030 - From Suite to Salon: Grace Stephenson’s Story of Growth and Success

Welcome back to Stylist Soul Tribe Conversations! In this special episode, we are thrilled to introduce you to Grace Stephenson, a remarkable member of our Stylist Soul Tribe. Join us as we dive into Grace's inspiring journey from working in various salon dynamics to opening her own beautiful space, Verdant Salon and Suites, in Lincoln, Illinois.

Key Takeaways:

1. Grace’s Journey: Learn how Grace graduated high school early, navigated cosmetology school, and balanced multiple jobs before finding her true calling in the beauty industry.
2. Career Transitions: Discover Grace's experiences moving from commission-based salons to booth rentals, and eventually opening her own suite.
3. Joining Stylist Soul Tribe: Hear about Grace's transformative experience joining Stylist Soul Tribe and how it helped her achieve a better work-life balance.
4. Opening Verdant Salon and Suites: Understand the evolution of Verdant Salon and Suites, from the initial concept of suites to a thriving commission-based model focused on growth and support.
5. Embracing Flexibility: Explore Grace’s strategies for balancing her roles and responsibilities as a salon owner, including time-blocking and task management.
6. Future Vision: Get a glimpse into Grace's future plans for Verdant Salon and Suites, and her aspirations for expanding and creating a supportive environment for stylists.
7. Personal Insights: Gain valuable advice on the importance of solitude, personal growth, and being comfortable with one’s thoughts.
8. Community and Support: Learn about the impact of community support from Kingdom Initiatives and the Stylist Soul Tribe on Grace's journey.

Connect with Grace Stephenson:

• Instagram: @graceschair15
• Verdant Salon and Suites: https://www.verdantsalonandsuites.com/

Follow Stylist Soul Tribe:

• Instagram: @stylistsoultribe
• Website: www.stylistsoultribe.com

Join the Conversation:
If Grace’s story resonated with you, we’d love to hear your thoughts! Reach out to us on social media or leave a review. Don’t forget to subscribe to Stylist Soul Tribe Conversations for more inspiring episodes.

Thank You for Listening!
Thank you for tuning in to this episode of Stylist Soul Tribe Conversations. We appreciate your support and look forward to bringing you more stories of growth, success, and inspiration in the beauty industry. Until next time, stay inspired and keep growing!

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Transcript

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Hello friends. Welcome back to stylists, whole tribe conversations. If you were watching the video here, you can see that we are in a very different setup. I am here. With a very special guest, my friend a member of stylist, soul tribe, gray Stevenson. We are in her beautiful new salon home. We have Rory here as well. If you're listening on audio, we have the cutest sleeping pop right in between us. So definitely check out the video. It will be worth watching. So. Grace and I have known each other. We've been acquainted for many, many, many years now. But we've gotten much closer over the last couple of years as grace joined soul tribe. And it's been really cool to watch your journey. And so a few weeks back, I put something on my Instagram story about people coming on and being on the podcast. And she was like, I would love to, and then I was already coming to get my eyebrows done today by grace. So we're like, let's do it in person. So we have a whole like cameras set up. Thankfully her salon has such beautiful lighting. We didn't even need lighting. It looks amazing in here. So yeah, grace, go ahead and give a little introduction. I'm Grace Stevenson. I'm the owner of verdant salon and suites. Here in Lincoln, Illinois. And I just moved in the beginning of March. And we're recording the Sunday. So just a couple months ago. A little bit ago. Yeah. I'm a mama of two and a wife to my husband Sterling. So we'll go back to, I graduated high school a little bit early. I was homeschooled through high school. Okay. I'm a graduate just like a month early. And I was like, all right, I'm going into this. So I hopped right into cosmetology school year. 2014. Okay. Yup. And then in 2015 I graduated. So I graduated took me 12 months to figure, figure out the whole. Situation with cosmetology school. I interned at a salon while I was still in school. That's part of how I got to graduate just a little bit earlier. And they hired me right on from there. And that was salon G in Bloomington. I was the like baby stylist there. So. I've worked in a couple of different dynamics, but that one was kind of fun. They have an assistant program or you just kind of went straight off. I just kind of went straight in. I like booked some appointments and I was, you know, like everybody else, you clean hair. You know, wash down the shampoo bowls and. In the beginning. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. And so I was there for a little bit while I was there. I worked at reality bites, which is a restaurant in Bloomington there, a nice like Tappas restaurant. So I worked at the salon from nine to five, and then I scurried my little butter across town and worked from five 30 to nine o'clock or 10. Wow. A couple of nights a week. And somehow still had time for a social life. And all that good stuff. Yeah. And then I also babysat. At the time. So you were hustling. Yeah. But still had time to go to the like$5 movie nights, you know? All that gets some memories. Yeah. Yeah. When did he start dating Sterling? 