On my first day working in a salon, I was up earlier than ever. My clothes had been sorted the night before and the journey to work had been timed, but when I arrived I purposefully walked right past the front door—not once, not twice, but three times. I did that because I was nervous, excited and apprehensive about going inside.
I eventually found the courage and I walked in. Immediately I was made to feel welcome and introduced to everyone, shown around and told where to put my things. They taught me what I had to do and showed me how to do it, from making coffee for clients to sweeping the floor, and even how to shampoo.
I felt like I belonged there because that's how the people who worked there made me feel. They went out of their way to make me welcome, and to fit in and make sure that I was enjoying myself. On your first day, your passion for a career in hairdressing is like a glowing ember—it’s fragile and can easily be snuffed out. But if you nurture it, and feed it, it might turn into a roaring inferno.