Salon Rising: The Podcast

Blending Passion with Purpose - The Monique McMahon Story

Summary

This was a travelling episode of the inner sanctum, recorded on a trip to Sydney. We got to catch up with industry legend, Monique McMahon! Monique is the owner of Que Colour and MCM Beauty, and in this episode we got deep! 

Monique shared her journey from working in a high-end salon to founding her own salon. All while balancing motherhood. She openly spoke into the challenges and successes of running and expanding a salon. As well as her passion for education and her innovative colour techniques.

We also explored the story behind MCM Beauty, Monique's wholesale import distribution company. Which started with the luxury brand Christophe Robin and has expanded with aligned brands. MCM showcases her commitment to combining clean beauty with luxury. 

There's talk about integrating passion and business. Family involvement, and work-life balance. As well as salon culture and cultivating a brand.
 
Tune in to learn more about Monique’s drive to set new trends, maintain high standards, and her future aspirations for the industry.

Timestamps

00:00 Episode Summary
02:51 Introducing Monique McMahon
04:36 Balancing Motherhood and Career
06:55 The Birth of Q: The Story Behind the Name
08:12 The Christophe Robin Connection
09:27 Growing Pains: From Small Space to Larger Salon
18:38 The Dual Business Model Experiment
19:46 The Importance of Branding and Consistency
20:56 The Cost of Running a Luxury Salon
25:38 The Evolution of Q: Policies and Procedures
34:57 Embracing Social Media and Education
40:11 Creating an Education Module for Apprentices
42:31 The Importance of Culture in a Salon
44:11 Challenges of Moving Off the Floor
47:26 Dealing with Client and Team Dynamics
50:57 The Role of Passion in Business
53:34 Expanding Through Education Events
01:00:44 The Birth and Growth of MCM Beauty
01:11:17 Balancing Work and Family Life
01:16:08 Final Thoughts and Future Plans

Transcript

Well, you know, they say women with good hair get paid more. Oh. Really? Yeah. That's it. Just get a mirror up. Let's go. Just get a mirror up. A couple of chairs. So everyone's going to be fine. So that was the birth of Que. You know, when people are like, Oh, but I don't understand why hair has to be so expensive.

I'm like, it is so expensive. Yeah. To run a salon. I'm losing your first staff members. Heartbreaking. Heartbreaking. It's that double glazing that I love so much. Yeah. And then we'll put this glaze on and then we'll put the next glaze on. The culture is an ever evolving beast that you have to lead from the top.

Like I want like, you know, everyone to sort of feel a particular way when they walk in and walk out of Que. Um, and you can't control that. Yeah. When you have people renting a chair, you just do it because you wouldn't have the success you have today if you didn't just go, all right, strap on my boots. Let's keep going.

Let's keep going. If there's anything I can share like about moving off the floor is get ready. For everyone to either leave or just the culture just totally change. And for us as salon owners, it doesn't matter that there's 500 happy people. We think about the one that potentially wasn't because they didn't get offered a coffee.

You know, this is a new chapter in my life. You know, I've been through your kids, your dogs, your breakups, your boyfriends, your husbands, your marriages. Yeah. Can't you just be through this with me? Yeah. If I care so much about what I love doing, it means that I don't care about my family or the people in it.

It's just not the case. Yeah. Do you actually really want to do this? Do you really want to be a Selenota? 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 podcasts 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 AusDare 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 Salon Rising, the podcast on the road, Samara. On the road. Coming to you from Sydney in the amazing Spices Potts Point. Love this location. Yes. I would like to stay here and all the other spices. Can we just go to all the other spices? I think if we take the podcast on the road, we take it to all guests there that we want to go to.

But I think that it would be a good idea. Yeah. And we do have a guest joining us today because we're super lucky that this lovely lady has taken some time out of her Sunday to come and hang out with us. Uh, Monique McMahon from Que color. Thank you so much for joining us. Thank you. I feel so much. I feel like I don't even think you need to end it with cute color.

'cause just anyone in industry knows who you are. I agree. You. I not, you are hiding in a rock. I don't think everyone knows I do. Really? . Yeah, I do. Yeah. I know a lot of my friends are fangirling right now. They're like, oh my God, you're hanging out with Monique. This is the coolest I know. And. For so many reasons, I, I was saying this before, because when we looked at the fact that we were going to be able to talk to you, I was like, I didn't even know where to start.

There are so many exciting things that you have going. It's. There's a lot. There's definitely a lot of balls in the air right now. Um, but I'm probably not the only person with lots of balls in the air. So, you know, if you've got to, you know, it's, it's, it's a lot, but it's great. It's really good. I'm excited to be here with you girls.

Thank you. Um, and you know, maybe take you back to the beginning. Yes. Yes. Because I was like, I want to go back. Like I want to know the back story. Story. I want to know who you are as a person, because obviously we see on Instagram with you in the salon, but I want to know all of the things about you. I want to know what life looks like.

I think for us, like we're, um, both. And I think for everyone listening, I guess the podcast has really evolved into that. Like how the fuck do you do it with the multiple businesses and the personal life and the balance and stuff like that? Um, yeah, kind of how you've got, so yes, take us back to the beginning.

I suppose just like you guys, you know, having, um, having a young family and working in a super high end salon that was super busy, um, and highly demanding just didn't kind of work for me anymore as a mother of two. So, um, I left and my kids were still very young. Um, and I didn't really do too much. And then, uh, you know, I'm a very passionate person.

Absolutely love my industry and love hairdressing. So, um, I wasn't out of it for very long, um, before I started doing a few hairs in the kitchen, you know, before dinner, the husband wasn't very impressed about that, but it was like, you know, it was in my blood. I had to keep hairdressing, even though I had the kids on the side.

How old were the kids at that point? So Matilda was just started kindy. She's my girl. And William was like pretty newborn, maybe 12 months. Amazing. Yeah. It's crazy though. I think like we've discussed this all the time. I think when my kids. We're young. There was like this fire to be like, I also need something else, especially in this industry you've so passionate about, I feel exactly the same way.

And I was like, I feel like it gives us so much, um, purpose in this industry, like other people and we make them feel amazing. It gives us so much purpose. Whereas sometimes when you're at home, just, you know, Raising babies. You're like, come on, you need to thank me for doing all of these things. Yeah.

Whereas when you're with your clients, you're looking in the mirror and going, wow, thank you for my big town. Yes. Yeah. Whereas when you're with your clients, they're like, you've just changed my life. And you're like, I needed that. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Yeah. They're so thankful. You're like, oh my god.

No problem. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. So you went to the kitchen. Yeah. So had to move out of the kitchen. Husband wasn't happy about that. So, um, we live in Surrey Hills and we have done now for maybe 30 years. Um, and there was a tiny, tiny little spot for lease on crown street about, you know, a couple of blocks from our house.

Oh, perfect. It was like maybe 20 square meters. So it was very, very small, tiny. Um, so we squeezed a couple of chairs in there and a basin, you know, friends of friends, electricians, carpenters, whoever they were. I was like, just do whatever you make it worth, do it the cheapest you can, IKEA kitchen in the background.

You know. Flash. Slap some paint on the walls. Just get a mirror up. Let's go. Just get a mirror, a couple of chairs. So everyone's going to be fine. So that was the birth of Que. Um, oh, cause Que's in your Que color. Yeah. Yeah. How did Que come about? Yeah. It's the last three letters of my name. I love that. It's kind of my name.

I mean, that has a story as well, you know, sitting around talking about how you're going to come up with your name. I mean, everyone sort of gets a bit of a mental block with that one, but we were lucky with that. Que's like not just the word Que, but just the single letter Que. It's kind of a sexy letter. It is.

It really is. It's cool. Yeah. Like it just has this, yeah, agree. It's unique. Yeah. Because it's unique. Yeah. Yeah. That's it. Um, so yeah, that was the birth of Que. Um, and it was, um, All systems go from there. It was just myself to start with. And, um, I was just down there. I'm a colorist by the way, if you didn't know, I don't do any haircuts.

