Elevate 2025: The Power of Good People, Legacy & Self-Growth

All right, so this is it. This is officially it. It's finally back.

We are back in a much more official way. Yeah, this looks very official. Even knew we were here before. Yeah, back from what? Yeah, what are you talking about? Back from, well, we've done this before, but in different versions of it. So this is the latest version of what we call the spotlight on good people.

Podcast, videocast, whatever you wanna call it. There's several versions of it out there. And this is the kickoff to it. For everyone out there, yeah, this is ROP salons. This is Robert of Philadelphia Salons.

Robert DiLella, one of the owners. And this is a recording, videocast, and podcast of many topics, but specifically a spotlight on good people.

We've done this before and had conversations about a wide array of things. And some of those things will bring back, but mostly we wanna touch base with you on what's happening in our world in the Naples community and the people in the Naples, Southwest Florida community. And today we're just having a conversation about what's been going on with us. And I am with my daughter, Alexi. I'm Alexi, Alexi is my real name. This is my father. He's my mentor, best friend, amazing human being, leads our company that we're now in our third generation. My grandfather started it in 1980 and now I'm here. It's my passion, my purpose for life. And I am so grateful for where we're at.

And it's awesome because really what makes us a business, what keeps all of our employees here, why we have employees for 35 years is really because of our spotlight on good people. Because we acknowledge those good people when they need to be acknowledged. And that's what kind of keeps it turning.

Then they take care, that's who we are, that's our end. Yeah, I think it, well, the business that we're in to start with is, impacts self-esteem. It impacts somebody's self-esteem when people get their hair cut, get their hair blown out, get their hair color. They feel better about themselves. Women I know look forward, this is the Disney world for moms. They look forward to their experience here. And we're a hair salon too, just in case. I don't know if we said that. If you couldn't tell, just in case.

And this is not about hair. I'm not a stylist, she's not a stylist. We're not having conversations about hair. We're just right now having a conversation about our business and some of the things that we deal with and that we're working on, going through and acknowledging in our community. So in regard to spotlight on good people, so one of the things about our business in particular is we get to make people feel good. I mean, that's the gift and the blessing of our business that is so awesome is that what we do

Affects people's self-image, self-esteem, has them feel better about themselves. There was a book by Maxwell Maltz that was about the effects of plastic surgery in the 60s. How this plastic surgeon could affect the self-image of somebody who felt really bad about themselves

Because of the way that their nose was or some facial feature or something about them. He saw how significantly it impacted their psychological thoughts that the person had by changing the way they looked.

Psychosibernetics, I think is the name of the book. I don't know how he knows.

And that was the beginning of this whole thing of our self-image. And not that we're saying that's the most important thing or the only thing, but when you look better, you feel better and not that you need to look like a certain model. When you feel good, you look good.

Like there's no, as much as we don't wanna be all about image or the heart obviously is what matters. But on top of it, when you look at yourself as your own human, when I feel good, I look good because I feel good, I'm putting in effort, I'm caring enough about myself to feel good. And I think that's what it is for guests or anything regarding self-image is you're doing something for yourself that in today's world

We don't always do stuff for ourselves, especially if you are a good person, it is hard to take time for yourself. And so you're doing something that you deserve for yourself and it feels good. How much prep did you put into getting ready for today?

A lot. I haven't had my hair colored since like May or June.

And I knew we've been planning this for a couple of weeks and I was like, I need it advanced so I know I can make sure I look good because we're on film and some of the older podcasts, I'm like, what was I thinking?

So I made sure yesterday I went and got a blow dry and I haven't been to our Benita location in a while and I just love that group of girls.

They're part of my life changing experience in my life. And I got to go see them and I was just gonna get a blow dry and then Hannah was like, well, let's do your color. And I was like, okay.

And the other Hannah here just fixed me again and then I got up at probably 5.30 and got myself ready and then continue to get ready a couple of times. I just wanna make sure. You had your hair done yesterday and then you had it preliminary redone touched up before this this morning. Yes, yes. And then I did a full face. I've been leaning towards more of like, because I feel good. I went through the whole 2016 makeup era where that was like my hobby. Like, we all know that era.

No.

Well, like 2016 YouTube, like Jeffree Star

Like really thick contour with like a winged black eyeliner with overdrawn, dark-less. I remember you talking about that. I remember you. It's like a meme. Is he still around now?

Somehow he's considered like, he's known as like a racist but he's still making a living. He moved to Wyoming and has-- Oh, whose channel had our-- 80s commercial on it. Oh, James Charles. James Charles, okay. Is he a makeup person or is that-- Oh, yes. He's like 2016 YouTube.

He's like, so, but I've been-- You have to put that up there.

Oh yes, we were featured in one of James Charles videos, by the way, my grandfather.

Another moment, however, so I have recently, as a millennial, I've always worn all that makeup for until the last couple of years. I've been embracing the natural aesthetic that is trending now. And I've always wanted to do that, but I felt like I needed all that makeup. So today I did a little bit more, so not quite 2016. My point is, is I put on like actual eyeshadow instead of the, I've been just wearing mascara. So who's your influencer? Who do you watch about what makeup to wear?

I feel like there's not as many makeup influencers now. I realized I was so influenced back in 2016. You should see all of my makeup. I still have it and it's still organized like it's 2016 in the Alex, in the, what's it? The IKEA, Alex, Jores, I still have it all. I'm sure a lot of 2016 makeup girlies. That's something you buy on IKEA that's her Alex girls. Yeah, Alex, that's what they're called. They're white. But it's by Alex or older. No, no, no, IKEA, that's just what Alex, they're called Alex Jores or something like that. Oh, got it, okay. Jores. It's a cold makeup. Yes, and that was very 2016. I still have it all, but I spent so much money on all of that makeup.

And first of all, it goes back. So I could have all, I kept thinking, I'm gonna find, oh, this person told me to buy this. I'm gonna buy it and it's gonna fix every problem. I realized after spending a lot of money

No, it's all kind of the same, no matter what the bracelet. I mean, not the same. So I feel like makeup influencing isn't as relevant as it is, it's more of like what's

What is influencing now is the aesthetic. That's what sells. So you're not just selling the makeup, you're selling the whole look.

As a culture, as a company, as a family, we had a retreat recently, or we took a day to have a digital detox

And we called it Elevate 2025, ROP Summit. So it was our summit, it was our opportunity to get together as a group. I think most importantly, it was for us to be together all three locations together. We had three locations. Have all our 55 people in one room where we weren't

Where the focus was on each individual. It wasn't about us being trained and developed on customer service or trained and developed on a new color line or trained and developed on customer service or any specific area of the business. It was mostly for everyone to take time to reflect and look at what the good

Look at our lives in a way that

What's working, what's not working, what we wanna work more on and how we wanna create 2025 to be the very best year of our life. And coming, we came into it with no expectations, which I think, when you think of going to like, "Oh gosh, I have a whole work meeting all day," or something, you immediately, in my head, I'm like, "I don't wanna sit there all day." But it was the way we structured, the way I felt about it, I was excited, because there was no forefront of, "Okay, we're going to sit and learn about the chemistry of products all day." There was no expectations and we have not had, so a long time ago, we used to do these huge extravagant Christmas parties.

The last couple years, we have not.

And so-- Extravagant, you think they were extravagant? I wasn't alive. Oh, okay. From pictures. From pictures that looked extravagant? Maybe they were. With Poppy when he was alive. I don't know, didn't he always go, I don't know, that's just what the way people make it sound. No, I mean, maybe they were, maybe they were. I don't know. Everybody got dressed up. Yeah. Like what it's-- I didn't always love them because it was alcohol. And people, and alcohol sometimes

You get a whole different person with some of the people we had, so I didn't, that's one of the reasons why I didn't always love the experience of those. I understand that actually. I do get that because people all of a sudden, especially that you're at a work party and you have your employee and then their spouse too. So the person goes home and probably vents or whatever, and then they start drinking. And I'm sure, you get more, everybody gets a little bit more confident to maybe say the thing that they never got to say. So it's funny, probably. I don't know. That's just, but that's what he says. I can only, I can imagine that probably that would happen.

So we haven't had one of those in a while.

We had some people that probably shouldn't be drinking at all and then it'd give them the opportunity to drink at an event like that. And, this other side of them would come out when you put, 50 to 75, 100 people in a room that, some of them aren't meant to drink. And back in that point, I-- You weren't there, so you didn't get the experience of fun stuff. I feel like probably, I'm glad I didn't. I got to experience a lot of other fun stuff. I feel like, and it kind of exactly coincides with what we're talking about is that we were not

Mentally fit as a company, like healthy.

Health and wellness was not promoted as a, mental wellness, it probably was a little toxic. I think back to when I worked here in high school it was a little toxic.

No, and that was part of what the retreat, I mean, toxic, part of what, one of the things that was kind of the key elements of us having this retreat and us looking at our lives, because I've been looking at my own life and saying, well, it's important for me to surround myself with people who make my life better, who when I leave being around them, I feel like a better human.

