Speaker 1: 0:30

So tell me about the expansion.

Speaker 2: 0:33

Okay, it's probably been the hardest thing I've ever done, to be honest. It's like, I think, just at the place in my life where I am, you know, trying to balance family and also work and being career driven, and wanting to take that next step, I think it just Sometimes you can be naive to the amount that you're really taking on and then once you get thrown into it, you're like, oh, this is a lot and it did notno part of it came easy. It was justwe had kind of at every turn, like from construction and that kind of stuff. There was just a lot of things that we went through because it was about a year in the making.

Speaker 1: 1:19

Well, what made you decide to do the expansion on the first place?

Speaker 2: 1:22

So we as a studio were only about 1,100 square feet. We grew very quickly pre-COVID, right. So over the first three years that we were open, it was like every year we were growing hand over fist. And really pre-COVID we had talked about expanding, but expanding within the same space. And then that fell through because that was all happening as COVID happened and we were forced to shut down.

Speaker 2: 1:48

So I kind of just said you know what? We're just going to take a step back and kind of maximize what we're doing in this space and get through a pandemic and that kind of stuff. But truly it almost felt like a forced I'm thinking of a benefit but not benefit. But like I knew that I either had to expand or I was going to start to lose some staff, because people want to grow as well, right. And we were really small and we had maximized the chairs. Like we were playing Tetris on our schedule, right. So it was like somebody would come in for the first half of the day and then somebody else would come in the second half of the day, or we had people working 10, 11, 12-hour days so that they took the chair the whole day.

Speaker 2: 2:36

So we had really maximized what we could do in that space and some of the stylists or even I would say actually service technicians because not everybody is a stylist. We give us estheticians and everything else as well but some of them had really reached their peak of what they could produce in that space as well. So it was almost like they wanted to be with us and the culture was great. But I knew that if we didn't take that leap, I was going to be forced to face change either way, because I was going to, like those people were going to want their careers to keep going, so they were going to potentially find a different space or choose something different, or I was going to be the one to take that step and make that change happen. So that's kind of what led me in that direction, but it was definitely a lot more than I anticipated.

Speaker 1: 3:25

So you made the. It was a forced decision in terms of I have forced sounds so like I know it does, but you know what I mean.

Speaker 2: 3:32

But it was kind of it just felt like either way I was going to be facing change. So I felt like with expansion that change was then a little bit more. At the time actually, I think I thought it was a little bit more predictable or, within my you know, like I was kind of the one navigating it. Yeah, whereas the change I knew would happen, with people wanting more, potentially wanting more I wouldn't have necessarily who knows when that would come or not come. So it felt like I was going to face the change. But I don't want to say like I was forced into it.

Speaker 1: 4:10

I know it sounds. Your version sounds better. I'm like my hands were tied. Yeah, exactly, I had to make a decision one way or another. They handcuffed me now.

Speaker 2: 4:20

I think I just always I'm the type of person I always want more for people, even if they don't want it for themselves. It's like I see more Because I mean, maybe that's like if you're an entrepreneur, right, like you're always seeing that I feel like I'm always seeing Potential, like down the road where other people are like living right then, and that's been a balance for me too, right, because it's like I can't go home and live five years down the road. I need to be present with my family and my kids. So that's always been like that hard balance for me. But with my staff, I've we're with this business, I've always seen the next thing, rather than just kind of being in where we are. I think that's a good thing when it comes to entrepreneurship.

Speaker 1: 5:02

It is for the leaders, the owners of the business. Sometimes it's hard for team supporting staff, family, everyone else who's got to like Right right.

Speaker 2: 5:12

Because it is that balance of trying to find, like this way to be present with people and connect with people. But then also, if you're not thinking down the road, then where we got, like we're not leading right, like we're just here. So I feel like that's kind of part of being a leader, is like being able to see the next step. And again, sometimes I think I see the next step for some people when they don't potentially see the next, you know. And again, like I try to recognize that too, because I can't want somebody to have that next thing if they don't want it.

Speaker 2: 5:48

You know, sometimes you don't, I still try to I know you're like, but it could be really great if you just did it. Yeah, absolutely, I feel like that's a part of it too. But I'm always trying to check myself right, Like because not everybody Some people are totally comfortable where they are, Like that's the life that they want to lead. And I also try to tell myself to be a little bit more like that, Because at times I think you know I bite off more than I can chew and then I'm like why don't I just be in?

Speaker 1: 6:20

the presence of it. Yeah, exactly.

Speaker 2: 6:22

Why am I thinking ahead when I could just be here and so?

Speaker 1: 6:27

Yeah, that's a really great perspective because I'm like that first version, because I am consistently, and it's hard to feel grateful and to celebrate the little moments for me because I'm always thinking like what could I be doing next? Yeah. So like we just had like our best month ever, and then I'm like, okay, that's great. Now how do we make sure that? Right, right, we carry these into. That discontinues.

Speaker 2: 6:50

That discontinues.

Speaker 1: 6:50

Right. And then I'm a big believer in which, for me, I think it's been sometimes detrimental in terms of staff turnover, because I've got the mindset that if you don't have that growth mindset, I don't want you here Got it Because that might Like people's mindset personalities is infectious For sure. You got a team of we got a really small team of five people. If two people are like now, I'm going to chill, right, right, right.

