The Real Entrepreneur Life with Erika Sorbello

You can hit a lifelong goal and still feel completely wiped out. That’s the honest thread running through our conversation with Erika Sorbello, owner of Gallery Salon in Rochester, New York, who’s back on the mic with us after a huge shift: she officially moved into a custom-painted space at One Public Market and purchased the building she’d been chasing for years. It’s a milestone that screams success, but the reality is more layered, more human, and a lot more useful than a highlight reel.

We talk through the seven-year path to commercial building ownership, the last-minute change in her search that made the right property appear, and the whirlwind negotiation that followed. From there, the conversation turns to what happens after the keys are yours: the endless to-do list, the pressure of being both stylist and employer, and the behind-the-scenes work of maintaining a thriving salon business while trying to protect your time, relationships, and nervous system.

We also get real about team turnover and the modern salon industry shift toward suites and solo entrepreneurship. Erika shares why employees leaving can feel like grief, how exit interviews help her lead with more clarity, and why she still chooses mentorship even when it hurts. If you care about leadership, entrepreneurship, small business growth, and building culture that lasts, this one will stay with you.

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Music Track: Building Dreams by Aylex Source: https://freetouse.com/music Copyright Free Background Music

Transcript

Opening Reflections And Return Guest

Barb 0:15

Episode 146. I remember when we said 46, and now we're saying 146.

Lyssa 0:25

So what's crazy is that I listened um back to the first episode that we had with our guests that you are going to listen to today. Erica Sorabello from Gallery Salon is on the mic again. And her first episode was episode 68. Isn't that crazy? Double digits.

Barb 0:44

I love how this is starting because the conversation is very reflective and live in the moment. Yeah. Um like life. Yeah. Like these episodes.

Lyssa 0:56

Um it's a true raw conversation that uh deserves to be heard. And I am I'm very excited for both of these episodes to now be in our catalog because I think that if you go and listen to her first episode, episode 68, um, and then you come back and you listen to this, you are gonna hear the true entrepreneurial spirit. You're gonna hear that journey, you're gonna hear the difference, and you're going to really get that full scope of what the life of an entrepreneur truly is. So raw, live. Mm-hmm. So in the moment. All right. Go listen. Dee.

Buying A Building At Public Market

Lyssa 1:42

All right. I read it. We back again. I actually listened to our episode again this morning as I was doing my hair, which felt very fitting. Your hair looks cute, by the way. Thank you. She did it for you. I did. I did do it for you because if if we didn't have this, I wouldn't have done it.

SPEAKER_00 1:58

I didn't do your my hair for either of you. So I'm sorry.

Lyssa 2:01

You're allowed. You're allowed. All right. Let's uh have tell everyone who's on the mic right now. Hi guys.

SPEAKER_00 2:07

I'm Erica Sorbello, my own gallery salon in Rochester, New York at the public market.

Lyssa 2:13

That's right. That is not where we were last time we had this episode.

SPEAKER_00 2:17

It wasn't. I actually re-listened to our last podcast last night as well. And um, I hinted that there was something coming. And I'm glad you guys said to have re-listened to it because there were a lot of things that I was like, oh. So I have been through things before.

SPEAKER_02 2:33

And right.

SPEAKER_00 2:36

I know this feeling that I'm feeling right now. Um, which we can get into later. Yeah, of course. But um yeah, we are officially moved into the new building at the public market. Uh address is one public market. So sexy. So sexy in my deep purple building that I painted custom. Um so yeah, I finally purchased a building, guys. Yeah, you did it. I did. You did that thing. It's been a lifelong goal of mine to purchase a building to move my business to because once I'm done doing hair, I would still like to have some income. So that was my goal. I met a guy forever ago, a stylist, uh, forever ago. I probably when I first started doing hair, which was in Gulp 2000, 99, 1999. Gulp in the 1900s. It was back in the 1900s when I started doing hair. Um, and he was at a hair show and we were talking about owning our own businesses and stuff. And I said, you know, one day I would really like to purchase a building. He said, you know, that is extremely smart because that is the one thing that I could do differently, I would do over is purchase a building. And he was probably at that time in his 60s. So, you know, definitely more on the senior side of the industry at that point. And um I said from that day on, I was like, I'm gonna purchase a building. In 2018, I started looking really, really hard um to find something. And finally in 2025, how many years later is that? Seven years? Yeah, it took me seven years. I mean, there was also a pandemic that happened during that time, so we can like negate like a good probably two years for sure. Um yeah, and then uh I had been looking for a bigger space than what are where I was before. And um, I looked at a bunch of buildings, things fell through left and right. And one night I was laying in bed and

Seven-Year Search And 72-Hour Deal

SPEAKER_00 4:45

I thought to myself, more space, more people, more people, more problems. And I changed my my search parameters.

