From Yellow Pages to Social Media: Taryn on Profit, Pricing & Reinvention

Transcript

I  Mean, we've been doing this since the Yellow pages.

Oh my gosh. We have been doing true since the Yellow

pages. The y and the epitome of success for me is really being able to be a mum.

Yep.

And still enjoy my

work. You know, I think there's so many people that are working in this industry and they love what they do, but they're resentful because they can never get ahead.

Yeah. I've, um, I've got employee the month for a good, solid 20 years, so I'm like, I deserve this.

The amount of salons I've coached that are not taking a dime, hardly a dime from their business, and they're working themselves to the bone. I'm like, I need to know what the purpose behind this is. Yes. Like I, right.

I need to know why you are doing this if there's no financial gain. And I'm like, but

what's the point though? Like I just, it's not who you're gonna get.

Yes.

Like I, if that is who you are, 100% show up as that. Yeah. But if it's not who you

are, it's just catfishing people. I can't do all of these things if I'm making bottom dollar.

Yeah. Bottom dollar is just to get by. 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 inner sanctum. Salon Rising, the podcast, Sam, I feel

weird over here. I feel so much better when you are hearing you say that introduction. But also we've changed spots for anyone that listens. Yeah, we have certain spots and we've changed. She's in my spot. Um, Richard said I could because otherwise I was gonna end up taking six weeks off for a facelift.

So now we are straight on guys. So much better.

So basically it comes down to Sam feeling that from the periphery of the angle that we were turning my face way worse and rich. So now I have to have double chins so that she doesn't

Well, we've done like how many episodes now, rich? 65. 65 episodes of my chin being in it.

So the next 65 episodes are yours,

bro. Deal.

But, and then Richard said, Richard kept saying no. And then he said, you know what? It takes me forever to find the right screen gabs. 'cause I know you'll hate it. So. You'll let me move to this chair. I'm very excited. Yeah. So

maybe like, if you're listening, this isn't gonna make a difference, but in a reel you'll notice that perhaps we are sitting in differently, different spots.

Yeah. And that's okay. So how

you going babe? I'm good. Yeah? Yep. Are you good? Dressed like a homeless person this morning, but that's okay. You look fancy and I look a little homeless.

I love that. You think I look fancy just because I put boots on. I say that's what it is. Boots.

Remember I used to say there were authority boots when someone would wear boots at work.

You look fancy. You have denim skirt on with these little high boots and a little shirt, a little. I literally rolled out of bed in what I'm wearing. I went, I thought about it when I went to sleep. What could I roll out of bed and wear today? What can I self iron during the night? And it did perfectly. And then I just added a jacket.

My hair's so oily that if I took it out of this hair tie, it wouldn't move. So,

and we'll explain why that is the case. In episodes to come. Yep. But it's a good reason. So we're joined by a special guest today. Um, someone that, I think there's people who have perhaps been following along for a while that might recognize this face.

We've got beautiful Taryn from Brow Substance. Hello. How are you? I am good, thank you. Thank, thanks for having me. Thanks so much for joining us this morning. So obviously Taryn came into our world because you did some work with Samara, um, with Salon Rising. So you've been a great advocate for a lot of our programs, but I think it's really cool to talk about your journey in the industry.

Like we were saying leading up to this, that you have actually been in the industry for quite a while and like that evolution and reinvention and where do we go to next with these things? So let's start. First of all by talking about your business and how it's evolved and what you do, and then we can go from there.

Well, I feel like I'm representing for all the girls that have been in the industry for a long time. Um, it's been 20 plus, 22 years now, so 20 plus years. Um, and it's been a journey. Um, and I actually have gotta just say I feel extremely privileged though because the industry has allowed me to have a profession, have a family go out of the industry, come back in the industry, and um, yeah, to where I am now.

And I've reinvented, obviously the wheel for myself over and over multiple times. So I think it's just pivoting with what, um, is happening in the world at the time. So if anyone knows you, girls do, like when you've been in the industry for so long, um, to be able to. Do that and recreate yourself and still be super passionate about what you do is Yeah.

Is a rarity.

Yeah. And that's the thing, it's, you have to reinvent. Because otherwise, like, you know, we were, we started in this industry when social media wasn't a thing and we've had to, you have to evolve with social media. So I was actually having the best giggle about this yesterday. Two of my best friends are like social media illiterate.

Like they don't have businesses that don't need to use it, but every time they post I'm like, oh my god. These two posts like millennials, like it's so hard to watch. Like my best friend will repost and she'll like turn the photo on its side and then use the cursive. And I'm like, every time you repost bub, it kills me.

I need to teach you how to do this. And then my other best mate is in Europe at the moment. Oh we're heading to Europe. And like she'll do a reel and it's just like photos of like, and I was like, it's so bad. Every time she posts I'm like, I can't even watch this. It's like my mom could do a better job at this.

But it's the thing like you have to evolve with social media because the way you know when people put reels up of being like, this is how millennials post and Gen Zs post. And it's so true. 'cause you can watch people that don't use social media all the time. Yeah. That you need to like constantly keep up with even how that looks in our industry and how that feels because.

You don't want to age yourself out of people coming to you because it looks older. Yeah.

I mean, we've been doing this since the Yellow Pages.

Oh my gosh. We have been doing true since the Yellow Pages.

So that's the thing. Like that's, that's what I, when we were you, when people would put

like ads in the Gold Coast bulletin of where they've moved to and stuff like that.

Yeah,

yeah. And then it start and Gumtree started. Like, I laugh at all the things that we've been through before we got to actually got to social media. Yeah. Like in the way it is now. Because they're like, what if social media goes down? I'm like, oh my God, everyone will have to. Start going in Yellow Pages, it's even a thing anymore.

We're like, we know how to do that.

We know how to do the yellow pages.

We've got this, we've got this. Yeah, let's just let your fingers do the walking. Do you remember?

Not

happy

she missed your ad. Oh my God, I forgot that ad. Not happy. Um, sorry to all you young ones that are listening this right now, like shut up.

But you know, when it goes back to the yellow Pages, we got you. We'll teach you how to do it. It's so true though. I

was even having this conversation with my young girls the other day and we were talking about something and they're like, wow, when was that? And it, there's a, um, a comedian and I urge you to watch her because she's hilarious.

Um, Eliza Zener or something like that. The elder millennial. Yeah. I said, I literally said to them, yes, gather round the Snapchat children. They're like, oh my gosh. So funny. Even watching kids use

Snapchat and it's had like, they just take like a rank photo of themselves and then type, I'm like. Why don't you just send a message,

apparently, and this is for everyone listening, if we wanna speak to the younger generation, we need to stop using capital letters.

They find them abrupt and offensive. So it's just one long sentence, all in lowercase, no punctuation or grammar, no punctuation. Yes. Otherwise, it feels like you're yelling at them. No, too bad. Learn

to appropriately it. But I feel like

there has to be an understanding in both ways. Like there has to be an understanding of all generations for, for generations to be able to work together.

Mm-hmm.

I laugh though because you know what it's like when you don't use like, um, punctuation, like how it can sound, it can sound though. It can be misconstrued and you'd have to undo that on. I love an

exclamation. Oh, it's pretty much my entire thing, everything.

But I. I in my defense, 'cause I am an over user of an exclamation mark.

