How You Measure Success - Bree Neal & Cassy Lovering

Bree and Cassy discuss how they measure success in their life, other ways people may measure it themselves, and other philosophies and business choices.

Transcript

Bree 0:04

Welcome back to Philosophy of the Barber. I'm your host, Bree, and returning this week is Cassie. Hello! So this week's conversation is going to be about how you measure success. You being whoever you are. In our case, we're gonna talk about us and maybe the possibilities of other people and how they might measure success. So I feel like I'll start off since I know how I measure success, and that might jog some possibilities in your head. Um and mine's a very like subjective, off-the-wall sort of like way that I measure things. Um so the way that I view me being successful in what I do is financially being able to go to the grocery store, buy what I want, and not have to look at price tags or be concerned about it when I check out. Like as long as I'm making enough money to where I can do that, I feel like I'm a success. Like that's my like that's all I care about. Like being able to meet my financial obligations, cover my overheads, and not have to worry about like couponing and budgeting hardcore and strictness uh as far as that goes. I like to be able to like buy the things I want when I want.

Cassy 1:31

Yeah.

Bree 1:31

But like I'm I don't have like a I want to make six figures or I want to have this much in my 401k or whatever. Like those like hard numbers are not how I measure my success. It's my quality of life, the amount of stress that I have.

Cassy 1:48

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I feel like that's exactly similar to how it is for me. I measure my success in like the little things in not being able to worry when I go to fill up my gas tank, that I can just push the pump and let it fill up my car, and I don't have to wait for certain numbers or not having to check your bank account before you buy something. Being able to, if I want to call and order lunch that day, that I can, and it's not something I have to worry about. Definitely, I I definitely measure my success in what I might be able to do financially for sure. I also feel like I measure my little bit of success, like what I've gotten to notice here, like now being a new business owner and stuff, is I feel very successful when I hear about someone referring me. I it just makes me feel successful, it makes me feel accomplished, it makes me feel like you're headed in the right direction. Exactly, yes, exactly.

Bree 2:46

Progress being made.

Cassy 2:47

Yeah. I I've noticed that here lately when I hear someone mention that like they know they came to me because of so and so. I'm just like, yes, thank you. I'm like on the right track, I'm doing the right things, we're moving the right direction. Yeah, yeah, that definitely helps too.

Bree 3:03

Well, and I feel like you we can't have we can't recognize those markers unless we have an idea of what our success will look like. So, like, if you don't have a destination in mind, how do you know you're headed in the right direction?

Cassy 3:20

Exactly. Because it my views on success have definitely changed just in the short amount of time that I have become a business owner because it was completely different a year ago as a booth renter. Right. Not knowing I was gonna even open a business a year ago. So like that wasn't even in the forefront, you know what I mean? Like, so like my That wasn't a goal. Yeah, my view of success was that that point was having a busy day. That was just my form of success. It was it was just very different. I was a lot more wild, I guess you could say, in my short term, yeah, the look cuff. Yeah, definitely fly by the seat of my pant living for sure. I didn't have to really worry about a whole lot. But now that I am a business owner, I'm so focused on the success and just making sure that it thrives. My it's just it's so different.

Bree 4:11

Well, because I feel like as a booth renter, you're you're coming in and you're sitting your business on a foundation of a shop that exists already. Whereas as a shop owner, you're building that foundation to be stable for yourself and perhaps others in the future. So, like, I feel like booth renters kind of take that for granted sometimes, depending on the environment you're in. Oh, yeah, absolutely. But it's the like those things that you're building your business off of, you're not having to worry about because they've already been taken care of for you. And I mean, that's that's a really great position to be in, especially when you're new to the industry, like you need stability.

Cassy 4:54

Oh yeah. That was one of the most enticing things when looking at shops getting out of barber school is like who what shops were already established enough to be able to support a new barber. Because you don't know everything right out of school.

Bree 5:10

You don't know when you don't know everything two years out of school.

Cassy 5:13

No, you really, really don't. I feel like I'm still I'm three years now and I I still learn stuff all the time. I did a haircut today that I was like, oh thank god I pulled that off.

Bree 5:26

This is why we have procedures so that we can like apply them accordingly.

Cassy 5:31

Yeah, exactly. But back to success, I feel like mentioning like the big numbers and stuff, some people do view it as that. They view it as how large of a sum you have of something, whether it be like, do you own a lot of property or do you own a lot of things and fancy toys like boats and extracurriculars and those sort of things, like and that's how you look to be a successful person.