SPEAKER_01 4:55

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 4:55

Instead of being at 3,000 square feet, I went down to 2,500 square feet because my last space was 2,800 square feet. And I thought you needed to go bigger. I thought that I needed to go bigger. And within a week, uh, well, that night that I changed parameters, the very first thing that came up was the building that I ended up purchasing. Um, I called my or texted my um my real estate agent that night. It was like nine o'clock at night. And I was like, sorry to text so late, but I need to see this building. And she was like, Well, there's a problem because it's a Jewish high holiday and I'm not gonna be able to do anything until next week. And I was like, Well, that's a problem. You're right. I need to, I mean, celebrate and thank you. And um, I don't know what the right word is to use for this Jewish holiday, so I'm not even gonna try. But um I said, I need to go look at this building now. And so I called the selling agent the next morning, went and looked at it, put an offering on it that next day, and within it was like it was like a whirlwind of 72 hours. Yeah, yeah, it was quick. Back and forth, back and forth, and then they accepted my offer. We met somewhere in the middle, and here we are. Where are we? July of 2026. And it's been a whirlwind of a year and three months. So the purchase actually went through of March of 2025. Is that correct? Yeah. Wow, yeah, wow. No wonder why I'm tired.

Barb 6:34

It's just it's yeah, you are amazing. You are number two. I love that this is captured and documented and that you can go back and listen because that has been so cathartic for us. It really is to go back to listen and be like, holy shit, you was going through some shit and like it's gonna be okay. Or even just listen to how far you have come in a year and three months. Yeah. And then to give yourself grace and say, Well, well, duh, you're tired, bitch. Look at everything that you did.

SPEAKER_00 7:05

Because the last time we met, it was January of 2025. Yeah. And I had, I was in it. Yeah. Like I was in it in it, but we weren't telling anybody yet because I was like, not until those that ink is dry, am I going to say anything to anybody? But it was like I was on such a high at that point, too. And now I feel very um different than that. I mean, I'm still obviously thrilled that I have my business and that I just celebrated 21 years of business. But man, I'm tired. Yeah. I'm tired, guys.

Lyssa 7:38

I I loved that our last episode was very much that entrepreneurial journey, right? Because that that is something that truly connects us all. And it's one of the things that we just admire about you like the most, everything that you've gone through and and what you do and how you show up in your community and for your community. And I I love that this is the conversation that's gonna unravel this time because the last episode it was, it was on such a high comment. You know, we were just like hinting at it, and I hear, I can hear the little hints, and the new things are coming, and like that vibrancy just came through the mic so much. And that is a part of the entrepreneurial journey. Those highs are high as fuck, and it's amazing to be able to accomplish and bring your dreams into reality. There is nothing like that. There is nothing like having a vision in your head, building it, and then bringing it into the real world. Yeah, and that is something that deserves to be preserved, you know? And and I love that we have that time capsule. And it's not the only part of the journey.

SPEAKER_00 8:44

No, it's not. It's not. You know, now that you say that, I actually would like to go back and listen to the other couple podcasts that I've been on over the years, too. It's like it is, it's a diary. It's really cool to think about it like that. It is. Because I was on a podcast with Le Petit Poutine forever ago. They had one called Friday. It was F-R-Y. So like fries.

unknown 9:09

Poutine.

SPEAKER_00 9:10

Um and they are, I mean, like they had a journey. Yeah, they did. They called it quits, which I mean, rightfully so. Like, yeah, I I completely understand. I would, there's no way in hell I'd want to own a restaurant. Um, but yeah, I'd like to go back and listen to that one. I'd like to listen to the one I was on with Bossy.

Barb 9:27

Like, I would like to see like where I've your journey, yeah, your entrepreneur life.

SPEAKER_00 9:33

Well, it looks like I have a plan later today.

Barb 9:35

I could listen to myself Gab for three hours. Have fun though. Have fun. Because what better way to help lift you than you say all the things that you actually need to hear right now?

Lyssa 9:50

Yeah.

