050 - Katie Hill’s Story: Overcoming Setbacks and Bringing Beauty to Assisted Living

In this episode of Stylist Soul Tribe Conversations, host Lisa Huff chats with Katie Hill, a hairstylist from South Carolina whose heartfelt work in an assisted living facility recently went viral. Katie shares her journey through the beauty industry, the challenges she faced trying to buy her first salon, and how unexpected setbacks led her to a new and fulfilling path.

Katie opens up about her experiences working in an assisted living facility, where she brings joy and connection to residents through weekly hair care visits. From her early start in special effects makeup to her viral assisted living hair care videos, Katie's story is one of resilience, community, and finding beauty in unexpected places. She also shares how her work with the elderly has changed her perspective on life, relationships, and her career in the beauty industry.

Key Takeaways:

• Katie’s path to hairstyling started with special effects makeup and led her to unique opportunities like working with Gerber.
• She faced significant setbacks when trying to buy a salon, ultimately losing the space and her plans after preparing for over three years.
• After her plans fell apart, Katie found a new home at Hive Salon, where she felt aligned with her team and work

Follow Katie on Instagram: @creations.by.k80

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Transcript

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Hi, friends. Welcome back to Stylist Old Tribe Conversations. Today, I am joined by Katie Hill, a hairstylist from South Carolina, who came across my scroll about a month ago for the sweetest viral video shared from Hairbrained of her working behind the scenes doing hair in an assisted living facility. The video was precious. I went to Katie's profile, binged all of her content, and then reached out and asked her if I could have her on the podcast, and now here we are. Hi, Katie. How are you? Hi. Great. How are you? So good. Katie and I just met two minutes ago, so we do not know each other in any way, shape, or form. You guys are going to be hearing me get to know her. I feel so honored to have this podcast. Where when I am scrolling rather than just following someone for years and always liking their content, I can just say like, hey, let's chat and let's get to know each other. So I know good people when I see good people and I can clearly tell that you're a good human. I just want to get to know you and chit chat. I appreciate that. I'm so excited to be here. Thank you so much. So tell me a little bit about your story. You're in South Carolina. I think you said you were licensed for, what, four and a half years? Been in the industry for eight? Tell me your story that leads you to here. Yeah, well, I mean, as far as doing hair, I pretty much knew since, I was old enough to understand what the concept of a job was that I wanted to be in the beauty industry. Growing up, I thought it was definitely going to be geared more towards makeup. when I was younger, I was really into like doing special effects makeup and stuff. So one of the first jobs I had pertaining to the field was even though I was like 16 and not licensed, I was in cosmetology school and I was working for like local haunted houses and doing like special effects makeup. And then, for a year and a half, I was contracted with Gerber, like, the baby company. And I did hair and makeup for them. So, where I'm located in the upstate of South Carolina, I am in Spartanburg, but their photoshoot station was in New Jersey, and then they moved it down to Greenville. And I worked at a boutique at the time in high school, and the woman that owned the boutique Also worked at Gerber and did marketing, and when they moved the furniture station down here, she was like, well, you should apply for the job, and I was super young, so I don't really know, dude, like, that seems a little far, but I applied. But that would be what you would expect, you were doing hair for, and makeup for babies? Yeah, it's like, it sounds insane, but also sometimes, like, the parents would shoot with the kids. It was actually a lot more complicated than it sounds, because, like, if a baby, for example, like, if they had a nail in, like, I know one time, like, a baby had accidentally, like, itched its face and, like, there was a scratch. Yeah. So you have to cover that up, but you have to literally make it look like baby skin. Yeah. So, and babies. Babies. I mean, get baby acne. I'm a mom, so like I've definitely, I mean, Newton very rarely does newborn skin, what you see on commercials, so I bet it is way more complicated than you'd think. Yeah. So that, and then also like the moms, sometimes they would shoot, so you would have to do some kind of like natural hair and makeup, look on the mom. And also at the time, like I had not even graduated cosmetology school yet, so, I was experienced with makeup, but I had never had a job like that, so getting into that really early, I think, got my foot in the door really well. and then graduated, assisted for a little while, and then started booth running after, like, nine months, and then we've been here ever since. And