And, that requires something because sometimes there are people in your life that, don't always do that. And you think we have to have them in our life. We think, oh, well, I need that person to be around, even though every time I leave hanging out with them, I don't feel good. I feel drained. It's always, there's always fill in the blank about that person that drains my soul. So one of the things, actually I've read it over the course of that day

This is from Jordan Peterson's "12 Rules of Life". He said, surround yourself with people who want the best for you. Make friends with people who want the best for you. We become the average of the people we spend the most time with. In the wrong company, we can end up in crime. So why do we hang around people who drag us down?

Question, befriend people who want the best for you. We are all being, just some of us are better beings.

Learn to tell the difference. Some people are beyond help. Stick with the winners. If people are determined to screw up, let them.

I want to say something kind of that I'm learning throughout. I'm going through like, I'm a mother of two children

And I'm going through, I'm 32 years old. So I'm really growing to like adulthood, I guess, woman and whatever it's called, I don't know. But I'm learning so much being a part of a salon, like Nepo, I told Robert we're Nepo babies the other day, he didn't like that. What's that?

Where you're born into something. Nepo? Yeah, like nepotism.

Oh, oh, nepotism. I know what Nepo was short for. That's a, but I mean, I'm very grateful that I'm a Nepo, but he was like, don't call me that. I'm like, well, we are, it's nepotism technically. However, I'm so grateful for my family and that's why I have so much pride for my grandfather and who he is and then I have his genes in me. Like, that's fucking cool.

I want to see nepotism. Because I know that's illegal at companies.

What?

Well, that's, it's very like, I don't like that. And then you realize, people start to realize a lot of like actresses and singers, they're all Nepo babies. So it kind of takes away from, actually you have to, there's this really funny take-- Nepotism is the practice of giving unfair advantages of relatives or close friends in a field or occupation. This can include giving someone a job, increasing their pay or benefits or providing them more opportunities. Nepotism can occur in many fields, such as business, politics, entertainment and academia. So I don't agree with that because number one, you or him do not get any special benefits from being here.

Well, now that you read it like that though, I actually, no. Or opportunities, because if pay needs to get cut, yours is the first to get cut. If there's a payroll we can't meet because we're over, budget, you're not getting a paycheck. And I expect way more out of you and him than I do anybody else. So you aren't getting a shortcut to the top. In fact, earn it. Every little thing I have, and when I do have something, like I got my new phone

I felt like I constantly have this like drive to work harder and like, no, you need to be doing more. No, I don't know if we deserve this phone quite yet. Like do we deserve, like this isn't too nice or something. So now that you read it like that, it is, well, that is. Yeah, so it's not that.

And maybe that's exactly what I grew up in this industry, being Rob's daughter, Robert's granddaughter, Marlene's granddaughter, Tracy's niece, Audrey's niece. And so I always, I would put immense pressure on myself ever since I was a young child that I had to be this certain way.

And I've gone through many struggles throughout my life. I decided I was like, oh yeah.

And I did this, I subconsciously did this as a young child to myself. And then I created all these turmoil and I was super rebellious because I watched that movie 13. And I was gonna live out 13 like the movie. And I made sure I did.

And I went to, I got, I lived in Utah and I went to Cross Creek Academy where the whole Paris Hilton movement, if you don't know what that is. You didn't live there by choice. No, I got dropped off. You didn't move there because you wanted to. Yeah, no, no.

I was-- Or maybe you did by choice. Maybe you-- Subconsciously. Maybe there was a choice there. Subconsciously. So my dad dropped me off in Utah, middle of nowhere. And I guess I was screaming for like help. So he was like years and I learned many therapeutic processes. But I learned all these processes, but I also, there was very strict lockdown school that you have to like graduate to go home. So, and a lot of girls would end up being there for like three years. And I was like, hell no, I'm not gonna be here for three years. I'm gonna do whatever I need to do.

But you had to earn your way by certain behaviors to get to certain behaviors and certain accomplishments to get to graduate or complete the program. I look at it now and it's so fascinating the way I thought as a younger teen that I've realized that because I followed every rule, like I was not gonna break rule because I was scared and I thrive in structure and I did very well there. And I noticed I was so scared because I would always see these girls who would look like they're doing so well and then all of a sudden they would go, it's called staff buddy where you like drop levels and have to stay here longer.

So I made sure, I was like, oh gosh, I haven't been on staff buddy. I can't, I have to go on staff buddy. I have to get in trouble. Everybody gets in trouble. I can't be the exception. So I purposely made myself, I wrote a come clean saying I lied about stuff.

I didn't, but I mean, I don't think I did. I think I wanted to do something wrong just to feel like I did something wrong. But I still made sure I timed it at the perfect timing so that I could make it to the next two month seminar thing so I could make sure I still went home in 14 months. Cause some girls were there for like 36 months and I know who you are cause I still see you on Facebook and shout out to you. They were there for a long time. I was not, I made sure of that. But so constantly in my life, I have created situations like that where there's just not, I went through all that therapy and still didn't know who I was as a person or know what self love was.

I still, you would think like you spend all that time with a therapist, how did you not figure that out? I'm not saying I figured it out now, but I am, I have two children and I'm learning in life every freaking day trying to, we're all trying to figure it out, right? But I am feeling the most in tune I've ever felt in my whole life with who I am, my goals, my direction and being sure of who I am as a person. Cause I think I was thinking about it today. Whenever he, if I noticed his behavior is like different towards me or like, who he's not texting me a lot or what did I do? This is in my head, I think I'm doing something wrong.

And I do that to myself. Like I create issues, I guess. And I realized today I'm like, I don't do that anymore.

Because I know I'm not. Like I know there's nothing, I'm proud of who I am. And I don't have to base my success off of your mood or how I feel about myself or not just you specifically, but so it's interesting. And a lot of the people in our company would not have helped, would not have made me who I am today without them. And that's the beautiful thing about good people. So you could recognize your own unhealthiness or that is an unhealthy, I had the same thing. And in a relationship, I'm married to the most incredible woman on the face of the earth. And she's just changed my life in so many ways. She works at Artrecht. And she accepted me for who I am as a person.

So I didn't have to always second guess, well, why didn't she text me back? What did she say? Because she lets me know how she feels and she's straight with me in that she doesn't make me guess what emotion she's feeling or what she needs from me. She communicates with me and it's okay. That is the biggest thing. And it's very healthy. It's very, very healthy. And I don't have to-- Life changing. And ever since he met her, his life changed. Made my life change, so shout out to Michelle.

Because I, because he's now healthy and I realized how much I am influenced from his behavior. And that's exactly what you were saying. I'm not healthy. I'm doing my best at being the healthiest I can be. Always reading a self-help book, always. That's why I was thinking about wherever, whatever you're reading, that's what I'm working on in my life too, because that's what he talks to me about.

So I hear it and that's what helps me in my life too. So it's exactly what you're saying from Jordan Peterson, who you are around, that's who you're gonna be. Well, what feed my mind with. And by the way, the whole story about this and her upbringing and her going to Colorado is in-- Utah.

I'm sorry, Utah.

Where'd I get Colorado from? Utah, because I went to the flu in Vegas. And then went up to the other side, yeah, Utah.

It is in this other podcast, which Zach will put up on there for people to go to, because we did that whole story on that. So if you want to learn more about that, that's on an old one.

But the history of the whole thing is on there. And now we're working on this Elevate 2025. So where we are now and from wherever we are now, and we keep working on ourselves to grow and get better and have more. We spent this day on working on each of us as an individual. So I know that if the people here are in a good place in our ROP family, which there's 55 of us, and if we're in a great place and our lives are good, that when they come here to do what they do and share the love and create beautiful hair inside and out, that they'll be in a great place for that. Because they're gonna love being here if their lives are going great.

So we spent this day working on ourselves. So selfishly, that was kind of part of it, but in a way it was for all of us to get related with each other, to detox digitally from our phones, from the outside world, and to just be for a day and actually work on what we wanted to work on to have 2025 be the best year ever. So if you're watching this now, and you come in on your next visit to the salon, if you're somebody who comes to the salon, ask your stylist or the associate that works with you or the person at the front desk what they're working on for 2025, because we're keeping this in existence for us. We've all made promises and commitments

To work on these specific areas, whether it's our health and wellbeing, whether it's our finances, whether it's our relationships, whatever it is, we've all picked areas of life that we wanna have improvements on. And so there's this pathway that we're working on each week and we've set up promises and commitments each week. Specific goals to create them. And are you holding us accountable for what it is we're saying?, I wanna lose 4% body fat. So what actions am I taking? I wanna have the greatest relationship. I wanna have this relationship grow in ways that I didn't know it could with my wife. And so what steps am I taking with that?

Well, we went away this weekend and we spent time together where it was just us and we didn't have our phones attached to us at all times. And we're gonna have date night again, which is near and different. So we have date night, you don't make time for it because it's always like, something is always in the way, whether it's something always finds a way to take up that time. So that's what we're working on. Life goes by as, sound like I'm old, but as I get older, I realize life just keeps going. Like, and I'm seeing that, like, I just always think, oh, I have, I have so much time. No, it just keeps going by now.

