the ramblings of a chronic over thinker

salonscale is here!

for you newer readers, freshair is in the middle of a business re-org. since the pandemic, many business have been in a full on slump. from lack of employees, to rising cost of goods, it’s tough. businesses are closing, and this is the time to make some decisions in the new landscape of supply and demand. we have signed up for a business course to expose the leaks in our financial bucket. this week, i introduce salonscale!

it is a new software that helps salons keep costs low in regards to services that uses products. for example, colour or highlights. we mix up your shade and apply, you pay, you love, you leave. the issue is that most employees over mix or under mix and over charge or under charge for this ‘usage’ part. salonscale is promoting transparency with product usage and because we weigh the products used to do the service, you only pay for what you use. nothing more. if you have fine hair and use less, your ‘usage’ should reflect that.

this ethical and transparent way to keep track of the usage, benefits the salon because now we can weigh the products used and then order just what we need. the software tracks the usage and if used properly will reduce waste, and keep the cost to my client steady.

can’t see through this, what’s going on?

we are hoping to roll it out sometime in the next few weeks so if you are coming into the shop and get a balayage or a root retouch, you might notice a few changes. the amazing thing i love about the software (apart from the savings part) is that it records what you used for the service and it is automatically saved so the same amount can be mixed again!

i was a little hesitant to share this with everyone but in the vein of transparency, i think it’s important to know. especially for my clients and patrons of our shop. many folks don’t know what goes into every service and style and we want all of you to be educated. it’s exciting to see the hair industry step up and provide some support to the back end of our business. if you have any question, hit me up. if you’re a stylist and have questions, hit me up too!

upwards and onwards!

-p

the ramblings of a chronic over thinker

not much going on in my cerebrum today, good or bad? who knows, anyways…

this week i finished up my mission, vision and values portion of the course. it was pretty good! i’m going to share it here and honestly, after chatting to the ‘pros’, my mission, vision and shop values should show through everywhere (we are currently failing here). everyone should be able to, at any time, engage with our mission and our vision. the values (inspiration, connection, care, excellence and elevate) we uphold as a business should be more prevalent in my business so others (patrons and service providers) can be aware of why we are different. all that to say, here is freshair boutique’s mission and vision for the future.

great reminder!

mission: to put the best YOU together, while making a difference to the earth and ourselves

vision: to inspire a better way for beauty

the mission is pretty straight forward and our vision is where we (freshair boutique) could grow in the future. i definitely see us being an example of how to maintain the balance of beauty and respect for our planet at the same time! it’s a little lofty, but i think it’s a good aspect to focus on.

our values are more in depth and i have to figure out a clever way to display these in the shop and on our socials and site. we’ll find a way to get the info to you, we’ll find a way…

values: in no particular order, yet

excellence- we believe in loving what we do, and are so passionate about our craft-that it shows in your hair, every time. 

caring- we believe in upholding and sustaining the essential balance between beauty and caring for our natural environment.    

connection- we believe in caring for YOU and we will make anyone feel welcome because we know how to be kind. 

elevation- we believe life is more beautiful when you are continuously growing.  learning and giving back. 

inspiration- we believe in inspiring YOU in everything we do…inhaling with meaning and exhaling with intent.

brighter days are on the horizon

are you aware of other businesses missions, visions and values? are there companies out there that are killing it? i’d love to hear suggestions! one of my fave mission statements is the ritz carlton (bougie hotel): ladies and gentlemen, serving ladies and gentlemen. to the point. very specific and not too long! i love it! might be a little old school in it’s wording, but you get the idea. let me know if you have some to share, i’m always into being inspired by others.

