Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and beauty but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Heidi Epp, owner of Refinery House, located in Fraser Valley, Canada.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

We're in the Health AND Beauty game. Hair + Facial services alongside Registered Clinical Counsellors, trauma-informed RMT, midwives, and yoga. We set out to legitimize beauty as a self-care practice and create more accessibility (or acceptance) of certain health care services.

Tell us about yourself

We work every day to get "better at being who we already are" This impacts how we treat each other and our customers. Not only is this our "core value statement," it's the driving force behind our objectives day after day and year after year.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

A cohesive team that works toward our collective goals in multiple locations and cities! We've grown to 4 locations, including one that is designated as an education center. To watch teamwork this effectively, doing a thing that hasn't been done before is life-giving. Plus, we laugh together every single day.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

Managing my reactions and helping my team manage theirs. Our therapists provide group "trauma-informed" training to all our stylists, service providers, leadership, and administration annually. This helps us provide consistent, predictable, compassionate service to our clients and staff

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

It's so hard to give quick, simple tidbits of advice, but...#1. it'll be fine. There are very few real emergencies—#2. Everything professional is personal. We're at our best when we invite our whole selves into the workplace. And #3. it may be harder than you expected, but if you're on the right track, you should see progress within one quarter. We tweak a process or start a project and do a serious assessment at the 3mo mark. If we correct an issue, we should start to have experienced resolve at this point. If we're launching a new thing, we should have a sense of whether something is catching by then (even if it's not full-blown success)

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

I'm so grateful for my place of work and the people I work with. Sincerely. It's a dream.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://therefinery.house/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therefineryhouse/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/therefineryhouse/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ca/therefineryhouse/_created/


If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

Feel inspired to start, run or grow your own subscription business? Check out subkit.com and learn how you can turn "one day" into day one.