Salon Rising: The Podcast

Transcript 

I need to get that tattooed on my arm. Strong enough to bear the children. Then get back to business. Thank you, Beyoncé. They are great words. I wanted to have a salon full of like 20 people. Yeah. I was like, this is going to be great. It's going to be hustling and bustling. It's going to be so much fun.

But in reality, it doesn't work out like that. It's all of those things that I now need to put in place. to help the team that you would be doing outside your on the floor hours as well. So it becomes exhausting over time. If you're on the floor full time, you're like, oh fuck, like, how am I going to get this done?

I'm also really tired and I need it to cruise for a bit. But businesses, unfortunately, don't just cruise for a bit. You've got to keep your foot on the pedal, even if it's just 1 percent at all times. And constantly, it has to evolve and change. The difference between sitting in it and moving through it.

is the difference between why and what. Come on, human. If you're out there listening, you want to be a manager of my salon. Get in touch. Try not to control the things you can't control and don't compare yourself to others. Um, and just focus on you, your team and yourself. It's just so much change that then everything has to evolve as well.

And that's such a healthy way to look at it. Because you're literally incorporating this pool of knowledge, you know? And I think that When people are really resistant to listen to the ideas and experiences of others, it's limiting. Yeah, if anybody's ever going into business, go hop on a roller coaster.

Yeah. Before you buy one. Do it like six, do it like six times. See how much you like it. Hey lovers, just a quick one. If you listen to us and you love us, could you please hit that subscribe button? I know it's a pain, but that little button means the world to us and our podcast and means that we can get more great guests on like we know you guys love listening to.

So do a girl a favor. Hit subscribe, and we would be so grateful. We just wanted to say a massive thank you to our podcast sponsor, Kevin Murphy, distributed by Ausdair, and thank them for being the most amazing brand partner for Salon Rising. This brand is truly incredible, and we are so excited to work alongside you.

Welcome back to the Inner Sanctum Salon Rising, the podcast. Geez, it's been a year of dulcet tones. I don't think I've ever, anyway, it's the time again. I apologize for my voice. I like it. It's like low and it's husky and it's sexy. So welcome to Salon Rising, the podcast. Now we've got a special guest today.

We're joined by Casey, who is the owner of Maverick Hair and Art on the Gold Coast. Welcome Casey. Thank you. Thank you for having me. Now, I didn't realize that you took over the business three years ago. Yes. Okay. So let's talk a little bit about your journey in the business. Maverick because I love Maverick.

I vividly remember the first time I walked into that space. It's so cool. It's so cool. It's so different. Um, it's such a, like a fun vibe to it. Talk about how you came to be the owner of Maverick. So I started at Maverick in 2019. Yeah. Um, and Hayley, who used to own it, um, she ended up having, she had, she had two kids going on to three and she just, yeah, couldn't, couldn't, couldn't, couldn't, Have it anymore.

And it was just got a little bit too big for them and they just wanted a break 'cause they had it for, so I like seven or eight years. Yeah. And then, yeah, and then she offered it to me. So it took me about six months backwards and forwards to work out if that's what I wanted. Um, and in 2020. One, I took it, took it over and brought, brought Maverick and yeah, here we are.

What a time, what a time to be going into a big business like that, because we were still in a really sort of uncertain space. Yeah, yes, we were. During that time. Yeah, COVID happened. Yeah. And then, um, we, and then the borders shut down, shut us. So had you bought it at this point? Uh, yeah. Yes. I was only two months in.

Oh, wow. And the borders shut. And then like my, uh. So for anyone who's like. Thinking it, like, untrue about this, so Casey's Salon is literally on the border. Yeah. On the Gold Coast side of the border. Queensland and New South Wales. Yeah, so one side's New South and one side's Queensland. Um, so, it's, it's pretty hectic when that happens, cause like one side's completely blocked off and you can't walk over there, but then you have clients and staff.

Over in New South, having to jump the border and go the long way around the beach to come to the salon because the, because the beach isn't blocked off. I think it's like the craziest, like when people have to wrap their heads around that, like, it's not just like the border was closed, like literally your salon is one side is, yeah, one side of the road, barricades, is yeah, like, yeah, so like, I love the dedication of people, like, scrambling along the beach to get there.

It's not just like, oh, someone's 10 minutes from there. No, no, it's like, right on that line. Yeah, yeah. So that was, jeez, what a baptism of fire. Okay, so this is your, is this your first? Like having your own first time having your own salon. So how long have you been in the industry for? Uh, this year has been 18 years.

Awesome. Yeah. So first salon to take over, um, massive salon. I think there was a team of like eight or nine of us, um, huge space. And we also have acupuncture in there as well. So having, like having to, having to actually step up to organize and to organize all that stuff as well. Um, But at the time I didn't actually really think about it on how big this, how big it was.

I was just like, that's probably a good thing. Yeah, just, just keep leaping forward. Don't think about it. Just go. Cause if you think too much, it's like, yeah, yeah. And I didn't, yeah, I didn't think about like, if COVID came back or if, We didn't know anything about the borders, like that wasn't even a thing.

And, like, if the salon had shut down for a week, like, I had not, like, I did not think about any of that. My thing was, um, just having to move over from stylist to boss. Yeah. That transition was my biggest thing that I was thinking about. Um, in hindsight, I probably should have been thinking about other things, but Oh, I don't even think, though, like, it's just huge, though.

And it's really Yeah, it's also those things during COVID, which we've spoken about quite a lot in the last couple of episodes, because we've had different artists come in and we've spoken about COVID. Um, but like my girlfriend, Tegan, who you know well, who owns Moosh, she's on the other side of the border.

So she had exactly the same thing, except she had all the new South. enforcements that we didn't have. So I felt for her so much because Queensland, at least we were a little bit, like our restrictions are so much easier. And then you've got, you know, she was on the other side, literally just there as well.

