Salon Swagger

Brie Holt (00:02)
Hey, hey, welcome back to Salon Swagger where we break down the good, the bad and everything in between when it comes to commission salon and spa ownership. I'm Brie and as always, I'm joined by Chandra C Hey girl.

Chandra (00:13)
Hello?

Brie Holt (00:15)
Well, today we are starting an important two-part series that's going to hit really close to home, I think, for a lot of people listening. I know when I was kind of getting all of this stuff together, it really made me think a lot. So we're going to talk about those moments when you just kind of wake up, you look at your business and you think, how in the heck did I even get here? Maybe you're just feeling disconnected from your team. Maybe you are exhausted from the day-to-day grind.

Maybe you're frustrated by how far your business has like drifted from the vision that you once had. It's a really hard realization. Kind of gives me chills when I start talking about it, but I think it's also an incredible opportunity for people to take a deep look and actually make a change. So over the next two episodes, we are going to cover everything that people need to know about resetting or rebuilding their business. And spoiler alert for everyone out there.

It's not always the businesses that are struggling financially that need a reset or a rebuild. I don't know why, but everybody thinks if they're making money, they don't have any issues. So in the first episode, we are going to dive into what it actually means to reset or rebuild and how to recognize the signs that it's time for one or the other. And then in the next episode, we are going to get into actionable steps. So how to redefine that vision, reshape your team.

and really rebuild your systems so that you can move forward with confidence and purpose. Our hope is by the end of this two-part series, people just understand not only what needs to change, but how to make those changes in a way that reignites their passion and gets their businesses back on track. With that being said, let's dive into part one and figure out how to know if it's time to reset or rebuild.

So Chandra, really want to start with something that is simple but profound. You cannot separate your happiness as a person from your happiness as a business owner, at least not in the beginning. So I feel like when you own a salon or spa, your business becomes a part of your identity, especially in those first few years. It's really an extension of who you are, what you value, and I think what you believe in. I know for me,

everything that i just said was what i was thinking about as i was creating my business as i was creating the vision and the mission and the core values and all of those things what about you.

Chandra (02:54)
yeah, definitely. I think that in the beginning, same thing. Like it was all about kind of what my plan was for what I could see in my vision and what I wanted to bring to the table and creating that for sure.

Brie Holt (03:08)
It's really important it's very very important and i think it gets overlooked. often i think people go into it gung ho right super hungry and super willing to do it and then sometimes well i really think all the time probably eventually that alignment kind of gets lost and what happens when that alignment gets lost when your business no longer reflects the values that you built like built it on the foundation.

or the vision that you had for your life. That's a terrifying thing. It's so scary and it's really, really sad because you start to feel disconnected, maybe from your team, maybe from your clients, maybe just from yourself. And that disconnect, it can quickly turn into resentment or that was my story anyway. I had resentment for the work. I had resentment for the responsibility.

And I had resentment. I'm not going to lie to anybody out there for the people that were in my business. And I want to tell you something that I learned the hard way. Resentment, it will eat away at your passion faster than burnout ever can. I never thought that I would say that because burnout seems to be the biggest issue that salon and spa owners have, commission salon and spa owners specifically. But that resentment

will kill that passion way quicker. Have you had to deal with any type of resentment like that?

Chandra (04:39)
yeah, for sure. I think that's exactly what happens is you start out with that passion and that drive to be whatever it is that you're trying to create and then it doesn't always work out that way and you start to get frustrated and you start to hate it and I 100 % know that feeling and that is the worst place to be.

