This week, I’m sitting down with Natalie James, founder and CEO of Vent Blow Dry Bar.

Natalie is also a wife, mom of three, and she’s got such a relatable story behind her recent leap into entrepreneurship.

As a business coach, I have people reaching out to me all of the time saying “I really want to start a business, but I feel like it’s too late to make a change”

Or

“I’m so busy juggling life as a parent… I have a full time job… I’ll never be able to make a change”

But the thing is,

YOU CAN.

And as soon as you give yourself that permission…   It’s possible!

For 20+ years Natalie had gained valuable experience throughout her career in politics and not-for-profit. Throughout this time she felt most inspired by the stories of female entrepreneurs, for their sense of adventure and willingness to take risks.

Overtime Natalie realized she needed to make a change. Living on autopilot was no longer an option. And she had that inner fire to build something from nothing. Talk about inspiring!

So.. Feeling a strong desire to make a change, Natalie set out to take a detour and leave her career to carve her own path.

This change didn’t happen overnight for Natalie.

She wrote a detailed business plan, did her market research, and at a certain point… it became all consuming. It was time to press go!

July 2017, Vent opened its first location in Liberty Village. Vent quickly gained momentum and has welcomed thousands of clients from the GTA and visitors from around the world. Clients experience Vent’s unique approach to affordable luxury and exceptional customer service.

Dedicated to providing outstanding experiences, Natalie believes in challenging her team to be the best in Toronto and promotes a workplace culture that treats her team members like family. She believes that the best way to achieve an outstanding customer experience is to treat her team members as Vent’s most important asset.

Vent’s mission is to fill the gap in the hair industry by providing an alternative to the full-service salon. It is a place where women can get a professional service in a unique atmosphere complete with high quality beautiful finishes. A space designed to save busy women time, empower them and build their confidence through a self-care experience unlike any other.

Natalie is really pulling the curtain back to share how she made the leap from her full time job in politics and not for profit, to full time CEO.

She encourages us that it’s never too late to follow your heart.

And Natalie gives us on honest look at what it took to get her business ready to serve 1000’s of clients!

I could listen to this episode 10x through because it’s just so valuable for anyone on edge of starting a business.

Links:

https://ventblowdrybar.com/

https://www.instagram.com/ventblowdrybar/

https://www.instagram.com/im.nataliejames/