The Messy Middle: Transitioning While Still Holding It All

Being an entrepreneur is already hard enough. But when you add layers—like transitioning from full-time salon owner and nail tech into a personal brand, coach, educator, speaker, and content creator—it gets real messy, real fast.

Right now, I’m in the thick of that transition. I’m still doing nails, still owning my salon, still making sure everything runs smoothly—but I’m also actively building something new. A new brand image. A new role. A new way of working.

And let me tell you, trying to balance it all while you’re still behind the chair? Whew. It’s a lot.

I’m juggling content for coaching, my PDF resources, my Utah Nail Expo class, and the networking event next year. I’m organizing, managing, planning, scheduling—and doing it all while making sure my income still makes sense in this in-between season. It’s not just a matter of working hard. It’s working smart while trying to stretch your brand into new spaces… and still pay for all the moving parts.

And expanding a brand isn’t cheap. Social media takes time. A website takes money. Marketing, email lists, branding photos—none of it’s free, and none of it runs itself. Having support has been a game-changer, but even that takes funding. Because eventually, you don’t just need help—you need a team. A paid team. And when you’re still in that build-up phase, you’re not always sitting on endless resources to make it all happen.

I think that’s why a lot of people don’t push through this part. Because this season? The messy middle? It’s not for the faint of heart. There are days it feels like I’m throwing spaghetti at the wall and hoping something sticks. But the truth is—you can’t always wait for things to be perfect before you show up. Sometimes, you just have to start. And then keep showing up, messy or not, while you figure it out.

The best advice I can give right now—because it’s the same advice I’m giving myself—is:

Stick with the pivot.
Trust the timing.
Ask for help.
And don’t put pressure on yourself to have it all together right away.

You don’t need the perfect website. You don’t need the fanciest funnel or a huge list of subscribers. You just need to start somewhere, with intention, and build a system that flows as you go. That’s the stage I’m in now—figuring out what I actually want this next season to look like. What I want to keep, what I want to let go of, and how to build a business that actually feels good to run.

I’ve tried a lot of things, and I’m grateful for that. It’s helped me realize what I love and what’s just not for me. That kind of clarity only comes from doing. So if you’re in the middle of a transition like this—maybe stepping into education, content, coaching, or something totally new—I hope this reminds you that you’re not behind. You’re not failing. You’re just building something new.

Let it take the time it takes.
There’s no deadline on your growth.
You’re allowed to pivot. You’re allowed to figure it out mid-process.
You’re doing great.