06: Journey back to confidence
Today's guest is Melissa Higgins, from Salon Maya in Sydney's Northern Beaches. Mel opens up about her experience with a business partnership that didn't work out, and how she was able to branch out on her own. We talk about client relationships, imposter syndrome and the support of family.
Number of fucks given in this episode: 6
Listen to this episode
You can listen to this episode of F*ck Around and Find Out below. You can also listen on your favourite podcast apps, including Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
You can also listen on your favourite podcast apps, including Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Episode transcript
Em: Welcome to the Fuck Around and Find Out podcast, where your hosts, Emily, Christine, and Rah, we are three women who have built and run our own businesses and are here to shoot the shit on everything about women in business and running your own business. Raw. Introduce yourself. Ha ha
Rah: hi everyone. Um, so my name's Rah and I don't have a business name because I am my own business and I do digital marketing and systems for women because fuck men. There we go. We've done two fucks already. Now we're up to four. Oh shit. Now we're up to five. Okay, great. Um, people may have noticed I'm putting in the episode descriptions, how many fucks we're giving in each episode.
So I'm
Chris: Loved that.
Rah: we're saying it. So,
Em: Ha ha ha.
Rah: the count is going to be quite high already from this episode, just because of me. [00:01:00] So done. I am the sweary one. Hello. Thank you for joining us and Chris. Hello. How you doing, mate?
Chris: Well, hello. Um, I am the, I'm one half of Juniper Road. I come first because smart C for Chris in the alphabet comes first. Um, Juniper Road is operational and shared services support, um, for small to medium businesses. Uh, so we actually, uh, fuck around in the people's business. Back end and get, um, their, uh, back end sorted, um, websites built, refreshed, inboxes triaged and cleaned up.
We get their data entered, their social media sorted and lots of things.
Em: I'm sorry you son of a fucker in the back end and I just lost it. I can't, it's just, uh,
Rah: for people who aren't in the room, yeah, we're looking in the virtual podcast studio here. And as soon as Chris [00:02:00] said back end, M's doubled over, which then set Mel off. And now that's setting me off.
Em: funny.
Rah: It's a circle back end kind of, you know, you just
Chris: that, that's right.
Em: This is why Chris goes first in life because I'm not mature enough to do it. And also because every time I have to introduce our business, I do it terribly. So, and yes, I'm the second half of, uh, Juniper Road and everything Chris said, we'll just go with that because that was really good and all we needed to say. have the sensible
Rah: in your catchphrase though. So, um,
Chris: That's right.
Rah: got to talk about the one, one.
Em: my one stop shop is all
Rah: There we go.
Em: where the Juniper Road one stop shop for all your business needs.
Rah: Absolutely. Now, now it's a podcast episode.
Em: And my other catchphrase for anyone who's playing along is, it's all for the gram! Um, here's my other one. I was doing a lot of that singing the other day. Um, yeah. So we three crazy people make up the lovely, uh, Fluff Around and Find [00:03:00] Out podcast. That's another F for the, count. And today we have my absolutely beautiful best friend very, very many, many years now, Mel Higgins, who is the Sole owner and operator of the fabulous hair salon, Salon Mayor, Northern Beaches based, for anyone in the area, hit her up, actually don't because she can't take new clients because she's too damn popular. Mel, welcome, welcome to
Mel: Oh, thank you. It's so good to be here.
Em: please introduce
Mel: Lovely introduction. That is a lovely introduction. You should come stand at my front door and just introduce me like that every day. It's amazing.
Em: because I knew you wouldn't introduce yourself like that.
Mel: You know me too well, babe.
Em: Tell us, tell us, tell us about um, your lovely little baby that you're in and tell us all the things about yourself.
Mel: so I, um, so Selenmayer has been, I'm nearly a year old, so, um, first week it's old, yes, can't
Chris: [00:04:00] Celebration. Huge milestone.
Mel: Yeah, it's good. It's good. Um, basically I've been hair dressing for 20 years. Um, I have worked in a few salons, all kind of on the Northern beaches. and I went out and started a salon five years ago now with a business partner. just, that was my first business. She had had salons before, but it was my first business and basically just fell in love with, with running my own show. Um, having the freedom. And being able to call the shots, obviously four years ago, it was right in COVID. So it wasn't very good at that point.
But, um, yeah, basically just, I've now opened my own place, and I'm on my own, so I, um, just run my own show by myself and don't have any staff and it's absolutely bloody wonderful. So it's, um, yeah, I've got two, two little kids, so I can be a mom and business owner at the same time. And, um, it's, yeah, it's, it's the best [00:05:00] thing I've ever done doing my own, doing my own thing. So
Em: Telling Mel for millions of years to get out there and do it herself. So we're really excited that she's finally here and now I'm trying to convince her that she needs to start an empire but she's freaking, freak
Mel: I don't have time for an empire. I don't have time for myself a, an empire would just, I don't even know how I would do that.
Em: Yeah, you'd be amazed at what you can find time for. Definitely what
Mel: Well, yeah,
Rah: very good at bullying us into doing things that are actually better for us. Like.
Mel: absolutely.
Chris: Yep, it's true.
Em: these guys into this.
Rah: Yep. Yep. And, and my bestie is the reason I started working for myself. She had been in my ear for years saying, you could be doing this for more people and, you know, supporting more women and being a bit more flexible. And then she's like, then you can come and hang out with me more often. So it was, you know, a win for her and a win for me as well.
