by Julia Paulus

Fresh out of cosmetology school, Flora Smooths went to work at another young woman’s salon until one day the business was abruptly shut down. “We were doing hair and the water was turned off,” says Smooths. “The young lady who owned the salon and rented the space had no idea that the building had been sold. The salon was taken out from under her.”

As a single parent to two children, Smooths never wanted to be in a position to be unexpectedly out of work again, and she knew she would be able to control her own destiny as a business owner. “I was a step ahead when the salon closed because I had already found a space to rent for my own salon,” she says.

That was 25 years ago. “My first goal was to have the building paid for in five years so if other hurdles presented themselves, I wouldn’t have to worry about getting put out,” says Smooths.
To continue to gain new customers, she focused on educating herself and marketing her business. “You have to be creative in slow times,” she says. “I went back to school to become an aesthetician. I also did a lot of advertising.”

In the past six years Smooths has tripled her business revenue despite hearing that others in her industry are struggling. “If you have confidence, look for new avenues to increase your business and put 100% into it, you’ll get 100% back,” she says. “If I am sick or out of town, I will refer my customers to other salons who I know do a good job. I’m never worried that they won’t come back; they always do, and they bring others with them.”