Brie Holt (04:58)
It's awful. like I said earlier, here's the thing. You can be profitable. You can be hitting those revenue goals, but still feel like something is wrong. Maybe that money is coming in, but it's not bringing you joy. That's a problem. Maybe you dread walking into your own business, or maybe people are just stuck in a space that no longer reflects who they are at all. Profitability is great. It's great. But what's the point?

if it makes you miserable or if you are miserable in your business. If the business that is supposed to fuel your life is draining the life out of you, something's got to change. Something's got to give and it's got to be done sooner rather than later, or you are going to wake up and just be like that miserable old hag sitting in the corner over there. I remember feeling this way very, very distinctly and

I kind of didn't know what to do. I looked for information out there. I felt like I was alone. I felt like nobody else ever felt that resentment. I felt like I was kind of in a corner all by myself. But after I went through the process, I know that that's not true. I think it's just something that people don't talk about very often. How did you feel when you were going through that?

Chandra (06:19)
Kind of the same, like I just felt like kind of lost and hopeless and just you feel like you, you don't even know why you're doing this anymore. And you feel like you're just frustrated and you're spinning your wheels and you're running around and it's just not working. And it just, it's, it's a dark place to be. I I felt like this a couple of times. I've had my business a long time and so I've had to reset a few times and I think it's just, it's really hard to get out of that, but it is, it's a dark place to be in. And I think

people don't talk about it. And I think it's something that every business owner feels sometimes at some point in any industry, but definitely in our industry for sure.

Brie Holt (07:01)
I with that. And I think it's because we are in two different roles constantly, right? We're in that service provision role and we're in that ownership role. And so I think that's why it happens so frequently in the beauty industry. Something I do want to say is while your business may feel like an extension of you at first, the ultimate goal is always to create a business that doesn't depend on you.

And this is something else that people tend to not do in the beauty industry, a business that runs smoothly, whether you're there or not. And the reason for this is because it is the healthiest way to own a business. It's going to give you freedom. It's going to give you freedom to live your life, to grow as a person and to actually redefine your relationship with your business. When you can kind of break that mold and break that extension of yourself eventually.

It's how it's supposed to be. It just doesn't happen in this industry. When, when your salon or spa depends entirely on you, I don't think people understand this, it becomes a weight that you carry every single day. But when you build systems, when you empower your team, when you create a culture that reflects your value, your visions, your business is going to be able to thrive independently. You're going to be able to step back.

Focus on the parts of your life that bring you joy outside of work and know that the business that you've built is going to continue to reflect you, your vision, your mission, and everything that you poured into it. In my opinion, this is really where the real work begins. Not just building a business that you love, but building one that supports your life instead of consuming it. And that's what I want.

everyone to understand and really start thinking about today. So I think in order to do that, we have to talk about why loving your business matters to your well-being. And I would love to hear your thoughts on that.

Chandra (09:13)
Yeah, I mean, I think it's kind of like that thing where, you know, when you are in it and it's going good and everything's good and you're feeling good about what you're building and what you're creating, it changes your mood and it changes who you are and you can walk differently in every aspect of your life. And when you're in that dark place of resentment or you're getting frustrated, you're just kind of in a depression. And I know when we've dealt with people, I've had it myself, you kind of get stuck in that depression. And so I think when you can...

step out of that role a little bit and really start to build a business instead of just having it be you in charge of everything. You can step away and you can feel that sort of burden lifted off your shoulders. I know for myself, I definitely felt a huge change after getting things implemented in my business. it's, yeah, I mean, I think that's the biggest thing is you've got to be able to love your business, but not have your business run you.

Brie Holt (10:10)
Definitely. I also find that a lot of times, and I think this is where people get stuck in this reset or rebuild or needing to make changes is when we are talking to salon and spa owners, it's constant. How do I say this in a very nice way? excuses, right? Constant excuses. Well, this person, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, they're a great artist or.

And so we hear this all the time. And to me, when I hear those things, it is red flag, red flag, red flag, like something is going on that's gotta be changed. It's just that the owner doesn't want to realize it. And so I think when we're talking about a reset, a rebuild, we've got to talk about recognizing warning signs. A reset in my opinion, it's all about refinement. It's kind of where you've got the solid foundation, your systems work.

for the most part, your culture is decent for the most part, and your team is on board, or at least they're willing to get there. They're willing to take the ride with you. The problems are fixable without blowing up your entire structure. And I think here's a few things that you can look out for to see if a reset is the right move for you. If your team is maybe slipping into bad habits, but the culture isn't completely broken, right?

