I’ve been thinking a lot about the beauty industry lately, and I need to get something off my chest. It’s wild to me how often I see stylists leaving the very salons that nurtured their growth, only to badmouth them afterward. Let’s be real: it’s way easier (and classier) to just admit you wanted to fly solo or thought you could earn more on your own. Claiming a place was “toxic” when everyone knows it’s not only makes you look ungrateful and petty.

We’re all small business owners here, and we have the ultimate say in how we run our businesses. I’m sure there have been times when my coworkers and peers have looked at how I run Mosaic and thought, “If I were her, I’d do XYZ differently.” And that’s totally fine! I actually welcome that kind of feedback because different perspectives are so valuable.

There might come a day when you decide your partnership with your salon is no longer a good fit. Maybe you’ve outgrown it, or your goals have shifted. When that day comes, I want to give you some advice on moving on gracefully.

For me, everyone in our industry knows what we do at Mosaic. They know we develop and mentor talent, and they see the success our stylists achieve. Amarillo is a small town, so if you leave and choose to discredit what we’ve built together, you don’t make Mosaic look bad, you make yourself look disgruntled and ungrateful.

What I want for all of you is longevity and the freedom to make your own decisions. Don’t tarnish your name over minor disappointments or misunderstandings. We’ve had many people move on from Mosaic and still maintain great relationships with us. That’s what I want for you too. It is highly likely that your salon owner cares about you all so much and wants to support your journey, whether it’s with them or somewhere else. The only reason that wouldn’t happen is if you burn the bridge.

Imposter syndrome is real, and sometimes, people might try to bring you down when they see you succeed. In my experience, this has often come from women I’ve supported and cared about deeply. It’s okay to leave a space that no longer brings you joy without trying to burn it down. You can simply move on quietly and find a place that makes you happy.

I’ve been told countless times that I’m intimidating. Some of you are probably laughing because you know me so well, but it’s true. People often see me as confident, and that can make them insecure. But the truth is, they perceive me as confident because I’m always willing to try new things. I’m not inherently confident; I’ve just had a lot of practice doing things scared.

I constantly battle imposter syndrome because I’m always stepping out of my comfort zone. If you never try new things, you’ll never feel that way, which might feel safe, but it also means you’re not growing. I’m always afraid that the new things I try won’t work out. I’m constantly Googling how to do things I’ve never done before. And that’s okay. I’m an imperfect person and an imperfect business owner, but I feel that the intentions with which you do a thing is most important.

So, let’s embrace community over competition. Let’s support each other’s journeys, whether they lead us in different directions or keep us working side by side. At the end of the day, we’re all in this together, and there’s enough success for everyone.

With love and solidarity,
Kendra