A $1 haircut and lifetime of lessons from Mom | Jay Revell
Most middle schoolers don’t brag about their mom cutting their hair. I'm glad I got to. That’s because my mom owned a salon, and that business has always meant the world to her.
My mother, Debbie Revell, just hung up her scissors after a long successful career in the salon industry. She’s the hardest working person I’ve ever met, and that tenacity has served my family incredibly well. Because she never rested, we never went without.
Mom opened her salon, Southern Accents, in 1993. Like most business owners, that decision changed her life. It wasn’t easy though. I can remember being at my grandparent’s house in the months leading up to Mom taking that leap. The conversation was tense, my mom was emotional, and even at the age of 6, I could tell it was a heavy moment. Despite the obstacles of opening a salon in our small-town hamlet of Havana, Florida, she went for it.
Watching her manage that venture all these years taught me a great deal about pursuing your dreams. She bought a building, brought other hair stylists by her side, and built a profitable business where her customers loved her for three decades. That’s such a hard thing to do.
My Dad was with her all the way too. I can’t imagine how many times he’s painted “the shop.” There were many trips to mow the yard there, fix plumbing, and install new hardware. Their partnership has always been an inspiration to me.
For many years, I never knew if I’d be able to work up the courage to start my own business. I always dreamed about following in her footsteps though. I knew I wanted to create a “shop” of my own. Seeing the joy Mom derived from her work gave me incredible motivation to try.
Ever since she opened Southern Accents, mom has had a dollar bill hanging in a frame near her chair. It’s signed by my late grandfather, James D. Revell — my namesake. I always thought it was so cool that she kept the first dollar she ever made there and that it came from him. Now, as she’s retiring, I thought perhaps it would be fitting to offer her the last dollar she will make there.
Last week, I was scheduled to deliver a commencement address for the master’s program I teach in at Florida State University. The night before, I realized my hair looked scruffy and a fresh cut would be ideal. So, I called my mom, and asked if she could squeeze me in.
That wasn’t a problem because she had already told all her clients she was done. While she has been looking forward to retirement, it came more suddenly than she had planned due to a broken wrist suffered from a fall one morning this winter. Unable to perform, she decided this was a sign from God that it was finally time to put the combs and rollers down for good.
As you can imagine, there was just as much emotion in that decision as when she made the choice to open the doors. A business owner must love what they do that way. Even though I’ve been getting my haircut in Tallahassee the last few years, I couldn’t let her walk away from her life’s work without getting one last trim in her well-worn chair.
I’m so grateful for all my mother has done for me and all our family through her salon. After she cut my hair, I took out a dollar from my pocket and signed it the same way my grandfather did all those years ago. A loving gesture from two men with the same name, a generation apart, signaled the beginning and end of a beautiful journey.
Mom told me I was going to make her cry. I had to save my tears for the ride back to Tallahassee. It was a special moment. I don’t know how well the speech was received by my students that afternoon, but my haircut sure looked great.
I love you, Mom. Thanks for helping me and so many others look good in your chair.
Jay Revell is president and chief storyteller at Revell Media, a branding and marketing agency in Tallahassee, Florida.
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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: A $1 haircut and lifetime of lessons from Mom | Jay Revell
