OBSERVER Photos by Marilyn Kurzawa Above: John Hilliker squeezing the ink through a silk screen at Hae Jude Custom Signs. Far left: Laurie Bifaro standing behind the desk at A Cut Above the Rest. Left: Judy Hilliker holding a large decal printed on this machine.

By MARILYN KURZAWA

Lifestyles Correspondent

“Do what you love and the money will come.” This popular saying has led Judy Hilliker of Hae Jude Signs and Laurie Bifaro of A Cut Above the Rest to start and maintain strong businesses in Silver Creek.

Judy Hilliker started her adventures in hand-lettering posters when she was a student in high school. Always loving art classes and being drawn to lettering led her to work occasionally at a Sunset Bay marina, lettering names on boats for the boat-owners who called for her services.

For a while, she had a very small business that operated from her garage, but her noteworthy signs became more and more popular, so she moved to a space below the Masonic Lodge in Silver Creek. Her business started to boom, so Judy and her husband John bought the building that used to be Millar’s Lumber and set up shop there in 2004, where they remain today. One of the reasons they moved to a large space is to have room for larger equipment needed for growth. There is nothing like success to drive forward movement in a business!

Her large diverse business now includes, among other items, digitally printed banners of all sizes, the digital printing of direct-to-garment shirts, carved house plaques, and large signs such as the one that will soon be erected on Routes 5 and 20, welcoming drivers to the town of Hanover.

From austere beginnings, Judy’s Hae Jude Custom Signs at 344 Central Ave., Silver Creek has expanded to include not only signs and banners of all types and materials, but also screen-printed tee shirts customized for the purchaser. Judy’s husband John does all the printing of the shirts and can use up to six colors in the screen print. When I visited the store, John was working on a large order that a customer would be using for the Laurel Run, held in Silver Creek on July 15. He was working on the front emblem on the shirt, and worked quickly to press the print into place and then put the shirt through a fast-drying machine. In the case of these shirts, following that operation, he would take each shirt again and print the wording on the back. In almost all cases, the designs and logos are computer generated, so John’s job is to make sure that the inks are the correct colors and the shirts are centered on the board on which they are held for printing.

Promotional products are also offered and can be purchased in small or large quantities. Some are custom printed off-site, and others are ones that Judy or John do themselves. In mid-July, Judy was about to start printing a business name on coolers. “We can customize almost anything! Just ask us,” said Judy.

Judy offers custom embroidery on hats and other wearing apparel. Her embroidery machine is computer operated also, so she can design what goes on a shirt and a customer receives a personalized piece of clothing that is notable for its style and uniqueness.

Judy’s business success is somewhat unique in that she never went to college to hone her skills or learn the basics of running a business. All of her success has come from her diligence, hard work, and on-the-job training that she pursued. “In the beginning, I would read Sign Craft magazine. Today, I go to the Internet and use Google, and I share what I have learned with others via the Internet too.”

When she realized the impact of computers on the designing and printing of so many objects, she went to Mr. Phil DiPalma, her art teacher from high school who retired from Silver Creek schools. She purchased her first computer, and he helped her learn a few basics. She bought her own designing program and taught herself. This program allows her to save her designs in the vector art file format, the one that is needed by the machines to cut or print the objects on all types of substrates.

From her computer, Judy designs logos, signs and tee shirts for customers. “I love this more creative part of the job. This is my passion. I listen to what the customer tells me about the business or the reason for the sign or shirt, and then I go to my computer to create the final product.”

According to Judy, the least appealing part of her work is running the business itself.

“One of the hardest parts is making those decisions that determine the future direction of the business.”

She works with an accountant for the financial aspects of the business, “but there is more to running a business than just the money itself,” lamented Judy.

When asked what growth opportunities lie ahead for her, she said, “We would possibly do wholesale supply, custom retail or expand our showroom.” However, growth comes at a human price, as Judy realizes full well. “Don’t let the business run you,” is her advice to others, but that has been hard to do. “Sometimes you just can’t make everyone happy, and deadlines constantly loom over your head, so it’s hard to practice what I preach,” noted Judy.

“One day we will sell the business and all of our equipment, and I do look forward to the time when we can escape the cold winters and I can work for someone else, doing what I love best of all, which is lettering and designing.”

