Nurturing the Nurturers Part 2: Business Wellness is Personal Wellness

March 15, 2023

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Self-care doesn’t look the same for everybody, so we sought a different perspective. For many salon owners, business health is inextricably linked with personal health. Financial well-being, professional relationships, and the other demands of being a small business owner don’t necessarily disappear when you leave the salon. Vivian Yeh of Josephine’s Day Spa & Salon knows this intimately and shares how she finds balance when personal and professional well-being are intertwined.

To Yeh, wellness means something a little bit different. “In both worlds, it means I am physically, emotionally, and financially at peace,” she says. “Peace means for me that if there are challenges, you have a plan to solve them. Then I’m at peace. When you can’t, that’s a problem. So it’s not the lack of challenges, it’s the lack of solutions.”

Being well is a newer concept to Yeh—when she was younger, she associated wellness and self-care with yoga, meditation, and spirituality. She felt too practical to do those things, instead focusing on advancing her business. But now, Yeh recognizes the need for balance. Instead of trying to separate work and personal life, she seeks balance between them. “My work takes up a whole lot more time – more than just in the salon – and I spend a lot more time on work than my personal life. But I was able to find harmony and I’m OK with that. Once I found that harmony, I’m no longer stressed out. I’m more patient, more clear, less reactive, OK with setbacks, and more self-aware.”

Now, Yeh can recognize when elements in her life have fallen out of balance. She’s more pessimistic and negative and can physically feel the tension building in her neck and shoulders. She also notices that her energy “is very tangible. The staff can feel it as soon as you walk into the room, and how you’re interacting and reacting with them.” But she, like all of us, is a work in progress.

“I’m self-aware, but I’m not sure if I’m that good at taking action—yet!” Yeh admits. “Because I cannot change the situation, I decided it would be much easier if I just change the way I think and approach it. Once I did that I was able to be more positive and optimistic. I work on my own emotions so I can treat my employees the best I can.”

A Culture of Wellness

Yeh relies on herself to stay on track, but is also extremely grateful for her team at the salon and her sister—people she knows she can trust to take care of her business. She also makes sure she has one day a week without any electronics. “To give yourself permission to not mentally have to work on your business for one day has helped me tremendously. It’s not about you turning off your phone, it’s me giving myself permission to have that eight-hour break,” she explains. Then adds, “I do love massages, too.”

She hopes her employees will follow her example. When she notices a team member struggling, she tries to create a safe place and really listen to them—to help them create that harmony in their own lives as well. The culture of communication and trust she has created at her salon not only serves her, but her stylists too. Josephine’s employees receive a wellness fund as part of their benefits that they can use for life coaching, spa sessions, or anything they need to stay balanced.

Finding Balance in One Another

Finally, Yeh says that gatherings with her professional peers offer a mental break for her. She is looking forward to the Spring Gathering in Las Vegas on April 2-3 as a moment where she can relax amongst like-minded people with shared experiences and soak up the harmony.

President and CEO
Southern Security Federal Credit Union

Dawn Graeter, President and CEO of Southern Security Federal Credit Union is an extremely accomplished, trailblazing finance executive who has led Southern Security to triple-digit growth since she took the helm in 2011. As one of the few female bank CEOs in the Greater Memphis area, Dawn has over 35 years in the finance and banking industry and has held almost every position there is as she worked her way from teller to CEO.

Dawn’s focus on the foundational pillars of people, community, and technology have ignited record-breaking results year after year and includes specific efforts for teamwork-building, employee relations, a genuine grassroots community outreach effort, and adopting technology solutions to provide greater functionality and service to customers. These efforts have increased the Southern Security full-time workforce by 37 percent and increased the annual net income of Southern Security by 127 percent poising Southern Security for even greater growth in the future. Dawn’s successes have not gone unnoticed as she was voted one of Power Poll Memphis’ Most Power People in 2023 and named a Superwoman in Business by the Memphis Business Journal in 2012. Also, named University of Memphis Outstanding Alumna in 2019. Dawn and her team are proud that Southern Security has been named Best Credit Union by the readers of the Commercial Appeal for six years running.

Dawn works tirelessly to support professional and community organizations close to the industry and community she loves. She currently serves as Chairman of the Board for Confluent Strategies, which specializes in consumer credit, commercial and mortgage credit reporting, background checks, employment screenings and association management. She also serves on the board for the Tennessee Credit Union League whose mission is to promote and support the success and advancement of credit unions in the State of Tennessee. Dawn correspondingly serves on the board for Share One which serves credit unions across the country with a comprehensive core processing system named New Solutions. As a credit union service organization (CUSO), Share One designed New Solutions directly alongside credit union clients.

Recently, Dawn was asked to serve on the Le Bonheur National Leadership Council, on the Youth Program’s Inc. Captain’s Club, charitable foundation and host organization of the FedEx St. Jude Championship, and the Board of Carnival Memphis, all benefiting local children and children’s charities.

Dawn previously served as chairman of the board for HopeWorks, an organization that offers jobs and support to the under-resourced and recently incarcerated working in conjunction with the Shelby County Department of Corrections Hope 2 Hire program. Her work with HopeWorks is what she is most proud of, helping train adults for vocational careers and life outside of the Department of Corrections system. Dawn has a real drive to help adults help themselves, to be able to provide for their families, and find a skill or career they are proud of every day.

Dawn has served on various nonprofit boards over the years including Leadership Millington, Millington Area Chamber of Commerce and the Mid-South American Heart Association’s Executive Leadership Team. Dawn also served at the Greenshoe Gala, benefitting Shelby Farms.

Dawn gives back to her alma matter, the University of Memphis as she is serving as an Executive in Residence for the Fogelman College of Business and Economics, on the 901 Women’s Athletic Advisory Board, has served as a member of the University of Memphis Alumni Association from 2000-2003, serving as treasurer from 2002-2003. She continued her service as the University of Memphis Alumni Association President from 2004-2005 while also being a member of the Board of Visitors for the U of M. Dawn was a participant in the U of M Women’s Leadership Council and was chairman for Homecoming Golf Classic for the Alumni Association.

Southern Security Federal Credit Union and its employees support Mid-South Employee Resource Network, Big Brothers Big Sister of the Mid-South, Youth Villages, Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, YWCA, American Heart Association, Keesha Warrior Princess, Collierville Education Foundation and many other local charities through monetary donations and volunteer efforts.