Warning to Contractors and Clients - Dealing with an Uncivilized, Inappropriate, and Dishonest…read moreBusiness Owner Meka. (I want to preface this by saying that if you have a relationship with any of the stylist who are in the salon, do not let this review cast upon them, as I am well aware they are individuals and independent workers who are not directly employed by her, so keep that in mind)
If you're a contractor or a customer, be aware: the owner of this business has fostered a toxic gossiping culture within the salon. She thrives on manipulation, dishonesty, and creating drama to cover up her true character. I did thousands of dollars worth of work for her--demolition, concrete work, flooring, tiling, painting, and signage. I covered my own travel expenses, paid out of pocket for materials like mortar, spent over $200 on new tools necessary to get the job done, and even provided my personal tools. She didn't pay me a single dime.
My first red flag was seeing how she spoke disrespectfully to another grown man doing work for her. As time went on, her true nature showed--constantly gossiping about employees, clients, and even my personal affairs with her staff. She thought it was perfectly appropriate to air private details about me and others, but when I calmly discussed our unpaid business with one of her employees after she blocked me, she suddenly called that "inappropriate." That's the level of manipulation and hypocrisy you'll deal with.
She was impatient and pushy, demanding immediate results on a project she left undone for over a year, while relentlessly haggling over the price--even though I gave her a almost 70%discount. I also gave her multiple rides to and from her home, picked up materials for her, and spent countless hours going back and forth--none of which she compensated me for. She even promised to replace my pry bar after someone she allowed to use it damaged it, but that was another lie.
When it was time to pay, she blocked me. I calmly asked one of her workers to contact her, and that's when she twisted the narrative, falsely claiming I "scared" someone there. This was a calculated move to paint herself as the victim because she knows the gravity of how much she's taken advantage of me. Instead of being honest about not having the money--or just unwillingness to pay--she chose to vilify me to justify her manipulative behavior.
The job couldn't even be finished because she was so pushy, impatient, and constantly haggling the price to the point where it wasn't even worth my time driving back and forth. It became clear she expected to pay around $200 for a project worth at least $4500 @ standard pricing.
This wasn't about the quality of my work. It was about her premeditated intent not to pay. She chipped away at the price, wasted my time, used my resources, and when it was time to pay, she flipped the script to avoid accountability.
If you're a contractor, get paid upfront or avoid working with her unless you have a legal contract. If you're a client, know she gossips about both staff and customers behind their backs. Escalating issues to her will only make things worse.
I don't care about sounding "professional"--this is about warning others. She is dishonest, manipulative, inappropriate, and a nightmare to deal with. Avoid her at all costs.