So I'm all for besties and listening to them.
Mel: Oh, look. And a hundred percent, you know, like I definitely think I've, I've always [00:06:00] admired him because she's always done her own thing, what she wants to do and no one, she won't let anyone stop her if she comes with an idea, she'll just roll with it. And that's it. So she's always in my going, you need do that.
And you need to do this. And I'm like, okay, okay, okay. But I love that. You're not scared to go and go through with something. And that's, that's, it's awesome.
Em: There's
Mel: So, so. Yes, 100%. Yep. Oh,
Em: We all know how each other works, right?
Rah: Got to play to the strengths, right? Yeah.
Em: I mean, I think for you too, we're, we've talking in a previous episode with one of our other beautiful guests, Mary, about like imposter syndrome and having that confidence in yourself to do it too. And I know it's something I've seen you struggle with. throughout your time because I've known Mel long enough that I've seen her through a few different salons and the whole show of it all and you could have done this a lot earlier from where I was seeing but I could see the [00:07:00] confidence in yourself was a big thing.
Yeah.
Mel: been, Um, my biggest critic, you know, and I've always been the person that's kind of gone, I can't do that. I, you know, I, what if I fail? What if I do this? What if it doesn't work? Um, and probably the biggest thing I've learned from this salon, not so much the last one, but this one is you have to just, if you have that idea, like I said about you, um, Just do it.
Just do it. If you've got enough, you know, you have the confidence, you have the knowledge, you have everything you need, um, go ahead and do it because if you're back, if you back yourself, you won't fail. You won't fail because you put yourself behind you, pushing yourself all the way.
Chris: Yeah, absolutely. But it, you know, it's a bit of a, um, you know, a journey to get his confidence there and, but I'm so with you, like, you've really got to park that whole. imposter syndrome concept, uh, because it is just all part of the journey. And even failing is all part of it. They're all teachable moments.
And if [00:08:00] something doesn't work, it's not because it failed. It's just the execution needs to be fine tuned or it's not it's time. Um, so yeah, you just got to go with it.
Mel: Our, my last business, I, it didn't fail by any means. It wasn't a failure. It was, we were, we were so, so busy, but it was just, so many things happened in that four years that it's just completely the path that we thought we were gonna take. We were going that way, and we ended up going that way. And it was just one of those things that. Yeah, it's, it's not failure by any means of the word, but it's just, you don't, you see it going one certain way. And when it doesn't, it kind of, it's a, that's a whole change and you just got to, you got to roll with it. You got to roll with it.
Em: They say it's a
Mel: So
Em: stone in the journey of the life, right? Like
Rah: Yeah.
Em: never quite end up where you expect it to be. And I've always found your experience with, um, Lux really kind of fascinating to watch with a partnership, given Chris and I are also a partnership as well. And it's interesting just to kind of like looking at the differences
Mel: say, I will say Chris and no [00:09:00] offense, don't take offense to this, but I said to him, what the are you doing? Don't go into partnership after what happened, don't do it. You can do it on you guys have shown that it's, it can, it can work. You need to be on the same page, which you both are same ideas, which you both have. You know, um, and it just said, prove it. It definitely, it definitely can work for sure. Um, but yeah, it doesn't always happen that way.
Chris: No.
Rah: And also
Chris: No.
Rah: I reckon you wouldn't have known, no, let me start that again. You would be a better person now in your business for yourself because of what you learned from that partnership as well. So it's not, it's not wasted time or effort or any of that because
Mel: it was, it was.
Rah: woman.
Mel: And it was such a learning curve for me, you know, like my first business. I mean, I've managed, I managed to sell them prior to that for 10 years, but managing and owning totally different things, you know, um, they're, they're worlds apart, even though you think if you've managed a [00:10:00] business, you can own one. It's, it's a total different ballgame. Um, and me, what I learned. Especially because COVID was thrown into it and everyone was learning at that point. No one knew what they were doing in those, in those couple of years. So it was, it was a whole new thing for everybody in business. Um, but I think given the fact that our business was so new when COVID hit, um, yeah, it was the things I learned over that four years.
I don't reckon I would have ever got with any other experience ever, you know? So definitely, definitely beneficial for me. As I said, they're not, they weren't all positive things, but, um, I definitely think that it's made me a better business person now based on what I learned for sure. For sure.
Em: it's given you some strength too, like in, in some ways I think you fight for yourself a little bit more than you did before and you're a bit, you've got a bit of confidence in that sense too, and it's sucky that it comes sometimes from not good places. But it's nice to see that in you [00:11:00] now too.
Like you're so much more confident in yourself
Mel: Well, I think, I think now for me, like into a business. First with a business partner, you have a bit more, um, confidence based on the fact that there's two of you, you know, and you've got someone to fall back on and there's someone that you can talk to and there's someone that you can, you know, um, throw ideas around when it's just you, you're that sole person.
And Raya, I suppose you are, like you said, in the beginning, you are your business,
Rah: Yep.
Mel: that's, that's the same as me. Now I am the business and without me, there isn't anybody else. So I think. When you learn that, you know, you are the business and the only person that's going to make that business work is you, um, it, it gives you definitely, you have to have, you have to have the confidence.
You have to back yourself because if you don't, who's going to do it? I mean, yeah, I've got a great family. My husband's amazing. He's built my whole shop for me. He's my biggest supporter. Um, family the same, but at the end of the day, when it's [00:12:00] in here and the business is working and it's open, you are the only person.
