Leah butler: 5 lessons i've learned starting a business at 24

Starting a business at any age can be scary. Starting a business at the age of 24 seems incredibly daunting and a far out idea for most. However Leah Butler is proof that not only can it be achieved, it can lead you from strength to strength. It's not a decision that doesn't come with it's hardships and these are the lessons that Leah has learned becoming a salon owner. - Fail to prepare, prepare to fail. Especially to meetings and reviews you need evidence to back you up or answers to staff - Never let them see you are not prepared. - Succession plan -  Things change, people leave and move on, luckily the only reason we have lost stylists over the last few years is through them having babies, but this is where it’s so important to plan…another stylist being promoted, or is a junior ready to qualify? These are things to always think about. - It comes from the top. When it’s good it is down to me, when things go wrong that too is down to me too... I need to be on top form every single day, there is no room for a bad day. - Dedication - you can’t do it on your own. Involve your team. Staff meetings used to be me and them as I used to micro manage, but now I have found that through experience I don't have all the answers. It's important to listen to my team's ideas and feedback to improve. They also feel part of the salon success sharing their ideas. We don't even use the team staff meeting, we now have team celebration once a month where we all get together and then every week we have a 'buzz meeting'. - Work on the business... not in the business. I now give up a lot of my time to look after my team whether that's reviews, weekly one to ones, looking through figures to see areas we can improve. Without them we don't have a business. I do four days with clients which I do think its important to still be on the salon floor with the clients and staff and this is what I love but also once a week I educate and the other is when I am at home in my office working on our next goals, marketing , etc. For more information on Leah and the salon click here