Today we’d like to introduce you to Christine McMillan.
Hi Christine, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’m a hairstylist and salon owner that has been working in Gwinnett County for the last 16 years.
Over those years, my business has evolved many times. As it had shifted and grown, I realized I wanted it to be something MORE than just a salon. I wanted it to be a living, breathing piece of the community in which it resides.
A balancing act of: good for your body, good for the planet, and good for the community.
Green initiatives are nothing new around here, but how should I connect Rock Paper Scissors Buford with the community?
For me, that meant a portion of every dollar spent in the business gets reinvested back into the community.
The salon is located just a mile from a food bank, so a portion goes to keeping the pantry stocked.
Another portion is earmarked to be spent in local small businesses. Some of those funds go towards amenities to be used in the salon space, and others go into the goodies found inside the Gratitude Bags handed out to every client in the last quarter of the year. This year, they feature a handmade soap from a local maker.
An extension of the Gratitude Bag campaign is aimed at businesses within the surrounding community. A few weeks before Thanksgiving, several small businesses are nominated by my clients. On Small Business Saturday, I select a few of those businesses and gift a self-care bag to EVERY employee working that day. These people are the lifeblood of our community, and a little bit of no-strings-attached gratitude goes a long way.
These portions are commitments to keep me accountable to using the funds within my community.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It’s been very difficult to set boundaries around what community reinvestment looks like.
There are so many ways to participate in the community it was hard to pick a couple and stick to it. Spreading things over too many avenues reduces how effective it can be. I made decisions based on what aligns with my business values and have had to learn to say no.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I specialize in curly hair and scalp care.
I try to make my space a whole experience, taking into account how each client feels and their personality type.
As someone with ADHD, not all spaces are designed for those that are neurodivergent. I allow my clients to customize their appointments to create a space that feels safe, relaxing and reduces the overwhelm.
My sessions are 1-on-1, and you can customize everything from whether we talk, what kind of sensory experience you would like, and even if you want a mirrorless appointment.
I believe in educating and empowering my clients so they can recreate the styles at home or establish new scalp health habits. I talk through the what, why, and how of what I’m doing. Don’t worry about having to remember it all, I send a follow-up email with all the tips and tricks we went over during the session.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
I wish I knew when I started in this industry that you don’t have to do things the way they’ve always been done. Create the world you wish already existed.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.RockPaperScissorsBuford.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/rockpaperscissorsbuford
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/rockpaperscissorsbuford
Image Credits
Honeyroot Photo + Film Lauren Bliss Photo Linden Macy
