In celebrating our 10 year anniversary of “Joy hair studio” we thought we should share the “story of Joy” and how we came about.
The salon was opened with good intentions but bad business management. Starting as a non profit salon with the intent to donate 100% of its proceeds, the previous owner quickly came to realize the salon was being mismanaged and the goals were unrealistic. In 2013, feeling desperate, he reached out to our very own Tara Main, who along side working behind the chair also ran a successful “salon consulting business” helping salon owners who are struggling to run and manage the day to day business workings behind the scene.
Seeing that Joy was in dire straights, she saw the best option was to buy Joy herself and turn it around, and she did just that.
As a single mom to a 3 year old and newly pregnant with baby number 2, Tara decided to take on running a salon.
She was lucky it came with our long time stylist Jelena, who has been with us the last 10 years but that was literally the only thing worth keeping from the previous owner. Tara worked hard at repairing a tarnished reputation, balancing the books and growing the business as she balanced her private life and brought Joy from Red to Black. After successfully achieving this, it was time to find some help, either another hair stylist to take on the growing clientele or a business partner to help continue to grow the salon.
Fast forward to fall of 2017…
Savannah had been an independent contractor in a nearby salon and felt like she had “maxed out” her earning potential and ability to grow in the salon she was in. Feeling frustrated by the lack of support in her efforts to find extra sources of income and growing behind the chair, she decided it was time to leave. She reached out to a mutual friend about trying to find somewhere new to work and was put in touch with Tara.
When we met up to discuss opportunities, we were pleasantly surprised to realize that we had worked together years prior as educators for the same colour company! What a small world!
It was a match made in heaven. Savannah joined as a chair renter in 2017 and shortly after, Tara and Savannah realized this could be the perfect partnership . In 2018 we joined as business partners and have been a force to be reckoned with ever since. We really are the perfect partnership, intuitively knowing how to support each other, and are now great friends. Joining forces has allowed us both to enjoy growing Joy into the successful salon it is today as well as keep a healthy, but busy, work life balance.
We have created an incredible team environment for our staff and feel so lucky to have the support of our incredible team of stylists, our community and clients behind us which allows us to be able to continue to grow and also give back to the community that has supported us through all these years.
We would like to extend our gratitude to our team, Jelena, Chelsea, Jasmine, Kim, Cameron, and Kelly. As well as all of you, our dedicated clients, who feel like extended family. Thank You for helping us create and sustain a joyful, friendly space to create beautiful hair in…somewhere that brings us Joy and allows us to give back to the community.
Cheers to 10 Years!
