The Best Risk I Ever Took: Reflecting on 4 Years of Mona Beauty

Four years. It feels like only yesterday I was nervously turning the key in the lock for the very first time, yet so much has evolved since that first morning in Coatbridge.

As we celebrate the fourth anniversary of Mona Beauty, I’ve found myself looking back at the journey that brought us to this moment. It hasn’t always been about polished mirrors and perfect brows. It started with a vision, a fair amount of coffee, and honestly, the biggest risk I have ever taken.

Recently, as this anniversary approached, my family and friends started asking me questions about the last four years. About how it really felt in the beginning, what I’ve learned, what has been difficult, and what this salon means to me now.

So, to mark this milestone, I wanted to share those answers with you too. This is a look behind the scenes at the highs, the lows, the lessons, and the memories made over the last 48 months.

Do you remember the moment you signed the lease or opened the doors for the first time? What did you feel?

They say starting your own business is a leap of faith. For me, signing the lease for the salon was exactly that.

I remember opening day vividly. To my absolute shock, it was packed. The salon was completely alive with clients, my family, and future staff. It was loud, intense, emotional, and beautiful. But I was incredibly stressed.

When the doors finally closed and I was alone, my first thought wasn’t a grand, spectacular vision. It was simply: “I just hope I survive the year. I hope I can cover the bills. I hope I don’t go into the red.”

Paying myself wasn’t even a dream yet.

At the very beginning, was there a moment when you thought: what have I got myself into?

Yes. Getting to that day took everything I had.

I had spent three years working two jobs, building my client base in a tiny room after hours. I remember one Christmas, working 14-hour days with no time to eat or even take a break, my back and hands aching.

I was totally exhausted, but I promised myself then: one day, I will have my own space and my own rules.

I had no Plan B. I put absolutely everything on one card. That sounds terrifying when I say it now, but at the time, I think that was also what kept me going. I had worked too hard to turn back.

What does it feel like to see your own name as a brand?

Having your own name above the door is an immense pressure.

On one hand, it is a beautiful thing. It is personal, it is honest, and it means I stand behind everything we do. But on the other hand, it is a huge responsibility, because you are putting your own face, your own name, and your own reputation into every detail.

I remember my late dad being slightly unsure about the name at first, which only made me more determined to build something he would never have to be ashamed of. Today, I like to think he’s looking down, incredibly proud, keeping a watchful eye over it all.

What is the most difficult or exhausting part of running this business that people rarely talk about?

Building a premium brand is hard, and business tests you quickly.

People rarely talk about the invisible weight of it all, especially the challenge of balancing a business with being a mother. You want to be 100% present, calm, and engaged for your children, but your ambition drives you to grow.

It costs you a lot: the exhaustion, the sacrifices, and that lingering feeling that you can’t be in two places at once.

If I could go back to my first month, I would probably laugh at how much I focused on what I couldn’t do yet. Even today, I still tend to see what I can improve rather than what I have achieved.

If you could go back and see yourself in the first month of business, what would make you laugh the most?

I think I would laugh at how much pressure I put on myself to have everything perfect straight away.

At the beginning, everything felt huge. Every decision, every problem, every little thing I didn’t yet know how to do felt like a mountain. Now, there are so many things I do almost automatically because experience teaches you. You learn by doing, by making mistakes, by staying late, by trying again the next day.

But I also think I would be proud of that version of me. She was tired, scared, and overwhelmed, but she kept going.

What was the most important breakthrough decision you made in those four years?

When we talk about four years of Mona Beauty, it’s easy to focus on the aesthetic results, the treatments, or the equipment. But the real glow isn’t just about the treatments. It’s about the people.

My biggest turning point wasn’t buying a specific piece of equipment. It was investing in my staff.

For a long time, I thought I had to do it all myself. Realising that I couldn’t was actually what allowed the business to truly grow. Today, I have a phenomenal team of six.

That decision changed everything, because it allowed Mona Beauty to become bigger than just me, while still keeping the same heart and standards.

Do you remember one of your first loyal clients from that time, someone who still comes back today?

Yes, and that means more to me than I can explain.

I’m very lucky to have many clients who have been with me for years, and I never take that loyalty for granted. But there is one incredible lady who has been with me for 12 years, and I have seen her every month throughout all of those years.

Wherever I worked, she followed. That is no longer just a client; that is a relationship built on profound trust and a shared history.

When someone chooses you again and again, through different stages of your career and your life, it is such a powerful reminder that this work is not just about beauty. It is about trust, connection, and making people feel good.

Has there ever been one compliment from a client that stayed with you?

Recently, someone said to me: “Mona, you are the heart of this salon. If another owner came along, it wouldn’t be the same.”

That was the moment I realised we aren’t just doing beauty treatments. We are creating an atmosphere that truly connects people.

Comments like that stay with you because they remind you why the hard days are worth it. They remind you that people feel something when they walk through the door — and that is exactly what I always wanted to build.

If you had to choose one physical thing you invested in that was absolutely worth it, what would it be?

For me, it would be the salon space itself, especially the reception area and the atmosphere we created from the moment clients walk in.

I designed our beautiful reception area in my head long before it was mine. I invested heavily in creating a space where clients feel good the second they walk in, because before the treatment even begins, they already know if they want to return.

That was always important to me. I didn’t want Mona Beauty to feel like just another salon. I wanted it to feel calm, premium, welcoming, and special.

When you stand in the middle of the salon today and look around, what are you most proud of?

I find it hard to pause and pat myself on the back. But when I take a step back, I realise how much has happened.

I arrived in this country at the age of 18. I had no language skills and no financial backing. There were times I navigated this journey as a single mother. Now, four years into running this salon at full speed, I can finally say I have a reason to be proud.

Looking around the salon today, I don’t just see a successful business. I see a community of wonderful people who have trusted me with their skin, their brows, and their precious downtime.

If a young woman had just collected the keys to her first small salon and came to you for advice, what would you tell her?

I would tell her: don’t be afraid to try.

Visualise your success. Believe in it before anyone else can see it. I imagined so many parts of Mona Beauty before they became real, and I think that vision helped carry me through the hardest moments.

There will be fear, stress, and days when you question everything. But if you believe in yourself, stay consistent, and keep learning, the rest is just a matter of time.

Chapter four is closed. What do you dream of for Mona Beauty in the years ahead?

Reflecting on these past four years has been an incredibly emotional experience.

To my team, and to every single one of you who has walked through our doors: thank you.

You are the reason that the best risk I ever took turned into the most rewarding journey of my life.

I have big dreams for the future. I can’t share them just yet, but let’s just say… this is only the beginning.

Chapter four is officially closed. I can’t wait to share the next chapter with all of you.

With love and gratitude,

Mona