We Sold Our Salon: Why We Walked Away After 13 Years

What happens when the business you've poured your heart into no longer feels like the room you're meant to be in?

In this honest and emotional episode, Nic and Tess open up about the decision to sell their salon and the leadership lessons they've learned throughout the process.

Together, they discuss the emotions of letting go, navigating change as a team, communicating openly during uncertain seasons, and why creating a self-led business sometimes means stepping aside so someone else can take it even further.

Whether you're considering selling your business, stepping into a new season, or simply wondering if you've outgrown the role you're in, this conversation is a powerful reminder that leadership isn't about holding on. It's about knowing when to let go.

In this episode, you'll learn:
🌱 How to recognise when you've outgrown the business you built
💭 Why letting go can be one of the greatest acts of leadership
🤝 The importance of honest communication during seasons of change
❤️ How to support your team through uncertainty and transition
🚀 Why building a self-led business creates opportunities for everyone to grow
💡 The mindset shift that helped Nic and Tess confidently sell their salon
🌟 How stepping out of one room creates space for someone else—and yourself—to thrive

If you're navigating change, wrestling with a big decision, or wondering what the next chapter looks like, this episode will encourage you to trust your instincts, embrace growth, and lead with courage.

To follow our journey:
Instagram @aheadhair_
@the_conscious_salon

Transcript

Sponsor And Raw Announcement

SPEAKER_02 0:52

This episode of the Conscious Allen Podcast is brought to you by CPR Hair. Welcome back to the Conscious Allen Podcast. I don't even know how to start this podcast or what to say. I feel like I'm gonna cry.

SPEAKER_01 1:07

It's been a big shift.

SPEAKER_02 1:09

It's been a big shift. But we are selling our salon.

SPEAKER_01 1:17

We've sold our salon.

SPEAKER_02 1:19

We've sold our salon by now. By the time this episode comes out, we've sold it. And at the time of recording, it'll be about six weeks before we sell. And we thought we'd do an episode because we opened our salon when we were 21 and 23. And this business we've had for 13 years, and it's such a huge part of who we are and our identity. And it's also a business that runs without us in it. And we have freedom and flexibility to do whatever we want. And it's also been a business that's given us so much. Um, so I think that

Why Selling Finally Feels Right

SPEAKER_02 2:10

there's a lot of people that would probably be wondering why we sold, why we're selling, why we're moving on, and we're gonna talk about that today.

SPEAKER_01 2:17

Yeah. I think, you know, for 13 years it had been such a massive it's our first love, it's our baby. It's our thing that we did together. It was really our way of Nikki and I creating something where we could work together and be together and like do the the shit that we wanted to do. And so I feel it's really served us and given us so much. It's also given however many team that we've had, past, present. I wonder.

SPEAKER_00 2:56

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 2:58

And future. But I feel we started with ahead was really having a space that was for you and I, but that space has now outgrown you and I were not really a part of that space anymore. That space that space now has become a real sanctuary for women, for um people to come and be come and be seen, celebrated, and feel really safe. And I feel that through this time, you know, when we first started, like every 21 and 23 year old, we wanted to be the best and do the best, and no one could do things the way that we do, and we were just, you know, superstars. And over the last few years, and it's not just having families, I feel like families is uh an easy way to sort of say, like, no, you know, gotta be with my kids. Because I do think you can have both. But for us, that passion overhead has shifted. And the newerhead is she actually reminds me of a version of us now, but back when we wanted to open the salon. Meaning she has done all of the work and she's so ready and she's so passionate. And when we were talking about selling it, she's was the person that we I said I think we need to have a conversation.

SPEAKER_02 4:41

We're gonna speak about the whole story on here.

SPEAKER_01 4:43

I think I think we should actually save that. I think we should bring her in.

SPEAKER_02 4:48

We're gonna bring her in for sure and do an episode.