I do do blow dries and styling, but no haircuts. So we opened Que in this 20 square meter, like block tiny. Um, and it was just color after color after color. But the thing is I really wanted to open my salon with something really original and something different. Um, I was a color specialist, so. I ran, well I stumbled upon a brand called Christopher

No one knew about Christophe Aubin in 2011 when we opened Kew. Um, and it was probably a couple of years before that I was playing with the brand. I had ordered some online and just like testing it out on my kitchen clients. How did you find it? Amazing. No, how did you, Oh my God. So I was flipping through a magazine.

Remember those? Yes. Back in the day. That's how we got my knowledge. Um, I was in the beauty pages of French Vogue and there was an image of the Christophe Robard shade variation pot. Now the shade variation pots are like color enhanced conditioner and treatments. Yep. Being a colorist. I was like, Oh, that looks pretty, pretty.

Um, so I was like, Hey, I'm going to try this. Um, that's how I found it in the magazines. I ordered it online from his website and started playing with it then and there. I love that. So yeah, I do that now, but nobody has it here then. Nobody even knew it. Yeah. They were like, Oh, yeah. What's the other guy, Winnie the Pooh?

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Anyway, that's what everyone was thinking I was talking about. I'm like, no, it's Christophe Robin. They're like, oh, okay, okay, I get it. Um, so, um, Open Que with Christophe Robin, it looked very different back then. And, um, I said to my husband, Cause I was just, you know, it was a tiny little 20 square meter shop and, you know, we're doing really well.

And, you know, there wasn't many overheads cause it was just me. And I was like, well, I'm going to take myself to Paris and go and meet Christophe Robin. My husband, Paul is like, you're going to what? You're like, I'm absolutely doing that. That's what's happening. I'm so doing that. Never been to Paris before in my life.

Um, I don't know. I just, just this calling. I was like, I have to go meet him. I have to tell him how great his product is. I have to tell him, you know, what I'm doing with that. And I kind of made it look, myself look a little better than what I actually was. Um, I said I had to sell him. The heart of Sydney.

Little did he know it was two seats in the middle of Darlinghurst. But anyway, that's what we know in Hendra Zing. Exactly. Exactly. And you know, he was, um, he was addicted to, um, my passion for his brand and, um, I was addicted to his brand. So it was a match made in heaven and, you know, the relationship just grew from there.

But how did you, so did you just, you know, Cold email, like, Hey, I want to come and see, really? Hey, I love you. I use your brand. Please. Can I come see you in Paris? Yeah. Yeah. Hey, I love you. I've just ordered your brand. It's amazing. I have a salon in Sydney and I would love to have it as my, um, core product at my salon.

Wow. Wow. Yeah, I mean, the stars don't align very often in your life and that was definitely aligned. I love that. It was beautiful. I love that. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It was so, and I was so naive. I knocked on his salon. He had a salon in Le Marais, um, which is this like six star hotel in Paris. He had it up on like the 12th floor.

With all the very well to do women, it was like mind blowing going up there. And I knocked on his door and I said, hi, I'm Monique from Sydney. He knew you were coming at this point. Yeah. He was, it was quite a funny moment. Anyway, that's all history now. Um, so what did you do while you were there? Just hung out with him.

Yeah, I just like did whatever he knew. I was just his assistant. For how long? Uh, I stayed with him in the salon for that full day. Yeah. I love that. And then we went for dinner that night, uh, with his business partner. Um, and then I went back and had a coffee the next day with him and he said, it will be in touch.

And he did get in touch and it just kind of go from there. I feel like if I showed up to a salon like that, they'd be like, you are the most awkward Australian you need to leave. Whereas. Monique's just like so graceful and like so elegant that they're like, of course we love you. Like, it feels like you should live in Paris.

I don't know, compared to everyone in that salon. I was looking very Aussie. Oh, I just think you are so like, you are so elegant and so like, I love watching you for that reason, because I'm like, she's just, you are having this grace about you that I love, that I love online. Like I just think there is a beautiful presence.

Agreed. When I'm coloring, I think I'm so in that moment of coloring and I just feel really fluent with the color. I don't know. So that's probably, hopefully. I love it. No, it definitely, like I said, I haven't even met you and they were, they were two words that I would. Say to you outright that this is what you see online.

Yep. I 100 percent agree. So you've had this. So what did, what did he do in salon? Like he was still doing clients in the salon. He's a colorist colorist as well. He had his salon in Le Maurice hotel and he had, you know, like in like a team of like 10 or 12 people. And he was, you know, doing clients. Wow.

Yeah. Yeah. I love that. He's a little assistant for the day. It was great. Love. Yeah. It was so good. So then, so at this point, how many days were you working still had the little ones you were working? How many days in the little salon? About four days. Yeah. Cause you just like slowly like goes more and more and more and you're loving it and you're loving it.

How did you handle doing motherhood and Working on the floor that much. I think, you know, coming from that really busy salon that I worked in before, I remember, and you guys may have these moments as well. And when you have a young family, I remember sometimes coming home from work with my bag still on my shoulder in the kitchen, chopping up dinner, like absolutely, like every second is like so important, like just, you know, you just don't have a lot of time.

You don't, you just walk in the door. You're straight. Like, I think that somebody, you get into bed at night and you're like, Oh, this is the first time I've sat all day. Yeah. And even when I think I get home early the toilet? You're like. Yeah. Oh, wow. Okay. Yeah. Like even when I think I got home early enough and I'm like, I'm at home by the time you walk in the door, like four, once you've picked the kids up, it's like, okay, well, I've got to make this.

I've got to do that. This has got to be organized. And we've got to do homework. Then we're going to do dinner. Then we've got to do all the things in bed. And then yeah, all of a sudden you're like, whoa, okay, now it's time for me to go to like shower and bed and stuff for me. Like it's crazy when you, you know, those days, so I was already running on that.

On that sort of path, like, you know, crazy mothers to, um, thankfully my husband had a bit of extra time at home as well. So I could do some late nights. Yeah. I love that. So he could take over the evening shifts for me, which was great. Yeah. So we, um, utilize the evenings with the, with the clients, um, And then, you know, as it grew and you know, um, one thing led to another and where I got an assistant in just a uni student and then she ended up really liking hairdressing.

So we took her on as an apprentice. Love. I love that. She was a uni student. What was she studying at the time? I don't know. She was like, I love this. This is the coolest. I'm just going to be a hairdresser. Yeah. Which is, Uh, in itself. In itself. Yeah. Yeah. So she, um, we signed her on as, um, our first apprentice, um, and she was amazing.

And we worked together until she finished her apprenticeship. She stayed on the floor for a year after that as well. Wow. It was a beautiful relationship. I cried my eyes out the day she left. It's like that. I've got one that's about to leave me and yeah, the day, and I'm like still not, I mean, I'm not accepting, you know, it's been with me a year after apprenticeship and just that first one that you're like.

Oh, this is, I'm going to sob when she leaves and in a really good, she's moving away, but I'm just like, please don't go. Like, and even to this point, she's still fully in the business, like it's not tried to check out or anything. And I just think that's a big, it's a big loss when they go, when you just have nurtured them and love them so much and you're ready for their journey.

But then at the same time, you're Yeah, I know. And you're excited for them. You're ready for them to, you know, that you're excited for them to move on. But that particular one, like cause her and I, we pretty much built that brand from that two seater salon into what is now two floor, 11 seats and six basins and 16 staff.

Wow. Yeah. So, you know, that was really, you know, and losing your first staff member, Heartbreaking. Heartbreaking. I don't know. Heartbreaking. Anyone else out there listening, um, I'm sure they can relate. It's like if you've had stuff and that first one leaves, it's like you just cry for days. I remember my, I remember my girlfriend who, um, Chantelle Talish, which you've just been.

Oh my gosh, Chantelle. Yes. Oh my gosh. She's amazing. She's amazing. She's so great. Um, and she just raved. She just said the education she did with you was mind blowing. And so she's one of my close girlfriends and I remember talking to her and she's like, it gets easier. Like the more that you've gone through the heartache, he gets easier.

Whereas the first couple of times, and it was always such a valuable information for me. Cause I remember as it went on, I was like, okay, and I say to my clients now, I'm like, it gets easier. I promise. It just, the first couple of heartaches are the hardest and I was like, they always hurt because you just love them as people and not seeing them every day.

Like your lifestyle. Yeah. But, um, yeah, I remember her saying that and I was like, okay, that was a good piece of advice because it, it does get easier over time. Yeah. Yeah. So how long were you in the little space before you moved? The space room now. So we were in the space on Crown Street for about two years.