Bree 5:59

And I mean, that is, I suppose, a way to measure success. I just think that that is a partial view on that measurement. Like, that's only an external view. It's like you don't necessarily know because if you're comparing yourself to a person who has those things, it's like you don't know what goes on behind the scenes for them to be able to do those things. Like you you only see that they're a barber and that they own those. You don't see behind the scenes that they are in real estate, that they make investments that have nothing whatsoever to do with barbering, that they're you know, they're engaged in other business ventures beyond that. Because I mean, unless you're in a really high luxury style city situation, the likelihood of you making that kind of money just from cutting hair is s real slim. Yeah. Um so like having a grasp, it's kind of like only seeing you know the YouTube video. Like you don't see the editing and how long that takes, you don't see the um the the finding of you know clips or or gifts or anything that's inserted in the video. Like you don't see the hours that are spent working on that, that are not the fun parts.

Cassy 7:21

Yeah. Oh, I can only imagine. I've now made two reels. Three maybe. I've no thank you. Shout out to all the video editors because y'all are doing a great job. Right. Okay, there's a reason that's a profession.

Bree 7:36

There's a reason why you have to go to school for it. Oh my goodness, just getting like re-uh acquainted with garage band to to record this stuff was just like YouTube, please help. Because I have no background in sound anything.

Cassy 7:57

Thank goodness for the age of the internet. You can literally find whatever you need on there. That's literally how I learned a crochet.

Bree 8:06

So I'm thinking, um, because you did bring up the the booth renter aspect, like how how did you measure your success when it came to school? And um like school's a little bit easier to measure because I mean you have tests that you have to take, you have you know, licenses you have to earn, that sort of thing. And was it only those things that they like put on you as like how you measured uh your success of like because I mean it's so personal and subjective, like when things click in your head and you finally start to understand things that it's nice to have those markers on paper, but like if if the f if the flat top doesn't click, yeah, it it doesn't click, yeah, and it clicks differently for everybody.

Cassy 8:55

I will say it was a lot easier for me to measure my success in cosmetology school um only because the campus I was at was very busy, so like, well, could be had the potential to be very busy, so you could you were constantly learning and getting to see what you were learning and getting to actually execute those things on a more regular basis there. And we actually even had this little chart, but that's more on paper, but still, we had a top stylist of the week and top retail, and it was like the top five for each for the or for the month, sorry, and so like it very early on became a goal of mine to get on that board in some way, shape, or form. So when I was getting towards like my last phase phase of school, I was on that board every month, and it that so like that for me was like I'm really getting the hang of this. Like, this is what this is what I should be doing at this point in my time here, is I should be hitting these numbers, I should be getting return clients, I should be continuing to execute the things that I'm learning. Whereas Barber School was a little different because I did struggle a little bit more learning fading on a mannequin head and stuff because we our clientele basis for that campus was very slim. So, unfortunately, with a class full of females, we didn't get a lot of interacting with practicing. Like, yes, we could shampoo each other and give each other facials, but like that's not a real face shave. That's not a fade on a haircut, that's not any of the things that you need. So it was a little bit more difficult for me to measure my success there, and I actually did struggle a lot more and did need a lot of affirmation from my teacher sometimes because it was hard for me to see where my success was being formed there.

Bree 10:47

Well, and I feel like that's probably a really good practice for even salon and barbershop owners who have employees especially, um, because you have that sort of uh control to provide hard goals like that for your people of like top barber, top stylist, top retail sale, like those things that it's like for people who otherwise haven't acquired the skill of self-setting goals. Where it's like, all right, this is something, and to make sure that everyone on the team is focused on those same goals. The same goals that way everybody's heading in the right direction. That's a a great thing for for people to implement.

Cassy 11:33

Oh, I love seeing my name at the top of that list. In fact, ironically enough, I'll go back in some of my pictures because I took pictures of them, of course. So like they're on my iPad. So those pop up, I'm like, yes, that's right. I did that successful. It's where I wanted to be. I remember seeing it when I like toured the school, and I was like, those are the people that I want to follow behind because like they're they're really utilizing that I I took it as they're read really utilizing their time and their program there.

Bree 12:04

Well, I suppose it probably has something to do um personally for what type of person you are as far as motivation goes. Like if you're externally motivated or if you're in internally motivated.

Cassy 12:16

Uh oh, that's a that is a very fair point. Because that's not a win for everybody.

Bree 12:23

Right. It's the not everybody wants to be on that board.

Cassy 12:26

Some people shy away from recognition like that. Yeah, they prefer to be in like more of the shadows.

Bree 12:32

In the shadows. Uh yeah, because and I'm trying to decide what I would prefer personally. Like part of me would be like, oh yeah, I could totally get on those boards. But that's not how I'm motivated personally. I'm very internally motivated. Like you just put me in a room with what I need to figure something out. Yep. And if I've got my goal in mind, I'm I'm gonna make sure that happens. I don't know how long it's gonna take, but it's gonna happen. Yep. So I suppose it's a little bit of both.