So you've got to make the decisions. You've got to do all those things and no one else is going to do that for you. And I think that if you, you don't back yourself, it's you're headed for failure. You have to, you have to do it. So. I think, yeah, as M said, you know, going the last, I've had a lot of, over my 20 years of hair dressing, I have a lot of, I've always had a lot of confidence issues because I've never thought I've always been the, Oh, I don't know if I'm good enough.
I don't know if I'm confident enough. I don't know if I can do that. I don't know if I can do that, but. The journey for me, leading me here has made me go, I want to do that. And I have to do that because it's going to benefit my family life and it's going to benefit me long term. Um, and I think if COVID has taught us anything, the flexibility that we can now create for ourselves in every business, um, has made me go, my kids are little, they're only going to be a little for, you know, a small amount of time, I still love my work and I don't want to give that up, but I do want to be a mom and be around as much as I [00:13:00] can. And. probably what I've learned the most out of. My last business to where I am now. If you, um, need to step away, can step away and your business will still be there because you will always, the time that you take away for being with your family, you will always put back in, in another way.
Chris: Yeah.
Mel: always, you know, it will always stay there.
So yeah,
Em: I
Mel: it's, um,
Em: Mel's literally just moved house and is completely renovating this new house whilst also trying to juggle working and, and everything else in life, so. I
Mel: I put my makeup on in the dark this morning, my hair has
Chris: Well,
Mel: all through it. So, um, yes, I, uh, I do apologize. Um,
Rah: look the part.
Em: You
Rah: If I was coming, if I walked in as, as a client, [00:14:00] yeah, I wouldn't think that there's a hair problem going on or anything. So working. Yeah. Um,
Em: do you, I've got a question and sorry, I just totally cut you off. Um, what is your biggest woohoo moment you reckon you've had?
Mel: for me, up to date, like I remember we, and Emma remember, so obviously we, I, we closed our, um, last salon and this was all my, this shop was an absolute. Um, probably the biggest moment for me was walking in after my husband had been here three weeks straight working building this beautiful shop for me. I walked in the mirrors were up, the chairs were down and I just walked in and went, wow, this is me like this is me on my own. We've done this. My husband and I've obviously done it. but this is just me now. There's no one else to take any of the shine. I feel like as [00:15:00] much as I don't want to sound like an absolute wanker when I say that, but I was like, this is just me.
I like, we've created this on our own with no help from anybody. Um, and I think that I've always probably dreamed of having my own place without anybody else. Um, but again, the confidence thing for me was, I'll never be able to do that. You know, I can't be a mom and have my own business and, and do all those things.
So I think, yeah, that was, I actually burst into tears when I walked in here, I was out doing things and I'd come back and he'd unpacked everything. And I just went, Whoa, like
Chris: Yeah.
Mel: it was just a shop all set up, ready to go.
Em: I almost burst into the first time I
Mel: Yeah,
Em: I was like, so proud of you both for what you've done. Like, I was like, I'm getting even teary now. Cause I was just like, this is, your, it's you, you know?
Mel: so that, that was definitely, and I think coming up to the year mark as well will be a really big, um, a really big thing because it's gone really fast, to be honest, doesn't feel like a year. It's just flown by. Um, but I think, yeah, that first year of business, [00:16:00] especially when, you know, again, like you buy yourself, you've got to make all your decisions.
You've got to make, you pay all your bills and make sure there's enough money for everything. And. I think coming up to one year of business is, it is another big, is another big moment for me because I feel like I'm okay, I'm doing it and it's still happening and you know, we're still, the business is still going really well.
So I think that's probably going to be another,
Em: It's a
Mel: another big,
Em: It's absolutely an ultimate achievement. What exact date is your one year? Do you know?
Mel: uh, I think it's last, it's the last week of, or like 31st, 30th, 30th of August 31, one of those days. So I think it was middle of the week. Cause I think we ended up having to push it back. Cause. Couldn't get everything finished in time. God love him. But yeah, I think it was the end of all, but like last day in August, I think it was,
Em: yeah,
Mel: so
Chris: Cool. Annie, you've got um, any plans of any special celebration?
Mel: I had my, I had huge plans. I was going to have a, I was going to have a party and I was going to have, I was going to hire all that front and have [00:17:00] tables and food and all this stuff. I haven't done a thing for cookies.
Em: yes,
Mel: I asked.
Em: come over and do it. We'll do something. I'm not going to let that pass without
Mel: So
Em: that.
Mel: I'll probably just do like, and I thought actually I, I'm going to do something where the clients that are in that week, I'm going to discount all my clients that week. So I'm big on giving back and I believe that, uh, and that's another, that's another reason for me why. I wanted to have my own place without anybody else.
Cause for me, I'm really big on giving back. I
Chris: Yeah.
Mel: I'm lucky enough to be in a position where I can have a successful business. Then the part of that money that I make, I really want to give back. So there's a few things that I've done over the past where I've been in a position where I can give back.
And I think for me, clientele for me, like a lot of my clients have been coming to me for 10 years, 15 years, it's really important to me that I can [00:18:00] make them feel like I appreciate them every time they come in the salon because at the end of the day, without them, I don't have a business, you know, the new ones will always come and go and there'll always be new people wandering in and out, but I think it's your core loyal clients that are the backbone of your business.
