Why A Mission Statement Isn’t Just Words On Paper & How It Drives Your Business Operations With Tara Hainsworth, Co-Founder Of Hainsworth & Company

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Every element, every single aspect to the way that a business can be run.

All can be stemmed from the whole point of it. The whole businesses be being.

And I think that a lot of people that are running their businesses don't give themselves the opportunity to step back and be like, wait, why am I.

Even doing this in the first place?

Hey everyone, welcome back to the show.

I have such a good show for you today, you guys. You are going to create your mission statements that are going to be like your North Star. Not only for your business, but you can do this for your life, for your partnership, your marriage, whatever you want. And I'm telling you, it's going to be something that you can refer to over and over and over again. So before we do that, I just want to remind you that I am sending you a daily text. If you're not on this list yet, you guys, these are texts that will motivate you, inspire you, make you think. There'll be journal prompts, there'll be questions you can ask your friends. I'm telling you, it's only going to better your life. So text the word daily to 310496 daily 8363 and you can get on my free text list.

If you don't like it, all you.

Guys have to do is text back.

The word stop and you can be off the list. But I promise you, I try my very best to add as much value to your life as possible. So I hope to see you on that list. I go in and I check it out every single day. I try to respond back to at least 10 of you. And today on the podcast, let's get back into talking about this mission statement. I have one of my really good friends and salon owner and my personal hairdresser who truly, I swear I sit in her chair and she is like my therapist. She is so wise, so brilliant, so smart. And this woman is one of the best leaders of a team that I have ever seen. So I don't care what you're doing in your life. I don't care what type of business you have. She not only knows how to lead herself, but she has transferred that into leading a team. And not just leading them, but inspiring them. And these people love, literally love where they work, in the environment that they work in and I'm always so inspired to be in it. So my friend Tara Hainsworth is on today. She's a hair designer and owner of Haynesworth &.

Co.

Salon. After spending 14 years in the beauty industry, she was able to create a space where hair designers alike could professionally be a part of a dynamic family experience. So opening Haynesworth and Company became the focus of her career over the past five plus years, with endless growth opportunities on the horizon. And Haynesworth & Co. Has been a source of endless inspiration. She's a mom of her.

Four year old daughter, Olive J, and.

A wife to her amazing husband, Eric. They work together, they are.

Business partners. You guys, let's get into.

The show because I want you to start creating your mission statement for your life and.

Your business. Tara, I'm so excited to have you on the podcast. I feel like we could literally sit and record all of our conversations and that should just be a podcast. And if you guys don't know, Tara Haynesworth is my amazing hairdresser. But not just that, she is an incredible business owner, salon owner, team leader. This woman truly, I think, is somebody to look to, to see how you should structure your team and what really looks like to have a team that is all working together on the same mission, going in the same direction, and by the way, loving it. Like, I meet your girls out in the world at all these different places, different events, sometimes shopping in stores, and I see them and they truly live and breathe just the salon. Your core values, your methodology, and they say the most amazing things about the salon and you when you're not around. So welcome to the show. I'm so glad you're here and that we're actually recording.

Our conversation. Thank you so much for having me. I'm like, honestly, this is like a dream for me. So thank you for even having me. I also agree that some of the conversations that we have, I wish I could have hit record because I never want to forget some of like the amazing like, aha. Moments and conversations we've had as friends, as entrepreneurs and how cool.

That we're actually able to hit record. This.

Is awesome. I know. I mean like, yes, we want to record them and also, no, you're not allowed to ever hear some of those conversations. Cause like, a lot of them start as like, just for me a couple times, just like tears, like, this is what's happening, this is what's going on. Just to give you guys a little bit of history between her and I, we both, when I had moved to Arizona, I Was looking for.

Obviously someone new to do.

My hair. And I'm very, very picky. Not just about the hair, but mostly about the energy that I'm in. Because when you get hair extensions and you dye your hair blonde, you guys, your appointment is typically four to seven hours. So for four to seven hours of my life, I am in someone else's energy and that really affects me. And so you were recommended to me by Nikki Butler, who is my amazing podcast manager and just has the best hair on planet Earth. So I was like, well, it's gotta.

