2025 in Review: Chaos, Clarity, and Choosing Joy – with Sam & Jen

Transcript 

This little team is smaller, mighty, and it's something that I've always said, when you have a strong, small team, it's so much more powerful than a huge team.  it's not that I don't love and appreciate you, it's not that you won't get one. I just don't want something else to do in the next 10 weeks.  Life is a really hectic on the other side for me right now. And I feel really grateful that the salon has really become my safe space.

 I have told my little ones, I'm like, no. They're like, are you gonna take us to get Liddy? I'm like, no, not unless you wanna take your parents with you too.

 But I am very, conscious on,

being quiet when it's really noisy. Yeah. And not sharing that stuff

 You share from your scars, not your wounds. Yeah. And it's really important.

 Tomorrow's gonna come with its problems anyway.

Why worry about its problems today?  So true.

  📍 Change it up, pivot. Stop being so stuck in the mud with things because you know it's good for a while, but then it gets to a point where you're like. Okay, well this kind of doesn't feel so great anymore.

 That is the takeaway, friends. Yeah. That we need to pivot in life and in business more joy. And you need to find some joy. Whatever brings you joy

  📍 Before we dive in, just a quick little love note from us. If this podcast has ever made you laugh, cry, think, or feel seen, please hit that subscribe button. It's the easiest way to keep the magic going and it helps us land more incredible guests for you.

Go on back, your girls, subscribe now and let's keep rising together.

 Welcome back to the Inners Sanctum Salon Rising, the podcast. Good morning, Sam. Good morning. It's been a while since I've been on here. It actually has. Hey. Yep. I dunno if we would've perhaps played a few with you on it in between, but it has been a while since we've been sitting in these seats, you and I.

Yep. And then I'm also conscious that when this comes out, we'll be getting pretty close to the pointy end of 2025. And that's insane. Like I was like looking at something before and it was like, yeah, the first three weeks in November, and I was like, oh, that's ages. That's two weeks away. Like we're on Christmas trade.

It's basically Christmas. Yeah, just put your tree up now. I say, yeah, for anyone that's listening to all the things are up because it is Christmas when they're probably listening to this episode, but holy shit, how do we, oh yeah. If we are putting this episode out in November. Then 100% our Christmas things are up.

And we had this conversation the other day in the salon, like with people over, like, when is it, is it appropriate now to put your tree up? Yeah. And when do you take it down? I'm pretty sure you're exactly the same as me. But do share Samara. When do you put yours up and when do you take it down? November.

Like, yeah, first couple of weeks in November and take it down the day after Christmas. Absolutely. Who still has their tree up? Once Christmas is done, it is done. I just hack it away. So excited to get it up. And I just am that pumped to get it down. I actually am gonna sound like a Grinch, but I just, I'm not ready for Christmas.

I'm not ready for all the shit to come back out. I know it's be, I'm ready for all the things. I'm not ready for the cheer. Like normally I'm like, bring Bump Christmas. I literally feel like the Grinch, like, I'm gonna do all the things. But this is like the time of year that ramps up not only for me in the salon, but.

I have kids that birthdays are in December and, and all the other things that happen. Yeah. Like every single thing that your children do has some form of wrap up. Yeah. Or concert. Yeah. Or something that you have to attend. Or they have to attend. Yeah. At the end of the year, not even at the end of year.

From October starts. Yeah, it starts next week for me until December. Yeah. Yeah. Yep. So it's just like, I don't know, as a mom.

And

as a business owner, I'm just like, I am not ready for this. Do you? 'cause I had this conversation with my girls the other day. I, 'cause I was like, I don't want her, I don't want to do a Christmas party before Christmas.

We're doing Christmas party before Christmas. Is it booked? No. Would've happened by the Times Podcast Up Maybe. Have I done anything about it? No. Am I just gonna wing it? Yes. See, I hate having a Christmas party before Christmas. It just feels like another job for me. It is absolutely another job for me, but I, so we will end up having two Christmas parties this year because we didn't do our Christmas party until Oh, because didn't do until, yeah, that's right.

May, yeah. We went on a cruise. Um, but I really do think that it gives us all, like that weekend's booked out and it's actually just like a weekend where we just chill. Um, and I'm going to try and book it so that I'm not doing too much because otherwise I end up doing Yeah, cooking. It's a lot to organize, book all of that.

Um, so I'm just thinking that we just do breakfast, lunch, and dinner out pretty much because I just don't have the capacity to like, yeah. Cook and organize and yeah, I'd rather just go and like hang and do things mate. I don't have the capacity to cook and organize on a day-to-day basis. I don't, there's the last thing I want to do away is do that and I think we're gonna do it here this year.

