The Conscious Salon
Welcome to The Conscious Salon.
Here for the real talk salon owners actually need.
The Conscious Salon Podcast is where salon owners get clear guidance without the fluff. Hosted by Nic & Tess, we break down leadership, team culture, money, client journey, systems and numbers into simple moves you can use this week. Expect straight talk, real stories, lots of laughs and practical frameworks that help you lead well, grow profit, and have a life outside the salon.
You will hear from salon owners, industry leaders and working mums who have done the hard yards. We cover mindset that holds under pressure, meetings that improve your team culture, and the habits that build a self led team.
Follow the show and start with leadership posture, client journey design, and money mindset.
Listen in, implement, and stay conscious.
The Conscious Salon
Buying a commercial salon space - featuring Carla Crowley
What if the gap between where you are and where you want to be is simply how fast you act on what you already know?
In this episode, we sit down with salon owner and mother of two, Carla Crowley, whose quiet fire turned a spare room in Gembrook into a thriving clinic, a trusted team, and now a commercial property that will become her forever business home. Her success didn’t come from hacks or luck, but from decisive action, self-awareness, and a money system that turned stress into structure.
Carla shares how journaling helped her see her progress, how one-on-one mentorship fast-tracked growth, and why speed of implementation beats perfection every time. We unpack real leadership lessons structured one-on-ones, psychological safety, and empowering a team that grows the business with you, not around you.
This episode is a grounded playbook for regional salon and clinic owners ready to grow without burning out. You’ll hear how Carla made bold moves with little cash, secured her dream property, and built a business that runs smoothly while she’s at the Melbourne Show with her kids.
If this story inspires you, follow the show, share it with a salon owner who needs a boost, and leave a quick review telling us one action you’ll take this week.
To follow our journey:
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@the_conscious_salon
This episode of the Contra Salon Podcast is brought to you by Revlon Professional Australia. Welcome back to the Contra Salon Podcast. Our guest today is someone who embodies what happens when discipline meets devotion. She came to us at the Contra Salon just six months ago already holding a quiet fire. The kind that doesn't shout, it just shows up and does the work. From the very beginning, she has been one of the most hardworking, dedicated clients that we have ever had at the Contra Salon. Every conversation, every piece of feedback, every strategy that we've given her, she has taken, implemented, and turned it into results. Her story is one of pure determination. A few short years ago, she was a busy mum of two to Blake and Layla, running her business from a bedroom in her home. She was still trying to find her rhythm, still figuring out how to build something that worked around her family and not against it. And in what feels like the blink of an eye, she has gone from treating friends and family at home to leading and growing a team inside her own thriving clinic in Gembrook, Victoria. She's now also the proud owner, very recently, of a commercial property, which will shortly be her forever home for her business, colour, skin, and beauty. And the next chapter of her incredible vision. But what makes her story so powerful isn't just the speed of her success, it's the intention behind it. She has built this through consistency, trust, and deep commitment to herself, her family, and her clients, empowering women of the hills through self-care. We've had the honor of watching her transform, not just her business, but her confidence, her leadership and her belief in what's possible, especially for regional salon and clinic owners who are listening today. Please welcome to the Conscious Salon podcast our beautiful client and friend, Carla Crowley.
SPEAKER_00:How do you feel hearing you? I feel like you guys tell me all the time, which is like it's kind of sinking in now that I don't just go, you know. I love it. That's why I love you guys though. It's that constant reminder, it's not just every now and again.
SPEAKER_01:You are truly someone who I feel is constantly like on to the next, onto the next, onto the next. Actually having that moment of reflection of like, fuck, I've done this pretty monumental thing in a really short space of time. And I can still see what's ahead of me. But actually looking at that path behind you, it's a pretty exceptional path. Crazy.