Barb 9:51

Proving that you can do the thing that feels kind of like the rock up the hill, and you're pushing and you're like, God damn it, I'm so tired and I don't know. And I just want to step aside and fuck this rock. And that's not true, right? That's not entirely right the whole truth. It's just where you are right now. So let's talk about it. All right, let's talk about this other side of entrepreneur where you do

Burnout, To-Do Lists, And Employer Life

Barb 10:20

get burnt out and you do get tired, and the endless to-do list is fucking overwhelming. Yeah, it's endless.

Lyssa 10:27

It's endless. It's endless. Yeah, it's a good name.

SPEAKER_00 10:30

It truly is. Yes. Um, well, so I feel like we're we're in therapy right now. So hi, it's been about a year since my last therapy session with you guys on the mic. Um when I bought the building, obviously that was just something that I was just overwhelmingly, overwhelmed with joy. Like I finally reached this goal that I've been working on forever. And I was like, I'm just gonna pick up my successful business and bring it over to a new building, plop it down, and we're just gonna just keep on rolling. Really, keep on going. Breaks, breaks, squeal. Um I mean, we kept going. Yeah. All right, and to the point where we can't even service all the people that we're getting requests for, um, which I'm super grateful for. I know that the business that I have created, there's a space for it and there's a need for it. I know that. And I'm again super grateful. Um, but it's hard being an employer.

SPEAKER_02 11:35

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 11:35

It's hard. Yeah. Having 14 to 16 employees that fluctuate, you know, obviously between seasons. Um they are it's a lot to have other personalities that you have to learn to um coddle and coax and coach and love and pick up and cradle some days and still have to do my own thing. I have to do my clients and I have to run the business and make sure that everything is happening with the leadership coaching that I'm going through and the leadership coaching that my general contractors or general uh managers going through. And on top of that, make sure that my staff is getting the education that they deserve and need in this industry, um, while still trying to be part of the community. It's a lot. It's a lot. Um I really thought that the building would be um easy, which that's just so silly.

Lyssa 12:42

I honestly think that is something that all entrepreneurs need. Like, if entrepreneurs didn't have that thought of this is gonna be so easy, no one would do it. Yeah, it's something that's just literally ingrained in us that when we have an idea and we are lit the fuck up about that idea, we're like, easy.

SPEAKER_00 13:00

Yeah, if I can think it, I can do it. Easy. Yeah, but we we need that. What I said last time on the podcast was if I see something that I want, I go get it. Yeah, like that's just that's always been my personality since a child. I mean, since I I was out of the womb and I was like, I was babysitting at the age of eight. Like, I mean, I was taking care of other people's children when I was a child. So I've always been a caretaker, I've always been somebody that wants to help. I've always been a servant of sorts, you know. Like I I want to to help people. But man, I'm tired. So um coming into this new space, uh, we did downsize slightly. Um, so there is less space for all of us, which was an adjustment, a huge adjustment, and then we're still adjusting to it. I mean, it's only been since October of 2025 that we opened up our doors at the market. And we are figuring it out still. We're figuring out our literal space, our body, what's the word I'm looking for? The our personal space. Yeah. You know, like we can't have extra people in the salon to just come in and hang out and chill. I mean, we can, that's tight, and we don't want to do that. But I own a building. Dot, dot, dot, but I own a building. You know, like I keep coming back to that. Like I'm building generational wealth for my child. My kid's gonna be the second generation owner of a building at the public market. Yeah. How freaking cool is that? So cool. And that came from my hard work and my perseverance.

Lyssa 14:35

Yep.

SPEAKER_00 14:36

You know, like it wasn't somebody gave me five $500,000 and was like, here you go. No, that came out of my pocket. Like, well, that didn't. That's coming out of my pocket slowly. Slowly, but slowly but surely. Um, but I mean, I put a chunk of change down on a building. Like, I'm pretty proud of that. You should be thank you. I am um so having staff come with me over to this new space, I just kind of was like, oh, it's gonna be great. Like we're we're still all together, we're still um doing what we've been doing. And some people don't like this building as much as they like the previous place. And that's hard to swallow.

SPEAKER_01 15:18

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 15:18

Because I took my entire life savings. Um, the last year of my life of literal blood, sweat, and tears, uh, and time and time away from my kid, time away from my partner, fights with my partner, yeah, me asking him to do things that I would never have expected to ask him to do. Um, and there's some people that are just like, no, thanks.

