Today we’d like to introduce you to Sonya Chambers
Hi Sonya, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My name is Sonya. I’m married with no children. I’ve lived in Georgia for a little over 20 years. I was born and raised in Houston, TX. I come from a family that most people would consider a large family. I am one of six kids. I am second to the youngest. I have always loved fashion and Barbie. I am still a Barbie collector today. Early on, I loved doing hair. I was surrounded by older cousins, who taught me how to braid. So, I have been braiding since I was 7 years old. As a child, my mother gave me a needle and thread and scraps of fabric. I would spend my days dressing and styling Barbie. In high school, my school offered a class to become a licensed cosmetologist. I never officially learned to do hair, but I did have a private teacher who came to the house to teach me how to sew. The lack of education did not stop me from doing hair.
When I was in college I became the girl who did everyone’s perm and roller sets. I even ventured into braiding, and would braid and do sew-in extensions for friends and family even though I hadn’t pursued a career in cosmetology. Instead, I started out as a nursing major, then switched to psychology, and finally teaching. I spent a lot of time in college off and on. I currently have 2 bachelors degrees and a masters degree in education.
After taking the scenic route in college and teaching for 10 years, I knew that at this age I wouldn’t go back to school to get a cosmetology license. So, I started to ask myself how I could get involved in the beauty business a little deeper than just getting hair and lashes done. I started to investigate the salon suites business model. I took the idea to my husband and he was on board. Finally, here was my opportunity to be a part of the beauty business.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Starting out had its challenges. We worked with a consultant and we felt good about his process. I loved everything that he had to say. However, his words caused me to be a little delusional. I thought that when I built it, stylist would come from everywhere. I was wrong about that. Aside from not filling up immediately, the completion date was pushed back many times, and I was over budget. My goal was to have a summer grand opening, that came and went. There was a learning curve for me too. I had to know and understand things that I knew nothing about. For instance, I had never had to read an analyze blue prints. Thank goodness my husband was there to fill in the blanks. Despite a few snags, Vivid is up and running and on the way to 100% occupancy. My biggest piece of advice, is to have access to someone who knows more than you. The people around me who had the knowledge helped a lot. I learned so much in this process.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I have visited other salon suite facilities. I wanted my suites to stand out amongst them. There are so many big names in the industry that I admire. So I asked myself how I could stand out when there are so many suites available. What would make someone choose us as opposed to another more established salon suite. My goal is to provide beauty bosses with a beautiful and safe place to house their businesses. So, I made it pretty, and we keep our doors locked at all times. Stylist can work whenever they want and feel safe doing so. We have 34- suites equipped with storage, display space, wash bowl, separate sink and a styling chair. There are shared dryers and a mini laundry room. So far, I have attracted some really amazing and successful women.
Pricing:
- 250/wk for internal suites
- 300/wk for window suites
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.vividsalonsuites.com
- Instagram: @vividsalonsuites
Image Credits
@irinachepkophoto
