Today we’d like to introduce you to Heather Mack.
Hi Heather, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I always knew I wanted to go to beauty school but I was discouraged from doing it right out of high school. I went the traditional college route but I just couldn’t finish it. I had run out of money, so one day I just went and toured a beauty school in Colorado Springs, CO and next thing I knew I was enrolled. I loved it and the people. I have loved my career because it has always provided a great life for me and my family. I like doing hair but I LOVE the people! I started managing salons when I was 26 years old (probably too young with no experience). I knew at that point I loved the numbers and growth but I did not have finesse. I kept at it and kept going to college and learning and growing. I eventually got my bachelor’s degree when I was 37 years old. I had been doing hair for 25 years when we moved here and this was my 3rd time starting over. Starting over was hard but I knew it was something I needed to do for my family. I had always knew I wanted something more than doing client’s hair. I have worked in plenty of salons and it is hard to find that right salon home. Some owners just do not know the business or how the beauty industry works so it makes it difficult. Salon owners usually do not have a road map to profitability so that makes it stressful. I know numbers and I know how the behind the scenes work. I have always been good at leading and teaching. I also knew my body didn’t have another 15-20 years left of standing 8-10 hours per day. My husband had always thought we would like to own a business but also knew that a salon is a hard gig. I did research about our surrounding area and what it would take to design and build a salon of our own. Next thing I knew, we were looking for a location. We had filled out all the necessary paperwork to get our SBA and off we were. I designed the whole salon myself. I chose the paint color and fixtures. It was fun and stressful all in one.
I have spent many nights up worrying about my team, hoping they were getting all I had to give but at the same time making sure my family was getting what they deserved. My family is so supportive of our business. H. Mack & Company means as much to them as it does me.
We opened our doors April 4, 2019 and were closed down March 24th, 2020. We hadn’t even made it a year!! I was scared, mad and discouraged. We were closed for seven weeks due to COVID-19. My oldest, his wife and baby had moved in within us as they had moved here before covid and were looking for jobs. We had seven people under one roof and only husband working at Dell. As the weeks progressed we all had so much fun. We laughed, played and exercised. It was the best seven weeks of my life! I had not ever been forced to just sit still. I cherished every moment with my family!
We got the green light on reopen on May 18th and two days before reopening, four of my five team members decided not to come back. I cried even more, how was I going to help all of these guests that wanted to get their hair done? I quickly found one person to join the team and three of us opened the doors and away we went. I spent the next two weeks working 60 hour weeks just doing hair. That’s just what people wanted, they wanted to feel a little bit of normalcy. I cried every night driving home because I was physically and mentally tired. My job was to listen to each one of my guests and make sure my two team members were going to be ok. We eventually got through it and flourished more than before COVID-19. We ended 2020 in such a great place. 2021 is looking so good as well. We are continuing to grow our team.
Our salon is set up with a career path. Our stylists have six levels to grow and they can also become shareholders in our company. It is important for our stylists to know their career can be amazing and profitable to them and their family.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I think the #1 thing people can guess is COVID. It was detrimental for a lot of small businesses. I was able to get a small SBA and I also qualified for the PPP. That helped keep our business in good standings. One thing I have learned is just because there is money in the bank doesn’t mean it needs to be spent. I have to be a responsible business owner. There are families relying on me to open the doors everyday so that they have a career and can provide for their families.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am known for growing my staff. I love to watch them become successful!! I work very hard and am known for my customer service. I am most proud of the salon experience we provide. My team is smart and good at what they do. The thing that sets me apart from salons in our area is the atmosphere we have created. Our team is nice and helpful. They are great at teamwork. We all want each other to be successful.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
I am hard working. I do not take no for answer. I will always find a way to get things done. I work long hours so that my team will always have what they need to be successful.
Contact Info:
- Email: h.mackcompany@gmail.com
- Website: https://www.hmackcompany.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hmackcompanysalon/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hmacksalon
