Misty Halaby was first introduced to Drybar in 2013, after a friend dragged her in early one Monday morning. She figured she knew how to do her hair well enough, but left blown away (no pun intended) by the whole experience and how it made her feel. Inspired, she began calling around, only to find out that they weren’t franchising at the moment. So she spent time researching the concept to start her own blowout bar, but soon realized that nothing compared to Drybar. “You can’t duplicate a feeling and experience like it,”says Halaby.
Luckily, in 2014, they opened up the franchise division and after a lengthy interview process, Halaby opened up the first Drybar franchise in Cherry Creek in 2015, followed by a location in Park Meadows in December 2017. Halaby spoke with us about how she finds time for Me Time while running her own business and being the mom of three.
Misty’s Me Time:
Sometimes, I have to find my Me Time at work, which is often just getting a blowout. On a weekday, this is time where I can just sit down and have uninterrupted time to check my email and check up on what’s going on with the business. On the weekends, I like to take a friend or one of my kids to get a blowout with me. But really, I’m a voracious reader and when my kids go to bed there’s nothing I love more than curling up with a good book. Sometimes I’ll read books that help me be a better reader, or I just read for fun. I recently read What Alice Forgot, and I’m a huge fan of Big Little Lies and now I want to read all of her books.
Why is Me Time important to you?
It resets your mind and body. There’s so much going on all the time. Drybar is a very loud, busy place to work and then I get home and there are three kids, so that’s loud and busy as well. I need that time to check back in with myself and see where I want to be.
What is the best parenting advice you’ve received?
Someone recently told me to just enjoy every second that you have with them. As frustrating as it is, enjoy those moments that they do sneak into bed with you in the middle of the night because there’s going to come a time when they don’t want to do it anymore. Enjoy every moment and embrace it, whether it’s good or bad.
How do you find balance between being a business owner and a mom?
Recently, I’ve been really trying to shut down my computer after 6 p.m. Drybar is a business that is open seven days a week, 86 hours a week so its really hard. I usually let my managers know that I’m going to be offline for awhile and then spend all my time with my kids. The most important part is just getting outside and getting away from our electronics. When our family went on spring break last month, my husband said no computer, and I didn’t take it. And guess what? I made it! It’s really hard to find a balance when you first start a business, but now I’m to a point where I can take my kids to school and pick them up, which has been a huge life changer. I really try to focus my evenings on my kids and my husband. I can’t say it happens every night, but I really try to keep the computer closed down after 6 p.m.
