10 years strong!

10 years strong!

Today being June 1st 2009, is Tribeca Inc.’s 10 year anniversary.  So let’s go on a brief historical tour.  “We” were myself and my sister.  Together we had dreams of opening a salon, and when the salon in which I was a booth rental came up for sale, we bought it.  It was very difficult, I was the only stylist with a book, and 2 new stylists.  The roster changed a lot back then, and couldn’t keep employees for long, there wasn’t much business.  Could it have been the decor?  The day we bought it, the salon was done with a “modern jungle theme”, which somehow translated to orange and yellow walls with a zebra crown molding?!?  Within a few months that was changed, to an industrial feeling that was extremely low budget looking.  Let’s say this, a potential bridal client walked in and said, “I can’t spend my wedding day in this place!”

So in came an investor who believed in my potential, and felt I was their key to salon success.  So we left the dump and moved on up to or current location.  Much nicer and with a beautiful station set up, it was a great step in the right direction.  Biz got a little better, but it wasn’t until I instituted the apprentice program that we began to grow a sustainable business model.  Time passed and…

Relationships soured and I’m the sole owner now, nuff said.

So now with a clear vision and set goals, and the help of my stalwart companion Alonzo, who is Tribeca’s most senior employee, we embark on the second decade of the salon’s life.  So the new epic begins!

I love being a hairdresser and now I’m learning to love being an entrepreneur.  I have a unique vision on how to manage people, and promote my business.  It’s all about empowering people and letting them find their potential.  Some people grow on their own, some need fertilizer.  It’s not about the profit margin, it’s about the salon culture and your client’s perception of the product, Which is a happy stylist doing excellent work.