Speaker 2: 7:19

I'm going to do the bare minimum, I'm going to do the bare minimum.

Speaker 1: 7:21

That's it. That's type of attitude.

Speaker 2: 7:25

Sure.

Speaker 1: 7:25

Quickly Sure.

Speaker 2: 7:27

That makes sense. I actually tend to be not quite like that from the team perspective, but a little bit more of okay, well, it takes all types of people to make the world go around. Yeah, so we all have different strengths and we all have different weaknesses, and I can't just the same way, I can't parent my children the same. Yeah, I can't lead every single person on my team.

Speaker 1: 7:55

You can't switch your kids out.

Speaker 2: 7:55

You can't be like you're not going to get on out, yeah, or like you know and truly, I think you know, being in a blended family and having the amount that we have and seeing their differences because they're, all you know, all very different, I really believe in bringing, like those qualities that they want forward right.

Speaker 2: 8:17

So I kind of take that same mindset into my team, where not everybody is going to be the next, you know, leader or want to advance, but they still all play a part, yeah. But the teams bigger right, like on my management team or you know, I think I would probably have a lot more of what your mindset is. But when you have 20 employees, you know, I kind of have to look at each person and then be like, okay, they're, I can tell that they want, they're hungry, they want this for their, you know, and then other people, it's like they're not quite as hungry, so I might have to coax them along a little bit and help them get to that next step. And I kind of feel like that's part of my job Definitely take on a lot.

Speaker 1: 9:06

How many, how much coaxing until you either settle and say well, that's just their personality, so we're going to let them be versus. It's time to either continue coaxing in a different manner, or or it's time for us to separate.

Speaker 2: 9:24

It's time to separate, that's great.

Speaker 2: 9:29

I probably do too much coaxing, I probably accept a little bit too much.

Speaker 2: 9:32

To be honest with you, I think in all aspects of my life I see that kind of like across the board, yeah, but you know, for me I think that it's time to separate.

Speaker 2: 9:47

When my team says it's time to separate, right, or when, something like, I listen to them, because what I've learned is glow is my vision from the beginning and it was something that, yes, I worked hard for and I created. But I think also because majority of the people that I staff are service providers, they are the ones that now make that the business right. So if something happens, you know where there's like a rift or people voice concerns, I try to take that next step with what I feel is right. But I also believe that you know, in our culture they have a lot of power and influence over what our brand looks like and who we are and what we produce, and so a lot of times if and I don't mean to like be like, oh, people get, you know, ganged up on or things like that but I do try to listen and then kind of navigate, leading with that input.

Speaker 1: 10:47

Can you tell me a little bit about the business? I know it's your business, sure, yes, but for people that are like what the heck are they talking about? What are they?

Speaker 2: 10:55

doing so. We are a studio. I called a studio because Solon is probably majority of what we do. But we had a treatment room in our small facility so we expanded upon that. So we also have massage and skincare, so we have a massage therapist and a statistician on staff as well. And then with the expansion we also brought in a glow market, which is kind of a smaller space.

Speaker 2: 11:21

That's kind of still unveiling and unfolding, but the intention in our small space we used to always have like giftables and fun things up front and you know a lot of decor and stuff. So people loved, you know prusing and browsing, and I was always of the mindset you know, if somebody's here and they have time and they can knock. I think this is like the busy mom and me. I'm like if I can knock out two birds with one stone and I can get a teacher gift and I can get my hair done, like that's a win right. So I kind of thought why not expand upon that, because people are always commenting that they love to look and what you know, see what we have. And then the thought was too that we could eventually bring in local vendors and it could almost be like a year-round farmers market, but like indoors right, so we could have both right like our own goods, plus you know other people that come in, or we would have people you know showcase stuff for a month and that kind of stuff. So that was the intention to also bring in the community.

Speaker 2: 12:21

So now we're kind of like a little bit of everything and we moved from about 1,100 square feet to 4,000 square feet. So it's, it was a big jump. Where are you now? We are in the same complex, just like one building up, so it's an Ashburn pipeline plaza. It's not a retail complex, it's more of a business park complex. And so we are now. We were like in the backside, we're now forward-facing one building up so we can have sign in the window and that kind, so we're more visible from from the road. And I really didn't want to move far either. I didn't want to take the whole operation and go to a separate yeah, I just felt like.

Speaker 2: 12:59

I feel like we're in an awesome location too, because Loudoun County being wide, you have the South Riding side and the 50 side and then you have the seven side and we were kind of like smack dab in between. So it felt like, unless I'm gonna open two, you know, this is kind of the best location for that was a really good location to pull from like a wide range of Loudoun County and even some fair facts, because it's like right off the toll road, yeah so what were some of your biggest challenges?

Speaker 2: 13:27

struggles in this, in the people and growth phase, I think still it's really hard to run and manage a business and then also handle the expansion right. So I think that was probably the hardest for me was because then it just becomes two jobs, right, like you're you have your job that you're already managing and doing on the daily basis, and then you have job two, which is the expansion, and you know everything that goes into making decisions about. You know, are we talking about flooring, where things, architecture plans? You know all of it because we actually we own the space that and or low studios doesn't, but the space was bought, so it's not a, you know, rental type situation.

