Today we’d like to introduce you to Claudio James.
Claudio, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
At age 25 and after working at a corporate salon for 2 years, I decided to launch my own salon. I had signed a non-compete form, so I did not tell any of my guests I was leaving. I found a very small salon suite and signed 1 year lease. This suite was extremely small and only $800 a month. While that may sound like a steal, I had $3 in my bank account, a car that just broke down and 1 guest (who had found me on Facebook) in my books for the first month. I had to convince my new landlord to allow me to paint and change the room, hopefully to make me stand out. I only offered haircuts because all the advanced training I had received, through Aveda, was only for cutting. I would go out, hand people my cards, introduce myself, reach out to people on Facebook, offer deep discounts and mail out flyers, you name it, I did it. Slowly but surely, I started to have a following. About a year later, my guests started to ask for color, I panicked… I had to get a colorist asap because if I didn’t I felt like I was going to lose them. I hired on a friend and decided to expand into another suite right behind me, which would double the size of the studio. That was it… business boomed beyond my expectation. I had a 2 week waiting list and for the first time ever, I was financially stable. 4 years later I decided to open up my first store front. Now we are located in Lombard and it was another decision I do not regret.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I wish it had been a smooth road! Ill name a couple, but there were many obstacles along the way. I had never owned a business or ever had to make sure there was steady work for another person. I basically was learning as everything was happening. In the beginning 2 years, there were many months that I barely made rent, I would constantly ask myself if doing any of this was worth it. I had a wonderful support system. My poor family and partner, at the time, would always have to convince me that it would be worth continuing, all I had to do was believe and give it time. Being a 2 person operation, I had a colorist decide she wanted to go back to the corporate field and gave her 2 weeks. I had to scramble to find someone with equally amazing talent and a dedicated work ethic, which took about 2 months. The crazy part is I know there will be so many more, but I have faith that those too, will educate me and make me a better person.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Claudio James Salon – what should we know?
I am a stylist, I have a colorist, her name is Rachael. She does all the color for the salon and recently we opened up her books to include women haircuts. We also specialize in Brazilian Blowouts. There are a couple things, I believe, that sets us apart. We only take care of one person at a time. If Rachael applied color and our guest is processing, she will not go off and start another color until that guest is rinsed out. I think it’s really important to focus, 100% to the person that is in the chair. This gives us time, to get to know our guests so much more. Same with guests in my chair, I won’t start a cut and expect someone to blow-dry them while I am cutting another guest. My guests always comment that they don’t feel like they are in an assembly line at my salon. Another thing that sets us apart is our 7 day guarantee. If there is an issue with any work that was performed at our salon, you have 7 days to come in and, together, fix what the problem may be. It gives you time to feel it out, and should you return, we are there with open arms and a big smile.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
The quality I feel that is most important is communication skills. I listen, and never rush a consultation. I repeat everything I hear back to my guests to make sure I understood correctly. I do not start cutting until I 100% feel we are on the same page. I also have a consultation every single time someone comes through my door, even if they get the same haircut every single time before. You never know when someone could be inspired for a change!
Pricing:
- Haircuts start at $45
- Single Process Color starts at $60
- Brazilian Blowouts start at $300
Contact Info:
- Address: 141 W. St. Charles Road,
Lombard, IL 60148 - Website: ClaudioJamesSalon.com
- Phone: 630-551-8238
- Facebook: Facebook.com/ClaudioJamesSalon
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/claudio-james-salon-lombard-2
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