I think we're just like, we all need a night out. We all need, yeah, like some chill time. We all need some sunshine. Like, so we were like, let's just do a staycation somewhere. Oh, love some sunshine. So yeah, we are absolutely doing it before Christmas, but. It will be very low key and it's not being booked yet.

Yeah. When are you gonna do yours? Uh, like mid to end of January. Yeah. Yeah. Like I just, I said to the girls, I just don't want to Yeah. Add something else. And before, it doesn't mean I don't love you. We are finishing early, you know, like we'll have the kids, the kids. The kids from my work,

absolutely,

absolutely.

The babies all wanna wear Christmas stuff and they want do lots of Christmasy things leading up to Christmas and that's fine. But no, we won't be doing our and it, and I've said to them, it's not that I don't love and appreciate you, it's not that you won't get one. I just don't want something else to do in the next 10 weeks.

So, and they were all cool with that, so that's good. Yeah. But it's also like a vastly different age range. Yes. To be organizing something for, because half of my staff is under the age of 18. Yeah. Yeah. Shit. Know what I mean? That is interesting how you're gonna, yeah. Yeah. See, I've got the,

this

like.

I

don't know, like life looks really, I think we should have almost looked at 20, 20 four's wrap up.

I need to go back and listen to that. Oh, I know. Actually we really do need to go back and listen to that. 'cause that feels like it was one episode ago. Yeah, it really does. Um, and this year's changed even more, but like settled even more. So my team is small. It's the smallest my team's ever been. Um. But so mighty and just like such a good dynamic and such a close team.

And yeah, so my Christmas party is, luckily I can still do those things. Yeah, I can still go get drunk with them. Um, and that's not everyone's cup of tea. Like we were just talking about our colon and having a whole conversation about it and something that we've certainly not done in the past, but. Um, some of my girls have had a big year and they're just like, I just need to go let my hair down.

And I'm like, I absolutely like wholeheartedly agree with that. But yeah, it's interesting with what people do for Christmas parties. I always take them away for a couple of nights, but it's interesting what people do for Christmas parties, especially when they've got such diverse age ranges. Yeah. I dunno what we're gonna be doing, but we are not getting Liddy.

As I have told my little ones, I'm like, no. They're like, are you gonna take us to get Liddy? I'm like, no, not unless you wanna take your parents with you too.

Sorry,

that's not for you yet. Wait a couple of years and then we'll do it. Actually, one of my little ones wants to go horse riding. I'm like, oh my spirit animal.

You. That's a cool one as a horse. So yeah, we'll figure something out. Yeah. Nice. We'll do something cute for the day. Nice. Love that. That's how we started. Yeah. Remember we used to do like cute little activities? Oh, you remember, um, the Lion King? Oh, that was our first Christmas party. I forgot about that.

That was good. That was a great Christmas party. Yeah. See, I. You don't need to do all the big things. I think that's the thing, right? Is you don't have to go over the top, you don't have to do all of the things. And I think you really gotta hone in on like what you're doing, why you're doing, what's gonna make you feel like you're giving rather than giving to feel appreciated.

Yeah. And the same, um, goes with Christmas as a whole. Yes. You know? Yes. And I think we've gotta remember that. Yes. It's just that, you know, it doesn't have to be. Crazy. It doesn't have to be crazy. Absolutely not. So yeah, 2025 wrap up. My golly GI ended this year For anyone. This is gonna be one for of you listening.

I have been in Las Rella for five years, so my lease renewal came available and it almost doubled. Yeah. And for anyone that's like, how. Because I had two five year options. My salon has exclusive use space outside of the salon that is not usable. And yeah, exclusive use that, that you can't use, that I can't use.

Um, and, and when in my first lease, it says that I have the internal area. But when it comes to legal battles, because it still says. So in one section it says the 132 square meters that I lease, but it says like I lease the property. So then the property includes the outdoor area. So it was either I did it or I move.

Yeah, and for anyone that knows me, the idea of moving right now on top of everything else. Um, also right now, like you'd literally have to move before Christmas. That's insane. The 1st of November. Yeah. So it really kind of took me on a journey of what I was doing and how that looks. Because it's like, for anyone that's listening to this, think about your lease doubling.

And my lease to begin with is not like it's 136 now square meters internally. And so that's not already a cheap fair. And then you think about the external space on top of that. So you know that's taking your lease up substantially per year. Oh, for sure. Substantially something that I never, ever, ever thought.