20, were you with him during that time? Okay. No, actually, when I was at this one, I was dating another guy and one of the girls there was like, Why are you not hitting that guy? Because Sterling would show up in his motorcycle after school. Tip me the same amount as his hair. You called us here. That's how you guys met. I didn't know that. No, we, so we met in junior high, actually. We met at church. And he's like, I, I remember what room we're in. I have no idea. I was like the new kid on the block. I'd never been to church before. So if we were friends through junior high and high school, high school, through this very long and awkward text, he was like, oh, so I have a crush on you. And I was like, no, you don't sorry. Stop. That's funny. So we had like a little awkward period. I'm going to say like six months. And where we just didn't talk to each other kind of whatever. I did. I broke his heart poor guy. The like went on to date. Another guy came back, but that one coworker knew, oh yeah. I definitely sent them like wedding invitations. And she was like, I can't come, but I told you so, so sweet. So. But yeah, he later down the road, We started hanging out again. And actually I called him because I had car trouble and that's the fastest I've ever seen him like up dressed out of bed in another location in my whole life. And I was like, Hey, can you come? And can I pay you first of all? And he was like, no, absolutely not. So you helped me with some like art projects and stuff. The next day he came over for dinner. Later down the road, his dad was like, so are you guys dating now? Or what? And I was like, she'd probably figure that out. Yeah. So. He's like, well, I tried a long time ago. So I was waiting for you to get me. Okay. All right. So you were at that salon and then where did you go from there? So after that, my youngest two sisters, I'm one of five K. They were in like ballet and had different recitals and they're like, you can never come to anything. And so I moved to Lincoln to be closer to home. About 30 minutes every day. Yeah. So I worked and my boss actually at the old salon retired and she was like, here's this other salon that you can go to? She's willing to work with you. It was a booth rent salon. I'd like three clients to my name, that weren't family. And so I was like, that's terrifying. So I found a, like commission-based salon helped a little safer. Yeah. Here in town and I was there for almost a year. It wasn't quite a good fit. And so then I looked for another opportunity. He was still here in Lincoln, same town. And then I was there for four years and that's where I did a ton of. I moved to Lincoln. When I moved, I remember you working. Yeah. That's like when I knew of you. Yeah. Yeah. So did a lot of like learning professionally and personally. Certainly, and I like got married while we were there. I had one kiddo. I had all while I was pregnant with Oliver and then management things kind of shifted a little bit. And so, and then, you know, policies and things change. So I just needed a little bit more flexibility after I had Oliver. Yeah. So I opened up a suite and I was there for two years and then. And also welcomed. Evelyn into the scenario. And now she's like eight months and solvers. Almost three. I remember when you had Oliver. Yeah, it just, it flies. My kids are 11 and eight and it just is crazy how fast it goes. So, so you were in your suite for a couple of years. You joined soul tribe. When you were in the suite, how long have you been in soul tribe? I was going to hear. We're at the retreat, which was a year ago. Yeah. The summer. I remember that. So this is probably two years coming up. Yeah. Yeah. Cause I just remember like really liking the flexibility and like, I was like, I don't want to work nights and I don't want to work weekends. And so for a little bit, I did work like every other Saturday, but eventually. I was encouraged to like phase that out. Yeah. I remember you saying like you won't, you won't regret any of it. And I, since then, like every once in a while we'll wake up and have like a slow morning and like, yeah, you're right. I don't. I don't miss that. Yeah. I mean, it's I say it all the time, like very few industries. Can you truly work? Whatever you want. So I think it's such a shame to hear these, you know, stylist who, and I know this hasn't always been the case. This wasn't the truth, that we were all kind of weather brainwashed to think or whatever, but for a stylist to go all the way from joining the industry to retiring one day or not, you know, And feel having the story of, they always have to work nights and weekends. Like that's just such a shame. You literally don't have to. And so to be in this industry, I mean, do you have, should you sometimes when you're growing, will it help you grow faster? Absolutely. It just depends on what your priorities. You were, you were having kids, your life was changing. You were okay with, you know, it's not like your sole goal at that time was to make as much money as you possibly could. You wanted balance, you needed enough money to pay the bills, but you really cared about time at home. And I think if that is someone's circumstances, then that makes. A lot of sense for that to be their, their situation. So. When, when you join soul tribe, do you remember like what it was exactly that you were looking for? Did you know you wanted to be a salon owner even back then? If you would've told me, like two years ago, it'd be like, oh, you're going to open a salon. I probably would have laughed at you really. Yeah. So you thought I'm just going to be comfy cozy and my sweet for a while. Yeah. I thought that's where I was going to land. Yeah, because I knew that I didn't want to like a salon off my home. I was like, I definitely want that like separation there. And maybe if I like had like a double suite