I very much speak like I write. Yeah. Like it's like, oh my God, this is so exciting. I can't wait to see you. Like I, I don't use full stops. I feel like that I only use

exclamation marks. It's terrifying. Yeah. I'm like, I read over a sentence and I'm like, cool. You've just used 14 exclamation marks in a two sentences.

Yes. Do you know when your audio texts though? And you go exclamation mark, exclamation mark, exclamation mark. 'cause it's texting for you and you actually happens. That's when you know it's too much. It's too much.

But anyway, I've gotten off track, but it's an interesting topic because for sure, and also like I will message my team and then just like no one responds.

So this's just like what they do these days. Yeah. And then I'll come into work, I'll be like, it was so nice for me to like send you guys a message telling you how much I love and adore you. Good chat guys. For no one to respond, no one. And then like a Love Harder or appear and And I'll be like, Amy, that was four days later.

It's only 'cause I just yelled at you like, so I'm like respond like just like it or just be like, love you too. Like don't just leave me on red when I wrote something nice about you cows. Like, but that's just what they all do. Yeah. And then they're like, I didn't know what to write. I didn't know what was appropriate.

I'm like, just right back. Thanks. Thanks.

Like

just something I'm like sitting on the other side like, great, everyone hates

me. No one's responding. But see the person that comes to mind when we talk about this journey, right? Which is totally unrelated to our industry, but you'll see me circle back and how I got here mm-hmm.

Is Madonna. Okay. That woman has reinvented herself that many times. She doesn't just try to stay in the same lane. She always is looking for the next lane to get into. She's had

more comebacks than John Farnham. She really has, but

you know, but she still does at the end of the day. She still does her. Oh yeah, exactly.

Yeah. Like it's, but it's reinventing her so that she can stay relevant. Yeah. And that's the whole thing, right? It's like trying to stay relevant. I think the thing is with that is you have to evolve if you want to also evolve how you charge. And I think when we are talking, I think this is completely relevant and important because when you're a solo artist like Taryn is, yeah, you have to be able to evolve to do that.

Otherwise you are going to work yourself to the death to make the same amount of money as somebody who has evolved and is doing their business in a certain way and attracts certain clientele that they can then charge four times the amount you are charging. Because of that evolvement.

Yeah. Yeah. Do you know what to swing around on that too though?

Had I have not done the original salon rising finances? Yeah. I probably would've been charging the same. Mm. 'cause I had no idea the method in pricing myself. Mm. You always just check the salon, like back in, talking about back in day. Yeah. Yeah. You'd see what down the road was charging. You didn't think about the breakdown.

Of course. Yeah. Like you didn't Well I didn't

And then you would, I think that's when the guilt creep creeps in to what you charge. Like you're like, I only can put it up by this much because I feel guilty charging more a hundred percent. Whereas when you know the method behind it, you're like, oh no, I have to charge this, otherwise I may as well just go get a job.

Yeah. It's like that. Um, rich and I were actually talking about earlier, having that, um, having that understanding behind you, it gives you accountability to be able to back yourself in what you're saying. Mm. Like it was almost like I had a boss saying. This is what we charge now. Yes. Like this is what it is, and you just have to charge that.

Mm. Not, oh my God. Um, I can't, I can't, yeah. No. For you it's gonna be this because I can't charge you that. Mm-hmm. I mean, and those salons maybe, maybe it's relevant to what she pays in rent and maybe her products are low and things like that. Look, I hardly doubt it, but she's probably broken herself to the bone.

Mm. But now when you understand your numbers, it just makes such a big difference.

And I think

like, looking over it,

you just aren't resentful. Yeah. You know, I think there's so many people that are working in this industry and they love what they do, but they're resentful because they can never get ahead and they can never support what they need to support.

And they, like, I I, the amount of salons I've coached that are not taking a dime, hardly a dime from their business and they're working themselves to the bone, I'm like, I need to know what the purpose behind this is. Yes. Like, I, right. I need to know why you are doing this if there's no financial gain because.

It, it, it has to be financial has to be important because this is all of your time away from your family. You could go and work three days a week somewhere and you would be making more money and then you wouldn't be so resentful and so tired and so overwhelmed. Like there has to be, and it might be all good and well one or two years in, but if you are still doing this in five to 10 years, I promise you you'll be resentful and you'll burn out.

Yeah.

Yeah. But you know, I'd never thought about anything we had that first time we had that 30 minute chat. Mm. And you just threw a grenade and you probably didn't even realize at the time, like,

I think I remember getting off that phone. You were like, whoa.

Oh, I was just like, oh, I just dunno what happened.

But it was, um, you know, all, all those things, like we learned the numbers. We, we, and we hadn't done that yet. Yes. But the big thing was the belief system. Yeah. Yeah. So if you really wanna go that far deep into it Yeah. And people that are working themselves with the bone. Yeah. You know, un. If you dig deep enough, you'll, like you said, you'll find out why you, why you think that.

Yeah. Are you saving for the rainy day? Have you, has your parents been bad with money or good with money? Have you been taught this? Have you, yeah. And there'll be, it's amazing how you, are you people

pleasing?

Yeah. And then in turn, you can't charge what you're worth 'cause you're people pleasing. You know, are you a Marty?

Are you the hero? You have to be there. You have to be seen to be, you know? Yeah. It is

lonely on the moral high ground

look. And when you work that out though, you're like, oh my God, I can actually get paid. Yeah. Yes. Amazing. So yeah, I definitely found that was something that I was like, oh, I thought, I thought of everything I remember

and I hope it's okay if I say this.

I remember on one of your calls, one of those mind shifts that you had was that, that space of like, because at that time you were working at home when you did the first time, weren't you? And that whole, and this is one that I totally relate to. You said something about like, but I don't have my big salon on anymore.

Yeah, yeah. So. Can I charge? You know what I mean? A hundred percent. Yeah. That was a

big thing for me. Do

you wanna go, as before we talk on this, do you wanna kind of explain what your journey has been? Yeah, I think that's important.

I was, um, I have a really, uh, good ability to make a short story long, so I'll try and keep it down.

But obviously working as a beauty therapist, my key points over the years was I was a Brazilian specialist for years. Really? Yeah. So yeah, I just, that's what I did. There was only like two or three people on the coast that did them. So waxing, waxing, waxing back in the day. 'cause skin wasn't a thing. So many vaginas, so many like, yeah.

That's a lot of vaginas. Like a coffee. I know what your vagina, your coffee order,

not your

mate. I know your vagina order. I know how much hair to leave. How

much hair not to leave. How you like it? Hi guys. Hi. You too. You

know, so back in the day that wasn't, there wasn't that many people that did it. Then I went over to the UK and worked for Dermalogica.

So I did skin like, that was intense. We worked for Leonard Drake, which was their, um, oh, I did work for Leonard Drake, which was their flagship store for celebrities and stockers. And that was really good. Like that was, but skin in Australia back then, just, it was a, like a very big luxury. It wasn't an necessity.

It wasn't a necessity. Yeah. Then I came back and I was a rep for an oxygen therapy company, so I did that and I, I was saying earlier, rich, I was like, I thought I knew everything. Like I was just, you know, we talk about the, the kids now, but I did think I knew everything but Ben name, same. And like, I look at it now and I'm like, oh my God, you knew nothing.

Had no

idea. I was listening to our, we listened to our first, Jen and I this week, listened to our very first episode. We both did it both. Not knowing each other without, without, yeah. It was doing it. But yeah, it's the same thing. Like I was reflecting and you're like, oh, when I, I thought I knew everything.