SPEAKER_04:And it's weird, like as we talk about this so often, as people in the hair and beauty industry, and probably all entrepreneurs, we have this personality that's just constantly moving, constantly evolving. It's so rare for us to actually stop and go, wow, look what I just did. It's just like we go, okay, cool, that's done. Onto the next thing, onto the next thing, onto the next thing. Ticking off a task. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. But hearing your journey and hearing what you've actually done in such a small amount of time, and we've only known each other for six months. I know it's so wild. I was telling her. Yeah. I was talking to a client and becoming a conscious talent about you the other day, and I was telling her all the things that you'd achieved. But I said, I also need to give you some context because Carla is a person who never wastes time. She implements so fast. She doesn't overthink. She doesn't negotiate the um strategy that we've given her. She just goes straight in, implements it, and that's why you've had such fast, amazing results.
SPEAKER_00:Which to me, I still feel like I don't like implement things straight away. In my mind, I'm like, I don't know. I I still think I'm slow. Or like not slow, but working on being consistent.
SPEAKER_01:Consistency is something I think, especially as entrepreneurs and business owners, and especially as creators, it can be really hard to stay consistent, especially when you've got that creative brain. You've constantly got the ideas going where you have like this thing of like, oh, that sounds cool. And like it's almost like that shiny object where we're like, oh wow, oh what's that? Like, oh yeah, that's cool too. And it's it is really hard to create consistency. But I think even in the small things that you have been doing, of like you take what we say to you and you really do implement it, and like that's what it's like.
SPEAKER_00:It's even like not like yes, the business stuff, definitely, but like I can't believe how much like journaling has helped me. Yeah. Because I think that's made me stop and smell the roses. Like, I literally I think it was before I met you guys, I put a big rose on my b vision board and everyone's like, Why'd you put a rose? And it was to stop and smell the roses because I don't. And then it's like you don't enjoy them because you're just like going, going, going. And nothing's like, I don't know, it doesn't feel special because you haven't stopped, if that makes sense.
SPEAKER_01:I love that.
SPEAKER_00:Whereas I wrote, you know how you put the prompt in in the chat the other day about um writing like a what was it? The three prompts. It was like to my or what my business would thank me for or something. Yeah. And whatever. Well, I did that. Oh my god, I was balling my eyes out. Yeah. But that was a moment where I actually stopped and I was like, whoa. It's such a powerful tool. Yeah. Yeah. It's the intention. Yeah. Yeah. But I just, yeah, just don't stop. So when I did that, I was feeling a bit like, I don't know, the last like week, I don't know, feeling like that anxiousness, but I know it's actually like excitement, which is like what you said, like with the house and everything or the new space, like it's gonna feel a lot. Yeah, but it won't, and then it just does. Like all of a sudden I feel like bang, you know, it's all hit me. So I was like, I need to sit and do those prompts. And then I did it. I was like, ball my eyes out. Then I felt amazing. Yeah. Blake walked in and I was just like, I'm fine, happy tears.
SPEAKER_01:But it's so good that little see this, like it's feeling, and especially for Blake. Like, he's how old's Blake? He's six, six years old. Yeah, he's seeing you, and you're not hiding it, and you're explaining to him like this is okay. Like, I'm he knows I have heaps of happy tears. And which how's we can watch Inside Out and with Bing Bong, I bore my eyes out. Like it's not that movie. Inside is such a good movie. Uh Carla, I want to actually share Nikki, and I'm gonna jump in a bit here.
SPEAKER_04:I want to share how we met because I was gonna ask Carla to share the story. Oh, well, we'll get rather than us telling the story, I want Carla to actually.
SPEAKER_01:Well, because it's different. We both had, I feel like we met. But you guys told the story then. Yeah. I'm gonna start with when I first met Carla.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, I was gonna say, I can't actually, yeah, I want to hear your perspective.
SPEAKER_01:So when we first met, so our town is pretty tiny. Like I think it's like 2,000 people or something in total.
SPEAKER_04:2,000? So there's 20.
