Fan of Good Richard
Adventures.
Love language:
French Fries.

Star Sign:
Capricorn

The Meaty Bits:
I'm a handful & always on the go!

My kids love it when Momma decides on a whim that we are having dessert before dinner, or we are leaving in the morning for an impromptu road trip, just to keep it spicy!

That's me though! 

I wasn't born here but we moved to Bend, OR when I was 5 and as much as I LOVE traveling and visiting ALL the other places, I cannot imagine living anywhere else!

I have a very handsome 15 year old (gag.) son named Deacon.... and a gorgeous, very spirited 12 year old little girl named Cambria!

You should know, if you can't find us, it's because we are either camping or taking one of those spur-of-the-moment road trips!

Courtney, 40

Psst. There's more (told you it was juicier over here).

Time to

Mount Up!

1987-ish

I was 20 when I went to Beauty School and I was very much at a crossroads in my life. I had effectively slammed the door on some things and was SO ready to open the door to my future! It happened to be the Phagan's door, but it was a great one, none the less!

Once upon a time...

In a land far far away... Just kidding, it was here, I'm here! I'm a native Bend-ite and this is Home!

And this was CLEARLY written in the stars.

2004

I graduated in the early 2000's and if you were a 'Baby-Stylist' around that same time, then you KNOW it was nothing like being a Stylist is now!  There were very little resources in the way of business (especially that applied to our IC model) and there was definitely ZERO emphasis on taking pictures for Social Media! ​

So we worked 'smarter not harder' by passing out business cards, asking for referrals, worked12 hour days, double booking, late to all our personal events, moderately frantic all the time, etc. 

Gaps and sitting around were for 'pansies' and 'newbs'! (Insert eye roll here)

And then about 8 or 9 years into my career, I bought a salon.. with my mom (gulp)!  I'm not even sure owning was ever truly on my radar, but the opportunity presented itself and we took it!  I had just had my 2nd baby and had oodles of extra time to take on the added responsibility of Salon Ownership and everyone in it (said no one ever). 

So it was DEFINITELY a crash course with a steep learning curve.  We did okaaay-ish, but trust me when I tell you, that if you think you're the only one something has happened to or you 'just don't get something', especially in regards to business or taxes, I promise you that you're not! I feel you and I feel like I've been through everything at this point! Haha. 

2013

There IS something to be said about not trying to be the smartest person in the room, asking for help or even delegating.  There are people and resources available to you (especially these days)! 
I will say, sometimes it can be WAY more work to teach someone about our industry and it's intricacies to ultimately 'alleviate' pressures or tasks to save money or time. 
I can't tell you how many times I had a friend want to help with scheduling/client messaging and it just never quite worked out- but I lost all that time in trying, y'know?

We really lucked out with the people on our team, in our camp, paid or unpaid, front lines and behind the scenes, because when it came time to relocate the salon (which was slightly unexpected), we felt more than supported and that we COULD do it!  We were gonna do it!... Right??

It was a bigger space and had the potential for a lot more Stylists, but it was also just a lot more... well,  everything!- things to do, remember, keep track of, manage, to answer to and for, just a lot, etc. AND I was doing all of THAT while running and managing my own clientele!! Which a lot of us do, it's not that special, but not everyone does that or does it well! 

2017

So a couple of things happened...

I had built a strong & loyal clientele
My babies were growing up (without me present or my permission- the nerve!)
But I was burning out!

And when I REALLY thought about it- Doing hair was no longer my first love.

​Business is.
Our industry is.