Today we’d like to introduce you to Kate Jotzat.
Kate, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I was working at a salon in Evanston and wanted to work back in the city, near Lincoln Square but finding an ecofriendly salon was essential. I decided to start working part time doing some hair out of my house and got pregnant with my son shortly after. It was the perfect situation at that time but as he got older, it was apparent finding my own place or renting a chair would be the best thing for me. I found my space, which was a barber shop for 40 years before I took over. One of the most important things to me was having a haircare line that I believed in, that was high quality, contained the least amount of fillers & junk, and still performed well, which we found in Eufora. I wanted to perform services we felt comfortable doing, for that reason we don’t do Brazilian or keratin treatments. I don’t believe as stylists we need to be exposed to these chemicals on a regular basis, we encourage our guests to work with their own texture, Sometimes people are surprised by what their hair can do with a little coaxing! We recycle 90% of our waste, we’re proud that we can even recycle our unused hair color & hair clippings. We’re growing strong, just hired a new assistant, are always improving with our mission and are positive for the future of Chroma K8!
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?
No, it’s definitely been a struggle at times! My biggest hurdle has been getting more quality stylists to work alongside me. My location is convenient, great for parking, in a changing neighborhood but it’s not the cool, hip Bucktown or Wicker Park location which may be part of why I we’ve struggled with staffing but we are in an very untapped area with lots of potential. Another challenge I have is having many jobs to do: HR, Marketing, Sales, Customer service, Handyman, Hairstylist and deciding when and what to give up to someone else to deal with. I never thought I’d be an entrepreneur but it just happened naturally. I believe this is all part of the road, it’s what all entrepreneur’s deal with. Attitude is everything, so staying positive & grateful is key for me.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Chroma K8 Beautique – what should we know?
Chroma K8 Beautique is known for being a friendly, welcoming, vintage inspired space where you’ll be able to find the most ecofriendly haircare, color and services while maintaining high performance & longevity. Our goal is to exceed your expectations & listen to give you the best service possible. We are known for quality hair color, curly cuts, being as green as possible in all that we do. We use and support local companies, recycle, reuse, reduce any time we can, and enjoy educating people on how you can make small changes to make an impact. We love our clients!
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
I believe a few of the essential qualities for an entrepreneur are gratitude, being humble, empathetic, hardworking and persistent.
Contact Info:
- Address: 5425 N Lincoln
Chicago, IL 60625 - Website: www.chromak8.com
- Phone: 773.654.3961
- Email: appointments@chromak8.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/chromak8
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/chromak8
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/chromak8
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/chroma-k8-beautique-chicago-2
Image Credit:
Shalimar B Photography , Little Monsters Photography
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