Finding Quiet Moments in the Hustle: A Conversation on Faith and Business

Are you a business owner with faith at your core? Do you find yourself caught between pursuing your entrepreneurial dreams and feeling called to something… more? The struggle is real. The hustle is real. And sometimes it just feels like too much.

The pressure to grow your business, to always be “on,” and to balance those ambitions with your faith and family life…it can be overwhelming. How do you find quiet moments to reconnect with God amidst the noise? How do you build a business that reflects your values and honors those priorities without sacrificing success?

Today’s guest has a fascinating story. I’m excited to have Emily Chang, the owner of Birch Salon, here with me. She’s a hairstylist, mom, business owner, and someone who exemplifies how to run a successful faith-driven company.

Finding Peace on the Farm

I loved learning about Emily’s unique background. Let’s dive into her story!

“Definitely not traditional,” Emily shared with a laugh. “These days, when I mention I grew up on a farm, people think it’s really cool because chickens are trendy. But it wasn’t cool when I was a kid.” She goes on to explain that her parents were chicken farmers and the family also had cows, pigs, and horses. Emily grew up surrounded by chores, wide-open spaces, and a slow pace of life.

“Honestly, there was a lot of resentment and frustration for me in that life. It wasn’t something I chose for myself, and it also felt very slow,” Emily admits. “I’m a go-go-go person, and that lifestyle didn’t always mesh with who I am.”

But despite those struggles, Emily looks back with gratitude for the lessons she learned during those years, “It was those years of quiet, when the Lord made me be still and made me listen. And I took time to form a relationship with Him and really get to know Him. And He was my best friend for a lot of years.”

It was the quiet found on the farm that laid a spiritual foundation for Emily – a quiet that many of us struggle to find in our busy adult lives. As her father always says, “God speaks loudest when you’re on the farm… God speaks a lot less in nature.”

What a beautiful thought, and so true! Nature has a way of connecting us to God in a profound manner, whether it’s a hike through the forest or the vastness of the beach.

From Farm Girl to Successful Business Owner

Emily’s journey hasn’t been a straight line, which I think makes her story even more relatable. She’s been in the hair industry for 18 years, and even spent time as a teacher!

Turns out, Emily’s passion for hair led her to a teaching position at a cosmetology school where she could have health insurance and stability, which was hard to find at the time as a hairstylist. She even helped develop curriculum and was the director of education for a while – impressive!

But eventually, Emily decided to take a risk and leave her teaching job, not to open her own business, but to stay home with her young son, Hudson. “I didn’t know anything about being a mom. I can raise chickens, apparently. But mom life… I was the baby of the family. I didn’t know anything about children, keeping them alive, loving on them, any of the things. And so it was it was a shock for me when I had Hudson.”

This resonates with so many moms who leave the workforce to raise kids. It can be a tough adjustment. But, out of necessity, Emily started doing hair part-time which planted the seed for something more. The vision grew in her heart to open her own salon, a space where she could help others succeed in the industry.

“It took me probably 10 years to figure out the business side of our business,” Emily shares. It’s a good reminder that success often does not come overnight and it’s okay to take things slowly. But with dedication, the dream became reality.

Be Still and Know

Running a successful business is time-consuming, and it can be hard to know when to push and when to rest. At one point, Emily was working 14-hour days doing hair! I can just imagine her cleaning up at night and crying from exhaustion. But she did it because she loves serving her clients and needed to provide for her family.

Still, Emily knew she couldn’t maintain this pace for the long haul. She felt the Lord saying to her, “be still… be mom.”

“It was the first time I was like, okay, Lord, if it’s meant to be, it will be in Your timing,” Emily said.

This trust in God’s plan allowed Emily to let go of the need to force things to happen and instead focus on her son. Just a few months later, Emily opened her own salon.

Balancing Business and Motherhood

Like so many of us, Emily grapples with finding balance – wanting to grow her business while also serving her family well. It’s a constant dance.

“There are times where I do get caught up in the hamster wheel and I find myself working too much,” Emily admits. “And then I have to be very intentional to pull back and prioritize. One of my go-to when it comes to prioritizing is God, husband, kids… then everything else. So when I make decisions, I have to ask myself ‘How is this going to affect my relationship with God? How is this going to affect my marriage? How is this going to affect my kids?’ And sometimes that means saying no to opportunities.”

Emily has even turned down opportunities that weren’t the right fit because it wasn’t the right season for her family. There’s a real wisdom Emily demonstrates here about having the courage to say “no” to protect what matters most.

Growth with Purpose

Emily is often asked why she doesn’t open a second salon location. After all, isn’t expansion the goal? But there’s such grace in how Emily handles this question.

“There’s a lot of pressure in the business world. It’s the business owner version of keeping up with the Joneses,” she states. She’s found that often the drive to scale is more about external validation than what’s truly best for the business or herself.

Instead of focusing on outward growth, Emily puts her heart into creating a salon experience where she and her employees can thrive. “I’m thankful for where we are. If that means we stay there, thank you, Jesus. And if that means we grow, thank you, Jesus,” Emily says.

A Business Model Marked by Wisdom

One thing that sets Emily apart is her decision to structure her business in a way (W-2) that provides greater protections for her employees. It’s a choice that shows genuine care for her team.

Advice for the Abiding CEOs

Emily’s story leaves me inspired, and I hope you feel the same way. As we wrap up, Emily shares this advice for other Christian entrepreneurs: “Know that your journey is going to be your journey,” Emily emphasizes, “Try to carve out time for all the things that are important. And if you get off track, return back to the Lord and what He’s calling you to do specifically.”

What a beautiful reminder that success isn’t about following someone else’s formula or falling for the pressure to constantly expand. It’s about staying true to yourself, honoring what you have, and trusting that God will guide your path and provide everything you need as you seek His kingdom first.

Thank you, Emily, for sharing your story! If you want to experience the peaceful and positive atmosphere of Birch Salon, you can check them out online: https://birchsalon.co/.

I hope you enjoy this glimpse into Emily Chang’s journey of faith and business. Remember to prioritize your relationship with God, your family, and your own well-being as you pursue your entrepreneurial goals. Stay focused on Him and His will for your life!

About Emily Chang

As a young girl who grew up with parents who owned their own business, entrepreneurship always felt right to Emily. The idea of creating a space built around serving clients and helping stylists build a work-life they love, is a dream she always had. The salon industry gave Emily a creative home and place to pour her heart into people, which is the purpose that she feels God has given her. Emily and her salon team love staying active and serving in the community. Outside of the salon, Emily enjoys spending time with her incredible husband, T, and her two sons who are 12 and 2 years old.