So, here’s the thing. When I first launched my salon business, I didn’t choose a business partner. I clung to one. Not out of strategy. Not out of logic. Out of fear. Out of that very human “I can’t do this alone” voice that creeps in right before you take the leap. And surprise, surprise: it didn’t work out.
The Early Mistake: Partnering From Panic
Seven years ago, I was gearing up to open my first salon. I had a killer concept, a business plan, investors, the whole shebang, but I didn’t believe I could do it alone. So when a sweet, talented hairdresser I’d worked with before showed interest in coming onboard and buying in? I said yes. Fast. Too fast.
She was great, but I never stopped to ask the important stuff:
Do our visions align?
Can we handle pressure together?
Do we bring different strengths to the table?
Spoiler: we didn’t.
We were both hairdressers. Both in the thick of the same work. No one steering the backend. No one strategising five steps ahead. And biggest miss of all, I never communicated where I saw the business going. I had dreams of multiple salons. She didn’t. That’s on me.
Thankfully, about a year in, she was honest: this wasn’t for her. She walked. I bought her out. It was messy, emotional, and expensive. But it gave me something invaluable: clarity.
Enter Alina: The Unofficial Partner Who Showed Up Before the Doors Even Opened
Now this is where the real story begins.
Alina wasn’t in hair. She was a friend. A Swiss admin queen who dreamed of something more meaningful, and offered to work reception at my new salon. I laughed. Thought she’d be bored out of her mind. She wasn’t.
From the jump, Alina was in it. Learning booking systems. Figuring out processing times. Helping with backend logistics before we even opened the doors. While I was slinging foils in my living room, she was making sense of chaos. She didn’t ask for a title. She just did the work. And quickly, it was obvious: this woman wasn’t a receptionist. She was a manager. A strategist. A partner in every way but on paper. And honestly? She had my back more than anyone ever had.
The Power of Opposites
Let’s be real: I’m emotional, impulsive, and I like to move fast. Alina is logical. Measured. Thoughtful.
And that’s why we work. Where I go big, she grounds it. Where I light fires, she builds the systems that keep them burning. She’s the quiet power behind the scenes, and I’ve come to value that more than I ever expected.
When the opportunity came to open a second salon, I finally had the chance to make our partnership official. And even then, she told me: think about it. Sleep on it. Don’t offer me a share unless you’re absolutely sure. Can we get a round of applause for the woman who protects not just me, but the business, even from my own excitement?
Lessons You’ll Want to Tattoo on Your Brain
If you’re thinking about taking on a business partner, or wondering why the one you’ve got isn’t working, here’s what I’ve learned (the hard way):
1. Don’t partner from fear.
Do it from power. If you’re clinging to someone because you’re scared to go it alone, you’re already starting on shaky ground.
2. Opposites aren’t just okay – they’re gold.
Your ideal partner might not look like you, talk like you, or work like you. That’s the point.
3. Talk about the hard stuff upfront.
Vision. Values. Exit plans. Growth plans. Don’t assume they know where you’re heading. Spell it out.
4. Trial before you title.
Work together. Run a project. See how it feels. Alina and I had five years of proof before we signed anything.
5. Communicate like you mean it.
This is a relationship. The only one I’ve worked harder on is my marriage. Coaching, hard chats, vulnerability – it’s all part of the deal.
6. Respect in public. Always.
If we disagree, it happens behind closed doors. In front of the team? We’re unbreakable. One voice. One unit. Zero cracks.
You Can Do It Alone, But the Right Partner Makes It So Much Better
Here’s the full-circle truth: I can do this alone. I’ve built the confidence, the experience, and the systems to go solo. I just don’t want to. Alina makes it more joyful. She brings calm to my chaos. She sees my vision and makes it real. And when the highs hit? I’ve got someone to turn to and say, “Damn. We did this.”
And that? That’s the kind of business partnership worth waiting for.