I was like, well, I don't need to learn anything else 'cause I already know everything done here. Yeah.

Yeah, it's just a classic. But yeah, no, I, um, then went back into working for someone. I helped 'em set up their, their beauty stuff from in internally and I went out of the industry for a little while and went into property.

So, but always did beauty at home, like I always had something set up. And then I fell pregnant with Nixon, my eldest, and went, uh, just work from home. So pretty much worked from home until he was, I think, kindie and went and worked for a plastic surgeon and did his pre and postoperative care and then came, or it was at home that whole time.

So pretty much 14 years. I had a really awesome little studio set up at home, like, and it worked perfectly, like had the kids, and that's why I say I'm so lucky. Our industry is so good for things like that. Yeah. Having this trade because we can have kids and we can still work and. And what to whatever capacity you'd want to do that at.

Yeah, so for me, it was a couple of days, you know, um, then I had my daughter and then, uh, when the kids started getting a bit older and school holidays started becoming a problem. And the big thing was the course. I was like, I can't work out home anymore. I've got this mentality. I need to change something.

Yes. Or it's not going to change. So I, as much as I tried to like make it about the costs and things like that, I just needed a change. And I was really fortunate, um, to move into a, like an absolutely stunning clinic and they were all aesthetic nurses. So, and this place was just beautiful. So it kind of really gave me the kick up the backside I needed Yeah.

To feel worthy. Yeah. Like, I know that sounds silly. Mm-hmm. But I needed just to go, oh, I can do this. Mm-hmm. Like, I can charge this, I can, you know, do all the things. And with the kids back at school, I could work as much as I wanted, like again. I still pick them up and drop them off from school. So I'm really, really lucky and winning.

Um, yeah, so, and I ended up there. I've recently just moved, but that was because of all the aesthetic laws that have just changed. Oh yeah. They need the room back, unfortunately. But, um, that has c caused a lot of turmoil and it sure has. We've been going through that. Yeah. So that's kind of my journey of, of how I got in a, in a nutshell how I am where I am now.

But I've turned, like, you know, I went from Brazilians to skin to then going into brows, you know, Hena brows started and dye hadn't come out yet. Yeah. So I did henna browse, and then I tattooed, and then I went down this whole like tattooing, you're either obsessed with tattooing doing it and becoming good at it, or you just do a little bit of it and you're, you know, you qualify 'cause really, really hard to master.

Mm. And then, yeah, and then I've come back. But the thing is in the markets with everything going up and down, everyone's like niche, niche, niche down. But I've been able to pivot and do Yeah. Like. I can tattoo and I can do brows, and I can do lash lifts, you know, so, and I can do

skin. I can do skin, and I can,

yeah.

If I want to, you know, so it's like, it's awesome. Like, and then the Korean lash lift came out like just recently, and I'm like, just jumped on. I didn't think I was gonna be that, and I was pumped. I'm like, oh my God. I learned so. Oh, but new, like, yes. So, you know, it's, it's just been a long journey, but

I don't think we have to, you know, have to necessarily niche down.

I think we, we do put too much emphasis on nicheing down. Yeah, yeah. Agreed. But I do think, don't do what you don't love. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I think you will never see me with a per perming rob in my hand because I could never do it. Like, it's not something that I ever wanna do. And up styling's the same. Yeah.

So it's not about, sometimes we think, oh, we've got a niche down to one specific thing. And I think it, I think there was a real movement of that though. There was a huge movement. Like, I, I feel like we're just for a while. Yeah.

We're just pivoting away from that at the moment now. Yeah.

Yeah. But I think it's, you know, and I think also as you, if you have a team you are building, you can build outside of that.

'cause people come in with different strengths. Yeah. And then they allow you to build your niche up, like to not niche as much and to have more skillset for those certain things. Yeah. But yeah, if you are. And it doesn't mean that you don't do what you absolutely love to do. Like we do that much foiling.

It's ridiculous. But I think, and we've added services now. Yeah, that feel exciting. Like we've added nano plasty and it's a massive thing for us. And it feels exciting. But I think the thing is that it's important is do it. Get excited about it and live it. Don't just be like, okay, well I'm gonna half as this half, like I wouldn't put extensions in the salon because it doesn't feel like I don't, I personally don't do them.

Or like doing them. See, I love them and my team doesn't either see that. Thank though. So that's what I mean. So it's like, I don't anymore. And you were the Brazilian queen?

I was. I can teach them. I've, I've gone away and I did, but I don't really do them anymore because you don't want to. Well, I don't have to.

Yeah. Like, it's like that's, you know, like your days are, I mean, if vaginas are gone, I'd make an exception.

You wanna see? If you wanna see my badge, it's fine,

but Yeah, no, I, I laugh. It's like, but the, but you can reinvent. Yeah. Yes. You can re sort of, you know, even on social media, just going on the social media thing, like, you know, us, I can't, I struggle to take myself seriously.

You may, may have noticed that if you've seen my social media and I was like, oh, you know, you know, show authority and do all these things. And I'm like, but

what's the point though? Like, I just, it's not who you're gonna get.

Yes.

Like I, if that is who you are, 100% show up as that. Yeah. But if it's not who you are, it's just catfishing people.

Yeah.

You know, I just laugh. Even I thought,

like for a while there I was like, I need to. Flip and change and maybe I need to do things a little bit differently. And, and then I was just like, no, because it's, I'm just not gonna attract my type of people that like find joy in the dumber shit that we

do.

Yeah,

yeah. But I just realized that I can't even take myself seriously. So, you know, taking the pieces is definitely. It, it's far more fun. Yes. You know, and I'll say to people, oh, do you see that brow transformation? I did? And they'll be like, nah, but I saw your slut drop on the light down there. Yeah. Great.

Thanks guys. You know? Amazing. They're the ones that people actually

interact with.

Yes.

Yeah.

Yeah, definitely. Um, and they are like, I, it's amazing how much interaction you get on posts like that. Like it's, oh yeah. And it's so funny. Like you, I, I've got, um, a pantry that I hide in it and no one can find me.

And I'll be like, like laughing at everyone's comments in the, in the cupboard hiding from everyone replying like China. Like, what are people gonna say? You know, like, cracking myself up. Yeah.

That is the type of clientele you wanna attract, so, well, this is the thing, you

know? Yeah. There was literally, I, I posted this thing if you, there was a hairdresser sitting on, on a client.

And, um, literally sitting on the client and I had to repost it and said, if I was a hairdresser, this said, this is what I'd be doing. Because that day I literally sat on a client doing her brows. Yeah. And I, I tagged her and I was like, look, it's us.

It's like, are you sure this is how you're supposed to do it?

I was like, yes. Don't question the process. Yeah.

Do you want good brows or not? Yeah. It's just the angle. So, yeah. No, but the evolution's been good. But, you know, learning, I think too, when you can do these days when you are qualified in so many things, like you guys with the nano plasty and stuff, you can do a workshop or you can learn something from a masterclass.

You know, it it, that's fun. Like, it's not like doing a whole new course or like the, this day and age, if you can keep yourself excited by learning something that incorporates what you know and what you don't know. Yeah. Then

I would just say on that, I think the important thing for people, for business owners that are listening to this, 'cause obviously we have so many business owners, is don't just do it in your trade.

