The Conscious Salon

"I became a salon owner at 17" with Karla Daddo

• Nicola and Tessa • Season 1 • Episode 175

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A 17-year-old with salon keys and no driver’s licence. Two decades later, Karla Daddo steps into a new season, trading a bustling team-based salon for DOYENNE., a luxury rental-chair space built to give freelancers real freedom, community, and profit. 

We dive deep into the moments that shaped her: early sabotage and isolation, the kitchen-table bookkeeping with her nan, the rebrand to BRONDE., and the powerful shift that happened when numbers finally told the truth. It’s raw, honest, and full of practical wisdom for anyone who’s ever wondered if a “successful” business can still be the wrong fit.

We unpack how Karla recognised that good doesn’t always mean right, why identity can tangle with work, and what it takes to detach self-worth from daily salon outcomes. Then we go inside DOYENNE.: why a rental-chair model can be more than a chair, how a resource library and smart pricing tools change the first years of business, and the myth-busting behind “there’s no money in hairdressing.” If you’re a stylist craving autonomy without loneliness, or an owner flirting with a pivot, this conversation offers a blueprint that blends numbers, boundaries, and heart.

You’ll hear frank talk about money, mentorship, and designing work that serves your life. You’ll also hear the invitation to pause, strip back the people-pleasing, and ask the only question that matters: what do you want?

Subscribe for more grounded conversations on salon leadership, freelance success, and building a creative business that actually supports you. If the episode resonates, share it with a stylist who’s ready for their next brave step and leave us a review to help more owners find this conversation.

To follow our journey:
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@the_conscious_salon

SPEAKER_00:

I never realized that you wear that headset. Do you wear that the whole way through? It looks like uh um like Macca's drive-thru. Amazing. All right, cool. Can you put the timer on?

SPEAKER_04:

Yeah, sure. No worries. You look sexy. I'm here. Oh my god.

SPEAKER_00:

Okay, so the most important thing is like if you say something that you're like, what did I just say? Don't worry. At the end, just say, Hey, I hated that part, and then we'll take it out. Yeah, that's their job.

unknown:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

Fix me. We'll make it like so. Just if you in five minutes time, you'll feel super relaxed. Yeah. The first five minutes is always like groovy.

SPEAKER_01:

Cool.

SPEAKER_00:

Ready to go? Yeah. Welcome back to the Conscious Salon podcast. Tess, we've got someone very special in here today.

SPEAKER_01:

Thank you so much. So it's been a while since I've done that, actually. That joke all the time.

SPEAKER_00:

Three years this podcast remaining. You've literally done it. I've given it a break. Anyway, it's not me, guys.

SPEAKER_01:

Spoiler, it's not me.

SPEAKER_00:

It's not you. But it is one of our incredible private private clients and also a friend of ours who we've it. I actually had to sit down with us where you can really think about how long we'd known each other. We've actually known each other for 10 years. Wow. So I have written you a little intro. Nikki's written you a vow to know. I know that it's gonna be you're gonna be like squirming because you are not a person who likes attention. So excellent that we've brought you into the podcasting studio. That's right. And we've locked the door, so she can't leave. But I I really want you to be present and listen to this because what you've achieved in your 20 years as a business owner is insane. She was a salon owner before she could legally vote. 14 and shampooing, an apprentice by 16, and at 17, she was handed the keys to a hairdressing salon in Gippsland, Victoria. That same year, after leaving home, a friend's family took her in. It felt like more people wanted her to fail than succeed. She learned business by bleeding for it. For a decade, she lived at the salon six days a week, 12 hours a day. It was identity more than income. In 2016, everything shifted. She hired her first mentor, which is actually where we met. This actually made me so emotional when I was writing this because we're all getting a bit boosty on the street. I always knew your story from when we met 10 years ago. But exactly.

SPEAKER_01:

But Aiden, we're gonna need the tissues early today.

SPEAKER_00:

We bleed this podcast studio dry with tissues. Yeah, thank you for that.

SPEAKER_01:

Um we really need to bring our own, actually.

