Starting my business part one
Hi Winterberry Fam, a lot of you already know me but for those who are new to my blog, my name is Jen. Welcome! I just feel like talking about one of my favorite subjects today, business. I am always thinking of the next thing to grow my business or start something new.
Let’s start with my background, I grew up in an entrepreneurial home. My parents were always starting businesses. In fact I have moved 30 times in my life with the hope that my dad would find the next great business idea. New school every year until I entered high school. Which now I am grateful for but when I was younger I never got to attached to people. I knew I would likely be leaving soon. I did however have my three sisters and they are my best friends. Later in life my parents had my brother as well, who I am also very close.
Christmas with my favorite gift I ever got.
The latest venture my parents had started was a wholesale all natural bath and body company, and I am so grateful to this day that I was apart of it. I was allowed the COO position and helped run the manufacturing of the products. I learned a lot about what is great for your hair and skin, and I hope to one day have my own hair product line. I got to grow up learning the ins and outs of business life and I had decided I never wanted to do it. I saw the struggle my parents went through and the devotion to the company they had, which took up all their time. I did not want that, that life was not for me. Fast forward a few years and my parents decided to move to North Carolina. I however was not going to tag along and decided to go full time doing hair again. I had taken a long break because this industry can be brutal at times.
Packing Soap to be shipped out
I finally landed at a place here in Canon City that I loved for the time being with great people. I worked there for a while and started rebuilding my clientele. I had started to feel the calling to open my own salon and I was not interested. My mother in law, Beth, at the time kept pushing me to do it. At that point, it would have had to be the perfect circumstances for me to even consider it. I was starting to get a steady flow of clientele and I was comfortable where I was at. Beth called me up one day and told me that the place that her nail lady was renting was about to be available and the rent was only $500 a month. I was paying $400 at the time and felt like the current owners, where I was working, were thinking about retiring. I felt like I would have to go and work somewhere I had no desire to if they were going to do so. That day I went down and looked at the place.
It was a complete disaster. It needed to be gutted if I was even going to consider doing it. I talked to the property management and asked if that would be a possibility. The owner agreed and I had free rein to do what I wanted. I love a project and I thought for only $100 more I could have another lady in there to help with rent and ultimately pay less. Well even I can’t resist that. So I got the lease, went to work and Winterberry was born.
Why I chose Wintrberry
Winterberry is the holly berry you see around Christmas time. It reminds me of traditions, home and family, which is what I wanted my business to stand for. I looked to see if it had been taken, to my surprise it had not, so I trademarked it that day and Winterberry was born.
I gutted the entire place and started fresh. I had some help of course, this was my first Reno and I learned a lot. I love taking something that hasn’t found its potential and making it something beautiful. I guess that’s why I love doing hair so much! Long story short, it turned out amazing, and I hired two ladies, whom I love, to work with me. It was going amazing! I hadn’t even had it a year and my then husband decided he wanted to move out of state…
Continued in part two…