Today we’d like to introduce you to Eric Taylor.
Eric, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Both of my parents are entrepreneurs, mom is an oil painter and dad had rental properties. I grew up watching them both work from home. That was my idea of how you make money, you create something that people want to buy then you go sell it. Like my mom and brother (who is an architect), I was also very artistic so my ideal career would be a combination of these two things I liked and was good at doing. Growing up I sold used golf balls, made t-shirts or whatever else I could think of that people might want to buy. In college I studied finance because it sounded like a trade that I could fall back on if a more passion-driven career never developed. I veered off of the curriculum into a personal interest for unconsolidated businesses which led me to the salon business. After graduation, I would walk into all kinds of salons and ask to talk to the owner. Before long, I began working for one salon owner who had developed private studios for his hairdressers. I worked for free for about a year while living with my parents. In 2000, I opened the first Salon Republic in Studio City, CA. Now 17 yrs. later, we have 12 locations, 1000+ hairdressers and are growing quickly.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The road is never smooth. Most landlords wouldn’t lease space to me for the first location. Eventually, I found one whose brother owned a salon and considered it a good business. We’re still in that space today. I didn’t have enough money to finish the construction. Luckily in those days, you could get a permit to open as long as certain basic things were complete. I took the first bits of revenue after opening to pay for the completion of the salon over the first year. I did a lot of it myself – laying floor tile, hanging cabinets, plumbing, janitorial, etc. It was the first time I had done any of it. Back then, we had books that told us how to do things, now we have YouTube.
Salon Republic – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Salon Republic offers private salon studios to independent beauty professionals. We work hard to make our salons the best environment for them to thrive in. From the design details to the most supportive amenities like an in-salon beauty supply, complimentary towel service, free weekly education/business classes and on-site salon manager. We’re proud that our efforts support the happiness and success of our beauty professionals. It’s tremendously rewarding.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
To me, success is simply achieving my goals. What’s not simple and much more dynamic is defining my goals. Early on when I left school, my goal was to find a little nook in the economy where I could do something myself…a place where there weren’t thousands of older, smarter people killing it already. My goal was to start something myself that actually sustained me so I could pay my rent etc. When I opened the first SR, the goal was to survive. Then the goal became to open a second location and survive. Then a third location and survive. Achieving each goal took years, but each was a micro success. With each success, the goals become larger and more complicated. I don’t know what my goal will be 5 yrs. from now, but I know I will have one and achieving it will mean I was successful…until another goal comes long.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.salonrepublic.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/salonrepublic
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/salonrepublic
- Other: www.salonrepublic.com/thehairgame
Image Credit:
Exterior shots / Esthethician studio – Chuck White Photography
Studio shots – Salon Hero
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