What A Dying Plant Taught Me About Running A Business

I used to joke that I had a black thumb.

Truly— every plant I brought home would wither. I’d forget to water it, overthink it, or simply believe that some people just aren’t meant to be “plant people.” And I figured I was just one of those people. Every time a leaf would drop or a pot would dry out, I’d just shake my head and say, “See? I can’t keep anything alive.”

I said it over and over again, so obviously I believed it.

But then one day, I caught myself saying it again and I thought, “Wait a minute. Who told me this? What if I just stopped believing that line?"

That was the first time I realized that maybe the problem wasn’t the plants.
Maybe it was the story I’d been telling myself.

So I tried something different. I brought a new plant home. I watered it gently and regularly. I placed it in sunlight. I talked to it. And instead of saying, “I have a black thumb,” I started saying things like, “I know how to care for this. This plant is going to thrive with me.”

It felt awkward at first, because I didn’t believe it yet. But I said it anyway.
And wouldn’t you know it... that plant did thrive.

So I bought another. And another. And over time, my home (and later, my salon) started filling up with greenery. Living things that were not just surviving, but genuinely thriving under my care.

At some point, I looked around and realized something important:
I’m not someone who kills plants. I’m someone who grows things.
But I had to believe that before I could become it.

This post isn’t really about plants.

It’s about the stories we tell ourselves and how those stories shape the way we lead our lives and businesses.

When I began transitioning my salon to focus on clean beauty and sustainable systems, I bumped into a lot of negative beliefs. Not about plants, but about what I was capable of.

I heard myself thinking things like,
“I don’t know enough to make this change.”
“My team might not get on board.”
“This will be hard to explain to clients.”
“I’m not a systems person.”
“I’m not a real leader.”

And again, I had to pause and ask: Who told me that?
And more importantly—Why am I still choosing to believe it?

We underestimate how much our internal narrative shapes our external results.

Whether it’s keeping plants alive or building a clean beauty salon, what you think and say about yourself matters. And so often, the salon owners I coach are standing in the middle of their success, still thinking they’re not ready for the next level— still saying things like, “I’m not organized enough,” or “I’m not good at the business side,” or “This sounds amazing, but I don’t think I could actually pull it off.”

But here’s what I want you to know: you absolutely can.

Not because it’s easy, and not because you have to do it alone, but because once you change the story you’re telling yourself, everything else can start to shift around it.

Clean beauty isn’t just about switching out products.

It’s about how you lead.
It’s about how your team communicates.
It’s about whether your pricing honors your energy, whether your systems support your growth, and whether your space feels good to be in— not just for your clients, but for you.

It’s about building a business that reflects your values and supports your well-being.

That’s the work I do every day with salon owners inside the Holistic Salon Academy. Together, we go beyond surface-level swaps and start reimagining the way your salon functions— from the leadership rhythms to the service menu, from team culture to client experience, from your marketing messaging to your mindset.

Because when everything aligns, growth isn’t just possible, it’s natural.

I didn’t become “good with plants” overnight. I became good at it because I decided to. I started showing up differently. I changed the way I spoke to myself. I stayed consistent. I let go of needing to be perfect, and just focused on staying aligned with the energy of growth.

And isn’t that exactly what conscious salon leadership is?

Leading with intention.
Believing in your ability to create change—even if it’s hard.
Choosing systems and structures that nourish you, not drain you.
And trusting that your business, your team, and your clients can thrive under your care—just like those plants did.

If you’ve been carrying around old beliefs that are keeping you stuck…
If you’re feeling the pull to do business differently, but you’re not sure where to begin…
If you’ve already made some clean swaps and now you’re ready for the real alignment work…

Then I invite you to join me.

Let’s rewrite your story.
Let’s rebuild your systems.
Let’s grow something that lasts.