To mark our 20th anniversary, we're each sharing 4 honest, hard-earned lessons from the past two decades—across beauty, business, family, and life.

These are the values, habits, and mindset shifts that shaped us—and continue to guide everything we do.

Miriam's Lessons

1. Wearing two hats — with heart.

Balancing being a mother and a business partner is delicate and deeply personal. The bond I share with my daughters is the foundation of both our family and our brand. It’s our strength. Our personal connections fuel our professional growth. 

2. Own your narrative.

To lead with confidence, I had to first know exactly who I am — as a woman, a mother, and a co-founder. That same clarity had to exist for our brand: what we stood for, who we served, and where we were going.

3. Trust is the currency.

Without trust, there is no true business — not one to be proud of, anyway. Trust is built moment by moment, with our team, our clients, and our partners. Trust is the backbone of everything. Build it intentionally.

4. Stay relevant by staying adaptable.

The beauty world (and the world in general) changes fast. We’ve thrived because we’ve stayed open to change, ready to pivot, and unafraid to try something new. There are no problems, only opportunities to find creative solutions.

Alan's Lessons

1. Always hire people better than you. 

Staffing, or running a business is hard, I know. And these days it’s also hard to recruit talent, but this is probably one of the best bits of advice; try your absolute best to hire those that are better than you - especially at the things you’re terrible at!

2. Nothing is forever.

As you grow in life’s journey, you realize that nothing lasts; not your successes, not your failures, not even your looks (although the Gee women will do their best to help on that front!) Once you come to this realization your future becomes a little bit easier. You’ll always be moving forward and pushing for success in your life both personally and professionally. It’s this initiative to keep striving forward in spite of all the ups and downs with will give your life the most comfort and bigger belief in yourself. 

3. You only get out what you put in.

Sounds a bit of a cliche, but we all know that it’s so easy to be a bystander in life, to be an observer (especially with social media) to become lazy. But we also all know that it’s through the work you put in that you’ll always get the most reward - Be that in business, in culture in family and in health. Do the work, get the reward!

4. Fail forward fast. 

As an entrepreneur you quickly realize that nothing you do automatically qualifies you for success. Actually it’s quite the opposite. Success and the learning of success mostly happens when you fail. So quit trying to make your next move foolproof… give it your best shot. If you fail, you’ll learn so much that the next time will be better, easier and more inclined to the success you seek. 

Natalie's Lessons

1. Growth Requires Reinvention, Not Perfection

Over 20 years of building Gee Beauty, I’ve learned that staying relevant means evolving. Reinvention—in brand, services, and self—is essential. It’s not about perfection, but connection. The same goes for marriage and motherhood: strength comes from showing up and doing the work, not doing it flawlessly.

2. Build What You Believe In, and People Will Feel It

Gee Beauty was born from a feeling: that beauty could be effortless and easy. Every product, service, and studio moment reflects that. The same goes for family. Rachel and I built our life on shared values—health, love, and presence—which guide us as partners and parents, even in the hard moments.

3. Energy Is Your Greatest Currency

Time is precious, but energy is everything. Where I place my energy—my team, my clients, my home, my kids—determines the quality of my life. I’ve learned to protect it fiercely, fuel it intentionally, and align it with what truly matters.

4. You Can Have Big Dreams and a Soft Heart

I used to think ambition had to come with edge. But I’ve learned that kindness, vulnerability, and empathy are some of the most powerful tools in leadership, love, and parenting.

Celene's Lessons

1. Good things take time.

Truly nothing substantial happens overnight. Slow and steady might seem unsexy, but it’s also how you build trust and longevity.

2. Keep your head down.

Try your best not to look around too much. Inspiration is important. Being aware of the competition is important, but it can’t consume you. Check in with yourself as to how much time you’re spending looking around.

3. Keep it moving.

If something isn’t working or you feel stuck, just try to keep it moving. Try not to dwell. The momentum of movement (physically, mentally, emotionally) will help you produce new ideas or thoughts.

4. Make time to be creative or to pursue your interests.

Make time to be creative or to pursue your interests. It’s not unimportant. It makes you more balanced, well-rounded, and fulfilled. Try to prioritize it when you can.

Stephanie's Lessons

1. Listen with both your ears and speak with your one mouth.

I learned early on that one of the best ways to become an expert is to learn from the people around you. We were raised with the notion that if you are the smartest person in the room, you’re in the wrong room. Learning from the people around me who had more experience than me, has allowed me to listen, learn, and then execute to get even greater results.

2. Showing up is half the battle.

I’ve definitely put in my 10,000 hours at Gee Beauty. Even on tough days, work has been a space to grow, learn, and reset. We’ve always believed work is a blessing—a place to leave your problems at the door, focus fully, and make a real impact. That kind of purpose is a gift.

3. If you don’t honour your own boundaries, no one else will.

I used to think being constantly available was a strength. Now I know that setting boundaries helps me show up with more focus and energy—and creates space for others to grow too. Honouring my limits has made me more intuitive, open, and balanced as a leader. It’s been life-changing, and I wish that clarity for everyone.

4. The way you do one thing as the way you do everything.

We learned this from our parents long before we had Gee Beauty, but we practice it in every way in our business. We don’t cut corners, we don’t turn a blind eye, and the standard of excellence we set is applied to every part of our company, front and back.

We’ve come a long way—but this is just the beginning.
The 21st lesson? We’re only getting started.
Stay tuned for what’s next at Gee Beauty.