And the amount that she had to go through and all the closures and stuff because she was New South, but you guys did stuff together too, didn't you? Yeah. So, um, there was a point where I was like, I literally remember it. I was sitting. In the salon chair, um, and I was on my computer and I rang my partner.

I was like, fuck, like they're shutting the borders down. Like, what am I going to do? I'm two months in, like we're going bankrupt. Like we're done, we're shutting the salon down. And then he was the one who was like, why don't you collaborate with another salon across the border? And I was like, oh, that's what you've been heard of.

Yeah, I was like, cause, I was like, oh yeah, fully. And then I knew about Tegan I reached out to Tegan and she had the same idea. So she literally reached back out to me like within an hour going like, Cause they had some of their staff were, some of their staff were Queensland, some of their staff were New South.

So they were able to, you know. Flip and then flip the clients as well. That is so good. Yeah, it was so good. So within like the next week, her team was at my salon with their clients. And then my team who were in New South were at her salon. So doing our clients who couldn't cross the border. So there was like points where like, I had to like, put everything in a box, like all their colors, their retail that they were going to sell.

I had to call the clients to see if they needed shipping. I remember seeing that on the news. Yeah, yeah, and literally just handing a box over to my staff on the border, because like of the barricades. I um, Um, there's a little guy leaving for a chocolate milkshake that does not want to. He's like, I don't want to be stuck with this bald headed dude.

It's your uncle. You're fine. Um, I like we talk a lot about community over, um, competition. And if that isn't. The perfect example of that. I don't know what is. Yeah. I loved it. I loved having them because it's like you have fresh blood in the salon. Yeah. It's great. And her team are amazing. Yeah. And her, and her like clients were amazing and it was so good.

And my team got to go to another space and check it out. It's almost like a shadowing program. Yeah. Yeah, it is. And they, we did that for what till, I think it was like October. We did it for a long time, like three or four months. So yeah, it was good. I loved it. And now I'm good friends with Teagan. And she's dead, so.

So let's talk about your transition from stylist to business owner. Yeah. How, what o Other than the fact, like other than the crazy stuff that was happening in the world. Talk about some of the challenges that you found and how you overcame them when you went into that process. You know, like what were the things, were there any things that you were just like, man, I did not think about this.

Yes. Um, there was having to. having to answer straight away, one, that's the one thing that I learned real quick is to say, let me think about it. I'll get back to you and just put it on a pause. Um, because you can't take back what you've just said. So if you say yes, you, you have to follow through with it, even if it's like a bad idea.

Um, so that's one thing I learned really quickly. Um, and, um, Because you've got to process it yourself, you're like, I don't know how I feel about this. And it's okay when it's like, yeah, that works for me, I'm happy with that, cool, let's do that. Yeah, if you feel it, like if you properly feel it in the moment, you're like, yeah, that's fine.

But if not, it's like, ooh, sit on it. Yeah, yeah, so I, I learnt that. Um, and also learnt not to speak with emotion. And kind of take your emotion out of it, which I'm still learning that as well. Which I think is really nice, that Kase and her team. All felt like she actually transitioned across to being that from that stylist role to that boss or boss leader really well, which I think is a testament to you, because I think in that environment, we've spoken about this with quite a few people on the pod, changing in the same environment to go from being the stylist to the owner is one of like, it's different when you are the owner and you build or you come in from outside.

Right. Yeah. But. To change who you are to the people that are there as well. Did most of your team stay the same? Yep. Yep. Yep. So most, so most of my team. did stay the same for about eight to nine months. Yeah. And then some of them moved to Sunshine Coast. Um, and then some opened up salons and, and that, but I still have, I still have three of them.

Nice. Um, how many staff do you have now? There's seven of us. Nice. Yeah. Um, which is our sweet spot, which I've worked out, so yes. And then what's your dynamic of staff that you've got? So you've got like seniors to apprentices? Yeah, so I've got four seniors, two apprentices that are about to flip over to seniors, and then I've got one assistant that I've just put on full time, and now we're looking for an apprentice as well.

To come, to come through. What's an assistant? So, an assistant is someone who does the shampoo, um, tea, tidy, um, answering phones, like reception role, um, running around after us. They just don't do hair. Okay. Yeah, that's it. She doesn't do colour, doesn't do blow dry, she'll do dry offs and that's it. Okay. Why do you have to pay someone like that?

It's almost like a senior, isn't it? Yeah, it's a senior wage. So, yeah, it's an expense to the business. So you've got to make sure that your business can account for that extra wage. And why did you decide that, just done with training apprentices? Yep. Yeah. Yeah, I've always wanted to have a salon. That didn't have apprentices and like, I've never actually put an ad out for apprentices or seniors.

They've always just come to me. So, um, I had Jake who came to me and then I was like, after him, I was like, cool, we're not going to get anybody. And then I had Harry come to me as well. So I was like, cool. Like the opportunity, I'm not going to miss this. And now I'm like at a stage where I'm like, yes, no apprentices.

But now I asked my team and they're all like, we can't have just Natalia doing. All the things you need backup. So I went, went back to my partner. I was like, we need backup. And he's like, yeah, I did mention this to you a couple of months ago. So now we're going again. One apprentice. Yeah. It's hard because.

you know, for anyone in the hair industry, it's really tough because training apprentices takes a lot. It does. It's a three year commitment. It's not. I don't even, I think it's like, we were just saying like, it's not long enough. Three years is not long enough. There's so much to learn. They're in the salon full time.

And I hate, like, I hate that they get to the end of their apprenticeship and they feel stressed because they've got so much to finalize. And I think that last year of their apprenticeship is just their time to really Like bloom into who they want to be without the stress. And I think three years is just so short that they can't have that final year just to kind of bloom, which I do with my seniors anyway, so that they don't have to feel stressed.

But I just think, yeah, I just, I just think it's so hard because salons that have more than. Two or three seniors can't run without without having an apprentice? No, no, you really can't. And if, yeah, which, which way, which I do, I sit back and I watch the teamwork and I watch how Natalia works. I'm like, okay, if we, you know, have seven seniors and one backup, like they're going to kill me.