Be good. She's got to.

Be great. I end up going to the salon and truly, it was like being inside of this well oiled, very happy machine. And for me, I'm such an observer. So when I'm in businesses that are functioning so well and the people are happy, that is when I just tune in to what's going on because it comes from the top down. Truly, I know that management and ownership is amazing if the people are happy. And the more that we got to know each other, the more I sat in your chair, the more we talked, the more I was like, oh, my gosh. This is a methodology that needs to be taught everywhere. And come to find out.

You do teach it and you are.

Starting to branch out and teach it everywhere because you really do have something that is magical, not only for every industry, but especially you guys. If she can create this within the beauty industry, there is something here. So I wanted to set that up because what we're going to talk about with her today, we're going to have her on multiple times. So we're going to talk about how she structures this and runs the team and all the things and how we all break it down. But today we're going to start at the top and we feel like starting with the mission statement would.

Truly be the best way.

To start. So, Tara, why did you even start? Like, why do you feel like you need a mission statement? Why do people need a mission statement? And then let's share where yours.

Came from. I think what I have learned, especially experiencing working in other salons, being in other business owners, salon owners, environments, one of the main things that was missing was this streamline, this goal that we're all working towards. It was very mismatched. It was very confusing. The group of people together, everyone was offering such different services that we couldn't really rely on each other. There was so many times where I felt like when I was working in salons that I. Well, to just give you a little Back end.

Of it. Let's hear.

The background. I was 18 when I went to hair school. And so truly, I. Through my whole twenties, I was trying to figure out who I am as a person. And I was also trying.

To figure out who I was as.

A hairstylist, as a wife, as a friend. I'm just trying to figure things out. And so I found myself going to salons, being like, this has got to be the place where I'm going to figure out who I am as a person. This has got to be the place that I got to be my best version.

Of myself. Because I really have these great aspirations to be a cool hairstylist.

To be successful, to have great people sitting in my chair. So this place is going to offer me that. So when it was very. When the structures weren't there, I found myself thinking, like, not only am I showing up as someone completely different every day, I felt like as though I was just trying on different personalities. I was saying things that didn't come out naturally. I was trying to act a certain way that didn't feel natural. And I just found myself going to home, going home every night kind of miserable and feeling like, were you trying to.

Fit in? Like, what did that feel like? I know especially those are. Those can be really.

Challenging environments. So it's a whole lot.

Of people probably feeling that exact way, trying to fit in. So what did that feel like? Just surviving in there.

Or what? Yeah, I think it was, like. It was a bit depressing in a sense that, like, I didn't really ever have someone that I worked with that actually I aspired to become, in a sense, that I was like, I want to be like that person. I'm inspired by this person. I never felt inspired. I always felt like, I guess if I've got to be successful, I kind of need to be, like, so and so. And I guess if I need to. If I want that in my life, I'm gonna have to do that kind of service, which I really don't like doing, or I'm gonna have.

To wear those types of clothes or have to say those types.

Of things. And I think in the beauty industry, it gets very much so. The focus gets really blurry. It becomes something that, like, we're really there not just to do hair. We're there to connect with people. And if we can't connect.

With ourselves, there's no way we're gonna be able to connect.

With people. And I felt like so many nights I was home just feeling like this dark abyss of like, who am I? And I was just kind of the point where I thought I. I remember getting to a point where I went home from a salon, it.

Was my third, fourth salon I had.

Worked at, and I turned to my husband and I said, I don't think I'm going to discover this at someone else's salon. I think I meant to create it. And that's kind of where the whole intention and idea of creating.

Hanes or the company came.

From was. I know for a fact there are other stylists like me that want something that I want and I think I'm supposed to.

Build it. And then I think the best people.

Will come. And so I wanted to create a place that offered consistency, intention, positivity, happiness that attracted these ideal clients, that I could do my ideal services. So I started from the ground up and I called my dad, who is one of my biggest mentors.

And he said, do you have a.

Business plan? What's your mission statement? And that's truly where the mission.

Statement.

Starts. Started. It's like, well, I don't. How do I create one of those? He said, just look.

It up. I love that. Just, just look it up. It's how you figure out how to.

