Meet Brittney Norman | Owner of BSALON SUITES, Entrepreneur and Consultant

We had the good fortune of connecting with Brittney Norman and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Brittney, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I distinctly remember the moment the idea of owning a salon suites business first crossed my mind, nearly 10+ years ago in Atlanta. During a beauty appointment near Perimeter Mall at a well-known franchise, I looked around and thought: “I could own this.” Although a brief thought, it left a lasting impact on my mind.

Life led me from Atlanta to New York, where I pursued a career in Corporate Finance, and the idea of entrepreneurship took a backseat amid the typical pursuits of a twenty-something-year-old. The salon suites idea lingered, with occasional considerations of investing in a laundromat for passive income. However, the allure of enjoying life’s experiences, traveling, carefree goals, etc. temporarily overshadowed me even considering owning a business.

The turning point came when I began working for The Estee Lauder Companies, a leading global luxury and prestige Beauty company, in a Finance role. Immersed in supporting the finances of a billion-dollar beauty enterprise, the concept of owning salon suites resurfaced. The undeniable profitability and innovation within the Beauty industry made even the smallest investment seem compelling.

Fast forward to the pandemic, prompting my move from Los Angeles to Houston, where I decided to re-discover and transform a long-held dream into reality by establishing BSALON SUITES.

For professionals seeking a salon suite in Houston, BSALON SUITES is a community dedicated to prioritizing Beauty and Wellness Professionals. We are committed to offering contemporary and personalized spaces to call your own, with suite, community, and lifestyle amenities. Please contact us for leasing opportunities in 2024.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am the owner of the last one | Consulting and Virtual Assistance.

After completing my Bachelor of Business Administration with a major in Finance, I embarked on a Corporate Finance journey to kickstart my career. Over the last decade, I experienced the highs and lows of working in Finance and Consulting for various Fortune 500 companies as a woman.

Alongside my corporate endeavors, I have always been involved in entrepreneurial pursuits, including bookkeeping, real estate investing, short-term rentals, e-commerce, financial literacy education, finance consulting, and more.

Leveraging my Finance degree, career experience, and the diverse set of skills I have gained from my solo entrepreneurial ventures, I now offer Consulting, Project Management, Operations and other business transformation services. Through my expertise, I aim to drive the success of companies, business owners, and their brands.

What’s the most difficult decision you’ve ever had to make?
While there have undoubtedly been various difficult decisions in the past and more will come, currently, my most challenging one is believing in myself and that I am on the right path, despite the pace.
When venturing into entrepreneurship, there’s this societal expectation to have a meticulously crafted plan – banks demand it by requesting business plans for financial assistance and mentors insist on predefined business goals. Envisioning these plans, I set deadlines and milestones, thinking I could hit them just by doing. Reality, however, proved to be quite different. I faced setbacks, revisited goals after feeling defeated, and dealt with conflicting self-views as failure and self-doubt became my daily reflection in the mirror. Believing in oneself amidst detours and self-discouragement is especially tough when building a business alone; it’s like engaging in constant mental gymnastics.
The most difficult decision for me is believing in myself and that I am on the right path, despite the pace, ultimately has been me learning to remain positive amid challenging conversations and thoughts, primarily within my own internal monologue.

Work life balance: how has your balance changed over time? How do you think about the balance?
I’ve never been an advocate of the conventional concept of work-life balance, a mindset that often challenged me when working in corporate. Regardless of my enjoyment in my career, I resisted the idea of overextending myself for a job. My belief was centered on selecting a career that funded my life experiences, with a clear preference for prioritizing life over work. This perspective, although somewhat unconventional in the finance sector, was later validated by a manager who stated, “We are not saving lives,” emphasizing the importance of work-life balance.

About two years ago, I came across a book titled “The 12 Week Year” by Brian Moran, where he introduced the idea of work-life balance as intentional imbalance. This concept resonated deeply with me, as it articulated what I had felt and practiced for years. I intentionally maintain work-life balance by aligning my priorities in a deliberate order, with work consistently placed lower on the list. While this approach hasn’t changed significantly, I’ve found myself pushing my limits.

As a solo business owner and entrepreneur, achieving balance can be challenging. However, I deliberately manage this by prioritizing self-care and personal growth activities, ensuring that I show up for my business as my best self. Despite the demands of entrepreneurship, I recognize the impact of intentionally prioritizing personal and business goals to meet the needs of each aspect of my life at different times. This intentional imbalance, to me, is as impactful as showing up, especially when priorities are aligned and well-managed.

Do you have a favorite quote or affirmation? What does it mean to you / what do you like about it?
One quote that has resonated with me since my 20s is, “Pain will teach you what pride won’t let you learn.” Though I can’t remember where I first heard it, I find myself reciting it randomly, almost like a subconscious “push notification,” during mundane tasks, walks, working out, even in the shower and other random times.

To me, this quote serves as a gentle reminder to rely on discernment rather than pride in decision-making. It emphasizes the idea that if pride takes the lead, the ghost of “pain” past will not be too far behind. In my approach to relationships and interactions, I strive to prioritize empathy and ego-less intentions, steering clear of pride-driven decisions. This mindset has become integral to my life, particularly in nurturing personal connections where I consciously deprioritize relationships colored by pride, favoring those grounded in understanding and empathy.

What is the most important factor behind your success / the success of your brand?

Though it may sound cliche, I am still manifesting my success, with BSALON SUITES being one of my priorities when it comes to focusing on my personal and professional journey. The most important factors behind my inevitable success are 1) I am never afraid to look like I’m trying and 2) I am not afraid to pivot.

For me, success with BSALON SUITES and my other entrepreneurial ventures simply means achieving financial and mental security without compromising my integrity.

While I have a vision of where I would like my business and brand to ultimately grow, I am equally committed to allowing the dynamic nature of the Beauty, Wellness and Real Estate industries to shape the optimal success and trajectory. I am open to opportunities that may create greater possibilities that I may have not envisioned yet!

Website: https://www.bsalonsuites.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bsalonsuites

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bsalonsuites

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/bsalon-suites-houston

Other: the last one | CONSULTING AND VIRTUAL ASSISTANCE Providing Consulting, Project Management, Operations and other business transformation services. Website: https://about.me/thelastone