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SEARCHNestled away in Astoria, New York, is Art Room Hair Spa, a salon that specializes in curly haircuts. Owned by Sandra Stankovic and first opened in 2017, it’s filled with plants.
*This article was repurposed with permission from Fresha.
Nestled away in Astoria, New York is Art Room Hair Spa, a salon that specialises in curly haircuts. Owned by Sandra Stankovic and first opened in 2017, it’s filled with plants and signs encouraging a ‘drama-free zone’. “We have a lot of greenery that cleans our air and creates a beautiful environment where everyone can unwind,” Stankovic says.
She started the business wanting to create a space where people quickly feel at home, “Where they get to relax, enjoy good music, enjoy drinks, that kind of thing. Just forget about the outside world and get glammed up at the same time.”
“That’s my favorite part of being a small business owner. Feeling at home. You get to know all the locals so that even on your day off you bump into clients when you’re walking around”.
When Stankovic opened Art Room Hair Spa in 2017 she found that building a small business in a hidden part of New York was quite a challenge: switching from hairdresser to business owner was a big change.
After some searching online, she started using Fresha, an all-in-one software for running, growing and promoting her salon.
“Getting the clientele was a little bit challenging” Stankovic says. “We’re in a hidden place so we don’t have any walk-ins.” But having a profile on the Fresha marketplace meant being tucked away wasn’t stopping them from attracting new clients anymore: suddenly clients were finding Art Room Hair Spa through the app.
Once she started working with Fresha, “Everything was smooth, Stankovic says. "I was looking for a system that would be easy for clients to book at any time they want, including after hours. And now Fresha plays a major role in my business. I love how easy it is for clients to book appointments, send reminders for cancellation policies, and allow you to do so much through one system.
“People can even pay through their phones and smartwatches with Fresha too: they don't even have to bring their wallet with them at all which is cool”.
Being a salon owner also means looking after the business, even when you’re thousands of miles away. “I was in Europe a few months ago and even though I was so far away I was able to do everything through my phone. And the customer service is always absolutely amazing. Whenever I need help, or I get stuck with something, they’re there to help out," Stankovic says.
Whether you need a bird’s eye view of your whole business or a deep dive into one of your store locations, Fresha helps you manage them from afar. The flexible reports and analytics cover all aspects of your business, ranging from client retention to sales by staff member.
“Reporting and analytics is one of my favourite features. I love the daily summary payroll. It makes my life really easy,” she says.
Stankovic’s goal for the next five years? Taking over the whole building. Then they’ll no longer be a hidden salon on the second floor. But visible on the street or not, Fresha will continue to give Art Room Hair Spa the spotlight it deserves on their marketplace, helping her build up her clients and continue to keep growing Art Room Hair Spa.
Check out Fresha, world’s #1 online booking platform, so you can see what it can do for your business.
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