It seems there is a boom in head lice services springing up all over Canada and the USA. I hear of new ones every month now. I wonder how many people know who the person is that is picking their nits? Do people even care who comes into their homes and families claiming to be a professional Nit Picker? It may seem trivial because when you have lice, all you want is to get them gone. Yet in this field of expertise, one must know their stuff and have certification to back that up. Perhaps a new government certification program is warranted. After all you need to be certified to cut hair, practice health care and provide many other service trades. At Lice Squad we carefully police screen, train and over see our consultants. They must pass regular testing and provide certification of their hair dressing, nursing and PSW credentials. So who is picking nits these days? I advise that before you hire an agency or individual , that you ask these questions and find out where they got their knowledge and if they are insured, and have they been given a full back round check? Do they recommend pesticides? I expect people to ask me these questions when they call my company.
October 1st is Head Lice Awareness Day. Visit my is site to learn more and to download your free Head Lice Help Kit.
Have any questions about head lice? Have a nit to pick. Feel free to ask an expert.
I'll get out of your hair now.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
My Story by Dawn Mucci
Thinking back to why I started Lice Squad, it is now clear to me that I was the child who was stigmatized by head lice. Yes, I was the girl with the long, thick, clean hair that got sent home nearly very time the Public Health nurses did a head check at my school. I recall being called names, ostracized and put through awful exposures to smelly chemicals and lousy nit combs that tore out my hair and burned my eyes. If anyone can empathize with head lice, it truly is me.
As an adult my first son brought a case of head lice home and instantly I was brought right back in that place of shame and fear. I ran to The Public Health Department only to be told that they do not deal with head lice anymore because it was deemed a social and not a health matter. I remember going home in tears thinking,"I would do anything and pay any amount of money to get some help. I did not want to follow their standard prescribed solution which was to go to the drug store and use a pesticide. I would not do that to my son or myself again for that matter. As a single mother at the time on Mothers allowance I felt defeated but I also felt called and challenged. I felt that if I could not find the help I needed, that I would become that help.
After two years of research and $500 dollars to my name, I took the risk and started Lice Squad. It was terrifying for me but I knew that people like me needed this help and so I began my many trips on the TTC with my Roley suit case going from home to home and literally nit picking for money. Soon the pace became overwhelming. I had no idea that so many people needed this help and I had to begin to train consultants to assist me with the service end of things. I was a high school drop out with little to no business experience but I was on a mission. I began getting calls from all over Canada and it was then that I realized that I have a niche market to fill. I had no idea how to meet the demand but I knew enough to seek out people who did. Thanks to the help of some reasonable lawyers, a business consultant, Carl Lehman, A web marketer, Cheryl Fergasun, and a graphic person Janet Tonello and the CFA, The Canadian Franchise Association, Lice Squad began to take shape. I set up a web site and began my journey into franchising. I felt that this would be the best way to reach as many people as possible. It turned out that many of my consultants ultimately became franchise owners as many still do and now people who feel called to this and have a real empathy and a desire to help seek me out about owning their own Lice Squad business.
I remain amazed at how far this company has come. Who ever thought you could make a career and business out of nit picking. More amazing is the job satisfaction that my consultants, franchise owners and I still have after nine years of doing this work. It truly is meaningful and rewarding. I continue to work hard at breaking the stigma associated with head lice as no child or parent should feel the way I did when it hits their family. Most important to me is providing education and alternatives to chemicals and pesticides. Too many children are being unnecessarily exposed and if I can do one thing in my life it would be to spare them from what I went through.
I never thought I would be called Canada's leading Nit Picker or be a franchisor for that matter. But I know that this was my calling and probably the reason I had to endure what I did as a child. People still scratch their heads about what I do and can't belief that there is a market for my business. I still get laughed at when I drive around in my car with Lice Squad advertising or tell others about what I do. However, in my mind and experience I know that if I can make you laugh and question what I do, You will surely remember me and Lice Squad if head lice ever hits your family. It gives me great satisfaction to be able to offer this meaningful help and career to others. I'm over the stigma and I don't mind if you make jokes. It's OK when you don't understand but even better when you find yourself in a place of needing to understand. At least I know I can be there for you when it's your turn. I have build a team of people to provide what I so desperately needed and what you and your family may need one day.
Serving others and doing what one loves to do is truly a blessing.
As an adult my first son brought a case of head lice home and instantly I was brought right back in that place of shame and fear. I ran to The Public Health Department only to be told that they do not deal with head lice anymore because it was deemed a social and not a health matter. I remember going home in tears thinking,"I would do anything and pay any amount of money to get some help. I did not want to follow their standard prescribed solution which was to go to the drug store and use a pesticide. I would not do that to my son or myself again for that matter. As a single mother at the time on Mothers allowance I felt defeated but I also felt called and challenged. I felt that if I could not find the help I needed, that I would become that help.
After two years of research and $500 dollars to my name, I took the risk and started Lice Squad. It was terrifying for me but I knew that people like me needed this help and so I began my many trips on the TTC with my Roley suit case going from home to home and literally nit picking for money. Soon the pace became overwhelming. I had no idea that so many people needed this help and I had to begin to train consultants to assist me with the service end of things. I was a high school drop out with little to no business experience but I was on a mission. I began getting calls from all over Canada and it was then that I realized that I have a niche market to fill. I had no idea how to meet the demand but I knew enough to seek out people who did. Thanks to the help of some reasonable lawyers, a business consultant, Carl Lehman, A web marketer, Cheryl Fergasun, and a graphic person Janet Tonello and the CFA, The Canadian Franchise Association, Lice Squad began to take shape. I set up a web site and began my journey into franchising. I felt that this would be the best way to reach as many people as possible. It turned out that many of my consultants ultimately became franchise owners as many still do and now people who feel called to this and have a real empathy and a desire to help seek me out about owning their own Lice Squad business.