or something and worked, like I found like a best friend or something that way. Maybe, but salon owner, probably not. Yeah. So when did that change? Actually one of the. I don't know exactly when it changed. Like, I know that at some point God was like, Hey. Here's this thing and you're really going to do it. And I was like, okay, that's hilarious. But where, and then Ethan, he owns guest house right next door to the salons. Lovely coffee shop. If you're ever here, check it out. Yeah. Especially for those listening, if you guys don't know. So I, when I first started building my business and like 2016, I was in Thrivers, all that stuff. How most of you probably found me that are listening to this. I moved to this town. I was not from here. It's a small town of like 14,000 people. Lincoln Illinois. I'm looking at the courthouse right in front of me right now. Grace is on the square very much like downtown. Yeah. And so I moved in. To the area didn't know anybody was doing all these things. I went to classes at of all. I've got to know kind of all of these stylists. But once you're in Lincoln, anyone who's from a small town kinda knows that there are certain names and businesses and faces and really prominent people. And Ethan is one of those. Maybe we'll have a clip of this, that. We'll see one day, but he owns the coffee shop that I feel did so much for this town. Like. I remember when guest house open and then it was spirited shortly after that spirited Republic is this like cute little craft beer kind of bar. And this, it went from like kind of this dead ghost town downtown to there's some really neat businesses you can tell, trying to, to bring it back to new life in. And I think you stumbling on this building like this. see you see the tiniest part. This is a massive space. Like. I think it's 27, 2600 square feet in here. This is going to be a cornerstone of Lincoln for. Probably. You know, So, yeah. How did you, how did you find that this was available and what made you open? So I'm a part of a group called kingdom initiatives. And they're a group of Christian business owners here locally, and Ethan invited me and he's like, Hey, come check out this thing. You know, I think you'd really like it. And I was like, okay. But he actually was looking to purchase this building and was like, yeah, come check it out. There's office spaces up above where I'm at. And so he was like, you could have. Years ago when that was still available or this was recently? Well, this is when he was looking to purchase the building. What was that last spring? Okay. And so he showed us the upstairs and he's like, you could have Grace's chair 2.0 up here. And I was like, well, I would definitely need something like handicap accessible, accessible, because I one already have clients that. Need that. Core value of yours. Yeah, so. And then we kind of started talking, there's also a meat market next door. So. They were talking about taking up the whole space. And so. They ended up not. And so I was like, well, I wouldn't be interested in that. So we kind of went back and forth. For a really long time, mind you. I was like, Super pregnant. When I was. Looking at this space, a space I'm like, you're about to have a baby. I need day. That's crazy. Yeah. You're that's like. I remember you asking me, like, is, is this okay? Does this feel okay? And I didn't want to be rude in that, but I also feel like your hormones are so wild when. And the people go through postpartum and I'm like, are you locking yourself in, I mean, you were like applying for loans and stuff. I'm like, are you locking yourself into a wise decision in this moment? And the amount of clarity you had though, like as soon as you answered, I was like, okay, she's she's yeah. She knows. Yeah. Yeah. I feel like God was like, yep. There's been multiple things where I'm like, okay, well, if this is supposed, how it's supposed to be, then this is how it's going to happen. And like the timing of everything in hindsight, just seeing how that, like just flowed together, went into place. I was like, this is. Amazing. Oh, that's so special. And so cool. And then you went to the retreat last year and I feel like you did, you know, you wanted to open this. Yeah. I knew that her hot seat was centered around that. Yeah. So I went to the retreat and my clients were like, what was it about? And I was like, I can't tell you. But like also, I was so glad to be pregnant because that's what I was talking about. So if I didn't have anything like bigger, exciting to talk about, I'm sure that I would have spilled the beans to multiple, multiple people. So I ended up coming to fruition. Yeah, it would have been fine, but yeah, that's what I always coach people to, to they're like, how soon should I tell my clients? I'm like what I've learned. Yeah. What I've learned is like, whatever your due date is like. Slot wise, not baby wise. Whatever your data's that you think you're going to open, it's going to be longer, whatever your budget is that you think it's going to be. It's going to be high. It's been like. Just don't even get attached to anything because that's just not how it goes. So I always tell people, just wait until you have the keys and it's like, you can take a client. Anything or else something could have come up a pipe burst, things could happen. You know, you get stuck on permits or something like that. And you just have to wait forever. So. Retreat was super, super helpful because at the time I thought I wanted this place to be suites and I thought I was going to like divide everything up into these spaces. And then I kind of re thought about that. So if you would've told me, then be like, oh no, you're going to be doing commission again. It