From Fear to Founder: How I Built a Thriving Salon & Education Brand from Scratch

Let’s get one thing straight:I did not start this journey with a business degree, a perfect plan, or a Pinterest-worthy salon aesthetic. 

I started in 2019 with a knot in my stomach, $30 self-care candles from TJ Maxx, and the very real fear that I’d get sued for breaking a non-compete.

And yet, somehow, we’re here.

If you’re a stylist sitting in your car Googling “how to start your own salon” while stress-eating drive-thru fries, hi. I was you. And this one’s for you.

Let me walk you through my messy, powerful, post-it-noted journey from scared-to-death solo stylist to full-on educator, salon owner, and (accidental?) entrepreneur.

2019: The Beginning: Broke, Scared, & Googling Everything

This was the year I decided to go out on my own. And by “decided,” I mean spiraled, cried, and checked my budget 437 times a week.

Pain Points:

• Leaving a safe job (hello, legal fear of non-competes)

• Making money literally day by day

• Wondering if this would all crash and burn

What Helped:

• Talked to a real-deal attorney (game-changer)

• Did grassroots marketing like a hustling 90s kid (hello, referrals)

• Created a basic budget so I could stop panicking every time I opened my banking app

Mindset Shift:

I stopped waiting to feel confident and started acting like someone who deserved to own their work.

Tool I still swear by: SalonScale (because knowing how much color costs = not sobbing on payroll day)

2020: The Suite Life & Scaling (Kind of on Accident)

I left the home setup and moved into a suite, thinking, “This will be chill.” Spoiler alert: it was not chill.

Pain Points:

• Operational chaos

• Being booked solid but still feeling broke

• Realizing my business was kinda... un-business-y

What Helped:

• Square marketing tools to talk to clients (instead of me texting them at 11pm)

• Online booking (because I was not a receptionist, I was a stylist)

Mindset Shift:

I had to become a leader, even if the only person I was leading was myself.

2021: I Opened a Whole-A$$ Salon

Plot twist! I opened my own space.

And suddenly, I wasn’t just worrying about me. I was trying to market to renters, manage personalities, and figure out what kind of toilet paper the team liked. 

Pain Points:

• Finding the right stylists to join

• Budgeting beyond just “survive mode”

• Understanding that not everyone works like me

What Helped:

• A proper team handbook (shoutout to boundaries)

• Facebook groups and distributors help to fill chairs

• A website that didn’t look like it was built in 2007

Mindset Shift:

Flexibility isn’t a weakness, it’s a strategy.

2022: Innovation, Burnout, & Chasing the Right People

I learned that skill is great, but attitude is everything. I was searching for renters who didn’t bring chaos in with their color bowls.

Pain Points:

• Finding the right people (not just any people)

• Staying ahead of the curve with tech

What Helped:

• Leaning into systems that worked

• Focusing on vibe over resume

Mindset Shift:

The best teams are built with energy, not just experience.

2023: My First Class... and Full-On Imposter Syndrome

This is when education knocked on my door. I decided to teach in person, and I swear I almost threw up the morning of my first class. But I did it anyway.

Pain Points:

• Booking host salons in other cities

• Feeling like I wasn’t “qualified” enough

• Making sure people actually showed up

What Helped:

• Instagram ads that didn’t suck

• Brand swag and collab classes that made it fun

• Getting personal online- people showed up because they knew me

Mindset Shift:

You don’t have to be “the best” to teach. You just have to be willing to share what works.

2024: Mom Life, Business Life, & Trying Not to Lose My Mind

Balancing being a human and a brand was a lot. I had to get help or go insane.

Pain Points:

• The pressure to always be “on”

• Sustainability- not just environmentally, but emotionally

• Trying not to compare myself to every other stylist with a ring light

What Helped:

• Hiring a social media manager (take it from me- DO IT)

• Getting super clear on what I offer and why it matters

• Letting sponsors promote my classes for extra reach

Mindset Shift:

Success is sustainable when you stop trying to do everything yourself.

2025: Expansion & The Full-Circle Moment

This year, I’m expanding into salon suites and mentoring others. And honestly? I still get imposter syndrome. But I don’t let it drive.

Pain Points:

• Budgeting for growth without panic-buying plants for decor

• Attracting renters who actually align

• Believing I deserve to lead

What Helped:

• Hiring a coach

• Letting my assistant handle what used to eat up my energy

• Owning the uniqueness of my space and my story

Mindset Shift:

You don’t have to prove you’re ready. You become ready by doing it.

3 Things I Want You to Know If You’re on Your Way Up:

1. Start scrappy. You don’t need a fancy website. You need clients and consistency.

2. Track your numbers. Trust me. That $18 tube of color adds up.

3. You’re not “too much” for dreaming big. Build the thing, even if your voice shakes.

If You’re Here, You’re Probably On the Edge of Something Big

Maybe you're considering a suite. Maybe you want to teach. Maybe you just want to stop feeling like a mess every Monday. Wherever you are, I see you. And if you're looking for support, you don’t have to figure it out alone.

👉 Join the Waitlist for My Next Class or Coaching Program

I didn’t reinvent the wheel. I just got really damn good at pushing it forward. And if I can do it with a cup of coffee in one hand and a stack of post-it notes in the other, so can you. Spots will be limited, past students get first dibs. Let’s make this your breakthrough year.