Speaker 2: 14:15

So, from soup to nuts, a lot of the things that had to be done were my responsibility, because I'm not dealing with a tenant or a landlord and a budget where they're gonna come in and do a lot of the planning and the architectures and the walls and the plumbing and stuff. So you bar the landlord exactly. So there was a lot of extra that went into that versus, you know, just going and finding the next location and then just trying to and I think I felt a lot of pressure too to try to get it right because it was the second go around yeah, so making sure, and of course, it's not because that just why expect that right like. But you know that pressure is there because it's like okay, I know all the mistakes that we made in the first location. I know all the things that we had to fix, I know all the things that didn't work. So let's make sure that we really, like, hit the nail on the head and get those right. And we missed a few, but and that's it.

Speaker 1: 15:11

See, in my, the way I approach projects which I'm okay with this, the perfectionist looking at this would be like, oh my god, that's horrible. Right, I'm like shitty.

Speaker 2: 15:23

First, draft type first. Oh for sure, I'm a little bit like that too. I don't know, maybe that's like an entrepreneur thing, okay it's kind of like you just go and then I'll fix that.

Speaker 2: 15:31

Like, yeah, it's fixable. Yeah, that's like. Oh, that didn't work out. Like, yeah, well, we can fix that. Yeah, okay, it's, you know. Well, I think honestly now and this is gonna be crazy side note but having kids and having a special needs son, and then having you know, another son that has ADHD, and things Like I'm like, oh, maybe I have that, yeah, you know, because it's like the executive functioning and the planning part, right, like I just like skip over and I'm like, and I don't fully skip over it, but you know, skip, like yeah, or if it's that, come back and visit it with Nini.

Speaker 2: 16:07

It would be a trust of just knowing like I'm going to figure it out right, Like regardless of if it doesn't work or if I fail, like I'm going to figure it out and it's going to work out in the end. And I think that that's kind of that blind Trust that you have to have as an entrepreneur, right, Because even if you fail, you're failing but it's going to be okay. Have you tried to start?

Speaker 1: 16:31

another business outside of what you currently do.

Speaker 2: 16:34

No.

Speaker 1: 16:35

Okay. Reason I ask is I'm 100% on board with everything you're saying and that's exactly how I would describe my brain, but I'm like launching something that's different than what I've ever done, and I'm like this is what normal people feel like when it comes to like second guessing myself, not wanting to launch, like making excuses. Interesting and I'm like like I've been trying to launch this thing for like three years. I'm like what?

Speaker 2: 16:59

is wrong. Why can't I get it?

Speaker 2: 17:00

Yes, whereas, like with this business, but I often wonder too, because there are other endeavors that I've wanted to take that just have never really come to fruition and I wonder how much of that is a time thing, right, like this business that you started first was like your baby and, you know, like you're, I don't know. And then all these other things that I want to do. I don't put as much emphasis or focus on those things. I want to do them, but I can always find like a reason why I can't put all of my you know focus on that.

Speaker 2: 17:35

So I don't know, but that's, yeah, it's interesting because that was kind of, you know, with my husband starting a second brand on top of already having a brand on top of us having glow, and it was that's kind of what happened, right, it's it's honey, I'm a serial entrepreneur.

Speaker 1: 17:53

Yeah, we are.

Speaker 2: 17:55

It's really hard to like build something and then put the amount of time, energy you know, when you're also still trying to run, and especially in small business and in areas where you know things are not cheap and right. So you're constantly battling, especially as a startup, like making sure that you count every penny and know where it's going and that you can stay afloat and so, yeah, a lot of it too.

Speaker 1: 18:18

Is that time resource For sure, right Like the, my resource is one thing, but then there's loans or things where it's like you can get it, figure it out. Or is that time resource? When you're a mom, you already have a business.

Speaker 2: 18:29

You still want to be able to take care of yourself health-wise and exercise and it's like you know, I think it's a time that if I wasn't a mom, and you know I would probably live there. You know, I say the same thing. You know I don't know if that would be a great quality of life or not. Like I mean, I don't think so, because I do think that although we have strengths like again, it is important to have a balance in life and to you know, I love my children.

Speaker 1: 18:55

I think it would be a beautiful place to live, though just saying you had to live at work, you wouldn't be pulled in so many different directions, right, yeah, I mean that's.

Speaker 2: 19:07

But at the end of the day too, you know it's like work is work and that's what I've kind of come to understand is like I do feel a lot of happiness in succeeding in work and, you know, and having this business that gives back and, you know, employees improving their quality of life, and I mean I find a lot of joy in seeing people Right, and I think that's exactly them thrive. Or even just my clients or guests come in that I've known for a long time and making them just that time with me or time in my chair, and whether some of it is emotional and some of it is obviously them feeling better because you know we've done something to.

Speaker 1: 19:52

You know, from that outward appearance, Just listening to you talk, though, I think there's a big difference in we're in the service, people business, right, and if you get 10 and I'm interested to hear your thoughts on this you can get 10 stylists, and five of them would be fine, three of them would be good, and then two of them would be like life changing. Right, and I'm going to relate this to photographers the same thing I said, but for photographers, I think the two that make it life changing are all in the connection, and how much you truly care about the person sitting in your chair or in front of your camera, how you engage, how they believe you care about them, correct, and I think most people, a lot of people, at least photographers and even stylists, don't quite get that part.