So for me, it's about. Making sure they feel welcome, making sure they feel like they know that I appreciate, um, that they come in and, and, and support me. So, yeah, so I'm going to do something that I haven't quite worked it out yet, but the, the clients that week will all get some sort of special discount on that day.
So
Em: The fact that you've got such like, you know, Mel and I were talking the other day about needing to put together something to just be like, I'm really sorry. I can't take new clients anymore because she's so like almost eight weeks booked out in advance. Like, it's ridiculous.
Rah: is amazing.
Em: so much loyalty.
Chris: It's great though.
Em: client base, like you, you clearly just nail it and I'm not surprised in the slightest and people have been coming to her for millions of years and will not ever go anywhere else because she's just that good. Not that she [00:19:00] thinks she is, but she's that freaking good that it's just loyal.
Chris: I think, I think really that whole, I'm booked out for eight weeks in advance. I've got, um, clients that have been coming to you forever. And I could only imagine that you probably have a couple of multi generational clients perhaps.
Mel: Yep,
Chris: So that, that is the tribute to how
Rah: Yeah.
Chris: you are. Absolutely.
Em: Like half
Mel: I'm no good at fluffy stuff. I'm no good at it. But yeah, look, I think, I think it's, um, think I, and, and I, and, and probably one downside that to me that impacts my family is, and my husband said to me the same thing is like, you just can't say no to people. Right. You can't, you know, like I'm where I worked this morning.
I normally don't work on Mondays, but I had a client who has been coming to me for a long time. And she, you know, she always comes back to me. She's, she always comes in every six to eight weeks. And I feel like. I can't just say, sorry, I can't fit you in. It's just, [00:20:00] you know, you can't, and this week, last week, moving house, I should have had last week off that those clients for that week, where, where am I going to put them if I, if I move them? I know that the majority of them will go absolutely Mel, I get it. We've gone through this whole journey. You're getting into your house. Yes. Move me. But I kind of go, well, where am I going to, where am I going to put you? You know? So um, it's really important for me to. after my core my, and my loyal clients.
And you're right, Chris, like multi generational, like I've got moms and daughters that have come in, that are coming to me, mothers, daughters, grandmothers, you know, um, in laws all that they, they all recommend and they all come, which is beautiful. It's getting to the point now. And this is what I was saying with M last week about. Cutting off my, I've had a wait list that's got 60 people on it and I still can't, I'm not going to get anywhere near through them, but then I'm still having lots of new business come through, which is amazing. And it's, it's really humbling, but I know that I don't want to give anyone like that false [00:21:00] hope and I'll stick you on my wait list and I know I'm not going to get there. So I would rather be honest and say, look, I'm really sorry, but at the moment, I can't fit anyone else. I'm totally at capacity. Um, and I kind of struggled with trying to get out how I do that because I didn't want to. I don't want to feel like I'm being a wanker by saying, Oh, you know, I'm too popular, but it's all about, yeah, it's all about just trying to be like, I really appreciate the business.
However, it's really important to me to still give my customers that 100 percent effort.
Chris: Yeah,
Mel: the minute you start trying to slam people in your professionalism slips, and then that's where your business starts to go downhill. So it's all about keeping, you know, you're close knit. And not getting too big where you just can't, you can't keep up.
Chris: yeah, totally agree there. I think, um, you know, and that whole thing about capacity, um, and delivering such an awesome service just moves across so many, you know, all business, really, [00:22:00] there is nothing worse than, even we know, there is nothing worse than being promised something and it's not delivered. And, you know, if people only have a finite amount of time.
to out of their day to come and have the therapy that is a visit to a hair salon for sure. But nobody has five hours to wait around because, um, you know, X amount of too many people were squeezed in kind of thing.
Mel: It's definitely, and I think, um, yeah, I mean, uh, everyone's time for these days, if
Chris: Hmm. That's right.
Mel: everyone's time for, you know, mom, not mom, business owner, whatever you are, um, like, and a lot of people love coming and having their head on. Like you said, Chris, it is therapy, but as well, People are kind of looking at their clock going, okay, well, I've got to get my head on this morning, but however, this afternoon I've got to do this, this, and this, and this. So it's all about, yeah, you want the, the, um, professionalism and the [00:23:00] experience to be the same, but not get to, and I feel like there's a lot of salons and businesses in general out there that, um, the professionalism does slip and they don't care about their clients as much for me. That's my number one thing, because I feel like if you don't have clients, what do you have, you know, you don't have a business.
Em: Exactly.
Rah: Yeah.
Em: Right, I cut you off before, before you had a question. Did you ever,
Rah: No, you asked the same question that I was going to ask. So it's like, we're.
Em: same
Chris: Great mind for thinking alike
Rah: on
Chris: there ladies. Oh
Mel: question.
Em: I do have another, and it's what is piece of advice to give other lovely stylists? Even someone like you beautiful little Talia, who hires a chair in your salon. What
Mel: Yep.
Em: one, like a main piece of advice you'd give them if they were looking to start their own business?