SPEAKER_01:There's the town's actually quite the town of Champbrook's actually quite large. It's just that we're all spaced out. So the street where Carla's business is, Main Street has got, is it like 10 shops, maybe? Maybe 10 shops. We've got a couple of cafes, a couple of restaurants, Carla Skin and Beauty, the post office, IGA, bakery, the chicken shop, op shop, which is going. Couple of restaurants, yeah. That's it. Yeah, yeah. So not even 10, 10 shops, maybe. And when I was walking, so I just moved into the area and I was walking along, and then I saw you guys, because I hadn't gone up that way, and I was like, oh my gosh, amazing. Because I was I was traveling originally, this is and I was pregnant. I had been traveling over to North Melbourne, and like the travel as much as I was loving my experience, it was just too I couldn't rationalise it with how far, especially once I had my son here. So I went in and I booked in and always, I always book in eyebrows. That's my thing.
SPEAKER_00:You weren't pregnant yet.
SPEAKER_01:No, I wasn't, that's right. I was like, oh great, there's that and that's right. Because you were like, Yay, I'm pregnant, but I can't get my hair room and I was like, that's right. So I went in, I always book eyebrows. Eyebrows, as you guys can see, are like half my face. If my brows are done well, I don't care, everything else is easy. And I had my first experience with you. And I remember you were like telling me your story, and like I was like, we were just like chitcha, it was like straight away we were just like in sync with each other, and like that's I feel like not a a common thing, certainly not for me. And I was like, wow, this woman's like so inspiring and so cool. And then you asked me what I did, and I was like, Oh, I'm actually a um salon mentor and like blah blah blah.
SPEAKER_00:And you were like No, you said I have a salon and I was like, and then you said something about I should buy next door, and I was like, Yeah, do it.
SPEAKER_01:I don't know, that's right. Yeah, we're just like riffing, and then I said, Oh, I actually mentor as well. And then you said, Oh, I've just started mentoring. And I was like, I remember thinking, damn, I'd already decided I wanted to work with you. And then I came out, we had a beautiful experience together, and then um I, you know, client for life immediately, like, yeah, signed in for the laser, which I then found out I was pregnant two minutes later. So that got cancelled quite quickly. Back on now, though. Very happy about that. And I called you and I said, I have just gone to the most incredible salon. I've met the owner. I said, I know one day we're gonna work with her. She's already working with mentors, which I did say to you, like, continue, like they're amazing. I know them, they're wonderful. But I just said to you, like, I just know one day I was manifesting, I want to work with her.
SPEAKER_04:And like you were so solid. She said, We're gonna work with her, she's amazing. I know we're gonna work with her. That was that was the conversation.
SPEAKER_01:And then it was and I was already listening to your podcast, which was wild because then I didn't know that. Yeah, really. Yeah, so Carla had already somehow found that. So it was really that like fate of like we were meant to to meet and to do because it, yeah, as I said, our town's really tiny and it's such a wild, wild story.
SPEAKER_04:So I want to talk about when we first started working together and how that came about, because we had a call together and it was just before we were launching Becoming Conscious Salon. And I remember saying to you on the call, we have this group program that's happening that you would it would be amazing for you. You'd get so much out of it. Or if you feel like you would be more suited to one-to-one, we can like go ham and you're gonna time collapse and you know, we we literally put it in your court. I remember saying to you, you'd do great in both in both situations, but this one here, you're going to time collapse so much more. Becoming conscious talent is still gonna do great things for you. Talk about what you were going through then, and I want you to really share. I did the leadership course before that. What about that? Yes. You jumped into one of our little containers, yes.
SPEAKER_00:So I think it was because I used to listen to you guys a bit before I knew. I don't know how I didn't put two and two. It's so wild. But I used to think like you guys were like really relatable, and I loved that yours were funny. Because like I can be serious, but I love to just have a laugh.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah.
SPEAKER_00:And so I thought yours were the best. I used to send them to my sister, like, listen to these guys. She's like, What? Listen to the whole podcast. I was like, yeah, but it's funny. And then when we figured out, yeah, you're like, that's my podcast. And I was like, what? Yeah. And straight away I was like, I just signed that week with someone else.
unknown:Yeah.