would have been like, I'm laughing at you, but like the way that my mindset has changed around all of this, just so fluidly and organically has been really nice because it was originally going to be sweets. And I was like, I want her shampoo bowl and everybody's room. That's going to be expensive. If you want that. Yeah. Oh, my gosh. Absolutely not. That's why. It's a way too much. Yeah. But I was thinking that, and then I was like full booth rental and. I've even come around to this. I've had people ask me, are you going to do commission? And I love the, like, I love the admin side of it. I love the number side of the salon. I love doing hair and I love visiting with my clients. And I love that like one-on-one space, but like my love in this industry is educating like the whole reason that I am behind the chairs, because I want to give you a solution to whatever problem it is, that's fits your lifestyle. And so I feel like. So hard. Building your business the last few years. And I got to that point to where, like once you've done it and you've seen success, you're like, I just want to share this with other people. Like anybody can do it. Yeah. And to the point where I'm almost like it doesn't even matter if it's hair business skills or business skills. I just want to share with everybody. Yeah. Because like we could all have this, you've got a skill set, you've got a talent, you've got something you want to sell. Like anybody can do this if they have that entrepreneurial itch. So I totally relate to that and understand that. And I think it, you should really be commended for just how much you're just going with the flow with all of that. And that's the thing is you could be so set in your ways, would that need would have taken out probably way more debt. You wouldn't have been in a different situation. And if somebody is falling into your lap and they're like, I want to be commissioned, you have all these people in your pocket. No soul tribe. The owner's group has helped you so much, and it's like, you feel a little bit less nervous cause there's people that are like, no, I've done it. Like. Here's what I've learned. You can do this, you know, but some people seek out a commission song cause truthfully in the long run it is more profitable. And so if that's just falling into your lap, why be super against it? Just because you're afraid of the responsibility, you know, you thought it was going to happen like later down the road. And like my brain, I was like, oh yeah, I could do that after my kids are in school or after. Yeah. Whatever. Yeah. I bought us a lawn while I was pregnant. There's no rules here. Yeah. Yeah. So obviously it's been like a, a faith thing and a God thing. Is there anything else that you can think of for somebody listening and they like have that edge, but they just, because it's almost like it's never the right time, like, so can you think back on. Onto. When I was finding the place or any stop along the way, because I feel like we would meet the new soul tribe calls and you'd be like, oh yeah, I'm. Now this happening is happening. This is, I was like, oh, I thought this was just like an idea. We were throwing around. And then before I knew it, I was in standing in the building. You had the keys in your hand and, you know, So, like, I don't know if you could go back to tell yourself, or if you could tell somebody else it's that fine line of like, risk and also go for it. If you know, you're supposed to go for it. I feel like I should have like some super old wise. Words of wisdom, but I really, I really don't like, I kind of joke that I have a spidey sense and I'm like, just listen to it. And most of the time it's right. And if it's wrong, you like, you checked it and you were not available, supposed to learn. Yeah. So I love that there there's that little nugget, I guess. Yeah. That's amazing. So you've been here, you said two months now. And I, when, when grace proposed this podcast idea, she was saying, oh, I put an Instagram story out. Like someone gave me an idea that I should do like live coaching call podcast episodes. And you're like, I'd be down. We could do that. So before we hit record, we. She was doing my eyebrows. And we're trying to think of like what we could kind of dive into coaching that will be valuable for grace will be valuable for those listening. And you were saying what you're struggling with right now. What kind of schedule? Why don't you, I guess, explain to me unexplained to them. And I don't know if I'm gonna have all the answers, but we can definitely hash it out together. Yeah. So right now I'm behind the chair, Tuesday, Thursday, and every other Wednesday. And before in the suite I had like, those Wednesdays is more admin days. Every other one, so. Every other Wednesdays. Yeah. Which ended up being like roughly four hours a week. And so I just kind of fit it wherever it needed to be. Sometimes you really need to answer this urgent email or whatever it is. So just trying to figure out like how much extra time do I either need to add into my schedule or like how do I tell my stylist? All right. This is how much, like how many hours that you can work. What's realistic that way for somebody first starting out, because in my brain it's like, you start with one, like opportunity. And then once that's like, I don't know, 80% book, then you add another one. Yeah. And then how much time do you actually need for like, The training part or the cleaning of the salon or whatever it is. So, yeah, I mean, I've definitely, don't think I have all the answers to that. Cause I haven't been in that exact situation, but I definitely, I'm assuming you've proposed that in the owner's group. I would ask that. But what I like to do with