Good evening lambs!
Thanks so much for checking the blog! It's been exactly one month since my last post. I have neglected this blog horribly. Tonight, it's about 8pm and I'm finishing a Corona and lime at Studio JRy and brewing some much-needed coffee. You know me! Constant coffee lover.
Well, this week has been challenging, I must say. My patience and time and integrity have all been tested in the past couple weeks. I hope that at the end of this week, the event "Dancing with the Pueblo Starz" makes me smile. Last week, we had our fashion competition "So You Want To Be A Fashion Designer" and it was awesome! Today, a local paper printed extensively regarding the event and with as many press photos as I took last week, I was surprise NOT to be in the print edition at all. This was, for me, another bash to my ego. It seems as though the public in SoCo has put themselves on a Josh Cooley-detox. (I'll reflect on this detox later)...
In very good news, my longing to educate and possibly do hair shows again has come to some amazing news. The manufacturer Joico has come calling. I absolutely adore this brand and cannot wait to get on board. The sad part about my first phone interview today was that they wanted me to start doing training Monday (that's less than three days away). For me, it was very hard when I did work for CHI because of my growing popularity in the salon. As much as I feel "unwanted" this week, this is still an issue. I have to trust that if the Universe feels its time for me to take on this opportunity, time will be made available.
I do feel as though this will be a magnificent pairing and hope to get started in-training this fall.
Tonight has been a hodge podge of thoughts.. mostly "what to wear" for "Dancing..." ...last year was a hit and I have no clue as to what look I'm going for. I've taken my "Rockstar chic" vibe and gone a bit more humble. Think: retired Rockstar in Beverly Hills. My life has changed significantly in the past eight months to a more mellow me. However, my staunch business savvy and firey mouth are still getting me in trouble.
Now to explain the Josh Cooley Detox:
Please understand that my clients mean the utmost to me. Always have, always will. I did, however, hit a point in my career where I had some bug-a-boos in my roster. Always blowing up my Blackberry, always making critiques of my views on Facebook, YouTube and publicly and I hit a point one day where I was over it.
As I went to the neighborhood bar to decompress one evening, I overheard another business over talking about a smaller business on his block. He dogged this poor lady to pieces. She wasn't there to defend herself and I, of course, as a business associate and friend, went to bat for her. I was so angry after my words exchanged with him that I came home and turned on my Blackberry to be greeted by six messages, three voicemails and an email, all of which were reschedules, cancellations for no reason or complaints. All I could think was, "what the fuck? Really people?"
I started to video blog as I do.
In the vlog titled, "You don't get it. So shut up!" I describe what frustration I had for this man and his views of small business and even touch base on bug-a-boo people in my life. As I posted, I knew it was a bit honest, I just didn't care. We watch reality tv shows all day and still watch these pseud-celebrities and talk shit all day on Facebook, but my little vlog caused quite the stir with many people. Not just clients, but business associates and friends.
"You called people stupid" said one friend.
"So I'm replaceable, eh?" said a client.
"That video made me want to cry, Josh" said one business associate.
"I told you, the internet is no damn good" said my mom.
A week or two later, I recieved an email from a former client calling me "condescending", "negative" and "difficult to work with".
Did I fuck up? Maybe.
Do I think I was rude in the video. No.
I really truly believe I was honest. My tone in the video is not a mean tone nor a negative one. I do, however, feel that people watching need to take a deep breath and understand that not everything in our pretty little world is always sugary and sweet. As real as I am, I am not an angry person. I am passionate. As passionate as I am, sometimes ill-minded business associates and client urk me. But... this is 2012, people and we ALL have the right to express our feelings, thoughts,etc.
I think for most people, me defending my words shocks people because I do not hide behind the screen. If you asked me what I said, I own it... I do not hide behind my persona. This is me. I am real.
As I re-read this clients email, she said she could never consider herself a client of mine because I deleted her from Facebook. Well, honey, grow up. Buckle up, because Facebook is not the hardest pill you will have to swallow in life. She also mocked me and my success and was very sarcastic in her email. I'll let her have that. She was angry. Would I have been angry? No. Irritated maybe. But I will say this, and stand by it, the video was NOT about her. She misinterpreted the video and assumed it was.
Sad for her because I really kinda liked her. and really kinda liked her business.
I have evaluated this situation all week only to have a well-deserved meeting with my executive team at Rockstars and Lambs LTD.
What to expect at the salon is a new menu, new services, new pricing structure and new retail starting September 01. What the Studio JRy branch of my business had to do was alter/edit the way we use social media. As of now and from now until forever, both the Josh Cooley and Rockstars + Lambs Facebook pages are ONLY business or hair or fashion related. No more negative posts, rants or personal sentiments... maybe a spiritual lesson or two. The FB page will also deliver the vlogs and blogs as usual. My YouTube channel and blog will remain the same because, truly, I like them that way. This is ME behind the scenes. No bullshit. No Fluff.
I like to keep it real... and it will stay that way. Can't wait to see you at "Dancing with the Pueblo Starz"!
Mouth and all,
Josh Cooley
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