We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Chrissy Woods a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Chrissy, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today If you could go back in time do you wish you had started your business sooner or later

I started my business back in 2016. It was actually perfect timing. At the time, I was working as a Registered Nurse and I was just terminated from my position. It came as a huge surprise because I was just promoted 2 weeks prior. Our office received a new Administrator, and she felt the need to release me and bring in someone she knew prior to. I was devasted, however, I was also a Licensed Cosmetologist, so it was perfect timing to lean into that field and start over. I’m still a Registered Nurse, and I keep my license active, however, I no longer practice in the field.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My story is a bit interesting. It started in high school, I’ve always been into the beauty industry. I would do my own hair and makeup (in between salon visits) and that passion continued to grow in college. After college, I worked in my field, Nursing, but always managed to provide makeup services on the side for weddings and events. Eventually my side business became the main business and I have to say the transition was seamless. I eventually went back to school to get licensed in Cosmetology. This started my hair business, eventually leading me to servicing clients in a suite of my own. I worked in a suite for about 2 years before opening a salon. The opportunity presented itself for me to acquire a building, which I turned into a salon suite business. Within 3 years, the business was able to expand and I ended up with 4 locations in Columbia.

How did you build your audience on social media?

Building an audience on social media is tricky. I started from a fresh account and I knew I wanted to attract potential tenants. I didn’t have a finished product so I decided to show the process. It was risky, but I filmed every step of the way while telling the vision. I knew some people would see the vision and want to secure the suite. However, other will need to see a finished product. I was able to completely fill the suites prior to the construction being completed. I continued to show the process with each building. Now, word of mouth is helping tremendously.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

Doing good business and being fair. I hired an attorney to ensure everything is fair and ethical for everyone. Securing my attorney was the single most important investment of my business.

Contact Info:

• Website: Studio1216.com
• Instagram: Instagram.com/studio1216suites
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thestudio1216suites

Image Credits
Rodney K. Gary OMOS photography