Cassy 13:13

Now reflecting on this and having this conversation out loud, I apparently thrive on the external so much that I was a lot of the times, especially towards the end, I was kind of like not teacher's pet, but I was one of the oldest in the program. So like that was a big factor in it as well. But I've got very close with all the instructors, but I actually started being the one to write the board. Like I got to go through the list and highlight, like look at everyone's numbers for the week, and I got to be the one to sort through and see who what people's numbers were, and then I got to write the list on the board. Like, that's how much I loved the external. Like, yes, let me see the numbers, let me compare them, let me see how good I am because I have no idea.

Bree 14:09

Oh goodness. I feel like that's also fair. Um, like, I mean, who can accurately critique themselves?

Cassy 14:16

Oh, God, not at all. Nobody.

Bree 14:18

At all. Like, we are so critical of ourselves. Yes. We're like we have such a funhouse mirror.

Cassy 14:26

I think that's probably why I took so many pictures of the board, so that way I could remember, because it would just seem so unrealistic in my brain that I could have achieved those things on my own.

Bree 14:35

You don't have problems taking compliments, do you? Sometimes.

Cassy 14:39

Only on occasion.

Bree 14:41

Depends on who they're coming from. Or what they're about. Yes. Yes. Because sometimes I will argue with a person. I'm trying. I'm trying to get better. I I know how to say thank you. Whether I believe you or not, I will say thank you.

Cassy 14:57

Just at that point, move on.

Bree 14:58

Yes. Don't make it a conversation.

Cassy 15:00

Well, because then it will become a debate.

Bree 15:02

Yes. If you've opened it up to conversation, now I can have a say. Yes.

Cassy 15:07

We just move along like it never happened.

Bree 15:11

Oh, I love your hair today. Thanks. Perfect. My brain goes, I did nothing with it. Absolutely. No effort. Why am I getting a compliment?

Cassy 15:20

My favorite is how I constantly get complimented on the change of color with my hair. Which is a good thing. I haven't changed the color of my hair in months.

Bree 15:32

Time and shampoo has changed the color of your hair. Well.

Cassy 15:36

To be fair, most of these men are talking about the fact that I have purple in my hair. This time it's only been the haircut. There's just more purple visible now. Most of them are like, purple now? I'm like, now I've had purple in my hair for a solid year.

Bree 15:52

Yes, but it's it's it was so long that it got covered up.

Cassy 15:55

It's on the bottom. I'm trying to take all these things into consideration. I just find it so amusing every time I get a new compliment on it. I'm like, thanks. Yep.

Bree 16:03

Yep, it's new. New shade for me. So, on in the same vein when we're coming to measuring success, since I mean you're my co-host for the foreseeable future until we have another guest on. Uh and then you're gone. Vanished back to the unforeseen. How do we measure the success of the podcast?

Cassy 16:29

Ooh, I feel like that's a trick question. Why? I don't know. Do we market the podcast?

Bree 16:36

Define market.

Cassy 16:37

Exactly. Look, here we go. This could go on.

Bree 16:45

For anything. Nope. I mean, aside from like keeping it on platforms. Oh, yes. That's how it exists. Ah. On all the platforms. Very, very tiny investment. I I personally think of it of like, number one, I get to see the downloads, so I get to see the analytics. Yes. I view any number as a success.

Cassy 17:09

Any download. Literally, when you were telling me about the fact that you had like a couple here, a couple there, a couple there, I was like, oh my god, a lot of people have listened to this podcast. I was like, she's done so good.

Bree 17:20

We have very low expectations.

Cassy 17:22

Very low. Very low.

Bree 17:25

But it's also because, like, we're doing it in case people like find it useful.

Cassy 17:31

That's why the expectation is so low, is because we don't need a whole lot.

Bree 17:34

Well, and we're just here to help. And this isn't costing us much other than time. Like, we're having conversations that we would be having without the microphones in our face. That are important, especially for you as a new business owner to think about. Yes. And somebody who's still, I'll say, relatively new to the industry. And so anybody who might find like a nugget of knowledge or a kernel of truth that they never thought of or like they could find useful that and be just because we decided to throw this out into the world, I consider that success.

Cassy 18:10

Agreed. If we have one new listener since I started, I'd consider that a success. We already have that. Oh my god, we've done so well. Oh my god, people have heard me. I'm sorry.

Bree 18:28

She's louder than you hear her dressing. So, alright. From a booth rental perspective, um thinking back now, what do you think you would have adjusted as far as like how you measured success? Because you know, we were talking you were flying by the seat of your pants a little bit, because you could, like you had an anchor that allowed you a little bit of freedom to be a little crazy. Um would you have done anything differently, or like if there were some adjustments that you can make to cause a uh a different result? Is there something you might have done? Mmm.