how long ago did you start at the place that you're at now? So I started in January. I don't know how much of my page you stalked or like how much I feel like a little quite a bit but maybe not as deep as I could have. so back in January, I Previously before working at Hive, where I work now, I was working at another salon and I started there like, well, now about four years ago, but at the time, like three and a half years ago. And the owner at the time had had the business for a while was 64 and at 65, she knew she was retiring. So she, after about three weeks of me being there, approached me with the idea of buying the business from her once she retires and taking it over. and the price that she gave me was just unbeatable. I have always been somebody that's been very work driven and just like that's the one thing in my life I feel like I'm confident at and like I can do. and I said yes. So I worked there for three years, worked my way up, saved all this money, hired a whole staff of girls, bought everything I needed to buy, did everything I needed to do. State board came out and did the inspection, all that. And then long story short, the guy that owned the little strip mall that my salon was in was a doctor and he owned. A practice that was next to us in that strict. So he had also bought the building when he, put the practice there. And I inquired about a lease for like several months and was emailing the property manager and he would talk to me, but he would never send me the lease. And then at this point we were a month out from me taking over and I am now hassling him for the lease. I'm multiple times would walk over to the doctor's office in person would call him, would email him, walk over there and say, can I see him in person? We'd get ghosted. No answer. And then about three weeks before I'm supposed to take over said business, the property manager sends me an email and says that I'm not going to be able to do the takeover because the doctor wants to expand his business over into where the salon is. and the deal that I had made with the previous owner was a separate deal. So I find out that I'm not going to get this business and I'm like, Oh my God. And I really only had a span of like three or four days to potentially look for somewhere else in my city that had a space that was available, but it was either the rent was absolutely astronomical or the space was way too small. Or it was like a non compete situation where there was somebody else in that strip and I couldn't put a salon there. so I attempted to do that and then I just realized I wasn't going to be able to do it and they were forcing me out of the space. I had already hired a staff of six girls that I had to let go before I even hired them. Half of them had already put in notices at their previous jobs. So it was soup, like talk about awful. awkward. also had just posted everything on my social media. Like I'd never said anything on my social media for three years about it because I was waiting. I didn't wait for that big announcement. Oh yeah. So I literally do it like three days before everything happens. and so yeah, That goes insane. I don't know where I'm gonna work. I have to fire all these girls. I have a full schedule starting like January 3rd. This is like the end of December at this point. my house is like flooded with furniture and paint. It's always when it rains and pours kinds of things. Yeah, it was just awful. to be really honest with you, the woman that owned the salon, We kind of had like a family friend connection. Like her son worked with my mom, but like I didn't really know I knew of her before I started working there. But once I started working there, she became like, kind of like a mentor to me. I learned a lot from her. I learned a lot about working with an older clientele from her. So I am really grateful for a lot of things, but she was someone that I looked up to and just a different aspect of like being an adult and being someone I can go to. so I approached her a few days before. I was supposed to give her this 10 grand and I was just very like shaken up. I do well with confrontation if I'm mad, but if I'm upset about something, I'm like, I'm going to cry. So I'm freaking out and I'm like, listen, I know you're about to retire and 10 grand is a lot of money. So I don't want to take you out of this deal. Like, you know, but is there any way that we can get this price knocked down a little bit? Because like, I went from thinking I'm going to own a business to not knowing where I'm going to work. And I was, I mean, I don't even know how to describe the feeling. she told me that she would only knock the price down to nine grand, and that was only if I gave it to her all in cash. So I ask what you were purchasing? If it wasn't the space, was it the clientele? was it the furniture? what is it that you were purchasing? I'm like, I did end up getting, her clients and a lot of them to this day are still my clients and are great people Did you end up going through with that deal or no? Yeah. I mean, I basically had no other choice. So I lost, I mean, all in all, I did end up losing about 10 grand because I gave her the nine. And then I only had a certain amount of