GET A LIFE!
For many MANY years the only social world and social life I had was the salon.
I love hairdressers and salon professionals. I love the wild (sometimes feral) vibes of a salon break room and drinks after work with likeminded service providers…it is my favorite thing. I met one of my best friends in the first salon I worked in (hi Kelly!). As I mentioned in my first blog, it can be damaging to the team and to the owner to become “friends”. I wish it weren’t true…but it is. (The worst part? I am naturally drawn to the relationships inside of the salon I own but in order to be respectful of my team I choose to be work colleagues with them only). As a hairdresser that worked in salons I didn’t own for seven years, I was accustomed to being close friends with my coworkers. I deeply loved the community and I genuinely loved my salon families.
Once I realized that things had changed for me as a business owner, I set out to find a life outside of the salon. It was hard for a while, it felt lame, unrelatable and pretty lonely. I found it difficult to connect with people outside of the industry because I have always had a wild soul and not everyone is ready for that. Lol.
I started to go to workout classes, I would sign up for events, I started to say “yes” to hanging out with my neighbors. These were things I previously never found or made time for. With time and consistency, I started to develop relationships with new people and it was magical.
I also signed up for small business owner groups and meet-ups. I met tons of other people in the same world. It has become a lifeline for me in many ways to have other small businesses owners as friends.
It certainly takes effort to build relationships outside of work since work is such a significant part of our day to day life. As the years wear on it becomes more challenging for different reasons (people focusing on their families etc).
I am a living testament that it is worth it to fight for a life outside of work ESPECIALLY if you own a small business. There is so much more to life than work. When you are an owner, it can be all consuming so it is crucial to find a way to have something OUTSIDE of work. I now can say I have a community at my gym, in my neighborhood and in my business community. It is truly a gift.
It can take time but patience and persistence are the keys to making this happen :)
So much love to you - You are killing it!
Melanie xxo