Do it on your business. Go to master classes for your business. Oh yeah. Oh yeah. Go do your courses on your business, like get the same excitement out of going to do a, like a nanoplastic course, or an extension course, or a blondes course, or a browse course. Do the same in your business. Find different business courses that make you feel the same, because I promise you as a business owner, you'll build far more.

From working on your business Yeah. Than what you will even trying to increase your skillset. And it's important to be excited about building the business, right? Yes. Yeah, totally. You would've felt that after you did it. Like you have this like new lease on life almost. And Jen and I have it, like Jen messaged me the other day, it was real cute actually.

And was like, what'd you say Something about the spreadsheets.

Oh my God, I love those spreadsheets.

I think you just messaged and you were like, I just love these spreadsheets so much.

Yeah. Um, but it probably ma makes a difference that you understand them. Yeah. Like you probably didn't always look at his No,

no I didn't.

He probably didn't always get excited. I spreadsheet I still find like, and Richard will attest to this 'cause he is like, oh my fucking God Jenny, just do the spreadsheet. But I just, they spreadsheets are a really hard thing for my dyslexic A DHD brain to look at. So I ha it is, I have to force myself to do them.

Same

like they just. The

thing

is same. Oh no, no, I know. And we

built them. Yeah. So I think the important thing when people get freaked out about it is my, our brains are the same of how they work. Yeah. And so spreadsheets can feel terrifying, but then when you get the information, when you have the information, it changes.

You're like, oh. And everything is so simplified. Like those spreadsheets were built by, not just by us, not by Rich, but we had a specific, like very skilled spreadsheet. But when it just spits out the information and you're like, oh yeah, that makes so much sense. You know, I was doing this even the other day with the client and we needed to get her bottom dollar lower.

And then when I looked at what I spent on stock and what she's spending on stock, she's spending pretty much. 50% more than I'm spending with smaller staff numbers. So it was like, if I can just get that down. Yeah. And you save yourself a thousand dollars a week in stock, that's where your bottom dollar change.

And then she was like, oh, I'm really excited about this now. So now I'm gonna go in. And this is exactly what I did as well. I pulled my stock down probably 40%. Yeah. But it doesn't feel exciting. It just feels like ordering stock until you know your numbers and you're actually excited about beating that because it can't just be about, necessarily always about making more.

It has to be about reducing costs at the same time. And understanding everything is increasing and understanding too. Like I just think that

when we did the Inga incomings, uh, ins and outs with the spreadsheet in the, the, oh my God, I nearly died. Yeah. Like, and of all the things I'm like. That I thought were business related that weren't, yeah.

And you're like, I'm not making any money. It's like, well, that's interesting because 50% of what your expenses are are your expenses, bro. Yeah. I remember

before I divvied up my bank accounts and I was like, I'll just, I'll just go to Bali, like, and just use that account.

Mm-hmm.

Like I was, I'm like looking at everything now, I'm like, oh, that's embarrassing.

You're an idiot. I was like, oh, actually, no. Just actually understanding and also the little things that add up that you don't like, the Spotifys and the like, um, like so your music and stuff like that. Everything that's coming out that you can then account for and then break down and then understand all the things that you take out because you realize they're not.

But I also always say like there's a real gratitude piece that I feel like you come across when you find those other things as well. Because you know, when people are feeling like disenfranchised with their business and Oh, I'm just not making any money. Like, when you also look at those things that your business is paying for that you'd have to pay for, you're like, oh, I'm doing all right.

Like, you know what I mean? Yeah. Like there's like

that, especially too if you're paying yourself. Yeah. Like I've, I'm getting a wage, like I'm actually getting,

and plus all my phone is paid and my smart phones, all those things that you would

have to pay for anyway. So my fuel's being paid

and you know, like Yeah.

But people don't think about all those things. Yeah. They just think, I did die this year. I'm getting less of my

wage. But I did die this year when I, I just got my tax bill and I was like, I don't wanna pay that. Yeah. My husband goes, but you made that so you have to pay that. Yeah. And I was like, oh, fine.

But it's all, I've already got it there. Yeah. Yeah. So I can like, I can just go. And again,

I think that thing too is like tax makes everybody feel. Like it used to. For me, it used to make me feel like finally I'm on top and now I have to pay this tax and now I'm back behind again. But you had a DI have a different mindset about it, right?

Yeah, exactly. You're like, I'd rather not pay this, but I don't have an option because if I worked for someone I would be paying this.

And it also is a big thing if you don't have it there. Yes. So like in, in the case, I'm lucky, obviously I work for myself so it's not as big as say your what, what it would be here.

But like I'm like, I feel like I've, like I'm actually organized. You know when you wear matching undies and Ryan, you're like,

oh yeah. Oh my wife is so together right now. If I have a car accident, Ryan, now you

probably gonna think, man, she's got her shit together. If I had a car accident right now, people would not think that just as much a mess underneath it is as on top.

You jazzed it up with a jacket though. So nothing like a compression bar and some like. Beige underwear actually very beige. Um, but yeah, I just think it's interesting. Then you just stop re like feeling negative about tax, especially if it's sitting there. Yeah. Yeah. And I almost, I make people put more away than what they should because then there's always money sitting there.

And then that feels good too. Yeah, it

feels like a win.

Yeah. Little pots of money in different places makes you feel great. We had that discussion this morning, you know, just little yes. Like pots of money that you're like, okay, that's not necessarily needed right now, but if I need to take from it, I will.

And being able to kind of build different accounts like that, that's where it starts to feel really exciting as you build businesses. And it can be in a small, very small way when you're like by yourself or it can be in a large way when you have a big, like when you've got a bigger business. Yeah. But yeah, it just allows you to be able to.

Like, as you said, like if you're like, I wanna go to Bali, it's gonna cost me this much. I'm gonna just try and work that little bit harder each week to put this much away a week for that specific thing. Because I think it's very easy as a business owner to not be goal, goal orientated and just do the weeks by weeks.

There's nothing behind that's like motivating you and pushing you to being like, this is what I actually wanna achieve this week for this reason.

Yeah. I've actually started paying myself a bonus. Love that. Oh, that's so good. Yeah, I've, um, I've got employee the month for a good, solid 20 years. So I'm like, I deserve this and I invest it.

So like I invest in medals, but so every month I put the bonus in, so I pay myself like a smaller amount each week.

Yep.

And then a bonus. Do you pay yourself a bonus based on what you achieve? Well, I haven't gone that far into it. I'm like, because I've only just started it because I was, yeah. I was trying to work out, I was doing it differently and I needed to.

To get it set up properly. So I worked out what I should be taking each week and I just pretty much haled that. So I take what I, what I can live off.

Okay. So I'm gonna push you even further to take more to take back your wage. Yep. And then create a, a bonus system on top of that that you get if you achieve that.

Yeah. Because otherwise, like KPIs kind of is Yeah. Like your own KPIs. Otherwise you are paying yourself less wage. You may as well just pay yourself same wage and invest that anyway. Another rather than it being, but where, whereas if you create yourself targets, so say if you're like, my goal is to make, so I don't, I'm pulling numbers out, but say your goal, your bottom dollar to do everything, to make everything that's like two and half thousand dollars a week, you'd be like, my goal is to achieve that 3000.