Mel: I think the biggest thing that I've learned is to it's all about for me. It's not about money. It's not about making money. It's not about, [00:24:00] um, you know, getting as many clients as I can. It's taking the time and making that person whoever, whatever they have done, I could be spending 500. They could be coming in for a. Quick haircut that takes half an hour and costs you 50 or 60 bucks. I feel like you need to, to build and to get your name out there. You look after that person like they're paying 500 that person is going to come back to you and over time they're going to spend 500 with you. It may take a year or it may take. But the person, that person's going to be loyal. They're going to tell their friends and their friends and their friends. Whereas, and that's again, going back to the same thing of like, I'd rather have really saw a core group of loyal clients as opposed to new people coming in and out all the time. Cause I feel like those ones are going to continue to come.
And so my advice is, would be. Always look after every single person that sits in your chair and make them feel like they're a million bucks because That's your core business. [00:25:00] That's what's going to get people coming back to you It's not about lots of money. You will if you're successful you will do that, you know that will come but I think to start off It's all about making every single person that comes in feel like they are the most important person in your chair 100%
Em: It's the
Rah: Yep.
Em: right? It's that whole customer experience.
Rah: Yep.
Em: of, word of mouth referral is like the strongest you can ever get as well.
Rah: Yep.
Em: stronger. If,
Mel: Huge. Yep.
Em: and Mel does it better than anyone I've ever seen. She's very, very well connected. She laughs cause she hates, hates me saying it, but she's so connected on Northern Beaches.
She's been there a long time and she meets so many people through what she does and she always knows someone that knows someone that knows someone. And it's, it's, it's, it's, They all get referred to her that way. That's why she's never ever busy with constant inquiries because
Rah: Yep.
Mel: Yeah. I mean,
Em: journey.
Mel: It is great. Like my husband's now just started his own business after being working for someone for a long time. And, um, it's the same [00:26:00] thing because it actually moves across trades, you know, and across different industries, because now I've got clients that I have that are now needing work from him.
And so those, those people cross over. So you're actually, it's not always about who, you know, just in your industry. Yeah. If you're getting word of mouth recommendations across different industries,
Em: Hmm.
Mel: you know, it's, it's, it can, it can be a really, really useful tool.
Chris: God. Yeah, absolutely. And even if, you know, it's that whole recommendation for something, somebody who is not your business goes a long way because you're seen as a very authentic, helpful, community minded person. And that, that also supports you in business.
Mel: Definitely. Definitely. For sure. For sure.
Rah: I think you can tell, like I've experienced this with, you know, all the headresses that I've, you know, tested over the years trying to find the one. Um, or trying to find the replacement the one, you know, cause There have been ones that I've been, had been going to for [00:27:00] years, but then something changed.
They'd lost that touch, um, and focusing not on the money, like what you were saying, Mel. It really shows. Um, and it's, and it shows in everything, not even just like where I go and get my nails done or get my hair done. It's every service, you know, or
Mel: Yep.
Rah: every product that I buy from, um, You know, it makes such a difference, even if you know they need it, you know, they, we all need money. Um, but if they're not making that the, main goal of what they're doing, um, I think it really shows. And that's where that love and adoration from clients comes into play. And then it just naturally will grow from there, is
Mel: I mean, I, I know, I know from other services that I go and have done, you know, if I go and get my eyebrows done or I go and have a facial or whatever, you know, I lie there thinking about what those people in those industries have done that I could incorporate into my business to make people [00:28:00] feel really good.
More accommodated and things. And so we're constantly out there and I'm, I could be a client to other people. So I'm looking at what they're doing and how they're doing things. And no, I wouldn't do that. Or yes, I would do that. And constant ways to evolve and to, to better my service, because I think that no matter how long you've been in your business, you can always learn something new and you can always continue to better yourself, better your service and your professionalism. Um, yeah. So I think, you know, I mean, I've been in this trade for 20 years now, but I'm always open to learning new stuff because I feel like it's always evolving and you can always, always, yeah, learn something new.
Rah: Yeah,
Mel: So,
Rah: think that's so important. It's good that, um, you are thinking when you're out doing know, other things and, you know, working out what you can do differently. Um, yeah, I think that's something that we can all learn from. You know,
Mel: well, I mean, like you were saying,
Rah: yeah.
Mel: what you said about, like, if you've been to a lot of hairdressers, there's so much, [00:29:00] especially in speaking in my industry, I suppose it's probably the same with you girls in your industry as well. There's so much competition. Um, and there's so, you know, for us, there's a hairdresser on every corner and in every suburb, you know, I think in my, in my suburb here in Monavale 30 hairdressers. in one tiny little suburb, you know, so every corner you've got another salon. So every, if they don't, if you don't look after your people here, going to go down the road or they're going to get on, on Facebook and in recommendations and go to the next person. so yeah, it's, it's, it's definitely an important part.
Um, and I suppose you girls probably do the same thing in your industry. It's all about looking after your people.
Chris: Absolutely.
Em: exactly.
Rah: point of difference and embracing that point of difference. And so Mel, does that make you, would you say that the client experience that you're giving is that your point of difference or are there other things as well?
Mel: Look, I feel like, um, because the majority of my clientele I have known for quite [00:30:00] a while now, obviously being here, I've picked up some new people, but the majority of my customers, I reckon they're at least five years now. So at the very minimum, probably five years. I feel like I want to create, I love coming to work. I love being in my space. and I feel like that vibe is probably given off to my customers. So I think it's important that. that's something that I've learned from when I was at my other salon. In the end, um, it wasn't a nice environment to be in and, uh, I didn't enjoy going to work and I didn't want to go ever. I feel like if I can come to work, love what I do, love where I am, love my space, feel like the customers can come in and feel that too.