So you can sit there and be so focused on whatever it is that you're focused on that you're not having date night, then you're missing the weeks, all of a sudden it's August. Well, and it could talk about having a date night, but until I actually, and it sounds, like if you put it in a calendar, it's like, oh, you're putting a relationship in a calendar. But if I'm actually marking out time, like, listen, nothing is gonna get in the way of this. This is how my life is gonna be. This is my time for her. And not only is it my time for her, it's my time for her, like, without the digital interruptions of life.

And, that takes something, cause it's real easy to, say, yeah, we're having a date night, we're out to dinner together, and we both have our phones on the table, and we're glancing at the phones and, responding, and, checking what things, it keeps us from being present. So we had this great, great weekend together, which was digitally, for the most part, without, we didn't do the Simon Sinek way, which was, which he recommends, where you exchange phones, like, she holds my phone, I hold her phone, so we, when we're in the bathroom, we're not sneaking off in the bathroom, like, reading news, like, what happened, what did I miss?

How much longer the bathroom, how much shorter would the bathroom trips be if you didn't have the phone,? Yeah, there's always, the thing goes everywhere with you. So that detoxing, and one of my goals, or one of my commitments this year is being more present. So being more present requires that, I put my phone on that, that kind of do not disturb mode during the day, because nothing is a big enough emergency. And if it is, I've set the settings up so that Michelle can get through to me, or whoever needs me can get through to me, but that every little 285 of those notifications that I get every day, of those

Very few of them are life-threatening, no, most of them are not, none of them are life-threatening alternatives. Like, nine, like, actually, All of them are not life-threatening. Building, burning, is an ambulance there? Did we get robbed? Like, it is. Right, so that I can be fully present and in the moment of where I am, and handle what I'm dealing with now. I texted him, I felt so bad, I didn't know.

But that was a learning thing, that was great. Even for you, like, okay, if you were thinking like, so you were caught in this middle ground of these two, your aunt and senior leader, and, you're thinking, I gotta handle this now. I gotta take care of this now. When in reality, if you were Marine or anybody else working in work mode, you would've texted and said, hey, what do we do in this situation? You would've waited. And Audrey, I love you're probably the only person that I would do that for, because it is my analog.

However, you are 100%, that just made me realize that myself, that it was a Sunday or Monday, it was the weekend, and I was like, I gotta fix this, I gotta handle this, and that in turn-- Or anybody else you'd say, I don't have an answer for you, I'll have to get back to you on Tuesday, because I don't know, I don't know. And the rest of the world was shut down, it's not like appointments were being made and her book was gonna get booked, Christy's book was gonna get booked, or something, like, I could've done that. And that's what you're saying is that

A lot of these things don't need to be immediately

They don't, it's not urgent, that it needs to happen now., and there are certain, like you said, is certain situations, but allowing yourself to have those boundaries. And I just have to flex on my dad real quick.

He is, I feel like he's, like everybody's

A lot of my friends within the company, you're like their father figure, you just are so wonderful at, he's so talented and gifted, his talent is loving people.

Showing genuine love to human beings. And first of all, he thrived the other day at the thing, because he's a phenomenal public speaker, if you need a public speaker, who you want emotional-lessed, and he's good at that, and he was just, so to watch him thrive in that atmosphere, and then see how it also affected your life. Because when you're in a good place, like exactly the same thing, we're going back to what Jordan Peterson said, who you're around, that's what creates the company, you're the leader of the company.

Well, and that's really all that day was, because literally when I'm surrounded by, and which I certainly was, when I'm surrounded by the 55 people in this organization

Or we ended up with, I think 47 there total

Somewhere out of town, in that space, when people are present, and I'm fully

I was fully present to what was in that room, which was an extraordinary amount of power, like extraordinary people, so much love, so much intentionality, so much greatness, that I don't even know, so it's not even about speaking for me, it was just about putting this great, great team together, and having this gathering with this incredible group of people who empower me, and empower each other, and make each other better humans. So that was what inspires me to

I gotta follow through on my word, that this is going to be the best year of our lives collectively, and that's not just out of one day, like oh, let's make a resolution, and hope that the year turns out great. No, it's the accountability now of listen, I've gotta be a better me, and I've gotta make sure that all the things I've committed to, and promised that I do the work on those, and that I hold you to account for what it is that you said you were gonna do, and that as uncomfortable as it might be

Make sure that you're following through on your commitments and your promises also, so that it's not just a great idea, like for some people that means even raising the bar a little higher, because I think some people played it really safe, like oh, I wanna learn another language, that's great, and I think that's awesome, and I think maybe that's something you always wanted to do, but that might not alter your life for the rest of your life, that may not have you have the greatest year ever. Let's go a little bit deeper.

And I didn't think of this that day, I didn't think of this, but as I've talked to people after, like okay, so maybe you wanna set the bar a little bit higher, so that you're actually doing a little bit more than only that one thing, and maybe these people have other things too. Maybe they're not, like I was thinking about, because I know some people that maybe, but maybe they're just not there in life yet, like I was thinking, to be able, so that at least creating that conversation, they're like hearing this, and they haven't heard about these things.

And that would be my coaching or feedback there, okay, that's great, maybe you aren't, but now, like what would alter your life to the next level? And they might not even recognize that. Of course, I didn't either that day, there were things I didn't see. That day, like wow, I have a lot more, it kept growing since that day, of other things and other areas that I'm gonna work on, that I know will alter my life, and make me have the best year ever, around health and well-being, and around finance, and around being debt-free, and, there's just a lot of things that opened up since that day.

So this segment, I wanna make sure that everybody sees in our family, in our culture, in our company, and anybody else out there who does happen to watch this, who's in our, ends up coming into the salons, make sure you, ask those, ask us, hey, what are you doing, and what did you do today, and what is your goal for the year? Like, what are you up to? I wanna lose 4% body fat, how's that going? Did you do the meal prep? Did you keep your word this week? Did you talk to your accountability partner? So those are things that I wanna keep alive and make sure that our people are doing that. So they're gonna be commenting and talking about what is happening in your life.

For you washed your car, I think. That was not, I mean, that was a broader result of it, is that, because when you make, a lot of times I'll make goals, or, we all, like you're saying, we all have so much stuff that needs to get done all the time. It doesn't matter what it is, there's always something that's life.

But sometimes then I'll get home, I'm work, gym, kids, sports, whatever, and then you look around and there's still so much stuff to be done, and it is sometimes overwhelming then you're like, I don't even know what to do, I don't wanna do this right now, I don't even know where to start. So my goal for myself was to, for myself and my children

Like creating goals that are attainable so that I can then build up from there. So I'm not setting myself up for immediate failure by saying, okay, I'm gonna do this five days a week. So I think the breakdown of that is like the goal

By what you told me, the bigger goal is to be present or to not be present, I think. That was part of it, too. But you're doing it in baby steps. So week one, you're doing it two days a week. And what I'm doing is create, I created an actual schedule for myself, like a written down schedule

So that I can have something to hold myself accountable to so I know what I need, so my mind can't go, and then no matter what I get done within that time is what I get done within that time, there's no like, oh, you didn't do enough. That's the time I had allotted for that, or this is the time the kids do this. So then our whole lives are, and eventually I'd like to get there broader

But it just makes it manageable. So having a schedule, what does that mean? Well, like, from, I get up at this time, from this time to this time, we do this, from this time to this time, because I have so many projects at home, like projects and projects, and I have my little stuff I do on the side. I have so much stuff, it's life, like everybody does.

But what is yours? What is an example of a day? What is an example of a schedule? I've been, well, like, Wednesday I'm cleaning the car from this time to this time. I'm picking up the kids from this time to this time. I'm doing their homework from this time to this time. So that's something that you've created and communicated to them that this is how our day's gonna work. Yeah, and then they're going to bed at this, just for consistency, and it helps my brain, and then I know, okay, then from this time to this time, I'm gonna work on my closet from this time to this, and so then no matter what I get done in that time, that's what I get done. Okay, good. And expanding it.

And this week is, to how many days? For that schedule? I'm doing three days. I'm doing one day on the weekend, like, because the weekends are hard because we all wanna have fun on the weekends, but this, or not fun, or I just wanna do nothing and rot in my bed all day, that's like my favorite.

So now I can't-- So that could be a self-care day, that, yeah, the summer's over there. Well, and that's okay, and that's my point, is allowing myself to have that, but then what am I don't wanna do that the whole time. I have to make use of my time that I have efficiently. So then I'm not up at 3 a.m. the night before finishing something. Like, I can have it, I can be pro, I'm trying to create less chaos. I have self-induced chaos in my life because I think subconsciously I've felt like I deserve to always have a problem, and if I fix the problem before it's a problem, I don't have a problem. How many minutes have we been gone?

I know, I was thinking, we can talk a lot. 40, okay. That's okay, we're good, that was good, we're good, that was good, guys. That's it for this segment of Elevate 2025. Woo!

And now we're gonna-- We'll be right back. Move on to something new. (Whooshing)

Hello, so we have Hannah Escalante. I always remember her name from in the computer, Escalante.