my calendar, and I don't know if everybody's like this and I think some people almost like more flex than this, but like my days are so crystal clear what they are Mondays are soul tribe, days on calls. Tuesday's I'm behind the chair. Wednesday is our LNO. So a team meeting in the morning, and then the rest is admin day. Thursdays are behind the chair. Friday is all admin day, and then Saturdays and Sundays are untouched. You can not put anything on my. That's not negotiable. Some of the people that I've wanted to have on the podcast have like proposed a weekend. That's that's a no, for me, you know, it will never, I'll never do that. So I would almost just think of it as that. Like what hat can you put on? Each day of the week, or even if it's like a half a day, this had a half a day, this hat. That to me, I don't know what your personality type is, but like, for me, it's like, okay, I'm going to sleep on Tuesday. I know tomorrow. What hat of Lisa I'm wearing? And that's just helpful for me. So like, I would maybe spend some time writing out, like what needs to be done under each of these hats. That's we were saying when she was waxing my eyebrows, she's like, you know, when do I do it? I'm like, what are you the janitor, you know, like, When you do all of these things. And so I would maybe in this could be a good, like post-it planning session. I would maybe dump all of these. Tasks that are currently for. Started. A task list. Okay. Of like what needs to happen daily, weekly, biweekly, monthly, quarterly. And is that mixed marketing, cleaning. Most of it. It was like, what needs to happen? For the salon to run. Yeah. So probably I need to like, Add everything. And then from there divided into like, this is an admin task, this is a whatever. And then figure out. How much time each of those takes and then. And that allows some flexibility to, yeah. Cause there's always going to be fires to put out, but then at least, and I'm trying to think of who this was. Oh, I won't say her name. And I also cause she doesn't want to, but we just had a hot seat inside the soul tribe and it was a salon owner and she kept using this verbiage. Where are you on? Okay. Yeah. So you were really important to her. Yeah. I wasn't listening. Probably in the shower. I didn't see her naked or anything. But I saw the lupines. And I'm like, grace, turn your camera or the shower with you. There's no way to join with the camera on. I'll put the CLL. You guys can see the ceiling I was almost done. I just needed. That is hilarious. But she kept using this verbiage of, I went from working three, four days a week to working three days a week. And we were telling her, and she was slower as an owner, whose team was thriving. Her stylists were getting a lot busier in her books were slowing down. She also had a lot of personal stuff going on in her life and like she needed her books to slow down. That's what I was trying to figure out. And that Hotsy like, are we going marketing with this? Do you need more clients? Or is this you evolving into an owner role? And she kept using the word working. And then we're like, well, we. You can go. Two days a week. And not have any gaps. And she's like, oh, that feels so lazy. And it's like, just recognizing that when you're an owner being behind the chair is not your only job working hours. Like. You can work four hours a week as an owner behind the chair, but you're actually working a 40 hour week with all the other tasks. So I think just stepping into an ownership role and having that mentality of like, I wear a lot of hats here. One, can I, you know, make my personal time sacred and isn't touched, but then one, can I break up when I'm serving clients? When I'm serving my stylist, when I'm serving my space and my environment. Yeah. When I'm marketing when I'm putting all of that on. So yeah, I would say also that task list, wherever it lives is probably going to be continually between. I been a little, a little bit working on like setting that kind of thing up in motion. Which is a task managing software for those of you guys that don't know. And I have found it to be super, super helpful. So probably once I get those all plugged in, that'll feel really good. Yeah. Another thing that I do for just like time-blocking that I would encourage everybody to do. If you're not already doing it is I call it mom time off, but it's just like a white space to give yourself your own time to your own self. And my husband and I, we each have like a night where we don't cook dinner. We're not in charge of like house chores or putting the kids to bed. I love that. I'm not working. You're also not caring to the kids who are just doing your own thing. And I usually am like I'm out of the house. I take myself out. Mexican. And usually I would come and sit in here. Just cause it's quiet, but peaceful. I'm like makes you happy. Yeah. And then my head, the week is out for you Wednesday night. I love that. So everyone's in, I'm like I don't cook dinner. Go. I don't clean. I don't. Whatever. And occasionally Sterling we'll have like some kind of work situation where he's like your. He's late or whatever, or sometimes it just move it to a different day or I'm like, all right, Saturday morning. Each other enough to give each other that it's huge. Amazing. Yeah. I'm a huge fan of just white space in the calendar anywhere you can fit it. Like I'm I pocket book whenever I need to, whenever I'm starting to feel like. Okay. I'm feeling a little time. Poor. You know, whether it's my kids sports or my clients behind the chair, I'm super booked or sold try, but you know, it was adding something new and I will go in and I'll just pretend like I'm blocking almost like a two hour color or this or that. And