Bonika Shears Presents: Sharpeners Jam 2023

By Traci Sanders

Bonnie Megowan began her career as a high school science teacher in the 1970s. Later she became the general manager for a knife warehouse. However, Bonnie felt strongly that she was meant to do something else, though she wasn’t quite sure what that was at the time. She prayed that God would reveal her true calling.

One day Bonnie was speaking to a customer on the phone who was buying sharpening stones and equipment. Bonnie was intrigued and began asking the man questions. He revealed he had learned to sharpen in prison and was now sharpening scissors for hair salons. Immediately Bonnie knew that’s what she wanted to do (sharpen for hair salons, not go to prison). She soon gave her notice and traveled to Boston to learn. That was the start she needed to develop the skills on her own through trial and error and by learning from a variety of sharpeners from other areas of the country.

The business was slow to grow. Bonnie’s hairstylist friend, Katherine, encouraged her to start producing shears to sell to hairstylists, and the two women came up with the name Bonika for the business by combining some letters of their names. Bonnie grew the company through hair shows, online sales, and selling shears wholesale to sharpeners.

Few people realize that most cities have sharpeners who travel to hair salons, barber shops, and groomers, offering sharpening services and shear sales. Prices for sharpening averages nationwide around

Learning Lessons: Tips on Raising a Child to Work Well with Others

By Tanisha Turner

Cooperation is an essential life skill that allows children to make friends and work successfully with others. The definition of cooperation is simple enough – combining energies to work toward a common goal. But teaching it can be challenging as it requires a combination of character attributes, such as respect, honesty, patience, and thoughtfulness. Every parent wants his or her child to exhibit these skills, but they are tricky lessons to teach since young children are naturally focused on themselves. The good news is that cooperation can be learned over time through purposeful activities and frequent encouragement from parents and caregivers.

We know that children primarily learn character through imitation. They listen, observe, and learn cooperation skills by watching their caregivers’ and parents’ words and actions. When your child sees you working happily with others, he will sense the joy you feel and want to experience that joy, too. By practicing cooperative skills in front of your child, you teach behaviors that will ultimately help your child succeed. Here are some ways you can model cooperation:

• Listen carefully to others to understand what they are saying.

• Share or take turns when more than one person wants the same thing. Start at home with family conversations that allow everyone time to talk.

$30 per pair of shears, which can be a huge money saver for stylists because high quality shears cost between $200 and $300 per pair to replace. Sharpening is a highly sought after, cost-effective alternative. Some stylists lose hundreds if not thousands of dollars by hiring unqualified sharpeners who ruin the stylists’ shears.

Bonnie’s family has become part of the industry as well. Her daughter, Mystie Hunter, is the office manager. Mystie’s husband, Jay, has been a local in-salon sharpener for twenty years through his company, Livin on the Edges. Her other son-in-law, Mark Pratt, assembles sharpening machines for Bonika Shears that sell for $3,600 each. Bonnie’s granddaughter, Susannah, graduated from Parkview and Bonika Shears awarded her a scholarship based on her two inventions of sharpening aid tools, which are now being manufactured and produced by the company. Bonnie enjoys the educational side of the business. Her primary role is to train new sharpeners who travel from all over the world to their Loganville office for private classes. In addition, she and her husband Gene, the sales manager for Bonika Shears, teach at cosmetology schools and conventions.

Bonika Shears hosts a yearly convention known as Sharpeners Jam, where sharpeners come together and compete to share the best ideas and attend seminars. Since Covid, the event has expanded to a simulcast experience, both online and in-person.

This year the 25th Sharpeners Jam was held on July 8th, 9th, and 10th at the Anna Holbrook Building in Loganville. Footage from previous Sharpeners Jam events can be found on the website and on YouTube. More information at bonika.com or call 770-972-4332

• Compromise when you have a serious conflict.

• Do your part of a shared task and do the very best that you can. When you complete your task, ask others how you might help them complete their work.

• Show appreciation for what people contribute to a group or team.

• Encourage others to do their best.

• Include everyone and make everyone feel needed. Help your child recognize that everybody has something valuable to offer in a group. In addition to serving as a role model, it’s essential to teach your child cooperation intentionally. Use the following everyday activities as opportunities to encourage your child to cooperate with family and friends:

• When you read a story with your child, point out times when the characters cooperate with each other. Discuss how the characters feel and how much easier it is to accomplish the task when they work together.

• Schedule household chores at times when all family members can work together to finish them.

• Praise your child for her attempts to help, and refrain from redoing the chore when she’s finished. Help her see the fun of working together to accomplish a goal. Talk about how much faster the chores were completed than if mom or dad had to do it alone.

• Point out how cooperation with chores allows for more time for family fun.

“Catch” your child sharing or helping someone and show your appreciation. Encourage the behavior but refrain from giving material rewards; they are unnecessary. Children should learn the joy of helping others without expecting something in return.

By taking advantage of these moments and creating learning opportunities for your child, you will help him understand the importance of cooperation. Working together becomes fun for children as they develop an understanding of the skills and techniques needed to achieve a common goal.

Tanisha Turner is the Owner of Primrose School at Sugarloaf Parkway. More information at www.PrimroseSugarloafParkway.com or 770-513-0066.