Lyssa 15:43

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 15:44

I'm ready to move on. And that's okay. Yeah. For them. You know, I know everybody's got to do what's best for themselves, but it hurts. It's sad. Um, you know, something that was is my dream, it's not everybody else's

Staff Departures And The Suites Trend

SPEAKER_00 15:55

dream.

Lyssa 15:55

Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 15:56

And being a league, a Leo with an ego, that's also very difficult.

Lyssa 16:02

Um it's hard to not take it personally, you know, because that's that's how it feels. It feels like they're like, oh, your dream kind of sucks, so I'm out. But like that's not at all what it is, you know. It's just that it's a different environment and it's not for them. And so, you know, they're they're able to acknowledge that for themselves, but it does. It hits the ego as like, oh, my dream is not good enough for you. Yeah, you know.

SPEAKER_00 16:28

Uh, there's been some beautiful things that have come out of this. Absolutely. Very beautiful things. Um, one being I now have an exit interview. How fun. How after 21 years, like that I can sit down with an employee and be like, what could have been better that would have made you stay? Or what are the reasons that you're leaving that and thankfully I have a good relationship with most of my employees that a good enough relationship with most of my employees that I can have those conversations before I find out that they're leaving?

SPEAKER_01 16:58

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 16:58

Um, and so generally speaking, I know why they're leaving. Um, I mean, rental is a huge part of this industry. And in the salon industry, um, suites are huge right now. Like people want that autonomy of being able to set their own hours to take the clients that they want to take and create these little worlds that they want to create. How can I chastise somebody for that? That's exactly what I did. Yeah, right. That's exactly what I did 21 years ago.

SPEAKER_01 17:24

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 17:24

So I understand. Um, but it's so sad. Yeah. It's so sad when you create relationships with these people, yeah, mentor them, help them build their books, help them build their chair, help them become the people that they are. And I think that the um thing that is making me step back and really um look at this as a bigger picture is being a mom. I want the same thing for my kid one day. I want to be able to give my kid everything that they can be successful people in this world. And I'm doing the same thing with my employees. Yeah. You know, like you want to do this by yourself, go do it by yourself. Like, I'm gonna be right behind you, cheering you on. Call me if you need me. You know, yeah. It's still hard though. It's like that empty nest kind of feeling. Um, but now I have a chance to do this again with more people, and I have to keep on reminding myself that this is what I love. I love the mentorship, I love the coaching, I love the teaching. I love standing next to someone and being like, hold your hand at a 90-degree angle. Don't nope, that's 45. We need to move it back a little. You know, like I love teaching the skill of how to cut hair. I love teaching how to build a business in your chair and how to um be an individual in this industry that is so yeah grossly imitated in so many ways. Um but I'm gonna keep coming back to dot dot dot.

SPEAKER_02 19:10

It's hard. It's hard.

Barb 19:13

This is the duality of entrepreneurship, right? You can be so incredibly happy because you are bringing your dreams to life and all of this stuff, and there is uh sadness because with that, you there are sacrifices that people don't see, the time away from home. Yeah, the even when you are at home, the juggle of well shit, no, I gotta try to snap. I got some things off this to-do list while I'm here, but like I'm kind of present. And there's so much behind the scenes that people don't see, right? Because like that's the shitty stuff, that's the gooey stuff, that's the I don't know, the stuff you put on Instagram. It's not sexy, it's not sexy, it's not beautiful, it's not glamorous to feel like your heart is you know being ripped out of your chest because at the same time, that this building that you love has come with changes, changes that you didn't plan for. When you were in that building, laying out, no, this is gonna go here, this is gonna go here, you weren't even thinking about all of these other things that were coming because it's real life. Yeah, we can't forecast everything, everything. No, and you can't plan for the unexpected, but shit, when it comes, it's like can't we just like go back to the good time? It was so good there.

