More Than Hair: A Day Behind the Chair at Capozzi & Co.

There are days in the salon that fly by so quickly you barely have time to catch your breath. Then there are days that remind you exactly why you chose this profession in the first place.

Yesterday was one of those days.

I arrived at the salon thirty minutes early to accommodate a client I had previously rescheduled after the passing of a lifelong family friend. It was important to me that he was taken care of, and that set the tone for the entire day.

From 8:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m., there was never a moment of stillness.

Questions came from the front desk team. Our Young Talents sought guidance during consultations and services. Clients arrived with different goals, different lifestyles, and different challenges. As hairstylists, we are often asked to be artists, problem-solvers, listeners, educators, and therapists—all within the same appointment.

One of my first guests, Dino, arrived in his wheelchair. Haircutting in a wheelchair requires a different level of physical adaptability. There is no raising or lowering the chair to achieve the perfect working position. Instead, I adjust myself. Every client deserves the same precision and attention to detail, regardless of circumstance.

Later in the morning, Gloria sat in my chair. A longtime client with gorgeous, thick hair, she wanted more brightness and dimension throughout her hair while still maintaining the soft, luxurious look she loves. The challenge wasn't just technical. It was helping her trust the process. To achieve the result she wanted, I needed to create more lightness than she was initially comfortable with. Through consultation and communication, we moved forward together. When she looked in the mirror and said, "I love it," I knew we had achieved exactly what she was hoping for.

One of the most technically challenging transformations of the day involved a young medical student with beautiful, waist-length level 2 hair. She wanted something many clients ask for but few believe is possible: more impact with less maintenance.

She wanted her hair to appear rich chocolate brown indoors while revealing only the slightest hint of warmth when the light struck it. She wanted dimension without obvious highlights. She wanted beauty without damage. Most importantly, she wanted to extend the time between salon visits because of the demands of medical school.

Through careful consultation, strategic lightening, custom color placement, and a haircut designed to preserve both movement and density, we created a result that gave her exactly what she was seeking. Chocolate brown. Soft reflection. Minimal maintenance. Maximum impact.

That challenge alone could have filled an entire day.

But the day continued.

There was Theresa, a psychologist whose conversations I always enjoy and whose abundant auburn hair reminds me why patience is one of a stylist's greatest virtues.

There was Zach, a new resident of our community who had recently relocated from South Carolina. By the time he sat in my chair, I was already behind schedule. Still, I believed he deserved the same consultation and attention as every guest who visits our salon. His haircut required careful consideration of strong wave patterns and directional growth. When his wife saw the finished result, she immediately wanted to schedule an appointment of her own.

There was Kristine, who first came to us after winning a raffle basket we donated to a local charitable organization. Two years later, she remains a loyal client. During her visit, we introduced our new Color Veil service, which she absolutely loved.

Then came Mary, a former schoolteacher whose warmth and openness make every appointment enjoyable. As I evaluated her hair, I realized we needed to adjust our original plan. Her shape was beginning to round out more than I wanted. Instead of following the predetermined roadmap, I changed direction, performing a dry haircut before her color service. The moment she looked in the mirror, she immediately noticed the difference.

Those are the moments that remind me why experience matters.

Not because experience teaches you what to do.

Because experience teaches you when to change course.

My final client of the evening was Tracy, an esthetician, mother of two, and naturally curly-haired guest preparing for a special date night with her husband. Curly hair demands its own unique approach. Her haircut was performed using our curly hair protocol, but the final style needed to be a smooth, voluminous blowout. That meant trusting the design from the very beginning because I wouldn't have the opportunity to see the final curl pattern before she left.

Thankfully, when she saw the finished result, her response was simple:

"I LOVE it."

Throughout the day, my coworkers stepped in repeatedly to assist with partial blowouts and finishing work. Their support helped keep the day moving and reminded me of something I have always believed:

Great salons are not built by individuals.

They are built by teams.

As I reflect on the day, I don't find myself thinking about formulas, foils, haircutting techniques, or blowouts.

I think about the people.

The trust they place in us.

The stories they share.

The celebrations, challenges, milestones, and moments that bring them into our chairs.

For more than three decades, I have had the privilege of helping people look and feel their best. It is a responsibility I never take lightly.

To every guest who chooses Capozzi & Co. Salon, and to every member of our team who helps make those experiences possible:

Thank you.

We are grateful for every single one of you.

--R. Anthony Capozzi