Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Summer Young. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Summer, thanks for joining us today. Before we get into specifics, let’s talk about success more generally. What do you think it takes to be successful?
I have a very simple formula that I believe works if you want success in anything. People like to use the word luck when opportunities face you but the formula for luck is opportunity x preparedness. If you have a dream that you want to accomplish, all you have to do is become who you have to be to fit that role or lifestyle and then the universe will work it out.. becoming who you have to be is a part of preparation for the next phase in your life so if you beat it before you become it then becoming, it is inevitable with hard work and dedication as long as you stick to something it’s impossible to fail. And even if failing is a potential possibility, you have to be almost delusional in ignoring that that’s an option.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My name is Summer and I’m the owner of Sevynn Shades Beauty Salon. I started my business in 2017 working from home and doing nails out of my kitchen. I expanded to owning a private studio where I would take countless clients and I hit many of my business milestone during this time. Unfortunately, I lost my sister during the pandemic to an overdose, and this completely rocked my world and changed my life. Prior to this tragedy I had many other hardships and faced so much adversity in my childhood. I am a domestic violence survivor and an infant loss survivor. All of these hardships were followed by a huge win in my business journey because I always turned my pain into passion. I found doing nails as an artistic outlet that served us therapy for me during my hard times.. It was after tragedy that I worked harder than I ever had before. Following my sister‘s passing. I use my grief as fuel to start my next chapter and that’s when I opened my full service beauty salon. I’m proud to say that we have almost hit our two year mark and our successfully operating in Mississauga Ontario. We do hair nails and skin services. Sevynn Shades is a transformative hub where women come to indulge in self-care in a safe environment with a tranquil atmosphere. We have really become a staple in the community for self-care and exceeding the standards of beauty services.
Can you open up about a time when you had a really close call with the business?
In June 2024, we lost three employees all within the same month. This completely crushed me and was detrimental to the success of my business. Not only did it halt sales, but it also put me in a space of really low self-esteem wondering if I have what it takes to be a good boss and if I am the reason why my employees left. My confidence and drive became so low at this time that I started to plan to close the business. We were in the negative every month and it was draining me completely. I made a decision to pivot my business model and rent out some rooms instead of commission structure and this changed the trajectory of my business because it gave me a bit of a financial break to get things back up and running on the commission side now we are fully staffed again And heading in to the Summer with a strong team, and I myself have newfound confidence in my brand. I learned many valuable lessons at this time, including that people come and go and it’s important not to get to attached to your staff because it’s a job for them at the end of the day. No one is gonna put their heart and soul into your business the way you will. And it’s very important to protect the integrity of the business over anything else. I also learned that the key to a successful business systems. If you have strong, consistent systems in place then it’s easy to replace employees without disrupting operations too much.
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
The number one thing that helped me build my reputation in the industry is relationship and integrity. I built a strong community under my brain by treating every single client like they matter. I learned a fine balance between when to follow policy strictly and when to bend them a little bit for the greater good of the customers happiness which makes them feel uniquely, valued, and appreciated. There is a fine art to making customers feel special even when they’re getting something that every customer gets. I build a closeness with my clients and Build strong trust so that they Advocate for me in their own community and send customers my way
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Sevynnshades.ca
- Instagram: Sevynnshades
- Other: Tik Tok: @Sevynnshades