Um, but yeah, it was really a really tough call to make. Because yeah, it was either do it or, and there was a lot of negotiating back and forth, but it was either do it or

out,

and I just don't have the capacity to Yeah, move right now. But it does mean that moving down the track. I am going to start reassessing our space, um, and potentially thinking about moving our basin area and creating some beauty rooms, which are external beauty rooms, not internal beauty rooms.

Yeah. Um, so that it doesn't, no one comes through the salon, they have their own space. It is, yes, definitely something that I'm gonna look at doing down the way. It's just not right now. 'cause I cannot possibly Oh yeah. Find it around that. But yeah, like we always say, when you've got like a business and personal going on, there's a lot going on.

So, you know, I thought my lease was locked up really well, but I had new owners come and take over who are, who do this for a living. Yeah. So it was just like, it absolutely just.

Shot

me in the foot because I just couldn't do anything about it. And they were prepared to take the salon space back of course, because it's amazing.

But yeah, for anyone that's listening those little things on your lease, like you just gotta make sure it's a really locked up tight when it comes to looking at a lease because what is now and what is in five years time could be different

so leasing is an ongoing drama. I actually have someone who rents a room. In my salon. I do find it really helpful. Yes. Like it's only a little, yeah. But I do find that every month that little bit makes a big difference.

It really does. And I have a big space, so it's certainly something we could do and it's certainly is gonna change things up and it will cost me to do the Reno, but I definitely think with having a smaller team now and Nina, or wanting to go back to such a big team, and I absolutely don't, for anyone that's listening, I absolutely don't.

Yeah. Want to go back to the size I ever had ever again. And it's very interesting to look at my numbers and see that my, yeah. This little team is smaller, mighty, and it's something that I've always said, and you've always heard me say, yeah. When you have a strong, small team, it's so much more powerful than a huge team.

And it's just like so many less clients and so much less drama. Yes. And you know, it really, really is so well for me. Other people might feel of that differently, but for me, I've gotta say, most people we speak to do say the bigger the team, the more challenges you have. But then I have a girlfriend who has.

A massive team. Massive. But she's not, she runs it very much like a business. It's not run how I run this place, which is so much of me in it. Um, it's run very, very much like a business. But she, yeah, she's extraordinary. I'll definitely have to get her on the pod. Yeah, for so many reasons, for so many reasons.

Um, but I just think, yeah, for. It's, it's like really looking at how you can adapt in times like this and, and once I got my head around what does this look like? What does this mean for me? What is the additional, how can I cover it? Can I budget it? Because when you first get it, it's like, do you remember me calling you?

And just being like, ah,

yeah.

It's like we can't even burn it down. Yeah.

And once I kind of wrapped my head around all of the things that came with it and how that looks, how it's gonna, again though, for anyone who doesn't know what their selling costs, I would be up absolute. Donkeys Creek, that's not a word, but I would be, I'm trying not these other, I'm trying, I'm praying not to swear at the moment.

I'd be up Schnee's Creek if I didn't know. Yeah, yeah, for sure. What my costs were, because I know like how to handle it, how to make it, how to make that work. What does that look like? Um. So I knew financially, like when I was looking over it, like what I was capable of, but yet it doesn't mean I still won't pivot because I don't want to be spending double on rent.

So it doesn't mean that I can't pivot and I don't have the space to pivot. It's just I can adapt to something and then decide over time, because I also hate making really quick decisions. Yeah. Yeah. That's interesting. You used to love making quick decisions, not quick decisions when it comes to doubling rent.

Yeah. Like.

I'm

also

tired and old. Then I also have three kids that I raise solely financially on my own. Yeah. And a whole lot of life. So, um, I just can't make quick decisions anymore. It's not like you're just like, you know what, just stuff it, I'm just gonna get a new salon. Yeah. But yeah, no, I, I, there is a lot more thought put into things these days, but it's just like the whole, you know, anyone and.

Probably people have noticed we're a lot more quiet on, I'm a lot more quiet on Salon Rising at the moment because life is a really hectic on the other side for me right now. And I feel really grateful that the salon has really become my safe space. Um,

and my team have completely and solely got me. And that's just, you know, it's just never gonna stop.

My nanny texted me this morning and she was like. She told me this morning she was leaving for two weeks. In two weeks on holidays. She's like, sorry, this is coming a bad time. And I was like, if

you waited to take a holiday when it wasn't a bad time for me, babe, you are never taking a holiday ever as long as you live.

And by this time the episode comes out, who knows where my life will be. But we've, had two deaths in our family. We've had

The

legal battles with my ex-husband. We've had the lease increase. , And it's just been like so much in so shorter period of time that, and it comes, you know, it in ebbs and flows.

