I was born and raised in Sierra Vista, Arizona. I went to PDS for elementary school, and I had Mr. Plump and Mrs. Watson. I went to SVMS for middle school (now Joyce Clark). I was the nerdiest of nerds, and I too went to Buena High School (class of 07), along with my uncles and my parents. Yes, that's how long my family has been here! I used to be on the flag team for the Fighting Colts. I wasn't good at many things and I'm not sure how I woke up for zero hour, as I hate waking up early even to this day! My first job was a play job at The Hair Experience, many moons ago. I used to be the receptionist booking appointments, doing laundry, cleaning tanning beds (YUCK! Those are really bad for you and cause cancer), cutting foil, and sweeping hair. My first real job was at Dairy Queen; I worked at the one on Hwy 92, and I'm still cool with the owners! After DQ I worked at Target in Starbucks for 4 YEARS! I'll be honest with you, I hated that job and I don't drink Starbucks anymore. I was so young and shy, I had not found my voice yet so asking people about their day as a conversation starter was so hard for me!
After high school I went to Cochise College for the nursing program. I saw one dead body and your girl was OUT! I was sitting in my A&P class and my teacher was handing me my test, so I dropped the class, and I'll be honest I didn't study lol! That would be my downfall my entire academic life, not studying. I then decided to major in business which went well with the help of a math tutor lol. After Cochise I was supposed to transfer to a university but I didn't want to. I wanted to do makeup! So I told my grandparents and got two different answers. My Granny's answer was "You're making the biggest mistake of your life" (she can be a little dramatic sometimes lol, she was just worried I now realize). My Gramps's answer was "You can go as long as you transfer to a university immediately after." Score! My Gramps let me do what I wanted all the time (I was the first girl born in my family sooo, there's that). I digress. So I went to beauty school in Scottsdale! I packed up my stuff and got a one bedroom apartment. Looking back at this, if I had a child that was moving to the city for the first time and living alone at 19 I would have SHIT my pants lol. I'm sure my grandparents were very worried, but look at me, your girl tuned out fine!
I went to beauty school, and I finished in 6 short months. I only had to take off one semester from school, I was Gucci! But there was only one problem... I didn't want to go back to school lol. I called my grandparents and told them I would not be going to school. That conversation ended with me enrolling into Arizona State University for the spring. Who was I kidding, I could not get out of this. So I failed my esthetician licensing 3 times, finally passed and started working for Ulta with Benefit Cosmetics. Because as my Gramps said, "You better hurry up and find a job so you can start paying these bills" lol, parents are so funny when you look back at them disciplining your hard headed self. I graduated from ASU with my Bachelors in Tourism Development & Management with my Gramps motivation and motto "B's & C's get degrees" (that's why I'm such a good BOSS! College really was helpful! Listen to your parents, kids...sometimes). Thankfully my degree required me to get an internship. I worked for a luxury travel agency in Scottsdale where we were sending people to Paris for the weekend. THE WEEKEND! I don't know about you, but I don't have Paris for the weekend kind of money or bring my nanny with me kind of money either. Luckily I was able to get a job after my internship was over. I worked at the travel agency Monday-Friday and ULTA Friday-Sunday (I think that is how I began to get used to working crazy a$$ hours).
A year later my Gramps got sick and passed away. I quit both of my jobs and moved back home to be with my Granny. My Granny, being her usual worried mother hen self, wanted me to work on post as a contractor, and me, being my I'm gonna do what I want to do self, said "NO." See, I had wanted to open and eyebrow salon after I worked for Benefit for so long, I wrote my Gramps emails all the time about starting one and he would reply back with how to start and things I needed to do. But I was scared. I didn't believe in myself. But after he died that was all out the window. When you lose someone of that magnitude, someone that changed and shaped your life, all fears are gone. Your worst nightmare has already happened so what do you have to lose? I used all this new found energy and hope to open my own eyebrow business, which I started in my own garage, until my Granny told me to get out lol. I then was able to move my business into West End Wellness and then I was able to build my own brick and mortar. This all sounds really easy but believe me this shit took some WERK! When I told my Granny I wanted to build a salon you should have seen the look on her face lol (like here we go again, Lord help me). I probably caused all of her grey hairs! But this time around she was more supportive, I think she was the hardest to convince but I had been working my ass off to build my business and I did the damn thing! Instead of her asking me "what are you going to do with yourself?" she was asking me "why do you work so much?" She saw how hard I was working and she finally trusted me. She was there through everything! She would go to the construction site and tell the contractor "You better take care of my baby" lol it was scary, embarrassing, and cute all at the same time. When I had my grand opening for Barnett Salon Suites we had over 400 people there! I know my Granny was so proud of me. My granny passed away a year later...