So the only time you can make it work is if. Um, I'm sorry, um, I've said that I'm sorry for the next I've had a lot of fun. Sorry. You can take that back. Oh, no, I'm really sorry. You can take that back. Not, I've got my notes, but I have not done something like this before. It's a different business model again, isn't it?

Yeah. So if you want to do it like the old, old school way still, you do have to have backup. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. Um, but. And if there's someone, it's not even the old school way. It's the salon making enough money to be able to. To support everybody. To support and function, you know, like even with, you know, people say these days, Oh, 400 a lot to get your hair done.

I'm like, it's not enough. You know, like you're here for four or five hours. Yeah. Yeah. And, you know, we're supplying all the drinks, snacks, and, you know, you've got seniors and then you've got the apprentices to assist and then we've got to make sure the salons are beautiful and we've got to make sure there's sparkling water and it's just, and it's so much, you know, these days to actually, whereas, you know, you go get your Botox in, you just go in, shove it in your head, walk out, done.

Like it's not all the extra things that are needed in that space. You know, when it comes to what you need to run a salon. See, and because you've got other aspects in your business as well, because as I said, when we introduced you like maverick hair and art. So there's like, do you still have the art space to it?

Yeah. Yeah. So we house local artists to showcase their work at the salon as well. So, um, we have the walls all usually have all different art through there's Cool. And they usually do a turn turnaround like every eight months. Yeah. That's so cool. Um, so we help with that, which was what the old owner used to do.

Yeah. That was their background. One of the, um, Byrons. So I kept that. So we didn't get rid of that. That's such a nice point of difference. Yeah. And then you were saying you've got acupuncture as well. Yep. Yep. So we've got two rooms full of acupuncture, um, Rhi and Alistair. So they, um, rent that area from me.

So that helps me heaps with the acupuncture. Um, and it's also great having them there because they have so much clientele base coming through the doors. So it's like a walk in traffic. Absolutely. So, and vice versa too. So it's like, we will send them to there. People always say that, you know, should I rent space?

I'm like, if you've got it to rent, absolutely. Yeah. Like, if you've got, yeah. Yep.

 And you can change it up with who's in that space. I generally don't always love to rent . Look, I'm probably speaking out of turn here because with where Jen's been, I don't always love, and it's because I've been in the environment when I was a hair salon inside a beauty salon, because it was difficult with lots of different people that if someone was having their nails done where I was, and wasn't happy there, they felt like they couldn't come back to me then.

 So it could get a little tricky, if you know what I mean. Yeah.  Because I think the fact that you're with Acupuncture and it's stepped completely away from, From the beauty. The beauty of the hair space is really clever.  Okay, so we're going to go back into getting an apprentice again. Yeah, like you say, it's hard to get all the things done, like business model wise.

Yeah. With the, with the structure that you've got. Yeah. So, 7 is your sweet spot. Why do you think 7 is your sweet spot? Um, because we've had, we've had 10 and we've had 11. And. Oh my God, I remember being like, my sweet spot's going to be, it was 12 or 14. Yeah, it changed. At one point. And I was just like.

This is too much. It changes, right? Yeah. I was. Too many people. I wanted to have a salon for like 20 people. Yeah. I was like, this is gonna be great. We'll be hustling and bustling. It's gonna be so much fun. But in reality, it doesn't work out like that. No. Yeah. Um, and like having that amount of people doesn't necessarily mean you're going to have more profit, which is what I found.

Agreed. The less amount of people with your sweet spot, you have more profit. Agreed. So that, that's what I found really important thing for people to look at. Like you could have a salon of three and be making beautiful profit. Yeah. You could have a salon of 10 and make terrible profit, you know, because obviously when you add the more staff, the more super, the more holiday pays, the more sick pay, more tax you have to pay, you know, and yes, you can make more, but if your staff, if your staff all aren't making what they need to make in order to turn the salon around.

Then you're actually just losing at all times. So if you've got, you know, 10 people that aren't doing their goals, you've just got all this wasted. Yeah. That you're paying in wages. Yeah. Whereas if you've got then, say you had five that were all hitting their goals, your expenses go down massively. Mm hmm.

Yeah. And then the salon's profit goes up. Yeah. So I think it's a really important, when you say that, it's a super important number that you need to be talking about with your accountant. It doesn't matter if you're making 200 grand, 500 grand, a million dollars, 1. 5 million. If you're making 1. 5 million, but your costs are 1.

5 million, you're making no profit. Mm hmm. Yeah. Yeah. You could be making, you know. Five hundred grand and your costs are only, you know, three hundred grand and you're making two hundred thousand dollars profit, you're better off, Mmhm. and you don't have as much stress. Yup. So do you have anybody, who works like, so, is your partner involved in your business as well?

Um, he is. Yeah. Yes, yup, yup he is. He's um, He does, helps me with all the numbers and he helps me understand, um, culture and helps me like, connect on the level with, with the, with the team I posed to. Is that his background? Um, no. Really? Nah, nah, he, he works in the mines. Really? So he's FIFO, yeah, yeah, yeah, so he's FIFO but he has, The massive say to it because he's like my soundboard and his auntie is my accountant.

So I have her on speed dial, which is amazing for me. So for my first year, I was literally calling her every, every week. I'm like, how are we doing? How's this? How's that? Like, what does this number mean? What does this mean? And all this stuff. Um, it's only been this year where I haven't actually been calling her that much because I've started understanding it.

Um, but he, yeah. So he, like I go to him of like, Oh, I've heard, heard this instance with this business. Like. Do you reckon like this would work for us? And then we do the numbers together and he's like, the reason why it would be X, Y, Z. Or if my, or I've got some issue with my team, ask me like a question or something like that.

I'm like, go to him. Like, what would you do about this? Like, he's just literally my soundboard and I cannot thank him enough for that. What's the biggest obstacles you think you've had to face in the last three years?

