It never gets easy, and it when it does it’s very short lived. It’s hard to stay positive when the job is never ending. If it’s not one thing it’s another. I always thought IF I ever opened a salon there was a plan on how I wanted things to come out. But thinking it and doing it is two different things, then you have to add to the equation if participation will even happen. Everything I do to my salon is for my clients, I worked at Home Depot and their saying was customers come first-even tho sometimes some customers took it to far at the end of the day I would do what I had to do to make sure they left happy, and if they didn’t.. then it was a personal problem. A tool is broken? 10% off, you can’t find the item you wanted? Let’s upgrade you for the same price, you can’t find the item here? Let’s order one online and ship it. You want 12 months no interest? Let me give you 24 months. It’s about going above and beyond when it’s possible. I noticed our parking lot was becoming a issue, our location is already a little hard to find for new clientele, and on top of that having to struggle to look for parking isn’t fun. I asked the team to park on the street since we’re here the longest with our clientele that way it opens up the lot. Parking is important and it should be available for the clientele. To me it’s important to put clientele first. I believe sometimes we have to struggle to make our paying clients more comfortable. I don’t want to hear any complaints. But I do. It sucks, but it’s part of the job. Every upgrade I do for my salon is to make sure it looks good. Not just for me but for the stylist that work there. 95% of what I do at the end of the day is for my salon, my salon’s image. The 5% is for the stylist that work there, i can’t force anyone to think like me, to have the same work ethic as me.. and that’s why I don’t really waste my time trying to teach people if I have to repeat myself. The way I work is if I make a mistake I learn from it for example: financially, I always pay my debt off, even if that means shorting myself from a paycheck. I figure out a way to not be struggling with interest rate. I want something expensive- I save for it. Mentally: if I’m not happy, you bet your ass I’ll do everything in my power to make sure whatever is draining my peace of mind is out of my way. I cut people off, I isolate myself or o seek therapy. I learned to do these things because of mistakes I’ve done. If people continue to make the same mistake and not change anything all your doing is staying in the same spot and eventually creating a hole that you cannot come out of.
I have as much patience as a salon owner should have, but at the end of the day I’m no one’s babysitter. It feels that way, because I constantly have to remind my team of small task that should be common sense. At some point it feels like your getting taken advantage of. There’s a really super microscopic teeny tiny line between friendship and boss (even tho I don’t like to be called that- that was part of my plan IF I ever opened a salon. The plan was that no one would know I was the owner. Because I knew I would get treated differently.. but that didn’t happen and now I’m here a “boss” which technically I’m not anyone’s boss unless I’m signing their checks). I call myself their friend because I care about them, I care about my friends. But when things need to be done and said the boundaries have to change. It’s hard to have those boundaries in a work place, let alone in friendships. They each own their own business but owning a whole salon is a different rodeo. You need to worry about supplying things, making sure everything (everything! Is paid. Spotify, Hulu, Netflix, utilities, towels, backbar, cleaning supplies, the list is never ending) it’s kind of like when you’re so excited to move out your parents house, but then when it’s time to get all the necessities you don’t realize that your parents were the ones supplying it all. Dish soap $12, laundry detergent $30, shampoo + conditioner and body soap $45, toothpaste $6, towels, toilet paper, a broom, cups and plates. Everyone thinks.. oh they own a business they are rich, but we’re not. The only thing I’m rich in is my freedom to do whatever the fuck I want, how I want and when I want.
The boundaries to sustain is hard, friendship and work relationship is hard and trying to help anyone that is part of MY salon be a team player is fucking hard. My goal is to make sure everyone is happy, sometimes I can make it happen and sometimes it’s NOT my responsibility. I try to provide small things I know other salons lack, but it’s hard to keep the spirits high as a salon owner. I sometimes have to think about me and what’s best to keep my sanity for a positive salon environment. WHICH CAN BE FUCKING HARD LOL
Just being honest- 