SPEAKER_00:And then so you guys were just always like, I was always keeping an eye out. And then you launched the leadership course. And I remember I was on the floor sleeping in Layla's room on my phone, and I was looking at it, and what was it, 400 something? And I was like, I think it was the before, like it was the discounted price, whatever. And I was like, I'm just gonna do it, done. I just knew that the way that you guys worked, that I could move quickly and I'd get so much out of it. So what was it? I kind of remember what made me decide to contact you about doing one-on-one. I knew I just wanted to move from who I was with because I was just bored, I guess. And I wanted to be like pushed. And I remember, no, that was when I was like really anxious. Like, I reckon I was mentally, I remember I was looked up your file. I was just gonna like stalk you because I knew you could just help me. Because I was like, I just need Tess right now. Yeah. Which I remember that saying it to like Jess at the time. I was like, I just want to call Tess, but she'd probably be like, We don't even want to hear that. Like, what do you mean? Yeah, exactly. Hey, it's an eyebrow lady, but I'm like falling apart. Um, and then I was just like, no, I just know I need it more than business, which is like obviously I get so much out of business. We've done so much, but I think I needed to sync with people that were like me, if that makes sense. The community. Yeah, that community. So that's why I was like, I'm gonna do it. And then I was so worried that I knew price would be an issue for me because at 300 bucks we were like pretty much just making ends meet with all I worried about was paying Jess, and that's all I cared about. And so yeah, when Nick told me the price, and she's like, this is like have us completely. And I always laugh because I'm like that with like my mum. If my mum sees of like, let's say the Dyson Vacuums, there's four versions. I always say to her, like, why do you even look at the first version? Because you want the best. She never wants anything less. Does that make sense? And I'm like that, that I'm like, you're gonna dangle that in my face. I'm gonna want one-on-one. I don't want anything else. Yeah. I financially shouldn't have made it happen. And yet, but I remember I got off it and I wrote down the amount and I was like, it's kind of insane. Like, I can't, I can't make that happen, but I will. And then I think we couldn't start for a couple of months or got pushed out for some reason. We had no we didn't have a space. Yeah. Or like it was some Monday, and in my mind, I was like, that's fine, because I'm still like collecting my pennies. Um, you're making it sound like we're 10 grand.
SPEAKER_04:I'm happy to talk about our price, and people are always like hesitant. Yeah, absolutely. So we charge$600 a week for our one-to-one mentoring. And we literally come on as a part of your business. So we're like a team member in your business. And it's uncommon for us not to speak every day, Monday to Friday. And you literally get everything. That's all the retreats that we do, every single course that we do, one hour a week with us. Our EA works on our team's businesses, like it's just it's literally us in every capacity. But when you have$300 in your account, when you got$300 in your account, that is great.
SPEAKER_00:And who I was with was well, I can say their price, it doesn't matter. I'm not mentioning them. But I think it was$140 a fortnight.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah. So it's a huge, yeah, huge investment.
SPEAKER_00:But that's why I remember saying to you like something like, But you're gonna promise me that like I'll get I'll get my money's worth or something. And you were like, Yeah, yeah, of course, of course. I just had so much faith that like you guys wouldn't, why would you take me on if it hasn't been proven with other people that you've got the roadmap? Does that make sense?
SPEAKER_04:And it depends on the person. Like we're so we're so um conscious of who we bring into one-on-one. It's not just like, oh, someone says I want to work with you and then go come into one-on-one. It has to be a really specific type of person because we have a duty of care to make sure that they get a good return on investment. Our plan is to work with people and have a sustainable business, not to have someone come in and struggle and like financially bleed to death and then kick get their ass kicked out the door. That's not gonna be good for anyone. But I think that's really interesting because you had literally 300 bucks in your account and you went with your gut intuition. And what happened? Oh, it's just exploded.
SPEAKER_00:I think in my overflow account at the moment, it's like 10 grand. But I haven't assigned to anything yet in my buckets. That's just because my buckets are getting full. So now I'm like a little bit lazy with filling those buckets, but it's there.
SPEAKER_04:But I think that's really inspir will be really inspiring to other salon owners for them to take that step, whether it's like, you know, it maybe with another mentor that they resonate with.
