DanaTheFounderOfBHS's Blog

Right now, it's 5:20 a.m. in Atlanta, that's 4:20 a.m. Texas time. I can't sleep because so much has gone in the past 48 hours that my head is swimming! We've had such an amazing, crazy time. Where do I begin? Okay, on Tuesday we got an inside lead from Eshe Riveas, the Herb Lady, that we definitely need to hit up the Bronner Brothers Show in Atlanta. I was really hesitant, but after reviewing flight & hotel costs with some of the BHS Crew we decided to go for it! So we started packing our bags, despite having no money, no booth, and no idea of what we were getting ourselves into. Since we had no booth, we had to find alternate means of advertising BHS, so we came up with a "creative plan." Our plan was to pass out about 800 flyers, telling people if they wanted to sign up that we'd be at a specific location during a certain time frame on Sunday and Saturday. We were so excited and ready to go! So we got up on Friday morning, executing our "great mission" to get the word out about BHS. We passed out about 200 flyers, when of course, a cop shows up. Crap! "Sooooooooo young lady, what are you passing out?" At the time, I was speaking to a barber, and he interrupted me right in the middle of my sales pitch! "Ummm, just exchanging information sir." "No, it just looks like you guys are distributing information on private property." By this time, I was slowly walking back to my friends because I knew where this was going. I was tightly clinching my flyers and praying that he wouldn't say what I KNEW what he was going to say "Give me those flyers ma'am, I'm going to have to confiscate them." Courtney was quickly stuffing hers into a backpack. Courtney pipes in, "No that's okay sir, I'll just put them away." "No, how about I take them or you throw them away" "Ummmm, it's okay " "How about you guys just leave?" . "Why do we have to leave?" . "How about this, if you don't leave I'm going to have to write you a citation or I can just arrest you on the spot." I froze. Arrested? Is it really that serious? By this time, the BHS crew was immediately booking it back to the CNN building. You don't have to tell me twice! I looked back, and the cop actually had a flyer in his hand, and put it in his pocket. DANG IT! That means he knows exactly where we are going to be, and when! So he'll be looking out for us the next day. My heart sank to the floor as I saw him get in his squad car and drive away. The marketing and advertising plan was over and I was completely devastated. What were we going to do! I wasn't feeling too great, and my friends could feel it. I was soooo not expecting that. And the one great plan I had was blocked. But it's mysterious how God works, because that plan was foiled for a reason .keep reading! Since that day didn't go all too well, we decided to regroup and cut loose that night. We got a tip to go to one particular club in downtown Atlanta. We were all looking great, ready to go out for a night on the town. Well, we got in a cab, told him where we were going, and he kinda just mumbled to us. One of the workers gave him a MapQuest of the location of the club, because he obviously didn't know where the heck he was going. So we started on our way .and our cab driver drove all the way down one street, made a U-turn, drove all the way down another street, and did a U-turn ..and the four of us were all looking at each other like, "I KNOW HE DOES NOT EXPECT FOR US TO PAY FOR THIS!" This fool was lost with a map! I don't know about you, but every cab driver I know, knows a downtown area like the back of his hand! So we finally arrive at the club, and he has the audacity to tell us that the cab ride was almost $40!! Immediately, all 4 of us chimed in . "I don't think so!! You got lost so we don't have to pay the full fare!" Then in his African accent, he says, "Let me get police! Let me find police for you!" We were like "Yes! Let's get the damn police! In fact we'll find one for YOU!" We immediately found one and all 5 of us are going off on this cop at the same time! LOL. After we settled down and explained the situation, the cop said, "What? You can't charge them for that! Their hotel is a STRAIGHT SHOT from here! It's only 3 miles!" Then, he had to explain to the cab driver that he couldn't charge Wait Time! He had already started the meter before we got there, expecting to charge us for Wait Time! You can't do that at a hotel! Clearly he was in the wrong, and the cop calculated out what our fare was supposed to be, and we paid him. The nerve! By this time we were so pissed off, because, as usual, you get in the club for free before 11:00, and what time did we get there? Too late! All because of him! Grrrrr ..luckily, we went to a place across the street that was free for ladies and $10 for men. And we had soooo much fun. I met one of the cast members from the Tyler Perry Show! The next day, I woke up late and felt, not depressed, but discouraged. I didn't know what to do since our plan was ruined. Jay went ahead and bought tickets to the Exhibitors Hall, so the plan was just to walk around and talk to people. WHOA! It was crazy when I walked in there. People were EVVVVERYWHERE! I didn't even know where to start, who to talk to. Inside I kinda began to panic. But we got in a huddle and just started praying. We began networking like crazy. I don't know how long we were there, but ya'll we shut them down! They were packing up when we left! I met so many great stylists, barbers, and businessmen/women. I made amazing contacts. At the very end, we bumped into the V.P. of Professional Sales and Marketing for Bronner Brothers, Jerry Dingle. He was so cool! We also talked to Miss Black America 2008, Kristen White for about 45 minutes! She is SO beautiful and one of the most down to earth people you will ever meet. She had so many encouraging words to say! Definitely had a moment there! Today is a new day, and we will see what happens! There is no telling! Jay took a lot of great pictures, and those will be posted very soon! Okay til next time!