SPEAKER_01 4:50

Yeah. So we're gonna I'm gonna actually say tightly because this isn't about the new owner, this is about us in this moment. I'm gonna keep it here. But I feel this huge part of our identity was, you know, it's shifted so much. We were, you know, a beauty therapist and a hairdresser who opened a space together, and then we learned how to become leaders, and then we learnt how to manage team and staff and finances and really get clear on how to have a good business, how to also make a fuckload of mistakes and learn from them. But I feel what really has shifted in the last few years is that our passion has shifted fully into conscious. We're not able to, and we're passionate about our team. But I wouldn't say that we were super passionate about our space anymore and not about the clients, and certainly not about hair. And that is a really important thing to listen to. You know, I think so many times people will

When Passion Shifts To Conscious Work

SPEAKER_01 5:58

stay in the industry too long or keep going because they think they should, or they do or because it's easy, because it we don't need to be there and blah blah blah.

SPEAKER_02 6:06

Did you do that?

SPEAKER_01 6:08

With being a hairdresser? Yeah. Like staying in too long. Like do you feel like you did it? And my ticket out was when I got pregnant. Whereas this time, with the choice that we're making, it's conscious. And it feels full circle, and it feels that it's the right thing to do because what we've built. It's now outgrown us. Majority of the people that sit in our space don't know who we are. And that's a really big realization, not from an ego point of view, from a point of view of that this space it has become its own little heart.

SPEAKER_02 6:47

Something entirely like so much bigger than just you and I for sure. And the being I asked that question with the like, did you do that? Because when you were saying that I resonated with that so much, I'm like, whoa. I think about myself like becoming a mum and feeling like I had I feel I feel like in so many instances I chose to stay in the business longer for the team. Like I would, I would, I felt like I have to, I owe it to them. I have to stay, I have to do this. Like even when I was like, oh, I don't know if I'm that passionate about the salon anymore. I was like conscious, obviously blew up like that was like a side hustle. And then it blew up so organically and so many opportunities were coming to us. And and now I look back and I think it was, you know, whatever you want to say, intuition, the universe's way of putting things in front of us, being like, this is the right path. This is the right path, keep going on this path. And now going along that path, it's like we look at the other path and we're like, oh shit, we've kind of not neglected, but like that path's just doing its own thing, but we're not on that path anymore. That's how it's felt for me.

SPEAKER_01 7:49

I think with this, especially when I think of that, because it took me a while to get to this point. And when I sit in like full truth, I think there is like parts of me that would probably, though the people pleaser in me, would probably keep ahead just until you know no one was there. And it was like, oh, well, we'll have to close because there's no one there. Um, but the reality of it is that what we have really spent time honoring and and also what what I'm teaching every day is people to honor what they want and say what they want and then work out how they get there. And what we realized, um, I think it was like towards maybe six to twelve months ago, was that this doesn't feel where we need to be anymore.

SPEAKER_02 8:40

And it's not that I don't feel like we fell out of love with it. I feel like we just fell more in love with what our our bigger work was, which is conscious. Like I there was never a point where I was like, oh yeah, that was the day that I was just like, fuck this, I don't want to do this anymore. It was never like that.

SPEAKER_01 8:55

It was just You know, and I think it's interesting because when we sat down with our dad, we spoke about it with like our parents, and mum was like, Yep, I can completely see, you know, conscious is really you know where you guys are really wanting to be, and you're really passionate about your team, but it's not so much about the space and the place. Dad kept saying, but like it just works, it just gets away from this. And I think what we've really gotten clear on is because it deserves more than that. It deserves someone in there that is as passionate as what we are now about this. Like it deserves someone that is as has the like imagine how incredible that space is gonna be with people with now with someone in there that has got vision and ideas and um can breathe life into it and like really give it this like what it deserves.

SPEAKER_02 9:47

That's the thing, like it on paper, we're mad to walk away from this business and to sell it. We're crazy too on paper because it runs by itself, it's got great profit, it's got a beautiful team, it's got a great reputation, and it's a really beautiful, purposeful business. Like for those of you that don't know, we have a hair salon called Ahead. It's Melbourne's first mindful salon, and there is so much intentionality in that space. And what we do with the team, like it's it's an incredible business. It made no sense for us to sell it.

