Season 2
Becoming the Main Character
Radical boundaries, raw truths, and reclaiming your identity behind the chair.
Season 2 Episode 14
My Most Empowering Client Moment
(And Why It Changed Everything)
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One client. One quiet cry in my chair. A moment of truth, healing, and why this work is so much more than hair.
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Trigger Warning: pregnancy loss, emotional vulnerability, mental health

COMING SOON
Season 2 Episode 12
Speaking My Truth:
Why My Beliefs Belong in My Business
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Hair holds energy. Let’s talk about beauty rituals, moon phases & sacred space.
Spirituality, peace, and not giving in to fear—what I share and why I speak up.
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Trigger Warning: polarizing beliefs, spiritual deconstruction, emotional boundaries

COMING SOON
Season 2 Episode 10
Yes, There’s a Stripper Pole in My Salon—
And Here’s Why
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Let’s name the guilt, shame, and secrets that hide in beauty spaces.
Art, movement, and unapologetic self-expression all belong in my sacred space.
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Trigger Warning: body image, stigma, sexual expression

COMING SOON
Season 2 Episode 8
I’m More Than a Hairstylist:
Owning Every Layer of My Identity
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You’re allowed to evolve. Here’s how I embraced being more than a stylist.
Wife, mom, creator, healer, artist—how I stopped shrinking to fit one title.


COMING SOON
Season 2 Episode 6
From Hair to Heels:
Why I Started Creating Sexy Content
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The real reason I leaned into content creation and fully embraced my sensual side.
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Trigger Warning: sexual empowerment, societal judgment of sex work/adult content

COMING SOON
Season 2 Episode 4
Why I Left Social Media
(and Nearly My Marriage)
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The year I unplugged, hit rock bottom, and rebuilt everything—from the inside out. The behind-the-scenes reality of being an online creator.
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Trigger Warning: relationship conflict, mental health, emotional breakdown, body image struggles

COMING SOON
Season 2 Episode 2
Back in My Illegal Home Salon:
Building a Business on My Terms
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Why I’m done with hustle culture and built a sacred, invite-only space at home.

COMING SOON
Season 2 Episode 13
The Health Crisis That Forced Me to
Slow Down (and Wake Up)
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How long COVID symptoms and burnout helped me rediscover balance and healing.
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Trigger Warning: chronic illness, long COVID, depression, health anxiety

COMING SOON
Season 3 Episode 11
Why I Won’t Lower My Prices—
Even When People Leave
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If your heart’s in it, you still deserve to be paid. Let’s unlearn the guilt.
Luxury isn’t about money—it’s about boundaries. Here’s why I raised my rates.
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Trigger Warning: rejection, scarcity mindset, financial pressure

COMING SOON
Season 2 Episode 9
How I Fired My Most Toxic Client
(and Reclaimed My Peace)
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Not every client is your forever person. How to know when it’s time to let go.
Firing a client changed my life. Here’s the story—and the exact words I used.
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Trigger Warning: gaslighting, emotional manipulation, anxiety

COMING SOON
Season 2 Episode 7
Coming Out—Again: My Journey Through
Bisexuality, ENM, and Queer Identity
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My story as a bisexual woman in a straight-presenting marriage, and why visibility matters.
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Trigger Warning: biphobia, queer identity, internalized shame, fear of rejection

COMING SOON
Season 2 Episode 5
Why I Took My Kids Off the Internet:
Privacy, Protection & Permission
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Why I stopped sharing my kids online—and why I don’t owe the world their story.
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Trigger Warning: privacy concerns, social media anxiety, parent guilt

COMING SOON
Season 2 Episode 3
No More Babysitting Clients:
Boundaries, Self-Respect, and Moving On
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Why urgent hair requests don’t vibe with my wellness-first business model. I’m not your mom. How I stopped overgiving and started attracting aligned clients.
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Trigger Warning: discussion of anxiety, emotional exhaustion, boundary setting

COMING SOON
Season 2 Episode 1
Why I Quit the Suite:
Surgery, Hustle Culture & Letting Go of Fear
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Let’s talk burnout, surrender, and starting over after a season that nearly broke me.
What I learned when I left something good to find something better for my soul.
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Trigger Warning: medical procedure, mental health burnout

COMING SOON
Season 1
Where It All Began
Loss, legacy, and the stories that shaped my path behind the chair.
Season 1 Episode 17
Haircolor formulas and intellectual property, should a client have access to this information?
Season 1 Episode 13
My words of advice to anyone considering a career in the personal service industry
Season 1 Episode 11
My opinions about how capitalism and popular brands are ruining the beauty industry
Season 1 Episode 9
My mental breakdown after losing 47 reels drafts and the pressures of social media
Season 1 Episode 1
Why I started the It’s More Than a Haircut podcast and my business Transcending Trims
Season 1 Episode 14
Trigger Warning:
Salon stroke and my experience of having a client have a medical emergency during a service
Season 1 Episode 12
Women supporting women in the beauty industry and why men still excel in a primarily female career
Season 1 Episode 8
My experience growing up and hearing that beauty school is for stupid girls
Season 1 Episode 6
Trigger Warning: my first experiences with hairstylists and how it shaped my career, mentions drug abuse and death
Season 1 Episode 2
Trigger Warning: this episode is about the experience of having a client pass away and mentions death