As business owners and leaders, we’re natural risk takers (sometimes by default!), but as every business owner knows, not every experience is one we want to shout about from the rooftops. Instead, it’s about learning how best to balance business instinct with calculated decisions and associated risks. It’s about feeling the fear, but doing it anyway.
Becoming fearless in business didn’t come easy to me. I was 19 years old when I opened the original Myla and Davis salon in 2009, and it’s hard to explain just how steep that learning curve was. I found it very difficult to manage a team that was older than me, but ultimately, it was this that shaped our brand ethos. I made plenty of mistakes, but I learnt from each and every one.
Pivoting, not pausing, has been key. It’s a mindset that helped me navigate the closure of our Deptford salon location. We’d chosen the area a few months before Covid hit, but the pandemic led to a real lack of development there. Relocating our loyal team to our Crofton Park salon, a few miles down the road, was our first, most important step before we reimagined the space as an educational academy venture. Here, our apprentices would enjoy a beautifully sustainable space to learn, develop and flourish creatively, with accessible external training provided by our sustainable product partner.
However, despite careful planning, the October 2024 Budget removed the financial support that made a standalone academy viable.
We had to rethink… and fast. Without the ability to sustain a dedicated training space, closing the doors on Deptford became the only realistic option, even though it wasn’t part of our original vision. This wasn’t a failure; it was circumstance. What matters is how you react and adapt when the landscape changes beyond your control.
Instead of seeing it as a setback, we’ve integrated adaptive education into our existing salons while developing a more fluid, flexible in-salon training structure. This has allowed more team members to get involved and keep the Myla and Davis learning culture alive, but without incurring the additional cost of an academy. It’s been a success in a different way – smaller in scale, but closer to our core values and those of our team.
Crisis is a conduit for change, and how you lead during these times is essential.
• Success isn’t just about big milestones or award wins; it’s about the small decisions and affirmative actions we take every day.
• Conflict builds character, but crisis defines it.
Challenge and change are an unavoidable part of running a business, but they help you develop a resilience and skill. set that may surprise you.
• Momentum matters most.
When you pause, you risk losing confidence, visibility and connection with your team and clients. Pivoting and refining your brand offering keeps you in motion, even if the direction changes.
• Managing people within a modern-day salon environment requires a heavy dose of bravery. You’re saying, “trust me. I’ll look after you,” which then requires you to deliver on that promise.
• It’s not about constant reinvention; it’s about evolution.
Staying relevant and true to your values in a changing environment is key. As everything evolves so rapidly, sticking to your business and personal principles is the ultimate bravery. You cannot be all things to all people, but if you believe in your values, you’ll always know which decision to make. For me, it’s honesty and integrity that ultimately make you ‘fearless’. Take the leap and the net will appear…
