Dear Friends,
One of the most memorable nights of my life was 20 years ago, the night before I opened my first salon on Madison Avenue. A bunch of my friends and family came to the shop and we all worked through the night to unpack merchandise and set up the salon together. I was practically electric with anticipation, with no idea what was in store for me. I was opening a kids’ salon, something that hadn’t been done before. Would it sink or sail? I was about to find out. We opened the next morning and, thankfully, the crowds came! It was one of those moments I’ll savor forever.
The weeks, months, years, and now decades that followed were filled with all the excitement and growth of a small business. I had no idea where Cozy’s Cuts for Kids would take me. My focus was never on the future or the past; I was concentrating on listening to the people in front of me, hearing what they wanted and doing my best to give it to them. That’s how I ended up opening more salons, writing a book, and eventually developing my own hair care line.
In fact, I remember the first shipment of SoCozy hair care products that got delivered to my door. I literally unpacked the truck myself, then drove around NYC hand delivering wholesale orders. (That’s an adventure in itself!) It was a very grassroots beginning, but in retrospect, that’s always been part of my success. I have always loved being hands on, getting to know my customers personally, and hearing first-hand what they are looking for. The best ideas continue to come from my little clients and their parents. If I’m proud of anything, it’s that I’ve taken the time to listen to them.
The year 2014 is a monumental year for me. Not only is it our 20-year anniversary, or the year we do our ONE MILLIONTH haircut, but this is the year that SoCozy gets a whole new look. I’ve always been proud of this “baby” of mine, but I’m practically beaming at how she’s grown. Recently, our newly branded SoCozy line was featured in Women’s Wear Daily, including an exciting announcement that SoCozy products will be available soon in retail locations throughout the country.
A lot has changed since that night 20 years ago, but I’ve realized, too, that some things never will: I’ll never stop being excited for what tomorrow brings and I’ll never stop listening to you.
xox,
Cozy