Um, the biggest obstacles would have been one COVID, having to, yeah, having to deal with that, um, to learning my stresses, how to manage my stress levels, um, and knowing, and knowing what to stress out about and what not to, so learning what I can and can't control. So that was a big one. Big one for me learning.

I can't control people's spending habits and I can't control what happens outside my walls. I can only control what happens in the salon. Yeah and you also can't always control that either. You know like we're dealing with a whole bunch of people in a salon so we can control it to a point. Yeah. But we can, we can't control everything that happens at all times unless we're doing every single person's hair.

Yeah. Yeah. This is true as well. Yeah. Um, yeah. So learning, so learning not to stress about stress about things and learning that, like talking to your team. About everything and being open with them about everything. Cause my team have got a say in everything that I do with the business. And at the end of the day, I'm the one that says yes or no to it.

But I also love having that in impact in input and behaviour. into it purely because they've all come from different salons. So it's like I've got five of them from five different salons, then they can tell me like what worked for them at that salon, what didn't work, and then I can incorporate that into my business to make them happy.

And that's such a healthy way to look at it because you're literally incorporating this pool of knowledge, you know, and I think that When people are really resistant to listen to the ideas and experiences of others, it's limiting. Yeah. So, in the salon, are you on the floor in the salon? Yes. Yes? Yes. Full time on the floor?

Full time. Yeah. Full time now. So, um, there, there was also a point where I think it was last year or the last year, year before, um, that I couldn't pay my super or my bass or my bills for one of the quarters. And that was purely because which my accountant told me and I didn't, I'm the type of person that I have to do it myself for me to figure out, um, that I came off the floor.

Yeah. So I came off, I wanted to come off the floor, I wanted to do more of like the reception role and more of like marketing and learning something different. And my business took a toll because I was taking a wage, but it wasn't bringing a way, it wasn't bringing the income in. So that was a hard pill for me to swallow.

Um, so I don't, I certainly think. from my business head listening to you say that there is, you will certainly be able to do that again, but you, but a different way. Yeah. Did you go completely cold turkey? Yeah. Okay. So I definitely think like, so for anyone that's listening, I don't want people to think also that you can't do it and your business will suffer because I'm only on the floor four to five hours a week.

I bring nothing in and I take a really good wage. So it is possible to do it. But yeah, I would definitely say that the best thing you can do is take it slowly. Plus I've said to, like, I've got clients that I work with now and that are pregnant. I'm like, use this as your opportunity because when it's really hard just to be like, Oh, I'm just going to decide to do it off.

And your clients are just like, Huh? Yeah, I did hear that in one of your, one of your podcasts. Yeah. Yeah. So I did hear that. And I was like, Oh, that, that's going to be my. Yeah. And I think you can definitely do it, but I would just, I would say to you, I always say to people too, like we're in October now. If you want to pull back a little bit for next year, do it now.

Like so close your book now we're in about to go into October. If you're like, okay, I still want to be on the floor, but maybe just three days instead of five or three days instead of four, pull one off now and still do that role. Still be in salon, but do it now. It's really hard again to do. In the middle of the year, it feels like it's just disconnects.

Our clients are like, what every, whereas if you're like, no, no, I'm not working that day. Everyone else will just work with it. And if not, they will go to other stylists. I think you just have to put things in place at certain times to allow you to do that. Yeah. Yeah. Which, yeah, I a hundred percent agree.

And now that I see that Yeah. Now it's like I can implement that Yeah. Into it. Whereas at the start when I did it, I just went cold Turkey. I was like, nah, I'm done. I'm not gonna be on the floor anymore. Like , I'm doing this side of things. And yeah, for me, that, that didn't work for me. Yeah. Um, so did you miss it as well?

Like, did you miss that side of the creative outlet as well? I did, because I'd been hairdressing for, what, 16 years then? Yeah. I, I needed, I wanted a break from it. Yeah. I was like. Broader salon, like a broader salon, to try and operate the business. And always heard, like, don't like the saying of don't work in the business work work.

You can't work in the business. You gotta work out off on the business. On the business. Yeah. That one . Um, so I was like, cool, so that must mean for me, come completely off the floor and let's just work on the business out like somewhere else. Mm. And I. Yeah, so naive and dumb at that time. But yet again, no one can tell me I had to do it myself.

Yeah. So, um, so I learned my lesson on that one. Um, so next time that I do transition off the floor, um, it's going to be so much different. And it won't be a next week I'm coming off the floor and that's it. It's going to be like a roll over for a month, a month, a month. I think it's important to do too, because if you're back on the floor full time, you're working full time in the business.

And then there's days you can working on the business as well. Like you, it's like full time plus full time because it is, you know, like it's a full time role to run the business, make sure you're all over it, doing all the things. And it doesn't stop. I had, I went on holidays last week. And as much as my team are amazing stuff happened that I had to control, you know, like, and these I think things like that happen so that you can reassess and change things.

Like I'm flipping things up this week in the, in the salon, but it's just like things happen. There's series of unfortunate events that happen that happen when you're not there and you can't control it. And like, you know, it's always going to happen. And as a business owner, it's. It's, it's nonstop. Doesn't matter if you're on holidays, you know, like I can't just be like, Oh, I'm on holidays.

I'm not gonna worry about any of it. Yeah. Yeah, I agree. Yeah. So yeah, I, yes, I do. I definitely do agree with that. Um, I went to Bali a couple of months ago and I switched my phone off for 10 days and I told my team, I don't want to know anything. Don't talk to me. I don't own a business. You deal with it.

And my team, my, the way that I run my business is like a self managed. Business with my, with the girls and the guys. So I say, um, so they dealt with everything and I have a manager in place and she dealt with all the things. And then she emailed me at the end of the week and told me what I needed to know.

And then when I came back, it was like, I can address all the issues that happened. Um, but luckily that's how, luckily for me, my team, I have that self managed team and that's what I have implemented. I've definitely had that. Like, so this is the first holiday that I've had that I haven't had a manager in place in the team.