SPEAKER_00 20:34

Yeah, but like no, yeah, and there were so many things over there too that I just I'm so glad we're out of there. Oh I mean, of course. I'm excited that there's a uh new uh business going into my old space and I can go back and visit it, which is kind of fun. Yes, but man, I am so grateful to be out of that building. I'm grateful that like if there's a problem with the building, that I can fix it and I can fix it the right way without putting a band-aid over it and making sure that I'm using the like the best contractors that I can find and that I'm invested in my building. Like I have been in every single crevice of every single corner. I literally took a uh I figured out how to get a frozen pipe unfrozen. This pants weird. I don't know if I told you guys that you didn't know. There was no snowing inside our bathroom. There was snow inside the bathroom wall between the two bathrooms downstairs. Yep. So I figured it out though. You can do that. I now know how to insulate a pipe and how to um thaw a frozen pipe. So I love this. I literally had my arm up to like my my uh bicep in the building, and I was like, I have literally been like arm deep in my building. I know every single crevice, every single corner of that building. And I'm so grateful. Like I have gone into that building and been like, thank you. Yeah, I love you. Yeah, please forgive me. And I just put my arm all the way into you. I'm fixing you the right way. Um, and also I was super grateful to have

Grief, Ego, And Exit Interviews

SPEAKER_00 22:05

the most amazing contractor, the most amazing general contractor in the entire world. And he's become like a brother to me. And I I love that I have a building. Yeah. Yeah. So for all of these things, this has been a lifetime goal of mine. And I knew and I've been through it before where client or employees have left. And the new coaches that I'm working with said to me when I called them about this because I was very sad. Erica, how many of your original employees do you have with you? And I was like, I was like, yeah, I know. I understand. I knew you were gonna say that because that's what coaches do. They speak freaking truth and try to make you feel better by telling you what you already know.

unknown 22:48

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 22:48

Um, I mean, it's I've been in business for 21 years. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. The chances of somebody still being with me, I mean, 100%, nobody is with me.

SPEAKER_02 22:57

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 22:58

That I started with. Um, and I've been through so much growth and change. And I don't think that anybody that was with me 21 years ago would even know the Erica that owns the building and owns the business now. I've completely changed. So I understand that we all change, we all grow, we all morph, we all, you know, want to do our own things and what's best for ourselves. So I am very, very happy for these, yeah, these few people that have left. And anybody else that does end up leaving, you know, it's gonna be a journey that they have to take on their own.

Lyssa 23:34

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 23:35

So it's their own entrepreneurial journey, you know.

Lyssa 23:38

I and that's that's the hard part too, right? It's like the hard and easy part of being an entrepreneur is that you understand the other person. And sometimes it's such a gift because like I'm so grateful that I can understand you, that I can see you and I can know what you're going through. And then it's also hard because like I do understand everything that you're going through. So it's like I can't hold anything against you. I can't be mad at you because I know exactly how you feel. And I've most likely been in that position before. And you know, you can just you can fully empathize with all of the feelings and all of the journeys and everything that they're going through that you can't almost not that you can't, but like you're like, oh well, I guess I can't be mad, you know. Like I can't be sad, like because you do understand so much. Um, but that's also the hard part is that you have to make sure that you still feel those feelings because you're still a person, you still have to acknowledge those emotions and give them a place to land. Because if not, then they're gonna live inside of you. Yeah, you know, and I think sounds like you are in a little bit of a grieving process with the transition that's kind of going through. And, you know, grief is love. So it's it's a beautiful thing. Things are transitioning and people are transitioning, and it's actually all out of love. And it's not because anything bad happened, there's no malice, there's no shame, there's no anger. Like it truly is a transition in love. And I think that that's a very beautiful thing to be able to say. There are so many people who've been in business for many years, and when employees leave, it's not this beautiful, it's not this graceful, but that again is just a testament to what you've built and the culture that you've built inside of your building, right? That something like this can be such a beautiful, loving transition for both you and the people that are moving on to new things. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 25:29

