The Learning Curve...Working with all these damn women!

Ok....this one might sting a little. I just wanted to throw that disclaimer out there before i got going because i already know where i'm headed. plus...as i write, my emotions pour onto the page, even if i don't want them to. so please excuse me in advance for having to vent a little in order to remain sane!



Now...the Learning Curve. If you've been following, you know that in the first supreme clientele, I had predominately men and only two women. So it wasn't too much for me working with women. But now, with this new salon, everything is different. We have majority women now and its a totally different ballgame. I mean, i'm used to dealing with women, sistas in particular, but when you put sistas from different backgrounds, educational levels, life stories, expectations...and then throw the culture of the salon into it....sometimes it feels like SHIT GUMBO! seriously. there are some times where the attitudes, sensitivity levels, monthly cycles and the estrogen levels are at an all time high and it can be a lot to deal with. and i've never met a creature on earth who wants so much, is willing to do so little and yet feels like they are just entitled to it. and to make it worse, they can be the most unappreciative people i've ever met. dont get me wrong, i love them all and will stick my neck out for them at any time, but today just aint the day.

some days,these women walk around here like aint nobody posed to tell them shit about themselves...even when they work for YOU! now, aint dat some shit. their are rules and regulations in every business..or at least there should be. if not, you got 13 people doin what they think is the best thing for them...NOT THE BUSINESS. some of them don't get that point. its not about you...its about the business. and sometimes your personal agenda is not relevant to what i'm trying to do or where supreme clientele is trying to go.

they wanted to be treated like grown women, but they act like little girls. u tell them something a million times nicely...and they take u for granted,but as soon as you put your foot down and enforce the rules that have been CLEARLY identified, everybody wants to cry, piss and moan and become a team of brats. "ramont said, ramont did this, ramont so mean", yada yada. i swear. there are days when i come in here and within 5 minutes i can tell who's having a bad day, who's gossiping and who's doing what they are not supposed to do. one of my functions as owner is to cultivate relationships and to bring out the best in people in order to continue to grow. one or two of us can't grow and aspire to be the best and have a handful of us who are content with being where we are. and i know u can't save them all...but DAYUM GINA!!!

What i've learned is that I have to temper my approach when working with a hodge podge of emotions...as opposed to working with men. now don't get me wrong...as men, we have issues to. we have jealousy, gossip and petty behavior as well. I learned that from Crispus Attucks in the first blog. (gotta keep up). I guess its easier dealing with the men cause i can recognize bullshit when i see it and position myself to avoid it or to remove it. but these women...they will be happy today, then bitter tomorrow...hell, they'll be bitter within 5 minutes of being happy. then the next day, they'll be eating lunch or goin to the club. that's what i don't get. if you have a prollem with someone...have a prollem. a real prollem. don't be on some young high school bullisht one day, then wanna be mature the next. and i keep hearing over and over, "that's how it is with women....it will always be that way." i hate that mentality and i refuse to subscribe to it. i'd rather clean house or just shut down completely before i accept mediocrity.
now, reading all of this or not knowing me and or being a client of supreme clientele, one may be inclined to say, "well, that place must be hell...no need in me going up there". that's not the case. like i said...this is my personal space to get my feelings out, regardless of whether i'm being emotional or dropping science. i expect excellence. every day.and when i don't get it...its a prollem. simple as that. i can deal with a lack of understanding. a common mistake or a difference of opinion. those are completely ok. but when u have people who just can't step outside of their miserable lives (that stings) and be professional at work, you got a prollem with me. some days i want to just say, SHUT UP AND DO HAIR. just don't talk at all. but what i'm about to do is ask some real relevant questions:
1. are you happy with your business?
2. have you done everything in your power to be the best at what you do?
3. is there anything here at Supreme Clientele that prevents you from coming to work and doing hair? not having fun or being friends...but just coming to work and doing hair.
4. Is there somewhere else that you'd rather be?

at the end of that interview, we should be able part ways amicably or move forward in a more positive fashion. either way, these cat fights, attitudes, piss poor professionalism and the general "i don't want to be shyt, so i'm gone drag you down" mentality must be removed. yeah, i said it. WHAT?

I hate stereotypes. I can't stand them. especially the ones that are attached to black women. I understand that there are so many obstacles they've faced. so many situations that they have encountered. so many relationships that they've endured. there are infinitely many reasons why a black woman may be put into any particular bucket on any particular day. but when it comes to doing business....some of them don't know how to separate their personal lives from their professional lives. and that's where the stereotypes become reality. and as soon as you treat them as they behave...ITS A DAYUM PROBLEM.

where are the REAL women like Florida Evans! she cooked oatmeal everyday, turned water into wine, danced a gig when james got a nickle raise, ran the streets with willona, kept her fro pimp tite and fought gangs for micheal! That's what i'm talkin bout. DAMN, DAMN, DAMN!!!!

As always, thanks for following my experience. feel free to drop me any feedback. keep it professional. Stay tuned for "Recession Proof - The anti slave mentality" and "Underwear Etiquette - The Do's and Don'ts of Draws".