News Letter ~ April 08 By Lisa Rivoli Edited by Lori Roach Let me take you back in time seven years. I had moved to Cary, NC a year earlier from my home in New York. It was September, my children were back in school, and I was bored and lonely. Despite my efforts, I still did not feel a part of the community and I had not made many friends. I realized I needed to find a way to connect with people, and for me, that meant finding a salon to work in. Eager to get back to work, I still knew that not just any salon would do. I wanted the freedom to be home by 3:00 when my children returned from school. I wanted to be able to go back to New York frequently, since my relatives and friends were all still there. And I wanted that “special feeling” you get when you truly feel a part of something. As I traveled around town, I found myself always watching for just that special place. One particular salon caught my attention. For some reason I couldn’t explain, I felt drawn to it every time I drove past. One day, on a whim, I walked into that salon and asked the owner, Shannon, if she was looking for a stylist. Her response was both good and bad – all of her stylists had recently left for another salon, so there were openings; however, she had no clients, no business plan, and no money to pay me. In addition, she’d recently had a baby, and was holding things together on pure adrenaline. Being familiar with the pressures on parenting and running a business, I found myself wanting to help Shannon any way I could. I told her, “I need to get back to work for my own well being. If you will let me work here, I will answer phones; I will sweep the floor; I will clean and organize the salon. Give me a chance to help you, and all I ask in return is 50% commission on the clients I work on.” I’m sure she thought I was a little crazy – and I‘ll bet she was surprised when I showed up for work the very next day! I had found the place I was looking for, and I worked my heart out as if that salon was mine. I saw so much potential in that salon, and I focused all of my energy on making that vision a reality. And then, heartbreak – Shannon told me a few days later that she had decided to sell the salon. But there was opportunity! She asked me if by chance, I would like to buy the salon – and she would stay for six months to help me build my dream. You can imagine the highs and lows I felt at that point, but my homesickness for New York overpowered my dream. I wanted to go back, and so, I felt it was the wrong time to commit to my own business. Shannon found another buyer, but gave me a second chance before selling to him. As much as I wanted the salon, I just felt the timing was wrong. I wanted to go back to New York. My three boys still needed me at home. The price was steep and the place needed some renovations. Regretfully, I said no. Shannon sold the salon. Not to me (despite still feeling conflicted!) but to a franchise. I was devastated – I saw the potential for an upscale, independent salon, not some quicky clip place that drew walk-in customers but no loyal, dedicated following. The new owner, Mr. K., asked me to stay on and help him start the franchise. Despite my misgivings, and the fact that I was more familiar with the upscale business (I had worked at Saks Fifth Avenue, for goodness sake!), I accepted. A good salary and the opportunity to keep working in that location helped, but most of all, starting up, nurturing, developing a business – this is what I love to do. And so I worked at the franchise for two months. One day I realized that I had taken this salon on as my own, except that it wasn’t mine. With a great deal of anger and frustration, I left the job and moved on. However, Mr. K. was good to me, and so we kept in touch. I told him that one day, I would buy that salon from him. Six years came and went. I never returned to New York, as I had originally intended. My family, myself included, eventually put down roots here, developed friendships, and found a place that felt – at least a little bit – like home. My boys grew older and became more independent. I was working as a stylist, growing a loyal client base. And I still drove by that salon, feeling like it should have been mine all along. Periodically, I’d bump into Mr. K., and each time I reminded him that when the time was right, I’d be the new owner. Twice in those six years, the opportunity arose. Twice I said no. The second time, I actually had the contract in my hands before backing away. Something – my past life, my fear of success, financial concerns – always held me back. By this time I had been developing joule salon for about four years, but I just wasn’t ready to make that final leap. My fourth opportunity came this past November. Coincidentally, it was during one of the most difficult periods of my life – we were struggling financially due to my husband’s loss of employment, my oldest son graduated from college and moved – back to New York, where my heart still remained! My middle son started college. The recession, empty nest syndrome, and menopause all kicked in at the same time, and I was overwhelmed. I immediately passed the opportunity to a friend who I thought might be interested, and he made plans to take over the salon (my salon!) As so often happens during times we are tested in life, I spent weeks crying, angry, and confused. I knew what I wanted, but did not feel the power to make it happen. Excuse after excuse continued to hold me back. But, gradually, I was able to see through the troubles, evaluate my life, and learn from the hardship. I realized that after all these years, I had never let go of my New York life, and I would never fully embrace my life here if I couldn’t step away from the past. I saw the person I wanted to become – and the person I definitely did not want to be – and made a choice. Clarity is an amazing experience, and I was finally ready not only to face my best future, but to step out and create it. During this same time, my friend had decided not to pursue the salon after all, and Mr. K. had relocated the franchise. The salon was empty, waiting for someone to bring it back to life. I contacted the owner of the building, and to my surprise and delight, he was willing to negotiate an amazing deal. The time had come – and I was finally, truly, unquestionably ready. With more joy in my heart than I had felt in eight years of living here, I signed the lease. It was as if the salon had just been waiting for me – and now, it was mine. On reflecting about this experience, I realize that stepping away from a past you love can be heart wrenching, but through the pain you will learn to embrace your future and you will come out stronger than before. I guess the true lesson here is to follow your heart, and take advantage of the opportunities life presents to you. The road can be long, rocky, and twisted, but in the end, if you listen carefully, that voice inside you will lead you home. Come see me in my new home. joule salon
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