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A Time to Reflect

Ramon Alcala uses fishing to become a better business owner

Ramon Alcala, the owner of Ramon’s Hair Design, approaches life with the philosophy that the best way to understand something is to experience it personally. In both the professional and personal aspects of his life, he likes to immerse himself in what he’s doing, study it, and decide on the most effective approach.

Alcala sees his career as a hobby and takes his hobby, specifically fishing, as seriously as his career.

The roots of Alcala’s love of fishing can be traced back to his family’s farm, where he spent time as a kid fishing in the family’s pond. The hobby stayed with him, and his fishing locations and expertise have grown over the years. With that experience, Alcala has found parallels between doing hair and fishing, making the two intricately intertwined for him.

“I’ve been doing hair for 45 years and I really enjoy it,,” he shared. “I spend a lot of time listening to my clients helping them solve their problems and showing them how to care for their hair.

“I’m kind of a nerd in that I like to study things and go one step further than most. Fishing is the same way. I study the water and the fish to know what they're looking for and what I'm doing wrong, too, so that I can be successful in catching fish.”

Alcala integrates his love for electronics with fishing by using underwater mapping technology on his boat to locate great fishing spots at Grapevine Lake in North Texas. He's able to study the patterns in which the fish move and understands how to entice them to take his bait.

Although he enjoys fishing for largemouth bass, Alcala truly loves the challenge of finding and snagging smallmouth bass.

“I get excited about catching fish, how they feel when you get them on the line, putting them back in the water, and doing it again and again,” he said. “Smallmouth bass are more of a challenge to find and are different characters in the water. They are big time fighters on the line, unlike the largemouths that mainly go docile when hooked. Smallmouths just keep fighting and fighting, trying to get away, and that’s exciting to me.”

In addition to catching fish, Alcala enjoys these moments to unwind and enjoy the outdoors. The simplicity and solitude of being on the water allows Alcala to reflect on the past and look toward the future.

“I often think about my clients and what I could do better for them. I replay my whole day or my whole week and see what I can do better the next time they come in; if I can do something else for them to teach them something or if there is something that I might have forgotten to tell them,” he explained.

“I’m really a quiet guy and I do a lot of talking with my clients throughout the day, so fishing gives me time to be quiet, peaceful, and think.”

To swap fishing stories or explore Alcala’s techniques on effectively caring for hair, visit Ramon’s Hair Design, which is located at 2648 FM 407E, Suite 120 in Bartonville. For more information on services, visit ramonshairdesign.com or call 940-584-0300.

“I’m really a quiet guy and I do a lot of talking with my clients throughout the day, so fishing gives me time to be quiet, peaceful, and think.”

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