Small Business Saturday

The last few days have brought about a lot of situations that have really lead me to think deeper than I typically would. The situations were brought up by employees or my family, and most recently my daughters. I know at first this won’t seem to tie into Small Business Saturday, but stick around to the end. Two things have happened recently that really got me thinking. The first is more serious, then I will end with none other than Miss Mar and her ridiculousness.

This year Crue is a second grader, which means she has her first confession. Now, I was not raised Catholic so I didn’t exactly have a normal entry to the church, but I did do a confession at age 26. Ofta. 26 for your first confession is NOT ideal. I mean, I went through college by then! So, how do I explain to my 7 year old what confession is? I am not sure the normal protocol as to who should teach who/when on this, but I feel like a conversation between her and I needs to take place. As an adult going through my first confession and even after a lot more life, I think you have to take from it what you will. My take is that confessions can be taken from two points of view. 1. You’re a sinner and doing things wrong and if you don’t repent you’ll, well, not go to Heaven. 2. (the way I view it) Self-awareness! It took me a LONG time to become self-aware. SO often I see people conforming to certain friend groups, conversations, looks, towns, popular groups, boyfriends, girlfriends, work groups, etc. I think confession is meant for you to see yourself for who you really are. Every person will sin, every person will have something to say to a man that they feel is judging them. But, I think that if you leave confession recognizing, “Shoot. I did do this temptation more this week than normal, maybe I should try another focus? Maybe I need to work harder?” I often quote Kobe Bryant, because he is the GOAT, but he always had to be the BEST in the room. Did he sin, sure. Did he lose, yes. Did he make the best personal choices all the time, nope. But, did he try harder than anyone else in the room? EVERY TIME. So I think its about trying to be the VERY BEST VERSION OF YOURSELF. Now, when I was thinking this, I was thinking – gosh that’s exactly what I want for Blu, and EXACTLY what I want for the clients in our chairs. I want them to FEEL their best and LOOK their best, and feel welcome like they can share away and no judgement is given – in this aspect, unlike a confessional. And our clients are equally as amazing! I am SO BEYOND lucky to have the people – YOU! – support this dream. A dream for both Employees to create, learn, grow, and be truly HAPPY to come to work as well as clients to feel beautiful inside and out, but also confident and unjudged!

As promised my second story with, Curri. Tonight, we went to a parade of lights in a small, Minnesota town neighboring us. Mar (we call Curri – Mar) decided she was super upset that all the “big kids” got way better candy than her. She stood by me the whole time, didn’t run after the candy, and cried. I pulled a “We will talk about this in the car, now stop!” eeekkkk. She knew. She throws another fit in the car and I might have lost it just a little bit. I told her, “Well, life is NOT fair and it will NEVER be. If you think life needs to be fair then you fail. Because when things are “fair” that means you’ve stopped working hard, and in this house we don’t do that!” My kids aren’t allowed to say hate and can’t. I think laziness, sometimes considered “fairness”. Especially in this case, is maybe close to the top of that too. I don’t mean the kind of lazy where they want to chill for the day but, the kind of lazy that says other people need to pick up your slack so you can have the same as them because you just want it. She didn’t do anything to help herself get the better candy, she just whined. I absolutely believe in going to get what you want because no one should do it for you! Now she is 4, and sometimes I wonder why she acts older than that, haha maybe because of the discipline I try to give. Maybe because I just talked to her like she was a BluBabe but in a mom tone and louder! Anyway, she didn’t quite understand, but she did stop whining so that’s a mom win.

Life isn’t fair, ever. We don’t get to pick. But, those who work hard, will only benefit themselves in the long run. The clients that we do at Blu seem to ALL be hardworking, kind, caring and considerate individuals. I have seen clients sweep hair for a stylist, grab a cup of coffee for another client, bring Starbucks in for staff, explain a service to another client, hold doors open, help others in and out, really all the kind things. I’ve literally left, driving on the interstate home and thought, “Wow. I did it. I created something I am SO incredibly proud of. I have good old school value staff and incredibly amazing clients.” So, to say this Small Business Saturday that we have the BEST clients around is NOT an understatement! WE ALL really love our clients, today and EVERYDAY of the year. And we ALL really, truly thank each and every person who steps through our doors, shares a facebook post, or calls in for a gift card and so many more!

That’s a lot of emotion for me so… maybe in about 3 months I’ll throw some more back at ya