Things come like this, But

But

This is why I was saying to you the lease section of it was just like, I need to get my head around what this looks like. Yeah. And what it could mean for me financially first, and then once I've got that on and I can deal with that, then there is absolutely no way that right now I'd be like, let's move because.

Like I said, you've gotta take into account, okay, this is over five years. This is how much it costs me to build in the first place. Yeah. This is what would happen if I moved. Moved. That was then, that was then, yeah. That's a whole different scenario now. Yeah. This would happen. Would I move? Like I've gotta find it.

Like there was just so many contributing factors that you've gotta weigh up the good with the bad and sometimes it, yeah. It's like looking at the whole bigger picture and being like, okay. What extent is it gonna get to that I can't handle? And what extent can it, can I actually handle? Yeah. For all those things.

And I think it's important thing to do when it comes to business

is,

you know, you will have these things that come up as a business owner and you've absolutely just gotta like, pause for a minute, look at the outside really whiteboard it or write it down and really look at all of the different factors before you're just like, nah, I'm doing that.

Yeah, I'll just, I'll just move because just moving for me means time off while we rebuild means all that pressure. Like I, this took place, took three months to build. Yeah. And we were still here when we did that. And it was just kind of like, I was in a bit of a ti in a little bit of a, like a hold, like a.

I couldn't not make the decision to stay, but if it financially made more of a sense to do it, it wouldn't mean that I still wouldn't look at all the other options. Yeah. Um, that's literally the essence of pivoting. Yeah. Is looking at all the information. And all the options and then deciding which direction you're gonna go in.

Yeah. Yeah. So, but yeah, I would just say when it comes to leasing and different things like that, there is certain, it's definitely I look back and I go, I wish that was locked up tighter. And I thought it was. Yeah. But

but

I

wish it was locked up tighter, but then I didn't know. So it's like you don't know what you don't know.

Yeah. Hindsight is a wonderful thing. Yeah. You don't dunno what you don't know. Yep. Yeah. Wow. 2025. What a ride. Yeah. They, the last four weeks.

Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. What a year they've been and you know, I thought that, you know, you'd say to me end of 2020, I left my marriage mid 23. Wow. We're end of 25.

I

don't go to court until mid 26.

Yeah. My like final court, who knows if that's gonna be final court? So if you had have told me then that this court battle would be three years, I would've just been like, I would've laughed and been like, no way is this gonna be three years, but we're at, we're gonna be at three years. So that pressure on top of everything else, when you're fighting, not just financially, but you're fighting.

For the most important things in the world, which is your children. Your children. Yeah. Um, on top of the other things and the endless court battles and all the finances that come with that, you know, that's been a ride that I never ever thought I would be on. So, you know, by the time we get to end, end of 2026, I'm hoping that this podcast is like, well, my legal battle's done.

But yeah, who knows? I really, really wish we'd listen to the end of 20 24 1 now. 'cause I like, I like wonder what was happening.

Everything

will be done with that lull. It's not, um, so for anyone else that's going through this type of thing, and I have met, so yeah, many women, um, through work, through church, through so many different areas where I'm like, whoa, I didn't even know how

many

humans were going through this.

How many women were battling the same thing. I see you and I feel you in this because it is such a journey. Yeah. Um, and you do get to a point where you're a little bit more emotionally removed from it. In the beginning I was obviously so emotional about it, like even back on those pods.

I

was so emotional and now I'm only emotional around court time. Yeah. Like when all of that stuff has to be brought back up. But. You know, I do. I've got an amazing lawyer and I do think that in those times, um, even, and it's the same with the lease in these times when it's something that's making you pivot and you don't want to because it feels so awful.

Yeah, there is a reason behind it, and we have to be okay with the fact that we've just, there's, for me, it's God's plan and I have to just be okay with it. But there's a reason why we've gotta pivot and we will look back and go, oh yeah, that makes sense. It's a reason why this legal battle's taken this long.

There's a reason and I will know that, but I've just not, I'm, I don't get to know that right now. When you're up to your arse and alligators, it's hard to remember. You're there to clean the swamp. Exactly right. Yeah. So many alligators right now. Now, mate, I just feel like we've said that too many times over this podcast.

It's been my, my father has said it to me my whole life. So yeah, that's just what we do. So many alligators. Anyway, so that's a whole lot of like, woe is me moment for over here. But I am very, conscious on,

Being quiet when it's really noisy. Yeah. And not sharing that stuff because I don't want to teach when I'm in it. You share from your scars, not your wounds. Yeah. And it's really important. There's been so much that, and I just, yeah. I just don't agree with being like, guys, how are you?

