Life and Work with Hermine Abkarian

Today we’d like to introduce you to Hermine Abkarian.

Hermine, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Mommy’s Retreat was started by myself and my two sisters Rosie Nehme and Angela Kokchyan. Having kids of our own and the struggle to find the balance of “me” time and not feel guilty about it was the reasoning behind “Mommy’s Retreat”. Having the ability to go to a full service salon get your hair, nails, makeup and other beauty needs done while someone qualified looks after your child steps away from you was a dream and we made it a reality. No more need to find a babysitter, ask your husband or your mom. Mommy’s Retreat is a place where kids are welcome and where moms can finally relax and enjoy some gilt free time to themselves while their little ones play in our 1000+sq. ft. supervised playroom. I have a business management and accounting background Rosie and Angela are both master stylist and have over 10 years of experience in all things hair and beauty. Rosie is your go-to for extensions and blowouts. Angela is your go-to for color and makeup. We hope that our customers LOVE our salon and feel at home with their little ones when visiting.

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?
We are very blessed with amazing family, friends and great clients. Each journey has its struggles but hard work, persistence, giving it a 110% all the time and learning from your mistakes make it all worth it. To the young women starting out never take NO for an answer if you’re not able to reach your goal the first time, don’t give up keep going and it will all pay off at the end. Constancy is what made it work for us.

Please tell us about Mommy’s Retreat.
Mommy’s Retreat is the only full-service salon that offers a place for moms to come to get all their beauty needs taken care of while their little ones are playing in our supervised playroom. We are so proud of our salon a place like no other salon where we can provide high-end services tailored for moms where they can take some me time without having to feel guilty. What sets us apart is that we are the only salon of our kind.

There’s a wealth of academic research that suggests that lack of mentors and networking opportunities for women has materially affected the number of women in leadership roles. Smart organizations and industry leaders are working to change this, but in the meantime, do you have any advice for finding a mentor and building a network?
The best way to find a mentor or a networking group is to put yourself out there through different female organizations. We used a lot of social media platform to network with other female business owners and did a lot of meets and greets through other businesses and events in our community.

Contact Info:

• Address: Mommy’s Retreat
  18545 Ventura Blvd.
  Tarzana, CA 91356
• Website: www.mommysretreat.net
• Phone: 818-626-5446
• Email: info@mommysretreat.net
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mommysretreat/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mommysretreat
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/mommysretreat

Image Credit:
Mommy’s Retreat

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