Cassy 19:16

Ooh, I might have not been so fly by the seat of my pantsy. Just more so financially. I wish I would have held back a little bit on some of my frivolous spending. Friv like the tattoo funds? Yeah, just a little bit. I wish I would have kept some of that, but But you didn't know that you were gonna do this. Correct, I didn't know I was gonna do this, and realistically. No, I don't think I would have because it it it fit for the times. I feel like we're supposed to adjust and adapt accordingly, and so it's good, I feel like it's good enough for me to know that I've at least shifted those views and those focus points as a business owner now, and it is a lot more taken seriously.

Bree 20:07

Well, and for those listening, uh, the more context is that I tricked Cassie into opening her business.

Cassy 20:12

Yeah, yep. You I actually kinda when you put it like that, you're not wrong. It was kind of an ultimatum.

unknown 20:20

Yeah.

Cassy 20:21

You either do this or stay. And I was like, well, guess I'm a business owner now. But it's been, uh it's been amazing. Like I'm there, it's obviously had its hiccups and like there have been moments of There's been a special kind of stress.

Bree 20:40

Stress felt before.

Cassy 20:42

Yeah, the new kind, and but it's also been very fulfilling to see where it's already come in such a short time, and the fact that in this short time I'm already able to see such potential. It it's I'm excited. It it everything's happened the way that it's was supposed to initially. The ultimatum was meant to be. I'm such a bully. You just sometimes know what's best for people. Um Jiminy. I don't know about that. Einstein's 2020.

Bree 21:21

I know what's good for me. Fair, yeah. And then, like, if I can offer something that will like take a box for you, yeah, and be like, alright, this could work for both of us. Like, I feel like that's part of knowing yourself, learning your boundaries, like, not giving in to things that you know aren't going to be good for you in the long run. Like our departure, well, my departure plan before like buyer or anything. Like, I had already mentally knew that I needed to be a one chair situation. Yeah. Like I had already Already known. I had gone through two winters of depression and just like really, really bad mental health, knowing that I was not in a happy place. I was not content. I was feeling taken advantage of from time to time. I was just not in a good place and I knew something needed to change. Like I always yeah, I always know when change needs to happen. And it's just a matter of like being getting so tired of where you are that you would rather deal with the unknown. Yeah. And just be like, you know what? Alright, let's do this. Because it can't be worse than what I'm currently experiencing. So having already like mentally back February of last year, knowing this like worst case scenario, I have to close these doors and find another small place to open on my own, knowing full well that I am capable of doing that. Because I've already done it for the last 10 years. Yep. So knowing that that was already going to be my end game, but then having you already had agreed to stay on with the new owner, and us both not being content in that new situation either, to be able to offer you the opportunity to grow, even though that was never in your thought process. No, never. Like it was always in my thought process from the first day of barber school that it was just a given. I was going to own a barber shop at some point. That was that was the goal. That was the goal for you. Yes, always. That was like just understood. There was no question This is why I'm here. This is just going to happen. Yep. No, it wasn't even like a conscious, like, this is my goal. No, it was like, no, this is just ultimately the end game. Yeah. The foregone conclusion. Um so to be able to offer you something that you never thought was gonna be a thing, and be able to offer you a hand. Yeah. It's like, I will hold your hand. Yep. I will take that leap with you. I'm taking this leap either way. If you want to come with me, let's leap together. And I'll make sure that you float.

Cassy 24:15

Oh boy, we've floated. We got this.

Bree 24:20

Let's say now we're we got a good swimming pace.

Cassy 24:23

Oh, yeah. We're I'm definitely doggy paddling. For sure. Not in like a spastic way, like in a good, calm, I've got it under control kind of way. I'm just not hyper. Yeah. I'm just leisurely just going through, enjoying myself.

Bree 24:37

More like a frog stroke. Yeah, yeah, yeah. There we go. We've adjusted animals. We've gone from dog paddling to frog stroke.

Cassy 24:45

It's a little more serene. Either way, we're not drowning. Yes. In whatever context we use.

Bree 24:53

So we've covered like the general success feeling personally. Uh, I'm curious on what more concrete, like short-term goals you have for your business this year. Because I mean, short-term. Within the year.

Cassy 25:14

Within the year, I would like to be 80% booked out.

Bree 25:19

I feel like that's very realistic. I feel like it's very realistic, most especially in the summer months. Mm-hmm.

Cassy 25:27

Um. And I feel like it's there's also like little minor goals of like things I want to be able to afford for my shop this year. Sure. Um little just little sort of things like that to help the space really feel what I'm now envisioning. Because I didn't have a vision before. I didn't even know what to picture. And now that I've got this foundation, I've got some other things in mind. So more so that, but I'd really like to just have a steady flow of business coming in, which I'm not even worried that that's gonna be the case, especially after how today was. Right. It was it was a good day. It was a good day. It was nice, it was warm out, so like people were out and about strolling, needing haircuts.

Bree 26:13

Now, to illustrate the lack of vision that she was referencing, the excursion of picking out paint.