(Laughing) And Hannah worked with us, when did you first start here? I started I believe in 2010.

2010, really? No, 2000, sorry. I was like, wait.

20, was it 2019, I believe? Okay, right before COVID. So she started our associate program

And she worked with Rosa, shout out to Rosa.

And Rosa was an awesome stylist that now lives in Miami, it's glitz and glam, it's beautiful, and she learned so much from her, even the way you were blow drying, she blew dry my hair today, and it still reminded me of, it's amazing all the little things that remind you. So she learned a lot from Rosa, and then she took a brief break and went to-- Tennessee for two and a half years, almost. She has her hubby and her little girl.

How old is her daughter now? She's 12. 12, 12, oh my gosh, wow. She's 12 right on, 17, yes. I feel like that's all a little, it's amazing. I was with Mila in the mall

And I thought my daughter was like, Miss Thang, those little girls, they all have a little limit. I'm like, everybody.

I just can't believe. And they know about it too, they're like-- Oh my gosh, I thought-- Unbelievable.

Wow, it's definitely, it's here, it's happening.

12 scares me, what's it like from, what's it like, 12 year, what's she like at 12? What's that? Oh my god, nothing. We're at 10, and my daughter's 10, and I am nervous for-- Yeah, in all 12, she's kinda like

I don't like to, she likes sports, so she started playing volleyball. Oh, that's good. But like playing Barbies and all that, it's gone. There's no more than that. No more Barbies.

We're getting older now. No more Disney. And they're growing up.

It's so interesting seeing-- They're sweet. As mothers, watching us grow up, and our children grow up at the same time, it's just so interesting to see how-- Here we are. Everything's changed. And it's weird, because I feel like a lot of women nowadays, they are able to look younger, longer, so they'll be like 40 year olds with 18 year olds, but the 40 year olds look like-- That's their sister. Yeah, it's so crazy.

Because you look young too, I'm like--

So when did you came back? So Hannah left, she moved to Tennessee, and you were a stylist there as well? I was, yes. And you worked at another salon, what was that like?

It was amazing. Like a good experience? I have the same experience-wise, I grew so much-- What time were you in? In Hickson, Tennessee, in Chattanooga?

Well, I know Chattanooga.

Interesting, is that-- It's very small. She's like booming. It is, but it has like, it's little towns. Little suburb type thing. Oh, what was it like moving from Naples to Tennessee? What was that like? It was different. Went for your daughter, like going to a new school. I think she adapted very well. Well, that's good. Just because, you get all these, the seasons.

Oh, so it was a good experience for your family. It was really good experience, but we're glad to be back with family. I feel like you learned a lot

Because when she was here, she was in the associate program.

We were trying to kick her out of the nest. Oh, yes. We were like, you got it, you can do it, go fly.

Because I could see-- Yeah, like self-confidence, for sure. I could see your talent, but I could also see her doubt herself.

So she moved and then came back, and I noticed it immediately. You're just like, it was amazing, amazing. I have to like, I've been telling everybody this actually. I give you props too. When we did the princess moms

She, like when we did 1100 princesses company-wide, and we offered all the mothers who came in 50% off if they wanted to also come in for an appointment for them. And Hannah was out there excited to talk about hair with them, and that's the self-confidence part that I think for some of the stylists that are still growing, that's what they struggle with. But to see you, I was like, you should see Hannah, Hannah, she's talking about it. She's telling, like, you're excited about hair, and telling, this would be cool, we could do this. And that's what people think, it's like your stylists get nervous, because they're like, oh, I don't wanna sell somebody.

And that was my biggest problem, not having confidence. You were excited about it

Because you know what you're talking about, and you're sharing it. So it's cool to see you grow. I'm very proud of you, I'm very proud of you. And she does, she come back and she does extensions. You did extensions before. I did tapens. Tapens, tapens.

Now I do a little more of web, K-tips, I-tips. Yeah, when did that happen? Oh my gosh. She's like all grown up now. So that is awesome though, that you went and were able to, sometimes that's what you have to do, is to get out of the comfort zone to grow. To grow, yeah. I can definitely, I feel it.

I see it's as well. I'm sure, I couldn't imagine just picking up and going to a different state, starting over career-wide.

I mean it was, like nerve-wracking. Going from one place, building my book here, and then going there and starting all over. Is it like when you're going into a salon, and that's where it's so crucial about who your salon family is, because I would be so scared of other, like judgment or competitiveness.

I mean thankfully, where I went, it was amazing.

I went in, I felt it, when you feel it. And you're like, yeah. But yeah, it helped me grow, and now I am so excited to stay here and grow here. What's their salon name? Salon Labella. Salon Labella, well it's so refreshing to hear that, because I feel like online you're always just seeing how

That's why I was like, that makes me scared. Yeah.

I always hear about competitiveness and that whole typical salon vibe, like competition and stuff. So shout out to Salon Labella for empowering people. Yes, great, that's awesome. So today, we just got

We just came out with this whole new system line of products. We're still testing more, so there will be more to come.

Hannah's gonna talk to you a little bit about

Some of our new products, everybody knows we have our own product line.

We're constantly trying to learn more and develop new fun things. They're all sulfate free, so they're really good for your hair. Which one's your favorite so far? My favorite so far is

This shampoo.

Conditioner. And the repair. And this is what, because I'm still learning about it as well

Like learning about, it's amazing chemistry wise, how much you don't realize goes into a freaking shampoo.

But so that is the keratin therapy shampoo, keratin therapy conditioner and keratin therapy, what's it called? I can't see, nourish, the replenisher.

So this will help repair your hair. And so from what I understand

I mean it's helpful to use it as a system. Yes, I mean it'll leave your hair feeling good and it's also good for color. It helps kind of keep the color in. If you use a good product, it's gonna help in the long run. And so what I was learning, and you can tell me your experience is, so it's like a

Like I guess like a canvas, if you have a canvas and you're prepping your canvas to get run over, but you're making it really strong so that it doesn't break when it gets run over because that's supposed to help kind of-- So this is like your shield. You're keeping it strong before it gets run over.

Like you're, so, and I, what we were learning in the class is that it is, I'm trying to think, you said like a shield, what's the word? Like what's that one product?

There's that one popular thing that has all the steps to it, stuff on, something-- It's a K18? It's like, K18 is comparable to that, right? Yes, that's what the chemist said. And what, you know that one that starts with an O? Olaplex. (Laughing)

I had to do the weird O to get it.

So that, well, and the only thing, I'm not comparing it to Olaplex, but you know how they literally have one, two, three-- The system. Yes. The whole system. Yes. So that is similar in that it's like a system. Yes, and I mean, we've, like, it's just came out, but the clients that I've used it on, they come back and they're like, oh my God, like what did you do to my hair last time? Oh really? So you feel the difference. And they feel it, the difference. And then so you use sulfate free, you use the shampoo or conditioner. So this is something you use every day.

I mean, when you wash your hair, I would say if you wash it, yes. Like it's a shampoo you would use. Yes, and this one, all you need to do is like, if you have thick hair like yours, just like two pumps, it'll go a long way, it'll last you forever.

And, okay, so wait, real, I wanna, so how much shampoo do you use? Just like, it's concentrated. Yes, like this one compared to like other ones, this one doesn't have as much water, it's not so diluted, so it's a little bit thicker consistency. Oh yes, I remember she said, what the hell. So I would just be like, okay, the first two pumps and like really lather it and then wash it. And you get a real good lather when you use it? Yes, you do. Because that's interesting. I have not used it quite yet on myself to feel it, like I've touched it, but to feel it in my own hair.

And I think they used it on me yesterday, but I didn't rub my hands to feel the suds. To feel it, yes. Yeah, it suds really, really well. That's good too, because a lot of sulfate freeze, it's just like, you gotta really add. But I always say, whenever I tell my clients, I would say go in and rinse your hair really well, and then use it. Because if you go with a shampoo on top of your dirty hair, it's not gonna lather that well. And you're just using shampoo for no reason. So true, so true.

And I was literally talking about that yesterday because I was talking about how when I'm at home, I literally like try to do everything you guys do, like to AT, and I'm like, I section correctly, I use the brush right, and I don't ever, it doesn't look the same. And I was realizing, I think a lot of it is from when I do my own shampoo. Like my hair is not as clean as you get it. Yes. And that's where it's so important to do

Multiple shampoos if you have to, you get it really clean. So you're creating that surface. Yes. To take the products for your hair to take. Yeah, and the conditioner too, it plays a big part of it. If you put too much on it's gonna weigh it down. And then you're gonna feel like you get greasy or faster because you're like putting conditioner like everywhere. It's like icky, don't you know that feeling when you have like the glass, you're like, I just washed my hair. Yes. And you have the big old greasy. I've been there, that was a couple of days ago.

Guilty. So, and it's like a thick, thick, well it's your skin on it. Yeah, it is. Like consistency wise. It is, they're pretty thick. So that's why I'm like just use the minimal. And as you use it, you'll kind of get to know your hair, start with just a little bit and then be like, okay, well next time I need it more or I need it less. Kind of depends on the hair type. Very, I know I'm talking like so broadly when it really depends on the person. But my point is that they're very concentrated from what everybody was saying.

