Meet Natalie Newman | Entrepreneur, Politician, Real Estate Broker, Property Manager, and Mother of 2

We had the good fortune of connecting with Natalie Newman and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Natalie, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
At the time I was working in the casino industry, specifically in marketing and sales and wanted to further my education. I landed at Western Carolina University in the mountains of Cullowhee North Carolina, where I studied for my Master’s in Entrepreneurship, it was fully online and a sort of cohort-based learning style. During the course of this program, I interacted with some very creative and driven people who were committed to building businesses of their own, Some of my colleagues in the program were already working on their established businesses, employed in the industry they were passionate about, or they had a hobby or skill that they wanted to turn into a business. I found this very encouraging as my friend and I had started slinging clothes to friends and community members about a year earlier. I started the two-year graduate program at Western Carolina in Fall of 2017, and by mid 2018 I had left my marketing and sales position, and we started a women’s retail boutique with a focus of providing size inclusive clothing. My friend turned business partner had already left the casino industry and was working on her Master’s in Accountancy and practicing at a firm a few towns over. Eventually she also quit her job and we worked on the business together. I was motivated by those in my program and our instructors to make my business work and gain the reward of creating something and keeping it alive and watching it thrive., by overcoming the obstacles and challenges that were to come. What started as two friends determined to continue to work together, despite pursuing different paths in the long-run, turned into my journey and an opportunity to be heavily involved in the community that I absolutely could not help falling more and more in love with in time.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
My business journey began when we opened the brick and mortar boutique in the basement of a downtown building in Sylva. There was a ton of support from the community and eventually we landed a spot on Main Street. Right around that time and before we could open the new location, my business partner stepped out of the business to pursue other avenues in life. I decided to carry on. By this time I was working in real estate. Things were okay with the business but it was a ton of work for one person who also had a full-time job. Then the pandemic hit and Covid changed retail, well everything, in so many ways. The business survived but I knew I had to shift things. It’s important to know that prior to the move to Main Street and the shutdown, the business had expanded into also providing hair services to clients. My former business partner had a cosmetology license and when we relocated to the new space, we had a stylist who wanted to join us. So here I am post-shutdown, looking my business dead in the face and thinking…I need to do something different. The combination of being shutdown, people learning how to love shopping online, and price increases on top of supply chain issues were among my frustrations and sales were nowhere near what they had been prior to the shutdown. I HAD to get out of retail! By this time I had a young baby. and the stress of life, running a business that required so much of me, and working full-time was really weighing on my mental health. I wanted to keep running a business because it had brought me so much closer to the community and helped me meet so many people. I really wasn’t in it for the money anymore but I couldn’t let it drain my pockets and my spirit. I was exhausted and eventually had another baby on the way. After much thinking, I decided I would transform the space into an entire salon, no more clothing retail. At the time, we would become the only salon on Main Street and I wanted to start curating an experience for those who entered our doors. In October of 2022, Parlor & Co. had a grand opening and I felt so much weight life off of me. Fast forward to today, Parlor & Co. is a creative cosmetic space and for me it feels like home. I have 3 solid members on my team, two hair stylists and a tattoo artist utilize the space and I am so proud of everything we have built. Our team is still growing and we’re just getting started! It definitely wasn’t easy but everything that happened brought us to this moment and I am so thankful for that. Without the support of the community, I’m not sure we would have made it out of the other side. I’ve learned too many lessons to count but the most important thing I learned was how to adapt and survive some very difficult days. There were days where I had zero motivation, but I never quit. Now we are in the season of growth and thriving and I DEFINITELY can’t quick.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Luckily my best friends live in the area, so I will share my perfect day and some other places to see on a visit to the area. Perfect day: Start with a early morning walk at our local greenway, breakfast at one of my favorites, Lucy and the Rye. Followed by a quick yoga session in town and a visit to a local brewery or dispensary (depending on your vibe) to relax. An afternoon lunch and coffee at City Lights. A walk around downtown to visit local shops, making sure to stop and get the best crafted chocolate treats from Baxley’s Chocolates. Then some wine at Santé before a nice dinner at the super adorable restaurant, Ilda (Italian-Appalachian cuisine). Finish the night off visiting The Cut Cocktail Lounge or Dark Moon. Some other must-sees in Sylva are the Historic and beautiful Jackson County Library. A hike at Pinnacle Park or close by in the area we also have some beautiful parkways that make for scenic unforgettable drives. If you head over to the Great Smokies Mountains National Park you may even catch some of the elk out and about. Over in Bryson City you can tour part of the mountains by train or stop by Darnell Farms for a Dream Whip and perhaps some fresh fruit or veggies. Dillsboro, Waynesville, and Franklin are close by and also have great downtowns, activities and restaurant choices. There’s so much to do in this area and so many gems to fall in love with. Living here reminds me of a scenic calendar and we always have amazing festivals and events to look forward to throughout the year!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Definitely Western Carolina University, but honestly, I would not be here without Benita Newman. Yes, she is my mother, but she was also an entrepreneur. She ran a childcare business and took care of her family and two little girls for many years. And finally, my community here in Sylva, and my friends that became family.

Website: www.parlorandco.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/parlorandco

Other: Personal www.facebook.com/natalienicolenewman natalienicolenewman@gmail.com 828-280-8794 or my business email is info@parlorandco.com