I remain amazed at how far this company has come. Who ever thought you could make a career and business out of nit picking. More amazing is the job satisfaction that my consultants, franchise owners and I still have after nine years of doing this work. It truly is meaningful and rewarding. I continue to work hard at breaking the stigma associated with head lice as no child or parent should feel the way I did when it hits their family. Most important to me is providing education and alternatives to chemicals and pesticides. Too many children are being unnecessarily exposed and if I can do one thing in my life it would be to spare them from what I went through.
I never thought I would be called Canada's leading Nit Picker or be a franchisor for that matter. But I know that this was my calling and probably the reason I had to endure what I did as a child. People still scratch their heads about what I do and can't belief that there is a market for my business. I still get laughed at when I drive around in my car with Lice Squad advertising or tell others about what I do. However, in my mind and experience I know that if I can make you laugh and question what I do, You will surely remember me and Lice Squad if head lice ever hits your family. It gives me great satisfaction to be able to offer this meaningful help and career to others. I'm over the stigma and I don't mind if you make jokes. It's OK when you don't understand but even better when you find yourself in a place of needing to understand. At least I know I can be there for you when it's your turn. I have build a team of people to provide what I so desperately needed and what you and your family may need one day.
Serving others and doing what one loves to do is truly a blessing.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Lice Squad's National Head Lice Awareness Day
Head lice is a common affliction affecting all nationalities, economic groups and ages. It is the second most communicable affliction next to the copmmon cold in children. The stigma and secretism associated with head lice perpetuates the problem. It is also a lack of education and resources available that leaves many parents and caregivers at a loss for how to effectively and safely treat his issue.
Lice Squad is a Canadian company that has been dedicated to helping parents and caregivers solve the lice problem. Since 2001, Lice squad has offered free resources, education and hands on help to families, schools, camps and other organization.
When I began this company, I soon realized that there was a need for awareness and education as this was what most people where looking for. Too may people where feeling ashamed, frustrated and bewildered as a result of experiencing head lice and felt that they had limitted resources availible to them. A trip to the drug store was not slolving thier lice problem and many did not have the time, desire, inclination or knowledge to deal with it.
Head Lice Awareness day in Canada has three goals.
1. To break the stigma associated with head lice and to open up the lines of communication
2. To provide free educational resources and alternatives to pesticide use
3. To provide helpful resources, hands on help, and free head lice screening.
It's time that lice was brought out of the closet and time that people had factual information and helpful resources to turn to.
Using a pesticide to treat a head lice infestation is a personal choice. I would never tell someone that it was wrong or not an option for them. What I will say is that pesticides are not safe when over used or abused, which in most lice case seems to be the prevalent occurance. Personally, I would not use them on my child as I don't use them on my lawn and pets and I certainly do what I can to wash them off my foods.
There are alternatives and Lice Squad can lead you towards those alternatives. Please join us at one of our clinics on October 1st annually. Visit http://www.licesquad.com for a list of locations. Free head lice checks and educational resources will be provided as well as a free Facts Of Lice Coloring book for the kiddies. If you can't get to a location, a free Head Lice Help Kit is available for you to down load from our web site. Feel Free to share this information and print off a copy for your family and Friends.
Together I know we can Stop The Stigma Associated with head lice and to stop the over use and abuse of pesticides on children and our planet.
Lice Squad is a Canadian company that has been dedicated to helping parents and caregivers solve the lice problem. Since 2001, Lice squad has offered free resources, education and hands on help to families, schools, camps and other organization.
When I began this company, I soon realized that there was a need for awareness and education as this was what most people where looking for. Too may people where feeling ashamed, frustrated and bewildered as a result of experiencing head lice and felt that they had limitted resources availible to them. A trip to the drug store was not slolving thier lice problem and many did not have the time, desire, inclination or knowledge to deal with it.
Head Lice Awareness day in Canada has three goals.
1. To break the stigma associated with head lice and to open up the lines of communication
2. To provide free educational resources and alternatives to pesticide use
3. To provide helpful resources, hands on help, and free head lice screening.
It's time that lice was brought out of the closet and time that people had factual information and helpful resources to turn to.
Using a pesticide to treat a head lice infestation is a personal choice. I would never tell someone that it was wrong or not an option for them. What I will say is that pesticides are not safe when over used or abused, which in most lice case seems to be the prevalent occurance. Personally, I would not use them on my child as I don't use them on my lawn and pets and I certainly do what I can to wash them off my foods.
There are alternatives and Lice Squad can lead you towards those alternatives. Please join us at one of our clinics on October 1st annually. Visit http://www.licesquad.com for a list of locations. Free head lice checks and educational resources will be provided as well as a free Facts Of Lice Coloring book for the kiddies. If you can't get to a location, a free Head Lice Help Kit is available for you to down load from our web site. Feel Free to share this information and print off a copy for your family and Friends.
Together I know we can Stop The Stigma Associated with head lice and to stop the over use and abuse of pesticides on children and our planet.
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