And what's so interesting is like, okay, so we've had our own products for years and years and years and I have not heard, I try to make sure we're telling the guests what we're using just so they know, like, cause I always try to tell stylists to teach them just so that they know what we're using. Cause sometimes people don't even realize we have our own brand. And yesterday at the Promenade, they were so excited to talk about it. They were like, oh, this is what I'm using on you today. Just to tell people what, it is something exciting. I'm excited about it. And they were excited about it. So it was cute to see. Well that way they know too what they're using. Exactly.

And then also I always say, so then like I always have tried to teach the guests to the desk to write what you used on them because a lot of times they'll call and be like, what did they use on me? And then we have to make five more phone calls. And then they ask you and they're like, what did you use? And you're like, I've done 25 Shampoo since then. I have no idea what I use. Yeah. So that's, and it's such a click of a button. And then we have that under that person's name. So, and then they can come in and be like, I hated that. Whatever, don't use it again. And then at least we will know. So it's nice to see it's people are, I'm excited. It makes me excited.

And then so, so those three products are supposed to be, I mean, they're not, they don't have to be, but it's helpful to, they all work off of each other should be used in a system, correct? Yes. I also like it too, these, I mean, this is good for repair. And I also like these cause they they're sulfate free. So you can use it with, if you get a keratin or Brazilian blowouts, you can use those too. And it's amazing. It'll keep the frizz, from your hair frizzing. It's so hot here. So, oh my gosh. This morning, like you're like, whoosh.

Well, and I've had a, I have Brazilian in my hair, but that's how, it's time for another Brazilian because normally a blow, my hair takes, well, blow dries very well. And I hadn't had my hair done in a minute. I was so excited. I got it done yesterday. And then I, worked out. Normally my hair will stand in the gym and I can sweat through it and still have good hair. And then I walked in this morning and I was like, all camera ready except for my frizzy hair. But that's what, it's time for a Brazilian. But so then I could like, technically for somebody like me, I could use that at home.

And do you feel like it's like good for all hair types or what's-- I mean, I would say maybe somebody that has very fine, thin hair, it's a little bit heavier. Yeah, you could still use it just, even if it's fine, sometimes you do get that frizz. Right. Use the slightest bit and maybe combine it with something else that's not so thick. Right. Interesting. And that way it kind of gets the frizz out, but it doesn't weigh it down.

Interesting, interesting.

That's good actually, so like cocktailing. Yes. And then you could find different things. That's like, it's all exciting. That's like, if you don't have people do that with like foundation and stuff. And you're like, oh, that's what it does,? Yes. There's the difference, I see it now.

And then so the keratin therapy, how would you recommend, when do you put that in your hair?

How much, like how do you put the, where does it go, roots to ends? How do you, what's your-- I mean, usually it'll be like, mids to ends. Mids to ends, yes. Try to avoid it. Avoid root, obviously. Or else you're gonna get that, I forgot to wash my conditioner out. That flathead. That greasy. Yeah. Need some dry shippu already.

And so do you want your hair to be like slightly towel dried

Or does it matter when, like what would you recommend? I mean, I would say, yeah, towel dry and just kind of put it to that, like the end. Brush it through. And then, yeah, when you're blow drying it, blow dry it in. Does it need to be blow dried in? It doesn't need to be, but-- It's helped. It also helps, yeah. Like anything, like you kind of push it in. Activating it a little bit more. Well, because when you're, if you think about it, like when you're using the blow dryer, it's super hot. You're opening the cuticle. It's like when you're in the shower with shampoo

You're opening the cuticle, driving the product into the cuticle. And so it's able to actually do its job. And you're probably, like I just learned in Brazilian blow up, like the heat is what activates a lot of the chemicals. Yeah, it seals it in. I know, chemicals. But that's what gets it into the, and that's what helps activate some of the things that make it, like it turns into a different property. Yes. I learned, I was like, oh, interesting. I didn't know that.

And so I was going to ask, okay, shampoo. My question, so for somebody like me who has a difficult time getting that really like clean, squeaky clean hair at home that you guys do here, like I can't take Maria home with me. Yes. I wish, I can't. What would you recommend for somebody, like how could I get super, super clean? I would say, I mean, we don't have it up here, but we have the clarifying shampoo, which don't, I mean, it is a little drying, so you don't want to use it every time you wash your hair. But that will take off a lot of buildup that you have, so you can use it maybe like every other week.

Oh, like, so then it's not-- And you just clarify your hair like that week, and then you continue using the character, yeah. When you say, remember you said to use the shampoo, you said to wash before this, that first wash, what would you wash with that twice, shampoo-wise? Remember, didn't you just, is that what you said? Yeah, well, I mean, like rinsing your hair, like I usually roll in-- Oh, is this what, oh, you're saying rinsed. Yes, rinsed really well. Okay, that's what I was like, wait, I'm gonna make sure.

So you're saying, that's why I wanted to understand, okay, so you're saying get your water, get your hair very wet before you just start like dunking and diving and-- Because most of the time, I mean, nobody tells you go in, you wet it a little bit, and then you put your first shampoo in, and you're like, oh my God, it's so dirty. So I've learned from myself, because I feel like I have greasy hair all the time. I go in and like really clean it, like you said, clean like a canvas, clean it, clean it, and then go in with the shampoo.

And then you'll get that lather, yes. So you're, and especially with those of us that have like long hair

And something that Dilma just taught me, because I was talking about this, is like how much when you're washing your own hair at home, we skip like-- Oh yes. Like the whole back section, like the crown-- The crown. Like all that, like the occipital bone. So now I've been like scrubbing in there. I'm like, if that's what I need to do, get it clean, I'm gonna, like you guys, because it is true. When you guys are doing it, you can really focus on that spot. On the whole, yes. Like on the right spots. When you're doing it yourself, you're kind of just like, nah, like herbal essence, in the shower, so.

And that's why I said, I'm like, even if every other week or once a month, you use a clarifying shampoo, we're not, we don't all like, oh my goodness, sometimes we're rushing and we can't really get into that hair, the clarifying will clean all that. Get that layer of yuckiness out. Yes, yes, it is so, I can, it's funny, because I think-- Why do we use so much product on our hair? It's crazy that the last time, that whatever they did, they did some deep scalp treatment and then they put color on and I was like, oh, it's kind of burning, because my scalp was so clean.

(Laughing) It was so clean that I was like, oh, why is that? I'm feeling that. Yeah, I'm gonna get the tingle. It's because it's never, it hasn't been so clean and it hasn't felt that at all.

You know, so they use, have you used that

That brush with that scalp treatment, the hair? I have not, no, I've seen it, but I haven't used it. Brenda was like, oh yes, you needed to do it. I was like, okay, and I didn't. You see, that's a good treatment, if you're coming out to the salon and getting it done. It is only like $10 or something.

But I will have to say, shout out to Brenda, because that worked, very good. You were right, Brenda, you were right.

And then I just want little details. I feel like in hair in general, in life in general, it is so important. The little details can make or break something. Like, you can do the same hair as somebody else, but it's the little details that are gonna provide you with a different result. Result, yes. So that's why I'm very asking 25 questions. I just, I'm curious.

So, and conditioner wise, you, this is the same, you never wanna put it on your scalp. On your scalp, yes.

Where would you say somebody like, like for what happens if you have light and tear up here

And if you, can you put, like sometimes I wanna put it up here just to get the moisture. Yes, I mean, you can, but just try not to be like, because I mean, I've done it before, and I would be conditioner, and all you do is bloop, and then put it down. I mean, work your way here, and then whatever left you have, just kind of go through your hair. Touch it a little bit. And do you, are you avid into thinking with the, like cold water, seals the cuticle, hot water? I mean, like what's your, I've heard different, everybody has different opinions. I mean, it is good for your hair to do it with cool water. Rinse with cool? Like you recommend that?

I do recommend it if you can take it. I personally, I've tried it, I'm like, it's a cool, like I do it, but if you can do it's great. It'll make your hair like feel so much better. That is true. It's funny because at the salon, we get some bum massages on our heads, and everybody's like, would you like a cool rinse? And for the longest time I was like, no. No. And now I've been doing it, and it actually is like, exhilarating, it's quite interesting. It makes my body tingle. I couldn't do it at home though. But if you can do it at home, I noticed a difference. Maria does it. Yes.

Even when I shampoo her out here, and it's like, she's like colder, and I'm like, this is as cold as it gets. (Laughing) I'm like, I can't go colder.

Maria is a special angel who has worked here for like 20 something years, and she literally, she touches you, I swear she'll like touch my arm, and I feel love running through her bones, and she's so special. And she does the most amazing scalp massage. And back massage, and head massage. You can go on and on. Anything, and she does it with love that you can actually like feel it, really. So if you're ever in here, you gotta, I feel like everybody should have a Maria shampoo once. Or if you come in, and like sometimes I come in, I'm like, my head is hurting. And like she'll, give me a head massage, and I'm like, I don't know. I don't know what to tell you.