Speaker 2: 20:46

Yes, I actually teach that part because I feel like I recognize that early on, before it was actually defined for me, like actually now it's a lot more defined in our community in the service, not cosmetology per se, but the beautification Right, like if you go to conferences and things like that and have people and listen to people talk.

Speaker 2: 21:13

They talk a lot about the psychology behind what we do and now I tend to pinpoint that at a very early stage with either people that work for us or people that were molding right, because that's what I actually prefer to do, is to and that's how I feel like we've created a team that has kind of we have very low turnover and we work together pretty well is by molding the young talent into kind of what fits our culture and also how they are going to be successful behind the chair. And I always say that and I think it's relatable probably again to any service-based business that you can be just the most talented person in the world but have zero ability to connect with another human right and you will never be as successful as somebody who has half of your talent but is able to connect with people, understand them, understand kind of things about their quality of life or just really get to know them and remember things. And so, yes, why do you think you're like that? Oh gosh, I don't know.

Speaker 1: 22:34

Upbringing, family life.

Speaker 2: 22:36

Maybe a little bit. Yeah, I don't know. It's actually funny because I think one of the funniest things about my like 20-some years behind the chair is still to this day. It happens to me Somebody will come in and they'll sit down and we're having a conversation and then I will throw out some fact about them and they're like how in the world do you remember that? And I'm like I actually don't know. I'm like because I don't even know what happened yesterday at home or what I ate for breakfast, but that just popped in my brain. So it's like it's almost so conscious for me, right? Like it's not even something.

Speaker 2: 23:13

Like a secret filing cat for like stories it does, like it's not even something that necessarily like I'm in control over or thinking about. You know, like obviously in the beginning with people, that's kind of how you, you know you have to think about it. Like my younger staff like I even had them tell me like I come back and I have a journal and I write stuff down because I want to be able to make sure that I remember it. Meanwhile somebody will come in that I've met two times and I'll say something to them. You know, and your dog just have surgery, and they're like what? And I'm like I don't know, I don't know my kids would yell at me and tell me I forget everything. But I know your dog got surgery. I don't know, and that stuff means a lot to people. It does. Yeah, I think it just. It's like I care, right, I care about you as a person. I care Like you're not just a number, you're not just coming in and I care too, but I can't remember.

Speaker 2: 24:06

I don't know, like I said, it's my superpower, right, like I don't know what that super person is called, but that's my, you know, random super powers that I just have, like, yeah, I don't know. Or you know the other part of me, and this sounds awful kind of, but it's like these people, it's my livelihood, right, like these are the people that make all of this. You know, not all like my service technicians yes, right, my employees but also, like, without people walking in our door, like that's kind of that's what makes this all go in tick. So, in order to preserve that, right, like I have to I don't know, I like I have to pay attention and get to I don't know, yeah, I don't know, I don't, I don't.

Speaker 1: 24:55

It's honestly like what made you want to start it in the first place, like why weren't you just an individual stylist working so?

Speaker 2: 25:07

I, yeah I, actually after my divorce I and actually prior to my divorce I had a salon in my home and I did hair what I thought was going to be for like just a few friends and my parents and that kind of stuff and it ended up taking off and so I worked. Why did it take off? I don't know. Maybe for that very reason that we just talked about. Right, Like that.

Speaker 1: 25:32

it's like referrals Like you just kept getting. Yes, I referred to you.

Speaker 2: 25:37

So I just kept getting more and more people. And then, but truly prior to you know, when I was married to my first husband and we had little kids, it allowed me to still do something that I really liked and make, you know, help me feel like me. But it wasn't, you know, something that I was like reporting somewhere for, you know, like it was really still within my control, so that. But it wasn't run as a business per se. It was, but I hadn't incorporated right, like I was under able to do. You know, it was much smaller level.

Speaker 2: 26:10

And then, after my divorce, I realized, okay, well, now mom's got to feed babies, right. So there was a lot of decisions that I had to make to kind of figure out, well, what is this going to look like? And, to be honest with you, the universe presented a lot of things to me that I just kind of tried to follow that path and I was able to rent something, but also, you know, put a studio or a salon in my house. And. And then, getting back to answer your actual question, my, I come from a family of entrepreneurs. My mom and my grandmother owned a business.

Speaker 2: 26:43

So I think my mom also is always because she's an entrepreneur, thinking about the business and ahead and Right. She said to me you know, I know you're doing great, I know you're able to support your kids, but what happens if you get hurt? Or what happens when you're 60? Or what happens when you're you know no longer can do this because of a reason what's the next? What's next? And being a single mom, I was like, ah, I don't know. You know, I don't really have a backup plan. Yeah, exactly like you, you can help mom move in. So that is kind of what prompted me to start thinking about it. So she started looking five years ahead for you.