As for advice for aspiring female entrepreneurs, Judy suggested, “Have your husband behind you. Have faith in God and the people you rely on for help and have a passion for what you do. Know your stuff! You don’t need to know everything to get started, and get help with the financial aspects if that is not your strength. Be willing to learn as you go, and never stop increasing your own knowledge.”

As the owner and operator of a very different business, much of Laurie Bifaro’s business success parallels that of Judy Hilliker. Both women pursued a passion, using the gift they have for doing what they love so very well. In Laurie’s case, it was hairstyling, something she wanted to do from the time she was a young child.

Upon graduating from the cosmetology program at the LoGuidice Center of Erie 2 Chautauqua Cattaraugus BOCES, Laurie received her license to practice cosmetology/hairstyling in New York State. Although she was married at 18 and started raising children, she was able to keep her skills in practice by cutting and styling hair for family and friends in her own basement.

As her children grew, she began to rent a booth at A Cut Above the Rest in 1999, owned at that time by Robin Bentzoni. After several years, Robin decided to sell the business, and Laurie bought it in 2005. She kept the name and maintained it as Robin had, for “chair” rental by other stylists. Then, in 2015, Laurie and her husband John decided to purchase the building next to theirs and expand the business to what it is today — a multi-services location for hair, nails, massages, facials and cosmetics.

A Cut Above the Rest is a bit of an oasis in Silver Creek. Soft colors, graceful lines and soothing music combine to erase the din of outside noises and stresses of the day. People who enter the building are first greeted by a peaceful waiting room for those who anticipate a massage or other healing therapies. Five steps up and clients enter a large hair salon that is separated from the rooms where nails are polished and shined, and where diabetics can receive the assistance of a licensed diabetics’ nail technician. Laurie proudly noted, “No longer will people have to leave Silver Creek to access the services we now offer here. We are a complete salon and spa.”

Making the move from a small, hair-only salon to this very complete salon and spa took some courage, some support from her husband, and some guts.

“I just knew that this was the time to make the move when the property next door to the old salon went up for sale,” said Laurie. “This is a prime location, across from the intersection of Routes 5 and 20 in the village (Howard Street and Central Avenue), and talking to my clients made me know that this would work. Also, my brother Dan Smith is a contractor, so he did all the work to transform this space. I did a lot of research on layout, colors, styles, and my brother made it all happen. As he was ripping up the floors, he discovered hardwood floors, so we went with the original flooring and made it shine.” As a visitor to the space, I can attest to Dan’s skills as a contractor and Laurie’s as the designer. It’s a beautiful space.

Growing from a booth renter to a business owner has not always been smooth sailing. However, perhaps one of the best decisions Laurie made was to maintain the business structure she found when she joined the other renters at A Cut Above. “Today, I have no employees. All of the women who work here are renters of their space, and the best part is that we all get along so well. We connect with each other and help each other when necessary.”

“Since I have owned the business,” Lori continues, “I have had the same two renters as hair stylists — Tammie Benjamin and Karen Pagano. We have had no turn-around, and now we have added two more stylists, Terri Corsaro and Beth Griffith. Karen also does manicures and pedicures, and we have Colleen Smith who is a certified master pedicurist, who is often called upon to provide pedicures to those who are diabetic as well as to those who are not. Nina Mjoen is our aesthetician who does facials and pedicures starting at the end of August, and Becky Hornburg and Michelle Warren are the massage therapists who offer services here. We are looking for a nail technician since the demand for those services is growing.”

During the last phase of the growth of her business, Laurie experienced the stresses and strains on her personal life.

“Finding a balance between work and home is always a problem, but when you are adding space to your business and encountering decision after decision, the stress becomes even greater. I needed to maintain and please all of my existing customers, so sometimes I had to squeeze people in when I knew that I should be home taking care of things there. It was a struggle, but now seeing this place, I am proud and happy that we accepted the challenge and expanded.”

Laurie’s advice for future business owners is much the same as Judy Hilliker’s.

“Do what you love! Follow your dream, and even though you work very hard every single day, it won’t feel like work. And having the support and help from my husband has made all the difference.”

Laurie puts in over 50 hours a week, with most of it at the salon, although there is also book work to do at home. Her husband asked her why she didn’t do that in the salon, and she replied, “Because then I wouldn’t see you!”

“We are excited to introduce all of our new services to our community and hope that everyone in our area will take the opportunity to see what we have available here in Silver Creek,” said Laurie with enthusiasm and a warm smile.