Salon Today - July 2008 - (Page 30)

[INSIDE LOOK] Perfectly Polished A former Starbucks executive takes a stab at the beauty industry with fabulous results. by Melissa Segars Hill Q. What’s the best part of your new career? A. It’s great getting to know the guests over time. They become a part of your community and you form a relationship with them, and during a service, that makes them feel great. It sure beats worrying about the market share of windshield wipers! n business, not a coffee business. I know how important it is to treat your employees with respect, so we’ve worked hard to create a healthy work environment for both the employees and guests. We don’t do acrylics because of the fumes, we use medical grade autoclaving on the tools, we tried to optimize ergonomics with our chairs and manicure and pedicure stations, and we have our own brand of products—nail polishes and paraben-free lotions. Q. What kind of feel were you going for when you designed and decorated the nail parlors? A. I wanted it to be a fun environment; approachable, not “hipper than thou.” I wanted it to be a place you’d want to bring your mom, sister or a friend. In terms of decor, people should want to have celebrations here—bridal showers, birthdays—but it also has to be good for an everyday treatment, or a person coming in for a pick-me-up. All the furniture is moveable. In most places, if my friend is getting a manicure and I’m getting a pedicure, we’re on opposite sides of the room and we can’t talk. Here, if a group of three or four people come in together, we can move chairs together and seat them diagonally so they can see and talk to each other. Q. What advice would you give to fellow owners and managers? A. I’ve found that it is all about understanding the mindset of the guest and trying things. It’s all trial and error. Don’t be too proud to see that something isn’t working, and then change it. Jane Park Julep Nail Parlor Seattle, Washington The ﬁrst lesson of Business 101: ﬁnd a need and ﬁll it. Former lawyer, consultant and Starbucks executive, Jane Park has done just that with the launch of Julep Nail Parlor last year. Already up to three locations in the Seattle area, she plans to continue growing a simple concept: Give women a special place to connect outside of home and work. With spas often too intimate and quiet to take work colleagues and salons becoming less a place to socialize with friends, Park’s nail parlor has become just the gathering place she envisioned. Q. What aspects of your previous jobs did you bring to Julep? A. I learned a lot at Starbucks about how to create the human system that you need to be able to service clients. They say it’s the human connection; that it’s a people JULEP NAIL PARLOR Established: The University District, June 2007; Downtown, May 2008; Gig Harbor, opening July 2008 Website: www.myjulep.com Spa setup: Varies, at Downtown location—12 chairs for manicure/ pedicures, manicure bar that seats four Square feet: 1,400 University District; 1,800 Downtown; 1,300 Gig Harbor Employees: 50 across all three locations Prices: Porch Manicure, $28, Parlor Manicure, $48, Girlfriend’s Glycolic Manicure, $58, Porch Pedicure, $48, Parlor Pedicure, $74, The Pure Decadence Chocolate Pedicure, $98 Salon software: Harms Millennium Equipment/furnishings: Custom Primary nail line: Private label 30 | July 2008 www.salontoday.com http://www.myjulep.com http://www.salontoday.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Salon Today - July 2008

Salon Today - July 2008 Contents Editor's Note Reception Fashion Sense Roundtable FirstAdvice Spa Menu Décor Share Tactics Perfectly Polished In the Bag 25 Years of Growth Products Owner to Owner

Salon Today - July 2008

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