Nicole (&) Delia
Meet our match, Nicole and Delia!
We caught up with these lovely ladies over brunch yesterday, and they had a lot to say about their mentoring relationship. Nicole is a business owner and applied to the program hoping to find a mentor who could help her grow her business. Delia is just the woman for that job - she is smart, driven, and has undertaken more than one entrepreneurial adventure. She knows what it takes to create a viable business model, but also knows how to cultivate passion in the people around her. We had a feeling they would be a great match, and we were right!
This is what Nicole had to share about her time with Delia:
"A mentor is someone who allows you to see the hope inside yourself.” — Oprah Winfrey
As I reflect on the past year with Delia, I fondly remember this quote and smile. I arrived to my first meeting with her, untethered and unsure of what the future held for myself and my salon. I had just hit pause on a dream that I had dreamed for more than a decade. A dream that often divided my attention away from the Refuge I created to be a light in the community of the Quad Cities. I remember walking away from my position in education for the brand I house, not knowing how it would shift my experience. I had often over committed in life and for once I found myself in a space where an overextension of self wasn’t required. Little did I know that adjustments were required to Reset and Revive the fire I had for the space that I created. An infusion of hope for the future was oh so needed, and she was prepared to provide truth and encouragement to guide the way.
As I review 2018 in my mind, I am in awe of all we were able to accomplish. Many things I wasn’t expecting, but I am oh so thankful for. I went from overextended to rested enough to shift my focus from surviving to thriving. I found myself taking an inventory of my priorities and making decisions with my self care in mind. It is so easy to lose yourself and your needs when you are in constant service to others. My selfcare has now become top of the priority list in an effort to both grow my business while also giving a bit of time back to myself to not only work in my business, but on my business. Delia also inspired me to look at my branding and make necessary changes to speak to the space I have created. She also encouraged me to take the leap and hire an assistant in an effort to create space to breathe and rest when needed. Salon Refuge wouldn’t be the Suite Escape from the Chaos of Life that it is without the hope revealed in the chance taken in a mentoring relationship. I step into tomorrow refreshed and eager to see how 2019 will unfold.
Way to go, Delia! And keep up the great work, ladies!
We can’t wait to hear what’s next for you both!