Good Neighbor Podcast: Palmer
Bringing together local businesses and neighbors of Palmer. Good Neighbor Podcast Palmer MA hosted by Liz Lemon helps residents to connection with local doctors, lawyers, financial advisors, insurance agents and other business owners in and around Palmer, and other Massachusetts Communities. Helping neighbors to become friends while introducing them to local businesses and charities is my goal.
With 29+ years of hard work, my career began in Graphic Design. Evolving to TV Production, Newscast Directing, Technical Producing, and Filmmaking. In addition, Sales, Marketing, and Advertising across various platforms, while always exceeding expectations. Then transitioning to the Entertainment and Sports Industries, I specializes in Special Events, Promotions, VIP Services, Live Events and Security, expanding Nationally at various Stadiums, and Concert Venues.
Passionate about learning and diverse topics, I love sports, especially the New England Patriots, the NFL, and NASCAR. An avid outdoors enthusiast, I also enjoy swimming, hiking, and exploring new places while photographing, digitally recording each one . Excited about my new role as PPM Area Media Executive at Podcast Plus Media, I'm ready for this new Adventure of a Lifetime, continuing to connect with people and exceed expectations in the local community.
Is your business serving the residents of Palmer? Then, we need to talk! Visit gnpPalmer.com or to schedule your free interview.
Good Neighbor Podcast: Palmer
EP# 75: Beauty on the Move: Terese Napoli's Inspiring Journey from Cosmetology to Community Entrepreneurship
How does a cosmetology graduate transform into an entrepreneur making significant community impacts? Terese Napoli reveals her incredible journey from beauty school to founding Especially For You In-Home Services. Listen as she shares the highs and lows of providing mobile hair services to the elderly and disabled, and the special joy she finds in working with children and young adults on the autism spectrum. Her dedication to ensuring client safety and focusing on cuts and styles showcases her commitment to making a difference, despite the myriad challenges she faces.
Celebrating Terese's unwavering dedication, we explore how she travels across various towns to offer her invaluable services. Her story is one of empowerment, resilience, and community spirit, inspiring listeners to recognize and support outstanding local businesses. With heartfelt well-wishes for Terese's continued success, this episode underscores the importance of community service and the profound impact one individual can make. Don't miss this inspiring conversation that highlights the significance of compassion and dedication in building a thriving business.
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Liz Lemon.
Speaker 2:Welcome to Good Neighbor Podcast. Are you in need of some home services? Shockingly, they might be closer than you think. Today I have the pleasure of introducing your neighbor, therese Napoli, with, especially For you, in-home Services. How are you today, therese?
Speaker 3:I'm great. How are you?
Speaker 2:Great, we're excited to learn all about your business. Please tell us about, especially For you, in-home Services.
Speaker 3:Well, I started out many, many not really that many but a few years back. My parents both needed hair services. They were both elderly and couldn't get to either the barbershop or the salon, and after I divorced my second husband, I needed to go back to doing something. I had two young boys at the time. One was just two years old, the other one was five years old. So I went to school for cosmetology at K Harvey and I graduated about let's see here, 11 years ago, 12 years ago and 14. Yeah, 2014. And about two years after that, I started my business especially for you, in-home services. So I was licensed and insured still am, and they just recently I think it's like in the last five years the state added mobile hair to it and you can get certified for just doing mobile hair, and that certification lasts as long as your license is valid. So that's what I've been doing for about eight years.
Speaker 2:That's fantastic. How did you get into the business? How did you come across and want to start in the in-home services?
Speaker 3:Well, I worked in typical hairstyling salons for about two years and I had enough credits behind me to get started. I personally I'm the kind of person that just doesn't like the bickering or the backstabbing that. I mean it happens in every job and I did medical billing for 25 years and it certainly happened there. But in salons it's a lot smaller, it's a lot more personal and it's not fun when it's around your clients and you're getting personally attacked. So I decided on starting my own business and I absolutely love it and my boss. It's my business. I created it from scratch the floor up and it's doing well. I'm busy.
Speaker 2:That's good, that's good Love what you do and do what you love. Right, you got it.
Speaker 3:Absolutely.
Speaker 2:What are the myths and misconceptions within the in-home services industry?
Speaker 3:Well, I think the hardest part for a lot of the clients that I take care of, they're all disabled or they are unable to get to a salon because of mobility issues. Unfortunately, if they can't get to a sink or stand at the sink and they're used to getting their beautiful little perms or the hair color, still it's hard to say no. And I've tried it in different situations and I just look back and say well, guess what? You didn't tell me the truth. You said that you could stand and you can't, and she fell on top of me. So I really set the limits about just going in.
Speaker 3:Either I can wash their hair at the sink, because I have this neck thing that they can put their heads back, but that wouldn't fend very well with getting a perm or a hair color, but that wouldn't fend very well with getting a perm or hair color. So I've kind of backed off on the hair color and perming. I just do cuts and styles, or I can do a set, a hot set, with the iron curler or, if they want, the old-fashioned rollers.
Speaker 2:I've got the stuff for that too. That's good. I like the old-fashioned rollers too. There's something about them, right? It is for that too.
Speaker 3:That's good. I like the old-fashioned rollers too.
Speaker 2:Something about them right? Just nostalgia, it is. Yep, I'm sorry, oh no, sorry. That's very important as well what you do, going into people's homes and helping them out when they're not able to be mobile, so that's very inspiring for sure, thank you.
Speaker 3:I also take care. I have a couple children and young adults that are on the autism spectrum too, and it's great working with everybody. I love it. I think I get more out of it than they do, and I end every session with a client. I have to have my hug, and they get their hugs. It's awesome.
Speaker 2:That's a good thing. That's a good thing. You enjoy what you do. That's fantastic. I do Outside of work, even though it does sound somewhat fun.
