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This is the end.

With brain fog & not enough sleep the time has come. This is the end (almost)…

It’s the time of year when all the crazy, tired, & lack of patience is exposed. The time when getting to work feels like an extreme sport, & the holidays are so close yet so far away. That strange time of year when Halloween & Christmas decorations overlap in a rather disturbing way,  when the mixed feelings of seeing family causes us more stress than it should, & we day dream about reaching the year’s finish line with all our faculties intact (hopefully 😂), when we can really exhale & delare – this is finally the end of the year!

Since the chances of me doing a December blog are slim to none, I thought this would be the best time for a wee little reflection & a humble request. 2025 has been a whole lotof ALOT for many of us- some would say quite like being awake during an ex lap (an open abdominal explorative surgery)

This week a friend of mine lost her sister who was just 4 months older than I am.  A short while ago one of my closest friends lost her partner of 3+ years to a freak accident, he was here the one day & gone the next. A few months ago one of my staff members lost their sister, & before that the other lost a sister & brother – all taken too soon.

The news is full of sadness & corruption, life has become a fight in many cases & different ways. My request is that we all take a moment before we enter 2026 to self reflect, to maybe soften just a little, to perhaps try to show more love & appreciation to ourselves and our loved ones. To exercise more patience with ourselves & others. People are important & time is fleeting.

Let’s be awake to take in the precious memories, moments in time that time cannot steal from us.

Yes, we’re busy, tired, overworked, need more money, upset over something silly. In the greater scheme of things, are we going to allow the challenges of life to steal from the living we have left?

People are important, and time… time is fleeting.

As we all claw closer to the end of 2025, hoping & praying for ease, relief, change, and many other things; maybe what we haven’t realised is that this ease, relief, change and other things are developed in the moment to moment, in the day to day.

From me to all of you – make time for yourself, love loudly AND keep those healthy boundaries intact. Give yourself all the love, gifts, downtime that you wish for the people you love the most – we can help a little with some of that 💆🏻👌🏻

I love you all!

Laurien Erin 

 

 

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slowly.

1 April 2015 – today = a decade of Matis Fourways under my (sometimes failing) leadership.

The past few weeks have been filled with anticipation. The (still live, enter HERE NOW) Instagram giveaway has managed to be a back-up countdown & tbh, I just cannot figure out how to feel!

I was chatting to a close friend of mine yesterday  & he showered me with compliments and well wishes, telling me how very proud he is of me & I should feel the same. These oxymoronic emotions trying to put up their hands begging to be recognised are throwing me on a pendulum between the proudest accomplishment of my life & the quiet voice asking “is this as good as it gets?”

I have put off writing this blog for weeks, and still scrambling thoughts on the screen in the hope it all comes together in the end. I suspect this could be what writer’s block feels like? Also, is it still writer’s block when you’re writing a few paragraphs, exactly 1 person is excited to read each month? 🤣

After much wafting about, I finally landed on a question I’d like to answer for myself on this public platform.

Q. What is the 1 most important thing I’ve learned over the past decade?

A. Do it slowly.

I sat at the Woolworths Café at Cedar square, ended the call to my friend & just slowly sipped my skinny cap. I opened the novel that’s recently captivated me & sat with my nose in the book, slowly taking in my very special Monday off. As I lifted my head to gaze out of the glass ahead I caught myself exactly where I planned to be. Blissfully enjoying a Monday morning, & doing it slowly and ever so intentionally. Also, we as a nation are sleeping on the Woolworths chilli eggs…

“It always pays to dwell slowly on the beautiful things – the more beautiful the more slowly.” – Atticus

How can this simple phrase be the biggest lesson in 10 years? Those who know me can attest to the speed at which I tackle every task. I often emerge from my office, loudly proclaiming the many ticks accomplished on my to-do list; looking for a “wow” from my staff *insert giggle🤭 *

Well, every time I tried to fix things by pushing & rushing, I always ended up only frustrating myself. Now, I’m not by any means saying that I’ll be confidently dragging my feet. I’m saying having the courage & faith to hand things over has been the hardest & most eye-opening lesson. Many times I still have to remind myself to slow down & just remember. Every single time I felt that I needed to work harder I packed all the stress, lack of sleep, and anxiety into a heavy camping back & carried it around constantly, only draining my energy, amounting to no forward movement. Now, when I look back, I can see moving forward was always inevitable, I just need to keep putting 1 foot in front of the other. Every time I felt like it was the end, the slow and steady decision to JUST take the next step has proven to be enough. Every low point was overcome, slowly. Stepping into the 2nd decade of steering the ship, I want to dive in with the reminder that slowly is how I smash these goals. I don’t have to prove how busy I am to anyone.