Speaker 2: 27:29

Yes, exactly. So that's where I get that. So that kind of started the thought process in my head of like, okay, I need to be thinking about potentially taking another step or growing outside of it just being me doing everything. So that's really where it kind of came from. And then again I feel like I just kind of started trusting my gut and following, you know, the opportunities that were presented, and prior to going to cosmetology school, I had a degree in marketing and so I really kind of, for the first time, leaned on that degree for wanting to create a brand and in the beginning, also set out intentionally to make it something that could stand alone. So it wasn't like Kristen's hair salon. I wanted it to be a brand so that, whether I was on the floor or whether I wasn't on the floor, or whether I was present every day or not present every day, that it wasn't dependent on me. So that was very intentional.

Speaker 1: 28:37

What do you think about people that go the other route, where they do brand it around their name, but they have the intention of growing big?

Speaker 2: 28:43

Yeah, I mean.

Speaker 1: 28:43

I don't, I guess.

Speaker 2: 28:44

Is it an issue with that or no? No, I don't see an issue with it, I think, for me. I just felt that I really wanted it to be and again, I think this goes back to me sitting down and going. I don't feel comfortable. I don't do this. You know, I also am very much and don't ask me why, because I don't know very much a, you know, don't like to be the center of attention and like to support from the sidelines and like to lead from the back, and so that just felt more comfortable for me and creating this brand that didn't necessarily tie 100% to me just felt like the right step. But I think that even creating it around yourself and then being the focal point like I think there are certain personalities and people that are meant to do that right Like my husband is one of them.

Speaker 2: 29:37

So because if I was in that situation, I think it would make me uncomfortable. Therefore I couldn't lead in the same. You know the ways that felt natural to me. Yeah, so that makes sense. Yeah, it's kind of like following your natural and then pushing yourself a little bit, like this yeah, podcast, you're looking there, but not necessarily, you know, doing that all the time, because that would put me in a position where I couldn't thrive, yeah, you know. So it's kind of like finding that happy medium, but also being able to like nudge yourself a little bit in the right direction.

Speaker 1: 30:10

So my decision for Alamon versus Alia Dastore because I was Alia Dastore photographer and like ugh, so Al is not from the being the center, but more of like. I have no problem being like the face of my brand, sure, but the problem I have is I want to grow it to a point where anybody can come in and feel comfortable and not feel like they're losing their identity because photographers are similar to stylists, in which they, you know Well, they're creative. They're creative. It's a creative.

Speaker 2: 30:44

So there's so much independent, like Feelings and personality, yes, like there's so much of it that like it's individualistic. And I think that's also why in and maybe you know again like I separate kind of management from you know the actual creatives of the business. But I think that's also why I am very open to different people, because I believe also that you know, in having 10 or 12 people on the floor, we all have one common goal, right, it's our livelihood. But there's also that amount of people and differences in the world. So somebody might be attracted to stylist A or esthetician A, but another person is going to feel more comfortable with B, and so it's kind of like making sure that you have that wide range of people that represents you know what the world looks like outside of the business.

Speaker 1: 31:44

Yeah, and I want to make it clear for anybody listening my challenge with team members isn't the diversity part as much as it is the drive, the drive. So I want to make that clear.

Speaker 1: 31:57

I do know that I know, you know, but I just don't want to. Yeah, yes, 100%. I get you know anything confused. Mine is, yeah, just more of like, and in that there's a lot of you know. There are people that just want to show up and make that bare minimum effort. Oh, yeah, which. There are different types of teams or people that are okay with that. I would say no entrepreneur wants a team of like low driven no.

Speaker 2: 32:26

No, no, no, no yeah.

Speaker 1: 32:27

I'm going to guess yeah, but then you know like I'm on like the opposite end, where it's like you might come in like knowing very, very little and I'm all in to like pour in. But I'm going to pour in. You got to pour out, you got to pour out, right.

Speaker 2: 32:39

Yeah. So that's kind of where I that makes sense, where I stand. I'm probably not as tough, you know, in that category that I could be, but I think that what I'm learning, especially in this expansion, is that that is a necessity Right, that that you do have to kind of you know, find like where is that line, and then be comfortable with. I think I look at it differently because our team is larger. So I now feel like it's I'm going to set the standard, I'm going to set my expectations, I'm going to set, you know, potentially some changes around hours that you, you know required and you know before you could do half day because we didn't have the two hours available Right.

Speaker 2: 33:24

But now, like, the business needs are different, right, we're not a thousand square foot business, we're a 4,000 square foot business. So, and then I'm going to let them make the choice Right, like this is, this is my expectation, this is where the business is going. It's different, everybody's going to have to get used to it, you know. But like you guys get to make that choice Right, like you can decide to go that direction and be a part of it. Or you know, you guys and I've always said that to my staff because the reality is the type of studio or salon that I own, or that other, you know, independent salon owners have, is really on the downturn. Yeah, because now there are other options, because everything changes in the world. So now there's salon suites and you see estheticians and hairstylists and massage therapists, right, like running their own little independent business in these salon suites.

Speaker 1: 34:18

What's the positive? Like if somebody was watching this and they're like trying to decide do I want to work with somebody like Glow or do I want to go get my own little?