So I'm looking for my manager at the moment. So this is the first holiday probably in like four or five years that I've hadn't, I haven't had my manager in place because, oh no, maybe three, three, four years that I haven't had my manager in place because I'm searching for a new one. And as much as they were amazing, and they were just like, there was just a certain couple of things that happened that they needed me for and I was like, but that normally your manager would be like, I'm on it.

I know how this handles. And so yeah, even for me, I'm like, yeah, I definitely need that role. You know, I thought, Oh no, they'll be, they might be okay for a little while. And now I'm like. Come on, human, if you're out there listening, you want to be a manager of my salon, get in touch, you know, like, um, because yeah, I definitely need that person that's just there solely for them and they don't have to worry about those things.

The man on the ground. Yeah, because one of the instances that happened for us last week, and it was a series of unfortunate events, um, we had a one star review come up. There was a guy that came into the salon, didn't have his hair done. Guy came into the salon just before they closed. Everyone was with clients except my, one of my newest stylist and the computer, you know how the computer shuts down sometimes it takes ages to reboot and she didn't realize she could use this computer to make the appointment.

So she consulted him and stuff and then said, Hey, do you want to give us a call back tomorrow morning at like nine o'clock? And then we can get it booked and see if it works. But then obviously at nine o'clock, the team was ramped and we don't have a manager or a. Someone to get on the phone. So then, no one, he called a couple of times and no one answered the phone.

And then by the time they got to his messages, he was filthy. That no one had responded to him. And wrote a one star review being filthy about it. And, I, you know, so the girls and I, again, these are all learning curves, right? The girls and I will sit now and digress what happened, series of unfortunate events, like how can we stop this from happening?

But yeah, when you don't have that person, that's like, that's their role. It does become tricky when you've got a team bigger than five or six. Yeah. Yeah. And it's all of those things for me, even being off the floor, it's all of those things that I now need to put in place. To help the team that you would be doing outside, your on the floor hours as well.

So it becomes exhausting over time. Um, and you'll get to that point to, you know, you would probably like, yeah, go back on the floor. But you will get to a point to where you'll, you are like, okay, yeah, I'm exhausted. I definitely need to pull off. Cause it's not just, it's different when you're just just when you're a stylist on the floor because your job is 38 hours here, but then that's done.

It's, it's over. Like you walk out after 38 hours, you don't have to worry about doing anything else to do with the business. Whereas being on the floor 38 hours a week and then having to run the complete business is. Huge, massive, mammoth task. Like that gets exhausting. Yes, that does get exhausting. And we, we only open four days a week.

Um, and I think I reached out to you, asked you how you went with that and how you go with it. And that's, and then I implemented it, um, a couple of years ago as well. So that has helped heaps for us. Yeah. Um, so that gives me Monday to do all the business stuff. Um, and that's my, Um, and then the team, I've been so lucky that my team helped me out with all the ordering, emails, um, voice messages, um, DMs that come through, like, they are a godsend and they, I delegate all that to them because people don't realize, yeah, that's like a whole nother, like, oh, huge ordering, online, you know, Shopping.

Yeah. Yeah. Like the, it's, it's things that we don't even think about, like, and my team are the same way. They're, they're so incredible at that delegation of what they do, but it's like just, you know, the Dan Murphy's order, the Woolworths, the Woolworths order, the zip tap is out of sparkling water. Can you stop and get a canister?

The, we need more coffee beans and we get it from a certain place. We need to order tea. Like, it's all of those things that you just like. It just is never ending. No, never. We need new menus. Now the menus are getting a bit crap. We need this now. Or can we order this in our next order? We've run out of this color.

You're just like, yeah, so yeah, being able to, I always say to people, being able to delegate out to your team when they're here and they're not on the floor, they won't be generally on the floor full time, 38 hours, not having a break, they'll have time where they can get some tasks done and it really takes off the pressure.

It does. It does. And we have a diary at the front too. So it's like. Right. They write down things in the diary. Um, what hasn't been done, what they've done. Um, I write things down there and saying like, this is what needs to be hit. This is what needs to happen. And you get like having Natalia there. He's the assistant.

She is amazing. So she will take, she does all the ordering. Um, well, worst. Dan Murphy. Um, all that stuff. Um, and yeah, so she just lets me know. She's like, I've done this, this and this. And when I've got a second, I will jump in and do the things that she hasn't done yet. And we just tick it off. That's what I mean.

Like being in a salon is like, cause it's not just. Order some color, order the three or four different brands you've got in order all that. And then if the washing machine breaks, I'm about to do that today. But if the washing machine breaks, the dryer breaks, the fridge doesn't work. It's like those things.

And you're on the, if you're on the floor full time, you're like, Oh fuck. Like how am I going to get this done? Yeah. So for me, like I'm, I asked my team to help and they always put the hand up. So they'll, if something like washing machine breaks, I'll get one of them. I'm like, can you please call. Whoever it was to sort it out and they're like get done And then they just tell me at the end of the day if it's done or not done So I, I rely on my team heaps and that's, it sounds like you've got an amazing team.

I do. I've always have an amazing team. They're, they're so good. But yet again, I don't, I'm also not a micromanager. So if I give them a task, I let them do it when they want to do it and how they want to do it. As long as they, at the end of the day, it gets done. I don't care. Yeah. Yeah. So I've always been like that with them, which is great.

And then what sort of structure do you have financially with your staff? Are you like, uh, wages sell on? Yep. Pure wages. Um, there was one stage where I just wanted to be a renter chair. Yeah. Um, and I, we worked that out. It wasn't beneficial. Wages all the way for me. Where my structure is. We did have a contracting sell on for a little bit there too, which works great.

Um, but now it's like just purely wages and I'll only ever have wages. Um, When you say contracting, explain that to me. Um, like they were on a split contract. Commission. Commission. Um, yeah, so just split, um, so they'll just, I looked after everything for them and they would just come to work, do their job and invoice me at the week, how it worked.