SPEAKER_00:

Knowing knowing your story, but then actually sitting and thinking about that as a 17-year-old was actually really confronting when I was writing this. Over the years, she has invested in her skill set heavily, making her one of Victoria's most sought-after bridal stylists. Suddenly, numbers had meaning. She shifted from I'm a hairdresser to I'm a business owner. She rebirthed her salon with a rebrand, leaning into her passion for colouring, fondly calling the salon bronze. Her team grew, shrank, and grew again. And after 20 years in business, life called for a different kind of courage. Pregnancy, postpartum depression, and the realization that the business model had to change if she was going to lead and live on her own terms. This year she has backed herself a hundred percent. She has rebranded, restructured, and transformed a pr a prestigious Gippsland space into a rent a chair home for freelancers named Doen. It is the story of grit growth and a woman who refuses to be defined by how it's always been done. We want to welcome to the Conscious Salon podcast, our beautiful friend and private client, Carla Dado.

SPEAKER_01:

Thank you. That's so special. How do you feel?

SPEAKER_04:

I hadn't even said a word and I was already crying.

SPEAKER_01:

It's phenomenal though, isn't it? Like actually looking at your journey.

SPEAKER_04:

Yeah. Um, definitely like when you asked me to come on, obviously, I was terrified and I was like, I don't know about this. Um, but I really had to think like what have I done in 20 years, like looking back, how did it start? Because you said, like, how did it start? I don't like it was so long ago I hadn't really thought much about it. Um and going back, I was and the same, I was like, oh my god, like I was only 17 years old, like I was just a child. Yeah. Um, and I did so much. And I think now that I have kids, um, like my oldest is seven, I was like, that's in 10 years' time. Like, I just can't imagine that she would do something like that at 17. Ariana would be a great solemn owner.

SPEAKER_01:

Which is she puts the boss in bossy for sure. No, deal with it.

SPEAKER_00:

She will be a CEO of the CEO of your house at the moment. Um, I wanna, you've got such an incredibly unique story. And it's really funny because you are so shy you shy so much away from the spotlight. So a lot of people probably, even if they know you, they probably don't know the depth of your story. No. But being a salon owner at 17 years old is wild. And even though it was obviously an incredible opportunity that your family presented to you, it's hectic.

SPEAKER_01:

It's so big.

SPEAKER_00:

So, can we talk about it? How did you get your hands on a salon at 17?

SPEAKER_04:

Um, so my boss, she was retired, no longer in the salon, and I had managers in place, so no one like the managers didn't want to buy it. Um I was very, very close to my grandparents. They raised me, so I was really close to them. They are very successful um farmers, so they knew a lot about business. And my boss went to them and said, Would you like to buy the salon for Carla? And they said yes. I did not know anything about this.

SPEAKER_01:

Is this crazy just that that conversation's happened about you, which you weren't even like, would you like to do this? Just like yeah, we'll just do this and she'll love it. Yeah, it's so full on that. I just can't even. I think back to when Nikki and I were so young when we started our salon, but we were just like, fuck, it'd be fun to work together. Like, let's just do this. That wasn't even on your like radar, I would imagine it.

SPEAKER_04:

That age. Back then at trade school, we did like this collage thing where we cut pictures out of magazines and named a salon. I was like, oh, how fun. I'll do that one day. And I've obviously said, Oh, like I built my own salon out of magazines today. Wow. So they're like, Oh, here you go then.

SPEAKER_00:

It's wild. So how did that conversation actually happen?

SPEAKER_04:

I actually don't remember. And I was talking to my nan the other day, and she was like, Oh, I can't remember either. I love it.

SPEAKER_00:

No one remembers. Loved it out. So when you were 17, yeah, you you obviously did the rest of the team know that you own the salon, or did they think that Nan owned the salon?

SPEAKER_04:

Oh so it was definitely no, so because I wasn't old enough, it actually went into my brother's name until I turned 18. So you wouldn't even yeah, so I wasn't allowed to.

SPEAKER_00:

I was more thinking, I was like, did we like can you please pick up your boss for work today? Because I can't drive. So that was still happening.

SPEAKER_01:

That was still happening. Christmas party will be mocktails and soft drinks because I can't buy them.