So that. I'm paying everything but that two and a half, everything's done. But my goal is to reach three. So every week you're trying to push yourself to meet that three, so anything between two and a half and three, you know that that's your bonus money and then that goes into a separate account. Yeah.

That's because you're like, that's my goal, because otherwise all you're doing is just changing your wage to invest some. Yeah. Whereas if you pay yourself your full wage, you can invest as much of that as you want, but it should be on top of that to make you. Like strive to achieve more, which is exactly what you do when you set up

targets for teams.

Yeah, I think, um, once, like I feel like this, the last couple of months has been a bit all over the shop. Like everyone's sort of just, I know every year it turns like that and we look and go, oh, hang on a minute, but then we turn into the next sun comes out. So it's all gonna be really consistent from September and through till, you know, the new year.

So I think it's something definitely that I should set up so that when set up now, so that

when you, when the sun comes out also and when it gets busy. But even though, even

if you look at it like, Jen and I were talking just before and I was like, okay, I look at the beginning of my week before my week starts.

Yep. So even if it looks gappy. I'm like, all right, I actually need to just assess what this looks like. Yeah. For my week. And I'm like, cool. I'm already happy with where it's gonna go. Anything on top of this is going to be great. So that's what I'm saying. If you looked at your week and you are already set to make two, you're like, I've gotta do a thousand more.

So yeah, if that's a thousand more, and then we're just pulling numbers. But if that's a thousand more, you're like, well, that $500 is easy. 'cause I know that it'll come from like this, this, and this. But that means I'm posting each day. I'm making sure that that's gonna be filled. I'm making sure that I'm gonna do that.

I'm making sure I'm gonna stay that afternoon and do that. I'll create content to try and fill this space for the week. You know, it's those type of things that make your brain, yeah. Switch over. You're like, okay, I need. For us, for example, I'd be like, I need two more nano plasty this week. So my content is gonna focus on getting that in because it's a great service and my, my clients are obviously loving it and we know how to like recommend it and stuff like that.

So that's a great service that's gonna change so many people's lives is gonna be easier, but I need two of them this week. It'll get me to where I wanna be. So it makes you, even in these down times, switch your brain over to what I actually wanna achieve. And because the dopamine that hits when you do that, you know, you have that whiteboard out the back where it's like, this is what I'm set to make, this is what I'm gonna achieve.

It means that you're recommending the product. You know, like I have so many solo artists that I work with that they forget about their retail, they forget about those extra things just because they're on their own. So it just goes into the everyday, like, you know, just doing your thing, you're forgetting about those little things of.

If you had a staff member, you would be encouraging these things.

Yeah. So if I had had someone to compete with me being

Yes. Yeah, yeah, it you would compete. Yeah. Right. Because you'd be like, I wanna do this, I wanna do more. Yeah. And you would have that in your back of your mind. But it's so easy as a business owner to be like, even as a business owner with staff, like it's so easy to be like, I just, it's just not my phone.

It's just not my week. This week. I'm tired. It's just not what I'm pushing. But if you give yourself a goal, whatever that may be, above what you need to make, you are going to, and every week really go like, what am I actually gonna do to fill that? What is that actually gonna look like? Just do it for a month.

At the end of the month, you might have made an extra $1,500 and you're like, whoa. That was just me being switched into me making a bonus on top of what it already is. And

I think too, you pointing out something super simple is the fact that you go two nano Platy is gonna bring that up. Yeah. For me it's like.

Two skin needles or two lash lifts and you're like, that is gonna project that original number to something far higher. And

then you think, how do I transfer that onto my social media? So if it's two skin needling, you're like, I'm gonna all week. That's what, that's what I is gonna be my skin needling and what it does and how it transforms and what people think about it and a review on it instead of doing all of the things like we said, yeah, use that one week to niche down to that one thing that you're like, that's a really important service I need to get in this week.

That will help. And I, it will also help my clients, but that's where my focus is gonna be because that's what I need this week to be able to push me to where I need to be.

Because often I'm like, oh, I've got that photo. I just did that. I'll do this instead of targeting what it is that I probably need to do if you've got two.

Yeah, that's a really good point. You know,

if you've got two, two hour spaces. And you've got a good service for that two hour space or whatever that is. That's where you market to, you don't like, rather than trying to get four of the sa, four of little things in or six of little things. Market for the bigger things.

Yeah.

And really take your time and take care of that client. And, but it's just like when you have a goal and it's based on what everything you all need to make and it's based on making additional, not making the same, that's when it'll, you'll be like, oh, I've got this dopamine hit 'cause I did it last week and I'm gonna do it this week.

I'm gonna do it the next week because you are switched into, I wanna keep making more rather than I'm gonna make the same and put half of it away also. What's your plan? Yeah. Okay. Manifesting.

I was gonna say, you know, when you know you've got a number, when you know you need to make this, but when you can make this and you push yourself that little bit further.

Yeah. Because, you know, and that is something I would say I can be very complacent with. I think that that's fine. Yes. But you're right, reaching that little bit higher can make a massive difference.

Yeah. And that's very much what our focus has changed to now, isn't it? Like we're. We've moved away from, yes.

Obviously bottom dollar is still really, really important, but it's like we don't always wanna be striving for bottom dollar.

No. Bottom dollar is just knowing what that number is. Yeah. You know, to me, bottom dollar is what have I gotta make just to open this place? I don't wanna be making that. Yeah. 'cause making that means I can't increase anyone's wages.

I can't go out for dinners. I can't with them. I can't buy the things that salon needs. I can't, you know, invest in new products. I can't do all of these things if I'm making bottom dollar. Yeah. Bottom dollar is just to get buy. It is profit that's sitting after that, that allows me to move more in my business.

Yeah. Yeah. And some weeks you don't. Like a couple of weeks ago, we had a really quiet week. I was off, I had two others off. It was just a quiet week. But because there's surplus sitting in other accounts, it's okay. Yeah. And I think that that's the freedom in it as well. If you can be like. Well, last week was good and if this week is quiet because I've got kids footy and all the activities, it's okay.

'cause last week's gonna carry me over. Yeah. Yeah. That's really nice too.

Yeah. And it happens. Yeah. I think we get sucked in on Instagram thinking everyone's so busy and then you think, oh God, I've got gaps. And then, you know, it's not the reality. Yeah. Smoke and mirrors, baby. Smoke and mirrors.

I have a really unpopular opinion that I haven't shared and I'm like, I don't know if I was in, I'm like, wanna put it on my Instagram, but I was like, I just don't know if people are gonna come for me on it.

And it's the whole, you shouldn't post your availabilities 'cause then you look available and then you can. Like I, I've seen a lot of people saying you shouldn't post your availabilities because at the end of the day it doesn't make you look like you are busy and then you won't keep attracting those clientele and you will always look like you're dead.

And I was like, I don't agree with that. The slightest. I

hard don't agree with

that. No. Every

week if I've got a gap, I do that.

I post every single week because I have the clientele that purchases the same way I purchase. And for me it is, it's just that reminder I can get in tomorrow. Opportunistic.

Let's get on that Tomorrow

I actually have a free day.

Oh, I actually have that hour free, I'm gonna book, I'm done. And that's how I book. And it's a lot of the way our client books. Yeah. So our client, our, you know, our appointment book's fairly booked for this week, but I know that throughout the week that will book over throughout the week is we might get another eight to 10 appointments.

Yeah.

You

can't sell

a secret. Exactly. Right. And it's about staying front of mind for people. Yes. Yeah.