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Good point. I was just thinking about all the different times that I've created something. It's been really interesting because it's really tempting to let yourself chameleon into what you see around you as successful. And for me it's like when it's not coming from me, that is when I get really confused. I get confused, I get overwhelmed. I actually get pretty anxious and I feel depressed because it's like yes, you were probably taking action. Just like I've taken action. But at the same time it's like, you know, you're like, oh they're doing this, I should do that. Oh they're doing this, I should do that. And it can, you can feel like you're making Progress, but you're actually, like, spinning your wheels and.

Getting nowhere. Exactly. I've been doing hair for almost 15 years now. And what's interesting of being able to say that is we started doing hair without any social platforms, and then it turned into Facebook, and then it turned into Instagram. And what's interesting about the differences in this extreme of my career is that's that culture, that salon culture of, like, you need to be.

Like, some. You can't be a mom. You can't.

Be this. You can't. All the things that were so off track became so magnified through social media. And I even noticed it still to this day that so many salons are. And owners and stylists just jump on these trends or these ideas because they're working for somebody else on.

Instagram, they must work for me. And.

One of. Just like you said earlier, one of the things I say all the time is, if in business, it.

Doesn'T come from you, it has an expiration date. And I believe that wholeheartedly because it's like, it just. It's not natural.

To you. You're coming up with someone else's idea. So when kind of stuff happens that are negative or you don't know how to handle it, you don't know what to do, because the idea.

Didn'T stem from you in the.

First place. What's so cool is when I walk into your salon, you guys, if you have not been there, I can tell you that I'm like, this is so her, and it's so unique. And I also think it fits a lot of different people because you have a very open family type of, like, energy and personality.

Within.

There. It's. It's so unique, you guys. I just want to share, like, from an outsider's perspective. You walk in and it. It's like, the most gorgeous space you've ever been in. Like, it's very. It's almost like Grecian. It reminds me of, like, Mykonos. It's very, like, what, boho chic. Like, organic, earthy, organic. Like, there's chairs that are carved out of, like, wood, and there's stone, and there's all of these beautiful elements in there, and it's very, like, very calming. While also, like, the girls are wearing really cute, comfortable clothes that look like clothes they would pick out and wear while still being looking professional. And all their hair is amazing, but it's hair that just, like, works for them and fits them. And the personalities are so happy and so cheery and so lovely that Sometimes I'm like, do they, like, really.

Like me? Because this feels like I want to be friends with all.

Of them. And it's super refreshing. And I think that's so cool that no matter. The reason I want to point that out is because some people may think that what I just explained, like, your. Your daughter's running around, and other people have kids that are. You know, it's not all the time, but she comes in there and fits right in, or sits in a chair and watches her iPad. And it's like, how does that all work together? It just does. So if you're thinking. If you're thinking, like, God, I don't. I don't know if that would work in my industry. You can create whatever you want. And that's what I feel you did in a very professional but homey way. Okay, so your dad tells you that you need a business plan and you need a mission statement. Tell me where this mission statement idea went.

From there. So my business partner and life partner is. My husband's the same person. It's like the biggest blessing ever also comes with this challenges, but it's like, the greatest thing ever because he is my other half. So I sat down with him on the couch and said, we got to create this mission statement, and I think this is how we can do it. And we started breaking down, like, core words that we were like, okay, this is not only what we want a business to be like, but.

This is genuinely who we are.

As people. And we stemmed from, like, what's our favorite things about ourselves and what's our least favorite things, and what.

Do we want to grow into and what do we want to improve.

Evolved to? And we started from this.

Area of a place that was comfortable and.

Made sense. So family, local, wellness, all of these aspects to life. And it was interesting when we started stringing these words into this beautiful sentence that we could put on our website or put on the wall, we started to go, this is actually.

Very little to do.

With hair, but here we are wanting to open this really beautiful, successful hair salon. And I remember being torn for a while thinking, am I. Is this going to actually become true? Is there any way that people are really going to want to be a part of something that isn't.

So heavily focused on beauty or hair.

Where it's actually just a place that.

We want to just live a beautiful.