SPEAKER_00:It was the str I think the biggest difference if you look like business-wise, is the structure you guys have and and obviously the consistency and the point of being on like with one-on-one is to have that accountability. Like, because of course you're gonna do the work. And I think that was once you said, or one of you said, you know, uh reply to these messages or like don't let things go. And it was mind-blowing to me that anyone else that may work with you like wouldn't do that, because like that's the whole point of me wanting to be with you guys to like keep up with you.
SPEAKER_01:Otherwise, someone that is consistently a high achiever though, like sporting-wise, like you have always achieved really, really high. You are someone that will like have a goal and you will get to it, and it's like rare that you don't hit it, like even when we set our goals like weekly with your numbers of like, cool, what feels stretchy? And you'll be like, that's stretchy, and it's like pretty rare if you don't like hit it, it'll be just under it. Like, and you can like truly outdo yourself with that. But I think of how much from witnessing, and especially because we did have that time together prior where I was just hearing about your business as a client and like from a like obviously what you want to share in that sense, not that everyone, you know, you're not giving all the secrets, but like we we'd have that that safety with each other for full.
SPEAKER_00:I was not lost, but that's when I was very much like I felt like I was going around in circles, and I hate that. I am a goal, yeah, I am a very driven person, but I need to know where I'm going. Exactly. And even if I'm going there, I'm looking at the next one.
SPEAKER_01:It's the visionary that you truly are that word. So since we started and like creating that, because you've been able to create such a uh you truly, I feel created such clarity for yourself of like really understanding like the vision of your business, the people that you want in the business, the community that you want to be serving with that business, and how that's going to then create, you know, effectively the legacy piece now with buying the commercial space. But even how you've done that, you guys got the keys and we're painting it pretty much the same day and pulling carpets up and getting things happening. Like it's that you are consistently moving forward. But the biggest thing I've seen from in terms of like knowing you personally and professionally, like as a client that's in your space, as your mentor, and also I consider you a friend as well. With that, the growth and the absolute unwavering like belief is so fucking inspiring and it's so rare. And I know that that's just part of who you are, but the way that I witness you put like declare something and then go after it, and that 180 from where you were when when you know you were starting to where you are now, you have truly exploded. Where this, you know, in this teeny tiny town, you have become the authority and people travel, you know, significant distances and invest in your brand because of what you've created and the humans that you have in there. Such a credit to you. Like, I really want to honor you for that because it you have really been, you are that bitch that has come in and like done, learnt the things, implemented them, done the work, and this is a result. I want to talk about especially with Ryan, like your beautiful husband, happiest manager and brook dad likes to refer Ryan.
SPEAKER_00:You better shout me out because I know Tessa Nick will absolutely right.
SPEAKER_04:Here we are, King. It's so funny because I weirdly met him at a coffee shop. I was with my dad, and my dad wants to talk to everyone. And Ryan was walking into the coffee shop, we were walking out, and dad said, G'day, how are you going? And then him and Ryan started having a conversation. And then as he was walking away, I saw the logo, his company logo, gem crate, and I was like, Whoa, I think that's Carla's husband. So I said, Stop, I'm Nick, and introduce myself. And dad calls him the happiest manager. And he does. Yeah, but he's absolutely right.
SPEAKER_01:But I want to so now you guys have taken on the commercial space and you're now creating it and like truly you're like in it the minute. Like there's someone there like every day. Yeah, like and really, and like it has been what's it's probably one of the worst kit secrets in Jim Brook because I feel like it well, we did have it under wraps for a while, and then someone like blabbed it to someone and now it's like all getting in.
SPEAKER_00:I wish she went into spin the system.
SPEAKER_01:So yeah, thanks to thanks babe for like letting that out of the bag. But even with that, like Nikki and I got the privilege of going into the space recently and like seeing where you've got to tell the story of where we're at retreat and how it came out.
SPEAKER_04:I just think this is the coolest thing.
SPEAKER_01:I know it's like there's so many things. But even with like when we went and saw it, like what you are, that is the legacy piece with that. Like what you are now gonna be taking, because you you where you are, you you've done what you can in that space. Like you can't grow further.
