If You Do Nothing, You Get Nothing

“The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be
our doubts of today.”  
- Franklin Delano Roosevelt

After a few weeks out of the Army and back in New York trying to figure out what to do next and how to support my growing family, I was excited to tell my wife, Fritzie, that I wanted to be a hairstylist. 

So I began my training at the Wilfred Academy Beauty School in New York City on Broadway and 51st Street right next door to Lindy’s Restaurant.  I was pleased when the owner told me that tuition would be free under the G.I. Bill.  Now that the money was covered, I would begin classes in January.  Fritzie and I wanted our own apartment so we quickly moved into an apartment in Brooklyn on East 15th Street off Kings Highway in the heart of Flatbush.  It was next to the train station and we had to bang on the pipes for heat.  We were always freezing and had to dress for bed in turtlenecks, socks, sweatpants and lots of blankets. But we were happy.

I needed money for rent and food so I took a job during the day with Fuller Brush in door-to-door sales.  I sold a lot of toothbrushes in my territory of the Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn.  I remember so well that whenever it got slow and sales weren’t good, I could go to Perry Como’s mother.   She lived in the area, and I could always count on her to buy something from me.   Thank you, marvelous Mrs. Como, wherever you are.  What a talent your son brought to the world. 

That job wasn’t really enough to live on, so I took a job in Abrams Carriage and Children’s Furniture Store to supplement my income.  I worked Fuller Brush from Monday to Friday, Wilfred Academy on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday nights and at the furniture store on weekends.  One main reason I took the job at the furniture store was so I could buy my new baby things at a discount and get paid by the hour.

I quickly took to my craft and, after graduation, I started to work in Brooklyn, making $60 to $70 per week plus tips, while getting exposure to people in all walks of life.  I’d never realized how much a part of everyday life a hairstylist plays.  The relationships formed, the bonds made, the camaraderie with clients – it was all addictive to me.  The passion to get better and better at a skill really got into my blood, and I couldn’t get enough education.  I went to Clairol, L’Oreal, and Rayette schools at night for more certifications, learning more about coloring, permanent waves - really mastering the craft.  All the while, I learned about relationships like never before.  The truth is I was good -- never the most highly skilled or talented, but my personality made up for anything that was missing.

This is when I truly started asking the question, “How Can I Help You?” on a daily basis and to everyone I encountered.