Chris: Oh, absolutely.
Rah: Yep.
Em: can, like,
Mel: I
Em: space that it's such a beautiful sized as well, and you've decorated and done the interior design so [00:31:00] beautifully. It's very beaches, very on point and, but everything just works and flows and it's just such a nice space. I think it definitely is translated.
Mel: definitely, yeah, I definitely want, it was something that I said to my husband that when we're building here, I wanted it to be a space where people can come and relax.
Chris: Yeah.
Mel: I understand that people are time poor there. A lot of the women that come in, uh, working. You know, during the day. So I've got a table where everyone can come and bring their laptop and they can sit while their colors on and do their work on their laptop.
And I've got lots of plenty of chairs so people can relax. And I don't care if people bring their dogs and I don't care if people bring their kids. And I don't, cause you know, a lot of the salons now say, Oh, you can't bring your kids to your appointment or we don't like animals or we don't want this, I'm all for it.
You bring whatever you want. You bring your kids, you bring your dogs, you bring your cats, your drafts, just your zoo. I don't care,
Chris: I think that is absolutely fantastic. And I'm really impressed that you have got some workspace because [00:32:00] I do take my laptop and I'm sure Em does and Rah does. I do take it and I understand, uh, you know, if there's a table in front of you at the mirror, it is for a coffee, water, tools or whatever.
Mel: but
Chris: But it's not marvellous for a laptop.
So I love that. so much.
Em: first thing
Mel: You're like this.
Em: yeah,
Mel: A lot of the benches are too high. So you're sitting up here uncomfortable and you can't actually sit back and relax.
Chris: Yeah.
Mel: was
Em: I
Mel: important.
Em: Mel's is the whole second she's done my goal, it's exactly me. I'm like, right. Got stuff to do. I'm on
Rah: Yep. Yep.
Em: for a little walk. Like
Mel: Yeah.
Em: great. She's created such a, a very clever space. It's, yeah.
Mel: I just, it was me, it was kind of thinking, and again, like what I'd learned in my previous salon and the things that we kind of maybe didn't have there that I went, that's something I need to think about going forward because it was, again, it was three covert. So everyone was working from home and no one was going into the office.
So, you know, every second woman came in with a laptop on her, on her knees [00:33:00] and, um, that was sitting up at the desk like this, trying to, you know, then they can't relax. And I thought, no, I don't want that. I want someone to feel like they can still feel relaxed. Sit comfortably, um, and know that, you know, they can still do their work and bring the dogs and bring their kids.
And, you know, so,
Rah: Yep.
Mel: um, yeah, so that was, that was, uh, important.
Em: Do you see why I think she could start, like, an empire?
Chris: Oh, absolutely. Thanks.
Rah: percent.
Em: Mayas all over the
Mel: You and I can do it together.
Em: Uh, I'd be there in five seconds. We could
Rah: Yep.
Em: up everywhere. Like, you could
Rah: If you could set up a co working space out behind the sinks as well that I'll come and work from there.
Em: a clever idea, actually. Like, that,
Mel: Yeah,
Em: That would be such a smart idea.
I reckon
Rah: Yep.
Em: bones here, my friend.
Rah: Yep.
Em: so
Mel: Watch this space.
Rah: a website. I know you create websites when you think of an idea. Do not create a
Chris: Oh,
Rah: just
Chris: doesn't she?
Em: it's
Rah: Nah.
Mel: She's already got mine.
Em: So that was the first thing we did, was build her website.
Rah: yeah.
Chris: But it's really important though. Like, I mean, I [00:34:00] know that Em built the website and the socials, but, and, and I know I'm, I'm, I'm talking to the converted anyway, but the whole, the whole continuity on brand, you know, look at you, Mel, you are your brand, the background, you is an awesome background for this kind of thing, for the images you take for your socials, the website is connected, like it is just, you, we see Salon Maya when we have a look at, you know, your surrounding and your imagery.
It's great.
Em: You know, the
Mel: think, I think that's
Em: The
Mel: Yep.
Em: Mel, like, like, the Mel I've known for millions of years, when she showed me all these kind of mood boards and stuff we were looking at, like, this is what I would have picked for you anyway, just knowing you as a person, like, it is just, it's so you on point, so it was such an easy thing, right?
Mel: I just, I mean, I'm definitely not a stylist in any means of the world. And I lay in bed many nights awake at two o'clock in the [00:35:00] morning going, what the hell am I going to do here? And how the hell am I going to do this? And you know, am I sent you probably 40, 000 phone calls a week. What do I do here? How do I do this?
Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God. But, um, I think having the brand yeah, it's important. And I mean, I've just, I just last week I sponsored my kids school. I was their gold sponsor for their gala night. And. had, you know, every single poster they had up had my little logo on it and everyone's going, Oh, Mel, Mel. So it was kind of really good to see that just by having that little M and the, and the branding, everyone goes, Oh, that's Mel. We know that. I mean, obviously Maya is my daughter. So everyone knows that she's my daughter and that's where the name came from. But it's um, Yeah, it's, it's, it's taught me, because I don't think we really pushed out all brand very much.
And we just, we kind of set it up and then it was just there. Whereas I think, yeah, even things like I've done capes now with the M on them and everyone comments on that. And I didn't think that was going to be such a big part of my business. [00:36:00] Uh, but it's amazing. Well,
Em: it's the
Mel: yeah, and it's amazing when customers come in, the things that you think, Oh, no, one's going to notice that everyone notices the little things.
