Page 51 of Knot Your Sunshine
"From the owners," she says with a knowing smile. "They insisted you needed protein."
I smile gratefully and grab the first shrimp. It crunches between my teeth, sweet coconut giving way to perfectly cooked shellfish. The sauce has a kick that makes my eyes water in the best way.
I take another bite and keep typing.
This isn't about maximizing profit per chair. It's about maximizing impact per day. Although yes, you'll likely earn well, because clients return to hairstylists who see them as humans, not credit cards.
Through the window, a seal's whiskered face pops up barely ten feet from the glass, at the edges of the tidal pools. It blinks at me with liquid eyes, then disappears beneath the surface.
"Tough crowd," I mutter to where it vanished. "Not impressed with my writing?"
But the words are flowing now.
We're opening applications for ten pilot locations. Real support that actually helps. We're proving that community-focused businesses aren't just sustainable, they're the future.
Now for the visual. I pull up a quick design app. Scissors are too obvious. A heart is too cheesy.
What about... I sketch quickly. Two hands, one holding scissors, one reaching out. They almost touch, like that Michelangelo painting.
No, too pretentious.
A hibiscus with scissors for stamens?
Pretty, but not quite right.
Then it hits me. I draw a simple salon chair outline. But where someone would sit, there's a heart. Clean. Simple. Says everything.
This is where transformation happens.
I add the image to the post. The whole thing fills my screen, part manifesto, part love letter, part battle cry.
The server returns with a tall glass of something pink and frosty. "Also from the owners. They said hydration is important."
The drink tastes like guava and lime had a perfect tropical baby. I take another sip and realize I actually was parched. How did they know?
My phone buzzes with a text in our group chat.
Josh:Eating?
I grin and snap a photo of the empty shrimp plate.
Keanu:Excellent. And the seal you probably saw is George. He's a regular.
Me:You named the seal?
Noa:The café did. They say he judges everyone's food choices.
Me:That explains the look he gave me. Thought he was critiquing my writing.
Keanu:George allegedly is a tough critic.
Me:My thoughts exactly.
I put down my phone, smiling like an idiot.
Time to finish this.
I quickly create a Google form for applications. Nothing fancy, but the questions matter:
