St George SBDC
Gateway Salon and Spa
Danagail Elzy was on her way to a new life in Biloxi, Mississippi when Hurricane Katrina hit. She moved back to southern Utah to build her dream in St. George. Her friend Traci Heaton was selling her home in Florida to move to southern Utah and join in the dream. In the spring of 2006, Danagail began writing their business plan - that of a beautiful serene day spa in which customers could relax while getting their hair and nails done, receive facials and massage, and purchase personal care products.
Danagail worked continually during the summer and added details to her plan One of her goals was to fill up the 16 available booth spaces in the spa. She, herself is a nail technician, and her business partner Traci is going to school to be a licensed Esthetician. They approached a bank and were approved for a loan to fund their dream. Meanwhile, Danagail and Traci put in significant sweat equity at the Tonaquint location. They even put the stain on the trendy concrete floor.
The Getaway Salon and Spa opened in December 2006. Located in the new Tonaquint shopping center, the spa will serve not only the upscale residents that live in the area, but those employed in the new business and technology parks located nearby. Decorated in warm, earthy tones, the spa has a series of niches where hair and nail stations are located, enhancing the feeling of intimacy, serenity and relaxation. The gurgle and rippling water feature in the center of the spa adds to the ambiance.
Original financial projections for the Getaway showed the spa gradually ramping up its numbers of technicians renting the booth space. But the facility was rented almost from the beginning. One reason for renter excitement was the advanced e-mail booking system. While most beauty shops in the area still employ the old fashioned call and reserve system, Getaway clients can make their appointments online day or night. Some of the best hair, nail, massage technicians and estheticians in the area recognized the value of beautiful surroundings and professional systems.
Danagail and Traci acknowledge the efforts of the Dixie Business Alliance Small Business Development Center in helping the day spa dream come to pass.
“Without the Dixie Business Alliance we would not have been as prepared to open and run a successful business. Jill helped us realize we needed a plan and we had to stick to it. Dixie Business Alliance helped us get our business in order to take to bank to prove we were cut out and ready for the challenge. Running a business is hard enough but to have all the people, classes, seminars offered by the DBA, helps keep our Spa running
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