Cassy 26:21

Oh my god. With this woman. I had no vision. I didn't know what I wanted it to be, and there's too many options, and my favorite color is gray. So, like, I didn't know what to do. There's they give you too many options at Lowe's. I mean at any paint place. There's just too many options. They all look so lovely and would go well with so many things.

Bree 26:46

Hmm. That's why we like vision boards. We compile the Pinterest and then we go to the paint.

Cassy 26:53

That did help. Once you gave me that nugget of information, that did help. I did make a little mini vision board in my screenshot area of my phone at least.

Bree 27:06

Alright, so uh when it comes to being community-based, since we both live locally and that we find that to be uh a big help in business. How how do you view your success as far as community outreach like and what you want your yourself and your business to be to the community? Because that's kind of something we haven't touched on yet. We really couldn't do it the way we used to do it this past time, just because we were we were opening around the same time. We're like, well, we we can't do that. Sorry, yeah.

Cassy 27:49

Um I would like to get more invested into little things like that. Um once I feel once I just feel like I have a little bit more finance under my belt as the year starts to get by, I would like to get in touch with more local business and just more so introduce myself and like really get my name and my face out there more. Um but I would like to work with the children's auction as we did at the old shop. I'd like to continue that tradition in my my place. Yes. Um, because I love that. It's it's it's easy. It's interesting.

Bree 28:27

Well, and it's time.

Cassy 28:29

Yeah, it's it's it's just taking a day. It's not it's not that hard. I'm already doing it.

Bree 28:33

Yep.

Cassy 28:34

Already doing it.

Bree 28:35

Um and it's for the kids.

Cassy 28:37

Yeah. Oh, and I'll definitely be partaking in the um creepy crawl this year.

Bree 28:44

The the Halloween trick-or-treating downtown creepy crawl in downtown Lagonia. Yep. Definitely that. Well, because the first time that happened was last year. Like that was the first, which is surprising to me, and I'm glad that it finally happened. And the initiatives that downtown businesses have taken to create that, props to them. Like, good on you.

Cassy 29:08

Um, but I'm not really sure. It's one of the things that I will plan to pick your brain about more honestly, to see other ideas and avenues of how, like, what's best for me too. Because I'm not sure. I've never lived in a community long enough to be a part of it. I was actually just thinking the other day, like, this is I have roots. Like, I I officially have planted roots in a place, like, I'm not going anywhere. And so, like, this is the first time in my life that I've really had that. So, like, I want to be engaged with my community. I just don't know how to get them to engage with me as well.

Bree 29:50

Being present at things is a good first step. Uh like being able to engage in conversations with people and network, uh, make your face uh recognizable. Like, I I'm not suggesting doing the insanity that I've done over the the last decade of like religiously going to city council meetings or like joining city committees. I mean, that is a thing you could do. Uh I'm not saying you shouldn't. Yes, but like, you know, things that require time commitments. If you're somebody who can do networking events, that's a good way to get to know people. But otherwise, just like going into businesses and like being your friendly neighborhood barber self. Yeah. It's just gaining that familiarity, and then the more you get to know people, run into them, strike up conversations, and like being curious. Like, that's I feel like that's the ultimate answer to things. It's just like just genuinely be curious. Yeah. Like, oh, uh, like I know way more about road construction, how to build a bridge, um, zoning ordinances, parking overlay districts, and like all sorts of stuff that you wouldn't even think of the permits and what we have to do to for um building out the the storefronts, all of that stuff. Like, I know that because I'm curious. Yeah. And uh went to meetings that are uh for the most part pretty snoozeworthy unless you know the right perspective to take on them. Um it's all about perspective, yes. And so those are the ways to like really engage in uh the community as far as like being genuine and not coming off as like a salesperson. Yeah. Cause I don't I don't know about you or the listeners, but I have uh a very deep drive to not waste my energy. I like to be very efficient with my time and my energy. Okay. So I'm not going to waste it trying to convince anybody of anything. So I'm not gonna be anything less than genuine. Like I'm gonna be honest so that I don't have to remember a lie. Yeah, exactly. Exactly.

Cassy 32:15

I can remember barely remember my real life.

