We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Desiree Garcia. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Desiree below.

Desiree, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

My husband and I have been together for 17 years and 15 before we decided to get married. We searched long and hard to find a sweet indoor elopement Vegas white chapel with out the corny Vegas vibe but couldn’t find anything! My husband was not a fan of the idea of going to Vegas and neither of us are outdoor people to go on a hike to get married in a beautiful setting We ended up getting married at a little office with an ordain. 20 min in and out with only our kids and one best friend each. As soon as we walked out I said ” I would have paid triple the price if they offered hair and make up and at least a little photo session or SOMETHING.” From that day we planned a wedding in our backyard to have for the rest of my family celebrate with us but the more I talked to my clients and other people about my idea the more I realized it is something that is lacking in the wedding industry. With that, I Deux was created. I called it “I Deux” because the obvious but also Deux is two in french and I felt as an elopement space focusing only on the couple it was very fitting. Shortly after our wedding I found a charming little spot in the middle of scottsdale. Perfect location! I had no money, no loans, nothing but I things kept falling into place so quickly I would have been dumb not to go with my gut. My dad and husband helped me demo and build the ENTIRE space.When i tell you in was a fixer upper i mean it! There was 2ft termite tunnles hanging from the celling in every room. It looked like an old dr office that no one took care of. Once we started demoing there was mold in the walls, rotted foundation, mildew stains. It was just horrible. Now I Deux has a full service salon suite, two dressing rooms, and a main space for ceremonies and small reception area. It has a beautiful earthy upscale but warm and welcoming vibe. I wanted people to feel like a safe space and it is perfect as is or customize to tailor the couples wants for their special day. I always said “just because we want to elope doesn’t mean I don’t want it beautiful and memorable.” I tried my hardest and gave I Deux my all when it came to creating it. I am so excited to see where it goes and I truly hope I can make many people happily say “I do.”

Desiree, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I have been a hairstylist for over 12 years in many different salons from corporate to owning my own suites. I provide all services from transformational color, dramatic cuts, deep conditioning treatments, to bridal hair and makeup. All though I absolutely love hair, it is truly a passion of mine, I needed an outlet because as much as I love it I cannot do it forever. It is so hard on my body. As a 32 years young person, I already have arthritis in my right shoulder and constantly having lower back pains. That along with having 3 children and a husband i needed to pivot my life. Being a hairstylist is such a grind and I am at a point in my life now where i want to be able to spend time with them without being in pain and also still keeping in touch with my clients. Opening I Deux, my elopement venue, has given me more flexibility with my schedule, less time, behind the chair but I do not have to completely give it up and I still get to keep a community. Community is a huge reason why I love what I do. I love making people happy and feel good. It is really a big part of who I am. I make my client feel better when they are not feeling themselves or having a bad day. I get to marry people and that is such a magical and live changing experience. I have even had different events in my space like birthday parties, bridal showers, pop up markets, fun events that are true experiences. I pride myself on making sure everything is a bespoke experience for each and every person that choses my venue. I am really proud I was able to bring this vision to life because I get to do multiple things to bring community together.

Can you open up about how you funded your business?

Funding was incredibly hard. I had co signed a loan back when I was 22 to help my parents open a daycare so I had a pretty big debt I signed onto without realizing later on in life it would effect my ability to get my own loan for my own business later down the line. Fast forward 10 years later i have this business idea and i need the funding. I went to countless banks, looked online for business grants, and even reached out to a few investors. I was denied everywhere and as far as investors, I did not want to go that route because i wanted to see how far I can go on my own before I give someone a percentage of my company. The few investors I spoke with were so gun hoe with my idea and instantly wanted to invest but because they wanted it so bad, it told me I will be successful I just have to do it in baby steps and that is OKAY! I denied all investors and just started searching for spaces I could afford with my budget. I was already used to paying between $1500-$1800 in rent for a chair and another $500-$1000 for product a month. I got lucky with the space I found in Scottsdale. One of the most sought after places to be and normally way out of my budget but this little hidden gem was only $2,050 a month! I didn’t have money for the down payment because she was requesting basically 3x’s the amount so thankfully I have a beautiful client that I love so dearly and she fronted me the downpayment. From there every dollar i made behind the chair I put into my venue. It was so challenging because I was working 8-10hr days 4-5 days a week but I am also a wife and mother of 3 children 9,7 and 2. Honestly I am still in the grind of things because I am only in my first year of being open so there is still a long way to go. There is really only up from here though so to be continued on the financial journey. I just want people to know to follow your dreams and make it happen. You don’t need hundreds of thousands of dollars to make your dreams reality, you just need to think small to get big. Day by day, moment by moment. It was hard but it was only temporary.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

I would say the most effective strategy to building a clientele has to be in person networking. People love to connect. Once they feel the energy you give off they want to be apart of it. With that also comes referrals. You know the referrals are going to be so great because you have already had that initial connection with the first person, they will rave about you and tell all their people. We as humans trust the connection we make between people before anything. Social media is also a great platform to build a clientele because it is completely free and you can connect on a bigger scale but being personal and relatable is my most effective strategy.

Contact Info:

• Website: ideuxelopements.com
• Instagram: @ideuxexperiences
• Other: instagram @desireeadame desi.glossgenuis.com

Image Credits
Gabriellas Perspective Bryanna Casey