SPEAKER_01 10:19

But it also like as you say, it was like it made no sense for us to keep it either.

SPEAKER_02 10:24

It made exactly, and it deserves like the clients, the team, the vision deserves so much more than what we've given it right now.

SPEAKER_01 10:35

And I think, you know, at the end of the day, because it's really easy to like, and this is the thing I've really learned as we've like sat in this and we've we've really, you know, as always with us, we're intentional, we're

Leaving A Great Business On Purpose

SPEAKER_01 10:45

conscious beings, like Nikki, this is, you know, big part. We we really like to understand the choices that we make and make sure that we're making the right choices. And I think with this one, you know, it's probably been our longest decision because we have been talking about this, I would say for the better part of like five, six years. And someone will be like, yes, I'm really ready, and then it will flip into someone else and it will lack, and this is the first time that we're both like ready to go. And like me being fully trying, it's been me that's been the one that's like held back more. Oh, actually, no, I think that's actually flowed a fair bit where we've been back and forth with it. No, actually, that wouldn't be a true statement. We've really flowed back and forth on it. And you can blame all the things we can use it, and this is the thing. I'm like, it's but it's not about those things. It's not because we live over an hour from our salon and space, like even that logistically doesn't make sense to keep coming back and forth if you're traveling that far to us anymore. For other people, it might make sense. And you can blame your family, and you can say, Oh, my kids need me at home and X, Y, and Z. And yes, like that's true. And we can't, you know, we're we're old now. Like, we can't even that, like the idea of like working 12 hours is like on my feet, is like I can't do that anymore. Yeah. Um, but it's not about any of those things. Like, that's yeah, there are other reasons, but the real true reason is this is not where our hearts lie anymore. And we have someone whose heart is so in this that is taking over from us, who can give it 10 times more than what we can. And I feel really good. I want to leave it on a high. I don't want to leave it with the closing down, like shutting the door, you know, sad little tail between the legs sort of moment of like, there's no one left. Like so it feels good to do it in this way.

SPEAKER_02 12:39

But I want to ask you what scares you about selling this alon.

SPEAKER_01 12:48

I now truly nothing because I feel so solid in it. What scared me prior to like truly like sitting in truth with like what what I would stop for prior was definitely judgment from other people. I didn't want to let anyone down. And the other thing would definitely be, would we be as credible without a cell behind us? Because that is a big part of what we talk about.

SPEAKER_02 13:15

Because we can say, look, we'll teach you how to do the thing and how good you don't have to work in. And here's an example. Here's one we put out earlier, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 13:22

And I don't want to get into that thing of constantly talking about this thing that we once had. I really want to keep like progressing forward, but we can't keep something because of the fact that that's part of like what we sell. We're just gonna get better at all of the other things. And then, you know, go even like that's the thing. It's it just even that part doesn't make sense anymore. What scares

Fear Of Judgment And Team Reactions

SPEAKER_01 13:47

you in this moment right now?

SPEAKER_02 13:51

I'm gonna be so authentic, is having a conversation and tell telling the team, still scares me. It doesn't I'd be excited to have the conversation, but there's a little part of me that's just like, would would you be happy with us? Like, would you be happy for us? Would you support the decision or would you worry about yourself? Which I understand also, like I do understand that. And I remember having this conversation with Rach before she sold her clinic was like the team, what am I gonna do with the team? And that is the only part that I just think that's the only fear that I have is like, how does that conversation look? And I try not to pre-play it because I'm just like I want to authentically have it in the moment, but it scares me the team not having a great reaction. It scares me if the team feel like we're letting them down. I have not a single doubt in my mind that this new person's gonna do 10 times more than what we can give this right now. She'll be incredible and just do an incredible job. And I have no doubt that she will guide the team so incredibly well. But I worry in that moment of just being like, oh, does, you know, it's just the people pleaser again. It's the people pleaser in me that's just like, oh, is the team gonna be supportive? Will they understand? Will they like support us? Will they be like happy for us? Maybe maybe, maybe not. And that I don't want to let them down always. I never want to let them down.

