My Brazilian Wax Will Help End the Recession

Ah, the Recession.  It feels overwhelming to even ask, but what are we supposed to do while waiting for the great economic engine to kick back in?  Me?  I am going to promote those small businesses that I love, or at least the businesses of people I love.  After all, for every small business that fails it means a few more jobs lost, another home into foreclosure and more people displaced from the fabric of our lives.  We must realize, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, one of every two persons in the private workforce of the United States either runs or works for a small business.

It is for this reason that I will be getting a Brazilian wax this week.  I’ll tell you I’ve only had one in my lifetime.  I don’t know that I enjoyed or disliked it.  I guess I never got another one simply because I didn’t see the need for it in my life.  But hey, this is a RECESSION and when the going gets tough…..well I get waxed.

Seriously?  Yes.  There is a local business called “Box Waxing” (clever, huh), that is operated by a really wonderful mom named Bree Goldwater and her often brilliant husband Jason.  You can get the formal info on them by clicking here, but personally I can tell you that Bree is one of those amazing women who is raising two incredible kids, working 50+ hours per week (even when her back goes out), is always ready to help a friend in trouble, supports charities that the rest of us never even knew we should care about and always has a gorgeous smile when Rome is burning.

The hairy part of the story is, as you can imagine, when people start cutting out discretionary spending, the bottle of Nair makes a resurgence and professional waxing takes a hit.  As a good citizen, I will not stand unkemptly by and let this happen.  Box Waxing, like many small businesses all around you today, employees people.  It also pays rent as one of the few remaining tenants in a commercial plaza that once boasted of being at Las Vegas’ busiest intersection.  It’s all a chain effect.

A recent Fed survey shows the Recession may be over, but I’m not so sure about this.  After all, if this Recession has ended, then why are people still facing the fear of foreclosure in a few months?  Why have their businesses dropped off to the point that they are unable to afford their original mortgage amount, let alone the 125% increase that their current payment represents after the ARM kicked in? Why did two separate businesses cancel their contracts for overflow parking with my church, resulting in a $60,000 annual loss in revenue – a loss my church can hardly afford?  Why are my children’s friends having to change schools in search of lesser tuition?  Why are people with graduate degrees applying for housekeeper positions just to have some source of income?  I suppose I could go on and one with these questions.  The end result remains that as the person at the end of the economic chain, I just don’t see where this Recession has ended or is ending.  The hurt continues for those that I love and care about.  My heart is beyond heavy.

Real talk?  We know that announcing the end of the Recession is really just spin on a technical position of the economy.  Newsweek’s Daniel Gross nailed it, stating:

[W]hen economists proclaim a recession over, they’re celebrating a technicality: they mean economic output has stopped contracting. And while that is good news, you might wait a while before adding Judy Garland’s rendition of “Happy Days Are Here Again” to your iPod. GDP growth alone can’t feed a family, or pay a mortgage. Cursed with a high national debt load and blessed with a dynamic, growing workforce, the U.S. economy needs annual growth of at least 1.5 percent just to feel like we’re standing still.

So with all that being said, I will be losing some hair this week….and while that may not be your cross to bear in these uncertain economic times, look around and see where you can throw your support to help out a small business or other organization.  For more information about the importance of small business and what you can do to help, visit the National Small Business Association online.  I love their motto, “Think Big, Start Small.”

Love and mys-adventures to all.

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