Kaleena Williams

I attribute my success to authenticity and consistency. I think it's very important to be true to yourself - that's the first thing. Consistency is crucial because even on those days where you don't necessarily feel 100%, you still have to show up and be the best version of yourself. My parents always exemplified a great work ethic. My dad was a hard worker who worked multiple jobs growing up, and my mom was always someone who encouraged me to go after anything. She was definitely my big support piece in my life. I would also say it's about really finding your own way and not necessarily trying to fit into something that doesn't feel authentic to you as an individual. Those are the drivers that have gotten me to where I am today.

The best career advice I ever received came from a celebrity hairdresser I used to work for. Despite working with all the big names, he was probably one of the most humble people I've ever come across. I remember we were drinking smoothies, and he told me, 'You have something very unique, and I want you to always stay true to who you are. Never let anybody tell you that you can't do anything.' That really stood out to me because in such a competitive industry like beauty and wellness, it's very easy to follow what you think people want to see. But just being authentic to who I am and what feels natural for me, and not really following what everyone else is doing - just being myself - that's something I stand true to. It's also something I like to convey to my team, because I'm really big on team growth and development. I think in order for someone to show up being the best versions of themselves, it has to be something that they actually want to do.

I would definitely say don't be afraid to push barriers and bring something different to the table. Show up being you. Be authentic. Don't get discouraged when things seem to not go in the direction that you necessarily thought they would go. Build connections, because I truly believe that having a support system definitely makes all the difference. Continue to prevail and don't let challenges and obstacles derail you from the bigger goal. Really focus on building connections - I think that's really important to have a mentor or a go-to person that can hold you accountable for some of those things that you want to do. I think that definitely helps to keep you motivated.

The biggest challenge I have found has been retaining quality employees. There are so many different things that people can do independently these days, and a lot of our positions are part-time. Really trying to find ways to retain quality candidates is a huge challenge, because you want to be able to help people grow and provide what they need to elevate, but they have to meet you halfway as well. Another big challenge is being in a service-oriented industry where everyone is not always going to be happy with everything. Finding a way to ensure that we are serving our clients while also doing things that are in the best interest of the business is important. We do a lot of surveys and events in the branch to get members involved and get their opinions. We just created a feedback portal in the branch where they can actually submit any feedback. It's about finding that great medium between trying to do what's best for the needs of the business and for those individuals as well.

Being ethical is definitely important to me - I think that's important with anything, especially within a business and an organization. Another value that's important to me is to be genuine. I think genuineness goes a long way. It's at the core of who I am. What's important to me is to make sure that I approach situations with empathy and care first before anything, because when you approach things from that standpoint, it creates genuine connections. In my line of work, it's not about getting sales or selling a product or generating revenue - that will come - but it's really about making those genuine connections. When you approach people and situations with empathy and care, you not only sustain those relationships, but it creates genuine connections. I'm also really big on being a leader by example. I would never have the expectation for my team that I wouldn't or haven't done myself at some point or another. Leading by example is a key driver, especially in my role currently, because people look at you and that could be a key motivator to how someone shows up.