days that I could get stuff out of the building because I technically had a 30 day notice, but I had a full schedule starting January 3rd. And in between that, I was working at the assisted living. So I didn't have a 30 day. I have like a three day, like I can't take time off of work. So I had three days to gut everything out. And I sold some stuff on marketplace, like bigger furniture, Most stuff, like I had two of my friends that were helping me haul stuff off to Goodwill and like, I just couldn't take it anywhere. Some stuff did go to the assisted living, like I had extra, towels that hadn't been used much. I think like a mirror to some decorative stuff, not too much, but a few things. And then I ended up messaging the owner at Hive Savannah. I have been, Offered a place at hive twice in the past before. and I declined because of my situation I always had a very odd Magnetic pull and I say this to the girls now and they're probably like, yeah, yeah, whatever, I know that I know that they love me here, but they're probably like yeah be for real But I'm being so for real. I always just have like a really good vibe about this place So I had told myself I'm going to reach out to Hive and if something's not available there, I'm just going to get a suite. And like, that's how it's going to go. And luckily I reached out and when I got here, like, I immediately stepped in the door. one of the girls that works here, Regan, who is like one of my best friends now, I had known her previously, so it was a little bit comfortable seeing her, but I didn't know these other girls, and I walked in, and they immediately walked me to their back room, sat me down, were like, girl, tell me everything, because they all, when I posted something about initially taking over the salon, they all commented. Yeah, I didn't scroll that far back. I didn't see all that. They all commented on my post and they were like, Oh, congratulations, which now I have the original post taken down where I announced that I was taking over the salon. I just have the post ups announcing that I'm moving and there's like a long caption. So long story short, that's what happened. It was super traumatic. I'm really glad that the universe put me where I am now because I could not imagine being anywhere else. I work with some of the best girls ever, not to mention like everything that we do here is like right up my alley because the other women that I were working with, they were all like 60 and up. but that really, you know, I love your page. Like when I first, so it was like harebrained that I went to your page and I love the mix of like the sweet residents mix in with like, slayed modern day hair. Like, I love that vibe, but what you're describing makes perfect sense that your story has led you to this. And you said this was all just happened this January. Yeah, literally. Nine months ago. So I just want to say that, too. I don't know how, if you've listened to my podcast at all, but I'm a little bit woo woo. I really believe in, like, everything is happening for you. Everything is happening for a reason. And, like, look at the opportunities that 2024 is bringing you now. Completely different than what you would have thought this time last year. But what an incredible story. Yeah, it, it's really insane, like, going through that experience, I, there's just no way to describe, like, the emotions of, like, going through that and, like, I don't know, man, that was a really tough situation. And that situation really, was mentally just very, very tough. not to mention, I'm like 23. so, you know, I've only been doing, I've only been licensed for like four years. And, I've always been very passionate in my work about what I do. And, I tried very hard. So for that to happen, it was very insane. It also was a very, this is the first time I'm ever publicly talking about this and the situation with the old owner. And there's a chance that she may end up listening to this, but you know, I just, yeah, it's, it's just, it really shows you a lot about people. And, it. gave me a really good lesson in just like following my gut and like learning what is right for me and what isn't right for me because I felt it in my gut two years ago that I should have inquired about being at this salon and I didn't and I almost had a brief thought when I got offered to take over the salon like should I just say no and go to hive and like That was your intuition yeah but I wanted to ask you that now is being a salon owner still feel like very much like your pole, like that's something you're supposed to do or not necessarily in this moment. No, obviously you're young, but like, so that's why I also just feel like Things happen for a reason, and I'm sure in that moment, after three years of prepping for this, telling everybody you know, mentally just like going there, having this vision, having this dream, I'm sure that was like crushing, but I also would believe that you're not meant to be a salon owner. This industry, you can do so much in this industry, and being a salon owner, everyone thinks that's like the next step, and I have found, after the years of working with stylists, Sure, that's an option for some people, but there are so many