First Name: Christina

Last Name: Dvorak

Business Name: Salon Tranquility

Years in Business: 10 years. EST.2008

How did you get started in business: 

I used to hang out with some friends who owned a business in the area where my salon is now. There was a barber shop in their building that hadn’t been open for a while.

I would look in the window and picture myself running my own salon. This put the idea in my head that this was something I could do.

I was able to meet the owner of the building and set up an appointment to pitch him a business plan.

How does your product or service solve a problem:

To help with hair a problem, like any problem, it’s helpful to know the history.

A consultation before working with a new client is a must. We’ll discuss their hair history for the last 1-2 years.

Knowing which products they have been using and even which medications they are on can affect the outcome of the service I provide.

With all this information gathered we can solve almost any hair problem.

Whether it’s during one session or several, I make it my goal to have my clients educated on what works for their hair type. This will help to limit the repeat of past hair issues or mistakes.

What’s the biggest struggle you’ve had in starting a business:

Firstly I’d have to say my hearing loss, which has always been a personal struggle for me, didn’t help when starting. Realizing how far I had already come with this burden gave me the strength to keep pressing on.

Financially it was terrifying. I was 19 with no business expertise, no savings and working two jobs to get my shop up and running.

I couldn’t even qualify for a small bank loan. Salon Tranquility was started on my mother’s credit card.

What task are you most confident about in starting your business:

I’d say being able to make someone happy. My passion for hair has kept me and my business going after all these years. I love art so much and this is my art that I’m creating and sharing with the world. Because of this, I’m putting 110% into everything I do.