About Me

I have something to say... But a blog let's me spew until I figure out what it is.

Monday, February 7, 2011

Dream a Little Dream

When I was 21, I came to a crossroads.

I had managed to negotiate a $12 an hour salary at a Salon and Spa in Bridgewater, NJ and was thinking I was hot shit. This was, after all, the biggest salary I had ever managed to score for myself. (For those with an interest: Kinsley's Market - $4.75 p/h, Burger King - $5.15 p/h, NYSE Specialist firm - about $11.00 p/h, NYC Temp - $10-12 p/h, Salon Receptionist - $9.00 p/h, Starbucks Shift Lead - $9.50ish an hour, Salon MANAGER - $12 p/h).

The crossroads of which I speak was this: Do I go back to school and finish my education or do I take the money while its being offered. I took the money. Afterall, many of my friends were graduating school at that time and were going on to do - well - nothing. They were having a hard time finding work and having an even harder time finding work in the fields for which they went to school.

So, off I went into the land of responsibility.

Eight years later I don't regret it. I have been able to put together a diverse little resume I am pretty proud of. I have a great career (at least I think so) and "it's all good".

But, in the moments where I daydream - if money were no object, there are definately careers/businesses I would have gone into if I had been given the opportunity. So, this blog entry is my little ode to the things I wish I had done, or, perhaps, aim to accomplish before the end of my days.

1) Salon Owner. Back in my Salon Management days I fell in love with hair and with the salon industry. It was my plan to go to cosmetology school and I had already secured a job as an assistant at an AWESOME Salon in Chester, NJ. In my mind's eye, I can see every single detail of the salon I would own and I have learned enough, at this point, to feel that I could confidently run that business successfully. Still thinking of a name, though. Any ideas?

And for the record: It would, of course, be in NJ.

2) Bridal Salon. When I was planning my wedding, the hardest part of the planning was running all over town to try and find the right vendor for me. I used to have this rediculously incredible vision of a Bridal Salon. Think of Kleinfeld's Bridal ("Say Yes to the Dress") - now imagine if there was a consierge service at the salon offering excellent, highly recommended vendors. Everything from hair and makeup, Wedding Planners, photographers, DJs and Limos. All of it. The consierge's job would be to find the best of the best in NJ (even up-and-commers!) and negotiate a mutually benificial arrangement for referrals/bookings. This person would personally vet each and every vendor that the salon recommended. Just like a consierge at a 5-Star Hotel.

And, of course, there would be the dresses. It's a hard sales-driven business, but I just LOVE them. I can't help it.

3) Wedding Planner. (Are you noticing a trend here?) It has become glaringly obvious to me that event planning and project management is a skill that does not easily come to some people. It happens to be a very big strength of mine. There is nothing better than taking someone's vision (and their budget) and translating their wedding day into a reality. YES, it isn't a perfect job. YES, it comes with its challenges. YES, it comes with crazy people and NO, you cannot convince everyone that your taste is the end-all-be-all of how to decorate a wedding. During my wedding planning, I had the fortune to act as planner, hair dresser, makeup artist, photographer, singer, decorator and contractor at about 50 different weddings in NJ... it. was. awesome. I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

All in all, I realize that these dreams of mine are completely achievable - it's just a matter of planning and execution. But, it's fun to share....

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