Free Markets = Free Societies

America’s founding is a story of entrepreneurship—of innovators banding together to launch an experiment in liberty and self-governance unlike any the world had ever seen.

Most of our founders were living comfortably under British rule, but they believed there was something better. They pledged to each other their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor, not to increase their bottom lines but to create a country that would elevate the common good. This entrepreneurial spirit became the foundation on which grew the freest, most prosperous, most generous country the world has ever known.

Yet somewhere along the way, elected leaders drifted from these entrepreneurial roots. Forgetting the free-market principles that has allowed for the most widespread prosperity and happiness for the greatest number of people, politicians let principled policies become subservient to political power, in some cases to the point of exchanging principled progress for partisan gain.

The result has been a slow but decided shift away from a system that empowers everyone with equal opportunity to earn success and toward a system that stifles ingenuity, innovation, and economic growth…….But this is changing.

Recognizing their history as the forward-thinkers who founded our country, entrepreneurs are embracing their influence to re-ignite principled policy change. Put simply, entrepreneurs founded this great nation, and entrepreneurs will save it.

When entrepreneurs, embracing the same vision as our nation’s founders, exercise their influence to become what Samuel Adams recognized as the “irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brush-fires of freedom in the minds of men” free market principles that has done more to elevate the masses from around the world out of poverty, will once again bring about a meritocracy where performance not politics will be rewarded.

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Salon Concepts Have Come of Age

For years hairstylist, barbers, and other beauty professionals have had two options; work for someone else or start their own salon. Both concepts offer opportunity however they both have major limitations. For the individual who works for “the man“ or “the woman” the limitations are many.  Typically this individual is a commission based employee who shares not only a portion of their income from their expertise, but also a portion of the profits on the products they sell. The owner of the traditional salon has influence over their income, the hours they work, the rules they must follow, and a host of other limitations that limit their lifestyle, family life, and their future.

Traditionally for the individual who wanted more independence and wanted to own their own salon they had somewhat more freedom in that they had the opportunity to work for themselves, to be their own boss.  However with this option brought many other risks and headaches. First there was the question of location and typically the better locations cost more money.  Then the question of should I rent or should I purchase. Many times this question is answered by the financial ability of the hairstylist or barber and typically the answer to that question is to rent due to the excessive cost of buying a building. Whether you rent or buy a location then there’s the added expense of the build-out and the need to meet the cosmetology board requirements as well as the necessary equipment to operate your salon. If you decide to open your own salon you have to maintain the building and pay all of the monthly associated costs such as rent or mortgage, taxes, electricity, water, repairs, etc. etc. etc. Too often the risks outweigh the rewards.

Welcome the salon studio concept.  To many this concept may seem new, however it has been alive for years and is now rapidly expanding across the US and Canada. Beginning in the mid 1990’s as a new concept and slowly gaining acceptance at first, it started making its way into the hair salon industry.  Now nearly 30 years later it is quickly becoming the new standard.  There are both franchise salon suites concepts and individual owned concepts. This concept has become so popular it has been featured in Entrepreneur Magazine, Franchise Times, Modern Salon, American Salon, Salon Magazine, and Yahoo Finance.

In 2019 the top four franchise salon concepts currently have over 1000 locations across both the U.S. and Canada and along with approximately another 1000 independent locations provide over 50,000 individual salon operators the opportunity to “do their own thing”.

The reason? Quite simply many people want to be their own boss. They want to control their own schedule and lifestyle and give themselves the independence to work when they want and how they want. With the studio concept all of the major details are taken care off. The fully equipped studios make it easy, so they can own their own salon, choose their own products, set their own hours and keep all of the profits. It simply provides the best of both worlds freedom to be the boss without all the risks, so you can enjoy the income, and choices of being in charge of one’s life.

The Most Expensive Real Estate – Invest In It While You Can

It has been a 2 year hiatus from posting. Much has happened over the last couple years both personally and in the world at large. But as much as things have changed many things have remained the same. They say that plans may change but principles remain the same. And that my friends, is one of the reasons I have decided to begin posting again. I have realized that over the last 30 plus years of my life I have been extremely fortunate. Fortunate that I have been blessed with an amazing wife who has believed in me and supported me even during my periods of doubt and failure, and children who love and respect their parents as we struggled to make our way as parents and to find our place in the world.

Each of us have paths we have taken and many times those paths have led us to results different than our expectations when we were young and dreamed of an amazing life. Early in my life I decided to learn from those who were farther in life than I, and with the results in their personal and professional lives I wanted to emulate. I have had two great mentors who have helped to shape the life we have today. I don’t think I was the best student in that I struggled implementing the wisdom that was shared, but if there is one quality I am proud to have had, it was persistence. Persistence or maybe stubbornness to not quit, because when you quit you quit on you.

I heard it said once, that the most expensive real estate in the world is not in Dubai, Singapore, New York City, or LA it is your mind. How are you treating your expensive real estate? Do you take care of that property as though it is the most expensive piece of property you will ever own? Is it depreciating or appreciating in value, because one day it will bring the return you expect of it. Let me know what you are doing to improve that valuable piece of real estate between your ears?