Mothers and Daughters Working together
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Samantha Herron & JoAnne Snook
others and daughters are complex creatures. Sometimes best friends, sometimes worst antagonist, often within seconds of each other. Throw in a business partnership and life gets really interesting. Here at the Heckled Hen Antiques, my daughter Samantha and I are prime examples of this. We are best friends, business partners, partners in grime and crime, mutual antagonists on some subjects, each other’s staunchest supporters at all times and always the first in line to give each other a firm kick in the pants. Samantha has been involved in my business ventures since the days before having a store front. She always loved setting up at shows and constantly surprised people with the product knowledge she had acquired while ‘picking’ and researching with me. Bringing my daughter on as a business partner has been rewarding, frustrating, educational, and the best thing I ever did. It has taught me that yes, someone besides myself can make a decision, that some of my ideas are as archaic as hers are innovative, and most of all, that my daughter is intelligent, beautiful inside and out, and an excellent negotiator. I say that tongue-in-cheek since I knew by the time she turned two that she could make you wonder why you said that brownies and ice cream for dinner was a bad idea. Her infectious enthusiasm has cinched many a deal. I’ve learned that sometimes I need to shut up and listen. Hopefully she has learned that her mom is not a total idiot. She has taught me how to research on the computer. Hopefully she has learned to listen to what our customers really want to see in the store. She has taught me that just because I don’t read certain publications, others do. I have taught her that coupons don’t work in this business. She has taught me how media driven the current generation is and how to adapt our business to this. I have taught her how much more personal the service can be going old school. It hasn’t always been smooth sailing. We’ve been in many heated, teary arguments. We’ve agreed to disagree too many times to count. I feel blessed to have her by my side everyday and to have my beautiful grandchild in each afternoon. She feels blessed to be able to bring her child in anytime and to be respected for her knowledge. At the end of the day we are still mother and daughter, best friends, favorite antagonists, staunchest allies, and quickest to praise and criticize.
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WOUNY.COM • MAY 2015
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Marion Kramer & Kelly Mulpagano
arion Kramer at a young age did not image becoming a hair stylist, in fact she wanted to be a teacher, but after a short time she decided that was not for her. She heard about Cosmetology classes offered at the once known Central Tech. and signed up for the program. She did this while in high school and once into it knew that was what she wanted to do. That was in 1968. Her career began, and along with marriage and a daughter Kelly. Kelly Mulpagano who loved to watch her mother do hair, at 19 also became a stylist. Marion tried to encourage Kelly to go to college, but she was set on doing hair. Kelly went on to cosmetology school and received her license too. Both mother and daughter were working at different salons, until 2006 when a fellow stylist approached Marion and because of health issues could no longer do hair, offered her to take the salon over. She suggested that Marion and Kelly take it over together. At first she was hesitant, but her husband convinced her to do it. Her daughter Kelly was pretty well set at the salon she was working for, and didn’t really like change. But with a little bit of nudging Marion convinced her to do it. Their salon is Hair and Body in Liverpool, NY which they started together in 2006, now let’s fast forward to 2015, they are still going strong. Marion’s take on working together; “I am from the old school and Kelly is from the new school. I bring wisdom and experience and Kelly brings youth and freshness”. “We compliment each other; we ask each other for advise on different things. We both have our own clientele”. Marion says that having her daughter Kelly at the salon brings a sense of balance to it. We are very comfortable with each other and there are times when we don’t see eye to eye, but that is with every mother and daughter relationship. The two mix it up and can cater to any of their client base. As mother and daughter relationships go, they always got along well together and never had problems working together. Kelly also has a 2 year old daughter and when she comes to the salon, she is very comfortable there. Will she be the next generation of stylist? Time will tell.