Liz , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s something crazy on unexpected that’s happened to you or your business

I had an amazing experience recently. I saw a post on facebook from a woman who had slipped into a depression and stopped taking care of her hair. Nobody would have known because she was working hard and covering her depression with a huge smile on her face. She was working with clients and interacting with family, nobody noticed. She had been putting it up in a bun for what felt like a week to her. In reality it was 4 weeks and all of her hair was matted to her head. She and I spoke and decided i was the right person to tackle this. It took me 10 hours to untangle it enough to cut it out leaving room for a really cute shorter cut. We did highlights as well. She was so happy and felt amazing when we were done. It was really gratifying and special for me to be helpful in a meaningful way.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I got into the hair world back in the 90’s, I started out working on sweet little old ladies rolling perms and doing sets. I ended up apprenticing for Van Michael Salon in Atlanta for a couple of years after that. Once I had completed training I decided to go in another direction. The cut throat atmosphere of a big fancy salon had soured me to the idea of that career. I went on to be a professional chef and a professional photographer for the next 25 years. A few years back I ended up inspired to resurrect my hair career. And here I am owning my own salon! It’s been a wild ride, but I love it. I was trained as a cutting specialist back in the day. I now am well known for amazing color work. I specialize in color correction and vivid applications. In addition to the fun color work I do, I also do keratin treatments and extensions. Both are amazing as they can transform peoples lives. Hair is very important and sensitive for many people. They are so grateful when they can find the right match in a hairstylist. As an “acts of service” type I really feel good when I can help people and they leave crying tears of joy. It’s really important for me to give clients an experience that makes them feel great about themselves. Bar Bee Shop is a very casual, creative atmosphere where people can come as they are and relax. I’m a very patient listener and I always have lots of naughty snacks and beverages for all!

Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?

My business partner is my best friend Sharaab. He is basically an angel investor. He had seen me struggle for years as a single mom to 3 awesome kids. He knew this salon was what I needed to get ahead and provide for my kids. He was involved in the initial set up, business plan, rental of space and renovations. Day to day he isn’t involved but he is always there for me when I need anything. I look forward to paying it back one day when we are booked solid outside of “season”.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

I think my reputation is what it is because I really care. I have nothing but 5 star reviews across all platforms. I will do anything within my power to make sure my clients are happy. I will stay till midnight working on hair if I need to. I make house calls for clients who can’t come in to the salon. I work in a small town so reputation is key. Everyone knows that I lead with patience and creativity. My favorite thing is when I get a booking for something specific like a trendy teen look and then the mother sees my work and books herself an appointment for full highlights and long layers, then the next week the father and the son come in for barber cuts and are also really pleased. My salon is definitely known for being super family friendly. As much as my reputation is built on service I like to think the work also speaks for itself. I really enjoy working with new techniques and creating hair art based on the latest trends.