When you first open your salon, selling it is the last thing on your mind. Instead, you spend years putting blood, sweat and tears into a business that’s uniquely your vision and passion.

But eventually, the time will come when you’re ready to hand over the reigns and step away from ownership. Often, a longtime stylist who has risen through your salon’s ranks is eager to buy the business. Sometimes, salons are simply sold to another entrepreneur.

Still another avenue for exiting is your own children. Have they worked alongside you, watching and learning? Are they interested in keeping the business in the family?

There are many factors to consider when handing your salon down to your children, but if done correctly, it can be a win-win for the entire family.

A Role for Everyone

When Glennis Tolunay opened Vanity Salon in Houston, Texas, 19 years ago, she never envisioned it as a family business, even though her daughter Fiona and son Rory regularly helped in the salon.

“Fiona would be at the front desk or Rory would be folding towels,” she says. “I worked a lot, so I even took Fiona to hair shows—sometimes they would be models for me.”

But when they grew up, Fiona went to college and got her degree in fashion merchandising, planning a career in the fashion industry. Meanwhile, Rory took a job in human resources at his father’s company, which had about 350 employees.

But soon after Fiona returned from a stint in London after college, she found herself back at home and at loose ends. She came to work in the salon while she was figuring out her next move, and while there, realized the beauty industry was where she wanted to be.

“I was surprised and thrilled,” Glennis says. “She didn’t want to cut hair, so she decided to become a colorist and went to beauty school.”

Fiona, Director of Operations for Vanity Salon

Fiona is now in her seventh year at the salon, and is the director of operations, where she oversees bookkeeping, payroll and organizing education in the salon, in addition to working two days a week behind the chair as a colorist.

Rory’s path to Vanity was even more unorthodox. While working as a human resources director at his father’s company, he was unhappy with the person he reported to and approached his mom with an offer to come and help at the salon.

“We were growing every year, but I wanted to think about it before saying yes,” Glennis says. “The beauty industry is a different ball of wax, so I suggested he come in and try it for a year to see how he felt about it and how he blended with the staff.”

Rory worked for a year and it was a fit. The business was growing and there was room to bring him on. Now in his second year as human resources manager, Rory coaches the team, does reviews, advises and motivates the staff.

“We got lucky in playing to our strengths,” says Fiona. “The stuff I had been struggling with was in Rory’s wheelhouse. It was too much for me to do the bookkeeping and the coaching when we are in growth mode.”

Phasing Out

For Glennis, slowly phasing herself out of regular business operations has been the best route to retirement. She’s not ready to walk away from the salon she loves (not for two or three more years), but she has been very happy to hand over owner responsibilities to her children.

“This year, I’ve really allowed them to take the reigns,” she says. “I’m behind the chair two afternoons a week still, and I like to get to know all the clients and give them my attention. I also like taking care of little details like fresh flowers and making sure magazines are current.”

And while she still interacts with the staff, she defers them to her children if any issues arise.

Fiona and Rory were ready for their roles, but have had to carefully transition the staff, who were accustomed to Glennis in the owner role.

An open-door policy has helped as well as continuous acknowledgment and follow-up when a staff member comes to them with an issue.

Siblings Rory & Fiona Tolunay at Serious Business in New Orleans

“We listen to what they have to say and they watch me write it down if I need to get back to them so there is accountability on my part,” Fiona says.

When Rory started at Vanity, he was already familiar with the stigma of being “the boss’s son” since he had previously worked for his father’s company (although not for his father directly).

“I already knew how to work around that barrier,” Rory says. “I just let employees know I’m always going to point out both sides to every situation and that we are behind them.”

Glennis has been pleased with how her children are running her salon and grateful for their skill sets in areas she was not comfortable.

“I’m very fortunate,” she says. “My children have raised the bar and far exceeded my expectations.”

One area Rory and Fiona have found success is understanding and working with millennial staff members.

“They understand them so much better than I can,” Glennis says.

Rory adds, “Fiona and I are considered millennials, but we’re more transitional. I can see both sides and come to conclusions in a disagreement.”

“Technically by birth, we are millennials,” Fiona says. “But both our parents immigrated to the United States with nothing, and worked hard to get where they are. They instilled that work ethic in us from day one. That’s not always the case with millennials.”

But Fiona and Rory don’t give into frustration over differences. Instead, they spend time coaching stylists to be their best selves.

The Future of Vanity

As Vanity’s leaders, Fiona and Rory have growth on their minds. They’re currently in the process of opening a second location and could even see a third or fourth location if all goes well.

Human Resources Manager Rory, demonstrating his passion for growth goals

“As you grow, you learn how you have to evolve to keep up with your own growth,” Fiona says. “When I came on seven years ago, we had one person who did education. Now, we have a full education team and curriculum for our apprentices. We also have a leadership team, inventory manager and booking coordinator. Before, it was just Glennis and a manager,” she adds.

“I’ll never forget when we had our first education meeting with Rory and I,” she says. “There were eight or nine of us there and it was emotional for me—people stepped up for the good of the company.”

Glennis has always treated her clients like family and is proud of Vanity’s friendly vibe. Her children will continue that tradition, but with their own ideas and vision as well.

“Fiona and I have put together a hybrid version of Glennis’ vision,” Rory says. “We want clients and staff to feel like family, but we also want to continue to grow and expand.”

Advice for Success

While the transition from parent to children has gone relatively smoothly for the Tolunays, there have been a few challenges along the way.

“Rory and I are at the salon all the time,” Fiona says. “On occasion Glennis may come in and communicate the opposite of something we communicated, so we have to smooth it over with the staff.”

Rory adds, “We’re a very close family and always have been. Sometimes we can get hot-headed, but as long as there is honesty and communication, it can work.”

Fiona’s best piece of advice is simple: “You have to WANT to do it,” she says. “I was never forced into it. And as long as you have the passion for it and know each other’s boundaries, it will work.

“However, I have to keep reminding myself to leave emotion out of it,” she says. “I know how hard my mom has worked and one of my biggest fears when I started was making a mistake and screwing up what she created. But Rory constantly reminds me not to stress out so much.”

For Glennis, the decision to hand her salon over to Rory and Fiona was simple. “I always go with my gut,” she says. “And I would tell anyone in my shoes that they need to really know their own child before handing over the business.

“I was skeptical with Rory, so we started with one day a week. I also recommended Fiona go to cosmetology school.”

With her children now growing Vanity and carrying on her vision, Glennis says, “I’m happy to hand over the reigns to them.”