Music by: Kim Cantwell
Bowie Mural: Located at Creative Cakes
Connect w/Aaron: www.aarondegler.com
Music by: Kim Cantwell
Bowie Mural: Located at Creative Cakes
Connect w/Aaron: www.aarondegler.com
What happened to my hometown. It seems so different when I look around. It's funny how things have changed since I was young. What I wouldn't give to go way back and take a long look into my past. I remember this town the way that it used to be. Welcome to my hometown, our little town on the map and home to the world's largest, jim Bowie. Knot To show you around our beautiful town is our tour guide, erin Degler. Erin has a love for road trips, taking the opportunity to stop along the way in small towns across the US, just like our very own, bowie, texas. We spend a little time with Erin each week as he takes you around Bowie, sharing the value of the small businesses, the organizations, the history and, of course, the people that make up my hometown. After this podcast is over, make sure you give it a like, a share, and please subscribe and review this podcast. I would now like to introduce to you your tour guide for today in my hometown, erin Degler.
Speaker 2:Welcome back to my hometown. Thanks for taking the time to join us today. Thank you to Brad and Dan Sherman for allowing us to bring this week's episode of my hometown from the Chapman Building located in downtown Bowie, the Chapman Building. Brad and Dan have done a wonderful job of bringing this old, historic building up to date but yet keeping that historic and rich feeling that belongs in downtown Bowie. So thank you to Brad and Dan for allowing us to bring this week episode from the Chapman Building the Chapman Building. You can find them on Facebook. We're going to drop that link in the show notes so that way you can easily find it. So thank you again to them for allowing us to be here in the Chapman Building.
Speaker 2:So please welcome my guest today. She has been a resident of Bowie for the last 22 years. She has started her family, her business, in our small community. Getting involved in church and in the community has helped her get more involved and connected over the years. So please welcome my guest today. She is the owner of the Elements Salon and Spa, miss Jennifer Harris.
Speaker 3:Hello. Thank you, jennifer, for joining me today.
Speaker 2:Thank you for having me Welcome, so you've had the element for quite a while.
Speaker 3:Yes, Opened in 2010.
Speaker 2:2010. Yes, so we're going to kind of go back. We're going to come back to 2010. Yes, but we're going to go way back to married, have two kiddos yes, married to Trevor.
Speaker 3:Yes, so how long have you?
Speaker 2:and Trevor been married.
Speaker 3:It will be 22 years in December.
Speaker 2:So when you've been in Bowie for 22 years, yes, so does he bring you to Bowie.
Speaker 3:Sort, of Sort of.
Speaker 2:Where are you from?
Speaker 3:I grew up in mid. Well, first I grew up in Irving until fifth grade. Then my parents wanted more land so they moved. We moved to Midlothian and that's where I lived all the way through junior high, high school, you know. And then the funny thing is is we always would come to Bowie Growing up because we had horses and we played a, and we actually would play day right behind your house.
Speaker 2:You know that it's always a busy town when you play days.
Speaker 3:Yes, Exactly so. I knew about Bowie you know, growing up. But I always thought, oh my gosh, it's so far, it's so little, I'd never lived there. And then here I am, you know. So it's funny. But after me and my sister graduated from high school, my dad foresaw that Midlothian was going to become kind of like the city, you know, bigger and bigger.
Speaker 2:So he wanted more land, because then it was just country. Yeah, it was kind of like Bowie. I mean.
Speaker 3:I remember when Sonic came in and it was such a big deal.
Speaker 2:That's probably hard for people to believe now. Midlothian the Sonic was a big deal it is, but it was a huge deal.
Speaker 3:So Midlothian was a lot like Bowie, you know, growing up. And so once we graduated, my parents moved this way, moved their business this way, and then, through the church that they were going to, I met Trevor. That's how it all.
Speaker 2:So were they going to church here?
Speaker 3:They were. It was called River of Life. It's where Central Baptist was.
Speaker 2:So Gibson's building yes.
Speaker 3:And we went there for like 10 years and, you know, started a family there and yeah, so so did they do shoot at Trevor. Yes. So it was funny because Trevor and my brother became good friends and my dad owned a flooring business and Trevor started working for my dad and my dad was like, you need to meet Trevor. We got to, you know, meet Trevor, meet Trevor. And I'm like, no, I've got a boyfriend, dad you know.
Speaker 2:So you have a boyfriend, I actually did no.
Speaker 3:No, I was, it was. He wasn't in Bowie. No, because I lived in Dallas at the time. So I had a boyfriend and you know he just kept saying that and so you're living in Dallas at the time.
Speaker 2:Your mom and dad are going to church at. River of Life, yes, and they are trying to talk you and go out with Trevor?
Speaker 3:Yes, yeah, and so I came to visit and at the church and I saw Trevor across the sanctuary and he was like dressed all cowboy and I wasn't into cowboys anymore and but he was really cute and he loved Jesus. And I was like, wow, he's pretty cool, you know. So we met then and that was that. Well then, later my dad had race horses and so he set this thing up where we all went to the race track together to watch his horse, and Trevor was there.
Speaker 1:And that was by accident or no not by accident.
