I’ve had it on my list of to-dos to write the end of the year message and I’ve been putting this off for as long as possible because how do you even begin to share reflections of a year like this?
For some, this year has been a gift. A season where we’ve gotten time back with family, time for personal development, and the space for new, positive endeavors.
For some of us this year has been filled with unending challenges. A season of loss, grief, fear, and insecurity.
For me, it’s been a combination.
The Beginning of Be Inspired Salon
I started Be Inspired Salon in 2010 because I had a vision of what a thriving team atmosphere could look and feel like. I had a plan to help build stylists in their careers and offer them a level of financial success not typically achieved in our field. Year after year, our company and team members have experienced tremendous growth. We’ve won awards and we’ve experienced what it feels like to be among the top salons in our area and in our country. It was feeling pretty awesome.
The Beginning of 2020
In February of this year, my husband, Anson, decided to take a leap of faith, exit Corporate America as an electrical engineer, and join the family businesses. You may not have known that in addition to Be Inspired Salon, we were running two other industry brands that serve salons throughout North America. And it was time that either he joins in the entrepreneurial pursuit, or something would have to give—because our three-year-old son, Nash, was paying the price of us trying to juggle it all.
We knew that this new lifestyle would not be easy, nor would we have any safety nets should things get rocky. But we were up for the challenge and we were ready to do it together. Wow, we surely didn’t expect our first year of collective entrepreneurism to be like this. Who could have seen this coming?
I didn’t see this coming. I could never have imagined this level of disruption. It felt like a major shift occurred within our company as it did in our culture. Something happened to our security and trust with one another. It’s been heartbreaking. Our whole business is based on relationships. And relationships are built on love and trust. Have we—Anson and I—lived up to everyone’s expectations? No, we have not. We’ve had many team members decide to move on from our team to begin their own booth rental, or some that have decided to leave the industry all together.
I’ve not done things perfectly. I’ve had to grow up and mature throughout this process. I’ve had to make decisions that may not be the most popular. I’ve had to take a look in the mirror to see where I was letting others down—seeing how I’ve been wrong, hurtful, judgmental, or dishonorable to others. I’ve had to own my mistakes and apologize to those I’ve offended. For all the things I’ve done incorrectly, I’m sorry!
I’ve personally gone through days, weeks, and even months, where I felt I wasn’t good enough to do this anymore. I wasn’t progressive enough, I wasn’t present enough, I wasn’t cool enough to be the leader of this salon—those were the thoughts I had. I was questioning everything and everyone. I’ve never felt periods of depression and anxiety as I’ve felt this year. Who trusted me? Who could I trust? It all seemed like failure was inevitable.
The Future Looks Bright
By the grace of God, I am starting to see the hope and good in how things have changed. I’m seeing how the many challenges are leading us somewhere wonderful. I’m seeing the opportunities in our future, and I’m waking up excited for them and excited for the New Year.
And though we have had a lot of loss, we’ve also had some awesome gains. We’ve gained new team members during the year, which in it of itself is remarkable. They’re thirsty, positive, eager, and enthusiastic. They, along with our team members who have stuck with us, have been the energy and inspiration to continue this mission. I am grateful for every single human in our charge and I will not let them down.
So, where this leaves us today is, we are going to get up, show up, and have the courage to go through the painful periods of regrowth. We will rebuild our team and culture in a fresh, simplified, and inspiring way. I have faith that our best years are ahead!
I hope you are here with us. I hope you choose Be Inspired Salon as your hair salon. I hope you feel confident with the team of artists and leaders we have and will continue to gain. We are here to love you, support you, and create beauty for you in a truly authentic and personalized way.
Thank you and God Bless,
Kati