SPEAKER_01 15:24

It's because of that though, that I feel so solid in it because that's why I've stayed for so long.

SPEAKER_02 15:33

Yeah, yeah, like that's why I've stayed for so long, which is mean like I don't want to let anyone down, but I'm like letting myself down. 100% tell me I want to know what excites you about not being a salon owner or like not not being in that chapter.

SPEAKER_01 15:54

I think truthfully, it scares me and excites me at the same time. It's the loss of identity. But the I know with loss of identity comes exceptional growth and understanding and clarity. So both of those things. I think like the obvious stuff of like the day-to-day of like, you know, um oh we've had, you know, cancellations, we've got a full fill appointments, like that's obviously gonna feel nice, or like never having to have someone call in sick again and having that like conversation unless you start, which but I think outside of that, yeah, I I think I I'm like really struggling. I feel like that at peace and clear and like certain on it. That for me it's like okay, if if if

Identity Loss And New Freedom

SPEAKER_01 16:52

if it doesn't work, that's okay. And if um the team don't understand, that's okay. At the end of the day, I think we've spent so long doing things for other people. I feel that the biggest thing that this is gonna give is it's gonna feel like this is something that we're choosing for ourselves. That makes sense, that is the right choice. And I'm unwavering on that. So the rest of it is just walking through pages that are already written out, you know, like it's just and it's ready for that, and I want it to feel expansive and I do feel it's solid that it's gonna be fine because the person that's taking over is already within our team. It's not Taya, I'll give that, because I've got to be like, Taya, no, it's not Taya. I feel that this is the right move, and I feel that it makes sense and that all the rest of it just becomes like, yeah, I just feel really solid in it. The three of us know why we're where we are and how it's gonna work, and that's all that matters. But I don't think there's anything that I'm like, yeah, I feel really good about it.

SPEAKER_02 18:03

It's amazing. What about you? It excites me to have some downtime. Like we've been hustling for 13 years, you know, and don't get me wrong, there's been like the last few years, there's been like no hustle, no like foot on the accelerator, but the idea of just having some time and space to not have to be responsible for so many things. Like we've got every single week, we've got team clients, you know, spaces, finances, all these sort of things to be so responsible for that level of responsibility that we inherited at 21 and 23. Like it's crazy.

SPEAKER_01 18:36

Yeah, and girlfriends are old, we're like nearly 37 and 35.

SPEAKER_02 18:39

But the idea of having some time and space to be able to just slow down and have a bit of a like do you against like less responsibility or less responsibility excites me right now.

SPEAKER_01 18:51

Less responsibility excites me to be accountable for?

SPEAKER_02 18:56

Less people to be accountable for, less responsibility, less like I just think yeah, less responsibility excites me. I've I've had responsibility, like huge responsibility since I was 21. 21 when I started a business, 22 when I bought a house, you know, and took on a mortgage, things like that. Just like thrown into that level of responsibility. I'm like 35, I want to have no responsibility right now, like just for a just for a brief moment where we can actually think without having that pressure where we can think creatively. Yeah, yeah, what else is there for us? Like just having time and space where we're not in the day-to-day will be incredible. And also it excites me not to be tied to a physical location. I'm like, we could travel the world. You know, not that not that it's needed us, but just the the idea of if the salon floods tomorrow, we gotta go. I don't have to go in and deal with it. Like that excites me. I think it's really important that we talked about this, Tess, and that we were transparent in this moment, even though it feels scary and it feels a little bit overwhelming. And I know we're gonna do more episodes about this and how it's all gone, but thank you for sharing. Thank you guys so much for listening to another episode of the Conscious Halum Podcast. Yay, love you guys. Stay conscious.