Speaker 3:So my dad always takes credit for us and I did break up with my boyfriend, so it's not I wasn't you know before you went to the races. Yes, so, yeah, that's how we started hanging out and we went to Jim Buie Day's rodeo and he was there, and then we ended up going to see a concert in Dallas that night and we've we've been together ever since.
Speaker 2:Ever since, yeah, and then so. So then, when did you move to Buie? So so, how long was it that you and Trevor dated while you're still living in Dallas? I?
Speaker 3:mean maybe a year, yeah. And so once we got married we actually got a duplex in Bridgeport and then my dad saw this house at Lake Nacona, Nacona Hills, and it was a really good deal and we ended up buying a house out there. We lived there for a little while in Nacona, but we'd always Buie was everything. We did everything in Buie. My parents lived in Buie, so we just always were in Buie and I really wanted to be in Buie after being in Nacona Hills because it was just so remote. I didn't know anybody and, you know, didn't have kids yet.
Speaker 2:So. So after high school, did you go to college?
Speaker 3:Okay, I went to college. I went to Southwestern Assemblies of God, which was only like 20 minutes from my house, so I didn't live on campus but I felt called to ministry and went there for a year and then I went to another university in Missouri the next year me and my sister went and it was a Assemblies of God college there. And then came back to the Waukesin Hatchey School the third year.
Speaker 3:Well, you know, honestly, I always wanted to do hair you know, and I felt like I had to go to college because that's what was pushed on you, like you have to have a college degree or you're not anything you know, and so after three years of doing that, I just was like I'm taking a break because I don't really know what degree I want to get.
Speaker 3:And so within that time is when I met Trevor, and after we got married, I said I want to go to hair school. So it right, probably that next January, because we got married in December and I think I might have started in the summer of that next year.
Speaker 2:So how do you? So you're going to Assemblies of God College. How do you transition into cosmetology when you feel you've been called into the ministry? Right, how do you? What's the thought process of when you think, hey God, I don't think that's really. Yeah, well, that's, that's got to be tough.
Speaker 3:when I don't know what I want to do.
Speaker 2:But I think I want to do this, but right.
Speaker 3:You know, I've realized that ministry is not just pastoral, like being on church staff or anything. Ministry is your life and I'm very involved in ministry. Now I'm worship leader, you know. You know written songs and things like that. So ministry has always been a part of my life. It just might not have been my career. You know and honestly I feel like doing hair is a ministry and the relationships you build and things like that. So it's kind of evolved into that.
Speaker 2:And so you go to cosmetology school, and so when you get out, you're where'd you go to?
Speaker 3:To NCTC in Gainesville. Yeah, so I drove there for a year. It was like almost like you had a job every day and didn't get paid.
Speaker 2:But it's okay, it was good, so you get out then and then what did you work?
Speaker 3:when? Well as soon as towards the end of schools, when I got pregnant with Caleb. That's my first born, and so I was blessed enough to be able to stay home. You know, I kept doing stuff on the side just for friends and family.
Speaker 3:And then my daughter, lizzie, was born two and a half years later and Trevor got me a spa package at Nostalgia Day Spa Okay, so you know it's Nostalgia, the antique food place. Well, there the mother and daughter started a day spa. So he got me this package and I was like so excited and went in there and just started talking to them and telling them I had my license and like that's kind of how it evolved. Like they were like, well, we need, we need a stylist, and so I started part time there, you know, built up my clientele, worked there for like three and a half years and then they decided to close and you know, I always wanted to own my own salon and I think it's because just that entrepreneurial spirit that my dad had you know, he always had like 30 years yeah.
Speaker 3:Yeah. So you know, I'd always seen that growing up he had his own business, and you know. And so I think that was just planted inside of me and I always knew when I went to hair school that I wanted to own my own place one day. And so when they decided to close, I had to make a choice. Okay, do I go to another salon, and you know, just take my clients there. But knowing one day I might want to leave in a small town, I just felt like I don't want there to ever be any bad, you know, blood or whatever. So I just was like I think I can do this, I think it's a good time, because I'm not, you know, starting something, leaving someone and starting something you know so that's kind of they were closing.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 3:Yeah, because Cherie and Jackie, they were so wonderful today, you know, and I love them so much, and they just they didn't do anything in the cosmetology world. So it's like they really just had a dream of owning a spa and they did it, and then they felt like they needed to move on, and so that's kind of how.
Speaker 2:Which really worked for both of them.
Speaker 3:Right, right yeah it got me my start and and it kind of showed me what kind of atmosphere I wanted for my own place. You know, I wanted something where when you walk in, there's peace, you know and you feel at home and welcome. And you know, I don't know, I just I know that a lot of salons get like bad rap for you know, gossip, this and that.
Speaker 3:I don't know, I just wanted it to be a place of refuge for people and that they they just feel better about themselves and while they're there they have you know, they enjoy themselves and they're not stressed out, you know.
Speaker 2:So, from a business standpoint, that it sounds really good and that's really easy when it's just you, right. So how do you, how do you manage that culture when you and I think this is important to other business owners how do you manage that culture and keep that as you get diverse personalities and diverse clients in the same space? How do you, you, how do you maintain that culture of what you want?
Speaker 3:Honestly, sometimes I tell the girls that work with me I have no idea what I'm doing. You know what I mean. I just, I really don't, I just kind of go, I don't know. I feel like you attract what you are and I'm not going to say I didn't ever have any issues starting this. I feel like I've worked my way through it and I'm just not I'm not a confrontational person and sometimes that can be a detriment when you own a business because you want to be nice and you, you know and you're trusting, because I think you're a pushover.
Speaker 3:Yes, and, and I've always felt I should view people the way that I would do things, like I would be honest and I would, you know. So I mean, there's been some times where it's just bit me, you know, but I am so thankful for where I'm at right now and the people that are surrounding me. I just, I just feel like it's the right and it it's just been a process to work through it you know, but I do think lead by example.
Speaker 2:And do you feel that that culture has been? When you, as you get more people in the shop, do you feel like that culture has just felt when you come in? So if somebody that comes into the doesn't fit necessarily in that culture, they realize, oh, I don't fit in here, right, and it kind of takes care of itself like, yeah, this is not a place for me.
Speaker 3:That's kind of how it has played out, you know, yes, absolutely.
Speaker 2:So watching your dad and your parents all those years on in a business. What is it that attracted? Because and be honest did you open a salon and want to do it? Because you think I'm gonna make lots of money.
Speaker 3:Not really.
Speaker 2:So what is it that attracted the as watching your parents own their own business. What is it that attracted you to own your own business and be an entrepreneur?
Speaker 3:Probably calling my own shots you know and and being able to do what I wanted to do. You know, I mean that's probably the most thing, but I wasn't. I've never been one that's just just did things just for money. You know, I I do hair because I love it and I love people and me and Trevor were talking about the lottery. It's like some big, huge number. He's like people shouldn't win that much. Man. I'm like I would be okay with winning that much. He was like well would you?
Speaker 3:would you quit working? And I was like I wouldn't. I would not quit working because I really do love what I do and I want, I love to invest in other people too. So it's like you know, in the Bible it talks about like making disciples of people. It's like you want to reproduce yourself and help people shortcut some of the mistakes that I made. I want to be be that for people, the girls that come into my salon, you know.
Speaker 2:And not not in the hair business, but in the life business. Yes, in every aspect yeah, short cut those things that maybe did wrong and they can say hey, you know yeah. And so you started. So after you left a nostalgia day spa, that is that, when you opened the element.
Speaker 3:Yes, and I opened at on Wy Street. It was like a little rock house and it had like the little ramp it's it's a little before sonic and it was like this cute little house with hardwood floors and I had three stations and I had rooms that you know massage, pedicures, facials, yeah, so I started with just three stations and when I started, there was just me, you know, and so nobody really did.
Speaker 3:I just started with just me and I just had to trust that that I could do it on my own and then just that God would bring people and and it. It worked out that way. You know, I had Brandy McCuller.
Speaker 3:She was one of my girls for a long time and she's an amazing stylist and I was thankful, very thankful, to have her because she was just steady you know, and so then about three, three and a half years, I kind of felt like that space might be a little too big because there was this upstairs and the electricity was high. So then I moved to where the old movie theater was.
Speaker 1:Yeah you were back in the back.
Speaker 3:Yes, yeah with your synergy. So I moved there and still had three stations, you know, and then after about three years I just was like you know, if I'm going to do this, I would really like to own my own building, because I mean, that's scary to start out doing that.
Speaker 3:You know, you need to see if it works. Yes, so after about six, six and a half years, I thought, you know, I think I think I can do this and I do want to expand, and so it just worked out. There was an empty lot right by the post office. I guess it was a building, that it was well, there was one building and then the next. It was kind of an open lot there had been a condemned building.
Speaker 3:Yes, they had gotten, yeah, yes, and so we ended up Wendell Robbins you know good friends with us and he just he helped me tremendously you know, and me and Trevor drew up the plans for the salon and he just facilitated it and thank God we were able to get alone and all that stuff, and so that's one big building.
Speaker 2:Was it separated in two different spaces, right, yes, yes, there's two different spaces.
Speaker 3:Wendell really wanted me to buy the whole thing, but I was like oh, I don't know if I can do that.
Speaker 4:You own your space. I just own that side. Yeah, on that side, yeah.
Speaker 3:On that side and that was we moved in in 2016.
Speaker 2:So and so you went from. Do you have three stylists? When you were at the old movie theater? Yes, and then how many do you have?
Speaker 3:There's six. Well, there's six stations. There's five stylists right now, and then I have a nail tech and I have a massage therapist.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and so how is? Is it when you made that move and you grew? Did it take a little while to grow to that?
Speaker 3:At first, yes, and then it was like I was full and then a few things happened, you know, and people move on and and you know, it's just like things aren't always forever. You know, people have to make their choices and and move on. So it's just been kind of like working through and finding the right people and you know. But it's, it's been good.
Speaker 2:And all this during all this time you're having, you're growing a family, right, having a family. So is that challenging to try to run your business, work, run a family.
Speaker 3:It is. It is Especially like cooking Trevor's really stepped up and started helping, you know, with that kind of stuff. But and it's been good because my parents were always here and so even when my kids were little they never really had to have a babysitter or go to daycare, you know they could stay with my mom and so it's been great to have family help, you know.
Speaker 3:And then with Trevor, he was in the oil field and then he decided to pursue his dream of leather work and went to boot school. So he makes custom boots and custom leather work and so just with him starting his own thing, it's like we're fleck, we're able to like, support each other.