SPEAKER_00:It's not even that I've done what I can. You can obviously like make it busier and every room have someone in it at every time and people waiting, but it's not what I want. I feel like you guys too, like, it just doesn't hit the mark. It's not, yeah, it's too loud, it's too small, it's too cold. It's because this other vision is just it's so solid. It's screaming at me. Yeah, it's that I'm like, okay, I gotta get out.
SPEAKER_01:I do, I think that's a great time actually to talk about retreat because we we don't we were still in our infancy, infancy of working with you when you came to retreat. I think so too. Like it was very early on. Because I remember we were like, you know, we really want to make sure that like Carla's feeling really supported and really good. Because I have this like core memory of you when we're talking about like what you've like gotten out of it, and it was like a journal prompt or like what you got at the retreat, and you like locked eyes at me and you mouthed, like and I said, write that. Yeah, and I thought that was so beautiful. But that was where I met everyone. That's where you met everyone, yeah. And I think with that, you also had the it was going through the deal of potentially like it was starting the negotiations of whether or not you guys were gonna get the house. So it's it is a house that's turning into a commercial space, and it was kind of happening, and like we were like, wow, you're like pretty cool, calm, and collected, considering this is like very stressful time. But you were like having their messages, and when we're in another session, there'd always be a couple of messages for you to get back to.
SPEAKER_00:And every time we went on break, we were like, Yeah. Well, I think it wasn't all the girls were like, offer 10 grand less. And it's like, what do I do? I don't know.
SPEAKER_01:Everyone was giving in their teenagers. It was this real moment, but it had like such a buzz around it. And then I remember it was like a lunch break, and we were just all just kind of like chatting, and like everyone was just kind of coming in, and Carla had been out for a little bit, and she came back in and she just kind of came over, and I think it was like some lollies and you grabbed some lollies, probably. Super cool, and she was just like very didn't say like someone was talking, and then when it finished, Carla was like, We got the house. Like, what?
SPEAKER_04:We lost it screaming, jumping up and down. Like, I don't think I was that excited when I found an hour. It was just like, oh my god, our lives are gonna change. This is so incredible, it was so wild. And just to come in and say, like, it was so cool. It was very cool. But yeah, that was such a moment as well. Such a moment to be able to purchase a commercial property and the space, like when I close my eyes and I think about how that will feel for you the day that you open that space is just like it's unbelievable. Unbelievable, unbelievable. I cannot believe what you've done in the amount of times.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, it's amazing.
SPEAKER_04:Carlo, I want to ask you, what's been the most challenging thing with mentorship in the last six months?
SPEAKER_00:I can't say nothing, can I? No, no. She's she'll I know I know the silver lining in literally anything. Literally, like what I was thinking was like how you ask people, because of course I've got to run through every scenario in my head when you say, like, what's the hardest moment in business or whatever that you ask people? But I don't really find things hard. Like they're just a I don't know, you just break it down and do the next thing. I don't know. Challenging. What have you found challenging about mentorship? Honestly, like nothing. With like one on I think that's why if if I was in that group container, I would have got bored. That would have been challenging. Like just in general, if I'm in a group setting with people, I'll just then not start like mucking around, but then I get like off track. But I think being one-on-one, I can't do that. I can't run away, yeah. Yeah. And I don't, like, I don't want to do that. Like I want to be like, hey guys, what like you said the other day, what's the next thing? Ticket off, what's the next thing? And I know you guys know me so well that it won't ever get to that stage. Because like you might tell me to do this next thing, but you've already got the next two things lined up. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:I think that is a big part of like one-on-one though, because you do it, it's where you you we do put ourselves and your businesses, and it is something where you can start really seeing, like, okay, this could be really cool and this could be really. And it's like that, like, I guess, silent business partner that doesn't like you know, at the end of the day, we just recommend and you get to choose and take what you think from it. But it is that real personalized part where we can start being like, okay, cool, what what do we think would work? And like you do, you get to like really create together, which I think is the real magic with it.