Um, but all the laws have changed on that now, closing the loophole, I think it's called. So contractors won't work anymore because of that. Um, so we did have a few renter chairs in there, renter chairs for me didn't work because they were so individual, whereas I'm very team environment. Um, and. Yeah. So that, that was, that, that just didn't work for us.

So now it's just pure employment only. Um, we have recently just changed the structure of our targets because the industry standards of the three times your wage plus the super and, um, workers cover as well in that didn't work for us because now the guys are on so much money an hour that dividing like timesing, all of that worked out that had to make like four and a half, 5, 000 a week.

And we only do four days. So it's like, that didn't work for us and they were never hitting their targets. So we've brung their targets right back down to an achievable target for them. So, which they have been hitting in the last couple of weeks. So it's working for us and they've been making. more money, which they're happy with.

So we'll be, so we're going to keep that in structure for the next three months to see if that's working, if that's not working in there and I need to put it up more, I will put it up more like everything, nothing's set in stone with us. Um, and I'm very open with the team with that. Um, so yeah. Good job. I love it.

I love it. Okay. What's your advice to someone who's coming into the game? So if someone could go back three years ago and say, Hey Casey, you're about to do this. Just so you know, you need to think about this. What would you tell them? Um, I would tell them don't try not to control the things you can't control and don't compare yourself to others.

Um, and just focus on you, your team and your salon. Don't worry about what's going on in the outside world. Um, because their business journey is completely different to your journey. And that's one thing I've had to learn. It's so true. Comparison, man. Get off social media. A thief of joy. Yeah. I think that's been a big one even, like, and it doesn't stop.

I'm a salon owner of like, how many, I don't even know how many, 15 years? Yeah. Wow. Um, It's a long time. It's a long time. 15 years. 15 years. Um, and, um, It still can be the thief of all joys. You still think I should be, you know, we had this conversation with one of our last guests. You still think I should know this by now, I should do this better.

I should, even when that one star review came through last week, I was just like, Oh fuck, maybe I'm not doing this well enough. And maybe everything's going to fall and maybe every, you know, Jen said that multiple times, but it does because you do get to a point where you're like, I'm also really tired and I need it to cruise for a bit, but businesses, unfortunately don't just cruise for a bit.

You've got to keep your foot on the pedal, even if it's just 1 percent at all times and constantly it has to evolve and change. You know what I did, you know, five years ago, three years ago, two years ago, last year, it is so different. It has to constantly be evolving. People expect more and more and more and more all of the time, especially when you get new team coming through.

You've got to evolve the business again. Yeah. Yep. And things change, you know, we had a big, like we've had a big switch in our team. Big and it cruise for a really long time, but sometimes you think you could look back and be like, all right, just. Um, just a heads up, uh, your team's going to cruise for the next 12 months.

So just really enjoy the next 12 months. Yeah. But when you're in that 12 months, you don't think that it's going to, you don't, you're waiting for it and you don't, you're probably not enjoying it. Um, but after that 12 months, you're gonna have to shake shit up again. Yeah. Um, but I had heaps of our team move away.

You know, I had, um, I've got some that have, uh, one that's moved to Yamba. I've got one that's moved back to Melbourne. I've got one that's now like moved away. Like it's just so much change that then everything has to evolve as well. And it's the same thing when. You go from having apprentices to seniors, that changes, so new apprentices and then apprentices in the middle and then apprentices at the end, you're like, okay, now we're all seniors.

How do we make this work? Okay. Now we've got a new apprentice. How do we make this work? Okay. Well then now that person's left and opened a salon. How do we make this work? You know, so it's, it's ever evolving and I think that we're trying to at all times try and control it as much as we possibly can to make sure the business is still functional Okay.

We can still survive. And that's why people get to the point where they're like, fuck this. I'm out because the burnout with owning a business and trying to, you know, like you said, you, you can only control what's in your walls to a point because you can't control other people. No. So you can only control to a point.

It's the same within a house. I can only control to a point until Sadie wants to have a meltdown, you know? So I can only control it to a point. It's the same with. Being in a business. So you want to make sure that you're over it as much as you possibly can. But I think the expectations of people these days, and I think the hard thing is too, is people can be, I'm one of these people, I go somewhere.

So I did this twice this week. I went to a restaurant and we went horse riding. And the minute I drove off, I wrote a review. The minute I got in the car, I pulled up my, I pulled up Google and I wrote a review for both because it was such a beautiful experience. I would never write a bad review for anybody because I know what it's like to be a small business owner, right?

But I think we're also in the day and age where we are waiting also for somebody not to be happy and to not contact us and to do what, like, I've got that one star review. At which point people don't understand what's going on in the background, you know? So, for me, it It's those things that we're constantly bracing ourselves for as well, especially being new salon owners.

I remember when I was a new salon owner, I was like, I don't want reviews on that terrified me. Cause what if someone doesn't like it now? I'm just like, cool, dude, I'll respond to you when I feel like it. You know, like when I feel like. I can write a response to that and I completely take on board all the feedback too.

That's what we're like as a salon. Yeah. So we're like, completely take it on board, completely understand it. We'll put new things into place. But also sometimes shit happens. It's a business. It's not like people fuck up in their jobs every day. Yeah. You're only human. You're only human. Yeah, exactly right.

And you know, I've got a support at that time too. I'm like, I don't. I didn't want to be away and also make my team feel like they're the worst in the world because they're in my business right now working for me. Like they were all busy things. I was like, it's just a series of unfortunate events. It's okay.

Like we fuck up, like, let's just learn from it and put things into place and move forward. So it's always. Yeah. Interesting going through all those different flavors because it's never just like a. Done. Oh, it's good. Now it's just going to cruise for the next year. Yeah. It's just not the case. No. And it's, it's a rollercoaster.

