We recently connected with Autumn Markley and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Autumn thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Alright – so having the idea is one thing, but going from idea to execution is where countless people drop the ball. Can you talk to us about your journey from idea to execution?

Hi! Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to share my story and introduce myself to your readers. I’m so appreciative.

Building my business has meant taking a step back to look at the big picture. Cultivating sustainable practices for the environment, for my clients, but also for my own finite source of energy. For that to make sense in relation to a hair salon, let me give you my back story.

Very early in my career (think 10+ years ago) I began exploring the emerging world of organic hair care after it became clear to me that the traditional, harsh chemicals I was working with would limit my career. I was developing skin sensitivities and I had to seek out a more gentle alternative. I left the salon near my home in Tempe to work at Phoenix’s first vegan, organic salon. During my time there I put in countless hours of education, and built very specific techniques in organic hair coloring, dreadlocks and later, straight razor cutting.

In 2018 I helped to open a successful salon in the Downtown Phoenix Arts District. There, we formed the infrastructure to divert waste from landfills, save energy and water, and maintain a clean air, cruelty free environment in the salon.

I recently decided to take everything I have learned and helped to develop and open my own studio. I work out of a co-op space in my own neighborhood. There are 2 salon suites aside from my own, and we have a vintage shop coming into the front area of what is actually a beautiful, old house that was built in 1928. I now walk to work! I am able to manage my time more efficiently, and conserve my own energy by spending less time commuting and fewer hours behind the chair so that I can offer top quality services and be a whole, happy human.

Autumn, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

If this is your first time learning about me, hello!

My basic brand concept is that I run an organic, clean air, eco friendly, cruelty free salon studio. Diving deeper into what I do and who I’m here for you’ll find that a lot of people find me because they want somewhere to go where they feel comfortable and cared for. For some of my clients that means they won’t have an allergic reaction to the products I use. For others it means I’ll turn them away from the mirror if I notice they start to get uncomfortable staring at themselves for too long, or we just listen to good music together and have a happy self care moment (you’d be surprised how many people have cried in my chair during the latter).

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

When I first started doing hair I wanted to be visible. I wanted to take the stage and share knowledge in a dynamic way. I don’t really know why that appealed to me. Maybe because of my past experience as a dancer and missing the feeling of live performance, but I’m actually very shy and mortified of public speaking.

At this point in my career I am motivated by human connection. Covid has limited that for people in many ways so I’m humbled and grateful to be that soft spot in someone’s day in which they get to be social or vulnerable or feel heard.

I’m looking forward to continuing to evolve my skill set by engaging in further education. In order to be truly inclusive there is more I need to learn about curly hair styling. I’m excited to get deeper into that soon with some intensive education from a local specialist.

It is important to me to create a comfortable, safe environment for my clients, I am always open to feedback and looking for opportunities to make self care a radically harmonious event.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Resilience is my least favorite word. To me, resilience is synonymous with burn out, it’s working through exhaustion because there is no other option. I have done this pretty much my whole life. I don’t recommend it. Don’t be resilient. Be gentle with yourself. Know your boundaries and establish them right away.

Being in business for myself means having options. It means I get to make decisions about what I invest in, and how that will secure me when I need a break.

Whenever possible, I say, look for opportunities to create options and security. My partner often says something that I love, and I’m sure I will get wrong because he is much more verbose. He basically says that when others are looking at an obstacle and trying to decide whether they will go over or under it, he wants to go around it. He says there is always a third way. To find it, I think, takes some amount of self worth, integrity, and trust in your own instincts. For that, you don’t need much resilience. That’s not to say there isn’t hard work that comes with building a business, there absolutely is, but in my opinion there are other far more important traits associated with success.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://lebeautyoperator.square.site/
• Instagram: @lebeautyoperator
• Facebook: The Beauty Operator