other options, and it's such lower overhead, and so that's a really fascinating, interesting story, but it's not surprising at all hearing that kind of like older school vibe meets with hybe, which sounds like it's definitely your place, definitely your people to bring you to where you are. So when did you first go into the assisted living facility, and when did, like, what was that initial pull? I really just always wanted to do it. people ask me this question all the time and I'm like, I don't really know. I just thought of it one day, like years ago, there's a facility that's near my house and I'm really not even sure if it's like an assisted living or like what it is, but multiple residents live there. That's what it kind of seems like. And I volunteered there when I was like 10 years old with a church group. and I just remember going and it was cool. And like that always stuck with me. And then when I started doing hair, I was like, Oh, that'd be fun. I never really thought I would have the time for it, but then last October, I had a girl come in that worked at the facility at the time, and her sister also worked there, who is the executive director who hired me. this girl sat in my chair, and she was telling me, about her job in the facility, and she brought up that there was a woman there that was doing it, but she was a little bit unreliable and, the family had complained a good bit, or families had complained a good bit, residents had complained, so I just kind of made a joke, and I was like, you know, if you ever want to Get a new person. Let me know. I'd love to do that. And then literally she was like, okay. And the next day they hired me and I came up there. it's been great ever since then. So I go once a week. I started in, mid October. so once a week, normally on Monday or Tuesday. Just about a year now you've been forming these connections. Wow. Yeah. Yeah. So coming up on it. Yeah. Crazy. it's really great. I normally get there around like 9 30 in the morning and stay until between like 12 and two, depending on how many people I have. Most of the time, it's like a really light day. And I only say until like 1130 or 12, but then it's like, I'll have one week every six or eight weeks where everyone wants their haircut at the same time. Yeah, the facility is small and it's private. They can only hold up to 60 residents, and they only have about 40 now, I think. Okay. How did the residents first act when you said that you wanted to film them? My limiting belief would be that they wouldn't be interested in that, but I've been, like I said, I've been watching your content. Carol, David, Miss Kay, St. Rick, Nancy. They are precious. They are hilarious, and your videos. kill me. So, like, how did you initially say, I'm gonna put this phone in front of you. Are you okay with being filmed? What did they say to that? Do some say no? Do you only film some of them, or how does it go? there are definitely some that I haven't filmed, but I mean, most of them are very open to it. When I first mentioned it, none of them even knew what Instagram was, maybe like one. So they were trying to wrap their head around that. And then I would have to explain like, well, I have a page on here with my business and some of them, like I would show them and scroll on my thing. And then when they would start looking at my profile, they'd be like, Oh, this rainbow hair is crazy. Cause they can't wrap their head around that. but I just asked them and they were really chill about it. And I don't know, everyone's been really chill and the phone is literally directly in front of their face. Like I have had some people on my videos, comment, crazy things about like, you know, people just. People behind the keyboard. Just yucky people, yeah. Yeah, just being like, you're filming them without them being aware, like, the sink is here, and my phone is literally like they clearly see that. they just don't even mind it. They're so real and raw and just, So fun to be around. I'm lucky with my group though. I have a really good group. I'm sure there are a lot of facilities where you got a lot of hard headed residents and it can get to be a lot. But for the most part, everyone in there is just so sweet and like down to earth. So precious. I was watching that one where like the news coverage came in and they were, you were asking, I think that was what Miss K is her name, you were asking her, you're like, how would you like to get this new chair, all this new furniture, blah, blah, blah. Like she's supposed to jump in and be like, oh yeah, I want that. She's like. That's fine. That's made me laugh so hard. They're just so sweet. They're so sweet. So what, do you have any like stories? I think the initial video I saw, was it Randy was his name? Your, your, your client that passed away? Yes. Yeah. And so that was the initial one I saw. So I mean, even within a year, I'm sure you've had some of that, but like, I don't know, has it changed your thoughts on like growing older? Has it changed you? What kind of insight are you getting from these incredible people that are on the, tail end of their time here. I feel like it's changed my life in, so many aspects. I now have no living grandparents, which