it's just free.'cause I, I just, I hate that feeling of like, there's not enough hours in the day and I can already tell that this week is just going to go by in a flash. So I'm a big fan of white space as well. So yeah, I really think I'm as much as I wish we could, like whiteboard it out is I would write all of those tasks and then divide them up into like these hats or these personalities or these whatever roles. And then eventually the cool thing with, if you really systematize it like that and create this, you know, SOP standard operating procedure is eventually that can be trained. Yeah. Fast to somebody else can delegate. I'm working on a lot of like automation things. So that feels. Yeah, it feels right up my alley. Yeah. To eventually be able to do that. Yeah. So, I mean, I don't know. Hopefully that's a good answer. I feel like that's just the only way to do it. It's going to be so unique to you. And also it's going to change probably every quarter. Probably literally like your, your kids are gonna get older. They're going to be in a sport. This one stylist is going to need more from you than this other one. And you just have to be kind of flex with that. But also I think the only way to not burn out is to. Mark you first and, you know, and then work in levels. We have so much noise. Coming at us all the time that like, It's just, it's insane. To like our phone is our, one of our distractions. Music podcasts like. Always. Bible study group. We're actually talking about solitude right now. So it's so powerful to just. Turn off. Turn off all, all the noise. Yeah, it is. And I've said this before on the podcast, but I think it's really important whenever you hear people, just, they kind of jokingly say it. You can say they've set up for years or they heard somebody I'll say it when they're like, oh, I can't be alone with my thoughts. Like, that's a scary place to be. I can't do that. That is like the biggest red flag to me. If somebody feels that way, like I'm not judging you, but like get to the bottom of that. SAP, because if you don't like being alone with you, how has anybody else got, like being alone with you? You know, I remember like at the retreat, people who are like that about meditation, even like it's a practice, you just start with a minute or two. And if your brain goes off onto another subject, just acknowledge that and then bring it back to. Yeah, focusing on your breathing or whatever it is. Cause you know, there's physical. I don't know if you've talked about it on here, but there's, you know, different forms of meditation. So some of it is just like going for a walk by yourself. Without listening to music podcasts. Put your phone on airplane. With whatever it is. Yeah. Yeah. And I'm in prayer. I mean, there's, there's so many different forms and versions for different people and what that means for them. But when people say like, oh, well my brain just goes like dark. Like I just think about dark things. I get sad when I'm alone with my thoughts. It's like, well, those are the like knocks of like healing that needs to be done. Those are the things you need to work on. Like don't just. Drown that out with noise and other things. Cause it's not going to go away. Yeah. I highly encourage people to just sit in that. And if it is uncomfy, what is the root of that uncomfy thing? And that's the work that you're. Yeah. It's like a sadness or an anger or something. And if you're a believer, that's something you could just give to God. You can give those big raw emotions. To him. And then hopefully later down that kind of thought process, you find a little bit of, yeah. Encouragement or hope or something you kind of need to work on with you and yourself. And if it's a deeper and just passing it to God in that moment, isn't getting it gone. Then. Explore is that is. As a therapy is that, you know, what do you need personally, to dig into that? But you don't just drown it out. Yeah, I'm, I'm a new child. But, yeah, I agree. There's a, a lot of people, we get stuck in this like thought cycle of like, usually it's like your inner critic being like, oh, you're terrible at this year, whatever it is. You're just stuck in now. You're just stuck in that loop and it only takes one thing to move you like a little bit bigger in that circle or knock you off that path just a little bit. For you to get out of that, like, like give us some example. So like, let's say you're like, oh my gosh, my timing. Stinks with my clients. No, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. I'm never going to make enough money. All of that. It only takes one time of you being like, well, actually it's because I take my time with my clients. I really want to connect with them, whatever. Hopefully that makes your thought circle of that process. Yeah. Either move to something else or just get bigger. So it takes you. Longer to get back to that thought of, well, my timing sucks or whatever that is. So where does that originally come from? So my husband is obsessed with a guy on YouTube named Dr. Kay. Okay. Like healthy gamer guy. He talks a lot about. He talks a lot about like ADHD and anxiety and kind of connects the like Western and Eastern medicines. Like, okay, well, deep breathing exercises help. Yeah, they help when you have like anxiety or you need to focus or whatever, but why, and it's because it slows down your blood flow. When you do like, you'll hear people will do like an inhale. For two counts and an exhale for six or for whatever it is like. I don't remember all. Yeah. All of his tips, like go check them out. But stuff like that, I'm like, that makes total sense. So I'd love seeing the connection of like, well, I've never heard that before about that loop, but