I’m writing this shortly after our “third” anniversary.
To our family’s delight and horror, we are about to launch our third location.
In three years.
We are a SMALL BUSINESS. And the Refinery House IS the blood sweat and tears of its owners and the amazing team that has grown around it. This is not outside investors. This is not a giant bank loan. This is the creative hard work of 2 women, their outrageously complementary skill sets, and unprecedented buy-in from their team and clients! This is a little bit of magic and whimsy, a host of late-night “what if…” dreaming sessions.
The Refinery House is a dream growing around the idea that there can be beauty and goodness inside the beauty industry. The truth that we don’t have to pick ourselves apart to make ourselves better. That we can love ourselves and each other into better-ness. It’s what happens when the best business practices are applied to hair salons. When we put people first. When we’re in it together as a team. When we address what works and what doesn’t work and find real-time solutions. It’s a constantly moving marathon. It’s never being done. It’s never arriving. It’s marrying technology and systems with love and teamwork. It’s investing back into the business and the team. It’s quietly carrying on. It’s stopping periodically to look back at what we’ve accomplished and look into the future of what could be.
It’s announcements that are years in the making that start to seem like old hat, but that represent sacrifice and hard work and late nights and tears and laughter.
To each of you who have sat in our chairs, to each of you who have followed along on social media and have provided gentle feedback, to those of you who have left rave reviews and who have come to our events. Who have laughed with us and cried with us. Thank-you
Are we tired? Sometimes. Are we done? Not even close. Chilliwack, our first love: you let us cut our teeth here and we’ll never forget it. Will you keep watching and cheering us on? We need it now more than ever.
I’m writing this shortly after our “third” anniversary.
To our family’s delight and horror, we are about to launch our third location.
In three years.
Gratefully,
Heidi & Aly