✌🏾

-p

the ramblings of a chronic over thinker

can i get a hoo-rah for employees!

let’s go team!

i’m really enjoying this once a week writing! it’s getting me to assess so much in my space. this week, i’m honing in on the staff/employees of businesses. they are the actual ‘stuff’ that allows a business to grow and continue supplying, while patrons continue to demand. without employees or staff, a business is rendered basically helpless. even if you are a one person business, that one person would still be the employee or sole staff member.

i worry that by the time my youngest child (5 years old) is an adult, employees could mean something totally different! when i go to the grocery store and choose the self checkout over the cashier, am i part of a growing problem? i know some folks who NEVER use the self checkout because they value the position of a living employee over a computer or program/software. for sure there is a difference!

i think my job is safe no?

it’s wildly known that there are great places to work and terrible places to work. we’ve all heard the horror stories. good employment should include some sort of development for the employee (along with wages, duh). most places of work include meetings and huddles, there are staff lunches, bonuses and prizes, all geared to make the workspace better for the worker. the main purpose is to maximize your employees potential throughout the job description. while, guiding and motivating.

thanks team, nothing but greatness here!

special thanks to leah, niasha, ayoub, chanté, anastasiia, elaine, nicole, kelsey, dana, candace and kitty! you guys are great and i appreciate each and every one of you! because of you guys, freshair boutique is still in business and 14 years going. to all the employees of the past as well, thank you all!

freshair boutique 2011. amy, pascale, christie, andrée, chloe and renee

i just wanted to say that. i just wanted to focus on the employee for a beat and say thanks. business is quite tricky and running one is a little intense. now throw in some employees and it is a fine balance of so many things. again, thank you to my team and to all the employees that show up every day. thanks to you employee that does more than your job description with a good attitude and full reliability. i salute you!

-p

the ramblings of a chronic over thinker

Why does money make us shy?

open your eyes, it’s okay

so funny! last week, a few people reached out to me to ask if the financials i posted were from the shop? i was seriously confused. i know better than to post my OWN businesses nooks and crannies. i suppose, the folks that assumed i was posting my own financials wanted to make sure that it was indeed mine, or a mistake, or just an example.

some clients even thought it was a mistake and shouldn’t have been sent out. why is that? why would it be so bad if i did post the shops financials? what would be the issue? folks would see our deficits or our surpluses and then what? would y’all stop coming to my shop if i had over $400,000 in surplus? would folks be bothered if they saw that the shop was doing so well that i was literally rich? would that be bad? then all of you would be like, ‘praise doesn’t need our business, she’s ballin’!' conversely, if we were in the red or in a deep deficit, would all of you start booking appointments into the new year? i wonder?

my million dollar salon…

would full transparency with businesses financials stunt the growth of a business? is there a reason that no one is allowed to know or speak of a businesses inner workings? is it like religion, sex and politics? growing up, those topics were only for private conversations with people who had the same beliefs as yours. one wouldn’t bring up any of those topics in public or with a stranger. god forbid they didn’t agree with us!

maybe it’s judgement? i definitely felt like the energy around my post was more like, “wow praise, that’s stupid to post your financials. do you want your shop to close down?” no on ever said that actually, but i did feel the gentle judging. so what? what if i did post my businesses financials? what does that mean? i’m dumb? i’m not a great business professional? i shouldn’t be in charge of things? i really don’t know.

i wish i only had one question

now i’m intrigued and fully curious about why we are so shy with our money? is it because of capitalism? patriarchy/matriarchy? colonization? is that why? are there other reasons? i have so many questions…

i’m down to hear thoughts on this because now i’m tuned in to this vibe around financials. and i don’t think it’s just businesses, it’s financials in general. folks are shy about how much they make or spend because they are worried they will be judged. did i just answer my own question?

-p

the ramblings of a chronic over thinker

money, money, money, money

get into my account!

wow you guys! what an amazing response to my message last week! i don’t think i’ve ever had that much engagement on here! whoo! also, big thanks to all the readers who emailed and even gave some ideas for what i can write about as this progresses. i’m blown away by all of your supports! many thanks.

this looks like njerep…

this week i’m working on the financial statements for fresh. documents like profit and loss, balance sheets and cash flow statements. all of it is swahili (shout out to my african readers).

::: side bar :::

why do we use swahili as the word to say that i don’t understand something? i wonder why it’s swahili and not gaelic or njerep? i mean, why can’t we just say, ‘i don’t get it’? ALSO, maybe it’s swahili because i’m 45 and that’s what i heard growing up and it was a common term used to say, ‘i don’t get it’. yeah, that’s probably it.