Speaker 2: 34:27

I talk about it all the time because I feel like it's important again. Like that, my stylist, it is our biggest competition, but it's also, instead of fearing that competition, I tend to address it head on, raise it, yeah, and saying like that is where you could go. But you also need to understand what that looks like and what that means. Right, so you're able to come to work here and show up for your hours that you're going to be here and then you go home and the rest of that time you're able to shut off right, because the business is handling everything. And so I think what's happened is that, while I do believe that there are people that thrive in those environments I was one of them, because I was basically doing the same thing in my home there are also people that are choosing that, not really understanding the full implication of that choice, right Cause for them it just oh well, I get to keep 100% of my dollars and it's like, well, sure you do.

Speaker 2: 35:32

But your time is also worth money, right? So not only are you now going to be behind the chair for 30 to 40 hours a week, your time is also money in scheduling, in rescheduling, in product, in your taxes in your accounting, in your books, in marketing, right. So there's a lot that. And then, even if you don't care about that piece, the tax piece and the business piece gets a lot of people. So that's where I think what I've learned being an entrepreneur and I've even learned a lot about business and that, as I've grown, the average person isn't of that mindset, right, like it's just not even something that they recognize. So I think that it's again like you're kind of stepping into this situation without really having a full understanding of exactly what you're stepping into, what you're getting into.

Speaker 1: 36:27

Yeah, I know, I feel all that. I just don't remember the name of the book. It's a very, very popular book, but essentially it's about, like this baker. It's a business book, but it's the baker that wants to bake the cookies, that works for a bakery shop, and then they're like oh, I could do this all on my own Right. And then it's like you don't realize. No, actually you're not just baking the cookies anymore, aka cutting hair or taking pictures. Oh, yes, it's like now you've got to find the space, you've got to pay for the space, you got to pay for the ingredients. You've got to pay for the customers, you've got to pay the taxes. Yes, so it's like you are, people are like it's essentially two jobs, right, like running the business.

Speaker 2: 37:09

Yes, you know the passion of why I am in the industry, and that's one thing, but then this is a whole. Another animal is the actual business side of it, which I think is it's unique to find an individual who can possess both sides. But you were into marketing and branding, I was so that I find and that was a business you know, in the business school, right. So I had to take accounting, I had to take right. So I definitely, and I think, just coming from a family of entrepreneurs, I often say the dinners because I was also an only child. So at our dinner table, you know, especially when my mother and my grandmother were together, so it was like a family affair, like we weren't talking about maybe what other families are talking about, like it was something about you know, such and such in the business and Right tax reform or something.

Speaker 1: 38:05

Yeah, I mean, it was my whole childhood.

Speaker 2: 38:07

So even if I didn't want to do it, it was like you know.

Speaker 1: 38:11

it's just literally a part of my DNA. It is, it's a part of the DNA. So, speaking of being a single child growing up, what was your like? What did like? Who are you outside of business Like? Where did you come from?

Speaker 2: 38:26

Mom, Mom. That's it, I am mom. Yes, I came from this area. I was raised in Northern Virginia. I my parents still live in Oakton. That's where I grew up. My grandparents lived out on the battlefield in Prince William County, so on the outskirts of like Manassas area, and my mom and my grandmother started a business in that community when I was a baby. So that really was. I always say like my parents didn't have more kids because that was the kid right yeah yeah, they're siblings.

Speaker 2: 39:00

Yeah, exactly, my sibling is that business? But yeah, and then I came out to Loudoun County a year or two before I had kids, kind of like I feel like my whole generation of Fairfax County or Arlington County residents did the same, because now it's, you know, half of my high school lives out here, half of my husband's high school lives out here, so came out here and then that just became homes and really outside of my work day. It's, you know, wife and mom and special needs advocate, really for my son. He definitely changed the game for me as far as just understanding around perspectives and even, just again, awareness, I would say being aware of certain injustices or individuals, and you know it. Just, he's shaped me into a different person and that's a full-time job really, just trying to manage a lot of that too.

Speaker 1: 40:10

A lot of emotions around just being a mom and then special needs advocate, and then being alive like you know, trying to balance it all on a shirt. It's a journey. It's a journey.

Speaker 2: 40:23

Actually, I will say, though and I tell people this a lot, when we talk about balance, and my best friend told me it several years ago, but she said, you know, because she also owns a business and has kids and we were having a conversation about balance, and she said you know what, Kristin, she's like you have to think about balance as a pendulum. And she's like and you're not like very often the pendulum doesn't just sit right in the middle, right, and you have that perfect balance of like all things in life. She was like the pendulum often swings from one side to the other and you have to be okay with that, right. So you're never going to be the perfect mom, the perfect wife, the perfect boss or Anne Stylist on one day. Right, it's impossible you can define like. Today I'm going to really focus on this and I'm going to kill it right.

Speaker 1: 41:12

I'm going to tell the kids Monday, thursday and Saturday Exactly. I'm going to be awesome. Don't count me for two days. Yes, the other day.

Speaker 2: 41:18

I'm out, right, you know she's like, but you know, and basically I think her it wasn't like all or nothing, but it was kind of like no, that that's where your focus and intention is going to be for the day, and then be okay with maybe not being Give yourself grace, yes, and that you know, does everything perfect that evening? Right, and like your kids, come home with freshly baked cookies and whatever, you know, the stereotype type of what that's supposed to look like you know so and crumbly skull, Look at it for a minute, exactly Whole foods, whole foods.