is very sad. I just lost my papa last year, and then in 2020, I lost my mom. Both my grandmas and my grandma, Betty, who passed away back in 2020, she lived in Kansas, but she was in the best facility and I would go and visit her and the people there were amazing. And I know there's better ones, there's worse ones, but other than that, I've really never spent a lot of time there. And honestly, seeing your videos, I'm like, I should be doing that every so often. Why would I not do that? Like, that's really sweet. So yeah, what are some things that have come up or ways that they've impacted you? It's just all around. I mean, as far as being a hairdresser, they have made me better in a sense of they will humble you and like, like Miss Kay, for example, when I first started, I mean, she is like 90 years old and maybe is like 90 pounds. Like, she's a very small and frail woman. So I wanted to be gentle with her, but I was not used to working on the elderly community yet. when I was shampooing her head, she just straight up was like, are you joking? And I was like, oh. she wanted you to get in there more? Yeah, like, she's like, you know, you gotta get in there with your nails I vividly remember in cosmetology school, we had a group from some retirement home or something, and they'd be like, get in there harder and I was like, dude, like, I feel like I'm gonna pierce your skin, like, oh my gosh. That's so sweet. They will humble you. They will be very honest with you. a lot of them having Alzheimer's or dementia, when they get to a certain state, they are very brutally honest about everything, which I very much appreciate because it, you know, I want your honesty. but I pretty much never leave. anyone unhappy because I always am like, is there anything else I can do different? And they will just be honest. Yes, there is. So it's made me pay attention to detail a little bit more. I think as far as a person and myself, I don't know. I just feel like emotionally there's just so many different ways it's changed me. Not that I like, Had some kind of weird feeling about the elderly community before him, but now it's just kind of like a different view. And, I think just getting to hear a lot of their stories are just so interesting. Like, you know, some of the women will talk about like previous problems they've had with men or like that have pissed them off in the past or work problems they've had or blah, blah, blah. And it just makes you realize like, No matter how little or how everybody's got girl code. The drama does not go away. it also has shown me that just to have a little bit more grace, you know, I don't think that I didn't, but I think that this has definitely given me a patience level and a different understanding of how to communicate to people. a lot of times with the residents, their health will put them in a state where you kind of have to compare it to talking to a child in the way that you might feel like you kind of have to rearrange your words. But, you know, when you initially brought up Gerber, I wanted to ask you, and I didn't know if that was a wrong way to compare, but I would have to assume there is some slight similarity to that, right? Yeah, and it's, I hate when I say that because people, I don't want to say that in a sense of people think that you're putting them down because you're not, but just, when I say having grace, like, you know, if a little kid, I don't know, if I had a bowl of color and I was done coloring my client's hair and I had some left over and I dropped it on the floor and splattered it, you know, it's a lot easier to look at an adult and be like, come on, dude, but if a little kid does it, you're probably going to look at a little kid and be like, it's okay, just help me tighten it up, you know, and it's just made me, Think about that a lot and be like, why am I not a little bit more like that in my day? Everybody's living for the first time, you know, so, and yeah, I mean, I don't know. I just, I just love getting to know them. I just really love getting to know them and they're so accepting of me. You know, I went in thinking like, I'm very heavily tattooed. I've got face piercings and, you know, I've got a little bit of an edgier look. And as soon as I started the job, I walked in and I was like, you know, I'm covered today. But if I walk in here with short sleeves, you might be a little bothered. And they were like, no. And I have only had one person ever say something to me about my appearance. And it's a woman there who I adore, but unfortunately she is very far along in her dementia journey. and she just looked at me one day and she was like, why do you have all those tattoos? And I said, I don't know. I just like them. And she just went. I don't really like them. And I was like, that's okay. It's okay. You don't have to like them. It's just different. And she just said, Oh, okay. And it was like, she just understood. so obviously, I mean, you, you shared so vulnerably that you lost Randy. Does it make you uncomfortable, like, sharing their names or no? I guess I should have asked that, but has there been more that you've lost since then or no? No, I have not had any that I've lost. There have been two of my very