Life and surround ourselves around amazing people and be inspired and energized while doing hair at the same time. And so our mission statement has evolved a little. Bit as we've grown. But there's something so beautiful about.

A business. And I know every single.

Person listening has gone to a business and gone. They have their core values down pat. Case in point.

Chick.

Fil? A. Every single time you say thank you, they say, it is my pleasure. Every element, every single day, single aspect to the way that a business can.

Be run. All can be stemmed from the whole point of it, the whole.

Business'S being. And I think that a lot of people that are running their businesses don't give themselves the opportunity to step back and be like, wait, why.

Am I even doing this in the.

First place? And is it actually turning into that? And it's kind of funny how often I'll hear people say, I've.

Never actually created a mission statement for my business. And it can be people.

That have had a business that's six months or six years old. And it's one of my favorite things to remind people of, like, and kind of pull out of them.

Like, well, what are your businesses.

Core values? Like, these are obviously mine. These are Haynes worse. It's like it's a dead giveaway, that place. Like you said, like, it makes sense. The way that we run.

Things is genuinely who we are. And it makes sense.

For Haynesworth. But what is it.

For you? And that's some of my favorite questions to ask people. What separates you from.

The rest? What is different? Write it down in a mission statement and revise or start.

From there. Oh, my goodness. I love that so much. This is kind of a fun game because I was just thinking, I don't know your full mission statement right now and I'll find it out in a minute. But I can tell you already that I think family is in there. I think really supporting people are in there and supporting each other. I was just thinking about different places that I've been that I really like have been impacted. And I'll just use this one because people know the brand as well. But when I go and I stay at a Ritz Carlton, I literally know. I don't know what their mission statement is. I mean, I know a little bit of their core values, but I know that from the first time that I stayed there, something in their mission statement or core values is about personally taking time for each person staying there to make their day, to do something special, that they go out of their way to make you feel special. Because every time I've been there, somehow they've done something like that. Whether it's your name made.

With some chocolate on a plate with.

Some cookies put in your room. Or they just go out of their way to do something special for you, Find you and know your name and give you something. Something. Some random hats or T shirts. It's like the craziest things where you're like, how did you even find me? Or know I was like, make me feel special that I'm staying here. You're like, do they. What is this about? And I think that's a really cool thing to say about your company or to ask, do I have that thing that someone could put their finger on, just like you said, that could differentiate me, that they would know what we stand for. And that is so clear right when I walk through your door, I know what you stand for. I know that you're. That you're a day maker. I know that everyone in there is going to try to go out of their way to make sure that I have a good experience and that I also know that I'm welcome and my family's welcome. Like, if my husband wanted to pop in there and say hi and sit in a chair, he could probably.

Do that. Yes. Oh my gosh, that's. Honestly, hearing you say these things, it genuinely makes me feel like it's exactly what I want people to leave feeling and saying and experiencing. Like, one of my favorite things is when the husbands come out from the car. Instead of waiting for their wives or their girlfriends out in the car for them to finish their appointment, they actually come in and sit down and hang out with us. And we know they're in my name and we know probably more.

About them than they want us to know, but.

We don't. You know, it's like it's a great opportunity for us to make a connection with someone. So no longer is this just a client.

Of ours. It's a person that would.

Added to our lives and we are.

Now someone that they can speak about.

And play a part in their lives. And it's this beautiful merriment.

Of serving someone and giving them beautiful.

Hair, but also making them realize that life is.

More about. Is about more than just.

Our hair. And I want that to.

Be something that we can use as a tool to do the real work, which I believe is. Is the people. Work is what we are all really meant to.

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Conditions apply. Okay, so would you share your mission statement with Everybody.

Who'S.

Listening? Absolutely. So Haynesburg's mission statement is, at Haynesworth and Company, we are determined to lead and inspire through education. Our hair designers provide a professional experience while cultivating our.

Family environment. We.

Create beauty, which is why I experienced so much of that family feeling, and I felt like family when I was there. That is amazing. Okay, so how did you and Eric come up with that, like, kind of step by step? If you can tell me what that actually looked like, because I know that that was a beautiful statement that you just read that probably took a very long time to.

