This year has brought a ton of growth for Royale Hair Parlor. We have lifted our training program to new levels and the outcome has been that we are able to offer the best customer service possible to our guests. I was able to step away from seeing clients for a long period of time and really focus on what Royale needs for growth for years to come. I became a certified Strategies Salon Business Coach. The year of training was so amazing and I learned so much. After trying it out for 6 months, I decided that the travel and time developing a new career path would be difficult to engage locally as a business owner and it would be difficult to find time to help my family as needed. I now spend every Tuesday helping my mom babysit my nieces plus other tasks and it has been so rewarding. I realized this year that with new opportunities you also have the option to really look at your life and decide how you want to shape your future. I turned 40 and felt the need to do some soul searching!
AND …… I missed doing hair! I feel like it is a part of me and my passion for this craft is stronger than ever. I only do hair now six to eight days a month because my long list of duties as salon owner. I am grateful for this time to step away and reflect. After 22 years of doing something (full time in overdrive) you are bound to get a little burnt out. I owed it to myself, my team, and our clients to figure out how to be my best self again.
Bridgett & Steph DiVohl photo by Martin Boling
This year my wife, Steph DiVohl stepped away from her corporate job with Cosmoprof and into a full time position at Royale as Operations Manager. With that title she works alongside me to manage schedules for both Front Desk and Service Providers, company budgets, inventory management, social media content, and more. I am so grateful to work alongside my wife. It has its challenges at times, but more than anything I feel more creative than ever!
The Royale Leadership Team in Austin, TX
Other roles that have shifted in the company are that Sydney Jaeger and Jade Tuper took on roles as our in-salon educators. Syd’s focus is on precision cutting, razor cutting and smoothing treatments. Jade’s focus is on all things haircolor including corrective colors, single colors, retouches, and balayage.
Ali Elmore stepped into the role as Managing Team Leader. On days when I am away, she is support to Steph and overall flow of the salon. This is a difficult role and Ali has risen to the occasion! I am excited to see her grow more in 2019.
Chelsea May celebrated her 5th year at Royale and most importantly, brought sweet Sienna May into the world! Sienna is Chelsea’s first child and she is handling new mamma-hood like a pro.
Drew, Chelsea, & baby Sienna
Other exciting things that Royale Hair Parlor has implemented: A FULL benefits package!! It was a goal of ours to offer Health, Vision, and Dental insurance to our team and in 2018 we made it happen. Along with that, our benefits package included more travel education than ever. Shelby and Jade flew to NYC to Temptu for an advanced airbrush makeup course. Ali went to Anaheim, California to learn from one of her balayage heros, Lacy Whirl. Rachel and Jade traveled with me to Chicago for an R + Co Men’s cutting workshop(held at former salon home, Sine Qua Non) , and Sydney and Shelby studied modern cutting techniques at Arrojo in NYC. I am proud of all of the career development we offer and so grateful for team members who value learning as much as I do.
Sydney & Shelby in NYC (left), Jade, Rachel, Bridgett, & Sine Qua Non Owner, Laura (right)
Our proudest moment of 2018 came in October when our team traveled to San Antonio, TX to be awarded No Compromise Leadership Business of the Year at the Strategies Team Based Pay Awards. Having No Compromise Leadership in our company means never backing down from of our overall vision and values, having relentless communication, and always seeking to improve ourselves . The application took our leadership team over 12 hours to complete, but the hard work paid off. Steph, Chelsea, Ali, Jade, and Syd all included essay type answers telling the stories of challenges and successes that we have encountered over the past 5 years. The best part about this award, from my standpoint as a business owner and leader, is that I did not fill out any of the entry. It was all our leadership team, collectively and they brought their heart and soul to it. The pride I felt while standing in front of 300 people with my team is an experience that words can’t explain. Steph delivered a speech that had the crowd in tears. Chelsea offered insight from her standpoint as a woman in the workforce and as a new mom. It was a truly awesome experience.
I cannot wait to share the exciting events and education we’ll be offering in Bloomington in 2019.
Thank you so for all the support!
Happy Holidays,
Bridgett
(From Left to Right) Chelsea, Jade, Steph, Melanie Laboda(our Leadership Team Business Coach), Bridgett, Ali & Sydney