I go, you're saying it's almost like you're building up enough proof to yourself that you don't get to stay in that beat yourself up cycle. Cause even whether, whether the answer is okay, I'm going to work on my timing. I'm going to get faster, or I'm going to double down on this and lean into it. It's gonna be part of my messaging of like, that's what makes me better. It's like each time I've never thought about the, when the, when the thought comes back and you can think is a. As a human, how you've grown, like thoughts that used to come up that no longer do. And that's why I've never heard of that before. Hopefully the algorithm is good enough that it starts to show me doctor. That's all that tends to happen. Whenever I talk about something, he, my job on my YouTube recommended. I love that. So, What would you say, grace? Obviously we're in Verdin. It's still a baby. The. It's not fully painted. I love that. You've just also embraced the mass. I remember when grace was talking about doing her grand opening, she's like, you know, my family is telling me, oh, we got to have it ready by now. Like we can't. We can't show it off to people until it's ready. Do I keep paying rent in my own studio before taking clients here? And you totally have just embraced, like, this is a work in progress. It always will be. So I guess like, what's your vision? Where do you hope to go from here? So like, what do I want to have done next in here? Or like, we could start with that, but then like overall like bigger vision. Like I'd love to know that. Oh, my goodness. So, so right now, if you're watching us, we have like my little retail waiting areas. Yeah, it's gorgeous. And then I have the shampoo room, which I call the ladder lounge also like beautiful, beautiful space. So actually let me give like a little bit of like, where even verdant even came from. So verdant means green with growth. So I want this salon to be a place of growth in all of the ways that you can think of. So for like the professional for the planet just personal personally, all, all of the things. So or I should say green in all of those ways. So that could be money recycling, like all of those things, like I use inner sense here. They're an organic line. Love them. Can I just add something that you maybe didn't even notice went with the brand with the green, if that's really something that you're leaning into, you wanted these like established stylists to run into and you're finding that really green stylists are coming to you. The really other really new, yeah. Maybe we even lean on them that. I realize that's what you asked. Yeah. Keep going, sorry. And then I'm assuming they can just like look up what my logo looks like, but it kind of looks like a two lip. It's like a line art image. And so you'll see, like one side is mountains and the other side is emotion. But right now. And then there's like the sun in the middle and that's kind of like the middle of the tulip. But I think that everyone, when they relax is either an ocean person or a mountain person. Like that's where you go to have your like relaxation white space connect with yourself. Whatever you want to say with that. And so I want, when you come in, you're either like, you feel like you're in a cabin or you're in a beach. Whatever you are like relaxation places. Like that's what I want. I love that. For the salon. So that which people are like, how did you even come up with this name? I'm like, I don't even remember the process. I remember what I remember. Yeah. Well, what do you remember about it? I just remember it was on polo and you were explaining what a month. Cause at first I was like, you said, it's a burden something. And I said, okay, so you can take this out if you need to. But. I originally really. I'm going to leave it. Keep going. Yeah. Is verdant. InVigor Mike. I liked the like two names and then I can't remember it was my mom or my husband who was first like, no, that sounds like a sex. Situation. I was like, oh, I've heard it in bigger. Yeah. And I remember you sharing that with. It's like, oh, okay. Well that's not what I. I need to be your first. Oh, that's funny. Yeah. And I, and what I remember you saying, I don't think, I would've thought that on my own, but once you said it, I couldn't unfit. Yeah. And then I'm like, yeah, I got, she might've been my sister. I can't, I really can't remember, but now I've really loved Verdin. I love Verdun too. And maybe vigor can be like a second salon one day or something. Maybe. Maybe some big evolution. Yeah. So I need more about like the branding or the, or how you got here. I mean, when I was doing, I remember when I was doing like the naming process, it was like, okay, what do I want people to see, feel, smell like all of that coming. And you work with adjunct and company, right? I. Yeah, I worked do with double Oak branding here in town. It sounds to local people. To other people. Yeah, they're a little local place here. If you're a local. And or if you're not the hoppy online too. Well, then say it a little louder. Double Oak branding. Jamie's husband, right? Yeah. I worked with them. Jamie does my facials and yeah, her husband and then their friend, Ethan Love front-end, which is different, Ethan that owns the building. But anyway, Anyway, they were super helpful. Cause I, oh, another thing that I really loved, I was like, okay, I'm obsessed with house of color. I want anybody that works here for the colors here to work with their like, Colors. Yeah. Her season. And so that was like a whole big thing. I was like, I can't figure this out by myself. This is what I know. Here's my whole life story. And they helped me come up with some like brand elements. And so there was a couple of