The thing is, I think you find the people that go, oh, I saw that availability. I'll jump on that 'cause I don't have to, that's not on anymore. I can fit in that, like you said. And then you get to the point where it is really busy and you say to people, I'll always post if there's something available, but I do recommend.

Yeah. Like that's what I've found with people. Like I can't guarantee it's gonna be available however.

Yeah.

You know, you can run the risk or you can book now.

Yeah. And the thing is, is you know, it's the same with people. I can't afford it. And whereas people, if they book on, they know that they've got that money set aside, oh, that actually works for me this week.

I'm gonna set that aside. But yeah, I just think the important thing with that is don't be a social media poster that only posts your availabilities.

Yeah. There still needs to be other things happening. There still needs

to be other things that are posting on your stories. And like that. I think that's the thing when you, like people say you'll lose followers.

I've gained, I've gained in the last six months, um, followers and I. It's okay if you lose some, 'cause some people don't wanna see your availabilities. Yeah, but I haven't lost, like I'm gaining more than what I'm losing. But if you don't have, if you don't post those availabilities, how do you ever expect to feel the, so you're just sitting around just hoping someone will ring you and be like, I need an appointment.

And you're not posting. 'cause you don't wanna not look busy. Like, I have this conversation with clients all the time. Are you seriously not posting because you don't want someone to think that you are quiet?

Yeah. Like that seems silly. Yeah. There was a big thing on social media lately. I've different coaches and stuff like that.

Don't, and I was like, I could, like you said, unpopular opinion. Yeah. I couldn't disagree with that more. Yeah.

I always post what we have available. Yeah. Always. And they, it's always fills. And I had this, I was gonna say, it always fills. I had a discussion with a client the other day and I said to her, I am gonna show you that this works.

I said to her, I spoke to her at like 9:00 AM and I said to her, my team have already posted what's available for tomorrow. And I think we were projected to make like three grand for the next day. So it was quiet and by the end of that day we were projected to make seven and one. Yeah. And I was like, there you go.

Just for throwing it out there. Just from like throwing it out there and showing what that looked like. Yeah. Like massive.

Do you have a um, community on Instagram? Like have you got the broadcast?

I do, but I don't really ever post on it. I don't think it really does much. I think, yeah, at the end of the day, your clientele, if they're following you, they'll generally, your story will generally always come up for them.

Yeah,

I haven't gone down that route and I wondered if it was, I don't think it's, I'm gonna go down that route. I've got it, but I

don't use it really. I don't think it works. I think our clients will jump on like, and again, that's what I mean, if you keep your social media. Interesting and engaging and knowledgeable and fun and like authentic to you.

You, you're gonna be front of mind anyway for your clientele. Yeah. 'cause they're like, I wanna watch that. That's funny. Or I'm gonna, you know, we did one the other day, actually, it's on our TikTok, it's not on our, um, Instagram with how many, um, Uber Eats orders. That we've done. And it was hysterical because everyone had to guess.

Laura has done 913 and then at the end she times the 913 by like an average order of like $30 and it was like 28,000.

Oh. And then the delivery costs on that. Like I just think,

yeah. Yeah. So it was just like, again, like doing fun things and letting people into who we are because if we were like put ourselves across as this really serious salon and people came in and went, oh, I find them unprofessional.

They probably could say that because if we were coming across as a really professional salon, it, we probably would look unprofessional because we laugh about stupid shit like that all the time. But if you're showing your personality and stuff like that in between posting your appointments, it's not like, it's just like, we are dead.

Please come visit us. These are our, like I also don't agree with people posting like. 95 appointments available.

Oh yeah. No.

Like, Hey, do you wanna come check me out today? I have 9, 10, 10, 30, 11, 12, 1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 9. I'm gonna pay you pretty much to come in. I'm like, pick two times, do that. Two. You know, and I also don't like, I don't ever say to people, do packages, but if you've got a day that looks quiet, offer something.

Yeah. Because do the thing, you know, do the thing that's not discounting your services, but may help someone out that can't afford the full service and will come in because the blow dry is complimentary. Yeah. You know, because every now and then, no matter who you are and what type of salon you get, there's lulls and we know that there's lulls and that's okay.

Stop feeling bad for it because every fucking person has lulls. Just so everybody knows. Yeah. Whether you are one person or whether you have a salon of like 95 people, there are lulls that come based on. The school holidays and everything else. And so it's okay to not be 95% booked.

Yeah. See, what's your plan now?

'cause you're gonna go through a little bit more of a pivotal stage in your career. Like there's gonna be some travel. Yeah. Like to go and see.

Wow. I, as I said, I had to move out of, um, skin to Soul at the Q store, and I was lucky to jump over, literally across the way to a salon, which was, um, really fortunate because I didn't have to move too far.

Oh, that's so good. Oh, that's great. Yeah, because that was a huge thing. I was like, oh my gosh, I feel like, you know, it's been such a dreamy 18 months. And, um, and I didn't know what I was gonna do initially, and I was like, right, I think I'm gonna open my own space. Yeah. And then I was like, wait, no, wait.

Should I, oh God. They're not gonna have to employ people. And then amongst that, my son got a contract, um, with the Parramatta eels down in. Um, in Western Sydney. So he's 16 years old and he, he'll have to move down there independently. Um, and they'll, they'll house him and, and do some things, but I need to be, make myself very available.

Yeah. 'cause he'll play, um, most weekends. So for the first sort of, um, third of the year, so we'll be going to all of the games. So it just meant that I wouldn't be able to be here. Yes. Yeah. So I, when I got offered the spot across the road, I also,

for anyone that's listening to that, I think there's such, um, I put a post up about this the other day of what you're building for your life.

Yeah. Like what does that look like? Are you basing it on ego? Are you basing on what you want? And the fact that you were like, I dunno whether this is the right decision and you really like, like null it down to like, okay, what do I want for my life? And right now I to be able to go to those games, I want my life is to be with my son.

And to be focused on that. If you had. Not all of these priorities going on. And you're like, no, that feels like a really nice progression and I can pour everything into it then that feels right. But I think it's so, so beautiful that you're like, okay, is this the next progression? Because that's where I've gone from home to renting a space is the next progression.

Yeah. A salon space. Yeah. And you've gone actually, that actually is not what I need or what serves me. So I just move to another salon space. 'cause that feels right because we think we have to follow this progression. It's like home space, you know, renter, chair, salon, maybe two salon. And it's just like, no, no.

Where do you actually want your life to be? Yeah. Ignore what everyone else is doing. And your priority is not building a salon right now. It is being able to be there for your son.

And that's the thing, I think there's so much noise and I, there was a thing years ago. Yeah. And I said, um, ego drop the E and let it go.

Yeah. And for me, I was like, I could go and get that. I could make my life really difficult. But the why and the. Epitome of success for me is really being able to be a mum.

Yep.

And still enjoy my work.

Yeah. And you like, and that's the thing is what are you chasing when it comes to wealth? Because you'd be making more without the pressure right now of what you're doing right now.

You add a salon and you're adding all of that financial pressure and as you said, you have to hire staff and stuff like that. There's a good time where for the first good period of time, two years, you're not making anymore. Yeah. And you have to be there. Yeah. You have to. That is the case. And there, there is that point, like I can say we've been in this salon now for five years and or five years.