Leadership gaps can be solved with a little more clarity, a little more training, and a little more accountability. Your systems may need tweaked just a little bit, but they don't need rewired completely. You still feel a connection to your business. It just needs to kind of be back on track a little bit. To me, that's kind of a reset. What would you say a reset is?

Chandra (12:01)
Yeah, no, I agree. that's when I've had been in that kind of gone down that path a couple of times over the years. I think that the that's what I had to do was a reset. wasn't like a blow everything up and start over from scratch. It was like we just had to get things back on track. We just needed to tweak things. Maybe we needed some changes in the team. Maybe we needed some changes in our financial planning and things that we were doing and making those little tweaks.

can get you back on track and get you passionate again and get you caring about everything again, because blowing it up, that is like a complete rebuild, right? Like I think most salons, especially if you've been running pretty decent for a while, can just do a reset and kind of get things back on track.

Brie Holt (12:46)
Yeah. Sometimes though, a reset isn't going to be enough. I mean, we got to be honest, right? If the foundation is cracked, no amount of patchwork is going to fix it. Like when your foundation is cracked, you can't just keep trying to fill in those holes. And to me, that's when a rebuild becomes kind of your only option. A rebuild is really an opportunity to let

go of what's no longer working and create something stronger, something that truly reflects who you are and where you want to go in business. some reason, people think that a rebuild means that you have failed. And I hate it when people look at it that way because I completely disagree with it. And I think this conversation is very interesting because you said earlier that you think a lot of times people can just reset and be okay.

And I am almost on the complete opposite end of the spectrum. I think a lot of times people need just to completely rebuild. And we're going to get into why I think that in just a little bit, but it's so neat to see. And that's why I love these discussions because we do have different ideas of ways to do things. To me, a rebuild is an opportunity. Like I said, just to let go. I think sometimes a rebuild is necessary because you, the owner have changed.

your vision for your business, your goals and your why they have evolved along the way. And to me, that's okay. It is completely natural because we grow as people and as we grow our business, they need to grow with us. Our businesses have to grow with us. So to me, rebuilds are an amazing thing. I absolutely love them. I think if this is your reason for needing to rebuild your business,

You don't really look at it as starting over from scratch. You look at it from the viewpoint that you are just taking every freaking lesson you've learned failures, successes, good, bad, everything in between, and using it to create something bigger, badder, better, right? Badder in like the good term, something that aligns with where you are now and where you want to go next. So I think it's really interesting that we kind of have two different ideas on the matter and

I think that's okay. I think it's okay for us to be kind of in different spaces. So to me, let's talk about why people may need to rebuild. The culture is toxic and it's not something you can fix with like a quick meeting or just a simple policy change. You've got team members who are actively dragging the business down and they are not willing to change regardless of the situation.

Your systems are just completely outdated or completely ineffective and they are holding everyone back. You feel completely disconnected from your business to the point where it no longer feels like it is your business. It feels like everybody else is running the show and you're just a fly on the wall. You've been maybe putting band-aids on problems for a very, very long time and nothing feels stable anymore.

Or maybe you're just ready to step out of that service provision role and into the CEO role of your business. I think those are kind of the signs that I would look for on a rebuild. What about you?

Chandra (16:15)
Yeah, no, I think so too. And a lot of the salons that we've helped go through a complete rebuild, it's amazing to see how much they've grown and changed and how they actually have a successful business now. And so I agree with you. I think that if you have a lot of those type of issues, you can't band-aid it. You do have to go through and do a restructure, like just completely redo things. And I think that those signs are definitely what you should look for.

If you have that, I think the biggest one I see is that toxic environment. I see owners all the time trying to band-aid those toxic environments and trying to, you know, change the team members that aren't doing what they're supposed to be doing, but they're not going to change like for how long. So I think you definitely have to look at completely restructuring and completely redoing things if you're in a situation like that for sure.