Yes, I admit, it’s been me in the driver’s seat. I must also admit, I didn’t do it alone, I did it with loved ones, with consistent clients, with amazing staff, and most importantly, with God. Giving me the certainty to move in a different direction has consistently worked in favour of this little business, I’m so thankful I remained obedient.

Closing this chapter feels bittersweet. A part of me wants to cling to the safety of remaining within the bounds of the decade, not feeling quite ready to take up new territory. And yet, the other part of me is so excited to find out how much I can stretch, how much I can believe in my ability as a leader. How good can it get?

My heartfelt thanks to everyone who has had a hand in ensuring Matis Fourways made it to the 10 year milestone under my leadership. A humble request to keep choosing us, and a hope that you will also take it day by day, slowly.

All my love,
Laurien

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It’s Within Reach

In a month I will officially have taken over Matis Fourways for 10 years.

My designer sent me the logo I had in mind as the first step in recognising & commemorating this milestone this morning & seeing it brought a rush of memories, & all the emotions that came with the rollercoaster that has been the last 10 years. Honestly, nothing could have prepared me for this emotional tsunami.

We don’t know how very unwilling the banks are to loan money to someone who is already self employed until said person decides to buy a salon. A little over 10 years ago my journey started with a lot of “No” & I eventually ended up buying a business with the help of my #1 supporter- my gorgeous mom, in instalments from the previous owner – AND she agreed to still work for me for a few months. My mother has so fearlessly believed in me! She has so easily invested in my dream, & even when I felt overwhelming guilt for not doing better, & sheer gratitude for how much she loves me that all I could do was cry; she just kept reminding me that I’m not alone.

I had no idea what was in store for me… The next 5 years were undoubtedly the most stressful years of my life; trying to manage expenses, working in the construction site that was Fourways Mall, & trying to hold myself together was like trying to climb a mountain with no shoes, people on your shoulders, & a mustard seed of faith that the long string you’re clinging onto, tearing open flesh, won’t just snap & leave roadkill of what was once a woman’s dream & the people who depended on her.

I can clearly remember feeling like I had made the biggest mistake of my life, many times… There have been instances on this journey that I was saved purely by God’s grace. Stone cold business people with hearts seemingly as hard as the concrete used to build the  demise of many people’s lifelong dreams & only source of income. A pandemic that stole the lives and livelihood of countless, & yet Matis Fourways made it through – only by God’s grace. A man who thought underhanded moves would teach this woman that business is a man’s world, BUT God used him for my good.

As I take a pause to wipe away the tears- tasting the saltiness of the ones that escaped the tissue – & to take a sip of the salty water Veniva has introduced that feels like a physical representation in this moment  of the years I’ve cried. I can now close the door to my office & weep with thanksgiving to my father who has never failed me. He has carried me though the lowest valleys & reminds me that HE is holding the string on the top of that mountain.

This is not where my story ends, I give all the glory to God that His plan for my life is far more beautiful, more abundant & more joyful than I could ever imagine. How wonderful it is to be in the palm of His hand.

This month, I’m just going to pause & take stock. I’m going to take a very wise man’s advise & stand on every promise He has kept & be reminded that He will never fail.

To every single one of our amazing clients who continue to choose Matis Fourways over & over, – there are no words to express my gratitude. To my unbelievable landlords, I thank God for you all every day. To my staff, you are what makes the wheels turn, & my phenomenal mom – none is this would have been possible without you.

I hope my story  will remind someone that nothing is too far, whatever you can imagine is within reach.

With an overflowing heart,

Laurien