Speaker 2:You know. So how long ago did he leave the oil field?
Speaker 3:and I think it's been like five years, four or five years.
Speaker 2:So is that a scary transition.
Speaker 3:Yes, but you know and so four or five years.
Speaker 2:So you'd only had your building just a couple years.
Speaker 3:Right, right.
Speaker 2:When he decides to make a career change.
Speaker 3:Exactly, and you know what I the way I looked at it was. I wanted him to love what he does to me and he supported me all those years while I was building my business. And then I felt like it's my turn. You know that we were in a place where we could do that and it was amazing. You know it's like we don't know how, but God always provided it, and almost in excess, with just one income. You know more than before so.
Speaker 2:And sometimes you don't want to question it. It's like it's just happening, yeah.
Speaker 3:Right and just stepping out in faith, believing in what God has called you to do. He's going to make a way you know, you know, and going back to ministry.
Speaker 2:You're at River of Life Church for 10 years. Yeah, now you go to.
Speaker 3:Lighthouse yes.
Speaker 2:You're involved in worship worship as you. As you mentioned, you write songs. Have you always wrote songs?
Speaker 3:and I'm always saying, and probably when I was like 16, you know, my dad would always pray and listen and write down what he felt like God was saying to him. And he gave me this piece of paper and it was talking about how I would be like David, a songist, and write songs, and like I was like whatever, I can't even play an instrument.
Speaker 2:You know, I just didn't didn't think. So is he write things down that he felt that call from from his prayers, yes, yeah.
Speaker 3:And so I just kind of pushed it aside and probably about 19. Well, okay, so I went to that college, southwestern, and I was wanting to do I did minor in music, like I decided that. So I took a group piano class and they taught like all the chords and keys and everything, and so that's kind of how I started being able to write songs is because I took. So I'm thankful that I went to college, because it's it really did start me on this path of music.
Speaker 2:Good by learning how to play the piano, because you didn't know before and it wasn't great or anything.
Speaker 3:It just was. You know basics. But that's kind of what started, started me writing. And you know, one day I was praying and I'm like God. You said you'd give me songs. I don't have a song. And. I seriously heard God say you have not because you asked not. So I asked God. I said God, well, give me a song. And I wrote my first song that day and it just it just started, it just came to you.
Speaker 3:It really did. And you know I've written a lot of songs. Not all of them are great, but a lot of times I just feel like an urgency and I'll sit down and it comes out of the urgency.
Speaker 2:It's not something you sit down think I'm going to write today.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah I mean, and when I do do that what you just said, it's like very hard in it. Yeah, so, and I don't write as much as I used to because I'm just like, well, if it's something that God wants to say or I feel like saying, I'll sit down and do it. And. I do it every now and then, but I really am more involved in like worship and leading worship and stuff.
Speaker 2:So do you still play the piano?
Speaker 3:I do. Since I started leading worship at Lighthouse, I stepped away from the piano my son plays and he is amazing. So, caleb, my son plays and I just am on the mic, but I can still play. Sometimes I'll lead behind the piano, like if he's out, or you know.
Speaker 2:So, going back to kind of where I started, it was doing hair, class it in your chair, whether it's your coloring their hair, your cutting their hair. I think it's something strange that happens, how people will share, and it's different than if you're out having dinner with them or something like that. I don't know if it's because they're looking in the mirror, they're not looking at you but they do share all sorts of things, very personal things, things that they probably wouldn't share normally. Do you find that that gives you an opportunity to? Then they open the door and you can share it? Going back to ministry, not being necessarily in front of a congregation, or on a mission field.
Speaker 3:Yeah, for sure. I mean, I've had a lot of encounters with people that way, you know, and prayed with people just right there in the salon, you know, because I felt like that's what God wanted me to do, and sometimes I've missed it. I'm like, oh, are you sure you want me to do that?
Speaker 2:Sometimes not just because I mean we're humans. Yeah, absolutely. I don't know how they're going to respond to that.
Speaker 2:Right, yeah, but sometimes I've done it right, you know and it's a good feeling and I think it's just a different way. In anybody that hasn't ever experienced that, that has connected with somebody, it's just a different connection. I don't know what it is that I experienced the same thing in training clients. There's just something there. That's a connection. And you know, just recently my dad shared with me about how because sometimes I get up, get worked up about the business and all that and he shared with me that sometimes where you are, that is your mission field and he explained to me that the gym is your mission field and so when we have that different perspective, right, it changes everything.
Speaker 3:It really does.
Speaker 2:How we talk to people how we interact with them. We get to know them, get to know their lives, how we can make an impact, because you're not only making an impact with their outer appearance, you're making an impact with their inner appearance, which is not something that many people, that a lot of people get to experience, and it is a blessing to be able to experience that.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it's been amazing. I mean, like I said, I love what I do, I love hair, I love all that stuff, but I just love the relationships that I build with people and you know I've had a lot of people have become my really good friends, you know. I mean so?
Speaker 2:They become their clients and they become friends.
Speaker 3:Yes, right, yeah.
Speaker 2:What kind of over the years? What struggles have you found in business? Yeah, that you really just kind of. It's just been a challenge, especially in a small community, because you know, when it comes to hair salons and cosmetologists, we have a plethora.