Wow. Uh, which was great. Yeah. And, um, then we moved up to Liverpool Street, which is just around the corner from Crown. Nice. Which was great. Nice. Easy move. We're literally walking up the street with trolley , that's literally, I'm using that word. Literally off pushing as we were. Yeah. Pushing them out. Love that.

And then it started raining. I even had my clients helping me take all the stuff up, . You're like, whoever's free, it's a working day. Bring it in. If you're local, come on down. Um, moved into there, which was great. Now we, um, had a few more team members by then. Uh, we had some renter chairs who were just like renting chairs and cutting cause I didn't cut.

We needed to sort of fill that. But that space, because, you know, my clients would end up going somewhere else for haircuts. So, um, we knew a few people in the industry and they were looking for a space to rent. So I was like, yeah, come and rent with us. Um, and that model moved from the small salon to the larger salon.

And then we, um, we, um, Also brought on, um, employees as well. So we had like, um, a dual model business model. So that's what I was gonna say. So you did have the two sort of running. Yeah, that's cause that's a model that quite a few people are looking into now, aren't they? You know, that running to, have you still got that?

Absolutely not. Yeah. Interesting. I knew you were going to say that. I was like, I feel like this is going to be a fucking meltdown. Yeah. I love this. I love this conversation. Okay. Excellent. I was really funny when you messaged me and we're going, I want to hear some highs and lows. Yeah. Here's a lot. Yes.

Yes. I'm here for all of this because as you know, I've, there's a lot of questions we get about this. So I'm so interested to hear. The, yeah, from the range we haven like a seven hour podcast. 'cause I'm so into this conversation. How hell is ridiculous. Actually, we have as much as we want. Perfect. Um, look, it may work for some people, I don't know.

And maybe they have, maybe they have the magic sauce to make it work. But for myself, um. Who's big on education, sharing, branding. Um, I love a brand. I love a logo. I love like consistency, consistency. Like I want, like, you know, everyone to sort of feel. A particular way when they walk in and walk out of Que and you can't control that.

Yeah. When you have people renting a chair, um, at all. I mean, that's just the, that's just the tiny thing that I hated about it, but there's a lot of other things as well. There's, you know, you know, there's the. Um, financial situation as well. They, you just can't cover your costs by having a rented chair.

They just don't cover the cost it takes to, you know, have that chair operating for seven days a week or five days a week. It just doesn't. Because I don't think anyone realizes until like, you know, there's a lot of. Rent a chair's out there. Love you. Um, cause Jen does that. I rent a chair. But you're doing it in a different type of space.

In a multi, um. Yeah. So it's like a multi space. And that's what they do. Space salon. But it's the costs involved in running a salon, as you know, are, our costs are exorbitant. It's not that, you know, people, you know, when people are like, Oh, but I don't understand why hair has to be so expensive. I'm like, I don't know.

It is so expensive to run a salon. You know, you, especially if you want to use, it is because I think people use all the good products. You provide the service. You have the expensive salon. Yeah. You know, it's not just like Kathy's. Cuts down the road, which, you know, she does it from her basement and it's the dodgy, like no one wants, everyone wants luxury these days.

And you know, you can go at, like we've said, you can go have people's drop money at the drop of the hat, but then there's still, there can still be resistance. Yeah. Whereas it's the most. For me, important thing, cause you know, you can have an basic average outfit on your hair. Looks great. Yeah. You look expensive when you know, they say women with good hair get paid more.

Oh, really? It's a fact. Really? Yeah. Yeah. Okay. You guys felt Like that, if you get paid more, if you have good hair. Um, but yeah, it's. I'm passionate about it because I don't think a lot of people understand it is so expensive to run a salon and have all the luxury that people expect these days. Absolutely.

Definitely. And like service needs to be at, at the top of your offering. Um, and you can't offer that service without, you know, a team of people who are aligned, um, and who, uh, you know, highly talented. Um, so yeah, I mean, that's, that's just some of the little costs that all add up. Yeah. Great. For sure. For sure.

So then, so you had the rent share and you started doing employees. Then you've moved from that space since, haven't you? We actually haven't had to move, which was really great. So that's when you just took on more of the, yeah, that's right. So the guy who owned the building, we were renting from him for about eight years.

Um, he's really lovely and we put it in our contract that if he does decide to sell that we get first offering. Yep. I love that. So he was really great and he kept to his word, which was great. Um, and he decided to sell just under two years ago. Um, and we got to buy it. So we didn't have to move, which was great.

So his office was on the second floor. Oh, okay. So you just got to take over the whole building. So we just like did a, you know, a copy of what was on the level one on to the level two. Love that. Which is good. Yeah. And then when did you decide no more rent shares? We're going to full employee. Pretty early after that move.

So we probably ran the business model dual for about two years in that space. Um, and then, um, I feel really flat because, um, a couple of them left and took my whole database. Um, and all the staff as well. Oh, man. Everyone, it's happened to everyone. Everyone has had this. Everyone's had this. I think this is the most important thing, right?

Like you've got a massive name in this industry because you are wonderful at what you do. You have this beautiful business model. And as I said, you're so graceful and you come across very different, which I think draws a lot of people to you, but at the end of the day, Um, you felt just like everybody has, has, and you've had things happen to you that everyone has and people go through things and go, I don't know how I can possibly get back up from here.

Yeah. And you go, you just do it because you wouldn't have the success you have today if you didn't just go, all right, strap on my boots. Let's keep going. Let's keep going. Let's keep going. Yeah. So, you know. You know, and yeah, we just changed the business model completely from there. Yeah. And then, um, yeah, I mean, the thing is, and I think, you know, your mindset's so important when those kinds of situations come up in your life, like you really need a quick check in how your mindset is, and then just push forward.

It's okay to have a rest day, a cry in your bed for a day. That's so fun. Oh, absolutely. It's okay to feel the things. Yeah, it's all right. We've all just, I'm sure you have too, wanted to burn it down. At all stages, but it's like, how long do you stay in that before you go before you pick yourself up and I think that's what I've learned as I.

Um, get older. It's how long do I let myself stay in the mud for before I go? All right, let's move. Let's move because there is underlying. If you look at that, it was all purposeful because it's, it made you into this new space that you're involving the business model. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So it was great. It was a good kick up the ass, which was good.

Um, and it sort of opened my eyes a little bit to what, uh, Um, can happen in business and how to protect yourself. So policies and procedures was my first point of call from that happening. And we created, um, a manual, um, of basically everything from, you know, how to enter and how to exit queue as a staff member, what's important to us, what our values are.

You know, what we believe in as a, as a, as a brand, um, and what you're stepping into when you enter our brand. Yeah. So we made the brand the most important thing from that experience. Wow. And I feel today the brand stands strong and it's just getting stronger. Agreed. And I think you look at it overall, I could say, I look at Que overall and I'm The, like, you have this amazing team, but you are the brand.

You are the brand. So if I was to come there, that's even, I wouldn't need to be looked after for you, but I would be walking in that salon because. I know you are the head. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. No, it's good. It's good. Um, no, it's been great. And that new model has worked in our favor, which has been awesome. Um, and, um, taking over that second floor has been amazing because there were moments in that salon where there was There were like 10, 000 people and they were queuing at the front and they were sitting on the waiting chairs and they were like, I was literally hand painting someone's hair on a stool.

Like it was out of control. So, you know, we were either going to move out of that space and we started looking or we needed to take it over upstairs as well. So, um, We were lucky. We had that opportunity to take over. That's what happened. That's what happened with Samara Salon. It got to the point where we were having those as well.

And it was like, we, the need to start suspending things from the ceiling. We're like, there is just no line them up out the front. Yeah. It was saying we had, um, 65 square meters and seven staff at one point. And like the back room was a shoe box and it was where we like, where we made. Tea and coffee and like a hole in the wall.

Yeah, we met. Yeah. Literally it used to be a doorway. We built it in front of a doorway and you just, and you look back now and you're like, how did we ever make that work? You know, the staff room was like a fold down table with two little chairs and the bin was behind it. And you were trying to mix up color here, but you just make it work in the beginning because you can't, you know, To, as you would know, over time to move to a new salon, it's expensive as hell.