SPEAKER_04:

Yeah. Um no, so that was definitely still happening. I was still getting lifts to work. Um and the salon actually was like registered in my brother's name until I turned 18. Um, and then when I turned 18, it was changed over into my name. And I at 17 became like my manager's boss, I guess, which was awful. Yeah, I feel like it was it's like it was. It was really bad. Yeah, I was like 17. They were, I'm just guessing maybe in their 30s. Like I I can't even remember how old they were, but they're a lot older, and just a lot changed. Like I then learned some lessons very quickly on that not everyone wanted me to win. So they sabotage when I say they, there was like one manager that like tried to sabotage that as much as possible. Um trying to turn the team against me, making up rumors, wild rumors that I'd slept with their partners and stuff like that. So there was like team leaving, but I didn't know why. Like it took me a long time to figure out why. Um, but I was like a baby, I wasn't even like having sex, let alone sleeping with like what's that old man?

SPEAKER_01:

Just be with my poster.

SPEAKER_04:

Definitely wasn't sleeping with old men. Yeah, totally. And then um, like friends that I was going to trade school with, like I'd made really good friends, and they'd also own salons as well. They're a little bit older than me. Um, and then as soon as I bought the salon, they no longer spoke to me, spoke badly about me. Um, and it was all very like I don't really remember it all that well, but it was just a lot. Like I just remember it being a lot. I'd obviously left school and all my friends were still at school, so I felt a little bit on the outer there as well. So I was like really lost. I'd been kicked out of home, so I was like living with my girlfriends, parents. Um, so like personally, professionally, everything was like really weird for a long time. She was how many like how long did that go on for? I don't know. I I feel like the first five years in business, well, because so much was happening, like there was a lot going on in my personal life around family and stuff like that. Um I just like pretty much acted as if I was still employed by someone. Everything just like nothing really changed. I didn't make any big changes, which was the plan to begin with. No big changes, let's just feel it out, see how it goes. Um but yeah, as long as I had money for like my rent and my car repayment and like alcohol on the weekends, I was like happy ass. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

But you couldn't buy. I'm so happy. Just out the front. As long as I had booze and you're gonna buy me alcohol or I'm gonna fire you. That would have been a really good power move. So with that manager that was like creating their problems for you, did they stay in the business or did they? They did for a little while. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, that's so I just like am literally putting myself in your shoes at 17 years old.

SPEAKER_04:

Yeah, and I was just like, Wow, because these were like women that were so much older than me, and I was like, it was I just didn't get it, I didn't understand.

SPEAKER_00:

Um yeah, it was it really did make me super emotional reading that because when I think about our friends' kids, like you know, Rachel's kids who were who are 18 and 16, I was like, oh my god, the thought of them owning a business and how would that look? And even just day-to-day, even the thought of them working full-time seems like a huge responsibility. And it really it it really felt monumental. Yeah. So actually, with your permission, I'd love to share something that you wrote and shared with us before recording. I love my little notes. I'm terrified of your little notes. I just think it sums up so true, exactly what you were going through. My grandparents bought the salon when I was 17. That same year I left home and my best friend's parents took me in. It felt like there were more people hoping I would fail than not. Those first few years were tough and lonely. For years, my nan helped me with all the books, payroll, and accounting. Back then, there was no such thing as mentors or advisors or social media. Our accountant never really had any advice or input. I was just figuring it out on my own and making mistakes. I don't actually remember how old I was when I finally took over everything completely without any help from my Nan. The first 10 years is blurry. Whoa. Yeah. Yeah. It's huge, isn't it? Makes me teary. Yeah, yeah. So when you think about those first ten years in business where you fell and made a lot of mistakes, what comes up for you?

SPEAKER_04:

Um I I honestly like it is a blur. Like as you said, we I f had to figure out when that first mentor was. That was ten years ago, which means the first ten years. Like I remember taking over the salon, but I really don't remember anything before then. Like, not anything before then. Business was good. Like it was really good. I met my husband, we traveled a lot, we traveled the world. Um like I had good systems in place where I was able to leave. Like we went to like Europe for six weeks and all I did was pays, like I didn't have to do anything. Like I had figured it out, but like not to my standards now. Very different. Yeah, like extremely different. Yeah. Wow. It is so easy. I just thought I was living the dream. Like it was right, yeah. But I until I got a mentor. Yeah. And I was like, oh, this is what it is.

SPEAKER_00:

I want to know, Carla, what did your salon feel like when it was at its best? Like the the when you had a team in place, obviously we're gonna talk about the shift to Dwayne. Yeah, what did it feel like when it was at its absolute best?