And I have to say, China at the village, that's still my sister, she's like a close second. I had like the worst migraine, and typically I'm just not the kind of person that's like, yeah, I've rubbed my head, I'm like, don't touch me. Yes. And I let her rub my head, and it felt

It is amazing what massage can do, like it felt. And afterwards I was like, thank you. You are close to Maria there, that was good.

And so the last question about the keratin thing, do you use that every single time you wash?

I would say like, it's more of a reparative. So if you're looking into, you have blonde hair, like my client, she's, has like black, black hair. She's been like box dying yet. We're trying to go like to put in some highlights. And I told her to use it, like twice a week. A little bit more than usual, just because we want to repair her hair before we go in again. So that's where, that's exactly, I was like, I want to make sure I understand.

So you're prepping for, because no matter how many times, anybody can tell you, oh, I lighten hair so wonderfully, no damage is gonna happen. Like if you're using lightener, you can't, that's chemistry. There's gonna be, you're roughing up the cuticle. I've never seen, like, no, that's a lot. Somebody's telling you there's not gonna be, you're, even if it's the minimal

You're still changing, you're changing the structure of your hair. So it's gonna be, you're changing it., you're going from one to the other. It's gonna be different. So that is where if you're using all three of those, you are prepping the hair to go through earth. Your next service. So that it doesn't have to be so damaging. Like, you're preparing your hair to be stronger so that it doesn't go like, do, do, do.

I'm trying to like-- Yeah, so you don't go like the girls that are like, doesn't matter, chop off my hair, I just wanna be blonde., it's like Brad Mondo's videos, where it's like, I get anxiety because the girl's like, another round, and they put the lightener on, and then she pulls it out, and you're like, oh.

The gum, the gummy hair, cringe.

So, well, any other, anything else that I missed detail-wise? No.

I think that's it on this little system here.

And we're still, what are--

This one I like, but I would say you can't use too much of it, because it is very heavy. I would say if somebody would, it's like a smoothening. It's called street smooth.

It's like an anti-frizz. Oh, got it, got it. Is it like a cara smooth type thing? It is like a cara smooth, yeah. But this one I feel like it's a little bit thicker. I feel like it's a little bit thicker, but it's not as oily. Oh, got it, got it, got it.

And I remember she was saying that they all have, if I could remember. Like I would say I've had like the princess' mom, sometimes they have like curly hair. And I advise them to get that, that smells so good. It's like a citrusy smell to it too. Ooh, it just smells, it's very fresh. I like like fresh scents, I don't like. So now when I would just say like curly hair, I mean, curly hair tends to be dry. This will give it a little more shine and take away the frizz.

I feel like the scent of this product is so

Oh it's very fresh, like it smells clean.

I love, there's nothing, like my favorite is like, oh my goodness, this one smells so good. When you do your hair and the next day you smell it in your hair, like that, you're like, ooh, what is that? And it's you, it's your hair. That's my hair, it smells good.

It does smell, does it, do they all smell the same?

No, I think this one has more of a fruity smell to it, which I love.

Ooh, I mean that I would even just use it for the smell. She smells so good. She smells of lotion.

And.

Awesome, awesome, and I think, let be

Oh I don't know. What, what did, this one? Oh yeah, the volumizing one. I, we used to have the Surf Spray, which I like the volume. She said she's still looking for a replacement, so I don't think that one is for Surf Spray. For that, okay. That's what Brenda said. Brenda is like the one that's helping facilitate all this. I just heard her say that like 30 seconds ago, that's how. Well she was telling me about that volumizing earlier too, because I asked her, I'm like, I haven't had enough time to try this volumizing one, so I'm like what is the difference? Because I like the Surf Spray, I feel like it works really good.

And she's like this one is not, it doesn't give as much volume. That was like, had a lot of grit to it. Yes, this one doesn't, and she said you can spray it. It was probably lighter. It's not kind of like over spraying. Well that's good, I mean that's, because sometimes, I feel like you could, if the wrong person had Surf Spray, you could kind of like go bad real, like I try to use Surf Spray. If you don't use it the right way. Surf Spray is good as a stylist, as a guest. Like you could just go wrong real fast, and I've been there, and that's why I know, because I'm like, oh she said just a little bit on my root, and I'm like. And then it's like gummy, sticky tacky.

Because your little bit is a different little bit from the client, yeah. You guys know, you guys know. So I mean, I'm interested, I have not tried that yet either. So it'll be, it's fun to play. So what happened, just so, because as we were talking about like the older products, so we had used, we've used several different companies that we've manufactured our products at, over the last 25, 30 years, whatever. And during COVID, a bunch of, between shipping issues, and then different laws changed with like sprays. The companies took huge hits in California

And literally one, it was kind of funny, the one that we, this happened to us like two years ago, we sent out for an order, and they literally said, sorry, we closed. My goodness. Yes, and we've been using them for like years. Yes.

That was crazy. So then we started researching into new products, we found these new products, and then we still had, we had used two companies, then, but we still had the other one, we were like, all right, at least we have this one, like this one's holding strong, like we're good. And then he sent an order, and the guy said

There's some of these I can send you, and some of them I can't, because this is gonna be the last order. So it happened again, in the growth in California.

And that happened with literally in two years. So now we just found this small business, where did she say they're from, I forgot.

It's some state, like Indiana or something like that. Something like that. Do you remember, Zach, I don't remember. Well, okay, anyways, I can't, it'll come to me. It's like Minnesota. It is Minnesota, right? It was some like, north state. It was some random, and she flew, yeah. She owns the company. And that's what was cool about it, because we've never, I mean, I've been with you guys for years, and we've never had the chemists actually come out and be like, all right, this is our product, this is what it does. This is the way we made it, and what's in it, and everything, so it was pretty cool.

She literally gave us her number to communicate with her for feedback. It's just nice to be able to work directly with somebody.

She's even, we're working on new stuff. It's just, it's so, I guess everything happens for a reason, and so stay tuned, because there will be other new ones. We're going through trial phases right now, and it's so funny, because Dilma, at our Venetian village location, she's like, Lexi, Lexi, and she keeps texting me every day. I love this, you have this other one that she really wants us to get, and she's like, what if I have everybody pre-order it? Can I just have people pre-order it, please? I'm like, well, don't tell me you gotta tell my dad and Brenda, because I can't. Is it an old one? No, it's a new one. It's an-- Old ones are just gonna be, there's no way.

There's no way to order them. It's gone, they gone, bye-bye.

Literally, not fun. We finally had stability, it's not fun to have. Yeah, the camera smooth was a really-- I mean, and there's a lot. Our most selling product that we had right now was volumizing shampoo. So, it sucks, we don't want, it's painful, but that's a part of our new businesses, you have to, shit's gonna happen.

But good thing we have backup. And that's what we had to do. This has been going on for a couple, well, probably he's known for eight months since that last company did it. But at least there's more stability here. It's a stable, we know who owns it. There's nothing happening. I remember your dad, I was in Tennessee and he, I was talking to him about coming back and he was like, yeah, I'm so excited. We're gonna meet with the chemists, we got this going on. And he was just giving me the feed up but you can see it in his voice, his excitement of, all these things, things are coming.

Well, and it is so exciting because it's like in life in general, you're constantly evolving, trying to make things better.

And we go through different phases in life, that's what I'm realizing. I mean, you've seen me here and there, you've seen me in some of my lower spaces and not that I was doing bad, but I don't think I was like, yay. Maybe I was probably saying yay, but I probably wasn't internally saying yeah. So yay. So we go through ups and downs and it's just very exciting once you start to

Have those good hits and then everything you talk about, you're creating it finally, you're like, it's here. We're doing it like you probably feel as a stylist when you work towards wanting to do something. Oh yeah. And you're like, yeah. Yeah, and that's when I tell the girls too, like Evelyn had a talk with her and she was just like, she was just like asking me what the experience was. She's new and how long had she been here? Like a month or two? Maybe, yeah. Very new. She just graduated from school. We have an associate program and what did she say? No, she was just asking me how I was here and everything. I'm like, just don't give up,.

Sometimes, I was at that point too, when I got out of school, I'm like, when am I gonna get out of assisting?

Not that I didn't enjoy it, but at the same time I was here to do hair, that's what I wanted to do. Well, I'm 100%. But you have to.

I'm sorry, finish what you're saying. No, and I was just like, you'll get to that point and now I'm like, yeah, it took me like a year and a half, almost two years of assisting, but it taught me so much from everyone. You just have to hold on tight and get through it all and then once you get there, it's like, I'm glad I did it. Well, and you were at a time when there really wasn't like cut and dry.

And that's what, between him and I, probably what he was sharing his excitement with you, is we would continue to try to make systems and structures and we had a lot of people, or opinions matter to us, trying to run the business and we're like, oh, well, she doesn't like it, so we can't do it.

