Business: Shine Blow Dry Bar

Location: Montecito

Established: July 2011 

What prompted you to start Shine Blow Dry Bar?

I've found that the (blow dry bar) concept is working in other cities and that the women of Santa Barbara were ready and waiting for this service to come to our area. My partner and I decided to open in both Santa Barbara and Montecito because convenience is important when you're dropping in for a "blowout."

Update: Lisa sold her portion of Shine to her business partner in December 2011.

What role did WEV play in the opening of your business?

I learned so much about the foundation of a start-up business. It starts with a good business plan. Through WEV's Self-Employment Training course and individual consulting, I found out what it would really take to make this blow dry bar concept work by doing the research and putting it all on paper. I received so much support and knowledge from the people and resources at WEV.

Describe a favorite moment during your journey of opening your salons.

I have three. First, the day I was joined by my business partner Linda! Second—after three years of dreaming and planning—on the morning before we opened our doors, we celebrated with our closest friends by toasting and doing a blessing. And third, the energy and vibe of the stylists at Shine as they did blow outs ALL DAY LONG at our grand opening!

Now that you've realized your dream, what are your hopes and goals for the Shine's future?

I want to "fine tune" what I have with Shine; to grow and continue to be really good at we do. That means continuing to provide a great environment for people in this industry to work and grow in their field. With all of this in mind, we hope to open Shine in another city!

What advice do you offer others who might want to start their own business?

Go for your dreams. Utilize your resources. It's a lot of hard work and comittment. Start with a business plan. Take every opportunity to learn - even through the disapointments along the way.