Having been in the salon business for so many years, it seemed natural that my daughter would join me and follow suit.
She started working with me at the age of 14. Part time at first and she started at the bottom. She began by cleaning and making cups of tea and coffee for our clients, washing hair for the hair dresser and really being the general dogsbody.
As she grew up, she started helping with nails, prepping clients and I was hard on her. Expecting perfection and not allowing anything less. I am sure that she must have hated me at times. She stuck it out, she must have enjoyed it on some level and so she learnt and she got good, really good. I got her all the best education I could, sent her to work in Belgium with a friend of mine, got her trainers from abroad and took her with me to Germany for more education.
Working together was not easy for us. I was difficult I suppose, and she was a teenager, working hard and long hours, rebelling in some ways, and we fought like cat and dog. As she grew more, she became more assertive and I found this very hard to deal with. I tried to get her to give more than just do her job and go home. I wanted her to help more on the business side of things; she was young and wanted a life outside work. Of course she would… But we fought, sometimes not talking to each other for days. Both of us would end up in tears, moaning about each other to our closest friends.
The years passed, and she got better and better, she was better than me! I had to admit. And when we would argue she would make sense. I hated to admit it sometimes but I could see it. And then, one day it happened, the business women in her came out. And what a business women she is! We don’t fight much anymore, we have found a way of working together but individually, and slowly the tables are turning, and where I once was the leader, she is now leading me, teaching me and helping me be more organised. I listen to her in awe; I wonder, how does she know all this? Where has she learnt it from? A little from me, but a lot of it, on her own. She is engaged, ambitious, clever and talented, and I am so, so proud of her. Today I am glad to ask her advice and follow her lead, to take second seat.
What a woman she is… What a wonderful daughter I have. How lucky I am.
My JuJu bean… My Justine… I love you to the moon and beyond.