Speaker 3:That's one of the things I was going to say. There's just so many salons in Buoy and I just.
Speaker 3:it wasn't as many when I started but, it seems like everybody wants to own their own salon. But it's capitalism? I don't know it is. That is a challenge, you know. Maybe not necessarily for me where I'm at, because I've been doing it for 16 years, so I have a big clientele, but for the people that are just starting out, you know, I'm always like, oh Lord, let the phone ring for my girls you know, what kind of advice would you give to somebody coming out of school that you know gets?
Speaker 2:you know, comes to one of the salons, comes to your salon. What advice would you give that person? When they say there's so many in town and I'm competing in, what would you say to that person?
Speaker 3:You know, one good thing is, if you're young and you still maybe you live at home that is a great time to build your business because you don't have the responsibilities. I feel like a lot of people quit hair because they need to make money right away. You know, and I always say if you can just stick it out, stick it out.
Speaker 3:You know, that's how I was able to do. It is because I wasn't the breadwinner. You know, I mean and I hate to say that and discourage people from hair business, but it takes time, you know, and you just have to stick with it.
Speaker 2:Have you had any that have come to work for you that also maybe have work at night or work a second job?
Speaker 3:Yeah, I've got a girl right now that's doing that, you know, and I'm okay with that you know, Because she has to do what she has to do, and I'm going to try to support my girls however I can.
Speaker 2:Has there been a time in those years of owning your business that you think I think I'm kind of done, I think I want to?
Speaker 3:There's been a few times more like maybe I just want to be by myself.
Speaker 2:Have my own business, but be by myself.
Speaker 3:Right, yeah, there's been moments like that. You know some stressful situations have happened, but you know I always work through it and look at the bigger picture and know that I do feel called to do this. You know and help support other stylists build their business and things like that, and I always want the salon that I'm at to feel like a team. You know and help. We all help, support each other If we ever have any questions or like somebody's running behind, help them wash somebody's hair. You know, just a servant, servant hood.
Speaker 2:It's not well. How much am I going to get paid for that?
Speaker 3:Right, it's because I'm helping somebody else Exactly, and if we do that for each other, you know it's awesome. So that's the type of attitude that I always want for the people that work in my salon.
Speaker 2:I think that's a good lesson for business owners, but also for people in life, is to be a servant. How can I look to be a servant? Because when we're a servant, we will never say that's not my job, that's not my responsibility. A servant attitude is is that helping somebody? Then that's what I'm going to do, and I think it changes who we are when we go into any environment, whether it's business, whether it's family, whether it's friends, whether it's our community. When we go in with a servant attitude, it just changes.
Speaker 3:Well, because you're not thinking just about yourself, you're thinking about other people, and you know that's what I want my life to be, is a servant heart, and I hope that I can cultivate that in other people anywhere.
Speaker 2:And living a, having a servant heart and trying to live that life. Can that be difficult? Yes, when you do have a servant heart, and then it doesn't go the way you thought.
Speaker 3:Yes it can. And you know you have to forgive people and that can be hard because you feel like you've done everything to help, support somebody and you don't receive that back. So but that's again, that's people, that's life. And if you hold onto that and just are bitter, you know it's there's no peace in that. So the key is forgiveness and moving on.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think that is. Those are two things that go hand in hand really well If you have a servant heart. You also have to be a very good forgiver.
Speaker 3:Yes.
Speaker 2:And a forgiver doesn't go, I forgive them. And then down the road in the roll of decks oh, I remember that one time. Yeah, it has to be. I forgive them when we move on.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And I always like to call taking the high road.
Speaker 3:Right.
Speaker 2:You know, it can be lonely and sometimes the air can be really thin on the high road, but it's always the best place to be. Yeah, because? Because sometimes, if we can't forgive whatever the choice that is that prevents us from going into the next encounter, and then we don't have a servant attitude, because we'll go well, I remember what happened last time. I'm not doing that again.
Speaker 3:Yeah, you know, my dad always said forgiveness is a choice, it's not a feeling. So even if you still have these like feelings, you choose to forgive. I mean, sometimes something might come up again a feeling, you know, but you choose to forgive and you walk in that and don't let bitterness overtake you.
Speaker 2:So it might just have to be a constant choice.
Speaker 3:Right, and that's. I'm glad that my dad taught me that, because sometimes those feelings don't come till later, you know.
Speaker 2:And they catch you in in opportune times. Where'd that come from?
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And you go okay.
Speaker 3:I need to.
Speaker 2:I'm choosing now to forgive that. Yeah, and that can be, you know, especially being in the business, with so many opportunities for cosmetologists in our community. They can go from place to place to place. So you know, when you're given a servant heart, servant attitude, it can be challenging as a business owner because you know money wise, business wise, you go, man that, really, I lost that person. Now I have to find somebody else. I spent three or four years, yeah, that person they took and, honestly, sometimes it's more about your ego.
Speaker 3:Hmm, it hurts. It hurts your ego and I've had to really walk through. Walk through that because you know it's made me a better stylist To go through things like that where somebody leaves you and go somewhere else. I mean it happens to every one of us.