Bree 32:18

And and don't get me wrong, I haven't always been that way. There are parts of my life where I was a total scumbag. And if people think that I am, that was probably the interaction they had with me. And that's fair. That was that's as true of an interaction as anything today. That could be the exact opposite. But like me today, I do what I can to tell the truth. Yeah. So I don't have to remember a lie. And that way, when I don't have to remember even when I tell the truth. Because somebody will say something that I've said, and I will just go, does that sound like something I'd say? Or is is that how I feel? I go, well, that sounds about right. Yep, check that out. Like somebody, uh even something as innocuous as like making a reference. Somebody said that I compared a haircut to like a marine haircut. I go, I didn't say that. Because I don't say that. That's not a comparison that I make. If I were to use a branch of the military to compare a haircut to, it would most likely be the Air Force, because as an Air Force veteran, I can make that comparison. And so when I told them that, they were like, Yeah, that was it. That's what you said. And I was like, Yeah, see, yeah. I didn't have to remember because I don't, I just yeah, it's like a word that you don't say. You go, I wouldn't have said that. That doesn't sound right. No, that that wasn't me. Long conversation. Alright, so um I'm curious as far as your perspective on other people's success and how it can be viewed or misconstrued. Like I feel like our ways of measuring success should be very personal and not based on how other people view them. But that doesn't necessarily mean that other people aren't going to view them. And so are there things for you when we, you know, we're looking at other business owners? Because everybody's looking at other business owners. Like, it's not necessarily that we're comparing, it's just like, oh, like, do you have a good idea? Are you doing something that I can learn from? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Um are there like things that you've seen that you're like, oh, oh, I really like that? Or things that are like puzzling, like eyebrow raising. Like, I wonder why they made that choice.

Cassy 34:56

I've definitely I can say I've definitely stumbled across that. I've it is hard to for me personally, it is very hard to not put myself into a comparison with other businesses just because that is still something that I'm trying to like grow on. I am vulnerable as a new business owner in that aspect that I'm automatically going to compare successes. Sure. That's a natural thing that we do. Exactly. It's just a matter of keeping it in check. Yeah, and so which is something that I do try to do often, but I have I have definitely seen certain even from just like shops that like I worked at, like my first shop that I worked at, like I saw some things that I've now seen in other shops that I'm just like, I wonder why they did that. Like I wonder why they used to do and implement the certain techniques or cleaning procedures or whatever it is that I just kind of like scratch my head about now because I I almost know better, I guess, is the best term to use. Um and it makes me wonder sometimes seeing little things like that, how a shop is so visually successful when I have seen the little behind-the-scenes stuff like that.

Bree 36:20

Well, I suppose in the era of social media and such, there always has to be a question of is how you're perceiving them online reality? Mm-hmm. You go, I mean, somebody could be great at marketing as far as posting social media and looking as though there's engagement and hype, but that may not necessarily reflect in the same way in real life. Or vice versa. If you're just like, you're not good at the social media thing, like I mean, real so like just because you have, you know, 400 followers on Instagram doesn't mean that you're not busy. Yeah. Especially up here in New Hampshire where like social media is, we'll say, solid decade behind the rest of the countryslash world. For sure. Uh when it comes to like the median demographic. Yes. Like they're still rocking the Facebook hardcore here.

Cassy 37:19

Oh yeah.

Bree 37:21

Heavily.

Cassy 37:23

I have noticed it is heavily Facebook.

Bree 37:25

Well, because our average age in the state of New Hampshire is like 42, 43. Uh-huh. And in Belknap County, it's about the same. So, Gen Xers. Gen Xers and higher, because like that's the average. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That means we have a large swath of people over the age of 50. Yeah. Being kind. So that's why. But I'm. I feel like being a why person, I too, a lot of times will look at things that the choices that are made. And I'll, you know, go, alright, what are the reasons, like, on both sides of the moral line that they could be implementing this policy, this change, this whatever. Because my brain automatically goes to like a business end of like, alright, from a business standpoint, what reasoning would this make logical sense to change this? And I go, alright. Because it's it's two-sided, because as a customer service business, it's the alright, what's good for the business, what's good for the customer. And I feel like if there is any way to tick boxes on both sides of that, those things should be done. Agreed. Like I don't like personally making decisions that are only good for the business and don't serve the customer, I don't like doing that. Yeah. So even like um coming up, I'm gonna be changing my schedule. Now, I'm gonna be changing my schedule first and foremost for the sake of myself and my husband and time we get to spend together. But in doing that, I also want to make sure that because I'm taking a convenience away from the customers, I want to offer them a comparable convenience. And so my adjustment of my schedule is offering a wider it'll it'll offer a net gain of availability during the week. So it's like I'll have more haircut um slots available than previously. But oh, and it it'll have uh a better um variety of hours. So it'll be like if you're a shift worker, it'll be more convenient because you'll have more than just the one-day option that we used to have. Yeah. Um so that's like a double plus. It's like, yes, we're taking away this weekend day, but um you know, making up for it, you can come and even like you're not gonna have to worry about, oh, I'm at work during that time, so I can't do that. Yeah. You're not gonna have to worry about that. Um so I never want to take something away without giving something back. And same with any business decision, is like if I'm going to um you know, stop offering a brand, then I want to make sure that I'm bringing something on that's comparable or better, whether it's from a price point perspective or a quality perspective, like performance. Like I want to make sure that I'm giving them what they should expect from my business and what I I want them to expect.

Cassy 40:57

Yeah, because if you're consistently just taking from one side, then there's that side's not gonna stick around. Right, because they're the one who allows the other side to exist.