Brie Holt (17:09)
think that's a great point. And I also think with their systems, right, a lot of times they've got systems and operations and policies and all of these things that have just not been implemented, not been put in place, or they're just not working. And sometimes they try to patchwork those too or band-aid those. And it's just easier to start over to be honest, it takes so much time to go and pull different pieces of information. Even if you have some amazing ideas, a lot of times it's easier just to

Maybe let some people go, rethink your systems and completely redefine your vision and values so that you can get those exactly where you need them. I get it. That is not an easy choice by any means, but sometimes it is literally the only way to move forward. There's no other way. When it comes to toxic culture, because that's something that you brought up, what are some early indicators that owners might miss?

before things kind of get out of control, I'm trying to think of the way to word this, but what can they look for if they're just kind of noticing things or they may be kind of missing something, they know there's a problem, but they're missing it, but before it gets way out of hand or way out of control, what do they need to look for? What are the indicators?

Chandra (18:30)
Yeah, I mean, I think when a, just to kind of say like one of the biggest mistakes I see people make sometimes is they turn their blinders on because the person is a top producer. And I think sometimes you have to just accept that fact. And when you see people who aren't following your systems or who are trying to kind of finagle the rules or finagle the policies or aren't working towards the goals that you have set for them.

Or if they're even, you can tell like when you come in, if their energy's off or they're stirring the pot, like any of those tiny little red flags, when you see them disconnect from your team, those are the things I would start looking for. And I think we get blind sometimes when we are like, this person is, they're bringing all the money in and I can't lose them. And so we let them get away with those things and we let them do those things, but that's what starts to create that toxic environment because your other team members see that.

And they wonder like, why is this person not being held to those standards or why, why do they have to do this? And so you might be hanging onto those top producers because you think they're the one, if you lose them, you're going to lose everything, but you're not. And you can really grow those ones that are doing the right thing. So I think paying attention to those red flags and getting those blinders off just because you think this person, or if they have so much potential, I've been guilty of that. like, this person's going to have so much potential. I don't want to lose them, but they're really.

crumbling your entire foundation behind the scenes and you just don't want to let that happen. So, yeah.

Brie Holt (20:00)
100%. Something else that kind of came to my mind when we were talking about this, because we're talking about toxicity and team members and all of this thing is resistance to leadership. That is such a big one that we tend to hear from salon and spa owners all the time. It blows my mind the way some of these owners allow their team members to treat them, to speak to them, especially in front of other team members, maybe even clients, things of that nature.

So let's talk about that one for just a second, because I think that's a big problem. And I think a lot of times what we do is we just shrug it off to, they're just having a bad day or you know what I mean? Everybody has those days, PMSing, whatever it may be. And that's right. Everybody has a bad day now and again, but it can't happen. It can't happen. So have you ever dealt with maybe resentment to, you know,

leadership in a way and how did you handle that situation?

Chandra (21:01)
Yeah, I mean, we actually just had this happen a few months ago with somebody at our desk who kind of went off on me about something in front of other team members. I mean, we just don't tolerate it. I mean, that's the thing. Like you can't, you can't allow that behavior to happen. Period. I mean, even if you have somebody that's really great and they just had a bad day or something like that, you still have to have a conversation with that person and say like, look, this was not okay.

This isn't how we are culture is this isn't how we run things, you know, and have that conversation. But you'll, you'll find those people that are the ones that, and I've had them before too, where that's not the first thing that they've done. That's not good. You know what I mean? And so it's like, they're going to keep repeating those things and you have to stop it right then and there when they act like that, because otherwise it, otherwise the team loses respect for you. If they see somebody treating you that way.

they start to kind of lose respect for you too if you're not handling it or you're just brushing it under the rug. And so we just deal with it head on. Like that's our policy, open door. Like if there's an issue, we're transparent. You're gonna know about it. And so if there's a problem, you're gonna know about it.

