RE-IMAGINE the future
We are so inspired by the creative ways our Makers are staying connected through this year! Many of our Makers are entrepreneurial leaders in their communities and have been affected by the multiple lockdown restrictions. We are so excited to share Margaret T., Nail Salon owner, who actively created a way to stay connected with her clients and even bring her closer with them through the holidays!
Here is her story:
Like many businesses, Margaret’s nail salon has been impacted by the stay at home order in California for most of the year. With her WORD, RE-IMAGINE, she shares, “I chose RE-IMAGINE because I wanted to remind myself that I don't have to do things the way I've always done them. It's time to think outside my comfort zone and re-imagine how I could do something or be something different. A re-imagined version of myself. Because COVID-19 has changed the way I perform services in my salon, I needed a positive reminder that there's always a new or different way to do things.” She shares how she was able to get creative with making ends meet, “COVID has been an emotional roller coaster ride for me. My income was cut drastically and thankfully I was able to get unemployment, a PPP Loan as well as use my sewing skills to make fabric masks. I even made custom masks for my clients as a gift for when they were able to return to the salon. I've stayed in touch with my clients with regular emails, texts, and phone calls. Some I've seen in person when they come to pick up curbside orders.”
Having such a tremendous support network of clients, she always sends a bit of love and appreciation to them around the holidays. Margaret says, “During the summer months I usually start thinking about what I'd like to give my clients as an Appreciation Gift. Being away from my clients in person was and has been very challenging. My heart goes out to them, especially my clients that aren't able to care for their own nails and feet. Some were literally in pain, and there wasn't anything I could do about it. I liked the interactiveness of asking what their WORD was. It also helped me understand more about my clients on a personal level. I heard back many times on how enlightening the process was for choosing their WORD or phrase. The response was fantastic, and I made a total of 56 bracelets for clients as Christmas presents.”
In addition to the 56 she created for her clients, Margaret also stamped 5 bracelets as gifts for family and friends. She shares one story that moved her, “One friend ordered 2 bracelets with the word MEMORIES, one for her and one for her daughter. Her family has been through a lot last year. Her husband, who was an administrator for a nursing home, got COVID-19, and was very sick. He recovered, but it was a hard 5 weeks that he was sick. He lost 4 co-workers in his facility. She was in charge of homeschooling their 3 children while caring for her husband, running her own business, and doing her best to keep some sense of calm and stability for her family. They managed to make some wonderful memories. She wanted to instill in her daughter, who is 8, to be present in the moment so that the MEMORIES of each day would have deep meaning and not to take any time spent with family and friends for granted. She also wanted to embrace change knowing that with each new experience, there is the opportunity to create more memories. They learned to take the good and the bad and make the best of it.”
With this EMPOWERED community’s support, each student can SHOW UP everyday to live the life they want!
Embracing the present moment with compassion, Margaret reveals her favorite part of being a MyIntent Maker, “My favorite part about being a Maker is the actual making part. I really enjoy the process of stamping. I need to be fully present and focused when I stamp so I don't make mistakes or hit my fingers, which I've done a few times! Now when I stamp, I'm 100% in the process, and it's relaxing.”
Margaret’s Pro-Maker Tip: The stamping post is such a simple but effective tool, and you really can tell the difference in how the stamping turns out, not to mention how it cuts down on the noise level, something my husband appreciates.