Figure out. Yeah. Okay. So I remember sitting my husband down on the couch and just telling him, okay, we've got to start with our mission statement. And I looked online, what my dad told me to do. Look online, find a way to do it, and it broke down. You know, you start with your business in the center, draw a circle around it, and start coming up with all of those core words that you want to be known for. And as Eric and I were doing that, we found ourselves, like, giving those answers that I feel like you would normally just naturally come up with that may sound like the right thing to say or the right thing to do. And we found ourselves being like, there's nothing really unique about this. There's, like, where are we woven into it, and how can we.

Make this different, especially from.

Other salons? And so we actually started just naming who we were, like, what.

Our personal attributes were, what things we.

Loved about ourselves, things that we were wanting to showcase that we thought would be unique and different. And that's kind of how.

We came up with our main.

Mission statement. What my favorite part about the exercise and the whole process was.

This obviously didn't all happen happen in.

One night. And we kind of just kept coming back to that core value of the mission statement. And I kept telling my.

Husband, I feel like there's more.

To it. I don't think it's as simple as building this empire off of one statement. So I. So we started to break things up into what we now call our four core values. And the mission is one of those. But the other three we.

Came up with are our impact statements.

Our vision statements, our why statements, along with the mission statement. And it allows us to be so detailed and intricate. And a lot of those statements that we've come up with have really helped us even get down to what type of experience in the vision of our business. How do we instill that into the experience? Like you said before the snack station, one thing I say all.

The time at my home is, I.

Will never let anyone leave my home hungry. And I wanted that same experience in the salon. So we have full snack.

Drawers, hon, you better open the drawers.

Rummage, make yourself feel at home. Don't even ask if it's okay. Just go for it. It's the same type of feel that I would want someone to have at my house. So the mission is one of those core values. But I do feel like.

It doesn't all have to be wrapped up into that mission. It can be.

Split apart. You know, I love this because sometimes when we. When we sit down, especially in the beginning, if you haven't had your business for a while, like, you feel like if you don't get the mission statement right, you're just like, ah. Like, you can't even start. And one thing that we have learned both as business owners is, like, it matters. And just start. You'll probably figure out your mission as you go along. Like, were you guys in business for a while before you sat down and came up with this.

Mission statement? I will say the mission statement was, like, the first step was.

We got our super suite, and then.

We graded the mission statement, and we had, like, one team member, and we were interviewing two others. We were like, that was.

The advice. My dad.

Gave me. Something we're starting mission statement. But I will say it took over. Probably, like, salon's now been open for, like, five and a half years. We didn't come up with.

The other three core values until a.

Year ago. So it took time and.

Experience to really understand, oh, we need more than just the mission. I.

Love that. And a mission statement is a great place to start. And you guys, the salon that I'm talking about now, I went to her last salon, which was also so amazing. So, like, loved it. Adorable, Incredible. That's how I found you. And I was like, I love this girl. I love these other women. Like, I love everything that you stand for. But I just want to say, like, that is the time frame of business. Like, you're in year five and a half, and now you have the salon of your dreams. And I know that the first salon was the salon of your dreams at the time, but now you have this salon where people walk in and they gasp for air because it's so stunning. And, you know, when I walked into the other salon, it still gave me that feeling, though. And it was a much smaller area. It probably was not, like, your absolute dream, even though I loved it. So cute. But that's what I want. People to grasp is like, they see you now and they're going to go and they're going to Google your salon and see it online and be like, oh, my God, that's so amazing. It's so perfect. But it's like you have evolved, the mission statement has evolved, the core values have evolved, your team has evolved. Like, even your space has now evolved and upgraded, and that is how business goes. Like, we can see, we can have in our mind's eye, like, this idea of where we want to go, but, man, it really, like, you just have to start and it's going to be beautiful no matter what, and it's going to grow, and it's incredible. But for the mission statement, I think it's a beautiful place for people to start, no matter where they are. Because I think what happens is you find your identity within business, just like how you said, you know, instead of thinking about what we wanted this business to be, it's like, how are we in life? What do we value, and how do we want to show up within that business? So what are some questions for people listening who. Who really want clarity around how they want to craft their business and their team and how to show up? Because that's what a mission statement is, right? Like, you can. You can hire and fire, essentially based off of your mission statement, if people align with it or not, and really identify who your people are based off of that. So if somebody wants to create it right now, what are the questions that they can ask themselves? And is it like four sentences? Five sentences? Does it matter? What does that.

