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

Kim, 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?

Simply put I think it takes hard work, opportunity and consistency. Hard work will get you there, opportunity will open the door and consistency will keep you in the room.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My relationship with working in a salon goes back more than 20 years to when I was 11 years old and began shampooing for my aunt. I remember her paying me three dollars per head which was decent for a kid in the late 90’s. It was summertime and I was always looking for ways to make a few bucks. I realized quickly how much I enjoyed the sisterhood and overall vibe of being in a salon. This is what sparked my love for the beauty industry. I continued each summer working for my aunt until I got older and graduated high school in 2006. I pivoted and had a career change for a few years but always kept one foot in the salon working under an apprenticeship license doing close friends and family member’s hair through the years. It wasn’t until I was 22 that I decided to officially go to school to get my cosmetology license and kick things up a notch. I graduated from Columbus Technical College in Columbus Georgia in 2011 and went straight to state board a few weeks later where I passed both tests the first time. I spent that next year researching everything about owning and operating a business. I developed a network of other business professionals who were a part of the beauty industry. I also worked nonstop to save knowing I would want to eventually open my own salon even taking on a part time job to ensure I met my financial goals. This required so much discipline but I knew exactly what I wanted and knew focusing on the bigger goal was key. I took classes at hair shows and with fellow stylists to gain knowledge on parts of the industry where I lacked confidence. I wanted to be able to appeal to demographics outside of what I had grown accustomed to. In 2014 that same aunt who initially peaked my interest in hair from a young age helped bring everything full circle. She called me to let me know there was a space available for rent in the same plaza as her salon. The next week I had the keys and immediately began ordering everything I needed. I opened the doors for business January 2015 and have been open ever since. Throughout the years I have also been able to open a second, more private location in metro Atlanta allowing clients two different spaces to meet their needs. I retail a variety of hair extensions and offer luxury natural hair services for the woman who wants to turn heads in every room she steps in. My salon services are relaxing, yet time efficient as I understand the demands life creates for each woman. I still have clients who have been with me since the day I got licensed. I feel like what sets me a part is that I treat each customer like royalty and give top notch customer service. I listen to their concerns and honestly care about them. Their time with me is important and I make sure they know that. I am most proud of my commitment to my craft. In my almost 10 years of being a salon owner I have had to miss work all of 3 times. My brand and reputation mean a lot to me and each client is a VIP once they sit in my chair.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

The absolute best source of new clients for me has been social media. This wasn’t always true. I started doing hair before we knew the power of promoting businesses on social media platforms. Initially word of mouth, business cards and flyers were the best advertisement. I had also created a loyalty program with my regulars. For every client they referred I would give them $5 off their next service. Once they referred 5 clients I gave them a free shampoo and style. Today it’s as simple as purchasing a sponsored ad on instagram or using trending songs for a video. Hashtags are also helpful because they even come up in google searches.

Have you ever had to pivot?

The pandemic was probably the most stressful time in my business since I’ve started. Not knowing what we were headed into was a complete game changer. I am very much a planner and I had no idea how to plan in that situation because I didn’t know what I was planning for. Being forced to close our doors for almost two months drove me to figure out alternative ways to sustain my business. I’ve always made custom hair wigs for current clients but during this time I offered them to everyone. I had to take everything I knew business-wise and regroup. Even once we were allowed to go back to work we had to restructure our schedules to allow for social distancing.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.5fourteenhair.com
• Instagram: Www.Instagram.com/5fourteenhair
• Other: Booking link: https://booksy.com/en-us/633784_5fourteen-hair-salon-llc_hair-salon_16281_newnan

Image Credits
JColes Studio