Oh my God. So you've got to be ready to drop. Even more and more so now, it used to be crazy expensive. Salons are outrageous. Outrageous. They're like, these guys, like, I mean, God bless Chantel, but her salon is, I just walk in there and I just go, 2. 5. Yeah. Just the fit out. Yeah. You're just like, Oh, I remember going there for the first time and it was like a kid in a candy store.

Like I, it's gorgeous. What? Like, yeah, you know, the coffee and even the coffee machine, everything, I was like sparkling water on top, like everything, like it is like next level. Yeah. Um, and that's kind of where you have to sit these days. Yeah. There's no, yeah. You cannot, again, these days you can't open a salon and expect everyone wants it to be Luxurious.

So you cannot open a salon and just be like, it'll be, you can, don't get me wrong, but not like when we started, when we were started, it was like, no, whatever we did was going to work. Whereas it kind of evolved. The expectation now is when you're building a salon is so high. So even when we built ours, it was like, and I was fussy because I wanted.

I really wanted our last salon was like, you kept, we kept evolving to try and make more space. I'm sure you would see that before you had upstairs. Like everything you did was to try and get that a little bit more. Maybe we can process standing on top of each other at the basin. We get one more in. So when we developed last Sorella, it was, yeah, it was very much like weird.

Building this, and this is how it is to stay. So we have to do it in a way that's functional and fabulous all at the same time. Yeah, yeah, absolutely. Okay. So. You, so throughout this evolution of your business and your brand, you have Christophe Robin, but color wise you are using Wella. Wella. Professional always.

Yeah. Because you're an ambassador for Wella, yes? I am now, but I only was, I've only just become an ambassador for Wella, like within this 12 month period. Really? Yeah. Really? Yeah. Oh, wow. On paper. Wow. So, so well, it's just been gaining for you for a long time. Look, definitely, you know, I, I believe in a win win situation always.

Um, I'm winning cause I really do believe, um, and know I'm using the best color products I can. Yeah. Um, yeah. They, they just tick every box for me. Yeah. Um, so I'm winning there and, um, you know, I love social media and I'm a massive overshower. So you know, they're winning cause I, that's who I am, you know, so it's all fine.

I don't know anyone that's like that. Yeah. It's like massive overshare. I love social media. Yeah. That's Samara. I love that. Massive overshare. I love that. But that's okay. Yeah. That's part of the beauty of it. Yeah. I think so. Again, you get to know, and I think a lot of people hate social media and I, yeah.

So many people that I don't know anyone who hates social media. Yeah. Um, my clients, pretty much, I reckon 80 percent of them. I reckon that's a mindset thing though, because you know how you see what you, what you focus on is what you see. So you love social media, so you're going to see all the people that love social media.

You know what I mean? My clients hate it. So many of my clients hate it. And they're like, I just don't want to do it. And I'm like, I think there are a lot of people hate it too, because it is ever evolving, right? We've gone from. You've Um, a lot of photos to a lot of videos, which again, I love, I love creating different stuff.

Yeah. Um, but I think it is just because it is in our industry, another piece of work that we have to do and it needs time. You can't just slap something out these days and think. It'll do okay. You know, to build a brand, your social media has to be strong behind it as well. And what are you representing?

Cause again, you look at Que and you know what you're representing Lazzarella completely different. We have the dumbest shittest video, like the dumbest, not the shittest, the dumbest, funny, really connected team videos, because it's, it's an expression of Lazzarella. It's what it's like, but it's so interesting that, you know, you can develop a whole personality.

Over your socials and what does that look like? Correct. Because I say to people, yeah, what I am, what how we perceive, like what you perceive from me and from Mon is completely different, but still wildly successful salons. Yeah. So it's just what are you trying, what is your voice? What are you trying to speak?

Yeah. I mean, you'd have to love. Social media, given that you've got the subscription as well, like that's, that's a lot of time to be dedicating to that because you put so much content in your subscription. Yeah. It's funny how that evolved. We can go there if you want. Yeah. Um, so when, um, how did the education evolve?

Yeah. Let's go there. Yeah. So I've always been a, I've always done education at any salon I've worked at. I've always been the educator. Um, I've always educated myself somehow training, doing, doing this, doing that. Sometimes it's not even hair. Sometimes I'm just doing a course. Yeah. Crazy. And then, um, COVID we all shut down.

So I started doing education online every Monday, free education for the industry. And then, um, I started like online classes, like real ones that you, you know, that you can purchase. And then I started online education called Que Academy. And then, um, we had like 10 or 12 modules on there available to, you know, to, to, to share.

And then, um, Que Academy was going really well for a while. Then, you know, back into the salon, you didn't really have as much time to do. Yeah. The education, um, as, as, as you'd want. So we'll kind of just playing with where we were going to put what we love. Education. There wasn't enough time to put it on Que Academy anymore.

Like that's still a company, but it just, we just, you know, again, I love, like, I'm just like pivoting, like at all moments, you're like, okay, what are we doing to pivot? And I just think this is such an important message for people. It's doesn't have to be stopped. It's how can you pivot and you're continuing to go, okay.

That's not working as well anymore. Right. What's the next thing? What's the next thing? Inspiring. So yeah, it was like, so we need somewhere to put this education. So we started just doing it on our page, like free. Um, and if you scroll way, way, way back on Monique McMullin color, you'll see that, you know, there's a, you know, education videos, like really far in depth ones, and, um, they were doing really, really great.

And then, um, the subscription model became available. Yeah. And we were like. Light bulb. This is where we're going to put the education because it doesn't cost anything. I'm still doing what I love. I'm still sharing as much as I can. Um, but it's a designated area for those that want that because not everyone wants to sit and listen to me.

No, the other thing about this that I'm just like, Oh, I just want to cry. Is it you? You didn't, a subscription model didn't come up and you were like, sweet, a new way to make money. You were like, I'm so fucking passionate about this. So this is where I put all the information that I can share the thing that I'm so passionate about in a simple way.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And it's great because business model wise, you should still be reimbursed because you're giving so much information, but I love that you were like, I'm going to do this regardless. And then this is the perfect way to do it. Like it just like, there's anyone that's like, Oh, I want to do education because I want to make money out of it.

Yeah. I think is crazy, crazy because it was so much work, but I think the passion has to be behind it. It's like, why are you doing this? Cause even I feel the same way with Salon Rising. I don't, I have a salon. I didn't have to take Salon Rising on because the salon, I have a successful salon, but it's the passion that sits behind it.

Yeah. That you're like, no, no, I need to help the industry that you love and you want to support everybody else in it to feel the same way that you do. And that's. What you're both doing. That's what everyone's story. I would love to be in your seat. I love it. Having that opportunity to hear all the stories about the amazing people in our industry and how they have incredible stories.

They are such incredible stories. And every time we walk away and every time we're like, fuck, that was good. Like I just, I think this is why the pod and even, you know, people that, podcast isn't to make us money. We just, Jen and I just. obsessed with. It's about sharing people's stories and just so other people feel heard and seen because so many people look at them and feel inspired when they're like, Oh, I just don't know if we can do that.

It's like, well, maybe I should just try. Yes. Maybe I should just pivot. Just try. I love it. What I love about the Instagram subscription model in terms of education as well, is it really. It's well with the industry, but we are an industry with very creative short spans of like, it's just, it's actually the perfect delivery of education literally short spans of time.

Yeah. Like impactful, really interesting moving video, short snap. Yeah. You know? Yeah. Like you can literally just be in your kitchen on Sunday with your headphones on, you know, 10 minutes in done, you know, and you pick up so much, so much. Yeah. Yeah. So, so much. No, it's great. I, I think it's, I think it's great.

I actually think it's still very new to guys. Yeah. Like I really feel like it's, it's a baby. Yeah. Yeah. It's still a baby. Yeah. It's got a lot of growing to do. Because there's only really. A few of you within the industry that are really sort of running that model now and sort of shaping and honing it.

Yeah. For me too, like watching you, I think you are, I think you're an extraordinary colorist, but you're a different colorist to a lot of colorists. Yeah. Which is what's so nice. Which I just love. Like, you know, I remember talking to Chantel after you'd been, and she was like, babe, it's like gloss and then this and then gloss.