Speaker 3:How do you keep busy? What do you do for fun? Hi, well, I have other hairstylists that I have become very close to. We'll just go out have something to eat. I'm 60 years old, I'm not a partier, but I do that, and I work out at what is it called Planet Fitness in Springfield, too, at least three times a week, and I have young kids that keep me very busy at least three times a week, and I have young kids that keep me very busy.
Speaker 3:I have a son that has mental health situations and he's actually just started independent living in his own apartment about two weeks ago. So I still have to stay very involved with getting his supports. And I also have a 16 year old that just had scoliosis surgery and he had two rods put in his back and a whole bunch of screws to keep them in place. But he's doing phenomenal and I was there from the beginning of surgery until after he got out of what is it called recovery, and I got some cute videos on that one. But he was funny. He was singing a song that he likes for me. It was about a single mom raising her kids alone and everything and how much he loved me and he was so cute when he just he was still under anesthesia and he's singing to me.
Speaker 2:I thought that was phenomenal that is phenomenal and definitely something you'll be able to enjoy for years to come. Yep, and definitely good to hear that you're able to like get out and exercise and kind of keep yourself out there grounded. You're staying busy at work, off work, so definitely good that you have the outlet to seek some you know, some life relaxation. Definitely, let's change gears for one moment. Can you describe one hardship or life challenges that you rose above and can now say because of it you're better and stronger? What comes to mind?
Speaker 3:Okay, well, never thought I would be in the situation that I found myself in about. Let's see here. This is 2024, 14 years ago. I mean, I used to always think I was a very strong woman when it came to people with domestic violence I always thought so at least and lo and behold, I met a person that I was a blind date. It was at a local radio station Valentine's Day ball and it seemed like the dream come true.
Speaker 3:This was after a previous marriage two years later and it turned out after we got married. It was very, very quick. It became very controlling. He was very negative toward my first son for my first marriage. He insisted on us moving out and moving into a house together in Southwick. He totally cut me off from my family and any of my friends.
Speaker 3:I ended up having to quit my job in Windsor, connecticut, where I was making back then $20 an hour was pretty darn good for doing medical billing and I was their highest paid person at that time. It was like 16 years ago and we got married about 2004, had my son ransomed in 2005 and had Nathaniel in 2008 and in between, had no idea he had been abusing our son, the older of the two younger ones, and he ended up getting arrested for domestic violence on March 7, 2010. It was just a big whirlwind and I just said enough is enough. I couldn't stand it. I was holding our baby when he pushed me down on the couch and that gave me a restraining order for three years and it just got better since it really did. I held on to my faith, which I'm a very strong Christian. I knew God was going to get us through it.
Speaker 3:I left that marriage with no money. No, I had no savings because he wouldn't let me work. I had no checking account because he just wouldn't allow that to happen. I was actually one time I'm sure some of these women out there can understand this he was so controlling. He would only give me a hundred dollars a week for food and that was to feed myself, my baby and my older son, and there better damn well be money left and enough food for him the stuff that he wanted out of $100. Back then that was a lot. I mean not a lot. I'm sorry it was a lot to ask, but one time I went over by like $20 and he pulled my baby out of my arms and told me to go back to Price Right and get a refund on all the food that I bought, because I went over $20. It was a hard one to swallow and you would think that I would have woken up, but I wasn't ready to wake up yet Because I had only him that was telling me what I was worth and I wasn't allowed to talk to my family. I knew they were praying for me and I went to church every week and I know my friends at church saw a lot and didn't say anything, but they ended up being there for me when I finally gave in and called the police.
Speaker 3:Our marriage only lasted six years, but it was the worst six years of my life. But it made me a stronger person. I've been able to talk to other women about domestic violence. I've been able to share resources with other women how to become more independent and help them. Just look around, find a goal and stick with it. Um, it's just, they are worth it. You are worth it, um. And then I, about two years after our divorce, that's when I went to school. That's when I went to school. So I found my love in hair and I was able to stand against people. I never thought I'd have to stand against in school, but we ended up becoming really good friends too. So that's it was a huge change in my life, but much for the better in the long run. Huge change in my life, but much for the better in the long run. I have a lot to be proud of and I love my sons, and my older son is just fantastic he's 34, now living in Florida.
Speaker 2:That's where that took me. You should be proud of yourself, therese. Honestly, from the bottom of my heart, I'm very proud of you that you were able to get through that, that you overcame that. You stuck with it, your faith, your belief. So glad that you're safe and you're okay and your boys are safe and okay. And you made it through it and then you opened your own business. I mean, that is phenomenal, commendable for sure, Strong woman, and you are worth it. Thank you, you're welcome. How can our listeners learn more about, especially For you, in-home Services?
Speaker 3:Well, I am on Facebook under Especially For you In--home services, or they can call my phone number 413-478-8629. I live in Springfield and I go all over the place. I'm up in Ware, I'm in Palmer, I'm in Holyoke, I'm in Southwick, I've gone as far up as Greenfield, I have gone. I'm in Springwick, I've gone as far up as Greenfield, I have gone. I'm in Springfield, obviously. Agawam, feeding Hills, west Springfield, holyoke, east Hampton, north Hampton I don't know if I go to South Hampton or not. I think I had one person but she passed away. But I'm all over the place.
Speaker 2:That's good, that's fantastic. You get really a lot of different people that you're able to help. You're able to go in and being a strong woman and coming in to help somebody and going to different towns that's inspiring. You should be proud. You should be proud of yourself for sure. Thank you so much. You're welcome, therese. It's been a pleasure having you on the show today and we wish you and your business the best moving forward. Thank you so much.
Speaker 1:Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor Podcast. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to gnppalmercom. That's gnppalmercom. That's gnppalmercom, or call 413-414-5940.