Building a Business on Purpose: How One Salon Owner Is Redefining What Success Really Looks Like

There is a quiet revolution happening in the beauty industry. One where success is not measured by how many stations you have or how big your team is. It is measured in purpose, impact, and how your business feels to those who step inside it. In this powerful episode of the Salon Rising The Podcast, we hear from Nicki of Salon Purpose, whose salon has not only grown in numbers but in generosity, integrity, and heart.

This is not a story about rapid scaling or flashy marketing. It is the story of how a home salon built on kindness and clear values has now given over $108,000 to people in need. It all began with a dream to do things differently. And a single $600 donation.

From One Chair to Nineteen: A Salon Rooted in Intention

Nicki began her business after nearly two decades in the same salon. She was not chasing freedom for the sake of it. Her why was simple and deeply personal. She wanted more time with her kids. Instead of taking clients from her previous employer, she started with integrity. She began again from scratch, targeting school mums and focusing on service over sales tactics.

She opened a fifteen square metre salon at the back of her house. There were two chairs, one basin, and sometimes clients would wait outside on her back deck. It was unrenovated and imperfect, but it was filled with love. From the very beginning, she introduced the With Love campaign. For every new client in her opening week, $25 went to a charity of their choice. That first fortnight raised $600.

It was not about the amount. It was about the message. This salon would be about more than hair.

Why Purpose Is the Strongest Accountability

Nicki named her business Salon Purpose. At first, she worried it sounded strange or too serious. But it quickly became a promise. It was not just a name. It was a compass. Every decision would be filtered through that lens. The values of generosity, love, and people over profit were baked into everything. That clarity gave her courage to grow.

Eventually, her little home salon reached capacity. They had seven team members working from the back of her house and were seeing 150 clients per week. Her family needed their home back. Her team needed more space. So she opened a bigger space in Manly. She took the community feel with her. A long table sits in the middle of the salon where clients talk, connect, and relax. It feels like home.

What It Looks Like to Lead with Love

Salon Purpose now has nineteen team members. Nicki is the first to say that managing a team that size is not easy. But her approach is guided by the same values that founded the business. She speaks with every staff member regularly. She runs quarterly one on ones. She wants to know how their training is going, but also how their boyfriend is, or how their mum is doing.

She does not just train hairdressers. She builds people.

Even when personalities clash, kindness is a non negotiable. She says you do not have to get along with everyone, but you can always be kind. That belief creates a culture where her team feels safe, seen, and supported. Some have even become family. She is going on an overseas holiday with her team because she believes in rewarding the people who help build the dream.

Profit for Purpose: How Generosity Becomes a System

The With Love campaign is still running. Every year, Salon Purpose partners with new charities. They now use a platform that helps businesses embed giving into their finances. Sometimes Nicki’s clients choose the charities. Sometimes her team does. The campaign is always evolving, but the mission remains. Give back. Every month. No matter what.

The salon has now given over $108,000. But it all started with that $600.

The key, Nicki says, is learning your numbers. As someone who struggled with reading and maths in school, this part was confronting. But she knew she could not lead a business of this size without understanding its finances. So she learned. She set up systems. She began allocating money to wages, to tax, to expenses, and to generosity. Every month, she checks her profit and loss. She does not spend money she does not have. And she teaches her team to do the same.

Her message is clear. If you want to build a purpose led business, you must know what is coming in and what is going out. The sooner you do, the sooner you can give more freely.

Generosity Beyond Money

Giving is not always financial. Some months the gift is time. Presence. A free haircut for someone going through hardship. Dessert for the team. A message sent on a wedding day. Nicki believes generosity starts with small choices. How we listen. How we speak. What we notice in each other.

The hair is important. But the touch, the care, the welcome, those are what truly change lives.

She tells the story of a local homeless woman who walked past their salon every day. One day she walked in and asked for a haircut. She left with dignity and a smile. Nicki will never forget it.

Sometimes we think we have to wait until we are making a certain income before we can give back. Nicki shows us the opposite is true. The best way to build a generous business is to start with what is already in your hands. A chair. A team. A dollar. A moment.

Start small. Stay true. Let the purpose lead.

💫 Want to create a purpose led, profitable business too?

Whether you’re flying solo or leading a team, our digital programs will show you how to align your business with your values and set up your financial foundations for growth and generosity.

👉 Explore Solo Rise Online (for solo operators)

👉 Explore Rising Finances Online (for salon owners with a team)