We got it in October, so it'll be five years in the space in March. And I paid for it. I saved and paid for it. And I can say we're only just back to the point now of, because I also had a baby in that time, so I stood back. But we're only back to that point now of being like, oh, okay. Now we start building again.

Yeah. Yeah. Even though my rent is about to go up, um, we start building again because people think that it's going to happen within six months, 12 months. And to normalize the fact that that's not the case, you know, because you are like, right now I can just keep doing what I'm doing, plus do what I want on the, like it's, as you said, dropping the ego and going, what do I, who cares what I look like?

Yeah. I wanna do what feels right for me. Yeah. Like, who cares what this looks like? I love my life because that big realization that at the end of the day, one day you're gonna be dead. One day the salon's gonna be gone. One day kids are gonna be out of the house. Yeah. Kids are gonna be like, everything like this doesn't all just keep going for the rest of your life.

One day, no one's ever gonna know who you were or what your name was. Everything changes. So why are you spending so much of this life building this. Massive legacy piece if it doesn't actually serve you or building this based on the ego of being like, oh, I've got a big salon. If it doesn't actually serve what you want for your life,

but if it does, that's okay.

Absolutely. Yeah. Yeah. I have a big salon. It definitely serves me in, in a way that I need like this. Definitely. But I mean, I think too many people, like as you said, you could have easily got Yeah. I think too many people do it because the progression is what they should do or what they think people will expect from them.

Or you know, if I just do this, then it won't be enough. You absolutely can, but do it in a way, if you had have done your salon five years ago, it probably would've killed you. Oh, absolutely. That's what I mean. Whereas you didn't, it wasn't an ego thing for you. You just got to the point where you're like, this, I actually can make this work perfectly.

Yeah. Now for me, for my family, yeah. Everything. So it wasn't based on. Or, but I feel like I should do this because from the outside that's what it looks like I should do to be successful.

See, for me, I really enjoy my profession like I really do. And, but I think when I was younger I thought, you know, the whole theory of, um, if it's, if you are doing your passion, you don't work a day in your life, well crap, I actually think I do my profession so I can have a passion.

Yeah. So I can afford to do the things with my family. I can afford to do. I I I just step byproduct that I enjoy it. Makes it Yeah. Exactly that much. But like, you know, to be able to work at the end of the day, like, I love it, but it's so I can spend time and enjoy the things with my family. Mm. So I know that's, you know, might not be a popular opinion.

No, I think

that's such, um, say that again. I think that's so important. I think what you just said is so Yeah, because important it's, you

know, we, we are br Oh you passion, it's your passion. I'm like, yeah. Like I love what I do, but yeah. You know, the passion lies with, I'm doing it. To have the passion to spend the money with the people.

I want to, I'm really

passionate about holidays.

Yeah.

So passionate about it. Fancy

champagne. Yeah. And you just, fortunately you get to do something that you love. Mm. In the meantime. Yeah. Like, I mean, that's your why. Yeah, exactly. It is. And when you get back to that and you, why is your family, you already know that building a salon right now wouldn't be right because your wire is if, and maybe in five years time it'll be completely different.

You might go, what? Stop it. I'm gonna try it and see if I like it. Yeah. This

is the thing. Five years time will be a completely different story. I won't have, um, a 16-year-old having to live independently and go to school on his own. Like he's got finish his last two years of school down there and I won't have to worry about the things, you know?

Um, like my, I'll have my daughter, but she's here so it's not as hard. So,

but even in five years time, you might be like, stuff that I'm gonna live their good life now. Yeah. 'cause I'm not having to afford so much for my children.

But the blessed thing is you can make that choice, can't you? Yeah, exactly. So, and I think if you don't get yourself too wrapped up in.

The ego and the, which is what we did. Well, I feel like we did when we were younger, like, you know Yeah. You, you, you thought you're a Marty, you had to work every day and we're so busy and this and that. And now I just go, it's gotta work for me. Yes. Yeah. I've gotta be able to go to the sports days. I've gotta be able to take off if I can.

Yeah.

And I'm so lucky because, you know, talking about attracting those clients.

Yeah.

My clients, 99% of them, if I ring and say, my son's got a big game on, or my daughter's got an athletics carnival, do you mind if we just change your appointments slightly? Everyone's totally awesome about it. Yeah. You know, like, and I think that's, like you said, you know, attracting your people.

Yeah. Especially not pretending you're someone you're not on social media, that's huge. Yeah, exactly. Right. Huge. So I, I, you know, I consider myself really fortunate, um, when it comes to that. Mm-hmm. I love that. So, yeah, it was funny, a lady touched base with me on social media, said, oh, how long have you been building your business?

I was like, 22 years.

And I'm exactly where I wanna be. Yeah.

Thanks. Yeah. Thanks for contacting me.

And you're like, I don't wanna build it any further. I'm just good. Yeah. Left on red.

She goes, I'm happy with my 1400 followers. Thanks, thanks, thanks.

But that's the thing, it's, you know, what are you doing it for?

And if it's, you know, you are like, I just, cool, I've got spaces every now and then to take on a new client, but you've got a vibe with me and it's gotta work and it's gotta feel good. And that's where you're building your business from. It's not based on anything else of what it should like, it look like.

It's what you want it to look like for you.

Can I ask on the flip side, so me working obviously in a, in a, as a sole trader, you where you are, what does building look like for you as a, as a bigger business? I

think, again, I'm exactly where you are right now, that I am. For so long I felt like I needed to keep building.

Yeah. You know, more. More because you get same thing, it doesn't stop you. Just because I have the salon doesn't stop that you feel like it should be more like, alright, well I need more team and I need managers and I need all of the things. And I built to that, you know, there was 14 of us at one stage and then you just realize it's just, that's not necessarily what you want, but you think from the outside that's what's gonna look successful and that's what would potentially be successful.

Um, and in the last kind of two years, 18 months, everything kind of changed and everything simplified and it kind of came back to this seven of us and I just was like, and I was off the floor at that PA stage. I'd had wild and I was off the floor more and now I'm kind of like, oh, I, I like it like this.

Yes. You know, like this feels, you know, at one point we were doing, you know, 130 clients a week. Now we sit around that sort of 65, 70 and. Oh, I don't know. I can't know. 130 clients, so there's nothing worse for me than going out somewhere and someone saying, oh, I go to your salon and I don't know them. Like for me, that feels yuck.

Yeah.

I want to know who's in my salon. I wanna be grateful for who's in my salon. I wanna have those touch points. And it may not be every client, but if it's 65 clients, generally it's a, yeah, I can have those touchpoint with those clients. Love. I love that. And that's what feels important to me, you know?

And so that completely changed and we, you know, halved our clientele and then that's what felt right. Yeah. Because, you know, when you have clients ago, we have had some pretty traumatic things happen with our clients, you know, with, we've had quite a lot of, like baby, like pregnancy loss, like late pregnancy loss and, and things like that.

And I'm like, I, because I know those clients. You are able to make a difference to those clients. Yeah. You know, you're able to like love them and get them in for a blow dry and you're able to like send the messages on Instagram. Whereas at 130 people, I don't have that touch point. The, the hairdresser might have that touch point, but I don't get it.

You

lose that connection. Yeah. Yeah. And that's the same thing for you.

Like you've got that connection with people. That's why they're like, oh my gosh, how exciting They've got a game. Yes. I'll change my appointment. You know?