And I was like, yeah, tell me more, like, keep going. You know, we're so inspired by one another. Yeah. The way you color is different, which is so cool and expensive and luxury and everything that you promote within yourself. It's that double glazing that I love so much. Yeah. And then we put this glaze on and then we put the mix.

Oh my God. Gla. We have to record that. That sounds good. I can, I have that. Yeah. Yes you can. It is so, and I love watching it. Yeah, it's good. Yeah. Yeah, it's really good. The double base is great. Yeah. Um, yeah. So back to the education, we did the Que Academy. We left the Que Academy, we went to subscription model.

We put all our education on a subscription site. Um, and, um, and then we had the internal education for Que, uh, cause we had a lot of apprentices coming through the salon. Um, so we've, we've sit at around five apprentices at the moment. Um, I love that there for about two and a half, three years at five. Um, and we.

which is so beautiful to see. So of course we needed to create a module that, um, or education module that, you know, shared everything that is true to Que. And there's probably quite a few unique formulas, not formulas, techniques that are quite unique to Que. Like the double glaze, um, and then the, the single glaze as well, the double bounce blow dry, the, um, just the single bounce, the double set, like all of these things that we put on our Instagram page that people come to us for, everyone in that salon needs to know how to do.

So that's why we created the education manual, which is made up of 13 modules, um, and can expand for the whole duration of an apprentice, apprentice with us from year one to year three. Some move a little faster, and by the time they hit year 3, they've done all the 13, and they're on the floor. Others might move a little bit slower.

So everyone learns differently. Um, so creating that as an educator was definitely a big highlight for me. And it's in full force now and it's working and the babies are growing like amazingly. That's incredible. This is so important too, because this is something we're hearing a lot as well. It's like, Oh, you know, you can't get apprentices and we can't get anybody in the industry.

If you've got five, clearly you still can. And had a rotation of five for a good few years. Yeah. So what do you think it is? Do you think it's just the way that you are offering to educate and grow people that's drawing that sort of apprenticeship base to you? Because I, I cannot tell you the number of times in the last three to six months we have been asked like, how can we get apprentice?

It's like, really? Yeah. Why? I think definitely offering education. I mean, you know, someone signs up for an apprenticeship, they want to learn. Okay. That's just simple. So if they're not going to learn, then they're not going to hang around. Yeah. That's it. Um, you know, a really great culture is always important.

Um, which, you know, I have failed at many a times and succeeded many times as well. It comes in and out that one, you know, to keep that culture really strong. And I think even that's important. That's an important thing because so many people, you know, we are massive on culture within La Sirela, within Selen Rising.

And speaking about it, but we do say cultures, you're not going to come and learn culture from us and do it. And then it'd be that. But see it's fixed. Culture's perfect. It's going to be perfect for the rest of my life. Yeah. As you build new team members as T, yeah, see everyone's just laughing for a reason because it is very true.

It's as people come in and people leave and as you develop further as a person and you know, it's, but that culture is, brand develops and what it represents and yeah, the direction that you're moving in. Yeah. It's an. Ever evolving situation. 100%. Totally. Yeah. It's, it's, you're always giving, giving to that beast called culture.

Yes. As a leader, we say, you know, culture is from the top and it is, you know, and as you evolve as a person, I'm sure, you know, there's, you're not on the floor, are you on the floor still? No, I'm on the floor every second Saturday and I might just jump in every now and then here or there. Yeah. So even as I've, Like you will resonate with this as you evolve, when you start to remove off the floor, because you have to, because you're running this bigger business, the culture changes with that too, because everyone's used to you being on the floor and then you move off the floor and then people getting used to you not being on the floor and then you'll have staff changes.

And then what does that look like for everyone? Like a culture is. An ever evolving base that you have to lead from the top. That's it. I mean, I, I remember looking at other, um, selling owners and having conversations with them about them moving off the floor and how did they do it. And, you know, they say things like, Oh, we've got a business coach to show me how to do it.

Or he did this or, but I'm still back on the floor now. Like I, I never really heard any success stories about a salon owner moving off the floor. Um, I totally understand it because you do get pulled back every. So often, but the biggest thing I noticed moving off the floor was that massive change in my culture.

It was the positive or the negative. Interesting. Negative. Because you're not, I think there's. I think in the beginning, everyone's so used to you being there. So they're used to you being on the floor. And then all of a sudden you also feel like, I think I'm not going to work. Is this just me stepping off the floor to be this?

I don't know if you felt like that way, but you know, it might just look like I'm not working anymore because I actually work just as hard. It just looked like, and it's, it's. And it's internal as well as an external thing, but 100 keep going. Cause I've done that. So anything I can share like about moving off the floor is get ready for everyone to either leave.

Or just the culture just totally change and, and, and, and listen, don't, don't listen to your little voice. I mean, I've been hairdressing since I was 16 years old, like not nonstop working all the time. So for me to step off the floor, I had a lot of like noise in my head saying, you know, you're not working.

Why aren't you working? You're not working as hard as you're selling, as you're, Team. Why aren't you doing 10 more clients? Why aren't you staying back till 10 o'clock? What's happening? It was so hard. So hard. So not only was I being hit by my team, I was being hit by myself as well. And that's why you've got to stop that voice.

Because it's hard enough being hit by everyone else. I'm getting goosebumps. I can feel you too. Like I, and as you said, you like come off the floor and then you go back on and then you come off. I think for me, I've said to people, it was easier because I was pregnant with my third son. So when you're pregnant, you like can pull off the floor and walk.

Cause you're like, Oh, I'm pregnant. Yeah. And then there was easier, but I always say to people, like, if you're thinking about coming off the floor, don't step back on directly after you have a baby. This is your time to step off. This is your moment. Absolutely. And I was, you gave yourself a natural segue out.

Yes. And I was very lucky. I had a beautiful manager. Who's still a very, very close friend of mine. Who kind of had the salon for me at that point, you know, and. Interesting enough held me through that point, but yeah, it's still, it's such an interesting time and people and I, and it takes time. It takes time.

Like I've, it's probably been about 18, 20 months for me now. Yeah. Um, and it's only just working. Yeah. And you go, I also, I can't, I can't be on the end cause you're trying to express that to your team. I can't be on the floor and be everything. Um, to what you guys need into this business as well, because it's expanded bigger than I thought.

And there was, there's lots of different areas that I need to be in, but if I'm on the floor full time. Yeah. Yeah. I'm giving my, and also I found that my clients were getting half of me because I'm trying to manage the team. I'm trying to like organize all the things that are going on. And then meanwhile, you know, and you don't want to be the one person that's not meeting your brand, right?

Not representing everything that this brand that you've built because you're stretched all over the place. Like now when I'm on the floor, Thursdays only for like six hours in between the school drop off and pick up. Yeah. But. Even the day that I'm on the floor, like you would be on a Saturday that every second, it's just like, I'm so joyous because I love what I do.

Like you were saying, you are doing more education. So that helps when you do that. But when I'm on the floor that day, I'm like, Oh, this is why I'm like this. I still really love what I do. Um, But luckily, and I think it takes time also for your team and as your team evolves and stuff as well, I think as new people come on, they don't get used to being on the floor as much.

And as you said, you find like you have a change of staff, but I think, yeah, I found that. My team now, like, they're always like, we know you're working, you know, but it is that inner voice of being like, you know, I'm working, right? Yeah. Really hard at all times. And I'm, I'm trying to do all the things that I'm trying to be able to things.

And, you know, I've just gone through a divorce as well. So going through that, you know, and having my team hold me through those things, but it's an interesting time to make sure that you're like, I want to foster this culture. And I want you guys all to feel heard and seen, but you know, you know, Everything's evolving at the same time and, and really having to pivot.

So the fact that you were like, yep, yep. So your culture is starting to feel really nice and comfortable. So, you know, it's, it's up and down with the culture, but it's really beautiful. Um, we have a few new team members who hadn't worked with me. When I was on the floor, so they only know me as the director now.

So they only know me as the happy person that comes in and has the consultations and helps choose the colors and directs the, you know, application if they need it, or, you know, just make sure everyone's okay. And say, says hello to all the clients. So that has made a massive, you're just this joy. You're just the joy that walks in.

I'm so happy to be joy. I love joy. My team is always like, don't leave. Like when I leave, I love that. They're like that. They're like, stay. Or if I'm like, I'm only in this day, this week, they all just like, look at me like, no, because we get to be the joy. And I think that's a really important role. It's massive.

