When Joy (Meleski) Boyd graduated from Kurn Hattin Homes in 1978, disco was hot, jeans were tight, and hair was big … feathered … curled … and highly styled. Maybe that’s why she developed such a love of hair styling.
“I was always doing my friends’ hair,” Joy recalls fondly. “It was something that I liked to do, but I didn’t really think of it as a career when I was doing hair with my friends. It was just fun.”
It wasn’t until Joy met with her guidance counselor at Thayer High School in Winchester, New Hampshire to discuss her post-graduation plans that it all clicked. Her plan to become a professional hair stylist was in put into motion.
Joy set her sights on Houle’s Beauty Academy in Manchester, New Hampshire for training. Although she had been away from Kurn Hattin Homes for four years, Joy still had a strong bond with Kurn Hattin mentors, who provided a much-appreciated source of support. “Someone from Kurn Hattin brought me to Manchester to see the school. Then they guided me through the whole application process, even though I had already graduated. That was so nice.”
After Joy completed her training, which included an apprenticeship at Houle’s, she was hired to work at a salon in Brattleboro, Vermont. She worked there successfully for 12 years, until one day, she says, “I grabbed the handle to open the salon door, but I couldn’t walk in. At that moment, I realized that I needed a change. I needed more, and I had to find it for myself.”
She enrolled in the Community College of Vermont (CCV) and began taking business classes. Going back to school was a challenge. “On my first day, I remember feeling really scared. I was in class with 15 business majors. I was older than all of them, but I was driven and eventually graduated second in my class.”
Joy truly believes that she inherited her drive and determination from her hard-working father. She credits Kurn Hattin with instilling in her the self-discipline and structure necessary to excel in school and business. “Looking back, I missed being home,” she says of her time here, “but I’m grateful for everything I learned at Kurn Hattin. I worked hard, and I also learned love and acceptance by living with such a diverse group of girls. The diversity, structure, and life skills have prepared me well. By the time I got to ninth grade in my hometown, I was way ahead of the game. I felt prepared, and I really believe those life lessons have played a large role in my business success.”
With her associate’s degree in small business management in hand, the salon stars quickly aligned. Joy was able to open the doors to her own business, Shear Designs Hair Studio & Tanning in Brattleboro. “I wanted to create a place where stylists could have more for themselves, a place where they could broaden their skills, and I wanted to be a boss people could always count on.”
It’s working! Joy has a tight-knit team of stylists who have been working well together for years. Joy and Shear Designs have won numerous accolades and awards. Most recently, Joy was honored and named the 2019 Business Leader of the Year by the Brattleboro Reformer through its Remarkable Women program. Joy says, “I’m doing what I love with people I love. How could I ask for more?”
While Joy has received much from her community, she gives back even more. She mentors high school students as well as young women who have been incarcerated, offers free back-to-school haircuts for those in need, and participates regularly in the Locks of Love Cut-a-Thon, just to name a few volunteer efforts.
Judging from the long list of professional and personal accomplishments, it’s hard to imagine that there was a time when Joy didn’t feel confident in her ability to achieve success. “I didn’t think I was smart enough, and learning didn’t always come easily to me,” Joy admits. “Now I feel like I can do anything.”
When you meet Joy in person, one of the first things you might notice, in addition to her confident demeanor, is the tattoo on her right arm. Joy explains that this everlasting body art has everlasting meaning. “The tattoo on the front of my arm has all three of my kids’ names written on the tail of a dragonfly, and the moon symbolizes me always telling my daughter Myia that I love her to the moon and back.” Joy’s family is a tremendous source of pride for her, and she wears them well, literally. Her immediate family includes Eric, her husband of 27 years, and their three adopted children, 23-year-old daughter Myia, and 16-year-old twins, Daytona and Blayne.
When asked what success means to her, Joy doesn’t mention her business, awards, or professional achievements. She says without hesitation, “Family.” We’re glad to count her as part of the Kurn Hattin family.