I'm a college professor new to the Charlotte area, with my first faculty meeting scheduled for the next day, and with my hair and beard having me looking like an aging hippie. (There's some truth to that, but I needed to look respectable enough to teach law students.) Over the past eight months in the Charlotte area, I have walked away from every haircut and beard trim saying to myself, ""Oh, well, hair grows back and I'll try somewhere else."" After reading great reviews on Angieslist, I called Savvy Salon late in the afternoon and they gave me an appointment for an hour and a half later! My young stylist, Lindsay, listened carefully as I told her what I wanted and then she asked questions to clarify my wants and make sure that she understood. As she clipped, she asked more questions and I ""coached"" her. I always coach a new stylist, because my hair and beard are a bit challenging and I've learned a lot about what works and what doesn't. Lindsay listened and then clipped accordingly. When I start with a new stylist, he/she MUST be coachable for me to get a good result. The others I had gone to in the Charlotte area were not good listeners or they listened to my instructions and then did it THEIR WAY.
When I asked Lindsay if she was good with beards, she said, ""I really don't have much experience with beards."" Honesty! Amazing! Several of my previous Charlotte area stylists had said ""yes"" but almost as soon as they started cutting, I knew that my beard was in trouble. Lindsay asked around among the other members of ""the team."" A couple of the stylists said they could do a good beard trim, but they had clients in their chairs. The owner of Savvy Salon, Pat Helmandollar, had been paying attention to all of this. She came over, picked up a pair of shears (the only way for me to get a good beard trim - never an electric trimmer) but trimming a beard with shears requires a lot more skill and more time. Pat taught Lindsay as she gave me one of the best beard trims I've ever had.
All of the people at Savvy were warm, welcoming, client-centered - focused on giving me the best possible service and the best possible experience. I was delighted to be there! For my next appointment, I am scheduled to see Lindsay for my haircut and then another stylist who is experienced and skilled in trimming beards. They really do work as a team!
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