Today we’d like to introduce you to Brenda Martin.
Brenda, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
When I was 18, 3 days after my High School graduation I started my first day of Cosmetology School. While I was a student I was scouted by a local salon owner who had visited and observed me at school and I was asked to become an assistant which also secured me a stylist position upon my graduation. I graduated the following Spring of 1995 and started the brutal challenge of building my personal clientele. The salon itself was not the best place for an inexperienced stylist to gain clients but the huge benefit was that the owner was highly skilled so I spent a full year observing not only hair cutting and coloring skills but also business and communication skills.
In 1996 I interviewed at a large scale full-service salon that was newly open and knew it would give me a huge opportunity to grow and the exposure that I was missing to build my clientele. I spent 11 years with that salon as one of the lead stylist and manager until it closed in 2007. I then decided it was time to become an independent contractor also known as a “booth renter” which gave me the ability to be self-employed, set my own hours, prices, etc but not be a salon owner with all of its responsibilities, I was an independent contractor for 9 years when in 2016 I decided it was the right Time in my life to venture out on my own and open Hair in the City, a Boutique style salon solely run and occupied by me.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I have been very fortunate to have worked with some great people in the last 25 years and to have acquired a loyal clientele, this business can be just as challenging as others, most days are extremely rewarding and then there are some days that beat on your confidence and patience. The only challenge is balancing work and personal time, luckily my husband is also a dedicated business owner so he understands that challenge and my daughter is graduating High School in June and is extremely busy herself preparing to attend college in the Fall.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Hair in the City – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Hair in the City offers a unique personalized hair experience, specializing in Goldwell Hair Color services such as Permanent Retouching, Foiling techniques, and the newest trends such as Balayage and Ombre’, Haircutting/shaping, blowout/updos, Goldwell Keratin smoothing services, Curl re-texturizing, along with waxing is also offered.
I’m most proud of the environment that I have created for my guests, they can come in from a long day either from work or from a day with the children and get to be pampered in a quiet clean space dedicated solely to them. So many of my clients say they wanna just come and Hang out even when they aren’t there for an appointment because it’s such a bright, quiet space away from the hustle and bustle.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
My business plan has been and will continue to be to keep it a solo project. I have been asked many times because of the amount of space I currently have and the amount of hours that I work if I would ever consider taking on employees or assistants, and the answer will always be no, I am having such great success with this dynamic and the individual time I can offer my guests that if I were to expand I believe I would lose that vibe I have created for them.
Contact Info:
- Address: 303 Amherst St Suite 2
Nashua NH 03063 - Phone: 603-493-2735
- Email: bmmaem@hotmail.com
- Facebook: Hair in the City
- Yelp: Hair in the City
Image Credit:
ABantham Photography LLC
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