The industry is really I was listening to you through this, but I was also thinking that the industry has shifted and changed so dramatically over the last 27 years that I've been doing hair that there weren't suites. Yeah. There were not these people that were going out and working like by themselves in a small space. And it was either you had a commission uh salon or a rental salon where everybody still worked together. And I'm so, so, so grateful to be able to say that I've been in the industry long enough that I've seen it shift and change and grow and morph to the point where it's completely unrecognizable from when I started. I mean, growing up in a salon is a completely from the 1900s. From from the early 1900s. I was born in 1979, okay, guys. Um so uh where I was going with that though is the 1900s. Um that it is great that they have that people have opportunities now to do more of this um solo entrepreneurship, which was not a thing. It just was not a thing. Like it just I mean, I'm sure people were doing it, you know, people had their own little spaces or whatever, but it wasn't called, they weren't called suites and they weren't like being um marketed to stylists as to like, look at you can do your own thing. Like you can have your own little studio space where you can do anything you want, you know, and that's great. I could not be alone. I would go absolutely mad. I would literally be like, I would be, I there's no way I need people. Um, that was one of the things that I was just speaking with my my um most recent stylist that told me that they were leaving. Um, we were speaking about that and how she said, it's too much, it's too busy, it's too loud, there's too much laughter, and not in a bad way, right? Yeah, but there it's just too much for overstimulating system, right? And I was like, Oh, should I get off on that? Like I need that. I need that that fills my cup, you know? And so we're like, we laughed about it when she was leaving my house the other night after we had our exit interview. And I said, um, and she's staying on for another month, which I'm so so grateful that she's doing. And I said to her, um, see tomorrow, it's gonna be a super busy day. And she went, yeah. And I was like, I'm sorry. And she goes, uh, and I said, actually, I'm not sorry because that's what I'm going for. You know, so we laughed about it. And I was like, well, you only got one month left of this, like craziness. But um, you know, I reflected on that of like, this is what I'm trying to do. I'm trying to create a community space that has life and laughter. And I'm not saying that you know, two people in a room can't create life and laughter because they can. Yeah, it's a different vibe, though. It's a very different vibe. And I can understand how some people are like, absolutely not. Yeah, no, thank you. Yeah, this is way too fucking much for me. Yeah, because it's way too fucking much for me some days, too. Um, but I love that we have what we have. And I mean, I'm not gonna change that. No, this is your dreams.

Lyssa 28:45

Yeah, I feel like that is a little bit of like the Leo energy too. Like, because when I'm in the chair, I I do. I love it. I feel like I thrive off of it. I love like having

Culture, Mentorship, And Industry Shifts

Lyssa 28:55

my own conversation. I love listening to everybody else's conversation because I'm like, oh my God, that shit is crazy. She doesn't do it.

Barb 29:02

Nuts. Did you hear what she just did to her?

Lyssa 29:04

You know, um, and then it is, right? Like the jokes, you know, they can roll through. And like, and I do. I love like when we can connect with other people in the chairs and at different moments, and then you know, if I'm sitting and waiting for processing, then I'm talking to other people and I'm doing that. Um, so I I can I can relate to that there, and it is, it's a it's a personality thing, it's a nervous system thing, and it's not something that is for everyone, and that's okay.

SPEAKER_00 29:28

And there after I'm done with a really busy day, I need my downtime.

Lyssa 29:32

I mean, like I need my retreat, I need like driving the car with silence, like no music, no nothing, like because you need it, but it doesn't change that that's what we want in the day-to-day.

SPEAKER_00 29:43

Yeah, absolutely. I'm glad that that there are places for people to do that, you know, but it's taking my people. So I'm not thrilled about that.

Barb 29:56

I think this is where you shine because number one, to be in business 21 years, period. Holy shit. Yeah, the things that you have been through, the things that you have seen, the things that you have had to fix, arm deep in and you care. You care so much, and not just about the the clients that walk through your building, but you care about your stylists, right? You uh rattled an entire list of uh things that are important to you to give to the people that work for you because they matter to you, they matter and then the clients matter, and then there's like this ripple effect. And the fact that you want to help other entrepreneurs, the fact that you want to help other people. Well, no, this is your dream, like you want to do it. Cool, I've done it. Let me hold your hand, let me borrow my confidence, borrow my story so that you can go create your own. You care, and that's huge.

SPEAKER_00 31:05

Yeah, you know what though? I didn't used to care. Like, I I've really been reflecting on the last 21 years of ownership. I had a chunk of staff leave years and years ago, and I was like, bye, good luck. I mean, I was pissed, I was angry, but I was pissed and angry in my life. And the last time I was on your pod, I talked about a person that I knew during those years.

Lyssa 31:33

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 31:34

And looking at how much I've grown as a human, but also as a leader and a business owner and uh an empathetic human, I'm a different person than I was 21 years ago. Absolutely. I mean, we all should be probably different, a little bit different than we were 21 years ago. Not like growth, come on. Um but I have worked my ass off to get to the point where I can not get angry. You know, I mean, is the anger probably underlying somewhere deep down? Absolutely. Um, but I have to remember that like I want to be doing this.