Look like? Well, each one of my hair designers, I actually have them do this exact exercise. And with all four core values, it's just as important for every one of my hair designers to actually.

Have their own statements within Haynes with.

And company as a whole, so that you asked that question, because this has become one of my greatest tools as their mentor to make sure that their clicked in alignment with the salon's main goals and aspirations. And it makes it so seamless to find the right people that work for you. And it makes it even easier as a mentor to know what.

They need from you and from the salon as.

A whole. But the exercise is what I call soul work. I always break everything up into three categories when I'm working with.

My team and we're talking about business. There's heart work, mind work, and soul work. Soul is the.

Nitty gritty. It's when you have to get really deep down inside. And it sounds so funny when I first mention A mission statement and soul. Who are you? They're so. So intense, but they seem so polar opposite. I've learned that you have to dig deep into that in order for you to really determine and establish a unique, authentic mission behind your business's being. So I always have the girls start with the core word in the center is their. Their business, their title, and then we circle it, and they're going to stem from there just like a beautiful sun. All the different ways that they want to identify themselves, things that.

They want to be known for, their.

Favorite attributes about themselves, what their favorite experiences are. Any type of word that can really grasp attention, but more than anything is. Can so authentically define who.

You are as a person so that.

You'Re not showing up every day as someone other.

Than you. Okay. This is so powerful for so many reasons. But a couple things that I thought while you were talking is, number one, you don't even have to have a business to do this. Like, if you are working a corporate job or any. Any job for that matter, you can make your own life mission statement of how you want to show up every single day. Like, one of the things that really stuck with me was just someone had shared with me about, like, being a day maker, and I actually think it comes from the salon industry. And that's, like, a core value for me is to remember and trust me. I don't. I'm not always a day maker, but it's a good remembrance for me that that's a core value. And we can all do this no matter where we are. We can do this right now. We can do this with our partners. We can do this with our families, Create a mission statement for our families. I know Chris and I have created a mission statement as a couple. I. I couldn't recite it to you right now, but we do have it somewhere in a drawer that I should probably pull out. But also, what was really interesting is I started thinking, you know, you have every team member do this. This is going to be such a clear moment for you that even if you wanted to do this as an interview question, you're going to know who is aligned with this concept of even soul work. Like, there's definitely some people, Tara, who, like, if you're like, okay, we're going to do some soul work, who might be like, hell, no. Like, this is not my salon. I'm just here to, like, look hot and make money. And that's gonna get really, really clear when you ask somebody to create a mission statement, because that's important to everyone on your team. So, you know, as far as just. Just thinking about even being a team leader, being a boss, which a lot of people are finding themselves in that position. And it's brand new and scary. Like these are really beautiful things to help them align with the right people. Because I think that's one of the biggest challenges in the beginning, and that's a question for you, is when you were first hiring, did you find that it was challenging to figure out who was for you or had you immediately like dropped into this idea of attracting who you wanted through these.

Different methods? I think when I first started looking for people, I was looking for the obvious. Someone that can do hair really well, someone who has a great experience, like a good list of clients, someone who has experience, who invests in education. All of the things that I was seeing everyone else showcasing what they found valuable when they hired people. So I found myself looking for people that had those qualifications, which are amazing qualifications. But I just felt like I was missing an element that I felt like this is a person that I'm building my business with, with everything is on the line for them. I feel like I kind.

Of was like, I think I need.

Something more. I think I need someone who will go through these trenches with me. And as I found myself interviewing different people, I actually stumbled upon meeting someone naturally in person. She worked at the Free People store in Chandler, Arizona, and.

We connected. She didn't even do.

Hair anymore. And I just connected with her so well. And she was like, I don't think I would ever go back to doing hair. And I found myself going.

I think that I can.

Help you. And she ended up being one of my first girls on our team and completely changed her career completely around. And it has been one.

Of my greatest joys to witness her.