regular people that had some pretty, Big hospital visits, I guess that, you know, got a little scary, but everyone's fine now. but Randy is the only one I've lost. And that was a very, sudden thing. I mean, obviously, you know, everyone is in the facility because they have something going on, but nobody in the facility thought that would happen. It was a very freak situation. That's so hard. But obviously knowing and just preparing yourself for that and I think it takes a really strong kind of person that's willing to Build these connections and show up for these people knowing but isn't that the truth with all kinds? We don't know how long of us have you know, and you still love people deeply and treat them well and show up The best that you can. So that's precious. when I first found you, you had a fundraiser going and I initially reached out as like, let's spread the word about the fundraiser. The fundraiser is closed. That went very successful. Would love for you to share that. And then again, I just wanted to get to know you. So even if people just follow along on what you're doing now, your content is incredibly entertaining and inspiring. tell everybody a little bit about the fundraiser and what you have planned for that. Yeah, so, for people that don't know, I got a news story with my local news channel that was covering me working at the assisted living. my good friend Lauren got to do it. She's great. She's also a client of mine, so that was pretty cool. But she brought up a while ago that she had the idea to film me there. She wanted to get out on her own a little bit more and try to film some more personal news stories. She really liked what I was doing. So she came down and I basically was having a conversation with my boyfriend one night and I had mentioned before doing some type of GoFundMe and then we were sitting at dinner and he brought up doing it around the same time at the news story, which I had thought about, but I didn't say it out loud because I just didn't want that to be perceived wrong, you know? GoFundMes are always tricky. I think even when people absolutely deserve them and are going through hard things, I don't think anyone who's ever been part of a GoFundMe doesn't feel a little bit like, Oh, gosh, it's tricky, you know? I get it. Yeah. So I didn't really know what to do, but then he said it out loud and I was like, maybe you're right. So I made a profile real quick. And, after the news story dropped, I announced that I was going to do the fundraiser. So the goal was to raise 10, 000 in hopes of redoing the salon at the facility, just because it was a little outdated. not to mention one of the chairs in there. it's not fully functional. so it's not safe and I just think that they deserve a little bit of a better space. And I also wanted to supply things there like, tools and shears and things like that, where if I, for some reason, ever had some kind of crazy freak accident where I couldn't be there for a while, or if I could not be at the job anymore, which. That will not happen anytime soon. But, you know, one day, all of this is going to the facility, not necessarily to you. Amazing. So that was the main intention behind it. But also just to give them a sense of newness because they love coming by the salon and like some people will just pop in there when I'm there just to talk to me and just say what's up and they don't even need their haircut. So I posted the GoFundMe online. I decided that I was only going to run it for the month of August because again, I just didn't want to drag it out. So also on top of the fundraiser, two other things that were great is there is a local coffee shop, Botanical Brew, that is right down the road from my salon, who is awesome. And I did a collab drink with them. So I had the gnarly for the month and a hundred percent of the proceeds from that also went to my gift fund me. And then our neighbors right beside our salon, Sacred Magnolia Tattoo, artist there, Alison, who is great. She offered to do a tattoo raffle. So for the whole month, for a ticket and you could enter as many times as you wanted. And that also directly went to the GoFundMe. So I had them partnered in plus social media and basically things just ended up going way more insane than I expected. things were already going really, really good. And then I started having brands reach out to me and then, some other stylists that I've connected with online. one in particular, I don't know if you know Ruby Divine. You know, I saw Ruby in all of your comments and I don't know her well, but she's a huge part of my story too. I DMed Ruby. Back in 2016, probably, asking for some mentorship, she pointed me in the direction of the mentor that has literally changed my life more than anyone, Brit Siva. So, Ruby is an angel on earth. I don't know her super well, but she is an angel. Tell me about how she weaves into this. Yeah. Well she, I mean, I think I've followed her for a long time, but she started looking at my videos when I started posting and was just really drawn to the assisted living content. And then we just started connecting online. And then as soon as I posted everything about the fundraiser, she was like all in on it. And you