Sarina Paulson on leadership, salon growth, and building Willo Salons

She purchased a hair salon just three months before a global pandemic shut down your entire industry for six months. Most entrepreneurs would see this as the worst possible timing. However, Sarina Pualson saw it differently. In this episode of Growth Diaries, Sarina, CEO of Willo Salons, joins host Sudheer Koneru to discuss her unconventional path from studying criminal justice and rising through JCPenney’s corporate ranks to acquiring and transforming a salon business just before the pandemic.

In this episode of Growth Diaries, Sarina, CEO of Willo Salons, joins host Sudheer Koneru to discuss her unconventional path from studying criminal justice and rising through JCPenney’s corporate ranks to acquiring and transforming a salon business just before the pandemic.

What You’ll Learn:

How to transition from corporate to entrepreneurship without losing operational rigor
Why transparent compensation structures drive talent retention in competitive wellness markets
How to rebrand and modernize during downtime to accelerate growth
Why education and visible benchmarks transform employees into business-minded partners
How community involvement and local PR simultaneously attract clients and top talent

Sarina Paulson is the Owner and CEO of Willo Salons, a thriving, multi-location vegan hair salon enterprise in Greater Sacramento, and a Professor with Aveda Business College. With a unique background spanning business operations at JCPenney and entrepreneurship, Serena brings strategic business acumen to the beauty and wellness industry.

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Chapters:

[00:00] Introduction
[01:36] From Corporate Retail to Salon Ownership
[04:00] Why She Left Corporate to Become an Entrepreneur
[06:09] Buying a Business Right Before the Pandemic
[08:59] Building a Salon Culture That Retains Talent
[11:28] Radical Transparency With Employees
[12:52] Teaching Salon Owners the Business Side of Beauty
[15:25] Why Marketing Also Attracts Talent
[17:39] Community Impact as a Growth Strategy
[19:29] The Rise of Vegan and Wellness-Based Beauty
[22:01] The Leadership Lessons Sarina Learned From Her Mother
[26:29] What Does Sarina Do for Her Own Personal Well-Being?
[27:59] What Company Inspired Sarina In Her Career
[29:42] Sarina’s Advice for Future Beauty Entrepreneurs
[35:01] Why Technology Is Critical for Small Businesses

Previous guests include: Matt Maroone of Silver Mirror Facial Bar, Shabana Karim of House of Enspa, Marilyne Gagne of Dermapure, Smita Vallurupalli & Shashank Kancharla of Bubbles Hair & Beauty and Old School Rituals, Rob Peetoom of Rob Peetoom Salon.

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