Her growth. But once I had that experience, I was hooked. I was looking for something more than someone that could just do.

Beautiful work. I wanted people that I.

Could live my everyday life with and be excited to celebrate their wins and cry on their bad days and be someone I just, I. I've always wanted more meaning to my everyday. And I was blessed with that experience. Just kind of set me up for success. I do.

Feel that.

So it. It kind of can be the opposite. Can make it harder for me to just make. Especially now that we're so big and. And being the leader, you got to just make. Make decisions like you kind of have to just get.

Things done. You can't always sit around and just wait for the.

Perfect person. To sit in your lap, you got to take a risk. But I think that that value really helps me just kind of know right off the bat, like, is this someone that would be good for Ainsworth.

Or not? And it definitely has helped with experience.

For sure. That was so insightful. I think knowing what you want to build and how you want your day to day life to look like, you just gave us a really good insight of like, what type of human you want to just be around in general. And I feel like, you know, when you are a good teacher as well, like anyone listening, who knows they're also a good teacher. I feel like when you find those people, you can also teach so much of that skill set if somebody is open and they're willing to do that hard work and they have those same core values as you. So it's not always like, ah, we need the best person. Especially because that other. The soul stuff is hard to teach. Virtually impossible at this point in their lives, most likely because they're kind of set in the, in the ways that they are. So, okay, so when did you identify? You know, you had that moment where you were just telling me that the girl from Free People, which is one of our favorite clothing stores, I literally, Tara, should just be a free people influencer because I go in and I'm like, I buy everything off. I'm like, what, what is that shacket you're wearing? And then I immediately order it while in her chair. And it's usually always from Free people. So shout out to Free People. You give us free clothes. Yeah. Not an ad, everyone, but.

But that moment where you were like.

Hey, I think I can help you. Clearly you were identifying as like, I am someone who can take the lead and do something to impact someone's life. If somebody's listening who thinks that they're a leader, what do you think are some of the clear definitions that you identify as to be a leader? What do you think is involved in being a leader? Like, what are some of the definitions that.

You hold? I think my greatest successes in my experiences of being a leader have been witnessing challenging situations, rising to the occasion, and also celebrating the win. All three of those aspects I as their leader get to play a role in. That's my favorite part is.

When you're in present enough and your. The human element is there.

That you can celebrate the win so you can also be there part of the struggle. They're not someone that they're like, can only come to for like the greatest moments because they never want to let you down. I like to be defined as a leader that will get in.

The trenches with you, that will force.

You to see bigger than you do.

And remind you of what you're.

Capable of. My last retreat that I.

Had with the girls, I found myself.

Being pretty bold in a sense of.

Saying, I know what you're all capable as a. As a group, as a unit, and I'm not afraid to ask you to rise to that occasion. And it's been so cool.

To see them do some of these things and cross off these goals and do heart work. So work and mind work with me, even if it feels uncomfortable or weird. And being a leader, I think, doesn't have anything, doesn't have so.

Much to do with the.

Leader themselves. First of all, I wanted to cry because I was just thinking about, you know, Tara and I have worked out together before work, so always kind of like, we'll start talking about our day or what we have coming up. And for a while there, we were on a good little roll at the gym, and so we were kind of intertwined in each other's lives during a. A great time and also a little bit of a difficult time for both of us. And I'm just remembering back to some conversations for both of us having to lead through some challenging situations, like sticky situations with people where maybe people weren't showing up like we had hoped or like, we could see in them. And it's these moments of, what do I do? Are they, like, no longer, like, good for the company? Are they no longer a mesh for me? Am I leading wrong? Is this. Should I demand more from them? Am I demanding too much from them? Am I. Am I asking, like, something that's unreasonable, or am I not asking, like, it is the personal development of a lifetime leading people, like, it is the biggest, most confronting thing I have ever done in my life. And when things aren't going right, I think the beautiful thing was, like, we both got to be mirrors for each other of looking at, like, oh, when things aren't going right, the only option you have is to look at you and how you're responding and also what is best for the company and the team, like the existing team. So, you know, I just feel like when you are. If you're in the beginning of leading as well, finding other people that can just hold space for you to sometimes process. And I know that that is what you did for me a lot, and that's what I did for you is a lot of times we didn't even. We gave Some input, but for the most part, it was kind of like, all right, hold space while they process. And it's really crazy because the couple problems that we had both shared, I think we both thought a certain one was going to end a certain way, and it completely transformed into something that turned out amazing. And, you know, if you're a leader who's in a sticky situation, it's just being able to have other people to bounce things off of before you make any drastic decision has been really huge for me, and I know for you as well. So what are some tips that we'll just close on that you would give to people if they're finding themselves in a new mentorship or.

