Welcome to the Big Money Stylist Podcast with co-hosts Danielle K White and Anianne Rivera. This week’s episode answers such questions as, “Who do you surround yourself with and why does it even matter? What about feedback? Are you someone who is open to it or do you believe you are above it?” Also, it’s storytime with Ani as she shares more salon stories. Keep them coming! Send your crazy, insane or even inspirational stories to: ani@hairextensionsecret.com In Big Money Stylist, we go over the following formula each month: Week #1: Power Week #2: Production Week #3: Profit Week #4: Protection In This Week’s Episode…..Production Point #1: Who’s In Your Tribe? Who you surround yourself with truly does dictate what kind of person you are and the direction you go. Inside of business, it dictates whether you’re going to grow, progress, push through the ceiling and become someone new OR regress, get worse or never move forward. When Danielle was in Jr. High, she had some shady friends that her mom said she couldn’t hang out with anymore. Some things happened that convinced her she didn’t want to hang out with them and moved on to a new group of friends. Looking back at the different directions their lives took, that was a pivotal decision for her. QUESTION Who do you surround yourself with?   Point #2: Are You Isolated? When you’re isolated in a bubble, there’s only so much you’re open to seeing. It’s harder to grow, there’s no one to give you feedback, you don’t get any inspiration from anybody else, and you’re alone. Danielle: As a salon owner, I hold myself to a high standard and expect results from my team which helps everybody to grow together. Working with and training people has upped my game. I feel like I’m setting an example and I refuse to let certain things slide. QUESTION Where in your world are you isolating yourself? What’s one thing you can do today to change that? Point #3: Accountability & Feedback Ani: One of the things students love inside of BMS Mastermind is the accountability factor. It’s very, very hard for people to hold themselves accountable 100% of the time. But what also sometimes happens is once they are inside of the team and are held accountable, they don’t like it. Danielle: Take a step back and ask yourself what the desired outcome is. Once you have that, you might have to reel your ego back in a little bit and find a balance. You have to remind yourself that if you’re signing up for education, you’re signing up for feedback… and you have to be open to it. QUESTION Do you find yourself deflecting feedback or embracing it?   Point #4: Ego Ani: You can hear someone but not listen to what they are saying, and if you’re not willing to listen… you’re fucked. It’s hard to hear feedback, it’s hard to feel like you’re being attacked or insulted. And then it becomes an ego thing: how dare you tell me about my work! Danielle: That happens a lot in marriage. I’ll try to give Garrett feedback but I think I come across as if I’m going for the jugular. But even if I try to come across as nice, it’s so hard. It’s natural for your ego to be triggered and offended. QUESTION How do you keep your ego in check?   Point #5:  Are You a Team Player? Ani: If you’re that asshole who’s sitting inside of a salon as a stylist or as an owner with an “I’m the best” attitude, you’re a fucking asshole. I guarantee you that there is someone in your business that is better than you at doing something…and you have your head so far up your own ass that you’re not willing to hear anything from anybody else. Danielle: I get that I built the business and created the brand, but I can’t do it alone. There’s this balance in the salon where I feel like I can educate people AND I can also ask my team for feedback. Ani: I tell my students all the time: my job is not to tell you what you want to hear. Being inside the culture we have created is wanting to level up and being able to hear feedback. QUESTION As you look insi