SPEAKER_04:I think that's also something with the higher investment as well. The higher investment, you got to make sure you get your money's worth. 100%. So it's like even for Tess and I, when we've had, because our mentorship that we're investing in at the moment, we've got a couple of different mentors for things, and we're averaging about 1800 bucks a week in mentorship. So between 1800 bucks a week and like 1900 bucks a week at the moment. So for us to be our best level, putting that money on the line versus when we've sat in containers and spent, you know,$300 a week and done nothing and participated in nothing, versus like you bet your ass for that$1,800. We're there and we're like top of the class, front row in everything, like being there, non-negotiable. It's such a different return on investment. This versus this.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah. And that's what I think. I don't know. There was one comment. I don't know, like there was something you must have asked, and not everyone did it, or something. And yeah, I kind of sat there being like, why wouldn't you? Because yeah, that's otherwise I wouldn't be here.
SPEAKER_03:You know what I mean?
SPEAKER_00:Like, why would I want to just be like, hey guys, oh yeah, no, I didn't do it. Or like, maybe, yeah, no, like I'm all in. That's the whole reason that I came to you guys. You are all in.
SPEAKER_04:Carla, I want to know what's your how has your relationship with money changed working with us?
SPEAKER_00:Well, definitely my buckets. All my buckets are set up. Um like money management. Money management, yeah. Better systems. I know every Friday I sit, look at everything, split it all up. I think I used to spend too much as well. I was always scared that, you know, we wouldn't have, well, like you know, like our product sales are pretty good. And I hate that if there's nothing on the shelf, like I would think it's gonna be a missed opportunity. But um, yeah, so I would overspend. Whereas now I'm much more like, I don't really work to a budget yet. We're about to say we went to start that and then something happened. Well then the house came. And we're like, oh, we've got to pause that. We've got to do this now, yeah. Um, but no, I've got so much better. And I know that you have to give to get. Like I think that's the biggest thing. Yeah, that's amazing. Yeah, like me and Ryan say that all the time. I think we're not scared of that.
SPEAKER_01:You trust you both of you trust yourselves to make that up and more. So whatever the the investment is, you know that that's coming back to you tenfold.
SPEAKER_00:We always say, like, does it make sense? Like, do you need it? And will that then make you more than what you're spending? Then do it. Like it doesn't really matter, it's irrelevant of the price. Absolutely.
SPEAKER_04:Your leadership has changed so much since we've been working together. That's my biggest takeaway from what you've done. Like, obviously, the the logical things like the way that you've grown your wealth, the way that you've invested in things, the way that you've you know purchased the commercial property, changed your business, tightened up so many aspects of your business. But for Tess and I looking at you, the biggest win and the biggest thing that we're proud of with you is your leadership style and the way that you lead your team and the way that you nurture and empower and hold accountable and inspire. Inspire. Yeah, inspire the girls. What do you feel has changed the most in your leadership?
SPEAKER_00:I think it's just like giving it a beat, just stopping and not being so reactive. Obviously, not everyone thinks like I do. And sometimes I can be a bit hotheaded. And so knowing that I think putting in like the meetings or blockout times or training times, like getting myself organized, so then I'm not just go, go, go, and I'm not gonna just not explode. I definitely wasn't explosive, but like drop little comments at random times. So I think like having meetings where I sit and like one-on-one meetings, I literally have to say to the girls, I'm not allowed to talk. If I start talking, just like give me the eyes or something, because that's your time to talk. Um, and I think that's been one of the best things, just stopping and listening and yeah, not being as reactive.
SPEAKER_01:I love that. Carlo and I are very similar, like that. I think that's where like you're me and I'm you, that's why we understand each other so well. It's like, oh yes, yes, yes, we do do that. Because I feel like if we were working together, I'd be like, water off a duct's back. I could I well, we can. I can be direct with you and you can receive it, and you can be direct with me and I can receive it.
SPEAKER_00:I can be blunt as hell sometimes. Yeah, that's what like mum will say, like me and dad can talk to each other and it sounds so rude. Like you said something the other day, and I was like, I could just tell something was wrong. I said, What's wrong? And he's like, busy. I was like, get a worker.
unknown:Nah.