Yeah, you're

was so fabulous. Everything's so good. And I could do that because my salon is wonderful. Yeah. But personally it's been a shit show, so I just don't have the, capacity to get on and be fake, and I just think that wouldn't align for you guys anyway.

Yeah, yeah. Anyway, this is your first year in business, your first full year in business. Yeah. Just about, I'm literally just about to hit the one year mark. How are you feeling? Um, yeah. Good. Yeah. Yeah.

No,

I

am feeling really good. I know I'm a little tired, but,

but,

no, it's, I'm really happy with where we've gone in our first year. Like it's been a busy year. Mm. Definitely gonna make some different choices next year. But. Yeah, I just can't believe that that's one year already. What choices will you make differently? Well, I think I was really conscious that this year I just wanted to say yes to everything.

So now that I have done that, I'm like, okay, now I can be more discerning and the things that actually feel good when I've said yes. Remember when you were like. I know now I don't say yes to everything. I'm so tired. Yeah, no, I was so tired. But

you

saying yes to everything you have to has given me opportunities that I wouldn't have had if I didn't.

And so I completely, absolutely have to in the beginning, like, and if people say, oh, I was. Yeah, I would do everything and anything. Yeah. And all of the things that came to me and I was like, yep, yep, yep. And then all of a sudden you're like, hold on. Yeah. My life is so taken up and consumed by Yes. This, that I actually can't, like it's business first right now, and then that gets rough.

Yeah. It's, so it's just, yeah, being really aware of that and the choices that we make for next year. I literally haven't had a holiday. I don't actually even remember. Mm. It's, it's well over a year. Mm. It might even be nearly two. So one of the things I'm definitely putting in place is that I will have.

Four weeks booked out already next year, so things can pivot off that. Yeah. But four weeks of next year, I actually need to have time off. I wholeheartedly agree with anyone that's listening to this. I'm going to do exactly the same having said that, I could not do that before, like when I to be.

To know, to be able to pay everything. That was not an option. Yeah. So it's just that sometimes you just have to do hardship, but we just Yeah, but we say that anyway. Yeah. We, like, even for me, I'm like, I can't do that. I can't do that because this would mean that would be lower and Yeah. But I think it's just not an option anymore.

Yeah. 'cause you get to, I took two weeks off to have my, um, breast reduction done, and, but then I expected that to be like time that I would have, I, it was. I was unwell. Yeah. You know, it was in pain. It was not what I needed and then I just felt like, yeah, I just think if you don't book it in, and it's something that I've been bad with as well, like even taking a week when your kids are at school and you just, yeah.

Pick a week, you know, like to get up and go for a walk and to like.

Stare at a wall. I don't care what you do, but it's just those things of taking time and booking that time in. Yeah, I think it's a really valuable piece of information. I definitely need to go somewhere. Yeah, I do too. I definitely need to go away from my house.

So on Thursday, so we're on Monday, on Thursday. I was just in so much overwhelm. And my capacity was so done. The cup duff overflowed. Oh my gosh. It was so much. There's been so much, as I said, happening in the last

two

weeks. We've had two deaths in our family and

it

has been so much that I was like, I am not coping.

And as I said, my, my team have been. Just so good. And I said to the girls, I'm, and I was like, I'm thinking about just booking a weekend away. And they literally did not stop on me until it was booked, like throughout the whole day. Did you book it? Have you booked it? Did you book it? Were you booking it?

Book it, do it. And I was like, I don't know. They were like, book it. Book it. And I just got the kids. And it just was, I needed time alone, but I also needed time to reconnect with my kids because I feel like I have given them nothing. And so I just booked, um, for Friday night through, till this morning, , a apartment at this really cool resort down in Cina and you know, it just all fell into place.

And I left after work, picked the kids up, went straight there, and I can tell you it was. The best couple of days that I've had. And it's those things like exactly as you're talking about. Like, yeah, I disconnected and it was only for two days. Really? Three nights, yes. But the kids were like, this is the best.

And my kids are such grateful kids. Like I'm so.

Proud that

I drilled gratitude into them. And they're just like, mom, this is the best. And they just so grateful. They had the best weekend. It had a pool off the balcony, so they were just like, that pool was so cool. It was so cool. Jen and my girlfriends came down and had dinner with me and it was just like

I

was lying in the sun and I was just like, I just, this is what I needed. And it was, nothing was planned. You know, we just swam and ate and went to the beach and went for walks and, and it was two days, but I'm like, if I had a week of this like. Oh my goodness. Yeah, and it's those things. Even five days.