Speaker 3:There's not one hair stylist that hasn't had that happen. You know, that's just. It's just the way it is. And I do want to say for, like, clients Hair stylist want you to be honest. They want you to be honest Because that will help correct a situation maybe, and we want to be the best that we can be. We don't want you to just Not say anything because you think we're you're gonna hurt our feelings you know, what I mean. It's doing a disservice to yourself and to your stylist by not sharing.
Speaker 2:What right I mean?
Speaker 3:I'm not saying be rude. I mean, I have had a couple of rude people, but but you know you can, you can be honest with your stylist and I Mean for me it's like I'm gonna do everything I can. If you tell me something, I'm gonna do everything I can to make it right. Mm-hmm you know cuz I'm not perfect. Mm-hmm none of us are, and I want to work towards what makes them happy.
Speaker 2:Mm-hmm, you know. So yeah, it's open communication.
Speaker 3:Mm-hmm. Yes.
Speaker 2:Tell me what you want, what you don't like, cuz we can't fix it's just, you can't fix what you don't know.
Speaker 3:You know what I mean.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah what their friend spouse right? If you don't tell me I can't fix it. Mm-hmm. I always like to say in training, when I train clients, if they stop coming to me, I always have never been fired in 16 years. They just quit. They just quit. So what successes have you had over the years with your business, being in a small community?
Speaker 3:Yeah, well, I mean, I mean Project beautiful. The event project beautiful was one of the successes.
Speaker 2:So can I explain what?
Speaker 3:and it's project beautiful still you know, since COVID, I have not done it. We were gonna do it in 2020. I think the last one we did was 2019, but basically it. You know, I had someone in my chair many years ago and a young girl, and she just like, wouldn't even look at herself in the mirror you know, and I Just started thinking, man, if she just knew how to do this to her eyebrows or do this, or you know.
Speaker 3:I mean just if she has some knowledge to Make what she has the best possible. But not just that, like knowing Her self-worth. You know, it all goes together like I never think oh, just fix your hair and you'll be happier you know, you know, I mean it's gonna radiate.
Speaker 3:It really is it's, it's from within out. That's that's true beauty, and so I just got this idea started talking to people. What if we did like a event where we brought young girls in and we had workshops and then we had an evening Meeting where we talked about?
Speaker 1:you know, Jesus.
Speaker 3:I mean, you know, it's kind of like it was that, and so I Just started talking to people I knew and we got together and I Mean we had like 200 and 250 girls the first event and it was High school, or what junior high through high school.
Speaker 3:We thought about breaking it up but and we did like when we broke up workshops and stuff, but um, it was really cool. All the schools in the area, let us come in and tell the girls about the event. And they registered and you know we raised money in in the community. People just gave and we were able to like print t-shirts for them and Make girls didn't have to right.
Speaker 2:They did not pay for, they, only signed up.
Speaker 3:So, I mean, I think the first year was at the community center and you know, project beautiful paid for the event center and all that, but people gave you know, and that's how it started people giving and honestly, I never thought it was gonna be a continual thing when I first I was gonna be a one-time thing, and then people were like what are we gonna do again?
Speaker 2:And so what year did you grow your first?
Speaker 3:year? That probably, it was probably 2012.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and we, we did one a year for ever, at least till 2019 and it was a lot of planning and things and you know I I'm always like, should I start again? It's just a different time in my life and I just I don't know, I don't know. But that is one thing, that as a business owner, being able to kind of spark that and Let it spread through the community, with women who wanted to be on board, because we know what it's like to be a woman or a young girl and Not feel worthy. You know, and I was one of those girls. So I think a lot of times your ministry is the things that you've gone through and God uses those things as your ministry. He heals you and then you get to speak into other people's lives.
Speaker 2:Because you're able to speak to that girl. Right, that was you right, and you know exactly what she's feeling and thinking. And and so In 2019 was your last year.
Speaker 3:Yeah, is that when you had? We did the overnight Slumber party at where it was at the community center.
Speaker 2:So it was an all-nighter. So was that the first time you're done?
Speaker 3:Yes, because I always was like we got, we've got to do something different. You know, we can't do the same thing in here. And so we did it all night. It was fun, but it's funny because the girls I thought the girls would be able to hang, but they were tired. Well, I never was sleeping, yeah, but it was really fun.
Speaker 2:But I probably won't do an overnighter again. How many did you have?
Speaker 3:Probably close to 200. Yeah. So and then, since, like I said, COVID, it shut everything down and I just haven't started it back up, so am I going to? I know, baby.
Speaker 2:So I would highly highly encourage you to pray about it and think about it, because in those three years since you stopped, so much has changed with social media and I think women and young women and girls are so much more troubled because of what they see on social media.
Speaker 2:We know as adults that that isn't accurate that we always put the best face forward, and I don't think girls, kiddos in general, know that, and I think that even now is something that would even be more, something of what they need in their lives and have examples in, and how great for women in our community to be able to give to that, because it was girls from all around, not just our community, but also we would go to Montague County.
Speaker 3:So we would go to Nacona schools, forestburg, I think St Joe was Montague. Still, we went to St Joe. We even went to Bellevue. Bellevue is not Montague, but still yeah. So it's not just boo-ee boo-ee kids, it's the whole. Montague County.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and sometimes as something starts just as simple and not looking in the mirror and it sparks an idea and I think God uses those people that you didn't know when you made that appointment.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:What was going to come out of it? That for eight years seven, eight years you're going to impact thousands of lives. Over those years, it's a lot of women that help, girls that come and attend that are now probably now in their 20s. Yeah, and that's hard to think that, and probably a lot of them had experiences that they still remember from those days of the impact and the change that it made. So that's the types of connections that we have the opportunity if we're looking for it.