Bree 41:07

Yes, and to thrive in the first place. Yes. Like if you're a business owner, yeah, you don't have a boss, but technically you have a boss, you just have a different one every butt that's in your chair. Yeah.

Cassy 41:18

Because all their opinions and feelings also matter.

Bree 41:22

Mm-hmm. So you wouldn't exist without them.

Cassy 41:27

You have to impress these people too.

Bree 41:31

So it is interesting if I see a decision being made that is unclear or obvious that it is not taking customer experience into account. And it also makes me question why you're bothering to own a business. It's like, do you actually care? Yeah, are you just doing this for Are you just trying to build a business to just suck in money? Is that what you care about? Like so. Correct. It it is. But I feel like if that is your measurement of success, you should probably go with a different career path than something that is customer service focused. Agreed. Or find a team that can deal with the customer end of things and you can deal with the business part. Like, if that's what you like is just the business part, yeah, then power to you. Like, cool. Because I mean, I am by no means like I make business decisions that are not based on growth. I am not trying to grow. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I am out of that phase of my business life. So some of my business decisions may confuse some people. But if you understand that growth is not my goal, then it makes sense. Like exclusivity, hiding, uh, like being private. So that's in the shadows. Uh, those are my goals so that I can offer I, myself, who is the only one I can control in this world, as long as God will let me. I want to offer the best quality experience to whomever my customers are. I am not interested in expanding that to other people at this point in time. Like, that is my goal. So those are what my business decisions are based on based on. So not knowing what the goal is for other people, I can't necessarily cast full judgment on them and their business decisions, but I will, and I have a prerogative to raise an eyebrow at it.

Cassy 43:55

Yes, absolutely. And me being a new Business owner not following their lead in whichever decisions I raise my eyebrow to.

Bree 44:11

Because I feel like if if your eyebrow is raised, if you're puzzled by it or you don't understand it, then that's not something you should do. If you don't know the why and you don't agree with the why, then you shouldn't be doing it. Yep.

Cassy 44:25

But I do feel like a lot of creation of like each next new shop, like some points of it come, it's like little pieces of different things you've seen in other shops and different things you've liked or different things you yourself have tried. Definitely. And I it's it's interesting to see what pieces stay with you.

Bree 44:48

Well, and the imitation is a sincerest form of flattery, sort of a thing. It's like I mean, I certainly wouldn't take it negatively if anybody took any little sliver of what my shop, whether before or now, has or had to offer. Like, you like that? Oh, thank you. You like that enough to implement that in your place? It's so nice. Agreed. But that was the same way that I started the first place, was like I worked at two other shops before that, and I had certainly visited a number of shops. So I saw how differently people ran things, and was like, this didn't sit well with me. This was confusing. I think I might prefer it this way. You know, making sure I had sound reasoning for whatever decisions I made. Even like down to the where my hand towel hangs. Like everything in the space is set up for a reason. Like there is a why to all of it. And if there isn't a why, then it shouldn't be there. Fair enough. Like it's functional. Like, even down to the like, why do you have books in here? Because sometimes I have time between customers and I like to read. Yep. Or sometimes I have a conversation with people about books and I'll lend them out. Sometimes they just look pretty. And that's a good enough of a reason why. Yeah. Because surrounding yourself with pretty things, especially in your workplace, is important.

Cassy 46:20

Well, and and and that's what I think some people don't even realize is like the why doesn't have to be this grandiose why.

Bree 46:28

And it doesn't have to be it could be because you like it. Yeah, it doesn't have to be a productive why. It can be because it gives you a happy feeling.

unknown 46:37

Yep.

Bree 46:39

And if that's what you need, mm-hmm, there you go. That's your why. But if you're like, I don't know, then how is that serving you? Yeah. Then why? Yeah. Like, it sounds like it's taking up space. It sounds like it's collecting dust. It's it doesn't sound like it's pulling its weight.

unknown 47:00

Yeah.

Bree 47:07

So I'm being on this tangent, because apparently we've covered the the topic of today's episode. Tangent. What what is your uh your favorite aspect of your shop? Because we've both created our suites from scratch. What causes the most happiness in in your little space? Rudy. Rudy.

Cassy 47:30

Explain to the audience who Rudy is. So for context, Rudy was actually my very first idea for the space when we were um looking at the space. It's got two very large storefront windows in it. And in my brain, I immediately was like, well, what the heck am I gonna put in these two giant big windows? And the very first idea that I had was a five-foot-tall saswatch cutout, one of those big tall yard sasquatches. And so once I was able to afford him, just after the new year, I bought my Rudy, and I've got my rugged barber mascot just up in my window, and he brings me the most joy because I decorate him for all the holidays. He is currently wearing a green bow tie and suspenders for St. Patty's Day, and I love not only the joy that he brings me, but the joy that he brings other people. And I love when people take a second look at him when they're walking down the street, and I think that's my most favorite part about it.

