Today, women around the world will proudly celebrate International Women’s Day. This year, #IWD focuses on building a gender-balanced world. The social media campaign challenges women and men to pose with their arms out and describe how they will #BalanceforBetter. Gender balance isn’t just a women’s issue; it’s a business issue.

The San Francisco-based founder Deb Monti shared her success story with Beyond to provide tips on how to thrive as a woman in any workforce.

Deb, the award-winning founder of Milvali Extensions & Academy and co-founder of Milvali Salons, has been determined to make extensions her career since 1997. Ever since Deb first saw how they could transform a woman’s outer appearance and inner confidence, she was hooked. After learning and developing a damage-free installment method, the #MontiMethod, Deb’s passion only became stronger.

Before she knew, she was booked solid months out. Little did she know the undeniable feeling of confidence, self-assurance, and fearlessness that both she and the client felt after completing an extension installment would lead her to a new passion: teaching.

In 2016, Deb launched Milvali Extensions & Academy, a two-day extension course providing stylists with impeccable training, tips and advice in order to succeed as an amazing extensionist.  Deb’s goal is to educate, empower, and provide opportunities to stylists so they can surpass goals and strive for greatness.

By giving stylists access to top-notch resources and training, Deb prepares students on how to launch a successful business of their own.  Deb has proven her methods and technique have the potential to triple her student’s income and strengthen stylists’ abilities as entrepreneurs.

What was first a passion to deliver women amazing hair has shifted into something much greater. Deb’s greatest passion, teaching, has allowed her to influence stylists, clients, and employees daily. Deb’s ability to empower and influence stylists and clients is the reason she stays motivated to keep on doing what she is doing.

Deb believes the key to being a successful female leader and business owner is knowing when to pat someone on the back, and when to call them out. She has learned to not take things so personally, let things go, and trust the process. Deb operates from a place of integrity and wants her clients and stylists to be the best version of themselves.

Monti is empowering the next generation of entrepreneurs by giving her students the tools they need to create opportunities, grow confidence, and be financially proud. Happy International Women’s Day, ladies—we deserve this.