Brie Holt (22:11)
Definitely. And I think that brings us into another kind of warning sign or red flag that we could look at. And that's leadership. Leadership is slipping, yours or theirs. So strong leadership, we all know is the foundation of a successful business. So whether it's you as the owner or someone in a lead role, leadership is going to set the tone for everyone else. And when that leadership, when it starts to slip, whether through maybe inconsistent communication, avoiding

tough decisions, or even failing to set clear expectations, it kind of creates this vacuum that often gets filled with confusion, frustration, or negativity. And so I think as the owner, you have to ask yourself, are you showing up as a strong, consistent leader? Are you, or have you given your managers or your lead roles the tools that they need to succeed? If not, you've got to start reassessing, I can't talk today, but whatever.

and strengthen that leadership in your business. Because when leadership steps up, the entire team is going to follow. That's just the way it is. So for people kind of seeing that leadership struggle in their business and they're trying to decide, can I reset this or do I need to rebuild it? What would you say to look for in that area?

Chandra (23:33)
I mean, I think when you're struggling with your leadership, the biggest thing that I sometimes look for is I just kind of look like, is this what I want? Is this what I'm trying to create? Because if it's not, and this isn't serving the greater purpose or how we want things to be, then it's got to go or it's got to change. And so when stuff like that happens, I'll even have that little conversation with myself. Like, OK, is this the direction that this is supposed to be going? Because if not, this has to change.

And I've been afraid to be that leader in the past, like especially in the beginning, I didn't know how to have those hard conversations with people. I didn't know how to talk to them in that way. And after a while, when you really hold strong to what your values are and what you want your business to be, you just don't tolerate it. And I think if you're trying to rebuild or reset, you need to look at those things and see what in your business is causing those problems. And then you need to deal with it head on.

start thinking about your leadership, like how are you dealing with it? You know, just run around and yell at everybody, that's not gonna help either, you know? So it has to be done in a way, you have to treat people in the way you want them to treat you back. And so I think having just open and honest conversations also helps your team be open and honest with you because they know that they can have those conversations in a constructive way and then it starts to eliminate some of that kind of them treating you badly.

Brie Holt (24:57)
Absolutely. And I think we talk about toxicity, we talk about culture a lot, but something that we also need to think about is the team morale. So if you start seeing that team morale in the basement, in the gutter, everything else is going to suffer as well. Maybe you notice team members like disengaging during your meetings, they're showing up late, they're doing the bare minimum. Worse,

Maybe you even see a sense of defeat or negativity that's just spreading across your team and pulling everyone down with it, right? Those are things you've got to look for. Low morale, doesn't just happen. It's a symptom of deeper issues. Maybe it's a lack of recognition. Maybe it's unresolved conflicts that are going on, unclear expectations. Once again, that one is going to come up over and over and over because it's a big area where we see salon and spa owners lack.

Whatever the cause, low morale is going to hurt productivity. It's going to hurt client experiences and it's going to hurt the overall culture. A lot of times we just go straight to culture. We don't think about the morale. So I think you have to look and see. And if you feel like you are sensing a shift in energy or motivation with your team, you need to start digging deeper and address the root causes head on as you are deciding whether to reset or rebuild.

Have you had a time where your team just had very low team morale or dealt with a salon or spa owner that was dealing with this issue?

