We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kate Leatherwood a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Kate, appreciate you joining us today. Before we get into specifics, let’s talk about success more generally. What do you think it takes to be successful?
I think it takes hard, consistent work and constant development of skills in your trade.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I’ve been doing hair since I was a little girl. I felt drawn to it for some reason, and it’s been a natural progression that led to owning a small business. Both of my parents were hard-working entrepreneurs and excellent at managing their finances. They were incredible role models and have helped me significantly in my life. At the salon, we carry Kevin Murphy products that are sulfate, paraben, and cruelty-free. I also use their ammonia-free color line. I specialize in haircuts, styling, color, highlights, bridal, extensions, and perms. I think what sets the salon and myself apart from other salons is our choices in terms of products and color line. Many brands have hidden ingredients that can be very toxic. We are also highly trained, have many years of experience, and are excellent listeners. I am proud of the online reviews of the salon and grateful to our clients for their ongoing support.
What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?
Many new clients are referrals, and people also use Google or Yelp in their online search for a new salon. We have an excellent review rating, which sets us apart from other salons.
How’d you think through whether to sell directly on your own site or through a platform like Amazon, Etsy, Cratejoy, etc.
We sell products on our website and provide in-store pickup. A pro would be meeting a potential new client when they pick up their order, and a con would be that the model is minimal (limited). I’ve tried in the past to get setup as an Amazon seller, but the process was complicated and intimidating.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.lastsatellite.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/LastSatellite
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lastsatellite/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/last-satellite?trk=public_profile_topcard-current-company
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/last-satellite-salon-austin-4
- Other: https://lastsatelliteshop.square.site/
Image Credits
Salon photo by John Allen | Wedding photos by Josh Yang, Yona Shaw, Bonnie Burke, John Allen, and April Mae