The other side of the counter: Making a living in the service industry

In her radio series Stories From Work, CBC Cape Breton's Joan Weeks is taking an inside look at jobs in the service sector.

Every day, we interact with service industry workers: hair dressers, store clerks, and servers, just to name a few.

But what does that experience look like from their side of the counter?

Cutting hair for 30 years and counting

In part one of the series, Joan visits Borden's Barber Shop in Whitney Pier.  

Owner and master barber Gerald Coombs has been on the job for 32 years. Master barber Jim Howley, 71, has been cutting hair for 36 years. And the new kid on the block is 31-year-old Justin Mitchell. Listen to their story below. 

Serving coffee for 2 decades

Calling 911 might not be in the job description of a waitress, but it's something Brenda Goldie has had to do several times in her two decades on the job. 

Goldie works at a well-known coffee chain in Halifax. Before that, she spent several years waiting tables at a truck stop in Colchester County. 

Listen to Goldie talk about what it was like serving truckers below in part two of the series.

Behind the wheel

Frank Harrison has been in the driver's seat for 18 years, driving a cab in Sydney. In part three of the series, we learn what a cab driver's job looks like from behind the wheel.

Hear what Harrison says it takes to be a good cab driver below. 

Realtor reality

In part four of our series, we delve into the weird and wonderful world of real estate. 

Carol Rizzetto has been a realtor in Sydney for eight years. In her line of work, she sees people at their best and at their worst, she says. 

And being a realtor has led to some surprising opportunities — including playing matchmaker!

From teaching to sales

Valerie Carrigan took her first job in retail 41 years ago.

Retail wasn't her first career choice. She was a teacher for a few years but decided she preferred sales.

Some of her most memorable experiences happened while helping gentlemen buy lingerie. Listen to the full story below.

Bouncing and bartending

In his line of work, 47-year-old Joel MacFadyen has had to muscle a few people out of bars.

For the past 27 years MacFadyen has worked a variety of jobs at Sydney establishments.

He began as a bouncer at a busy downtown nightclub and then moved into bartending.

Hear about his early days working the door, in our final instalment below.