Speaker 2: 41:48

There we go. So that's. But I always think about that with balance is half of that journey is again giving yourself, grace, giving yourself and like having that conversation with yourself of like again I expect to be perfect and have this perfect balance. But does anybody and yeah, I wasn't the perfect mom today Like there's tomorrow?

Speaker 1: 42:09

Yeah, Like okay, well, wednesday wasn't their day, exactly.

Speaker 2: 42:14

Exactly Like sorry it didn't work out, yeah, but I mean I think that that's you have to, otherwise you would go crazy, you'd turn yourself apart and feel some guilt. Yeah, I mean what you do anyway, yeah.

Speaker 2: 42:28

You can control it a little bit. I had to just, yeah, it's more, just what. I'm having those thoughts like self-correcting, right, and then trying to say to myself like, okay, this is what I would tell somebody else, yeah, so I need to apply it to my own circumstances I've been saying a lot lately I find myself thinking of is like you are, not your emotions, you have to remove yourself.

Speaker 1: 42:51

And like you can feel a certain way but that doesn't define who you are, and don't take actions and feelings on those emotions. Sure, I was just having this conversation with my daughter where I was like you might like, if you just did how you felt all the time, you'd be a big slob in bed doing nothing, right, right, because you don't feel like she has to let the dogs out in the morning, early in the morning. Like you don't feel like letting the dogs out or feeding them, right, but guess what? Like they would be hungry. Yes, and there can also be a mess.

Speaker 2: 43:19

Yes, I think again, the balance in that is still addressing the feeling and still being aware of the feeling right and then making the choice to like that's where the power is right is making the choice to act on it or not. And it's actually funny that you bring that up because I think a lot of my feeling was shut down, being a single mom and working until I met my current husband and I didn't realize how shut down until we met.

Speaker 1: 43:49

You're like I could feel again.

Speaker 2: 43:50

Yes, and you know it's been a good thing, but I was like I wasn't even identifying, like I wasn't even aware, like if I was exhausted at the end of the day, like I didn't put a feeling to that right or allow myself.

Speaker 1: 44:04

So you kind of were on the other end of that, Truly Like it was just like I just will disassociate from the feeling.

Speaker 2: 44:09

I don't want the feeling and so, whereas he's extremely emotions and feeling driven, so you know, for us sometimes that's really hard right, because he's like, well, you're apathetic and I'm like, well, you're dramatic. So you have to figure out that you know, again, happy medium of recognizing that emotion and labeling that emotion, but not letting that emotion like rule you. Ultimately, what you're going to do, exactly, yes, and I think that that's being a parent and, again, a leader like you have. It's that's like applicable in so many situations.

Speaker 1: 44:42

Yeah. I like your other perspective of like there's a pendulum swing oh yeah, there's also another, oh yeah.

Speaker 2: 44:49

Big time. Yeah, there's a lot of opposites. In a lot of ways we hold a lot of the same values, but we're really like the way that we get there, I'm like we could not be more opposite. I'm like, okay, but in that, you know, we've. We've struggled at times, but I believe that the things that I have had to embrace again, like given that, have made me, you know, a better mom, a better leader, you know more self-aware over certain things, and it's nice when you do get, whether it's your friend, a spouse, whoever that gives you a different perspective.

Speaker 1: 45:27

Sure, yeah, especially if the values are aligned. Yes, and like you said, the way you get there will only help you grow Exactly so.

Speaker 2: 45:33

I think we've both been able to grow a lot. It has not been with lack of difficulties and hard times at all.

Speaker 1: 45:40

What is that? That's how the diamonds are made right Like under pressure.

Speaker 2: 45:43

For sure, but it's been a good thing for sure.

Speaker 1: 45:48

Awesome If you could leave with one message to the world. Oh my gosh, what would that message be?

Speaker 2: 45:54

This is the one when I said do you have any preplanned questions? No, I'm just kidding.

Speaker 1: 45:59

No, it just popped in my head.

Speaker 2: 46:02

Let's see. I think that it is just to leave your you know, leave your mark, be like, whatever you're into, like I think we're all put on this earth to do something you know, and to me the most important thing is there's no right or wrong in that. Right, like some people that thing might be based in, you know, production and growing, and right, like your value you feel like is in those situations. But I truly think that we're all meant for something, right and so, and a lot of times I think that also presents a gift to make somebody else better, yeah, right. So if you can kind of leave the world with that like you've done it, you've done everything you're supposed to do, like what you do right, Is you like?

Speaker 1: 46:57

take your gifts and talents, and not just for your team members, but then you're yeah, but I think we're like regardless, like what.

Speaker 2: 47:02

I think we're all, we're all meant to do that in some way, shape or form, but it's nice when you can identify what that is. Sure, sure, sure, sure, sure. Well, you, can be.

Speaker 1: 47:10

You're actively, you know when you do something that, like, you're truly making a difference.

Speaker 2: 47:16

We hope you hope that you're making a difference, but I do think we're all. We all have a gift and it's pretty amazing when you can identify what that is and then use it for good. Really, I don't know. I think my son again, like really helped kind of clarify that for me in a lot of ways, because I don't think I necessarily would have always said like, oh, I should use my gift for good, right, you know, yes, in certain ways, but I think that he really helped me understand, like, how important that is in just raising him and dealing with the emotions and feelings behind that.

