“I see ‘For the Love of’ as a great way to build relationships within our wonderful industry,” continues Monique. “It’s the connection between each other that helps us to grow. We believe nobody wants to settle for the ordinary.”

Ahead of the series inaugural Sydney event, we caught up with the brains behind the business(es), for an insight into they key personal drivers, creative processes and this year’s inspired program.

Check out Part One of our conversation with Renya, Monique and special guest, Natalie Anne:

TJ: Tell us about ‘For the Love of’.

MM: ‘For the Love of’ is a collaboration between Renya and myself, aimed at tackling the issues that salon owners face in a supportive, empowering environment. We want to bring the industry together as it’s through [personal] connections that we can all grow. Before each session, participants are invited to submit their issues (anonymously!) and our facilitator will address each question during the discussion. We’ve also allocated time for a live Q&A segment. So far we have sessions scheduled for Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne – no one event in the series will be the same!

TJ: What inspired you to collaborate on this workshop series?

RX: Monique and I noticed a gap in the educational sphere, when it came to salon owners. Owning a business can be quite daunting, overwhelming or lonely for some, which is why these conversations are so important. ‘For the Love of’ is a breakthrough in the industry; it’s heartfelt, handmade and delivered by us – but all about you. We want to help take the guess work out of challenges in the market place, while guiding you to create a unique brand that engages your clientele and motivates your team.

RX: Renya: We’ve all come from different facets of the business, and we each have our own story to tell. Most importantly [however], we want to hear yours. We really encourage participants to bring their issues to the table, and once we hone in on these subjects, we can share these with the group and offer our own point of view, based on our experiences.

TJ: …and your newest addition?

RX: Natalie has really mastered the art of growing your business through social media, and so many people want to know how she went about this, how she continues to manage her business, and where she sources the majority of her ideas and inspirations. People don’t realise the time and work that goes into the creation of video content – from securing a model and makeup artist to styling the hair for camera and [ultimately] producing the final product – it’s a full day’s work!

NA: You really have to become your own Creative Director… slash Producer… slash Editor… slash Manager! So many people are scared to share their work online, but you have to be open and willing to try. People tend to hold back with their content because they’re scared of the opinions of others – but you just have to do it. A desire for perfection will only serve to disable you.

TJ: In your opinion, what is the main barrier most people face in the creation/sharing of digital content?

NA: When it comes to social media, people place such huge expectations on themselves. They’re creating content for others, rather than themselves. I create content for myself, for my audience and for my business, and to keep myself creatively stimulated. It’s important to always consider your business, your audience. You can’t be fixated on vanity metrics, likes or followers. The conversion should be bums on seats – that’s the end goal.