We are thrilled to share the inspiring story of the ambitious owners of The Colour Bar, two vibrant Davines salons in Sacramento, California. Alfonso and Lorena Martinez had similar humble upbringings that were rich in life experiences and lessons on how to work hard to reach your dreams. Growing up in families that immigrated to the United States came with its challenges, but it also presented opportunities that would prove to be life changing. They both entered the corporate world after college, but soon realized their hearts and talents could be better utilized by building their own American Dream in the Salon Industry. Lorena shares, “At the age of twelve, moving to another country was quite challenging, but it was an experience that …show more content…
The answer to that question will get you through the hard times and failures. If you start without knowing your why, you run a higher chance of quitting at early signs of hardship. Once you can answer that question with 100% certainty and believe in your answer, start then and there. I started with a $1,000 investment in my one chair studio. In my third year I moved to a six chair salon and in our sixth year we opened up the second location of The Colour Bar in Midtown. Start small. Work hard. Always go the extra mile. Be patient. Think and grow big. The strength of your brand for The Colour Bar is evident; can you share with other owners some of your marketing strategies for getting traction for their salons? There are three key strategies that have helped us build the strength of our brand. In the beginning, I leaned heavily on face to face advertising – yes, handing out flyers is by far one of the best things a stylist can do. I also worked for free, sponsoring beauty pageants. I donated my time for the chance to network and build credibility for The Colour Bar. I later met people who asked me if I wanted to appear in “Resaltando La Belleza”, a beauty TV segment for Univision Sacramento. I wasn’t ready, but I accepted with excitement. That opportunity enabled me to grow brand awareness for The Colour Bar exponentially, as it aired all over Northern