Yeah, yeah. De absolutely. And I think for me that's important, like to have with my clients.

I

think that's what's allowed me to step back at the moment and be like, where is, as you said, where is my priority? Yeah. And what is most important about building? Yeah. And what am I trying to build? And I'm constantly kind of assessing that. And I'm like, for me right now, it is just to be present in every day.

We have young kids. You know, like I spent so much of the kids' young years building and building and building, and I think I built to escape my personal life. And now that my personal life is so wonderful, I just wanna be present here and love it when I'm here. And I do, I generally really love what I do when I'm here and that I wanna be present at home and I want the same for my team.

Yeah. Isn't

that cool that you can see that though? That's And not being, and being okay with

not having to keep progressing. Yeah. Yeah. I think that's why that constant evaluation that we talk about is so important. You know, like we, as we do these courses, you know, with people on like where they're going, but it's like you have to look at this all the time because what you wanted and what you were building for six months, 12 months, 18 months prior is not necessarily what you want now.

Your circumstances change what you are looking for. What you want will change. Mm-hmm. Yeah. And we always need to be looking back instead of just. Moving in whatever direction, you know? Mm-hmm. Like, it's important not to stand still. It's important not to just keep moving for the sake of moving. Everything has to be done with a purpose.

It's not just a spreadsheet. You have to keep checking. Yeah. There's so many spreadsheets. And then,

uh, you know, it's not just, you know, I am so proud of my clients when they know it's time to build, but I'm also really proud of my clients when they know it's time to fold, you know? Yeah, yeah. And them being strong enough to be like, I don't care what it looks like to other people.

It just doesn't serve me anymore. And not trying to control the narrative so it doesn't feel like they've become unsuccessful at something. It's just them going. It no longer serves me. And that's cool too. Yeah. Like, because there's so much freedom in that and for anyone that's listening that thinks that, you know, there's a lot of business owners that are just like, I have to keep going, keep flogging a dead horse because that's gonna, otherwise I'm not going to look successful.

It's like, no, that, that's gonna be successful to you and to your life. And it means that to drop something else means you can build something else as well. Yeah. And the same thing on the other side. If you feel like this is really where you want to go, then your power and your passion will like, will drive you.

Yeah. Will drive you forward for that. And that will feel amazing too. But you know, to really like, look at what feels good for you, because I think it doesn't matter whether you're in a big salon or a small salon, it's what do you want for your life? Yeah. Because that's what's gonna focus that. That's what's gonna change how

successful a salon is.

I think it's interesting the three of us being at different stages. Mm. Yeah. Like, yeah, we can agree on the fact that. Even though we're all doing different things at different levels, like it's good that people hear that you are happy where you are not to have to keep wanting to build and that you've finally done what you are doing.

Yeah. And growing in that direction and that, and that's amazing. And then it's okay just to also be on your own. Mm-hmm. And, and sort of prioritize what, you know, we're all at different stages with kids, so what works amongst our personal lives that we're now choosing to do what serves us?

For sure. I love that.

And also behind all of that, spreadsheets,

because we're gonna need some emotional spreadsheets again, at the end of the day,

each one of us have used the spreadsheets. You use the spreadsheets obviously to build your life. Jen's just used them to make sure that. Putting her staff members on is, yeah. Is the powerful right decision.

And she's been able to make that from a non-emotional place. She's been able to make that from a financial place, which makes all of the difference. Yeah. Because it's so nerve wracking. Oh my gosh, yes. And then, you know, at this point when my rent is about to go up, yeah. And you know, you're trying to work out whether to take different things in and pay people more and stuff like that.

Again, you're making choices from a really strong financial knowing place and not just winging it to be like, that feels good because these situations will keep happening. You know, you've just had to move salons, so you need to make sure that that works. And affordability is there. You are looking at putting on staff, or I'm about to go up in rent.

You need to know financially whether all of these things are affordable. Yeah, exactly. And not just make it from, I'm fucking winging this and hoping for the best. So, you know, we're in all different stages, but those spreadsheets work for all different stages as well.

Taking that guesswork out of it really.

Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. And also having super,

oh yeah. What was that? Yes. Not having super. Oh yeah. Pay yourself super. I'm still not paying myself. Super. I'm gonna start this year though. Okay, good. It's part of the process. Yeah. I've spreadsheeted it. It's just, it's there.

Yeah. It's just not the priority, which is okay.

I do say to people like something like super when you work for yourself is Yeah. Is chewable. And when you're in debt or when you're trying to build, it is something that you can decide to pause.

Yeah.

But don't pause it forever, because otherwise you're never gonna have super and you again, I mean, you need to retire.

You're missing out on all of that money. Yeah. And

statistically, have you seen that women 55 years are the highest homeless?

Yeah.

People. Well, I've actually

got two of my girlfriends raising money for that at the moment because it's like really terrifying. And it comes down to that missing out, like take stepping away to have children and missing out on super.

Yeah. And then their relationships break down and they're homeless. It's like, it's horrifying. All their marriages

do and they, they're left without, and for some reason or another. Yeah. Like I know my mum is, um, she's 69 and we're talking about just different friends that of hers. Yeah. And she's like, oh my gosh, you know, she's gonna have nowhere to live if we can, you know, like just, it's just such a worry.

Mm-hmm. Like so if you don't, people don't think about the later. Yeah. You know? Yeah.

And yeah. Especially when you're young and you're building businesses, you're like, oh, well, it's like just something that I'm not gonna think about. But 10 years of super unpaid is, you know, a lot of money once you retire one day and you can't just, you have to.

You really have to focus on making

sure that, and you can't eat

your house, guys. Yeah. Just so you know,

I went to a, um, female financial advisor and it was amazing because what she did was she went to, she went backwards and said, what do you need to live off every year? And I was like, oh, I don't know.

Yeah. And she broke down what I need to have a side and how long, like, so when I can actually retire. If you actually want the number and doing that backwards. And that was insane. 'cause I was like, oh my God. Yeah. I'll be cutting

your hair at 85.

Yeah,

I'm 92. And you're still getting the haircut.

Yeah, but that was another reality check that I've had recently.

Any Brazilians

for an 85 year,

you need a lot attention

Hold here. There needs to be four assistants. Your Brazilians just gone from like 80 bucks to 460. Takes half a day. You're gonna need apprentices. Oh people.

Oh my gosh. Okay. And with that, I feel like. We've gone well over our hour and that's a solid Exactly. Information to leave people with. But thank you so much.

Thanks for having me. But coming on today, I really, yeah, I really love watching your journey, keeping your authentic self because it's so good. I just love it. And yeah, we're super proud of everything you've done and the choices that you've made since your Salon Rising Journey. Thank you. So thank you very much, babe.

It's been amazing

and it was really helpful. The salon journey. I honestly, salon Rising was a game changer for me. Still don't understand why they don't do it at school.

Aw, salon Risings in high school. Welcome. You're getting a Salon Rising course. You're in grade 10. Welcome to some spreadsheets. Yeah. Um, but yes, thank you.

Thank you for our treats. You brought us for anyone that it knows food is the way to our hearts and we've got a whole bunch of them. So thank you for everything. For your support is, yeah, always. Thank you. Big so wonderful for us. And you know, you're always our hype girl that says like, yeah, and it means the world.

Yeah.

Thanks for having me

and thanks so much for listening guys. We will be back again soon.