When Monna Bianca moved from a salon in Chicago’s Lakeview area to a far-flung suburban Salons by JC suite, just one client followed her. What she did next was risky, but it paid off fast.
After nine years as a stylist, Monna Bianca realized she had to spend more time closer to home with her three children. All in a three week period, she quit her job at a commission salon, rented a Salons by JC suite in Bolingbrook, Illinois, and started driving business to her new The Monna Bianca studio.
“I took 100% risk,” says Monna, who goes by her first and middle name. “I’d just gotten my tax return and that’s what financed me. Almost everything I did involved Facebook, Yelp and the Salons by JC owners, who are just amazing.”
Monna’s 4 Steps to Success
1. First, Monna set up a Yelp account and a Facebook business page, which she hadn’t had before. Then she began posting photos of her work on both, and on Instagram. “I offered 50% off for those who would book in the first week, and 50% off for a friend who came in with the person,” she says. “It was a time-limited offer, and I had a plan for what to do next. Before each person left, I pre-booked her next appointment, set her up with retail and asked for a referral.”