Em: Yeah. And
Mel: really, it is really important, 100%.
Em: just the comment about the, we didn't push the last one. Like the Lux brand, I think it's really kind of, yeah, this one clearly resonates so much more with you and with the business, like it fits better, like it's a much,
Mel: Well, it's huge.
Em: a natural,
Mel: Yeah. And that's the hard.
Em: it's a natural flow on them.
Their branding kind of implementation is just so natural and easy.
Mel: Yeah. I think, um, really, that's probably the biggest thing I learned from being in a partnership and you guys obviously don't have this issue, but when you have two people that are, worlds apart on things. hard to kind of bring that all together and for it to be easy and [00:37:00] flowing. Um, and like, you know, we, we, we had plans of building that business and it being, you know, so, and it was successful, don't get me wrong.
It was extremely successful, but, um, from a branding perspective, it was never really something that, you know, chose to push too much because it wasn't me. Um, and the socials were really good and the socials were successful. And we, again, we didn't really have to,
Em: So
Mel: um,
Em: can I throw in, I think the success purely was actually, you know, Coming from you from, it was successful because of you and the
Rah: Yeah.
Em: Mel does all her own social media. I don't need to do a damn thing. She's so good at it naturally. She does exactly what to do and not do. And you, it's
Mel: I wouldn't go that far.
Em: No, you do. You do it really, really well. And believe me, I sit there
Rah: Nah. Harder gray. Yep.
Em: But like it's
Mel: Yeah,
Em: came from you. It just took you a bit longer to realize it
Mel: well, I mean, I think the, the, we were both lucky that we both had a clientele going into that [00:38:00] business. So, know, my business partner had had, she'd been working in a salon for quite a few years So she had a clientele. I had a clientele from new business and then where I was before that. Um, and so business wise and, and client base, we were, we were set, we were fine. Um, but going into the space, we were lucky enough to get a space that was already fitted out as a salon. So there was minimal money having to go into it. I think our ideas were very different and a lot of the time I kind of just would go whatever because I don't want to, I hate confrontation and we'll tell, I'll tell you. I'm not a confrontational girl at all with people, family's different. My husband will say, yes, you are, but that's family, but I don't like I don't like, especially work when I've got to be there for so much. I don't like having confrontations. So that brand for me was just kind of, I enjoy social media and doing that, but it was more of just a. Let's just keep it running. Let's just keep it looking like we're here. [00:39:00] Um, whereas now I feel like, again, I don't have to kind of okay, anything with anybody. I don't have to think, Oh, well, this person like that, it be something that I can, you know, I just do it because it's just me and there's no one else to have to worry about it. um, yeah, it's important. A
Em: landed in where you, you were meant to be. I
Rah: Yeah.
Em: think.
Mel: hundred percent, a hundred percent. Yeah.
Rah: that. That's yeah.
Em: Your journey has landed you in the right places.
Mel: Yeah. Oh, look, a hundred percent. And if you, if you'd said to me five years ago that I would be here, I would have laughed in your face and said, absolutely not. You know,
Em: Yeah.
Mel: I honestly,
Em: would've.
Mel: yeah. Staying in that business, that old, the old business, I would thought I would be there for forever. So, um, the fact that I'm here now, it would have just shocked me back then, but it's definitely, um, the right place for sure. For sure.
Em: universe works in weird ways, hey? Well,
Mel: A hundred percent. Definitely.
Rah: Yeah. Yep.
Mel: Definitely. Definitely.
Em: [00:40:00] lovely little question she likes to throw, so I might pass the mic over to the lovely Chris.
Chris: Look, thank you.
Mel: Okay.
Chris: It's not too scary, Mel. Um, but it's very interesting, um, answers. Um, so if I had a box and it was full of all the things that you had lost throughout your lifetime up to this point in time, what would be the one thing that you hope that you would find in that box? And it can be anything.
anything. It doesn't have to be a person, an object, it can be a memory. But what would be the one thing you'd like to find and take out?
Mel: so the biggest thing probably I was gonna, I was, I would probably normally say a person because I've lost some people in my life that I wish I could have more time with, but I think everyone would definitely have that if they had a choice. When it comes to business and me in business, probably the biggest [00:41:00] thing that I would love to have had back. a confidence thing, right? So, um, in high school, I had a really tough time. I was bullied quite bad. I was very much a tomboy when I was in high school. My dad's a mechanic. I was, you know, never wore makeup and never did my hair. I was under a car with my dad. Most weekends I loved car racing and we'll remember and like, she knows what she remembers at all, but
Em: naturally beautiful.
Mel: I got, no, definitely.
Gosh, those old photos are rather anyway, before I was a hairdresser, I wanted to be a mechanic. I wanted to work with my dad. Um, that was my dream, but I got really badly bullied in high school and I had a shocking time. I ended up moving schools. I ended up, um, yeah, really, really hard. And. Back in those days, 20 something years ago, know, bullying wasn't like it is now, it wasn't apparent, it wasn't out there.