Chandra (26:30)
Yeah, I mean, we have it in our salon, you know, and I feel like it's something that can kind of just come and go, you know, even if you have a perfect culture, perfect everything, sometimes things just will get off track a little bit and, you know, that morale goes down. And so for me, when I notice it, you can tell because they'll be hanging out in the back room a lot and they're not out doing what they're supposed to be or just little things, little signs that come up that you're like, they just don't seem motivated or they're wanting to ask.

to come in late or leave early, like little things like that sometimes that we pick up on. And we do, we just get everybody together, whoever, maybe not everybody, if it's only a certain group of people or just certain people. And we just ask them like, what's going on? Like, why, why do you seem like not yourself? Or why do you seem like things are just not right? And sometimes we'll send surveys. Like if I feel like it's something else, I'll be like, send out an anonymous survey to your team and find out like what.

what's going on because they may not always want to tell you, you know. So I think that's what we do. And that's, I think what we try to help a lot of salon owners do too, is they just have to communicate and they have to get in there and not ignore it. And they ignore it. And then it's a huge problem and they have to blow up their whole team and start over again. And so I think you have to pay attention and you have to hit it head on always. And I mean, there's been times when I've walked in the back room and all of sudden everybody gets quiet and I'm like, what's going on?

Why are we quiet? Like, I just don't let it go because if they get it out, they get it out and then we move on. Like, maybe they didn't like something I implemented and I'm like, okay, well, let's talk about it. Let's figure out what's wrong, you know? And so if you have those conversations again, it builds that morale back up because then they can see the bigger picture. And so I think that's just, you gotta talk. You gotta find out what's going on.

Brie Holt (28:19)
Absolutely. And when you're dealing with toxicity in the culture, low morale, resistance to leadership, your clients, they know, like they may not know everything that's happening behind the scenes, but they can absolutely feel it. If the energy is off in your business, whether it's tension amongst the team members, disengagement, disorganization, clients are going to pick up on that 100%. And the tough part is

They're not always going to tell you directly. Sometimes they're just going to stop coming back or they're going to spread it throughout the community, which is going to hurt that reputation that you work so hard to build. So you've got to look out for things like this as well. And this is something that I just talked to with my team about recently. You know, they've got to start looking for declining repeat bookings, drop off in referrals, subtle comments, like things just feel different here lately because those are all signs.

that your client experience is being affected by things happening in your business. We have to remember that our clients are there for more than just the service. They are there for the atmosphere, the relationships, and honestly the vibe, the vibe that your studio gives off. And so if they start noticing the cracks or they kind of get that feeling that something's going on, it is a clear sign that your team and systems need attention. With that being said, has

this ever happened to you where your morale or culture was just so low that you did start noticing these things with your clients.

Chandra (29:56)
Yeah, I mean, actually with the front desk person situation I was talking about earlier, we just had had this kind of happen a little bit and it wasn't so much team morale. They weren't really saying anything was wrong. but when we let this person go, we had clients commenting and saying like, the energy feels so good in here now. And it's not like they necessarily were saying it was bad before. don't know if they necessarily picked up on it, but this person was causing, you know,

kind of an uncomfortable environment for everybody and nobody was really saying anything. And so when the client started saying that, it feels so different in here. Did you guys do something different? Like, it's not like we changed the decor, but they felt like something was different and it's cause they were always dealing with her and you know, her energy was just not good. It was always kind of negative. It was always kind of low. And so.

now that she's gone, it's like all of a sudden everything got a facelift, even though we didn't actually touch that stuff. was just the energy brings it all down. So yeah, we experienced that for sure.

Brie Holt (31:00)
So these are a lot of things that owners have to look at and think about and pay attention to when they're trying to decide whether they have to reset or rebuild or any of those steps. But I feel like one of the biggest ones is that owners just feel completely disconnected. And the reason that I think this is so on top of mind is because we're actually coaching someone who is going through this right now. This one is personal.

It's one of the hardest signs to face. you know, just walking into your business feels more like a burden than that opportunity, that's a horrible feeling to feel. It's just horrible. And so I just want people to know that a lot of people feel that way and it's okay to feel that way. It's okay. As the owner, your connection to your business is going to drive everything else. So if you're feeling disconnected, it's going to point to bigger issues.

burnout, frustration with your team, a business that no longer aligns with who you are or where you want to go. But there's good news in that fact. You need to look at it this way. If you're feeling disconnected, look at that as just a signal, a signal that's telling you that you've got to change things. You've got to change things. Whether it's a reset or rebuild, this is your chance to create a business that is going to excite you and inspire you again.

