Life & Work with Mackenzie Spence

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mackenzie Spence

Hi Mackenzie, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I began working as a front desk receptionist at a salon in high school. I never thought this would be a stepping stone towards a career in the salon industry. After working in that salon a little through college, I switched my focus to working in fashion and was determined to continue with that path. In a few years, I worked my way up from a store associate to a manager position and felt this was my calling. While working in a boutique, I received a call from my sister, who was also a former co-worker, Lauren Kunijo. She was opening a salon (Kenna Kunijo) and hoping I could help out at the front desk a few times a week and help her hire new front desk team members. Within the first few weeks of working at the new salon, I was asked if I could work Friday and Saturday, then it became Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Then, Wednesday and Tuesday were added to the schedule shortly after that. As much as I worked at Kenna Kunijo full-time, I also fell into a manager’s role. While working the few days at the front, I began to notice that there were things that Lauren Kunijo and Kenna did not have: a proper inventory system, scheduling for the front desk, or someone to take control of things when they were unreachable. I began implementing systems here and there, hiring and training people. After six months of being a “front desk receptionist”, they started calling me the salon manager. Six years later, I am head of operations in the salon. I cannot believe that something that started off part-time has evolved into a full-time career, but I would not change how I got here at all.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
With any small business there are, of course, lots of struggles. Professionally speaking, many life lessons were learned along the way. When the salon first opened, clear boundaries were not set, which posed problems with how some of the employees communicated with us, looked at us, and communicated with each other. Some of these struggles were essential in us becoming who we are today. Personally, I have had many upsets. I lost my father when I was 21, and although that might not seem like the end of the world to some, it completely changed who I was, what I was doing, and who I became. Through that extreme loss – I went from being a comfortable “fake adult,” living with my parents and not thinking of my future beyond the next two years, to evaluating my entire existence and changing my outlook for the future. This heartache made me who I am today. I miss my father every day, but I would not be honoring his legacy in the way that I am today if I had not lost him at 21.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I head operations for a high-end hair salon in Charlotte, NC. I strategically plan long-term operational strategies, analyze our financials and create budgets for long-term financial success. I also coach our admin and stylist team, in addition to being involved in the day-to-day ins and outs of the business. What sets my job apart from other jobs is the ability to help the owners create something from the beginning of an idea and implement my ideas into the space. Not many owners would relinquish so much control with a new company. One of the things I am most proud of is their desire to embrace and implement the ideas that are important to me. In June of 2020, I had the idea of partnering with a different local BIPOC-focused organization each month. The purpose was to use our platform and to raise awareness of organizations that positively impact our city’s marginalized communities. When I approached Lauren and Kenna about this project and gave them my plan to raise money for these groups while not dipping into our bottom line, they were beyond sold. Here we are, four years later, and my Organization of the Month initiative is still going strong. We have made long-lasting connections with so many different people across our community and have been able to work alongside them to create actual change.

How do you think about luck?
I do not think luck has played any role in my life or business. I work hard, stay humble, and continue to grow. I have not had the easiest go about in my adult life, but I have never let that hinder me from reaching for the stars. I believe our greatest failures are not when we fail or lose but if we let that failure define us.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://kennakunijo.com
• Instagram: mackenroll

Image Credits
Drew Furr Co. Photography
Jennifer Austin Photography