It's such an important role. It's massive. You know, the quality of work is so much better. Yeah. The team's so much happier. There's like, you hear more laughter on the selling floor. Yeah. Like that role is really important. Yeah. That massive. And I think even for us, like it brings, that comes from that change as well.

Right. And we're talking about being comfortable with that. The, the fact that your team changes when you make that move, it's like, well change your team changes, but so do your clientele. Exactly. Because your clientele, not all your clientele like it either. No. You know, and some move on. And you've also gotta be like.

Okay. I'm okay with that. You could be here and be with my team and be in the same hands or you can decide to move on as well. And you've got to be okay with that too. That was really hard. Yeah. That was really hard. That was really hard. Like I was what they said, hairdressing for so many years. Yeah. I've had these clients for like 25 years.

Yep. And then they were like, well, what do you mean? You're not going to do my hair. I'm like, well, you know, I'm just stepping off the floor. I'm trying a new direction. You know, I'm taking a new challenge. I'm super excited. You know, I was, I was hoping you'd be excited for me too. You know, this is a new chapter in my life.

You know, I've been through your kids, your dogs, your breakups, your boyfriends, your husbands, your marriages, your kind of thing. Can't you just been through this with me? Yeah. Yeah. Why won't you go through this with me? And also, I'm not leaving you, I'm leaving you with this like, incredibly talented team.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. You got me. Yeah. Yeah. So we definitely lost a few. Um, but you know, you can't control that. You just gotta move forward. Yeah. And I think too, I think we. You, you can teach that as much as possible too, but you've got to then put the trust in your team. And, you know, it's not always going to be the same to what we give, you know, what we give a client's not always going to be the same to our team members.

And we have to be okay with that because it's our salon. Right. So then, you know, that joy comes through to every client. I think we've also got to be okay with the fact that we're going to do this to the best of our ability and our team are going to do this to the best of their ability, but they're also humans.

Totally. Yeah. I love the human word. And a big human word. Dealing with humans. Yeah. Yeah. And that's like an ever evolving inconsistent thing as well. Yeah. Like it's not just a straight plane. Humans dealing with humans. Yeah. There's a lot of variables there. And then I also just think like. As someone said to me, I can't remember who said this or what I listened to it on, but they were like, you know, don't you ever fuck up in your job?

Like that happens. Sometimes things go wrong. Sometimes the service is not what you expected because for some unknown reason, everything's run late. So you're running, you know, your team's running late. They're scrambling to make sure that everyone's looked after. And then you're just like, You put so much pressure on it because you're like, I'm trying my best.

And for us as salon owners, it doesn't matter that there's 500 happy people. We think about the one that potentially wasn't because they didn't get offered a coffee. So bad like that. So bad. So bad. We need to change that. I went in a spiral this week because of it, you know, and I just think, how can I do more?

How can I a hundred or so clients this week who absolutely loved everything that was offered. It was ridiculous. And then you get one that said the coffee was off. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Like the feedback this week was insane. Like we just, but all I can hear in the back of my head is this. And then you're like, is that the one that's going to break the camel's back?

Am I going to go under because of this one client? But because we just don't know how to do like, we are very good at listening to the negative and. Not always so good at listening to the positive. Yeah. That's it. Yeah. Yeah. Let's keep talking about education. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Because we could go down the spirals at one point.

Mon and I are just going to lie in each other and just pat each other.

Every solenoid is like, I want to be in the room right now. I also want to be holding your hand. I see your lip cuddle. Oh, God. Um, let's still talk more about your education. Cause you have done some amazing education recently. I don't think I've had as much FOMO. As when a few of our friends flew down to Sydney for that big one you did.

The new era. Yeah. That was huge. That was really cool. You know, I love, love sharing, love education, um, all about it, but the industry always like needs and deserves something new and fresh, right? Like we want to be inspired. Like I want to inspire from the top. Like, uh, you know, you just, you want to like, you want, you want the best of the industry to be inspired.

and be around those people. Yes. Right. So I always like to try and do an education event that is greater than just, you know, a workshop. I've definitely done plenty of little workshops. Um, we, um, but the, the, the first one that kind of took me off the mark about this Advanced style education was the, um, um, it was the glazed butterfly tour.

Yeah. I'm not sure if you saw that. Saw that. Um, so that was on, that was the launch of the double glaze and it was piggybacked on the trend, the butterfly haircut. Um, and that took us all up and down the East coast of Australia for like pretty much just over half a year. And did you love or did you love?

Yeah. Okay. Every second week we were on a plane going somewhere. Incredible. It was amazing. How many were with you? Um, I took a team member, uh, my social media manager and my reps from MCM. Yeah. So what it was, was a really great way to share this new technique, the double glaze. Um, and to inspire, um, around the butterfly haircut, um, and inspire my team to come and travel with me.

Um, and also a really great door opener for the incredible brands that we serve. Stock and share at MCM. Okay. Let's just side note that Jen let's like, cause obviously that's an. No, no, we need to go into that. We definitely need to finish education first. So everybody, you will know what that means shortly.

If you don't know what that means when it comes to mom. Okay. Okay. Perfect. Alright, so that was the first one that sort of blew my mind and, um, how popular it was. So what, what do you think makes that education different to like, the workshop? Like talk about what the difference is in this sort of new age.

New age. I think it's trending. Yeah. Mm-Hmm. It's doing something that's so on trend that it's almost leading. Yeah. Okay. Mm-Hmm. . So we wanna lead, right? Mm-Hmm. . Everyone wants to lead. Mm-Hmm. . I, I would assume. Mm-Hmm. . Um. With your trends, techniques, ideas, visions, motivations. So like, I think what was so successful around the Glazed Butterfly Tour was that it was right.

It was leading, it was leading the trends. It was, it was like TikTok was going crazy with these trends. We were going crazy with these trends. So we shared them at the same time. So I think, you know, the combination of the trend and timing, it almost becomes yours. Yeah. Even though there was a trend that started it.

Exactly. You take it, make it your own. It becomes yours. Yeah. Exactly. And then Wella came out with this brand within their brand called Shinefinity, which is quite unique to, um, what it does. So we piggybacked that. product with the double glaze and created a technique of six to 12 foils, um, color between finish with a glaze on top.

So it's an actual technique, just like half a head of foils is. Yeah. Everyone knows where to put foils on half a head of foils, right? So we wanted to share how, where to put the foils for a glaze and where to put the color and what to finish with. So we. Took that to market with this show. I suppose it's so funny.

Cause I didn't go to it now. I'm like, okay, so how do I get this? How do we have the store again? Cause I need to now see this and I need to bring my whole team. Yeah. Yeah, no, it was really, really successful. It was great. Um, absolutely. Yeah, it was, it was, it was good. So from there, I mean, I mean, going backwards, we did like for the love of with Natalie and when you're that was actually at that.

In Brisbane. Oh, really? Yeah. So we did that. I mean, that was probably our first one we ever did. And then what else have we done? Um, I got invited over to the shadow me program, which was over in Texas with Chrissy hair by Chrissy. She's phenomenal. So I presented over there with them as well. They put on an awesome tour.

And then, um, the most recent one is that the new era. Yeah. Which was great. So yeah. I don't know what the next one's going to be. I was like, what's next? I don't know. There will be one. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. For sure. But then you've been in Germany recently as well. Oh yeah. I went to Berlin. Yeah. I shot the, uh.

Oh yeah. Whoops. Yes. Also. Yes. Here's more. No, that was really amazing. I got invited over to Berlin by the Wella Global team and to shoot the campaign for the launch of their new color series within the Shinefinity range. So we did two looks, two looks, and hopefully they're all going to be on a billboard.

I don't know, but no, that was, that was pretty mind blowing. I think the thing is talking to you, you just still so incredibly inspired, passionate, like it's, you know, I think as anything, when we come to that word pivot in this episode, I educated for about two minutes and I just was like, I thought this is where I want to go and actually not, I just, I don't like it.

I don't love it. Yeah. I thought this is where I wanted to be because I wanted to be with other hairdressers, you know? Yeah. So desperately did I wanna be with other hairdressers, and you think that's where it needed to lead. And then when Salon Rising was born, I was like, okay, no. This is where I'm, this is it.