And that was the wrong opinion, like, no, this is what we're doing. This is what we're investing our money in. Why are we, of course, that was just the wrong opinion that we were listening to. So we are now like following through with all the things we've always wanted to do, like creating a structure for them, so that the next group of people comes in and then they know, when are you gonna get on the floor? Okay, I need you to do this, I need you to XYZ and following through with it, not just saying it and having it like they have class every Monday, now like it's a commitment and the markets shifting.

So we went through COVID, when we couldn't find, it was just a different market. Nobody was coming to remember that. So now it's different, people want to be a part of something and have those structures, like I feel like it just makes it so much better for me, for him, because nobody's sitting there like, when is this gonna happen, when is that gonna happen? It's like just cut and here you go, this is what you need to do. Okay, what did you do, like say I'm at the village.

I was like, oh, what are you gonna be on? I'm ready, like I like to push people. I'm like, okay, baby, you ready, girl, let's go. I've seen you, don't tell me you can't do it because you're so good and I get so hyped. I'm like, well, I never knew you could do that.

And I'm like, okay, well, when is it happening? And she's like, well, I have to do, she has to get certified in short hair and so like she knows what she has to do

And that just makes it, that makes us to get, as a team, a company.

Yeah, I mean, it is good because like I said, not everywhere provides all these classes and all these, yes, at the beginning, you're like, oh my goodness, I have to go through all this, but it's worth it, once you-- And hopefully, and that's where feedback is so crucial and important. Like we're trying to create it so that like, yes, it's a lot, whatever. It's only like a couple hours on the, it's not like before where you didn't even know what you were gonna be doing. Is it four hours, haircut in class?, it's like, it's an investment, but you're going in and hopefully, I want it to be stuff that you're like learning from immediately,?

And so now create, it's almost like a

Like I'm trying to think of the word, like a curriculum. Like, so here, this is what you're learning from. So then you have that, okay, onto the net,? So you know what you're expecting. Yes, and then creating it so it's, like Sarah's, Sarah from the village, Sarah. You knew Sarah. I forgot, she worked at the front. She worked here for a while. That's my girl.

She is a part of the program now too, like and she's just, all of a sudden, I will never forget, Sarah is a stylist. She lives in La Belle. She drives an hour and a half every day. And she has worked for everything she's had here. And if you ever see her, she kind of has like resting bitch face, but she's not. No, she's not. She's really like a big, sweaty girl.

And so she literally told me one day, she was like, I want to be involved in the classes. And I was like, okay, go for it. Like, what do you want to do? And she has worked her way, like, she's a part of it and wants to make a bit, like, it's just, it just makes it more exciting to see it happening.

And Jen, who got, remember Jen was probably, for starting Jen was, Jen is the main person

Our main teacher who came from Paul Mitchell

Who was a teacher learning leader there, then came here. And she went through a lot of adversity because there was, that was that adversity I'm saying, because nobody would let her do it. Like, she's just trying to teach a basic haircut and everybody's like, no, you didn't do that right., it's like, it's a one like haircut, literally calm down the poor girl.

And then it was confusing because it would be like, okay, so who do we listen to? So this person told you to do this, this person told you to do that. Oh goodness gracious, I was getting nervous. So, and Jen has made it through all of that. And that's what I'm saying, it's just such a, like, that energy is gone. Like, now Jen has, like, she has always had the best intention and of course, she's gonna listen to feedback, but we have to have a fluid company that's all working to, so. Yeah, we're all a family and all work together. And trust on and respect each other, like feedback, whatever. So I just had, proud of them. I know it's so good and I'm so excited.

And I'm so, I'm so excited Hannah's back. I'm proud to see how much you've grown. You're like, I can't wait for the season. Yes, I'm a bookie. I'm like, I'm ready, I'm like, this summer has been

You're like, you're in your, she's in her era. You have like a smile, like you just look happy. I am, I mean, I've always known this is what I wanna do. And I know coming back, like right now it's slow and it's been a little harder for me to be like. It's September, the worst month of the year. But, I'm just like excited to, for season to be here. I mean, I love doing here, that's what I'm here for. And to make clients feel and look good. And I can sleep at night. (Laughing)

I'm that person that something, they don't like, something goes wrong or something. I'm like, oh my God, is she happy? Is she, like. Oh my gosh, that's like Mackenzie, so bad. She'll be like two days later.

Do you know if so and so. Did they call? Did I cut it half a quarter of an inch too short? I'm like, dude, no, they loved it. Did you not see their smile on their face when they told you they loved it five times? And she, you just constantly. Or you'll go home and maybe I should have used this., whatever. And I'm like, how do you guys let it go. You did your thing. And hopefully my, what we were talking about earlier is that hopefully we create a well enough relationship with the guests so that they feel comfortable to tell us if there is something. And then you don't have to worry about that later.

Because you're creating that door where they're like, I feel comfortable to be like, you know what? Like, let's change this. Can we fix this? Let's do, yes.

And then you don't have to stress about that. Because, you're like, they'll tell me. They'll tell me. But, regardless, you're a hairstylist. You're so like, oh my God., so still, still, no, I know. Was it blonde enough? Yeah. Oh, that's just your brain, how it's gonna be. It is. That's, all the above. But, well. Yeah, well, thank you so much. Thank you for, we got her to talk, everything. Yes. And that would have never done this. You're actually pretty good at it. Good job. I would have never done this two years ago. I know. Just saying, I would have been like a

A nervous wreck. So proud of that. Thank you. Well, thank you. You did great. Yay.

Like, I was, I started to become very cynical as well about certain products because I started to think, because I did experience where I bought something, a couple things, and I was like, man, everybody's just selling crap now, like, and it's crap. But I realized that not everything is, like, some things we just aren't, don't come up on Amazon, or they don't come up when we search for it. So they're helping us solve problems that we didn't even know could we solve, like it's. Well, those are the ones you believe, those are the ones you follow, those are the ones you stay with, the ones that don't sell out to something else, they're just for the buck., just genuine.

And some of them, if they sell out for the buck, they sell out for the buck, I still like your content anyway. That's just part of the world, that's the world we live in. That's human nature.

They gotta make money somehow, people complain about free content on YouTube.

Well, or an ad on free content, it's free anyway, so don't watch it if you don't wanna watch the ad. Well, this is probably jumping forward, however, it's just very quick, based off what you're saying. There's this whole, it's been going on for a couple weeks, so the girl that started it is a phenomenal marketer.

There's a New York influencer, Hallie Kate, she's like a fashion girlie, and she had this boyfriend, they broke up, she was at this influencer event, this girl was like, oh, she found the boyfriend, ex-boyfriend in the girl's phone, she messaged the guy, they went on a date, the friend, the other influencer of the fashion girlie, whatever, they got caught by followers

Followers brought it online, then the Hallie Kate girl made a video saying, my friend who I was just with yesterday, went on a date tonight with my ex-boyfriend, so it turned into this whole drama.

Got them all a lot more followers too, right? Well, right, but this happened a year ago, this is what's amazing, that happened a year ago, I couldn't figure out, I'm like, why are we talking about it again? Well, because the girl is, has been dated, girl and the guy got back together, and he was on her podcast

And all of a sudden, people start bringing back up, well, the red-haired girl, that's the girl that went on the date with the guy, when he went on the podcast, she decided to do a bunch of TikToks, saying what their date was like, and she is like the ultimate, she's like, well, he was so sweet, and he, and-- Are they still friends? No, no, now they're doing their whole feud online. Oh, good.

And the girl is freaking, the red-haired girl, the villain, is like blowing up, and it's actually, it's kind of brilliant, she's turning into, but she's making followers, she's not doing--

Yeah, because it's drama, it's just like-- Watch me blow dry my hair, and she is reality TV, it is reality TV, and actually, Bethany Frankel, had probably like such an interesting take, she was saying how, once you put something on the internet, you don't know how anybody's gonna react, we could be sitting here talking about something that we think we know how it's gonna be taken, once it goes on the internet, the internet's a different world, like you have so many different minds, so Halle Kate posted that video calling that girl out, well, once she put it out there, it's there for the internet to take, like you let that out there, now everybody's, this is what it's turned into, so even if you didn't want it to be, now she's gaining, the other girl's gaining from it, that's what happens when you put it out there, like you don't control it, and that's a part of the gate, that's the gate, it's reality television, TikTok.

So that could be the Millennial Gen Z update, so if you wanna follow some drama, you wanna follow some drama, there's the people that follow. It's super interesting, sorry.

No, don't be sorry, that's a segment, right, that's Millennials aren't, hey, you're looking to follow some T, there's some T, get some T. Oh my gosh, you have to go and look at this girl, just you have to look at her, because-- Zach will put it up on here. Fascinating, I don't even, she's like, you gotta just watch her talk, she's like a villain.

There you have it. She's profiting off of it, she did, wow. All right, so this is an episode that is one of many, we got more to come that are gonna feature

Spotlights on great people and people you're gonna enjoy hearing from, so if there's anybody out there that you'd like to nominate to have us have a conversation with, or you'd like to know more about, who's a special person who makes your life better or makes the lives of people around them better

Let us know, you could put something down in the comments and tell us about it so we can add them to it. That somebody that, in life, I think that we should do that too

It's a spotlight good people, that is a good person that maybe needs to be loved

That wants to come be pampered, you could also put that down, that deserves it, that probably is a giver. Yeah, so we'll bless them with some love internally and externally, we'll give them makeover, so anybody who needs that in the world, let us know about that, or if there's somebody who you'd like us to have a chat with on here that deserves the spotlight, maybe they're too humble to even talk about it, but if you nominate them, we'll get them on here and have them shine like they should.

