I traveled to Atlanta the other day for some meetings and took an hour to visit ManKind, a new hair care place specifically oriented to men. Now, as someone who is mostly bald and has been since 1985, I don’t think much about hair styling. I have realized that unless you have hair on top, there is not much “styling” that can occur with the hair on the sides.
But I had a special reason for going to this particular shop; my niece Alicia and her (now husband) Matt are the owners. Both are experienced beauty professionals but neither has any business experience. So I placed myself in their hands while I was espousing my thoughts on basic business practices that they should consider. I must admit, I’ve never had a shave with a straight razor but Matt is a master at it and I definitely enjoyed the man-pampering.
I was a little concerned when Alicia mentioned the ear and nose waxing. My only reference is Mel Gibson trying to wax his legs in the movie What Women Want. But I decided I couldn’t be a baby about it and had asked for them to show me ALL of the services they provide. If you’re wondering, here is what it looks like right before the real fun starts:
Just for the record, it didn’t hurt anywhere near what I expected. But when she pulled the ones on my ears, you can REALLY hear it. Yuk … But the results are awesome!
What really impressed me was that both Alicia and Matt were genuinely interested in listening to the business advice I was able to provide. So many millennials have access to baby boomers who have advice and counsel, and either ignore them altogether or ridicule their “old fashioned ways.” Matt and Alicia both strike me as grounded individuals. They have a thirst for learning and ask good questions. When I tried to pay them, they refused and said that the advice was more than enough payment. Another great grounded moment. I decided to give them a healthy financial tip. Not only did I greatly benefit not just from the haircut and related pampering but being in the presence of two young people that are working hard to start a new business and are eager to learn makes me excited for the future of our country. And a proud uncle!