Speaker 3:If you weren't looking for it Right, and that's the thing I always say. All God wants you to be is available. Say yes. You know we can just get so wrapped up and I'm guilty of it Wrapped up in my own stuff, and you know but he's looking for people who are available.
Speaker 2:So, Ready to say?
Speaker 3:yes, yeah, say yes.
Speaker 2:What other?
Speaker 3:successes, that's a huge one, I mean.
Speaker 2:I'm glad you brought that up. I hadn't really thought about that.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:I really would.
Speaker 3:I'd highly encourage you to really think and pray about I am going to, because I do see that, Because when you said that it just gave me chills when I first started talking about it, and I don't get those very often.
Speaker 2:I think maybe that's God speaking to me for you. But Sorry, I love ideas. So what other successes?
Speaker 3:Well, I mean just the fact of building my own building and it's still going, you know, six or seven years later. I mean just things like that.
Speaker 2:I'm proud of that, and yeah, and is it really a team effort with you and Trevor, and really really a team as in a family too? Because as the kids get older, you are fortunate that you do have some flexibility Some, but not as much as everybody thinks we do as business owners, you still have clients that you have scheduled and things like that. So is it really a team effort of all the everybody?
Speaker 3:of course Trevor's been helped, yeah, Trevor is the handyman, so I mean anything I need he fixes. And everybody at the salon is like oh, trevor, you know, can you do this, can you do this? So it is so such a blessing to have him, because he literally knows probably how to do everything and if he doesn't, he's going to research it and he's going to figure it out. So I'm so thankful. He always tells me when he fixes things. He's like I just made this much money because, I would have had to spend that if.
Speaker 3:I didn't have him, so he's definitely a huge support in my business.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that does save a lot of money.
Speaker 3:A small business especially when you own your business.
Speaker 2:Yeah, own your building. Yeah, there's a lot of expenses that come up.
Speaker 3:Right, I mean he's done things with the AC and the water heater. He just replaced a pedicure chair for me and all kinds of stuff.
Speaker 2:So and see and like for me, like I'm the total opposite. Like I had a chance to sell my building. I sold it, say I just want to be a tenant. I want to call if I need help, because I am not a handyman. Yeah, I can't fix anything. I had something go wrong with electricity, as told him. I said I changed the light bulb, that's all I know how to do. And it doesn't work, so I had to come fix it. So it's funny how what your dream was to own your own building, mine was like I want to get out of this thing. Yeah.
Speaker 3:But if I didn't have Trevor it'd probably be like what did I do?
Speaker 2:Do any of the kids have entrepreneur hopes? You?
Speaker 3:know, I do see that in them. But Caleb is saying he wants to be a teacher and he feels called to that and so he's working towards that. But I still think he does have an entrepreneurial spirit. And then my daughter. I mean, she doesn't know what she wants to do, but she's just really talented A lot of things. She's an artist and she can sing too and all kinds of things, so there's lots of ways she could go. We're praying that she figures out what she wants to do, because she's a senior now.
Speaker 2:So did they got their talent from you? Did you get your talent from your parents?
Speaker 3:No, neither one of them can sing, and it's funny because both me and my sister sing.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and so did you take voice lessons or anything like that.
Speaker 3:I did for a very, very short amount of time, but no, never, not really. So even like when people say, oh, can you teach me how to sing or do better, I'm like I don't even know what to do. I don't know how to tell you to do that.
Speaker 2:Do you ever have anybody come into the shop, let her clients and ask you to sing?
Speaker 3:No, not right there. Yeah, and I don't talk about it that much anymore either. I'm just kind of just part of who I am. And if they know about it, they know. And if they don't, they don't.
Speaker 2:So, as we wrap up, what is one of the things? What makes you call Bowie Bowie your hometown, my hometown.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I mean I love the small community. I mean I do want to see it grow, but I want to see the values stay the same. So, as a business owner, I'm all for how do we make Bowie grow? But I really pray that as people move in, that we can keep the values that we have. And seeing how people, whenever there's tragedy, that people run to be supportive and help and things. And it makes me really irritated when people say, oh, this is about Bowie, this is about Bowie and I'm like, well then, maybe you should leave, because I love Bowie.
Speaker 2:And I think there's a lot of great people here and I think your business can be an example of for what as we grow, what we want. So your business. You started, as in Nostalgia Day spa, just you and closed and you realized what do I want? Now I know what I want in a spa. How do I want it to feel when people come in, and that's a challenge. From one to now, six or seven or eight, that's a challenge, but you've been able to create that culture you want, and I think the same is true for our town. Right, if we can do it, if we can get it right now yeah as we grow, we can still maintain that small.
Speaker 2:Yeah. And you said you attract people that are kind of like you. So what does that mean? That means maybe, as citizens, as community members, maybe we have to get a little better.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it all starts with you. First you, and then your household, and then your church, your work. You know what I mean.