Yeah. Literally a rollercoaster. Yes. It's, it's. Yeah, I, if anybody's ever going into business, go hop on a rollercoaster before you buy one and like. six, do it like six times, see how much you like it. It's like, when it's, it's okay, it's kind of cruisy, you're enjoying it. When it's like this, and you're in the bottom of that tip and your stomach's gone.

Or when it's broken and it's stuck upside down. Yeah. Yeah, you're like, yeah, it's like that. It's really like that. And you just got to ride it. Yeah. And I think it's really great. That's a great attitude to have. A partner or have a friend or have somebody who's got your back on the other side that's like, You love this.

And I'm like, I don't love it today. Like I'm so stressed. And like, you know, like I was sitting in the car when this review came through and my partner's like I was just like. Gray, my partner's like. What happened? I was like, I just got a review. It was a one star, you know, but you remember that, but you don't remember the other, you know, stuff.

Fifty five stars we just received, you know, but you know, that one star and you've got to have someone that's like, okay, go take a moment. Go have a walk. Go process. If that was my partner, he'd be like, okay, so what, what can you do better? Like what, how, how, how can you improve? From not getting this one star, like, where, where did the ball drop?

Like, what happened? I'm not gonna lie. Alright, if my partner said that, I would have just like, straight in his face. But he did say, go, he's like, you're up, go. Take a minute, journal. Write what you need to write. I've got this. So I did, I went and sat in bed with my laptop and like, Um, and I was like, okay, I can take it on.

Well, that is, they talk about how the difference between. Sitting in it and moving through it. Mm. Is the difference between why and what? Like your partner says, what so, and what you did is what? Mm. What will I do with it? Mm. Not why did it happen? Mm-Hmm. Why has this happened to me? Yeah. The why did they write that?

Why did they do that? It's okay, well what, what will I learn from it? And I think everyone's allowed to have their wives . It depends how much time I go in. Like I can generally come out y pretty quick. I used to stay in Y for. So long, so long. I lived in Y it was like my middle name. And then I changed that and went to what, like I'd sit in Y and then I'd go to what, whereas now I just, I can come through the Y pretty fast and go through to the what, because you know, it's, as you said, you can't control anything.

So you also are the only person that can control your own emotions and what you're going through. So am I going to sit here? And let something affect me this badly and then completely take away from my holiday? Or am I just gonna do something about it when I get home and that's, you know, like, yeah. What are you gonna do about it?

Yeah. Um, The one other thing I wanted to touch on is your podcast. Yes. Tell us about your podcast. Um, so the podcast is called Real Talk with Paige and Casey. So it's just, um, two girls having drinks and tequila shots and then trying to solve all the world's problems. I love that. Yeah. So it's nothing serious.

Um, some things will be serious and different topics, um, but it's just Literally just two people talking and having the listeners just to switch off from their daily life for 20 minutes. And just listen to us. Shit. Chat . And so was it, because this is something you were doing with one of your friends who lives in Sydney.

In Sydney, right? Yes. And so was that like a creative outlet for you? Like what No. What brought on? No, it was like we, I went to Sydney at the start of the year with my partner and we were just sitting there and I met pa, I met Paige and we're just talking and she was talking about this guy that happened to ghost her.

And my partner's like, well, why did he ghost you? And then she told it and she's like, and he's like, well, this is what ghosting looks like. Like, this is, this is how it is. Like you've played into it. And then that, and then I was like, Oh my God, we should do a podcast. And that's how it happened. And then on the plane, we would fly back.

I was just typing random names of what to call it and, and sent it to her. And we're like, yep, sweet. Let's do it. And that's how it happened. So it's been since Feb. So we've done a lot of research, YouTubing, how to make a podcast, listening to podcasts on how to do it. Like there's a lot of work to it, as you guys would know.

Yes, there is. A heap. So, and we're only one episode in. I said, like I said to you, I was like, the only reason I can do a podcast is cause everybody else does the background for me, you know, and we have an editor and because of the fact that this is. My expertise and I love coming and chatting and it fills me up with the rest of the stuff.

No, thanks. Yeah, you've got to play to your strengths. You've got to play to your strengths. You do, and for me, I don't have any kids, so I've got, and I'm like high, high energy and I can juggle a thousand things at once. But I think if I incorporate kids into it, it's probably going to be a different story.

Um, but for right now. You still try and juggle. It just all of a sudden, all the balls will hit the ground at once and you'll go down too.

When you don't have kids, you can be like, you know what? I need a nap. So you can take one. You can't. Yeah. I had a nap yesterday. It was great. 20 minutes. Delicious. Whereas for me, I'm like, Hey, the baby naps between this time. And this time I can get this done. I can organize that. I can work on this and then I've got to get the kids do that.

Like it's so many juggle moments, but that's why I say to people like pre having kids, if it lights you up and you want to do it, go do it. Keep doing it over and like, don't think, you know, people like I should have more of a life work balance. I'm like pre kids. Do it. Yeah. If you lit up by it and you want to work full time, do as much as you can, do it.

Because when you add children to it, you can't be a selfish, you can't do not that it's selfish, but you can't do all those things. I can't be at work anymore till nine o'clock at night. I can't be at work at seven in the morning. I can't, you know, work and sit and do social media at night for hours on end just because I have to.

Yeah. You know, and I have to do dinners and I have to be focused on that. So that's a completely different chapter when you come into that as well. Well, yeah, we're, we're, we're doing IVF. So that's so exciting. So I will be in, hopefully in that chapter next year. I'm glad that's exciting. Yeah. So are you early in the journey?

Yeah. Yeah. We start this month. Oh my gosh. So we did, um, we started IUI. Yep. Um, unsuccessful. Um, so we're going to do the IVF next time around. So that's, yeah. And has, have you had a really positive experience with that so far? With the IEUI? Like with the people that you're dealing with and yeah. Yeah, yeah, everything, everything's been great.

It's been so straightforward because, um, I'm such a planner, which is probably comes in with the business. You probably are as well. Um, so it's very, everything's very planned and everything's like everything gets ticked off as it gets done. And then, so that, that's kind of been so easy for me. Um, and my partner is, he researches heat.