Leadership role? I would say you have.

To put the work.

In first. The beginning of the day. I'm a firm believer of realigning yourself, and that looks so different for everyone, but daily and giving yourself the opportunity to give attention to your heart, your mind, your soul, your body. Before you get into a mentorship role. I think a lot of.

Times you'll. And you'll go through ebbs.

And flows as a mentor where you're giving up all of you and more for an extended period of time and you're exhausted and you're making decisions that you don't want to be making, and things are going different ways. And I think that I have learned if I take a moment to myself every day before I start my day, I'm going to be reminded of my main mission in the daily struggles of being a mentor and showing up consistent. I would say consistency is key. I know that's like a common thing to say, but if you are building a business that's coming authentically.

From who you are, you're confident in.

Who you are, you're constantly evolving who.

You are, and you're allowing your team.

To play a role in all of.

That with you, they will never fear.

Or be surprised by your reaction. I think that being consistent.

As a mentor is super helpful for the people you're mentoring on your team to feel comfortable coming to you for things I say. Consistency is.

Always key. And just listen before.

You respond. I think patience is the.

One skill set my dad has taught me more than any others is listen.

And process before you respond or react. I think.

That.

Is. Is. Is.

Really helpful. Oh, my goodness. So good. So in summary, to create a mission statement, we're going to put your name or your business name, depending on what you want to do. And it's, you know, or you and your partner's name or Whatever. That looks like a mission statement for your life, for your marriage, for your business. It might be fun to have all three if you're a creative. And then we're going to just ask ourselves the questions, kind of who do we want to be or what do we want to be known as? And then you can craft them together into what? Anything from like three to ten sentences or one to two paragraphs. And just kind of put it up in front of your face every morning and say it out loud and remember because it's so easy to.

Forget. So.

All right. Any last words that you want to share.

With everyone? I would say don't be afraid of the dreams that you're seeing when you close your eyes. I think that there was a lot of time in the past.

When I was in my 280 square.

Foot super suite in comparison to our 2,800 square foot dream salon. The salon I would see every time I would close my eyes used to be something that scared me and something that I didn't think was possible. But I'm actually here to say that I don't have to close my eyes to see that dream anymore. And it's allowing me to dream even bigger. And I just, I just would say don't be afraid of what.

You see when you close.

Your eyes. Oh, so good. And I literally just have to say, you guys, I was on that journey with her. We had moments where we were like, is this thing even going to open? Her was running way behind and late my company was running way behind. Still hasn't launched. She beat me to the punch. But now we know that this is par for the. It's just how business works. It's going to be a challenge. But what we can both sit here and promise you is that it's going to be beyond worth it and you will find your other business besties just like we have found ours that we can cry to. We can celebrate with all of the things. So, so grateful for you. One of the biggest things that you can do for our guest is to go and give her a follow. Where can we follow you.

On Instagram? Okay, so we have our salon, Instagram, it's Haynesworth Co Salon. And then if you want to follow along my journey too, as.

An owner, I always share a little.

Bit of owner, family, mom, life, all the.

Fun things. Just Tara Haynesworth co Tara Hainsworth.

Company guys. And then you can go see her cutest little daughter named Olive in the entire world. Like I can't even handle her little giggle. It's it's like way too much. So cute. Okay, so go give her a follow and let her know. We love to see you share this episode. So if you know anyone, anyone who has a salon, who works at a salon, or anyone looking for someone to do their hair, or you just want inspiration, you guys share this with a friend. And also let Tara know what your biggest takeaway was from this episode. And until next time, earn your happy.

Bye.