So when you were going through your reset phase, how did you deal with that feeling of complete disconnect? And what actually finally was that decision maker where you were like, things gotta change. I am out of alignment. There are too many major red flags. This is what I've got to do.

Chandra (32:46)
Yeah, I think when I was going through that kind of that phase, I just, felt completely disconnected. felt like I didn't really know what I was doing anymore. I would just show up kind of just not really participate in my business. To be honest, it was like, I was just kind of floating through. And I think the biggest thing for me is I kind of hit a point where I was like, well, what am I doing? Why am I spending all this time and energy doing something that's not working?

And I feel like I'm just beating my head against the wall all the time and I'm implementing policies or procedure or doing things and nobody's doing it and it's not working. And I feel frustrated like a broken record, just saying the same thing over and over again. And finally, I was just like, what, what was I trying to create? Like I just bring myself back to the beginning of what am I trying to do? Why am I trying to do this? Do I want to keep doing this? And then it's like, when you really, when you really ask yourself those hard questions and you're like,

most of the time I do want to keep doing this and I still want to build the dream I was trying to build. So I got to fix it, you know, and I got to, I got to make those changes. And that's what got me out of it is I was like, it's either close it or fix it, you know? And so that's, that's where it was. Like it, it reignited my passion. Cause I'm like, I do know what I need to do. I do know what I want to do. I just have to stop like wallowing around and acting like a crazy person and just get this done.

Brie Holt (34:12)
Take action, right? Like actually take action. We get so in our feels all the time and kind of feel sorry for ourselves and just sit in our little corner and pout instead of actually figuring out a plan and taking action. So for those listening to this right now, if you are feeling disconnected from your business, if your vision has changed, if where you want to go has changed, if you have evolved, it's okay. You've just got to figure out what you need. Do you need a reset? Do you need a rebuild? If your culture's off?

Do you need to reset? Do you need to rebuild? If morale is low, reset, rebuild. And if you're still not sure, you can kind of just ask yourself this. Can I fix what's broken with the teams and the tools that I already have? If the answer is yes, then you probably just need a quick reset. That's it. But if the problem, if the problems feel bigger than the solutions that you currently have in place,

A rebuild is probably going to be your better option and do not, do not be scared of it. I think both of these options are going to require very tough conversations, clear boundaries, and they're going to take a lot of effort. I don't want to lie to anybody. Neither are either choices, but sometimes it really is the only way. Regardless of the choice that you choose, remember that the goal is the same. It is to create that business that works for you.

and not against you, not against you at all. Chandra, if an owner that is listening to this right now is unsure whether they need just that tweaking, that reset or that rebuild, what do you think is maybe the first step that they should take to kind of figure out which of the two they need?

Chandra (35:59)
I think really redefining what it is you're wanting to create and then kind of going backwards and saying, okay, this is what I want to create. What are the things that aren't serving me right now? And write all those things down, whether it's your team, whether it's, you know, the amount revenue, whatever that looks like, right? Write all the things down that aren't serving you. You're creating your, your bigger picture.

And then write the things down that are good, like write down the things that are working, write down the things that you have built that work, write down the team members you want to keep, like whatever that looks like so that you can start kind of planning out a roadmap to knowing where to start or what to pinpoint first. And then I also highly recommend getting help because I did that and that helped me a ton because when I was trying to go through some of that stuff, I didn't always know exactly where I was supposed to start and I didn't always know what the

what the most important thing was to start doing. so, you know, reaching out to a coach or reaching out to somebody that you know, that's in the industry, that's really great, that can help you through some of that stuff and get you back on the right track, I think is also really, really important.

Brie Holt (37:07)
think at the end of the day, the decision to reset or rebuild, we have to remember it's not about perfection. It is literally about progress. It's just about making choices that are going to align with your values, your vision, and honestly, your wellbeing as an owner. And whether you choose to reset or rebuild, one thing is for sure. There's one thing for sure. You don't have to stay stuck where you're at. You don't have to. Don't put yourself through that misery anymore.