different are all the five senses you thought about, you know, the, the symbolism behind things, how you want people to feel and brought all of that to life. And then you have what's the vision, I guess, moving forward. Ah, I just want this place to be. Essentially what I had when I opened my suite. I was like, I love the freedom that I have. I love the flexibility they have. And the thing that I was missing was support, like in person support. So that's what I want this place to be. And I have found a ton of support in soul tribe. It's amazing to just like pop on Marco polo and be like, I'm doing this thing and like five minutes, what do I do? Or I had this thing happen to me and it really sucked. And I just need for you to talk me off the ledge and it happens, you know? Right, right. Then in that. It's probably happening right now while we're talking about. Probably so. But you saw, I mean, you've worked in salons and again, this isn't to throw shade or anything like that at anybody. Everyone has their own values and their own truths, but you saw locally that you couldn't find that in a salon setting. I think I've said this before, but I think like hair salons are like restaurants. Like your favorites, Mexican. My favorites. I'm actually my favorites, Mexican. But, you know, this person's Italian, this person likes Chinese or whatever it is that doesn't mean that restaurants bad or that kind of food is bad or there are different time. Yeah. Yeah. It just means that this one's your favorite and you like how it strokes for different folks. Exactly. And so, you know, that it's the truth and that if you can have it, others can have it. So let this be a place that people can come and have a whatever version of that that they want. Yep, absolutely. Yeah. I love that. I'm curious if we, this is going to be a hard question to answer, so we'll see if we can do it or not. You've already said if I told you two years ago that you were going to own a salon one day, I told you a year ago that it wasn't going to be sweet. It's like, what do you think five years from now, grace? Is gonna think, well, watching this. Oh my gosh. I know. That's so tricky. Life's going to give you. I don't know. Well, I will say that somebody was like, do you think you'd ever move? And I was like, if I move it's because I have sold this business and I've moved to like North Carolina. Okay. Somebody was like, well, what if you just opened another location there? And I was, and then go back and forth. And I'm like, that sounds like a project for not right now. Yeah. Yeah. So, I mean, eventually I would love to be by the beach and maybe that's just like, I have a, I don't know, a second house somewhere. small town feel and. Just because we're surrounded by cornfields doesn't mean we need to look like. We're surrounded by cornfields. I have a feeling that five years from now, you're going to watch this episode back and things are going to be. All lot less green and the fact of being brand new, and this is, I just already see it. This is going to be like a cornerstone of this town. Well, I. All my six chairs. And I'd love to have a like massage therapist or a lash tech or. I don't know. Whatever you want to do whatever you want to do. Yeah. So education's really important for you. She's doing her first class next week. I'm coming to it. I want to be a hub for education. I was thinking locally, but then one of my friends is coming. Well, I feel like we can say Lauren, Lauren, Lauren. She's coming all the way from Indiana. I'm bringing her, her team. So it doesn't have to be local. I mean, yeah. The internet makes the world a much smaller place. It does. So, yeah, just, just giving back to the industry and to local stylists and beyond. I love that. Cool. Do you have any other thoughts or any other questions or anything else you feel like we should dive into? I just really love Rory. Snoozing. It has been. So we, we, he was laying over there before and we were like, we really should get him in. Yeah. So, if you're watching this video, you are audio. You are list. If you're listening to this on audio, you really need to at least peak at. YouTube. Yeah, I'm probably going to do some clips for social media. As well, because I love him too. And Rory is like your mascot. She said he turns 13 tomorrow. So all the products are 13% of them. The smarter the month. Yeah. So sweet. He comes to work with you every single day or no. Yeah. Every single day when I was actually, when I was going on maternity leave. I had people asking me, they're like, Rory going to come back. She filled in for me while I was on maternity leave. Podcasts. Alicia at this point, she does traveling hairstylists with grace. Yeah. So sweet. Yeah. And I was like, no, Rory's going to, he's going to stay home with the baby. Yeah. Amazing becoming a big brother again. Okay. Well, I think we can wrap it up without them. I feel really good about this. I'm excited to watch this back when you know, this was a baby and see how much you grow and evolve from here. So thank you. Thank you for having me and letting me come and set up and, and get out of my usual background and my usual setting. I will have all of Grace's information in the show notes, and then all the things. If you are local, check it out. She is clearly hiring. She is trying to grow this space in the salon and just she's. We're all kind of the same. If you are just listening to this and you feel drawn to her story in any way, I'm assuming people can just DM you. Yeah. It's just nice to have people who have been in your shoes. Maybe a step or two ahead of you that you can pick their brain and ask them questions. So thank you, friends for listening. And I will talk to you all next week. Bye. Bye.