Even five days, doesn't even need to be seven. No, just five would be okay. Two is amazing. Yeah. You know, and it's just like disconnecting, pulling out the plug. You know, your phone is like on hot, all the apps are going stupid and you can't do anything. Turn it off. Yeah. And. Turn off and read a book and like watch TV with kids and do some puzzles and you know, yeah.

Do draw with them and like, just like anything they needed. And I just felt like I was a different mom 'cause I didn't yell. Like, and they didn't fight. Yeah. You know, it's just all those little things. I got up in the morning and I was just like peaceful and, you know, had a tea and like, just like things that you just.

Everything comes when everything is too much. You need to like disconnect. So even for anyone right now that's feeling that way, and I had, I had things planned this weekend and I just said no. Yeah. I was like, sorry. I text my girlfriends. I was meant to go out for dinner. Which I ended up doing anyway, but I was like, sorry guys, I love you, but I am unplugging.

I have to like, I'm gonna lose my mind. And they were like, that's fine. And then they all came to me anyway, which was so nice. They just relocated. They just relocated to me. Um, which was the best, but it just like, I just really needed it. So for anyone that's feeling this way, even if you don't have a holiday booked in, say no to something in the next couple of weekends.

Yeah. Decide. No, I just had things booked and I just decided no. And I just was like, the people that will love me will understand. Yeah. That I need this right now, otherwise I have a EE bee. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. So it was even that like, do that. Oh yeah. Well we're making you do that anyway 'cause for your birthday.

Would we get you. A night away.

A night away.

Yes. I definitely need to plan that one. An unplugged moment. Yeah. And it won't come, don't stop waiting for it to just show up. No, you actually have to actively do it. And that was one of the things I've done approaching the end of the year is actively had our girlfriend who I work with, go through my books, make sure I have space.

'cause it was just like. Everything was at capacity. Like mental capacity. Yeah. I just need a bit of space. Yeah. So she's gone through for the rest of the year, put space into my diary, gone through for next year, put time off in so that it's allocated so I know that it's there. Um, just so that I don't have to think about it and it's actually done because I feel like that's what happens.

I leave it too late. Yeah. And then it's like that's what we do. Yeah. That's right. I really do need some time off. The wheels are gonna fall off my trolley, but I have booked myself so stupid. Yep. It's, yeah.

Like we book everything else that everybody else needs, but then we just don't book what we need. Yeah. Um, and again, I could not have predicted the last. A month of my life if I tried, like, could not have predicted and just like, it just kept piling. Like there was just so much, and

if

there was three monthly space for, and I just, that's kind of what I got to Jen.

I was like, there's no joy. Yeah. There's zero fucking joy.

Like,

there's

no joy in my life. I just feel like there's no joy. And what's the point? Like if there's no joy. Yes. And so that was what this weekend was for me. Just like a joy. And we can do, like, women are incredible. Like we can do so many things that just like, you know, I booked it on the Thursday night before I went to bed.

I found it $600 cheaper. I had the car packed in, like we went on Friday and I came to work. So I, I dropped all the kids at school, came home, had 45 minutes to pack everybody, get everything. 'cause I wanted all the scooters and, and it was because I wanted that wholesome weekend. I wanted the puzzles and the games and packed it all in 45 minutes.

And then on the way to work had.

um,

Just before I left home, had five minutes to do the Woolworths order that I got delivered to work. That then went in the car like, and then I was like, okay, cool. Done. Like we can do so many things that when we think about that. But on the other side, it allowed me just to be fully present and it's don't book two nights.

For anyone who's listening to this do not book two nights because you get there, you have one day. Even on the Saturday when I knew I had the Sunday, on the Saturday, I was like, tomorrow's gonna be the day I know that it's over. Like, uh, then I'm gonna have to pack up tomorrow. Like, I just was like kind of morning the fact that I wouldn't have had more days.

So do not book two days, but three days I could just come back into work on Yeah. Today and, and the kids went back to school and, but yeah, they just had these and also. Their weekends are the memories that we create for them. Yeah. And it was something that, um, my stepmom actually. So beautifully did when I was, um, growing up was I was always with my dad and her and my sister on the weekends, and I have all these really beautiful little pockets of my memories with her because it was like, you know, painting a wardrobe or Yeah, going and doing this, or she had a beauty room, so I'd go and hang out, like she'd gimme a facial or we do this, or I dress my sister up, we go to the markets.

It's all of those things. And then I realize that like that's, that time, Alabama's that age now she's 12 for that kind of.