SPEAKER_00:Why? Just get one. Like that's how we talk. But yeah, I've got much better at being softer. Yeah. Which I really see you in that. It's been Which I think in the past, managing girls, like I used to just be like, Far yeah, like just do it. We yeah, and we would just butt heads. Like, I remember a girl crying because someone had said something to her that upset her. And I looked at her and I just said, like, what do you mean? Or just ignore her. She's just like, oh god, ignore her. She was in like a mess, but I was like, pull yourself together. Whereas now, like with my team, obviously, I'd never be like that.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah.
SPEAKER_00:You're onto things before things, you know.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah. And having that moment of like recognizing, I think, as you said, like, not everyone thinks the way that I think or can handle it the way that I do. How do I like stop and support them in a way that's gonna best suit them?
SPEAKER_00:Because I do, yeah, I will think of things, like even coming here today. Like, I ran through like everything in my head. So like I'm a very prepared person, I'm a very organized person, but a lot of people aren't like that. And I'll ask them a question and be like, Well, didn't you think about it? Nah. And I'm like, what do you mean? You can't do things on the fly.
SPEAKER_01:But you have done it on the fly though, because you've not we don't have any questions. No running machine. No, that's what I mean.
SPEAKER_00:But oh yeah, I I have to like prepare myself. Yeah, get in the zone. Yeah, and a lot of other people are like, nah, just rock up and it is what it is. And in my mind, I'm like, that makes no sense.
SPEAKER_04:Which it really goes into why you're such a high achiever. Yeah. Carla, before we wrap, I want to ask you if you could go back to that version of yourself six months ago or even 12 months ago. That version of you that was feeling really anxious or feeling like you lacked direction or you're feeling bored. And if you could look her eye to eye right now and she was scared, and you know, maybe she was considering mentorship, what would you say to her?
SPEAKER_00:Just do it. Keep putting yourself in rooms that you technically shouldn't be. Not shouldn't be, but it doesn't make sense. Well, it made no sense me contacting you with$300 in my account. But I still just knew that I needed to be held. I needed to be like, just stop. This is the vision, and here's the clarity, I can go.
SPEAKER_04:Wow. I love that.
SPEAKER_01:That just got me right in the heart.
SPEAKER_04:Carla, we are so unbelievably proud of you. And obviously, it's a beautiful ad for us to sit here in front of you. And you know, we can talk about all of the great things that you've achieved with the way that you've transformed your rebooking rate to create consistent business for you where you don't feel like you have to have gaps everywhere and fill them up. You've literally 8X'd your numbers or something wild like that, creating consistency with your finances and being able to like have 10K sitting in an account that's unaccounted for um at the moment. Those things are amazing, but the most transformations that we've seen in you have really come from you. And it's those messages, you know, when you sent that message the other day of a photo of you with the kids at the Melbourne show. Yeah. You know, while your clinic's operating and you've got two incredible therapists in there who we have the privilege of having treatments with, and you send those photos through, that is the moment where we go, oh fuck yeah. That is literally creating business that works for us and our families and to be there for our kids and actually have a business that works for us rather than us working for our business. 100%. You must be so proud of yourself, girl. I'm so proud of myself.
SPEAKER_00:Even when people ask me how often do you work? And like I'm pretty honest. But they I guess they don't know how hard I work when I work. And they're like, but how? You know, that's not possible. And I'm like, well, it is. Like, why do people some people are just like this limiting beliefs, you know? But yeah, even like my team this morning messaged me saying, like, have the best time on the podcast. I can't wait to hear it. Like, you're gonna kill it. And I'm like, these girls are like in my corner.
SPEAKER_01:They are, but you've created that. Like, that is alignment, that is like you being so clear on like what you're wanting to do and how you're wanting it to like this. This is where you do the work, you get the results. Credit to you. Absolutely. Because not everyone can do this work. So I'm so grateful you did. I'm just so I'm so grateful that you're here, you shared your story. Thank you. You inspire the fuck out of us. I know you're gonna inspire everyone watching this. Thank you so much for joining us today.
SPEAKER_04:Thank you. Thank you guys for listening to another episode of the Conscious Allen podcast. Love you guys, stay conscious.
