Issue link: http://maconmagazine.uberflip.com/i/307965
84 l Macon Magazine aPRiL/MaY 2014 ADVERTISING | WOMEN IN BUSINESS HOW DID YOUR CAREER PATH LEAD YOU TO YOUR CURRENT PROFESSION? When I moved to Georgia I applied for a full time job at an apparel shop in Fort Valley, where they were only hiring for the Christmas season. After my seventh visit to the Par- San in two weeks, they gave in and hired me full time. So much of how I run my business came from what I learned there as a sales clerk, buyer and manager. A year later I opened Karats & Keepsakes in a small space in Forsyth. As the business grew, we moved the shop to Macon. We have been in two locations, and for over 27 years we've followed fashion, keeping right on trend with what is current in the women and teen apparel market. WHAT ARE YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGES? I have a great customer base that has been loyal to me for years. But I think any small business in town would say more people should shop locally. Studies show that for every $100 you spend in locally owned independent businesses, $68 comes back to the community through taxes, payroll & other expenditures. WHO INFLUENCED YOU THE MOST TO PURSUE YOUR CAREER GOALS? I can hear my Dad saying, "Julie, you can do anything you want to do!" Those words, along with my Mom's motivation, made me believe I could really make my dreams come true. My parents stood behind every business decision I made while encouraging me to reach for greater success. WHAT IS MOST REWARDING ABOUT YOUR JOB? First and foremost, seeing my customers happy! There isn't anything more satisfying than seeing someone come out of the dressing room with a smile on her face, because she has found that perfect dress or outfit or accessory. WHERE DO YOU ENVISION YOURSELF FIVE YEARS FROM NOW? After 35 years in retail you might think I would consider retirement, but nothing could be further from my mind. I really love what I do! And I will continue advocating for autism awareness & fighting for better services for the autism community. On April 24th, we will host the 8th annual Cocktails & Cupcakes, which has helped us raise more than $25,000 for Central Georgia Autism and other autism organizations. 4524 Forsyth Rd., Ste. 202 | Macon, GA 31210 facebook.com/karatsandkeepsakesboutique 478.471.6688 Julie Evans HOW DID YOUR CAREER PATH LEAD YOU TO YOUR CURRENT PROFESSION? I have had an interesting career path -- sort of meandering through a variety of creations. My mother discouraged me from becoming an artist (because she said I would be poor)…so being the obedient daughter that I am I steered into a BS in Home Economics which was related but could afford me the opportunity to teach as well as excel at home management, motherhood, and design at the same time, all of which she approved. After studying design in graduate school I practiced my skills at Ethan Alan Carriage House. It did not hurt that I had worked in my father's home furnishings business while growing up. During my years of child rearing I had a home based custom dressmaking and design business which was so successful that I finally had to just quit because I did not want to expand and hire help. I veered into my long lasting fitness business which did not require me to push my children aside in the car to make room for fabrics, wallpaper samples, and paint. Now I am back into design which is a great pleasure to me. WHAT IS MOST REWARDING ABOUT YOUR JOB? It is a joy to me to work with people to put together the colors and styles that bring out the loveliest features of the art and photographic images that our customers wish to have framed. I plan to continue this work throughout the remainder of my working years and perhaps nurture that artist's gene which I have dabbled with from time to time. TELL US MORE ABOUT FRAMEWORKS. My new business, FRAMEWORKS, is in conjunction with F Stop and the same location, but exclusively custom framing. We also do repair, replace matboard, replace glass and re-frame time worn work. We are helping a lot of photography customers who would have gone elsewhere to get their framing done. Being in one location is very beneficial to our customers. 2952 Vineville Avenue | Macon, GA 31204 www.fstopfotopro.com | 478.254.2310 Miriam Langley F Stop Photography | Frameworks ADVERTISING | WOMEN IN BUSINESS 4524 Forsyth Rd., Ste. 102 | Macon, GA 31210 Coming soon: 1520 Bass Rd. | Macon, GA 31210 www.signaturesalonmacon.com | 478.474.4856 HOW DID YOUR CAREER PATH LEAD YOU TO YOUR CURRENT PROFESSION? Cosmetology has been an interest ever since I was young. I had a wonderful mentor at a local salon who told me that I could not only have a career doing something fun with flexible hours, but that I could be a positive influence. After enrolling in cosmetology school, I worked at a salon and fell in love, interacting with people and making them feel and look their very best! The relationships that I have developed through this inspiring industry have also been the driving factor behind the dream of our new location on Bass Road! I am excited to give Macon a new space to come and feel beautiful, as well as, give my amazing team of stylists a wonderful place to follow their dreams. WHAT ARE YOUR BIGGEST CAREER CHALLENGES? The biggest challenge with a career in cosmetology is changing the way the industry is sometimes perceived. It is important to me to change the mindset around choosing to be a hairstylist for a living. I believe that you can be successful as a cosmetologist and have a wonderful career doing something you love. Instead of being the "shop", we are a "company"! Instead of being a "hairdresser", we are "service providers"! And our new location on Bass Road will give our current stylists the room to grow in their careers as well as offer a positive career path for budding cosmetologists. WHO INFLUENCED YOU THE MOST TO PURSUE YOUR CAREER GOALS? My parents have always encouraged me to go after my dreams and to never give up. They have helped me from the very beginning when I decided to open my own salon and continue to cheer me on as we construct our new location! Failure does not have to be an option. When you have the most wonderful people supporting you, it never will be! WHAT IS MOST REWARDING ABOUT YOUR JOB? The people! Yes, playing with hair and makeup is fun, but interacting with clients and my team of stylists is the best thing! I will never get tired of making someone feel incredible after getting a fabulous new hair color, a fresh cut, or a bright lip color! Growing young stylists is also an inspiring perk. WHERE DO YOU ENVISION YOURSELF FIVE YEARS FROM NOW? In the future, I see Signature Salon as a beacon of hope for stylists who are struggling with the old way of thinking, who are tired of not having a proven plan for success. I want to offer a salon that can provide the inspiration and the courage they need to provide for their best cosmetology career. I hope that new clients will love Signature Salon not only because they leave with an amazing Signature 'do, but also because they will be surrounded by a fabulous atmosphere! Nichole Mitchell Brewer Signature Salon