July 2009
March of 2009 marked the 30 year anniversary for Donna Strachan’s salon, Primarily Hair. Located in La Habra, California, Strachan used every dime she had to get started and open the doors to her salon in 1979.
Fashioning the salon’s business principles after the department store model she worked for early on, Strachan offered hourly wages and commissions to her employees.
“Good contacts and enthusiasm I had for this business only took me so far before realizing that accounting had to be my next focus,” Strachan points out. “Just as I’ve learned, most stylists get into business because they love the craft, and get disillusioned as they find they have to deal with all the business things to stay afloat.”
But her love of the hair business, her determination and many loyal clients is what has kept Strachan’s salon going for 30 years. “Customer service has always been of the utmost importance to me, long before it was fashionable or expected,” she notes. “I have passed my customer service passion on to all who have worked for me.”
When asked what she thought contributed to 30 years in business Strachan replied, “Skill and service, openness to new products and ideas and good marketing!”