Reinvention: Bangs, Business & Perms, OH MY!

Reinvention. It's an inevitable part of life, business, and, apparently, our collective inability to resist cutting bangs at 2 AM. It’s about evolving, moving forward, and changing—sometimes without even realizing it. (Clearly, we’ve evolved… we eat with utensils now.)

Looking back, reinvention has always been a common thread tying my entire journey together—from brick-and-mortar entrepreneur to digital content creator (with a few cringeworthy detours in between).

And trust me, not every reinvention is a good one.

My First Attempt at Reinvention: The School Years Edition

I should’ve known reinvention would follow me through life, because I had to master it early. I was the new kid in four different schools and let me tell you, it didn’t always go well.

There was 5th grade me, standing there in a bright yellow two-piece outfit, a brand-new permed mullet, and a Kool-Aid Burst bottle mustache. Crushing it? I thought so. NKOTB was going to hit me up any minute.

Fast forward to adulthood, and guess what? Reinvention is still happening. (Though, thankfully, I’ve stopped letting a VHS camera document my terrible predictions about the future like that time in the Senior lounge.)

The Mohawk Incident (or: Reinvention Gone Slightly Off the Rails)

Not every reinvention is a good one.

I was nursing the expected damage from hair extensions, only to decide that a short platinum blonde mohawk was the obvious next step. Shoutout to my hairstylist Amy for enduring every stage of my confidence crisis. You’re a saint. For the record, I did love my mohawk.

When I sent my usual post-haircut pic to my mom, she hit me back with a cautious “Oh my… so what’s your exit strategy?”

Exit strategy?? It’s HAIR, Mom. There is no exit strategy.

Well. Five years later, my hair is only down to my chin, and thanks to my naturally long face, it’s longer than most—just still not long enough. Mom, insert your ‘I told you so’ here.

Reinvention, Masters & A Message

A while back, I watched one of thee best MasterClass courses out there—Robin Roberts. She talked about how her mom had always told her to “make her mess her message.” That really stuck with me.

(Also, if you haven’t signed up for MasterClass yet—do yourself a favor. It was worth every penny. No, this isn’t a paid sponsorship, but MasterClass, if you’re listening, let’s talk. 😉)

That advice made me look at my own career with a different lens. Every business I’ve started, every pivot I’ve made, every “oh crap, here we go again” moment—I realized they weren’t setbacks. They were chapters.

Now I get to take 20 years of entrepreneurship—navigating challenges on small budgets, making marketing work for me, and pivoting when necessary—and finally put it into words.

Signs You Might Be Ready for a Reinvention

✅ You keep running into the same problem over and over. (Wait… isn’t that called insanity?)

✅ Your current situation feels stagnant, uninspired, or just plain meh. (Not every day is fireworks, but if you’re regularly questioning life choices, that’s a clue.)

✅ You keep fantasizing about an alternate reality where you do something else. (If you have a Pinterest board dedicated to quitting your job and running an ant farm… maybe it’s time to consider some change.)

✅ You’re constantly saying, “I’ll start that project when…” (When what? When Mercury is out of retrograde? When your laundry finally folds itself?)

Six Small Ways to Reinvent Yourself (Without a Crisis-Level Haircut)

✅ Change up your outward style.
Mix and match colors and patterns you wouldn’t normally try. Those hot pink pants with the leopard blazer? KILLER. Grow out your stache for Mo’vember? Fabulous. (If you pick a box hair color ‘Ravishing Auburn’ that turns citrus orange vs. getting to a pro … you misunderstood my advice.)

✅ Learn something new.
Try a new skill, take a random online course, or finally open that language app you downloaded two years ago. (Ahem, there’s a kickass new podcast coming soon called Unfinished Business: The Art of Reinvention—just saying!)

✅ Do something outside of your normal routine.
Watch a documentary that has nothing to do with your life. (I can give plenty of suggestions.)

✅ Rearrange a space you spend time in.
Even moving a chair across the room can trick your brain into thinking something is fresh and new. (Scientifically proven. Trust me, I Googled it.)

✅ Reconnect with people.
The next time someone randomly pops into your head, tell them. Even if it’s small, they might have needed that little boost, and it keeps those connections alive.

✅ Step outside your comfort zone (but keep it fun).
Try a new restaurant, take a dance class, or pick up an instrument you’ve always wanted to learn. And if you’re the type who needs to be good at everything immediately? 0/10 do not recommend the last two.

Small Reinventions, Big Impact

The thing about reinvention? It doesn’t just apply to you. Businesses, just like people, can get stuck in a rut, lose their spark, or outgrow the identity they started with. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, a small business owner, or just someone trying to keep things fresh at work—reinvention isn’t always about dramatic overhauls. Sometimes, it’s about making small, strategic changes that keep you ahead of the game.

Signs Your Business Might Be Ready for a Reinvention

✅ Your audience has evolved, but your brand hasn’t.

✅ Sales are plateauing despite solid effort.

✅ Your branding or offerings feel outdated.

✅ Your competitors are evolving, and you’re standing still.

✅ You’re attracting the wrong customers (or none at all).

✅ You feel uninspired or disconnected from your own business.

Before you panic and start throwing out “going-out-of-business” signs, take a breath. A business reinvention doesn’t have to be extreme. Sometimes, all it takes is a fresh approach, a small pivot, or simply stepping back to evaluate what’s actually working (and what’s just running on autopilot).

Six Smart Ways to Reinvent Your Business (Without Blowing It Up and Starting Over)

✅ Refresh Your Space Regularly (And Marge, calm down. If you can’t find the chapstick, just ask.)

✅ Show Up Where Your Customers Actually Are (Engage, post strategically, build relationships.)

✅ Keep Your Branding Consistent, But Relevant (Small updates keep things fresh.)

✅ Introduce Something New (Without Overhauling Everything) (Novelty attracts attention.)

✅ Strengthen Customer Relationships (Personal touches matter. Make them feel valued.)

✅ Keep Learning & Adapting (Stay informed, follow trends, be dynamic.)

Final Thought

Reinvention doesn’t have to mean burning everything to the ground and starting over (unless you’re REALLY feeling spicy). Sometimes, it’s as small as making a few tweaks, testing new waters, or finally acting on that idea you’ve been sitting on. You don’t have to have a five-year plan. You don’t have to have an “exit strategy” (whats up mom). You just have to start.

And if all else fails? At least sleep on it before making a decision involving scissors.

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