Kayla's 2023 Year in Review

When I reflect back on 2023, I realize just how much I have learned and grown as not only the CEO of Enlightened Beauty but also personally. It’s still amazing to me to realize how big of an impact self-development is on the growth of my company, and I’m reminded of it at the conclusion of each year.

We celebrated 6 years of business this year, and I had to make some big decisions for Enlightened Beauty as we evolved. We saw some ebbs and flows of team members and cash flow, and I worked hard to ensure that our team was supported through all the changes and learning opportunities. When big changes happen, the background work gets more tedious as I work ON the business, along with me working IN the business with our amazing guests, while also leading my team can get overwhelming at times. I know this is why self-development and personal goals are that much more important as we grow as a team and as a brand.

This year, we were nominated for the Culture Shift Award by our coaching company, Strategies Coaching. We have been working with Strategies since July of 2019. They’ve helped us convert from our old commission and tipping pay structure to our hourly pay structure, as well as provide Enlightened Beauty with a roadmap of how to operate and grow by taking care of the entirety of the business: team, guests, and brand.

We also hired a professional marketing agency to update our website as well as manage our social media. Bee Easy Marketing is a growing company that is making our lives much easier as we grow, as well. This is a joint venture that I am excited about as we both learn and evolve together. Working with Bee Easy Marketing helps us stay accountable to our standards and mission and only gets us more excited about our future.

We also had the privilege of hosting our first Trans Night Takeover Makeover event at Enlightened Beauty. It was amazing to connect with our current guests, as well as meet so many new faces in our community. The kids and young adults were invited in to talk about all things beauty. The attendees were able to ask personal questions, and we created a safe space to explore and answer whatever they wanted to learn more about.

We played with makeup and hair, as well as home care products. The connections that were made during this event made my heart full and I have so many ideas for our next event. Being an advocate for the LGBTQIA2S+ community has its challenges in Fargo, ND, and we also have so much support as we network and grow. Jacqui, Emmy and I are already discussing our next event and how we can make it even better.

Expanding the Team

When I look back over 2023, the one thing that sticks out to me the most is hiring Emmy. Her hiring process was much different than I have done in the past. Emmy started as an intern for two weeks. This allowed both Emmy and Enlightened Beauty

the space to be able to assess whether working together was the best choice for each of us. At the end of the internship, we both agreed that we would be a great fit.

In July, Emmy was hired part-time as a Cosmetology Apprentice under my mentorship program we have named the ‘Enlightenedship’. She is flourishing as she masters the art of the nail and hair services we offer at Enlightened Beauty and the standards I have worked hard to set over my 14 years of experience in this industry.

Emmy is a fantastic addition to our team, and we are so grateful to have her on this journey with us. She is filling up my Cosmetology Instructor cup at the moment as we continue to work towards our goal of opening up a micro cosmetology school.

Jacqui is also working hard on growing our spa department. She added Back Facials and Microdermabrasions to her service menu this year, with even more new services coming in the new year. She is excited to continue to grow with Enlightened Beauty as she welcomes more humans into the ZenDen in 2024.

Pride in the Park

Enlightened Beauty had our first Pride in the Park booth this year. It was the first year that FM Pride hosted the event at the Bluestem Center for the Arts grounds. We offered free, quick, and fun hairstyles and makeup looks complete with all the colors and glitter. The turnout was amazing. The next day, in a steady rainfall, we made our way to Moorhead again for the annual Pride Parade.

Drenched from head to toe and our tears mixing in with the raindrops falling from above, we watched as hundreds of people stood alongside the road as we waved and yelled, “Happy Pride.” The FM Pride weekend was such an inspirational ride. We encourage everyone to attend the FM Pride festivities the weekend of August 9th, 2024. See you there!

This year, we stayed true to our brand. We stuck to our mission and standards when the pressure of business got high. We kept our promise of the ‘quality over quantity’ mindset. We served our guests at our greatest capacity by remembering who we are and what we stand for, a one-of-a-kind experience for everyone who walks in our door. Our team leans on each other for support and I continue to foster a horizontal way of operating my company where all three of our opinions are considered before any big decision is made for Enlightened Beauty. Like I say, each time I hire a new human, “I get a free brain with every new team member.” <3

This has been a great year of continuing to build a solid foundation for our uniquely built salon and spa. I want nothing more than for Enlightened Beauty to be able to stand the test of time. It takes a lot of time and patience to find the right team members to grow with and listen to my gut versus other people’s opinions about what I ‘should’ or ‘shouldn’t’ be doing. I take the advice of the people who have come before me and have successfully and lovingly built teams and companies while remaining true to who I am and what I envision for the future of Enlightened Beauty. I have a huge mission and vision, and as long as I keep that at the forefront of every decision I make, I can’t go wrong.

I would not be where I am without the guests who trust us with our services and home care recommendations. They keep our vision for our company alive and our goals met so we can plan for the future and create a one-of-a-kind experience for our guests, our team, and our community.

We are a very unique salon and spa in how we have chosen to run our company, and it’s amazing to me how many people we’ve attracted who feel the exact same as we do. Change isn’t always easy, but sometimes it is necessary. We feel like we deserve to have a secure income and benefits, just like everyone else, and our guests deserve to be taken care of in the way we would want to be taken care of. The exchange of energy that I feel each day at Enlightened Beauty is one that I am grateful for and cherish every single day.

More to Come in 2024

Our 2024 goals are BIG. We are building our spa department more and more each month. Jacqui will be adding Beard Facials as a new service in our ZenDen. We welcome all facial hair guests to experience this new service when it comes time to launch it.

We are working on getting Emmy skill-certified in all our Enlightened Beauty services, including haircuts and coloring.

We are looking forward to adding on another Cosmetologist in 2024, as well as onboarding a Guest Care teammate. We promise to continue to show up authentically us and serve each guest in the very best way we can because that’s the Enlightened Beauty way. Have a safe and happy holiday season and we can’t wait to see you back in 2024 for more fun and adventures!