You have the power to create a business that is going to support the life that you want. And to me, that is worth every ounce of effort that it's going to take. just is. Chandra, what would you say to an owner who feels completely overwhelmed by the idea of a rebuild, but knows that that is the absolute right choice for them?

Chandra (38:01)
I think you have to, for lack of a better way to say it, just suck it up and you have to get through it because if that's what you really want and you really want to build this business and create this life for yourself, it's not going to happen easily. And so you have to just take the steps and you have to bite the bullet. And if that means letting people go, or if that means, you know, completely changing everything and starting from scratch, then that's, that's, that's what's got to happen. And I think that's where people get stuck as they get afraid.

to do it. And so you kind of have to think like this is my, this is my shot. Like I'm either going to do it or I'm not. And so I think that's the biggest thing is you just, you gotta suck it up. I tell myself that all the time when I get in a funk, I'm like, you gotta just suck it up and you gotta figure it out.

Brie Holt (38:47)
I love that. think that's a great way to end the first part of this session. And I really hope that something has clicked for everybody out there listening. Maybe they are realizing that your business just isn't aligned with your vision or as aligned as you'd like it to be. Maybe you've spotted one or several of the warning signs that we talked about today. Maybe, just maybe, you've just started to ask yourself the big question. Am I happy? Am I happy with who

Chandra (38:48)
Thank you.

Brie Holt (39:17)
I am maybe as a business owner, as a leader, maybe even just as a person. Does my business make me happy and does it align with what I want for my future? We so often forget about that because we're stuck in the moment. Here's the most important thing that I think Chandra and I want all of you to take away from today. Choosing to reset or rebuild is never a sign of failure. It's a sign of growth.

It is a chance to stop, reflect and make intentional changes that are going to bring your business and your life back into alignment. There is nothing greater than that. Like that's a beautiful thing. And no matter how profitable, successful or established that your business might look from the outside, none of it matters if you are miserable on the inside. It just doesn't matter. So this is your permission. It's your permission to take a hard, honest look at what you've built.

not with judgment, but maybe with curiosity. What's working? What isn't working? And most importantly, what kind of business do you want to have moving forward from this day moving forward? These are the questions that are really going to kind of guide your next steps. So in the next episode, we're going to dive into the how, whether you're leaning towards that reset or you are gearing up for a full rebuild, we are going to walk you through the actionable steps that you can take to

Kind of take control of your business and bring it back to life. That's the way I like to look at it. You're bringing something back to life. We are going to talk about redefining your vision for just a little bit, empowering your team, creating systems that are going to set you up for long-term success. Trust me guys, you don't want to miss it. I'm telling you, it is one of the best decisions you will ever make, regardless of what you decide, reset or rebuild. It will be something you don't want to miss and you will never ever regret. Right, Chandra?

Chandra (41:12)
yeah, for sure.

Brie Holt (41:14)
So if this episode hit home for you, share it with someone else who might need to hear it. There's a lot of salon and spa owners out there that just aren't happy and there is no reason to be a business owner that is not happy. And as always, don't forget to like, follow and subscribe so that you can stay in the loop. Follow us on social media. Chandra, how do they do that?

Chandra (41:35)
Look us up @thebeautybizagency on Instagram or Facebook, or you can shoot us an email at admin@thebeautybizagency.com.

Brie Holt (41:43)
Beautiful. And visit our website, www.thebeautybizagency.com We have some amazing free resources and tools that you can use to level up your salon or spa like immediately. In fact, we have an amazing workbook that goes along with both of these episodes and we might just put that in our free resource section so that you can follow along and kind of create your reset or your rebuild. Until next time, remember you have the power to create a business that you love.

and one that actually loves you back. Now go out there and make some boss moves and keep slaying those business goals with a whole lot of swagger.