Speaker 3:Like it can't be great unless you are working on yourself and you are committed to being the best person that you can be, and I really hope that people will look inwardly and work on themselves, because I know that God wants us to live whole, a full life, and I think a lot of times people walk in brokenness and that's why we see. All the things we see is because, as individuals, we're walking in brokenness. So I think, if we can ask God to heal us, make us whole, and then it goes out from there, because sometimes we expect our community to have fixes, we expect our family to be fixed, when we're not.
Speaker 2:Right when we have some issues that and I agree and I've never thought about that and nobody's mentioned that about the community, about first starts with us and our community. When we worry about us and we fix ourselves, our community will begin to change.
Speaker 3:Right Instead of your point in your finger at everybody else. And when I say whole, I mean I think it's a walkout process. It's not like you're just whole one day, but if you're continually saying what do I need to do, where am I lacking? Or help me, god, to be better.
Speaker 2:Because I think we're always, no matter how long we've walked in that walk, we're always lacking For sure, because there's times when we can't fix things, that we don't know what we don't know. But then, as we learn and we walk, we learn those things. Oh, I didn't know that that was maybe lacking in our life.
Speaker 3:Yeah, right, because I mean, you know, I don't think God's going to reveal all of it to you, because I don't think you can handle it.
Speaker 2:We don't want it all we would be like I'm nothing, you know, I mean.
Speaker 3:so I do think it's like kind of like an onion, you know it just peeling back the layers is one thing at a time, and I think when people don't want to face stuff, that's why they turn to things that to hide, you know, to cover it up so they don't have to deal with it. And I feel like I walked in that for a long time. You know, and I'm thankful God's been patient with me, there's still more work to do.
Speaker 2:I think there's always. That's always. Our calling is to always what can we? How can we be better? How can we treat others better? There's always improvement that we can make. I don't think we've ever. When we get to that point, we think I'm good. I think then we're in trouble.
Speaker 3:Right, exactly, we've arrived. Oh, there's a problem.
Speaker 2:You know us individually, our family, our relationship, our community.
Speaker 3:Yeah, or church, or you know what I mean yeah, so and we should always be open to question. Right.
Speaker 2:What can I do? Definitely what can I do better?
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Well, so what as we wrap up, what services again does the element salon and spa offer?
Speaker 3:Yeah, we are a full service salon. Colors cuts, men's cuts, kids cuts, perms extensions, hair extensions, eyelash extensions, massage, pedicure, manicure, dip nails gel nails. Yeah, just about anything. You could think of some waxing, yeah, so we, we really do offer a lot of things facials.
Speaker 2:And then can? How can they find the element? Okay, when are some ways to?
Speaker 3:connect. Our website is the element salonnet, and then Facebook page is the element salon and spa, and we also have Instagram same thing element salon and spa. And we, you know, we try to post pictures of our work and things like that.
Speaker 2:So, and then they can also call for important online.
Speaker 3:You know I have not done online. I don't know why that scares me. I just think you don't know how much time maybe you need if you book online. So I have not done booking online. But you can always call 940-872-2872. And then we all, all of our stylists, have our cell phones on our card and, like, we accept, you know, text message. I honestly I prefer my clients to text me because you know I can get back to them when I'm not working on hair or whatever.
Speaker 2:And it's in writing. Yeah, I always like.
Speaker 3:I'll see it and I'm like, okay, I'm not going to open that text, because then I'll forget.
Speaker 2:But, if I just leave it like I see it's one text, I'll go back and I'll be able to schedule later, so so, you can connect any of those and we'll put all those I'm going to put the phone number, address and Facebook page and website and all that on our show notes. That way they can also go there to connect and get scheduled and or just find out more about the spa and salon. So thank you, Jennifer, for joining me today.
Speaker 3:I love, I love what you're doing here. It's so cool.
Speaker 2:Oh, thank you, I just love it. And and if you are out and about and you see Jennifer encourage her about Project Beautiful, because I just I just think it is so wonderful and amazing.
Speaker 3:And maybe we're talking today because maybe you need a boost today, maybe that's.
Speaker 2:Maybe that's what it is, because I've been kind of like I know, I know, because actually we had a meeting last week and I had expressed to some of the business owners hey, if you want to be on the show, come up and mention to me and you did. So, and so now we're talking about it, so maybe just maybe we don't want to get in God's way, but maybe he puts us there.
Speaker 1:So but thank you.
Speaker 2:I enjoyed our conversation, thank you for just sharing with us about your business, about your faith, about your walk and about all the great things that you're doing and the challenges and successes you have, because I think, as business owners and community members, I think we need to understand that, that we're all the same. Yeah, we all have the same struggles, the same fears. Exactly Just. They look bigger or smaller to us depending on where we're coming at in life. Yeah, Whether it's business life, it's just. It just is yeah.
Speaker 2:So, but thank you for sharing that with me and thank you for being on today and thank you to each of you for stopping by and business with us today, and we're looking forward to seeing you around my hometown.
Speaker 1:Thank you for listening to today's podcast. If you would like to connect with Erin, you can do so by going to erendeglercom or find him on social media as Erin Degler on Instagram, facebook and YouTube. Once again, we greatly appreciate you tuning in. If you have enjoyed this show, please feel free to rate, subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcast. We greatly appreciate that effort and we will see you around in my hometown.