ist Magazine May 2022

Salon of Distinction

JuicyTan SHE’S GOT GOALS! By Joe Schuster

T his month’s Sun is Life® Certifica- tion graduate, Chloee Pshigoda, got her salon operator training “classroom style” in the session offered by Heartland Tanning at their Feb- ruary “Bootcamp” event. It’s always fun to dig into how folks get started in the business and how they operate their salons. Read on! IST: So, you’re living on “Tulsa Time?” (It’s a Clapton reference – a big deal in my day. YouTube it). What propelled you into the tan biz? CP: Well, I’m a city girl who loves having a Target store down the street. My husband moved me (dragged me) out to this small town from the Tulsa/Broken Arrow area. I started working out in the Total Fitness For Her gym that is connected to Juicy Tan. Honestly, I attempted using those tanning beds, but the previous owner did not maintain or change lamps unless they burned out. Experienced tanners know

when they are in a good bed or not! I have been tanning since I was 15 and always wanted to own a salon. That owner sold it to a close friend who definitely had no idea how to run a business and needed to sell it. I expressed interest and took the leap! IST: How did the COVID crisis affect your business? CP: Luckily, I was able to get small business loans and I have a wonderful, understanding and generous landlord who helped me during times of closure. I missed a lot of spring season business, but was truly blessed and still able to survive. IST: Did COVID awareness cause you to change any of your cleaning rituals? CP: The things that changed included keeping linens in containers and away from salon traffic. I also started using a company called Cintas that provides my floor cleaners and hand soaps, rather

than using store-bought products. I did a follow-up training with my staff to make sure they were properly cleaning everything in the tanning rooms. IST: We had a great class in town for Heartland Tan’s “Bootcamp” and I’m glad you were a part of it. Care to share your thoughts on the class? CP: The Sun Is Life class definitely gave me new insights to consider. Oklahoma doesn’t have any regulations for tanning salons. When I bought this business,

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May 2022