Couple of years when they're still little, but like really kind of know their memories. Yeah. It's this really special time to like really jam pack it with those little moments I was like, oh, remember when we did this mom?

Or remember when we did this? It's those pockets of joy that we get to create and also when we have a business like we should have a business that can afford us to be able to do those things on a whim so that we don't lose our fucking minds. Yeah, I just saw them, but last he is to not losing our minds in 2026.

Look, you can't make any promises. You really can't.

We'll

do our best. If Jen and I end up with shaved heads by the end of 2036, we know that it didn't get any better. Wouldn't be the first time, mate, you cut it short and you were like, put extensions in. I know I cut it short. I didn't shave it though. Um, but yeah.

So, yeah, put more time for joy in for you. Yeah. Like it's, you know, it's like one little precious life. You don't know how long, how quick it's gonna be taken, and

you

don't know what year to year it's gonna bring. Um, and you know, I think

it's,

you know, it's a very easy to say, but. Tomorrow's gonna come with its problems anyway.

Why worry about its problems today? So true. You know? So just like try and stay in the moment and just keep doing things that bring you joy and, and really looking that and assessing like what actually brings you that joy. What brings you that peace? Which is something you need to reevaluate all the time because it changes all the time.

Yeah. It changes all the time with your circumstances all the time. Yeah. But what actually brings you joy? Like, I loved our house. Um.

um,

In burly when we got it, and now I kind of hate it because the traffic is a nightmare and like I just feel like I'm fighting to and now, like we spent a weekend away that was on the beach, but it was also had a pool.

And I was like, the kids need a pool. Like, it's those little things. So it's like pivot. Yep. Change it up, pivot. Stop being so stuck in the mud with things because you know it's good for a while, but then it gets to a point where you're like. Okay, well this kind of doesn't feel so great anymore. Yeah. Like I loved living there.

In the beginning it was right on the creek, but now everything else is kind of annoying me about it. Like the, you know, I was like, oh my, we don't have good aircon and the fans are crap. And in summertime it's a bit of a nightmare and it's little and it's pokey, and now we're just like, okay, something else.

It's pivot. Yeah. But we stay stuck because we know it's annoying to do the move and to do the thing. But it's the same with business. Mm-hmm. It's the same with like in your business. Yep. Are you stuck? Do you need to pivot? Yep. You know? Yep. In all the different ways, like Yeah. You know, do you need to change companies?

Yeah. And I think that's one big we thing we stay stuck in for a really long time that we're just like, that is in the too hard basket. Um, but sometimes it's, you know, changing up. I think other people don't find that as big a struggle as we do, loyal to the core can sometimes make these things more challenging.

Yeah, true.

I

don't know how you guys feel, but True. Yeah. Like I'm like, it's so difficult for me. Yeah. And my team's like, oh, let's do it. Like whenever we've moved. So, but yeah. Swap things up. Change things up. 'cause I feel like it brings new energy and it feels fun again. And it really does. Like, you know, like I said, we know we're gonna do a bit of a Reno, the Salon eventually, but it brings something different and it doesn't stay stagnant.

And the energy's not stagnant. Like, no, no, no. Yeah.

So that is the takeaway, friends. Yeah. That we need to pivot in life and in business more joy. And you need to find some joy. Whatever brings you joy. Yes. Yeah. It's okay if part of your work life brings you joy. Let's, my God not demonize that. Oh my God, my work brings me so much joy.

No, this place is what brings me my emotion amount of joy right now. Um, this place brings me so much joy. So it, it's not saying. And if it doesn't, if your work's not bringing you joy, what do you need to pivot for that? Yeah, exactly. And if your life's not bringing you joy, what do you need to pivot for that?

It's more so that like, look at your life, look at your work, work out where it doesn't feel joyful and happy. It's not gonna feel joyful and happy all of the time. You're still gonna, I think happy is different. Yeah. Like happy is something that happens. Whereas joy is that, you know, because you can still be.

In the gutter. Yeah. But have joy. Joy. You know what I mean? Yes. 'cause life is flux. Yeah. So we are not aiming to consistently feel high. Yeah. 'cause that's not sustainable. Not sustainable. Yeah. But it's like, yeah. In these moments where it does feel hard, where would it bring you joy? Yeah. Sometimes you need to get away and give yourself space and quiet to be able to like work out what that looks like.

Yeah. So, yeah. That I highly recommend.

That's if nothing else, Samara Room recommends you have a weekend away. Yeah. Okay. I feel like we've got some key takeaways there. Again, I really wish I'd listened to what we were, um, were planning for the, I remember asking at the end of 2024, like, what's your 12 month goals and all that sort of thing.

