THE ARCHIVES: Salon Story | How I Bought a Hair Salon at 23 and Built It Through Chaos

Season #7

In this episode of The Archives, I take you back to where my first entrepreneurial journey began.

At just 23 years old, I became the owner of a hair salon in Subiaco. On paper, it looked exciting. In reality, I was facing debt, staff walking out, and the pressure of trying to keep a business alive within the first 12 months.

With no choice but to make it work, I began testing bold marketing ideas, learning business the hard way, and finding ways to attract clients and rebuild momentum. Slowly, things started to shift. The team grew, profits increased, and the salon became a true success story.

But behind the growth was a wild ride I could never have predicted.

From teenage pregnancies and drug issues to jealous partners, staff drama, and even arrests, this chapter of business was full of lessons, resilience, and moments that still feel unbelievable today.

If you’re building a business, navigating team challenges, or love real stories about what entrepreneurship actually looks like behind the scenes, this episode is for you.

In this episode we cover:

  • Buying a salon at 23
  • Business debt and early struggles
  • Staff turnover and rebuilding a team
  • Creative marketing that grew the business
  • Scaling profit in a service business
  • Leadership lessons no one teaches you
  • Team drama, hard decisions, and resilience
  • What entrepreneurship really looks like behind closed doors

*Note this podcast episode was recorded under the original Passion To Profit name, in 2024 in season 4 it rebranded to FOR HER

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