SPEAKER_04:

Um it was great, like it was really good. I had a lot of flexibility. Um I could come and go as I wanted, but I was also like I'd put my whole identity into that salon. I worked a lot, James did FIFO, so I was able to, like, he wasn't around, so I was able to work six days a week, 12 hour days, and I loved it. I did like there was not a day that I woke up and was like, I don't want to go into the salon.

SPEAKER_01:

Like I really did love it. Three kids, I feel like it's like it's so easy to, and especially when your husband's away, it's like fuck it, I'm working on it. Yeah, why not? Yeah, why don't you?

SPEAKER_04:

I'm like I'm 20 years old, I've got all the energy in the world.

SPEAKER_01:

Exactly. I still feel like you've got that energy. Like sometimes it's so hard to get you to like sit. Like the fact that you haven't moved yet. I'm like, wow, we're doing well.

SPEAKER_00:

Like, let's get going. Um, on the flip side, what did the salon feel like when it was at its worst?

SPEAKER_04:

Um, it was fucking hard, like really hard. It makes you second guess yourself, it makes you really question if you should even do this, if um you're even capable of it. Like my self-worth and my self-trust was very wrapped up in a lot of that. So when things were like, I shouldn't say when things were failing, like if I'd had a failure, if something didn't work out, if something wasn't going great, I really put that onto myself and was like, I'm shit, I'm no good at this, why am I doing this? What am I thinking? Like, I really put that on myself a lot, and I still do a lot. Wow, I'm a I'm a lot better, but I still can do that.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah. That feeling is so relatable though. Like, I feel like that thing of like, why am I doing this? Like it's on those hard days, and I often say this to um Mick, my partner, because sometimes he'll come home and he'll be, or if I come home and I'm like upset or like I've had a you know tricky day or whatever it is, especially when I was in the salon, and he'd be like, Oh, just don't worry about it, and just like you know, don't like and I'd be like, I don't have that privilege, like I don't get to not worry about it, I have to worry about it, and I have to worry about it constantly because if I don't worry about it, there's no one else that I can turn to to be like, or you know, well, I kind of do actually. Like, hello. But it's it is, it can be such a thing of like, I don't have that privilege of just being like, it's five o'clock, I'm done. Like, that's that's me wrapped. That's it's so much responsibility and that feeling of just that can like what am I doing this for? Like, and how can I keep doing it? I'm really grateful you shared that because I know that there's gonna be so many people who are gonna be hearing your words and being like, fuck, I feel that. Like, that is, and you're gonna be now showing them what's on the other side as well, which is so exciting.

SPEAKER_00:

Paula, what was the point where so obviously you had Salon 43? Yeah, you rebranded to bronze. I remember that rebranding launch as well.

SPEAKER_01:

It was such a massive like moment, it was so exciting. I just remember thinking it was such a cool because you got into bronze before people were like saying the word. Before it was a super common phone, it's a clever, like iconic move by you.

SPEAKER_00:

It was very cool, and then you had there was a point where your team grew to 10, I want to say. I was thinking I was like, I should have freaking known this.

SPEAKER_04:

You know, there were so many.

SPEAKER_00:

Yes, we did, yeah, and then I remember that's so cool. Yeah, definitely.

SPEAKER_04:

And then there was still like one missing out of that, and then one had just left, so there was another two on top of that. Yeah, so it was a big team.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, it was like a it's a real it's a gaggle. You had you had a whole gang of girls over in the game. Was it a bunch of geese?

SPEAKER_00:

I think so. Gaggle geese. Gaggle geese, yeah. That's great. But you had a really big team, and then the team shrunk. Yeah, and then you obviously decided to take your next big move. So you had this bustling salon, you could have kept employing people, and you know, this salon's obviously gifted you so much over the years, and you've put blood, sweat, and tears into it. Yeah, and then you came to us one day, we were working together, and you said, I've got an idea. I've got an idea.

SPEAKER_01:

I want to change everything.

SPEAKER_00:

I've got an idea.

SPEAKER_04:

What was my idea?

SPEAKER_01:

It was a massive moment though. So let's talk about that. How did you come up with Doen?

SPEAKER_04:

Um, it was actually in 2020.

SPEAKER_01:

So I was with the pandemic, had a lot of ideas in our um one-on-one corner.

