Bella salon | hair & skincare salon & spaThe Salon I Built & The Exit I Chose
At 35, I bought a struggling hair and skincare salon after the original owner passed away. Turning it around was more challenging than I expected. But I fixed it up, built a strong team, and turned it into an award-winning salon in just three years.
Then I made a decision that surprised a lot of people.
I sold it.
Read the full story below…
THE METHODOLOGY: Signature Offer | The Long Game
THE TAKEAWAY
I know what it’s like to build something from scratch, make it profitable, and decide the next stage of growth isn’t worth the tradeoffs. That’s why I don’t assume bigger is always better.
The Challenge
At 35, I bought a distressed salon and spa with 31 employees and roughly $1M in annual revenue. The business was operating from an expensive 5,500-square-foot space, but it lacked consistent pricing, leadership, marketing, and the systems it needed to survive.
The Work
Over three years, I rebuilt the business from the ground up. I created a standardized pricing structure, rebuilt the team, reduced operating costs, and invested in a new brand, website, technology, and marketing. I also put greater focus on retail, where the strongest margins were. Revenue grew from $1M to $1.7M, and Salon Today recognized the business nationally for both growth and digital marketing.
The Outcome
The business was thriving, but the numbers showed me what the next stage of growth would require. More debt. More complexity. More years of evenings and weekends. I was raising two young children and decided the tradeoffs weren’t worth it. I sold the business for six times my original investment to someone who wanted to take it further. He still owns it today and it continues to thrive with many people from my team still in place.