This is my passion. This is passion. That this is where I'm meant to be. Yeah. But I think, yeah, listening to you and going, you're just so passionate. In every level that, yeah, it's just, yeah, it's inspiring. Well, there's a lot, I mean, it's a passionate industry, you know, it's, there's a lot of, you know, ups and downs with passion.

Yes. Yes. And motivation. I think anybody that thinks that we have to fuel ourselves on passion and motivation is drunk. Because you know, if you're thinking like, you know, you think about being, you think about when you first opened the little salon, it was just you, you just like, you're literally powered on passion.

Like you're just like, I'm going to go, go, go. You can't leave. Like, I'm like, okay, let's, I'll talk to you in two years time. And then you get to two years and you're like, the passion is gone because you can't run specifically on that. But You know, doing these tours and stuff would keep giving you that incredible boost of what you need to feel really passionate about what you're doing.

Absolutely. Yeah. I think, you know, for me it's about, um, it's just like an internal drive to, to, to, to do something new. There's what's next. What's new. What's what's no one, what hasn't, hasn't anyone done or what has everyone been doing that I can do differently. Yeah. Yeah. That's, I think that's where it all comes from.

Yes. So good. It's so good. So we need to segue. Into talk about MCM because that's obviously something that we've referenced just so that people are clear. MCM is? MCM Beauty is a wholesale in import distribution company for hair and beauty. Um, and it has ran by my husband and Karina Parry. She's LGM and All of this that we've been talking about, whilst all of that has been happening, MCM was growing on the other side.

Wow. So Karina, we were so lucky to find Karina. She's actually a good friend of ours. She was a friend of a friend and then we stole her off her and then she joined us and she's been the GM of MCM Beauty, uh, since the day we opened and she has grown everything to what it Wow. Uh, which is amazing. So did you initially, Start this to have like a way of bringing the Christophe Rabanne to Australia.

Like, was that like the driver? So it, it, it, we fell into this. It wasn't, um, something that was, um, in a business plan. So many. I love this. Right. Everyone just taking over this so much. You know, Mona said, you know, it just happened or just, but I think because you're just following, I think you're following so much happens to you too because your mindset, because you're moving and shaking.

I think so much happens that it just keeps evolving. I think sometimes it's not luck. Your drive and your goal and your vision and everything just kind of keeps manifesting to life. Like, and I think that's really cool. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. So we took on the Christophe Robin in the beginning as just a brand in the salon.

Um, and then, you know, as the salon was doing better and there was, you know, more opportunity, we were like, why don't we ask for the distribution rights? Um, and we did and we got them. Just like that. Um, he was very young, uh, Kristoff's brand looks, looked completely different when we first had it. Um, it's evolved as we have evolved.

I think as I said earlier, the stars were aligned for that, for that meeting and that relationship and we both grew together really beautifully. So that's how MCM Beauty was born. With Christopher, um, and Karina being the amazing PR marketer that she is. And the guru who knows absolutely everyone in the industry.

She, uh, brought that brand to life by getting it into the best retailers, um, to start with. So Adore Beauty and, um, it was in Mecca, wasn't it? No, we didn't do Mecca. Mecca's, Mecca's interesting. Uh, we did David Jones, Adore Beauty and, and a few other online as well. And then, um, it's funny cause people get, you know, I say this with my team, people get funny about brands being in the big online, you know, space.

But it just gives our brands more credibility. I don't think about that at all. I'm like, it gives our brand more credibility that they're on all of these online spaces and people then know the brands because they're like, Ooh, I've seen that on here. I've seen that on there. Or, you know, I think it, I don't think it's a hindrance at all.

I think you've got to change your mindset around it. I think it's a, I think it's a big, big win. Yes. Because you know, these big brands like Adore Beauty, they have so much money that they can like sell Sell to camels. Yeah. Right. So if we have a little salon down the road in Darlinghurst, trying to sell a product that no one's ever heard of.

Yeah. How many are you going to sell? Yeah. Right. So, you know, it definitely elevates the brands that you have on your shelves when they're attached to a product. Big brands like Adore, like David Jones, like Mecca, like really big beauty influencers. Yeah. They are beauty influencers and you want to be aligned with those people.

Yeah. Totally. Yeah. 100%. So that was good. But now obviously MCM's evolved to have more like, so what are the different Cause what's the brushes. I love those brushes. Yeah. Really cute story there. So one of my gorgeous girls, Taylor Jones, you may have heard of her. She, um, was an apprentice. She did an apprenticeship with me and then she was like my superstar on the floor.

Amazing educator. Um, Um, and we were working late one night and we were looking up, we were just like really sick of the brushes we were using. And my client was still processing. It was like nine o'clock at night where all good things happen. And we were Googling, um, the brushes and we saw that Ibiza was being used by, you know, Someone at the time.

I can't remember. Who's the guy that does Jennifer Anderson's hair? Oh, yeah, you know, yeah. Oh, what is his name? Chris Appleton. No, but he uses them too. He uses them too. But no, it wasn't him. McCallum. He's got the short blonde hair. You'd know. Oh, I know exactly who you're talking about. Yeah. Anyway, I'm in my head.

Every hairdresser's screaming it out on the podcast, right? Sorry guys. So bad. Oh yeah. Anyway. So we found these brushes and we were like, Taylor's like, these are the brushes. Everyone uses these. You've got to get these brushes. So one thing led to another and we ordered them just like we ordered the Christoph in the beginning and we started using them.

I told my husband, I said, these brushes are it. I spoke to a few people in the industry who are session stylists. And they were like, oh yeah, those brushes are really fucking cool. I was like, oh, really? Um, and then we found out, um, we met Aaron who's the, uh, who has them in la. He's the distributor or the owner.

And yeah, we just built a relationship with him and, and now we have those brushes, which is great. And they're incredible. They're life. Are you quite in the summer? I'm sorry, I don't have them. I need them now. Need them in the salon. They're so good. So next week, guess what I'm ordering. Yeah. They're amazing.

But that wasn't our second brand. Okay. I think, I mean, you know, we've had a few other little doubles in other brands that we haven't, haven't really aligned. So MCM beauty, you know, it's ethos is, you know, um, You know, clean beauty meets luxury. So we're looking for products that align with clean beauty and luxury.

Um, and you know, you know, as you move along and grow, sometimes you step outside of, you know, where you should be and who, you know, we've played with other brands as well, but nothing's been, um, uh, more amazing than the Christophe Ibiza and now Larry King. Yeah. Larry King's a UK, um, Like celebrity stylist with about three salons, absolutely gorgeous guy, stunning, heaven.

If you don't follow him, follow him, he's amazing. So he's brought out his own line and he's, he's like point of difference is the shampoo cycle. So he's all about this shampoo cycle. So, you know, and it's clean and it's environmentally friendly It just aligns with our brand so beautifully. So here's our latest project.

That's exciting. I just love every time I'm just looking at it every day and everything you do is full of no, just that. And also it's just, You, it's unique. It's not following any trends. You find stuff that lights you up and doesn't matter if it lights anyone else up, you eventually over time, it will light everyone else up, but your brands are like, I'm desperately obsessed with these things and this is why I'm recommending it because I feel so similar to that with the things that I use and things I do, because it has such integrity behind it, you know, as you said, you know, we've dabbled here or there, but it doesn't stick because it's not completely aligned to your values and to.

Your ethos and it just, that's why brands do well is when you just, the person behind it wholeheartedly believes to the nth degree that this is where it stays true, the values and purpose of that brand. And then, you know, it's just all funny enough when, um, I'm not rich. Do you remember who reached out to us originally from MCM?

Was it Corrina? Yeah. Even that. Like I remember Richard. Calling me and he's like, do you know this person? Cause like this email is beautiful. Like it was just again, you know, as, as you know, even someone receiving it on the other side, we were like, this is just so kind. Like, yes, we love Monique, please. Like, let's set this up.

But it just. Even all of that, how, how she reached out and all of that. And the communication it's just all being so elegant and beautiful and kind and wonderful that you're like, of course we want to work alongside. Yeah, of course we want to like chat. Like I would have chatted to you regardless. So I was like, Oh my God.

Yes, she's the best. She's the best. But so your husband's in that business as well. Yeah. So he's like, what? Um, he like runs all the finance department. So what is that? Yes. I see. Yeah. Yeah. Finance. All the money. It's definitely an acronym for it. He does all of that. So he does that for Que. He does that for MCM.

