He asked me where do I get my haircut? I was waiting for the punch line because it sounded like a set up, but then looking at his own hippie dippie length hair I realized he actually needed one.
I said I get it cut at the barber shop here in Fair Lawn and they're really good. So he said let's go. I know a lot of people would hesitate to get their haircut at some random place. People are very particular about their hair. But my dad could care less. Let's go.
I usually get my hair cut by a beautiful Israeli woman who knows what she's doing. She doesn't waste time and she's precise. She happened to be there and within 5 minutes my dad was in her chair. I left him in her capable hands and went to the bank. I stopped by the wine store to buy a bottle of Fragolino for the occasion.
When I got back to the barber shop my father's hair was cleanly and neatly shaped. I was gone for maybe 10 minutes tops and she was practically done. My father's first words to me were "This woman is an artist!"
My father is an opinionated man. . When it comes to his judgments, he doesn't pull any punches. They're delivered with the righteousness Jules Winnfield (Samuel L. Jackson) in Pulp Fiction or the weight of James Earl Jones circa FIELD OF DREAMS. You never doubt his word or conviction. The Gods have spoken. As a kid I was used to hearing the other side of the coin, so it's so refreshing to hear a RAVE with enthusiasm coming from my father's mouth.
She shaved the back of his neck. My dad said it must be over 30 years since he's had someone do that. When he got home later he said we have to bring this woman to Florida to his wife.
In the car my father said something that I don't think I'll ever forget. He said she's an artist again, and said "you can easily tell the difference between someone who loves and cares about what they do and someone who's just doing a job. That's why I'm always busy."
He meant it. He takes great care and time with his customers. He leaves no stone unturned in not only building, tweaking and repairing clubs but testing them and informing them of the latest changes swing and technology that can dramatically improve their game.
He goes above and beyond for his customers almost like he's personally responsible for them improving their golf game. I've seen pros teach who don't nearly come close to how much attention and commitment he delivers.
I thought about how I've been in my own business with Lightning Shakes New York. How I treat my clients. How I feel the same level of passion, responsibility and commitment to give them something of great worth. I thought about what our amazing clients say about our level of care and it hit me. This is something I've learned and taken from my father. I've been doing the same thing my entire career and never put the two together.
If you define an artist as someone who is competent, capable, and extremely good at what they do, BUT goes beyond the simple delivery of that ability by offering what amounts to their LOVE and PASSION to you each time then my father is an artist as well. And I have learned from an artist.
Our clients get the very best because I learned from someone who thinks good enough is not good enough. That great is so much better that good. And that artists are to be celebrated and revered because they give you something of such WORTH they make YOU feel happy, alive and thankful.
What a great lesson from a haircut.
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