Bree 48:39

Oh, so Cassie's uh windows, they are on the more visible side. I like to be seen. You will never understand the layout of this space without having seen it. So I'm not gonna try. Suffice it to say, she has her own entrance and her own street. We have separate addresses, but it's the same space. We'll not get into that. But like the people watching quality through Cassie's windows is uh like the best. Most especially watching people uh parallel park on the left side of the road. Because it's a one-way. But yes, the people watching and like being able to see people go by and like genuinely look at the things in your window, so entertaining.

Cassy 49:26

It really, really is when the little karate dojo kids come over and just watch through the window, just watch me cut hair. Stonefaced. I will say that for some of my clients though, it is a bit distracting because they sometimes are just as squirrely as I am, and when people walk by, they are also entertained by people watching. I had one of my clients earlier today, he kept looking over every time someone walked by, and he was like, God, you must just sit here and people watch all day, huh? I was like, When I've got the time, I do.

Bree 50:00

I feel like at that point you just pivot him. Yeah, turn to the phone. So you go that way, you just stop moving your head.

Cassy 50:06

Yep. It's a win-win. You can still glance at me in the mirror if you need to, and you can still peek out the window.

Bree 50:10

It's perfect. Yeah. At the old shop location, I had the first chair, so I was right at the window. And I had some customers who would want to see like the goings-on in front of the Colonial Theater, which was not renounted at the time, so it had a whole different class of people in the apartments above it. Uh, so I would just point them towards it. And it's like, we didn't have a TV. We're never going to have a TV. Never going to have a TV. So it was like, here you go. I will never life is entertaining enough. I will never.

Cassy 50:40

Ever. That is one business decision I will never make. Most especially having. Not anything against those that do. No. It is just not the type of environment that I like in my shop.

Bree 50:56

Right. Well, and I think that speaks to also like that we really like the private suite situation. Yes. Under giving undivided attention. But also from a, I'd say my philosophy, since that's the name of the channel, uh, is very much that a television. Now, alright, so it depends on the atmosphere. Big, lively, busy shops, noisy, alright, that's a whole nother ballgame. That's that's nothing whatsoever that is my my bag at all. It's like, alright, that that freaking is. That's already not my group tea. Awesome. Like, power to you, no judgment, doing it. Correct, yes. For me, I view a television, most especially one that has cable, but a television, period, that is playing something on it as inviting a variable into your shop that you don't have control over. And that you have to monitor unless you want something to come on that is no longer appropriate for all. Yeah. So I don't know, maybe I'm a control freak. I'm not denying it. Uh, but to invite that type of a variable is just asking for trouble. Especially when we have so many ways to engage with our customers. And you can you can have toys, you can have Legos, you can have books, you can have magazines, you can have all sorts of things to keep people occupied if they choose. If you're not having a conversation with them. But also to not have people turn into zombies. Like we are surrounded by screens so much that it's actually it's like changing the shape of humans' eyeballs because we're looking at screens all day long. And so, like, just to add another one and to make people turn into zombies and just be like SpongeBob. Yeah, not knocking Spongebob. Nope. We love Spongebob. Yep. But at least I do. But it's it's like, come on, like, especially with kids, like, a bar one of the barbers' responsibilities is to teach them how to engage in conversations with other human beings.

Cassy 53:07

The socialization aspect. Well, and I also feel like for me personally, because I do go to a barber, I've gone to a barber, for me, that time, I want to disconnect. I'm not disconnecting if there's still so much like that going on. I'm not just engaging and being in the moment with that person.

Bree 53:31

And if you're getting distracted by somebody just walking by, imagine how distracted you are with a TV that's like designed to keep you engaged.

Cassy 53:37

Well, and honestly, now at this point, even if I wanted a TV, it would never work for the clientele that I've established because a big realm of my clientele has learning disabilities or is somewhere on the spectrum where sensory issues. Sensory issues, just all just a wheelhouse of variety of people end up in my chair. And I just I couldn't do that to them. It wouldn't be fair, they wouldn't be able to focus. Even even see I think I could shut the TV off when they're in there, but sometimes just seeing a TV is stimulating enough to make them want to interact with it to then lose them completely in their focus for the haircut. I wouldn't even stand a chance. So it's just never it'll just never be a thing for me. I like my guys too much.

Bree 54:33

It's for the clients, yes. Alright, well, I think we've yammered on enough and we've covered our topic for this week. So thank you again for joining me and having this lovely discussion. I know this sometimes causes some stress for you, some anxiety.

Cassy 54:46

It's alright. Once it starts, it gets a little better. It becomes more natural.

Bree 54:50

The anticipation still.

Cassy 54:52

Yeah. But it was a pleasure.

Bree 54:54

Well, have a wonderful night. We will see you next week. Bye.