know, she was so adamant about just reposting my stuff and sending my stuff and tagging brands. And she was like in the comments of some of these other big pages that have reposted my videos and been like, I saw that. Not if you donate like she was calling out. Good for her. Yeah. Good for her. She is incredible. She really is. Yeah. But yeah, so she shared. and then I, I genuinely have belief that, I mean. A lot of people were sharing and I'm thankful for everyone, but you know, Ruby's got some connections there. So I, and she was really, she was like sending my stuff to people through DMS, like without me. So, through her connections, you know, I started getting some repost, got reposted on behind the chair and harebrained and all that stuff. And then from there, I got a 5, 000 donation from a anonymous person. And, unfortunately, I don't know if anyone knows this, tip for people to make a GoFundMe in the future, but if you set it up as anonymous, it'll show up anonymous, like, on the actual feed, but, like, me, myself, I can see who donated it. I saw the name of the woman, the woman was not familiar, so I then, did some internet stalking, and found out that she is on the K 18 team. Amazing. So, I then sent her a message, and I was like, hey, I know you made this anonymous, I have to thank you. Yeah, I have to thank you. Also knowing that it's from somebody with K 18 is insane because I'm very passionate about K 18. I love, I've used it for a very long time. and she messaged me back and it, she was like, Hey, actually think of the donation from the entire team. we see what you're doing and we love what you're doing. And then she asked me for my email. And then about a week later, I got offered to be on the K 18 Stylist Collective. And then from there donations just kept going. And by the end of the month, we had right. Over 10, 000 including GoFundMe and external donations. Not to mention we have a few brands and I actually have exclusive news for you that I haven't announced yet. We're dropping it here. I appreciate it. I got a really big box from Olivia Garden. I saw those videos. they very quickly answered me back and was like, Hey, we would be happy to supply anything. What do you need? And all I asked for were a few round brushes because I religiously use them. They then sent me a box that was probably like this big with the new super HP dryer, two sets of shears and probably at least 20 brushes. I am just. Over the moon. In awe of that. Sharkfin Shears sent me a I work with Sharkfin. I love Sharkfin Shears. Well, I love them. I've gotten to use them a little bit. I have like four sets of shears now, Everyone's bombarding you with love. Sharkfin is a great affiliate program. I've worked with them for years. I don't talk about it a ton, but I don't think Willie's with them anymore. Willie was the connection that I had there with them, but they are incredible. Such good shears. they're all I've used for the last 10 years. Yeah. So, I'm really excited about those, but the biggest little exclusive announcement I have is I am getting chairs and shampoo bowls donated. Brand new. Mr. B is donating them. He owns Mr. B's Furniture Store in Long Island, New York, and he found me through Ruby. Ruby reposted my Instagram, video about everything, and then He contacted her and said have her contact me. So long story short, he's donating the chairs. They're on the way. They're brand new. I'm so excited. So Mr. B, I've never even heard. Is that like, that's salon furniture? I never even heard of them. Yeah, he has a, he has like his own family owned business in Long Island, New York. Yeah. Very classic New York man. He wears a lot of graphic t shirts that have to do with fishing, which I love. I love a good silly graphic t shirt. it's just so nice, punctual, straight to the point. Amazing. Like every single time I've called him the phone call has been under like three minutes because it's just very like New York. But I'm so grateful for him. doing that and, you know, I'm just in shock that the fundraiser had the reaction that it did. I thought I was loony for setting the goal at 10 grand to be honest with you. I think I had it set at something higher than that and then I actually moved it down. Yeah, I was like, this is a little crazy. But Katie, can I just put that in perspective for you? Especially because you didn't realize that you're coming up on the year point. I'm assuming one year ago today, September 24th of 2023, you were probably Scrambling. Thinking, I'm supposed to be opening the salon, it's not happening, I need to find somewhere to go, and what a difference a year can make. I mean, fair to say you may be, like, going the influencer content creator route from now on, right? I mean, that's a lot of connections and a lot of really cool opportunities. Yeah. It's a lot of fun. I really, like, I don't know. I just like posting online. I just think that the internet cam really sucks sometimes, but, like, I normally have good intent when I go on there and I am somebody where I'm just so busy in my day to day, it's really fun to have like little people on the internet to like talk to, you know, and just like, I love hearing people's insight and just connecting