As you can tell my grandparents are such a huge part of my life and I always talk about them. I'm sure this is a boring story that I repeat over and over again but somehow remembering them in all that I do and honoring their legacy helps me to cope with losing the two most important people in my life that meant so much to me. So, it's a part of my grieving process if you will. Moving on with my life without them has been the hardest thing I've ever done. Especially losing my Granny out of nowhere. I'm only 28 so it's a strange process to have to live a life without a mom or a dad. I'm surrounded by many family and friends that care about me but it's so hard to explain the loneliness I feel. So I dig deeper and deeper into my work (which I KNOW is unhealthy, but I do what I want remember lol). I see a therapist so don't worry, I'm good, I'm just trying to be my most authentic vulnerable self in this blog post (that's part of my New Year's resolutions). I'll be honest after my Granny died I had no idea what I was going to do with my business. I felt like I was stuck in a loop that I could not get out of. But things have become more clear for me and I have some awesome projects on the way! One I can talk about, my house. One I can not, it's a surprise (btw I love surprises, so in case Jesus decides to give me a mate let him know for me mmmkay).
My grandparents left me their house and I'm about to remodel the SHEIT out of it! I honestly have found another calling! I love design! I designed every inch of my salon, from the layout to the interior. It's so crazy, cause if you would have asked me in high school what I was good at I wouldn't have had an answer for you. But ask me now on the cusps of 30, I got all the answers GIRL! I'm so good at so much stuff and that's huge for me because I really thought I wasn't good at anything! But don't worry I'm not leaving your eyebrows to design houses on HGTV just yet! I still have so much I want to do with my surprise! Me designing houses will probably be in my late 50s, so we good lol!
I'm also working on being open to the idea of children, but honestly my sister has two, soon to be three, and that makes me second guess cohabitation with children! I get worried that my work schedule is WAY too busy for kids. I work Monday-Saturday 10-10, that's a 12 hour shift for 6 days straight, and if I do try to take a day off the shop still calls me. It's like not being able to pee alone, that's the best description I can give you of owning a business lol. And again I NEED A MATE (trying to talk things into existence, also another New Years resolution). Marriage also scares the piss out of me because I don't want to raise no kids alone and that seems to be a reoccurring theme in this day and age. No thank you! My business brain also takes over when I think about marriage. My taxes are gonna get all the way F*&^ed up and I don't want that! Your girl's trying to make money not lose it all to the IRS! And unless I marry a man with money I'm not spending 30K on a wedding. That's just tewwww much, a court wedding will do! (do y'all see this GROWTH in me! Really thinking these scenarios through and not just living life on a let me just get knocked up and see what happens whim!)
Well if you've made it this far you pretty much know my entire life now. I've shared a lot more of my life you or I expected in this blog post, along with half of my resolutions, and yes, my sister is pregnant again.... for the third time (pray for her). I'm going to start doing these personal blogs from time to time to update you on my life and my house! (Hire me to design your house). Hopefully it will keep the blog fresh and not just business. I wrote this while eating a pot of collard greens (cooking: another thing I found I was good at). They say it brings you money. So here I am eating it ALL lol!
I hope you have a great 2019 and you do things for yourself! Self care is important so do YOU!
Would I be wrong if I jumped out this chair and gave you a big hug over your client? Excellent blog Acacia! I love hearing, well, reading your story. It's always touching and gets me teary-eyed (with a smile) EVERY TIME!
An absolutely delightful read, Acacia! Your grandparents are in heaven mic dropping the hellouta your drive, success and tenacity!
Love this. Love you. So proud of you!
I almost cried reading this but then it took a happy turn! Also, to add to the list of things you’re good at, WRITING! Thank you for sharing your story. I liked it even more this time around. (;