No one was talking about it. So I would, you know, and my dad is, was very strict with us [00:42:00] growing up and he was very much, um, you know, I mean, I, I will be the same now with my kids. I have no doubt. But at the time he was the worst person in my life I wasn't allowed to do anything. If I could have one thing back, it was, would be that I. Didn't lose my self confidence back then because I feel like that has shaped me as a person forward. And I feel like for the first time in my life now two children, a really supportive husband and a successful business. I'm getting back to where I was, but I feel like if I'd had, hadn't lost that confidence when I was 14 or 15 years old, um, my life probably would have taken a completely different path. Um, would I change, would I change it? Probably not because I am where I am now, but that is definitely something that has me back a lot in my life and made me second guess things that I look back now and I didn't need to second guess and I didn't need to worry about. But I feel [00:43:00] like that would be something that I wish that I could have that I haven't had for a long time.
Chris: I love that answer, Mel. I really, I really do. And I find it really interesting when I asked his question of our guest speakers and all the different, um, answers that we get, um, given, um, That was brilliant. And what a fantastic thing to say that you wish you had something like that. Yeah, yeah.
Mel: everyone, everyone would have a person that they wish they
Chris: Of course.
Mel: There's so many things that like, again, my grandfather was a really, really important part of my life and he was very clever and he had a business his whole life too, but the confidence thing is something that I lost a long time ago. it's taken me a long time and I still don't think I'm definitely not back to where I should be. But, um, and I don't think I ever will be really, but it's something that I feel like if I had it, um, it would be very different. [00:44:00] Um,
Chris: And, you know, we're going to watch this space. You're about to celebrate birthday number one. I can see humongous things. And the fifth
Em: Empire!
Chris: oh my God, is going to be huge.
Em: Oh for sure, and I think she's, Mel's a powerhouse. She just needs to believe it a bit more,
Mel: Well, I mean, look, I have to, I do have to say my husband is my number. Like I said, he's my, my parents and my husband and you M cause you have been there the whole time, like hubbies, very, very different personality to me. He's always like, Just do now and think later. Don't, don't worry about what anyone thinks you do.
You don't, you know, don't let it get to you. Stop, stop thinking that you're not doing things the way you should be. It's your business. You do it how you want. So it's definitely, he's definitely helped me and probably push me into the uncomfortable spaces that I needed to go into. Um, didn't want [00:45:00] to, but needed to. um, yeah, it's, it's, it's definitely, um, I think it's definitely important part, I think for anyone that wasn't confident. Um, yeah, you just need to believe, need to believe that you can do it and you will.
Em: how much strength is there in having a really, like, Lincoln is just, Lincoln, I love Lincoln, he and I are probably very similar personality types, but he has been such a good influence on you to help you, to push you through that stuff, but he's been such a fabulous support as well when it comes to the kids and, and picking up the slack.
Mel: Oh, is honestly, and
Em: God, Aaron.
Mel: I'll have to actually, well, he'll have to watch this back just so he can hear it, but he is, um, He's just, he's honestly awesome. Like there is no way that I could work the hours here that I do if I didn't have support at home, you know, to be able to run a business, be a mom, do all the backend stuff, you know, he's taking the kids in the afternoons, he's picking them up and dropping them off.
And I mean, he's now running his own business too, as, as for the last kind of few months. So he, you know, I [00:46:00] look at him and just go, wow, you're amazing. But I couldn't, I honestly couldn't do it if I didn't have support. support at home. So
Chris: no, it's
Mel: very,
Chris: Everyone needs, you know, if you're in business, I mean, you just need that support and having, um, having someone having your back and being a cheerleader and picking up the slack to enable you to focus on what you need to.
Mel: absolutely.
Chris: so important.
Mel: Yep. Absolutely. Yep. For sure. For sure. Yep. For sure. Without a doubt.
Chris: Oh my God, Mel, thank you for speaking to us today.
Mel: Thank you for having me. This is my first podcast.
Rah: so open with us as well. That's
Mel: Feeling very excited. I'm not good. I'm not good at, I probably will absolutely cringe watching myself back, but it's, um, it's nice to chat. I feel like, feel like I'm just chatting with you girls. It doesn't feel like it's,
Chris: Yeah. And that's what we want. It's
Mel: at all.
Chris: just
Rah: doing. Yep.
Mel: Well,
Chris: casual
Mel: it.
Chris: conversation.
Mel: because yeah, it's, it's really, really good. It feels comfortable. It's fun. It's [00:47:00] easygoing. So it's awesome.
Chris: Good. Good.
Mel: you very much for having me. So my, what was that? Yeah. So, so yeah, Salon Mayor, um, Salon Mayor on Instagram, Facebook, um, www.
Em: I
Rah: do you want to do the outro? Have you got the script? Amazing.
Chris: um, do
Em: it to you, hang
Chris: so. Um, so thank you very much for listening to today's, um, episode and thank you so much, Mel. Um, if we wanted to find you. Um, how do we find you out there in, in the world? Um, you know, what's your, what's your website?
Em: We can list it in the show notes. We can list it all in the show notes. Woohoo! Yay!
Mel: salonmayor. com. au courtesy of Juniper Road. Thank you very much. Um, [00:48:00] Oh yeah, Salon, um, Salon, yeah, SalonMaya everywhere pretty much. That's, that's where I am. So
Chris: All right. Lovely. So we'll put all that on the show notes. Um, and we're here in a lovely virtual podcast studio, um, coming from four corners of the world. Um, so thank you so much for listening. And if you've enjoyed this, episode, um, please leave us a review and share it with your, um, friends. And as I said, check the show notes for any references from today's episode and follow us online.
Rah: Thanks, everyone. See you next time. Bye. See you girls.
