By Eric Spruill, Citizen Potawatomi Nation
Citizen Potawatomi Nation tribal member Misty Patterson grew up surrounded by the drive and determination of independent business owners. She needs only to step out the front door of her salon, Brassy Monkey, and look down North Broadway in Tecumseh, Oklahoma, to see where that inner belief started.
Back in the 1970s, her grandfather owned a small convenience store and bait shop that once stood right where the DG Market sits today. Complete with minnow vats in the back and a lone gas pump out front, it was the kind of place that closed for the afternoon whenever a handwritten “Gone Fishing” sign went up on the door.
“We would put the sign on the door and then we actually would go fishing,” Patterson said with a laugh.
Decades later, Patterson is building on that legacy of self-reliance, choosing to go out on her own after working as a stylist at Fat Chix (which used to be at the exact same location) for four years.
“I always wanted to have my own shop. I have been in the business for 28 years and after seeing my daughter and son-in-law open their own business (Hardin’s Plumbing also in Tecumseh), I thought I would try as well,” she said.
Patterson’s specialty is providing fresh shaves with a straight-edged razor and mainly has a male clientele, but she does cut some women clients’ hair as well as coloring and waxing. Katrina Ware, who works at the salon, focuses on ladies’ hair styling and coloring.
Patterson has no intention of slowing down. Her future plans include adding more stylists, bringing on a massage therapist, and eventually building her own shop from the ground up.
She said that she is thankful for the clients that followed her from Fat Chix to Brassy Monkey, as well as to the owner of Fat Chix who has been “nothing but supportive.”
Patterson hopes to inspire future CPN tribal women to entrepreneurship.
“Women are very strong, and oftentimes men-owned businesses have a strong woman backing them,” she said. “Just know it takes a lot of hard work to get started. I knew it would be tough, but it is even tougher than I first imagined.”
“Now I feel like I’m married to it,” Patterson added. “The hours that you put in, I mean, it’s yours and you’re going to make it what you can.”
While Patterson was able to launch her shop on roughly $2,500 in cash without Tribal assistance, her family took full advantage of community resources — her daughter and son-in-law utilized programs through the Citizen Potawatomi Community Development Corporation (CPCDC), which provides commercial financing, business development resources, and capital to help Native-owned small businesses get off the ground, to start Hardin’s Plumbing.
Brassy Monkey is located at 1011 N. Broadway Suite 3 in Tecumseh. Clients can make an appointment by calling or texting 918-758-6486. Walk-ins are also welcome.