SPEAKER_04:

So it was actually, I was with a different mentor. I was in Queensland, and I was going through the bronze um rebrand and the fit out and like doing everything like that. So it was actually March, so we came back from that retreat. But I remember in that retreat thinking, like, I want something else, this is not what I want, but I didn't have any clue. I felt really lost in myself. Um, but I didn't know what it was, and I'm a firm believer in if you're not happy, then change it. But I didn't know what it was, and I didn't know why I was unhappy. I didn't had no fucking idea what it was. Um, but then COVID happened, so like who cares about that? If you're unhappy, bad luck, you just keep on going. Um, and then we come out of COVID, and it's hard to tell yourself that it's not what you want when it's so good. Like the salon was so good. I had all these teams. Um, I loved it. I never lost the um passion for what I was doing. I didn't not love the salon. So then coming to the point where I was like, I don't want this anymore was a low, like it took years to like figure that out.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, wow. That is one of the most I I that will stay with me for a long time. It's hard to tell yourself that it's not what you want when it's so good. Yeah, it's yeah, huge. So then you came in and said, I've got this idea. Yeah, I'm going to completely pivot. And I'm going to uh just work on my chair and have my own business run by Caladado. And then I'm gonna turn the salon into the most incredible luxury space for freelancers, which it hasn't it hasn't really become like a massive, massive, massive thing in Victoria yet. I think it's coming. Yeah, definitely. But you definitely were getting in at the start. However, the way that you have done Doeing is something that I've never seen before. So can we talk about can we can you tell us about the name? Because I just think the name is just such a special part of it.

SPEAKER_04:

Doein, like it had to be so intentional, every part of it really had to be meaningful, and I really picked out every part of what I was loving and what I wasn't loving about business and made that into a new business, which was Doene. So I really wanted it to be empowering to the next generation of hairdressers, and I Googled for weeks and weeks and weeks to find the name, and it finally came up, and it was Doen, and it was literally everything that I'd wanted for a name. What does it mean? The most prominent woman in the the industry isn't that just so beautiful.

SPEAKER_01:

I need to work there.

SPEAKER_00:

That's you're on fire today with like the self-assurance.

SPEAKER_01:

Now I'm back.

SPEAKER_00:

Um, it's just so incredible, and that just really speaks to the intentionality of it. Yeah. But one of the reasons why I think it's funny, like clients come to us with different ideas all the time, and and we get the exciting part when they're it's like like when they're just conceptualizing an idea and it's really exciting and it's really new. And you can always tell if something's gonna be an absolute success or if something's like I don't I don't know how this is gonna happen. And with you, we always had such a strong belief in the fact that this needed this is needed in our industry. It wasn't even necessarily about like this will be really cool. It was this is needed, yeah. Because we have seen you know uh co-working spaces pop up in our industry everywhere, yeah. Um, but to this level and what you offer at Doen and what Club Doein is, I've never seen it done before. Yeah. Can you yeah talk? Are you happy to share? Yes, I'll say, are we sharing? Yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah. Give him a tiny teaser, not the easy amounts.

SPEAKER_04:

I think it come a lot from my journey in business. As I said, no one was there to teach me, no accountants wanted, like they had no advice to give or anything like that. For the longest time, yes, I was making money, but I wasn't making real money, or I wasn't like saving towards my future or anything like that. Um I want those young hairdressers that are like thinking about leaving, I want them to be so empowered to know that it is possible. I want them to understand their numbers, I want them to know, like I just want them to come in straight up and like know exactly what they're doing. I mean, you're gonna figure out other things along the way, but like just the basics in business. Like I know when I started in business and I was like working out my pricing and stuff, I'd just look to the next salon and like yeah, yeah, I'd just look to the next salon and like, well, that's what they're doing, so like I'll just do that too. But if they don't like, what if they don't know what they're doing and then you're copying that, then that's a completely different business, so that doesn't reflect what you're doing either. Um and then just like all these little things that like I see ads and stuff like that pop up on Instagram or something like that, of like these packages or something. I'm like, I know off the top of my head that you're not making any money whatsoever. Like you are stressed out because you're not making any money. So um I really wanted to change that. I didn't I want to elevate the people that are in Doeen and give them an incredible life where they know I don't know, like I just want them to believe in themselves. I want them to have a good life and that like female empowerment that you don't oh I'm a little bit like you don't need no man, you've got your own money. Absolutely, absolutely preach, preach, preach.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah I really feel like there's a big part of this you have created for 17-year-old Carla who was like absolutely and that's part for me and like the intention behind it, the it's the legacy piece, it's it's so fucking unique, yeah, and it's so like for because this is what we're seeing happening in our industry. People are qualifying, they're like, I'm gonna go and do it myself. Yeah, which is amazing. It's like this real like impact fuck yeah, let's go. But also with that, let's find a place where we can still have the support and the light, and that's what you've created, is that place that has got the support and like the um these are the things that are really gonna help you get to the level that you want and not that make the mistakes or the first 10 years be blurry. Yeah, I really thought you've created this for 17-year-old Carla. Yes, which is so fucking amazing, and like that's where I get I swan. I I'm so passionate about Dwayne purely for this reason the fact that there's gonna be so much like healing in this for our industry, but also for you, yeah, and so much elevation that's gonna come with that as well.