with people and it's just all been so fun. So I'm really excited to kind of dive into it a little bit more. I feel like this is definitely more of a. Path for me, and it's something that just feels more natural to me, And who knows if you were managing six, seven, eight people at this point a year into salon ownership, this wouldn't be where you are. So that's a really cool story and a reminder for everyone who's like in the trenches, which what seems like is their dream falling apart. It's actually to line you up a lot of the time for something a whole lot better. That's amazing. Yeah. I love, I love. So, we got the chairs, shampoo bowls being donated, obviously we have tons of product coming in. What's the plan for the rest of the space? Like, what are you going to do to it? So pretty much everything I heard you asking the residents and they're like, I don't know, someone's like, paint all the walls red. Yeah, no, literally, I'm so frustrated with them because I keep asking them and they're like, well, do whatever you want to do. But I'm like, guys, like, give me a color. Yeah, give me a color or something. so I need to go pick out some paint swatches, but I basically just have to order a lot of things. And I'm kind of waiting on the bowls and the shampoo chairs to do anything crazy. It's like an old classic barber station. So like the sink is at the chair. So I just spin them around. But my first day going in will be October 7th. So I'm going to be going in during the day. and just painting, getting done what I can. I'll probably only split it up into like two or three days. Assuming you're going to vlog all that so we'll get to see all that content. I'm super excited for that. Very, very excited. I'm just waiting on some things to come in. I just have to order stuff and just get time. Because, like, again, I have a full time job and I work a lot. Like, a lot. So I just kind of have to work around that as well. Totally. That is so amazing. But you would say, Hey. I mean, I have to assume, you don't have to obviously share the details of this, but I would have to assume going into initially when you first went into the assisted living facility, I would have to assume that the pay is not anything comparable to behind the chair. Maybe it is. So that's the thing. Like, you are clearly, clearly, clearly doing this for your heart. you are, Fulfilling a different part of your needs than, like, the financial business growing. and I just think that that's, beautiful and takes the right kind of person to care to do that. And I think that the, the results that have come and the opportunities that have come your way is because good people do that. People deserve good things to happen to them, and I think that's exactly what's happening with you. That's really awesome. Oh, I appreciate that so much. It definitely was a little bit of a trial to get to where I am right now. But talk about perspective, and I just want to encourage you, and I'll take that. Nugget for myself, too, to remember that next time it feels like you're in a really rough patch. Like, it is, things are working behind the scenes to lead you to something a lot greater. I truly believe that. I love the internet. I love sharing, yet that's why we're here yapping for an hour about this. if you ever want to do a podcast one day, if you ever have questions, I just love building these connections with people and getting to know new friends on the internet. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, I really enjoyed it. Thank you so much. Amazing. I'll obviously link your Instagram. We have no active fundraisers or anything. People can just follow along and see what's in store for you. Obviously, your business's journey and the assisted living facility journey, Yeah, I'm going to be posting as many updates as I can as far as renovating the space, but outside of that, the content will just be normal. Like me catching up with them. That's what I intend on doing and just to keep doing. So, I love when people interact. I love when people comment on videos and stuff. They love reading comments, and I just love connecting with people, so yeah, anyone. You know what would be a fun idea? This just dropped in for me. I think we can learn so much from people who have lived life before us and have wisdom. You should do like a Q& A where your followers ask you questions to ask the residents. Like, just, whether it's life, whether it's silly, I would love to see that be a little series that you pop off with. That could be fun. I know. There's a few videos that I have where people have asked, like, I just need to go back through all my videos and look at questions that people have asked that I maybe haven't answered and asked, but I, I would love to do something like that. Yeah. So precious. Alright, well thank you for your time today. It was so, so great getting to know you. I do film these a little bit in advance. I want to say this is probably going to come out in like two or three weeks, maybe? Is that okay with your announcement and everything that you had planned? Yeah, awesome. Alright, well thank you everybody for listening. All of Katie's info will be in the show notes and I will talk to you all next week.