Speaker 2: 47:56

And you incorporate that into your studio as well, correct? Yes, that was part of the. We actually did that very early on when we first opened and my husband and I kind of came up with the idea and it was his background in education and my background in, you know. I was like, well, I can give Ash and haircut in six minutes because, like, I've had to do it my whole life. So, again, that was kind of that thought of like, well, we should give back, right, like because what would what do people do, you know, like if I hadn't been able to do that for my son and I would have had to go somewhere and manage the behavior and the you know other person being nervous.

Speaker 1: 48:33

You know, like what I give listeners a perspective on what you're talking about terms of why it would be hard for somebody like Ashton to get it go into a haircut. A haircut or well, I think not only if and we in with my son.

Speaker 2: 48:50

I'm speaking primarily about the autism spectrum, but really children with disabilities in general. It can be different because of anything from you know they're in a wheelchair and the wheelchair has a back to you know. It just creates difficulties as far for the person. Right, it presents a different situation than what we're used to, we're used to come in, sit down. I control the narrative I'm going to do right, so it can present something that's different than the norm. And then with other disabilities, you have sensory issues. So you have kids that are very tactile, defensive. They don't want anything with buzzing or you know, anything touching them and especially, like you know, in sensitive places like around the ears and the head. It's definitely a lot of them. It's a tactile defense.

Speaker 2: 49:37

And a lot of that is also with special needs, because there might be also, from a comprehension standpoint, some limited ability there and because a lot of children with special needs, especially given the autism spectrum, they learn based on experience.

Speaker 2: 49:53

So, and even what I've realized is a lot of people with ADHD, right, like we're not great at executive functioning, so we learn by doing it or by feeling it, and the autism spectrum is kind of that on a broader level and so so much of it is them being comfortable in this, in, you know, with the person in the surroundings, and that's all just like kind of built over time and so, you know, just expecting them to have the level of comprehension where, like, I'm going to go in, I'm going to sit down, I'm going to behave, there's loud things coming at me, it's a loud environment. I don't know anybody here who is the stranger, right, like they don't understand what's happening and so obvious tactile defense is kind of their first, their you know, fight or flight, right, like our bodies kind of go into like whoa, I can't handle this. And so then you get behavior. So that's a lot of like, that's a lot of the things we try to address over time with sensory.

Speaker 1: 50:55

Sundays. So you were, so that's what you created. Sensory Sundays, you invite in kids.

Speaker 2: 51:01

So it's kids, it's families, families, yes, and I'm, and I always said from the beginning, I do it as much for the parents, because I'm a parent right as I do for the kids, because I think creating safety in the experience is huge, because, you know, when you have a child that potentially doesn't act, behave and again, there's different types of disabilities, but a lot of the times with children on the autism spectrum, he or she really doesn't look that much different than you know. A child that is considered the word they use is neurotypical, and so you're constantly, you know, having your own internal struggle. Why are trying to stay calm for the child Right, like and it just a lot of times they just snowball and I have so much compassion for that because I live it. So it really was.

Speaker 1: 51:54

So they don't have to go in. Parents don't have to go in and apologize to you 35 times. They still try to.

Speaker 2: 51:58

And I'm like honestly, like, do you think like your child cannot do anything that my child has not done for you? To me, like it's just, it's more important to me that you know you guys can relax and just feel comfortable and know that you know we have the best interest of everybody here and we're not here to judge you and we're not here to judge your child, right, like there is no judgment in what we're offering. So it's like just an open zone, right, and and truly. What we learned because at first it was like let's just open our doors so that people can understand, you know, or have this experience and then what I learned is is you actually can do a lot of rehabilitation in this service so that these kids can eventually not have to come on sensory Sunday, right, you know again, depending on severity level, but you know then the positive experience piece, so then they don't associate it with us. And then there's kids that you know, maybe started with sensory Sunday with us and we really worked through it, you know. And then they got older and then we don't really see them anymore, like maybe I'm friends with their parents on Facebook or something, but they don't necessarily come anymore and that's like the best compliment ever Graduated. Yeah, it's like the best compliment ever.

Speaker 2: 53:06

So, again back to kind of giving back. It was like that was a big thing, you know, that I really wanted to do. And then, in turn, as a business owner, like that actually helps your business, right, because you're giving to the community and you become, you know, there's like this trust there, right, and I've had people say, oh, I was looking online and you know I decided to come to you guys because you guys do that thing right With you know, kids on the weekends are, you know, so it's like people sometimes make decisions to. You know, support a business based on those types of narratives. You want to support the people that are taking care of your community. Yeah, and I almost feel like that's what you do, right, like, and how you again like your business benefits, but it's also a way of giving back to the community as at large, right, like, and all the business owners and people like you, and so it's actually a really cool win-win.

Speaker 2: 54:03

Yeah, yeah, right, so it's like it's the same thing, you know, so it is, it's totally the same thing it's. But it's like taking that gift and then like how can I give that back right and then hopefully there's also a little bit. You know that I'm able to, you know, promote, have within. That helps, but I'm giving back something that I'm really good at. You do it too, that's a perfect interview right there.

Speaker 1: 54:32

I mean, you're welcome.