Poised and professional are two words that come to mind when we reflect on our Mumbition the Podcast interview with Natalie Anne. She started in the hairdressing industry at 14 years old. She’s now a mum of almost two children and at the helm of a thriving hairdressing empire and she describes her lively Lebanese family as her biggest business network. A style influencer with a difference, Natlaie Anne has a very keen sense of the tenacity required to create a legacy with your business  and she also includes some very cool hair tips for those of us looking for a quick fix at the beginning of the day. 

So here at Mums & Co, we are absolutely passionate about telling women's stories. Natalie, Anne, could you please start by telling us yours?

"So thank you so much for having me. I love your podcast. I really appreciate you having me on. My career started with really humble beginnings. I come from three generations of hairdressers. So I truly believe that my career chose me, not the other way around, being in the family for so long. I started working when I was 14 years old. So very young into the industry.

But I think it was incredible for me because it gave me the head start that I needed. I started freelancing then when I was 21 and dabbled in some freelance work, in some fashion, editorial, and really tried to navigate the entire industry to see where I felt most comfortable. In that time, I was creating content very early. So MySpace, as early as that.

For all of those who listen. Then Facebook, Instagram then popped off for me. So I really used some of the skills that I pulled from my session and fashion background to then translate that into creating content online. From there, inquiries started to come through hard and fast.

 I started to, I employed an admin person. I opened a small little salon at my mum's house. This is probably around seven, eight years ago. We got evicted. That's a very long story, which forced me into my first salon. And it's been seven years since then. I have a team of 12 now in Croydon, New South Wales and a haircare line and education division, a bridal department. My husband and I have some, have a development company. So lots of things happening."

What are the transferable skills you've found between being a mum and running a business?

"This answer may change. I'm expecting my son in seven weeks. Thank you. So this question may change when this podcast drops, but I believe patience is probably the most transferable skill. My daughter taught me, I believe my staff taught me patience.

That really sort of paved the way for me being a really patient mum. Because yeah, I feel like you just need patience on all ends, you know, with your partner who's trying to juggle it all with your, with your mum, you know, me being patient, more patient with my mum was really important. Uh, my mother-in-law, you know, that's like a big one. You just got to be patient there. And then, you know, being a mum and a business owner, I think it's just the key.

Listening to people, making sure that, you know, they might not have the right skillset when you first employ them. But if you're willing to, just like a mother, take them on that journey and teach them and have that patience, I think you're always going to win."

What or how would you describe the shape of a great life for you?

"I don't know if you guys are going to like this answer, but if there was like a hurricane shape.

I'd probably say that is my current shape, where wellbeing is definitely the tip. That doesn't get much help down there. But on the top, you know, family is always going to be the hierarchy for me. It sets the tone for everything. It's why I'm so ambitious, I believe, you know, whether it was very early on in my career working for my family.

You know, and then supporting my family and helping support my family. And then even now it's my daughter, it's my future son, it's my husband, it's, you know, my family members that work with us. Um, you know, it just really drives that, that pinnacle part, which is family."

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