Lyssa 32:16

Yeah. And that's the beautiful part too, is that you like she was saying, you care so much about this, and then you do reach points where you have to say goodbye and other people are moving on, and yet that doesn't stop you from saying, I want to keep doing this. Right? You could let that shut you down and say, like, I'm not gonna do this mentorship anymore, because every time I build someone up and they leave me, like that hurts too much. And instead, you accept that hurt as a part of your story, as a part of who you are, as a part of the journey that you have to go through to continue to build up more people. You're still so open and willing to bring someone into your sphere and to teach them and to to do all the same things again, even knowing how it could end. You're like, yeah, no, I'm still gonna do that. That's beautiful. Not a lot of people can see that insanity.

SPEAKER_00 33:10

Is that insanity? That is like the actual definition of insanity.

Barb 33:14

Doing the same thing over and over again, yes, expecting something that's where it's different though, because you're not expecting everyone to stay. You can't. That's unrealistic.

SPEAKER_00 33:24

Okay, all right, all right.

Barb 33:26

And dare I say, you said it yourself, right? That you've done so much work on Erica. Erica, outside of being the owner of gallery salon, you have devoted time, energy, resources to change you. To change you to be the person that you want to be. And that in hand with entrepreneurial spirit is how you can stay in business for 21 years, is how you can say, Yes, I'm gonna do it again. Yes, I'm gonna take someone new and I'm gonna mentor the shit out of them, and I'm gonna love them so hard and give them everything that I have to give. And if and when they choose to leave, I'm gonna cry about it and I'm gonna be sad and I'm gonna do it again. Yep.

SPEAKER_00 34:22

Yes, and yes. Yes, and yes, yes. I will continue to do it because I mean, this is what I do think that I was put on earth for. I think that I was put on earth to be able to mentor people, um, share my knowledge. I don't know everything, obviously. There's a few things, a few things. Um, but in this industry, it is it is such a toxic industry. And I think we talked about that before a little bit. Um it can be a toxic industry. It is not a toxic industry, it can be. And there are a lot of salons where there isn't growth, and I don't want to be that. Yeah, you know, and it's wild to think that after 27 years, I look at myself and I'm just like, oh, I'm just still a hairstylist, you know, I'm just like this girl that's hair. And then I meet somebody and they're like, oh my God, I've been following you on social media or I've been watching what you're doing, or like I'm a freaking senior in this industry now in Rochester, which is wildly weird. It is that is not that's not possible because I'm only 25. So I don't understand how that's even possible. But when I've met some people through the industry of different networking events and things, they're like, oh yeah, well, when we decided that we were gonna open a salon, we came into gallery and made appointments so we could sit and see what you guys are doing. And I'm like, what you did what? Yeah, why? Like what? But I have to try to remember, remember to look at myself through other people's lens as well. That people want to work at gallery, people want to come to gallery. Yeah. And that's pretty cool. Yeah, it is. Don't forget it. Trying not to.

Lyssa 36:09

Does this feel

Find Erica Online And Final Goodbyes

Lyssa 36:10

good for you?

SPEAKER_00 36:10

It does.

Lyssa 36:11

Yeah. Yeah. Well, then this feels like a good place to love and leave our friends. Would you like to uh tell people where they can find you?

SPEAKER_00 36:18

Absolutely. Uh well, you guys can come to the public market anytime you want. Saturdays are a great day to stop in because we are open. Um and we are at one public market, and we are also on the World Wide Web, like I said last time, galleryhair.com and social media, it's Instagram and Facebook. I just believe our gallery underscore salon. I love it.

Barb 36:43

Well, before we leave you, thank you. Thank you for being vulnerable. Thank you for showing the other side. Yeah. Because we can get lost in the sexy Instagram reels and forget that there are other sides to this game.

SPEAKER_00 37:00

Absolutely. There are. But I mean, I'm creating my own path. So that's cool. That's pretty cool. Yeah.

Lyssa 37:11

There could be there could be uh a whole pod episode about the duality of entrepreneurship and how you can constantly be holding both truths at the same time, no matter how opposing they are. And you carry that with such grace. And you know, the last pod, we just talked about how much we admired you and that we look up to you. And I'd say that hasn't changed. Did it? You are still I love you guys. Number one. We love you the most. We want to be like you when we grow up.

SPEAKER_00 37:42

So you guys both have really great heads of hair. So I'm like losing some kinds of stress. So don't wish too much about that.

Lyssa 37:51

You're so funny. I love you guys. Love you. All right. Well, this is the part where you guys are gonna do all the things. You're gonna like and follow and subscribe. You can follow us on Instagram and YouTube at Mars and Mindset Podcast. And if you're local to the ROC and you want to party with us at Home Made Events ROC. Until next time. Bye.