So he listens to podcasts on it. He researches all the information and he knows exactly what to go in and what to say and what to ask when we go into the meetings. Oh, that's so good. Yeah. Yeah. So he, he's amazing. Um, when it comes to all of that, that, that stuff. So, and with my team, I've told them. They're on the journey with me, so when I've told them, I've Because it is a journey.

It is. That's a really good thing to be, that you feel like you can be open with them about it. Yeah, yeah, it's a massive journey and the hormones and And the appointments and The appointments, yeah, the juggling act with your clients, and then having your team have to step up to call them to say you can't, like, you've got this happening, or Yeah.

Cause like, usually appointments are like, you know, two, three months in advance. But then sometimes if they're like, Oh, we can get you in next week. You're like, Oh fuck, I've got to, I've got to rearrange. And then it's like, I'm on the same thing when it comes to the IDF. They're like, okay, well it might be on this day.

It might be tomorrow. It has to be in morning. It might be at night. Like to all the shots and stuff like that. Like you've just got to be like, okay, we've got to work with it. And it's important that, that it's, this is the first step of you going. I actually have to put me first instead of the business.

Yeah, yeah. And it's, it's, I have to put me in that decision to have a family first. And again, it's completely throws us off our axis because we're so used to doing everything the business needs and then, you know, The stars laugh at us and they're like, okay, well, here's three months of sickness, or you could feel amazing the whole time, but you could have to finish early.

Like, you don't know what that all is going to look like. And I, I have my clients come to me and they're like, okay, I'm going to get pregnant. So this is my plan. I'm like, lol, like, You can have a plan, babe, but there's every chance that that plan is going to be a loose outline because it's like, you don't know when you're going to be pregnant.

You don't know whether it's got like, how you're going to feel like I had hyperemesis with two of mine. So I was sick the whole beginning of the journey. Yeah. Um, you don't know what like, but then we had a staff member who was not sick at all through the journey. Nothing. And then all of a sudden one day when she still had weeks to go, she had a week to go.

Yeah. Yeah. She was really ill and came in and she had, um, pre uh, preeclampsia. Yeah, preeclampsia. Um, so then had the baby that day. So you just don't know. You could. Go into labor at 20, you can't plan for it. You've just gotta be like, okay, I'm gonna keep myself as healthy as possible. But it's the first time in the business's life that you have to be like, I'm sorry, but it has to be this baby first instead of the business first.

Yeah. Um, and I always found that I got to the end of the pregnancy and then I was ready to be back in my business anyway, because pregnancy takes so much. And it's a long time. Fuck me. We're brilliant. Like being pregnant for nine months is a long time. And we also have to like put yourself on hold or put your business on hold because you also have to nurture you so much.

But it's good that your team knows that that's where you are because they're going to be able to take this next season with you. Yes. Because again, that's the same thing. Like I said before, you'll have apprentices leave and stuff like that. You're about to go through a new season. what your life looks like and how they have to step up and how much you have to pull back and what that looks like as well.

Yeah. Yeah, exactly. And yeah. And like last, last month, the hormones, like I snapped at them all and I was like, I am so sorry. As soon as I did it. And then, um, and there, and for that, they were like, yeah, it's fine. It's fine. Like we understand, like you, you're going through this, the whatever. It's so big to acknowledge that though.

There are just be like, He's like, I'm sorry, I know it's hormones making me crazy. Yeah, yeah. I had a team meeting with him last week and I was like, and I know with the IVF is going to be a lot more hormones. Um, whereas I was on such a low dose last time. So this time is going to be a lot higher. And I'm like telling them, like, if I do, like, I'm sorry, like I'll try and put all these exercises in place first, um, to help me.

Just really don't piss me off over the next couple of months. And everything I say, please just say it. Don't shake with a grain of salt. Yeah. And don't come up to me about stupid shit because I've got zero tolerance. And I've figured it out yourself. Um, yeah, so it's going to be a journey. Next, next, next one.

Oh, I'm really excited for you on this journey. Yeah. You'll have to keep us posted. Yeah, I will. It will. Um, it's going to be interesting. Like, yeah, the stabbing part of the needles I'm fine with. Bike. So I think it's twice a, twice a day I've got to do it, but it's the actual, I forget what the actual terminology is, but it's the inserting of the tablet.

Oh, yeah, yeah. Oh, I forget what it's called. It's a, um, yeah, that one. It's like 200 mils or something. And that you'd insert that twice a day. And it's that, that's what sent me crazy. Yeah, I think again, just what we do as women is just truly insane. Yes. Have babies, like. Just every time I think about it, I'm like, I need to get that tattooed on my arm.

Strong enough to bear the children and get back to business. Thank you, Beyonce. They're great words. Um, she sings that in Who Runs The World. Yeah. Oh, does she? Yeah. And I always, every time that line comes on, I'm like, my whole body gets like emotional because I'm just like, it's so true. Like it takes such strength to get pregnant, be pregnant.

birth children, raised children, and then to still have the strength that we have to run businesses and like these little empires to support our family. It's ginormous. Like. Sometimes I think of that Ali Wong, when she's like, I just, why did, why did we have to be feminist? Why can't we just go back and watch Ellen and eat snacks through the day?

And I was like, so true sometimes, like the weight of the world, sometimes there's mothers. It's not just being mothers, it's also doing everything else. So, fucking bravo to you. Yeah, I wish I could find all that out. Power to you. Yeah, it's worth it though. Yeah. It's so worth it. Yep. Thank you so much for coming on and sharing some of your story with us today, Casey.

It's been so nice. I'm really excited for this next step for you. Um, guys, you can check out Casey's, uh, beautiful salon. I'll put the details in the show notes and we'll see everybody soon. Let's go try and find the screaming baby. I'm going to have a glass of water for my boys. Yeah. Bye guys. Bye.