Oh, and you're like, did you like No. Oh, did I say no, I'm not answering it. Yeah, I think you did because I know, because I don't think I asked you that at the end of 2023, because a lot was changing at that time, but she just got out an 18 year relationship. But yeah, she was the single mom with three kids.

Are there any things that you want to strive for for that new year?

Joy? I'm just gonna meet someone called Joy, right? Um, I in 2026,

I would like my legal battle to be done. Yeah. I'm striving hard for that. Um, I just want that gone and out of my head and just finished because that has been a ride that I could write a book on.

I am, yeah. I'm, I'm definitely hoping that that's done.

Yeah. Financially, physically, mentally, I'm just done. My daughter starts high school next year, so I'm hoping we just have a really nice transition. I just really wanna be there to support her in her first year of, of high school. She's such a good kid and I just really wanna make sure that I can foster good friendships and good relationships and stuff like that for her.

Yeah. Salon wise, yeah. There will be definitely a pivot. Whether that looks like next year or not, I'm not sure. Yeah. But definitely there will be a pivot when it comes to a little bit of a facelift and a change Yeah. Um, in the salon. But like I always say to you, and it is so quickly forgotten, is I just want to really start living a little bit more presently.

Yeah. Because as I said, tomorrow's worries are gonna, you know, come for us no matter what. And sometimes we just don't know what's around the corner. And if anything has showed me in the last couple of weeks, we don't know what's around the corner. We dunno what life looks like for us. I dunno what God's plan is and I just have to sit in, in a bit more trust and, and surrender and I think and surrender.

When you have situations like this happened in your life,

it's, you have a better understanding of that. Mm-hmm. That. Having control over things is just an illusion. Mm-hmm. You don't control anything. Anything. So stop trying to Yeah, and I am.

Such a control freak and I never, ever, ever thought I was, yeah, because like I'm not a control freak.

'cause I look at that in a different way. For me, like a control freak is a different way. It's like that OCD kind of, yeah. Way. But control is just trying to keep yourself safe. And I realize, I try and control. Everything within an inch of its life. Yeah. To keep myself safe. 'cause safety is my number one priority.

Um, and I just realized that I can't control everything and no matter how hard I do it, and it only ends up hurting me. Yeah. So, you know, trying to let, let go of control a little bit more. Um, even as I say that, like my body just goes, thank goodness, like trying to let a little bit more. And also I probably need to commit to this on here.

I need to go back to therapy. Yeah. Um, because I haven't, because I have had no space for it, but I just that, but we have to make space. I absolutely have to make space. Yeah. Because there's just been so much going on that I just need to get back and, um, and have someone to like have a really good outlet with.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. What about you? Excellent. I don't know. Yeah. I honestly don't know. I think because.

I just need to allow myself a little space to figure out what that looks like. Mm. You know what I mean? I dunno what I'm aiming for. I dunno where I'm headed, but I know it's gonna be whatever it's gonna be and it's gonna be good.

I just dunno what it looks like yet. I think sometimes like we do that. And this is us. This is not me saying don't put goals in place because I would not say that. But I think sometimes when you're like, the next thing, what's the, and I think this is really important for you in your second year business, you go, well, what's the next thing?

And how many people that have, and what's the next thing? And what do I build and what's the next thing? That's probably something I've learned massively over the last two years is I went from 14 to six. Yeah. You know, overall period of time, it's not happened instantly.

But

then

I've realized that I was just, what's next?

How do we push? What does that look like? How do we keep going? What do we do? What do we, how massive do we get? How much do I push This more that I think you stop, you forget to stop and kind of just be in those moments that feel really good. Yeah. Um, and I've done that for a really long time. So in it still have goals that you wanna achieve, but don't sit it and have these goals that you wanna achieve.

And

not feel each and every moment of your life either. Yeah, no, 100%. And sometimes you just dunno what the next year is gonna look like. So just enjoy the moments and the days. Like you wouldn't have known last year that you would have four of you now. No. You would've been like, oh, okay. Yeah. And how that looked.

But you're not gonna know how that looked until you get to that point. Yeah. And those opportunities present themselves.

Yes.

So I'm just waiting for the opportunities to present themselves. And I'm just really being discerning about how those opportunities make me feel

so

perfect. Yeah. Yeah. Love that.

Yay. Happy 2026, guys. Bring it on.

All

right, we're gonna wrap this one up and we'll be back to talk to you again soon. 📍 Love you. Peace.