SPEAKER_04:

Yeah, I feel like you hear a lot, you know, on all those Facebook pages and stuff like that. Like, there's no money in the in the industry, like you know, we can't make any money, we can't do this, we can't do that. That's just they're just all stories. They're just it's not true at all. Like you can make as much money or as little money as like what you believe in yourself. Like you can do it anything in the industry, really. Like it's such a um such a big industry that you really can do anything you want in it.

SPEAKER_01:

And you can make it look however you want. And that's the thing I think for especially what you're showing with the potential of this. This is why it's different for me, because it's not about just having a you know pretty space and this is your chair, and you know, you work on these to pick your hours and whatever.

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

It like, yeah, it can look like that, or it can also look like, and here are some like really tangible things that can help support you work out your numbers, work out um how you, you know, not make the mistakes that we all make. I'm trying like to like not reveal too much. But this is the thing, it's literally a supportive environment where you're not only gonna have that within you, but you also have resources that are gonna make sure that you are set for success.

SPEAKER_04:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

Rather than just like work it out and potentially fuck it up and I mean it's good for the industry, it's good for me.

SPEAKER_04:

Like, I don't want people coming in and just like, oh no, that didn't work. So I just they just leave like I want to build everyone up and I want to watch everyone win.

SPEAKER_00:

Um you've always been so invested in, especially emerging team and apprentices. It's always been such a huge passion of yours. I think this as well, like I'm absolutely gonna reveal too much. The re I can I talk about the resource library? Yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

We I just love it because it's so sexy, just full stop. It's so it's so gorgeous.

SPEAKER_00:

Just from in in terms of like if we had access to this, so for the past few months, you and Claudia um and alongside us, we've been building out the back-end system of Joein. Yeah. So that freelancers, when they come on board and they're renting a chair in the space, they have access to all of these different resources that literally would have saved our asses in the first few years of business when we had, you know, no idea what our break-even was, no idea how to price our services we had, no idea what podcasts to plug into, where to, you know, get good accounting advice. Like, who to listen to? Yeah, that's right, yeah. Like Club Dwayne literally gives you that blueprint of all of those resources, and the the freelancers get that in their membership, which is freaking awesome. Yeah, I feel like no one else is doing this, and that's why it's so so special. Carla, uh what will uh this pivot mean for you and your family?

SPEAKER_04:

Um I think it really come from I would say. I'm a little bit of a recovering self-control freak. And just like letting go of that and um just letting the universe decide what's next for me. Like I don't know what's next. Like the more I step away, like the more my brain ticks over. I'm like, oh my god, I can do this and I can do that. Yeah. Have 5,000 fucking businesses by the end of the week the way my brain's gonna be. Yeah, that's because it's definitely I had an idea. Oh yes. Um James loves that one. So I've been thinking. He's like fucking here.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah. But I think what I hear in this is that this is potentially the first time that you're gonna actually have freedom for yourself because you have been in this industry for the majority of your life, and you have given so much to this industry, and now just a level of responsibility for so long. Yeah, and just now, like even with like truly the most like if nothing else, like the uh your story is so unique purely from the fact that there was like a decision made about you having a salon without you really in it. There hasn't been freedom for such a long time, and I I totally say it's given you a lot and you've had incredible things from it, and I know that there's a real like push-pull with it. But what this is now opening up for you is potentially now you get to decide what happens next and where things go and how you spend your time. And I also know, especially doing this now with your littles being so young, with you know, Banks is he's not yet three. I know he had the tomorrow. The three. No, well he's he had the party. Four patrol party.

