Pictured left: Aly Calkins

Aly graduated from the Paul Mitchell Academy in 2009. After that she went on to work at three different salons before deciding to open her own business, Salon 361, in 2012 at the age of 23.

Q: What inspired you to start a business?

• What almost stopped you, if anything, from starting your business?

A: I was inspired to start my own business because I wanted to have a place with a powerful and unique vibe where I could empower women; the women I would coach and lead professionally, and the clients that would come in. I wanted to be my own boss and create a flexible work environment for myself and others that would be conducive to monetary success as well as time for family.

• The only thing that could have stopped me would have been funding. I had a big, expensive dream when I was young. I couldn’t prove that my plans would work, but I believed in myself. I took out a huge loan from the bank and just went for it.

Q: Why did you choose to start the type of business you started?

A: I was attracted to the idea of a one year degree when I decided on hair school. I love the industry I’m in because it’s very fast pace, fun, creative, high energy, and you get to work with like minded people. I chose to open a salon for so many reasons but having a positive place where you get to make people look good and feel better about themselves is very rewarding.

Q: What has been the challenges of starting a business? 

A: There are so many challenges when opening a business. Money, debt, recurring bills, payroll, managing 20-30 employees, taxes, etc.

Q: What has been the most rewarding part?

A: Some of the most rewarding parts of owning my business would be building a brand that people know and recognize. Building a team and leading others to be successful is also very rewarding.

Q: How did you go about creating/starting your business?

A: I created my own business after working at other places before and always wanting more and better. Better for myself, better for my clients. When I decided to move forward I researched state licensing guidelines, talked to an accountant, formed an LLC, applied for a vendors license, worked on hiring, took out a loan, ordered equipment, etc.

Q: How has being a woman impacted the way you are seen in the world or seen as a business owner?

• How have you used it to your advantage?

• How have you overcome obstacles pertaining to it?

A: Personally, I don’t think it has impacted me. I honestly can’t think of a single example of how being a woman in business has worked for me or against me in business.

Q: How has COVID impacted your business?

• How have you overcome these challenges?

A: Covid impacted my business in a huge way. My salon was shut down for over two months, which meant $0 income. I had over 20 employees out of work. During the shut down I still had to pay all my bills. I want in debt $30,000 just to keep my bills paid while the salon was shut down. After we were able to reopen I had to restructure my salon physically to allow social distancing which put us at half capacity, limiting our income further.

• We are overcoming this by staying positive and believing we can get back to where we once were and making up for lost time. We stayed connected and motivated while we were off work. We took classes and learned new services to expand out service menu. I’ve trained and hired new employees and opened all my stations back up to operate at full capacity again. To overcome the challenges of Covid I just never gave up.

Q: Knowing what you know now about COVID, what would you change in the future the way your business is run to help combat future problems, if anything?

A: I have always had the ability to make more money. It’s a little bit of an arrogant mentality. I always feel like I can make more and do more so I spend money and reinvest in my business a lot. I’m always looking to update, purchase new equipment, pay for new classes, etc. I never dreamed that my business would be shut down and I’d have no say in it. So after experiencing the shut down, I would say I will be more diligent about saving money and preparing for the worst financially.

Q: Who supported you throughout your journey?

A: My family has been my support system from the beginning. Opening a business requires a lot of time, attention, late nights, long hours. I couldn’t have done it without their advice, support, and opinions.

Q: What is it like to be a woman is such a high position?

• Do you wish to help support or inspire other women to do the same?

A: I feel proud to be a woman entrepreneur who employs so many other women.

• I would encourage other women to follow their dreams, believe in themselves, and work as hard as it takes to get there.

Q: How do you run your business?

• What is everyday life like?

A: Everyday life as a business owner is busy. There’s a lot of juggling. There’s also a lot of people to help me. I have two receptionists, a social media girl, accountants, a cleaning lady, a full time staff. I am constantly training newer employees, working on schedules, helping talk to difficult clients, ordering product, making sure everything runs smoothly for everyone.

Q: What advice would you give you young girls who see people like them being powerful businesswomen?

A: My advice would be to work really hard in whatever you decide to do. Know what’s important to you. Learn how to be a team player and a good leader. Be coachable and always willing to learn. Always look the part and carry yourself with confidence.

Q: What advice would you give to teen girls or young women that want to start a business but don’t know how to start or what to do?

A: Research, find a mentor, connect with people. Social media is huge…find somebody you admire and don’t be afraid to reach out and ask questions.

Q: Did you every feel discouraged? Scared? 

• When and how did you overcome it?

A: I’m on year 9 and I still get discouraged sometimes. It’s hard! It’s a lot of work, it’s a lot of pressure. You overcome when you just keep going, keep getting better, keep your passion alive, and always remember why you started.

Q: How long did the process of starting a business take?

• Did success happen right away?

A: When I decided to start a business I think I got it done in 3 months. It was fast, but I went all in.

• Success is subjective to me. I’ll never be “successful” enough. I’ll always want to make more money, and continue to grow. But I think I felt success when I opened my salon, had good people working for me, and created a nice environment.

Q: How do you handle failure in the work place?

A: I have made a lot of mistakes. But the mistakes are the only way I really learn and grow and do better. There’s no manual, no easy plan, you just have to try.

Q: How do you know what the right move for your business is? 

A: I don’t always know. I have a really great team, I lean on them a lot for input. I ask for customer feedback and I do a lot of research.

Q: When did you know that your business was a success?

A: I think I always knew in my heart that Salon 361 would be successful and I just never stopped believing it.

Q: How do you hire the right people?

A: I can teach anyone to do hair. Personality is huge. You have to be a very hard worker. You have to be willing to put in long hours and work well with others. You have to be teachable and willing to listen. You have to mesh well with the team.

Q: Why should women want to start a business?

A: Women should want to start a business to share their passion. To build a life around what they want. Customize your life to however you want it to be. You have the choice to do what you want, make as much money as you want, and surround yourself with the people who make you better. It’s a really cool thing when work is fun and just the way you like it.