Um, and yeah, we couldn't, we, we couldn't. Was that his background? Like, Oh my God. Do you want to know his background? Yes. Was like, was he a tradie? Oh no, almost. So, okay, he was a chef for 14 years. Wow. And then he stopped chefing and he became a photographer. He was quite successful at photography. Oh wow.

Had some amazing exhibitions, sold so much, traveled the world. And then, um, and now he's in selling shampoo.

So how old are Matilda and William now? So Matilda is about to turn 21. Wow. So we're so excited. She's great. So she, um, she actually went into fashion and design and she was doing that for three years and, uh, working in retail and just the last six months she has come to us and wants to join the family business.

What? Yeah. That's so cool. So we are so excited for that. I had to like, not look too excited. Oh, sure. Oh, I'll take it under consideration. What about fashion? She was like, you know, are you definitely sure about this? Or it's you're like, yes, I've been waiting for this. Yeah. If one of my two daughters or my son, if he wants it doesn't follow in my footsteps.

They will be held to bay. They both tell me they're going to do it now, but we'll see. Yeah. And then my son, William is 16. He's still in year 10. Nice. Yeah. Yeah. Which is great. Yeah. So question, how did you feel over time? Do you feel like now, this is probably a good question now that you have, you know, the old people say that work life balance.

Do you feel like you've found that with the kids over time? Um, or is it still ever evolving? Cause I feel like it's ever evolving today, but it's a funny one. I've never, I've, I've, I've never seeked work life balance because my life is my work and my family are involved in that and they will always be around and we'll always be talking about it.

So it's not something I've sought. Sought after it tried. It's not something you've sought to separate? No. It's like, it's part of who I am as a person and you are part of who I am as a person. This is, so everything just coexist. Come down to the salon, meet me at the salon, and then we'll go here or meet me here for lunch.

I'll be at the salon at this time. Or do this like. It's not, I understand for others, they're looking for that and they need that in their life. I totally appreciate that. And that's like all my staff. I appreciate that, but I've never tried to find work life balance because they're, they're the same thing for me.

I love that. Yeah. And I think that's going to be so, there's so many people out there right now that are like, I needed that because I thought I was doing something wrong. Yeah. Yeah. I really thought I was doing something wrong. I think that, that whole work life balancing makes people feel like their passion is evil.

You know what I mean? It's like, Oh, I don't, if I care so much about what I love doing, it means that I don't care about my family or the people in it. It's just not the case. Yeah. It's just not the case. And I think it is. I think it's ever evolving as your kids grow. I agree. You know, as you go through younger stages with them and then they grow and they they're older and then you can involve them in different things more.

And you know, my daughters, I love showing my daughters that I can build this life for them. You know that they've got a strong, independent mom that was able to raise them financially on her own. Like for me and I, you know, we have these conversations all the time. So my daughter got her NAPLAN results the other day and one of them was low and she was psyched.

Funny about it. And I was like, it was so empowering for me to be like, yeah, whatever you find passion is where you'll be successful. So it doesn't, I was like, mom never had these stellar grades. I always pass. And that's all I'm ever going to like need from you guys. And I will support you in that. But you don't have to be having A's in all your subjects for you to be a success.

Because as long as you do what you love, you will be successful at it. Whatever that looks like. And I explained to her that, you know, I'm a hairdresser and I didn't go to uni and mom is. You know, successful and that her aunties, one of her aunties never went to uni and she is in HR and extremely successful.

One of my other best friends didn't finish high school and didn't actually go into uni until later, later in life. And she is extremely successful. So it's so good to be able to show there's no one path, one path you have to walk. You're not stuck on the same thing. You can always change and evolve and just be passionate about it.

Just say, give it a go. How many people do we see that are. That don't, and I, you know, I've got friends around me at the moment like this and they'll, they just don't love what they do. And it's almost like a, for me, I'm like, I've never had that because I've always just been so in love. And how can you spend so much time at something if you don't love it?

How do you even do it? How do you do it? Yeah. How do you get up every morning? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I'd be like, no, I'm not going. Yeah, a lot of the times with people, like, if they're feeling that I really need that work life balance, it's like, are you aligned? Are you actually doing what you want to do? Do you actually really want to do this?

Do you really want to be a salon owner? You know, or yeah, really think about that one. Did you just do it? Did you just do it? Cause you thought that would be the next step. Yeah. Is there something else you could be doing that you love more? Like, yeah, it's just, you have to love it. Otherwise it is really hard.

To be a salon owner. If you're just like, I just don't like, and I've had clients come to the point where that I'm done. I'm like, that's cool. Yeah. And that's okay as well. That's okay as well. That's the word of it. The word of the day. Yeah. Where are we going next? And I think that, yeah, I think if you don't, I think that's such a nice response.

Cause If you don't love it and you, you want, you want to involve your family in your world. I love that my kids know that I travel and I've got this amazing support network at home. And my partner's super passionate about what I do. So even bringing him into when I speak and stuff, he's so passionate.

That's what you want. You know, you want the people behind you and your husband's been exactly the same. Yeah. He's pivoted his whole life. And now he's alongside you in this. And now your daughter's come into it. Yeah. I've just got one more just to slide in there. I know, I'm just trying to think where am I going to put him?

Anyway, it's all right. You've still got a few years. Yeah. By the time your husband will be like, I need help now. Yeah. That's become a bigger beast than what I thought. Yeah. There's plenty of room for growth. There always is for everyone. So where's next? Um, are you just enjoying being in it right now? I'm really enjoying where we are right now.

Yeah. I think what we've got right now is quite amazing. Um, and we just want to sort of settle into it. Yep. There'll always be a next. This is my world now that you know, this is my world. This, this is my world. I'm not going anywhere unless, unless God takes me, this is it. So there'll be a next at the moment.

We're really enjoying where we are. Yeah. But that's when the next thing comes. Yeah. That's when the next thing comes. When you Super happy and enjoying where you are. If you're striving and looking for the next thing, it's not going to show up. It's when you're really happy with where you're at. And I think that's.

Important too. If you are just really enjoying where you're at, just fucking enjoy it. Exactly. Just get up every day and enjoy it every day and be deeply grateful for it every day. I think instead of getting to those moments where you're feeling a little bit resentful, how do we be deeply grateful for those things every day and just be grateful for it every day?

Enjoy getting up and just enjoying doing your thing and enjoying, you know, I say what I'm deeply grateful for. I'm deeply grateful that you came to hang out with us on a Sunday afternoon. Thank you. This was a crappy conversation. How do we rewind and do that all over again? I know. It was good. You guys are good at this.

I love when everyone gets on there like, Is it going to be awkward? I'm like, babe, when we start talking, it's just going to be like, we're hanging out. I know I was like sitting there having my coffee the other morning going, okay, I need to know every single thing what's happening. And you were like, no, don't worry.

It's just Oh no, that was me. That was Jen. Oh, is that you? Yeah, that's me. But it's literally like everyone comes on. They're like, what do I, what does it look like? What do I do? And I'm like, I don't know. So Jen, Jen prepares everything. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Cause she needs to know. It's not that I need to know. I just have an outline.

I want to come in and just like, I'm like, I don't want to know anything, Jen, tell me nothing. And I just want to show up and fluke it. And it'll be the best. Yeah. Yeah. One day. That's going to butt me in the ass. Richard's laughing right now because Richard wants is the person that wants to know every little thing that's happening, but I love it when.

Like, because I don't, I don't like to startle people with questions. I think when you've got too many questions set, then it's just not organic. Yeah. But we can talk about that afterwards. You guys are great. It was awesome. Such an easy conversation. And I do feel like we could keep going for two more hours.

Let's call it, I just, I don't feel like I think there's going to be way more conversations because I think as things evolve in, you know, another 12 months we'll be sitting, I'll be like, okay, what happened? What happened we go? What happened? Yeah. We haven't spoken about half the topics we're going to talk about.

I know. Like there's so much more. There's so much more. So we'll just organize another one. So I'm going to segue us. Out now, thank you, everybody for listening to this podcast. We're so grateful that Mon took the time to join us. Um, we'll have all the links to all the things in the show notes and yeah, we'll be back with another episode soon.