Saturday morning...

It's been quite a busy week for me.  Good in many ways as it helped allay my anxieties.  Although my usual daily routine has always centred more on news about Edi from his sister, this last week I was doing other tasks as well.

Someone who wanted to open a men's salon asked me to accompany him on a few trips to get his premise started.  It's a very basic salon to offer haircut, shampoo and facials for men only.  I think he can also do "champissage" which is actually massage of the shoulders, neck and scalp: wonderful for those workers sitting in front of a PC the whole day. It seems he also wants to offer traditional malay sinus treatment.

I helped him with some rather basic layout design of his salon.  Also, I did some tentative names for him to consider based on his own preferences.  He already has a working paper detailing his market, expected turnover, expenditures, etc.  These he had previously submitted to the relevant authorities and even to financial institutions.  The only snag at that point in time was he couldn't get a license because the premise he had at that time was designated non-commercial.  The financial institution was ready to offer him a loan if only he could get the license.

We met up with the landlady of the shoplot in a relatively new complex called The Four Seasons in Damansara Damai (a project by MK Holdings) which has not yet received much publicity. However, it seems the property adjacent to the complex will be taken by Giant and will be opened early next year for business.  So hopefully that will generate the necessary publicity and shopper traffic.

What struck me most was the landlady's very positive attitude and independence and pragmatism.  Although at nearly in her 70's, she travelled on her own by bus everywhere.  No one seeing her would ever think she's an owner of a shop, and she is so humble and friendly.  Even the management of the complex are full of praises for her attitude and humility.  I guess her life-long career as a teacher before she retired has made her so.

Now another friend has offered to help out in the interior decor in terms of providing some custom-made posters by doing his own photography.  Perhaps over time when the salon has opened for actual business, I can ask him and some other friends to also give ideas on how to improve the decor a little at a time. 

And why do I want to help this particular person with his project?  My answer is rather simple: he is honest, hardworking, and most of all, sincere and determined in what he aims to do all these while.  But the most important thing is, I find him to be the sort of person who can become a really loyal friend.  I do know I cannot save the world, but at least I do know who I can help along in my own way...