::: side bar closed :::

i know that this is one of the ways i can improve my business but it is DRYYYYYY. it is BORRRRRING. it is ‘not a waste of time’ but feels like it is. all of the columns with money going in and money coming out is a lot. bank service charges? CRAZY! salon supplies and sundries? that seems like it goes up every month (things cost more, we all know that). wages and salaries? cost of goods sold? professional fees? i could keep going. i won’t.

these bankers are pumped to help you!

it does make me realize though, how badly i am in need of this understanding if i want my business to succeed at all. business is like a formula with an amazing equation. revenue-cost of goods sold= profit. seems pretty straight forward but then….

when i opened freshair, i had no idea about any sort of business sense. i knew i needed bookings (revenue) and that my staff and products used (cogs) would be deducted from the bookings and tadah! richie rich! ok, i didn’t think i would be instantly rich, i just thought that was it.

hustle hard, closed mouths don’t get fed on the boulevard (ace hood lyrics)

well, things went badly and 5 years in, i took a business course and it helped me understand the real process of that equation. i learned about taxes (folks, pay your taxes). i learned about banks and lenders. i learned that when it comes to money, the structures that support this country are really relying on you not knowing anything when you open a business. they are banking (you like that double entendre) on you figuring it out as you go so that they can capitalize on your lack of understanding. i know this, because i lived it and i am currently working it out.

what if there was a different structure? what if there was a way that we could be vetted BEFORE opening a business? maybe just a course about what you’re about to get into? like gun ownership or a drivers license? wouldn’t it be cool if that was an option? maybe i would have never pulled the trigger on this shop if i began with more knowledge about the way REAL business works in a capitalistic culture. maybe i would have found something else to do?

i just know that this system needs help. from the documents i mentioned earlier, to the banks and lenders, it’s flawed. maybe next week i’ll talk about my idea for business fund raisers like a go fund me but not? it’s bizarre…stay tuned. i’m just tired of the banks and their ‘no solutions’ all they want to do is give me loan which solves nothing. what about angel investors? yipes! don’t get me started on that! next time… next time.

-p

the ramblings of a chronic over thinker

i’m not really in the mood for introductions and ‘get to know me’ type talk. if you know about our shop, you might know about this blog. this blog, yipes. if you know about this shop you might also NOT know about the blog. it’s like a thorn, not in my side, just there. thorn. looking thorny and useless. i’m hoping that writing again will turn the thorn into something nice like, i don’t know, a flower or a cookie or something calm-ish.

this space is calm

leah and i signed up for a 4 month business course and one of the items i must complete is to spend 90 mins a week on my business and all the things that my business entails. i have taken it on to also, during this 90 min session, write here. i love to read and sometimes i dream of writing. i’m not sure I have what it takes to be a legitimate writer, but the internet and this platform make me feel like i may have a little something?

when we first opened 14 years ago i was diligent with the writing and i did some decent work (i wrote an opinion piece on george zimmerman that i was really proud of. it’s lost now. thanks wordpress 😐). then life, kids, stuff started taking up the time. i began to slow down with the writing and then every once in a while, i would come back to it. this course, i’m hoping, will help me maintain the writing and in turn, boost me somehow? who knows…

bathroom selfie from the past when i may have been boosted, by youth…

so I’m gong to be here once a week, chronicling my limp digital life (and actual life as well). there is the hope that i could be growing something helpful, useful and maybe a little supportive? i mean, i won’t know if anyone will read this or will care, but i can at least start. if you do read this, please drop me a line, let me know you exist. it would be really nice to know that i’m not just writing into the abyss. tbh, i should be working on taxes right now and then making a video… should i post those here? …i dunno.

these sunday posts are going to be just like this, random thoughts that rattle in my brain. not fully edited thoughts and concerns, probably some weird judgements and ideals that only make sense to me but i think that’s the point? this post is a sorry excuse for an introduction but boom! have a good week, and…. that is all.

-p