Over the summer is when I feel like we always get the opportunity to, because we have the time to, and we encourage our team to-- September slowest month of the year, hurricane month, most people leave, it's the slowest day of the year right now, if you walk outside in the salon right now, it looks like a Sunday. Yeah, it's hang out time, so-- With opportunities to bless people right now.

And then it creates good energy when we're doing good, and that's when we did, we just did our, we did 900 princesses, I believe. 1100 now. 1100 princesses, wow, and quick story on the princess thing very quickly, I have to say, so my, we had been discussing what are we gonna come up with, we gotta have something for this time, so that keeping the stylist's mind about doing hair instead of the T, like keeping them moving, excited and excited about hair.

And he was at a, I think, Buff City Soap or something with his wife, shout out to my stepmom, and he was like, oh, there's so many kids here, there's so many kids here, he's like, we should

We gotta do this, we gotta do this, and then I was just so shocked how, sometimes we'll have ideas, but they're just, we don't create it into fruitful labor, and within that week, he made up this little thing, and we barely sent it out to everybody, like nobody really knew what was going on, we were just kinda testing the water, sometimes we'll test the waters and post things and see who sees it, and overnight, it started getting booked online

And we obviously had, then created, that created the princess days, and we did 1100 little girls got to come in and be pampered and get tinsel blow dry style haircut, and being a part of that, it really was awesome, because how can you be, have a bad day when there's a little girl, and like-- Wow, these little princesses, I think the biggest thing out of it, more than anything, was the fact that every woman should be treated like a princess, and to have these little angels, 1100 of them, over the course of two months, be in our home, getting pampered and loved, and treated like a queen or princess

For their own self-esteem, if it impacts just one person in a way that they feel good about themselves, that their own self-esteem is impacted, so that they realize that they don't always, with social media now, it's, I can't imagine what it's like for these young girls to have to always be comparing themselves away, because social media is everywhere, and it's a part of their lives, that they're always looking at what someone else who's being admired looks like, and thinking they should look like that, and the impact that has on them, and if we have this chance to impact their life in whatever way possible, so that they feel pretty and feel good about themselves, and that was the greatest selfish thing that I got from, is like, I hope we're making a difference in their life to have them feel loved, just loved, appreciated, and that they're just perfect just the way they are, and bring out that inner beauty in them, so that was a cool thing that we get to do, and we're gonna continue doing it, we'll do it every summer anyway, but we offer that package now anyway, we just did that for free this summer, and that's just the end of it.

People are like, okay, well, why? Like, why is it free? I mean, I can't tell you the amount, I've had this phone call repeatedly over and over, because people would call, why? Like, what's the, again, what's the catch? What do you guys want? Do I need to sit through a promotional, is this time share? Yeah, it wasn't a time share, it was just literally, we've got time to do this, and we wanna be able to give to you, and especially moms out there who were unsure what to do with their kids over the summer, because sometimes you run out of things to do, or the camp runs out, now what do I do?

And you need some time, they were making soap at the soap place, that's what I saw, they were paying to make soap together, and having a good time at it, so what could we do? And so, we'll talk more about what we're gonna do with the birthday parties, the princess parties that we'll do on the next episode too. And I think there's such a need in this

I grew up here, and yes, there is more stuff to do now, but everything costs money nowadays, I'm thinking about me and my kids over the summer, you can't go out of the house without spending 100 bucks, 50 bucks, you're gonna do something, like you have to, and so it was nice to be able to do, and it created such an experience, I just, I mean, I had fun with every little girl who came in here, they were so freaking cute, they would come in with their little princess dresses, some of them, and-- Princess slippers.

You could physically see that child's eyes just shine, it was the cutest, it was so amazing, and it was such an interesting, I have to say one more thing, I'm sorry, but it's super interesting

So when we first put this out, he put it out online just to see, and he's texting me, and he's like, "Oh, SHIT, it's being booked," and I'm like, "Okay, well, cool, can have it be booked." Well, problem is that there's 55 employees who don't really know what we're doing, I mean, they knew about it, but they didn't know, we hadn't set parameters of what needs to be done, because we weren't really sure who was gonna book it, and so a mom, shout out to the Naples mom, Superpoint O, I believe, posted in there, thanking us-- Facebook, a group? Facebook, yes. They have a lot of members in there. A mom posted thanking us, and another mom said

"Oh, it wasn't really all that great," and we take, as a company, especially online, we take feedback very, very seriously.

Well, online or anywhere, just online, we happen to know about it, so that's why-- Well, right, we were able to see it, but, of course, anywhere, yes, but then it was right in front of our face, because I'm sure people, that's when people are allowing you to see it, because I'm sure people just give feedback behind, and they'll say it to you, we'd much prefer you say it to us, by the way, but so then I will never, that morning, it was like, if somebody sent it to my dad, and then you can always tell, like, his little neck will get red on the back, and then he gets all, "Mm, we gotta fix this," and so we quickly put-- We screwed up, I mean, we screwed up.

We didn't do what we promised, we failed in the first couple days, we didn't have it set up correctly. And it wasn't even a failure, it was just that we hadn't communicated. We didn't do what we said, and that's all. We didn't set structure up, is what would happen. It was my fault, completely, because we didn't roll it out properly, but in the first couple days, the person didn't get what they were promised, and so they communicated about that, and gave us a chance to fix it, so that was great.

It helped us, because then it created, I feel like it made us better at it, so then we were able to do more, because it created that whole, then we made a structure for it, then everybody knew what to do, and it just went awesome, so it was good, that's why feedback is so important, because we then were able to learn what we failed on.

We're not perfect, and we know that, and there are times, we're 110% and all the way on, and then there are things that don't always go perfectly, so the only way we can get better is by getting that feedback and letting us know, I mean, I think that's one of the things I really, really value, and I think is so important, is that you love your experience with us, and you love your experience about us, so if you don't have that experience, we wanna know about it, so we can do something about it's not just gonna go in a suggestion box, or yeah, thanks for sharing, I don't complain at restaurants when I don't love my meal, where maybe I should, but I just have this feeling like

I don't wanna be that person, I'll just not come back, I don't wanna say something, it's uncomfortable, it's awkward, it's weird, and what are they gonna do anyway? So I don't, so we encourage that.

Are you gonna be a Karen, am I being rude, what if they're having a bad, I can't say anything nowadays, I mean, it's horrible, I'm too scared to, like, oh my God, I don't wanna hurt their feelings, so if somebody's building up enough courage to say something, but if you're not, please do say something, and I even give you my number, you can text me, anything, I deeply care about our business so much, and I put so much love, every single person here, they're here, that work here for a reason

Because they want you to love your experience too, and sometimes we do have failures, so we wanna fix it though.

This wasn't planned, but since this is a segment now, we, it sounds like the thing to say, oh yeah, we guarantee and we promise, and you're gonna get the best, and if you don't, and when you don't, we mean it, when that feedback really meant letting us know that you didn't love it, or you want a few more highlights, or your experience didn't go the way you wanted it to, really, we will, we appreciate when you let us know, we love that kind of feedback, it's okay to let us know, because in most cases, most people go away, and it's really uncomfortable to share what you didn't like, or what you don't like for many people, so we mean it matters to us, retaining you as a guest for life, like having you be a part of our family for life is what's most important to us, so that was a little unplanned segment, but that it came up, I wanted to make sure that people know about it with us.

And Ashton, I was like, I'm just so serious and passionate about this as well, because I, and I always tell people, everything we do here is 100% guaranteed

And people are like, oh my God, how can you do that? You can't do that, I'm sure you have so many people, and that's what you would think, that there is so many people complaining all the time, we're giving out free stuff

And the average human is a good person that is not gonna do that, so that's not true at all, I want more people to tell me when they don't like it, like Ashton Earl, Alex Earl's sister, she just posted- Didn't know she had a sister. Oh, well. So I've been following her, okay.

Her sister just posted her nails, and she was like, does this ever happen to you? So I went and got my nails done this morning, I hated them, so I went to another place, and paid to have, in the same day, taken off and redone. Like, I don't ever want that to be somebody's experience with us.

If you did not have an amazing experience, if this was not your freaking Disney World

That's like my specialty, I love making things special for people.

Please always tell us so we can make it

Make you feel what you deserve, because it's the best feeling. And you can talk to anybody about that, so it's not like you have to reach one department, or reach the manager, or call the customer service division, customer no service division in a lot of companies.

Anybody can help you, and anybody you speak to is 100% empowered to make your experience great, so it's okay. So thanks-- Thank you for letting me go on my tangent. Thanks for tuning in, we will see you on the next one

And give us some feedback on this, too. Thanks for being a part of it. Have an amazing day, love you, bye.