March is Women’s History Month. Here at Hanzo, We are celebrating by featuring some of the most influential women of the Hanzo Nation. First up is Missy Barr. Missy is the Regional Sales Representative for the Scottsdale, AZ territory; Missy Started working for Hanzo in 2017. She is now not only a sales representative but also a Team Lead. Missy is the perfect example of a strong woman. After battling and beating cancer at a very young age, she learned how strong she indeed was and decided to move across the country and take a leap of faith. We sat down with Missy to ask some questions and hear her story.
Who are your favorite women in history, women who inspire/empower you?
Growing up, I was lucky to not only be raised by my mother, Mary, who every day shows me unconditional love but also blessed to have had both my grandmothers help guide me to be the woman I am today.
They taught me that strong women contain faith, love, and a bit of grit. My grandmother’s both fought in their own separate ways to survive. Fortunata, my mother’s mother, immigrated to the United States from Italy with four small children. Before World War II, she helped nurse babies in her village by breastfeeding them even after her firstborn passed away at six months. My grandmother’s strength has taught all the women in my family what it takes to be strong. You give even when it seems all has been stolen from you, and you share with love.
My Father’s Mother, Ann, raised her seven children alone after the passing of my Grandfather. My father, the youngest of them, was just seven years old when he passed. She gave everything she had to anyone who needed it, even if it meant she went without anything. She never complained. When you would ask her why she never remarried, she would reply, “One man was enough!” She taught me how to stand on my own two feet and see my strength in being a single independent woman while uplifting others around me.
Can you tell us a bit about your professional journey?
I have always known I wanted to be in the Beauty industry. The only thing holding me back was myself and my self-doubt. It took overcoming my fear and many obstacles to finally have the courage to enroll in Beauty School at the age of 33. I am so thankful I took that leap of faith in myself. That choice of believing in me and my dreams lead me to Hanzo. Before becoming a Rep, I was working four jobs, barely making ends meet. I am thankful every day that Hanzo took a chance on me. I am truly blessed and extremely grateful that I get to go out and help other Stylists and Barbers make their dreams come true.
What is one obstacle you have experienced during your career journey, and how did you overcome it
My biggest obstacle was July of 2019, when I had my car accident. I was finally getting the flow of it, my pipeline was rockin’, and things were falling into place for me. I just signed papers for my first house, I just hit Presidents Club, and I was on top of the world! Then BOOM! Everything came crashing down, at least; that is how it felt at the time. It was like everything I worked so hard for was slipping away. Little did I know it wasn’t because I realized I wasn’t alone for the first time. I had the support of my family, friends, and so many people at Hanzo. I had been going full speed ahead, not listening to what I needed. I needed to not only take care of my clients but for myself too! Sometimes it takes crashing your car to reset yourself, get you back to where you should be, and realize what you need to succeed.
What has been your most significant career or personal achievement?
My most significant personal achievement is not only surviving cancer twice but having the guts to leave everything I knew in Pittsburgh to move out West. I knew that God saved me for a reason, and I had to trust that everything I had gone thru only made me stronger than I had ever been. It taught me that I am a fighter and that when things get tough, I get tougher. It also is a big reality check. When I think the walls are closing in and I don’t have another swing left in me, I remember I fought off death, and I can do anything I put my mind to.
What advice would you give young women today?
You can do anything, don’t limit yourself. I always thought I needed a man in my life to support me, to complete me, to buy me things, or start a family. That is horse crap. YOU CAN DO ANYTHING!! I promise you. You have to believe in yourself enough to know you can stand on your own two feet. Plus, there is nothing sexier than a strong female that can buy her own Louis Vuitton!
How do you balance your work and personal life?
Oh, this is a tough one, but I will say it loud for the people in the back, “Peloton!”!!!
But seriously, I challenge myself daily. I take 20 to 30 minutes a day for myself before I jump into the stresses of the job. I keep a clean house, an organized car, and always make my bed in the morning. I stick to a routine. Routines become daily rituals; they can keep you on track. Remember, it’s ok to turn it off. Set the boundaries. Draw a line in the sand. Take the time for yourself and your family. You need that for peace and sanity. Always try to add something new to your life. My latest hobby is golf; I may suck at it now, but I sure try, and I know that I will get better with time. Don’t take life so seriously. You only get one, so enjoy it and laugh as you go. ️
