If traveling along Hamilton Boulevard, you may notice a new business located at 6636 Hamilton Blvd. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held recently to celebrate the opening of the N.W. Hair Studio.

Owner Stefenie Sawyer excitedly greeted family members, friends, clients and other business owners to the event.

N.W. stands for “nothing wasted.”

Before the ribbon cutting, Sawyer shared her story with the crowd about how the name of her new salon originated.

In 2012, Sawyer was diagnosed with breast cancer. She endured 18-24 months of treatment which she describes as “a very dark season.

“Every part of my life was on fire,” she recalled. “Everything in our life was on fire. I thought everything I had worked for up to that point was wasted.

“Life was forever altered and I had no idea what it would look like moving forward. It felt wasted.”

Upon reflection, Sawyer acknowledged a “little voice in her head telling her nothing is wasted.” She admitted “Our stories can be recycled for good and there can be purpose.”

A 1994 graduate of Lehigh Career & Technical Institute, Sawyer spent time working for a number of local hair salons but dreamed of owning her own salon. To Sawyer, “The real meaning of business is community.”

She said she wants to be able to fund the business and she wants to care about the people she loves and works with. Sawyer noted she appreciates “people who see fit to spend their money small.” She thanked her clients, family, friends, coworkers and other business owners for their support of small businesses. “Thank you for being a part of this crazy dream of someone who went to Vo-Tech 31 years ago and decided she could (own her own business).”

Sawyer recognized her stylists Janelis Santiago, Valentina Echeverry and Kayla Russell who are all graduates of Metro Beauty Academy. Sawyer serves as a mentor to these young women and hopes to pass on her philosophy of “business is a community” to them.

Sawyer thanked her parents Mike and Debbie Felice, of Breinigsville, for instilling in her an “entrepreneurial spirit” and helping her find the motivation she needed to open her own salon. She appreciated the support of her husband, Christian and his parents, Alan and Eileen Sawyer. She recognized her sister, Stacey Bean for “helping me to build this (business).”

A number of other stylists and businesswomen attended the event to support their former colleague and now friend.

Nastasia Pratt, owner of Mane tHAIRapy Head Spa, donated a basket of products for a raffle for the event. In addition, Aliyah Rodriguez of Aliyah’s Face Card, Abby Rodriguez of abbyannesthetics, Meredith Marucci of The Dragonfly Salon and Michelle Fox of The Fox Den Salon, of Whitehall, all attended to support Sawyer’s new business venture. “We are a community of businesswomen who support one another,” Pratt noted.