Today we’d like to introduce you to Heather Kesler
Hi Heather, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Years ago, I began my journey of becoming a hairstylist. I chose this profession because I loved using my creative and artistic talents to connect with others in a way that felt therapeutic. I have always felt drawn to the uniqueness of the salon industry as it has provided an opportunity to talk and listen one on one and get close and personal with your clients.
After graduating hair school, I got a job at a beautiful, high-end salon where I grew exponentially. My clientele took off. We were given so many opportunities for personal and professional growth. It was through this that I began to learn that this industry is unique in that healing can occur through conversations and relaxation techniques. I began taking the time to appreciate this and use it to help my clients relax and connect with themselves. This gave me my passion for healing and honoring my own journey in life. In the time I was there, I was honing in my skills, becoming a better me and helping others feel better. I felt at home.
Unfortunately, after about a couple years, our salon began making some changes. Changes that many traditional salons go through. Payment structure changed that didn’t value the employees, responsibilities increased, product changed, and prices raised too fast. Our clients left to find somewhere else to go, there were employee problems and we started to have high turnover. A lot of these changes didn’t feel fair to the employees who have been there for years, but seems to be very typical in our industry. It completely changed the environment and it wasn’t long before the salon fell apart and everyone left.
It was then that I began to have a passion to do things different in this industry and the entrepreneur inside of me came to life. I dreamt of one day opening a place where professionals from the beauty, spa & wellness industry can come together in one space to create an environment of beauty on the inside and out.
I wanted these professionals to have the freedom to set their own prices, their own schedule, and create their own space to feel at home in your workspace. After I left that salon, I built one in my home and worked for several years while I raised my family. I knew that having my salon inside my actual home wasn’t what I wanted in the long run. It was during this time that I stumbled upon the salon studio concept through family and friends and found my new dream.
It became my passion to bring that same feeling of being at home, that I had in that salon, and enhance it with entrepreneurship. I began researching and building the business from my home waiting for the right opportunity to present itself.
April of 2021, that opportunity came and since then everything has fallen into place. I couldn’t be more happy to provide this space to others who are ready for more in their career.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I actually tried to kickstart this dream a couple of years before it came to life. At the time, I kept hearing “no” from every direction and couldn’t gain any momentum. At the time I was trying to make it happen, I had just had twins and was also caring for my 7-year-old. Looking back now, I can see that it simply wasn’t the right time. Instead of giving up, I focused on researching, working on myself, and caring for my kids. Then, one day, everything just fell into place. Opening our Eagle Mountain location went really smoothly. The doors just kept opening, one after another, and it felt like everything was meant to be. Of course, there were moments of fear and uncertainty—taking such a big risk can be intimidating—but I trusted in God and believed that the right people would find their way to us. And that’s exactly what happened. We appreciate and enjoy each of our tenants at the Eagle Mountain location, many of whom have been with us since day one.
The Lehi location came about when I had been exploring second-location options and toured what is now Serenity Studios Lehi. At first, I wasn’t very excited about the idea of taking on a remodel. But as I thought more about it and visualized where the second location should be, that space kept coming back to mind. Again it felt right. However, getting it off the ground wasn’t as smooth as the Eagle Mountain location. we decided to tackle the remodel ourselves, with the help of a friend. It ended up taking longer than we had expected and a lot more work than it seemed. In the end, we got it up and running, ready to welcome another amazing group of people. This location is just as beautiful as our Eagle Mountain location and has quickly become home to many talented professionals.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I lease individual suites to professionals in the salon, spa, and wellness industries. I am truly passionate about creating a welcoming environment and I love what I do. What sets me apart from other salon suite companies is my experience in the industry which provides understanding, my friendly demeanor and my commitment to building genuine relationships with my tenants. Our suites stand out because of the home-like atmosphere we’ve cultivated, along with unique features like two plumbing sources, providing quality salon equipment, and built-in cabinets in each suite. Not every salon suite company offers such high-end accommodations.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
I read a lot of “self-help” books, or what I prefer to call self-motivation books. I also watch uplifting shows like The Chosen and listen to Joel Osteen to help me stay connected with my spirituality and God. It is important to me to stay connected to myself and disconnect from the business of today’s world. While I’m not a regular churchgoer, I do occasionally attend non-denominational services. In addition, I enjoy meditating, listening to music, taking time for myself and journaling. My favorite meditations are by The Honest Guys on YouTube.
Pricing:
- We start our leasing prices at $200 per week based on the size of the suite.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.serenitystudiosut.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/serenitystudiosutah/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/serenitystudiosut
