The First Step in Moving from Behind the Chair?

By: Angela Walker Stop Ordering Uber Eats.

I know what you’re thinking — how in the hell did Uber Eats enter the chat?

But stay with me.

Ordering Uber Eats (often) is a symptom.

It’s a sign that you’re not organizing yourself.

It’s convenience dressed up as necessity.

But underneath, it usually reveals a lack of discipline.

And here’s the thing:

Before you can step away from the chair and into the role of full-time business owner,

you have to build discipline.

Not just in your business. In your life.

Start With What You Can Control

Eating habits are one of the easiest ways to measure where your discipline is at.

They expose how reactive you are.

How you spend your money.

How you plan ahead (or don’t).

How much of your day you’re letting slip away.

If Uber Eats isn’t your thing, maybe it’s hours scrolling on TikTok.

Maybe it’s buying things you don’t need or canceling your morning routine to answer DMs.

Whatever it is — that thing is costing you the future you say you want.

The Real Business Isn’t Hair. It’s People.

Whether you’re a stylist or a salon owner, you’re in the people business.

And people will follow your lead.

If you want to move from being a full-time stylist and occasional owner

to a full-time owner and occasional stylist,

the shift starts inside you — not inside your salon.

You need enough discipline to:

• Show up without burnout

• Make hard decisions without spiraling

• Set a tone your team can follow without micromanaging

That’s leadership.

And the stronger your discipline, the less your business will depend on your physical presence — because your values will be embedded in your team.

Here’s the Hard Truth:

Being a full-time salon owner isn’t a walk in the park.

It’s a full transformation.

You can’t just want freedom — you have to prepare for it. You have to earn it with your mindset. 

You have to become the kind of leader your business can survive and grow without.

And that starts with something as simple (and powerful) as making different choices.

Smaller ones. Every day.

So let me ask you this:

Are you willing to give up what you currently want for the life you say you want?

The Gist: This article challenges aspiring salon owners to recognize that personal discipline — even in everyday habits like ordering Uber Eats — is foundational to stepping away from the chair and into true leadership. It argues that the shift from stylist to business owner begins with consistent, intentional choices that reflect the mindset required to lead and sustain a team. True freedom, it emphasizes, is earned through internal transformation, not external changes.