SPEAKER_00:

Every time I see an event you go, I'm like, I'm such a shit map. You just take things together.

SPEAKER_04:

I started something there.

SPEAKER_01:

It was the festival yesterday, so that was really good. And so he's what three, and Ariana is seven going on 26.

unknown:

Help me.

SPEAKER_01:

But this is the thing, you're now gonna be potentially like changing things in a place where they're gonna remember this version of you and this version that's not doing the six days a week, 12 hour days. Because even though that's a past version of you, I also know that's a very like current version. Very easily. Yeah, you are give me a chance. Exactly. Give me an opportunity to hustle and I will. Um but that's the thing for me, I'm just like you're now gonna get to work at your pace and do things at your pace and like truly choose it.

SPEAKER_04:

I don't know myself outside of being a business owner because I've grown up there, I've known nothing else. Um, my husband met me as that person. Like, who am I without the the salon? Like without the the team and everything that like the team, the hustle, yeah. The everything, yeah. Yeah, like yes, I've had um plenty of times where I've stepped off the floor and had the kids and like only worked like one day a week or something like that, but there's still a lot of responsibility with that. There's still like you're always thinking about it. Like, what happens when I don't have to think about that? Like, what is that gonna look like? Yeah, and I'm really excited, like very excited for that.

SPEAKER_01:

I love how excited you are, and yeah, not it's so you can see it. Your eyes like literally glisten. Oh my god, I'm so excited for that for you as well. It's been amazing.

SPEAKER_00:

Carla, before we wrap, I want to ask you if you there'll be so many women listening to this or silent owners listening to this who will be hearing that call to make a change and people who want to open a freelancing space or just want to just even just be empowered to make a decision for themselves and not necessarily stay in business or stay in a salon for their team or for the clients or whatever it is. If you could go back to that version of yourself that had the salon, had the team, had all of the things, knowing that what you really want is that freedom and that time with your family, what is it that you would tell that version of yourself?

SPEAKER_04:

Um I think you just really have to strip everything back. I'm a people pleaser. So, like take that out of the equation. What do you want and not what anyone else wants, what not what society expects you to do, not what you know, anyone else wants, what do you want, and how do you want your life to be? I think it was like how I got there was what do I want? And for a long time I didn't know what I wanted until like I seen that and amazing.

SPEAKER_01:

Huge. Oh my gosh, I'm like huge, so proud, so good.

SPEAKER_00:

Before we go, we're gonna plug.

SPEAKER_01:

I was gonna say, everyone's moving to um Gibbs Land now to go and start start up at Do Area.

SPEAKER_00:

If you are in that vicinity or moving, or moving to move, or you're a stylist who wants to go out on on your own, but you feel scared and overwhelmed with the idea of business. This is your space. This is your space to be able to have those resources and that support there. And also, so many freelancers they want to work for themselves, but they don't want to work alone. Yeah. This is a space for women to have community, and it's a space where women build each other up and cheer each other on and support each other and collaborate together. But you have the the freedom to run your own business exactly on your own terms and how you want it to be. So where can we where can we find Doen things?

SPEAKER_04:

Um Instagram, double underscore Doen, and same on Doen spelled D-O-D-I-E-W-E. Love it. Um, and the same on TikTok. Gorgee. Amazing.

SPEAKER_01:

Oh god. I'm so proud of you.

SPEAKER_00:

We love you so much. We are so unbelievably proud of you and the work that you've done. And this year has been so transformational for you and for your family. Yeah. And we know that 2026 is going to be incredible for you. So thank you for being here. Thank you. We love you. We're so proud of you. Thank you guys for listening to another episode of the Conscious Allen podcast. Love you guys.

SPEAKER_01:

Stay conscious. Voice one of them.

SPEAKER_00:

Excuse me. Colour.

SPEAKER_01:

How cool?

Contributor

Nicola Pollock

Co-host
Contributor

Tessa Pollock

Co-host