- Janet Lewis

PAOLA GIROTTI – ON THE IMPORTANCE OF SMALL BUSINESS IN CANADA, BENG PASSIONATE ABOUT CREATING CHANGE, AND FIINDING OPPORTUNITY IN EVERY DAY

In this episode we talk to talking to Paola Girotti the Founder, Owner and Operator of Sugarmoon Salon and one of the Co Founders of Beauty United.

Sugarmoon Salon has been in business for over 20 years and is recognized as an industry leader in hair removal with multiple locations. What sets Sugarmoon apart is their commitment to professional, personable customer service and the use of ethically sourced, all-natural products.

Paola is a true leader who demonstrates a passion for her craft and the well-being of her employees. She ensures her staff receives comprehensive training and are paid a living wage, which is uncommon in an industry known for exploiting workers.

Paola’s resilient spirit has helped her overcome many challenges, including being shut down for 212 days during the pandemic, followed by operating at reduced capacity for another 407 days. Despite these obstacles, Paola rose to the challenge and navigated the turbulent times successfully.

In response to the shutdown, Paola co-founded Beauty United to challenge the Ontario government’s decision to close beauty-related businesses due to the lack of a governing body. She led the charge to ensure the personal care industry was recognized and treated fairly.

Paola is a problem solver who saw an issue and became the driver of change. She shares her life story, how she got to where is she today, who and what has influenced her, the challenges she has met along the way and what gives her energy to keep taking risks and move forward.

During our conversation we talked about how our first jobs helped prepare us for entrepreneurship, small business in Canada, and why we both love helping women start and launch business and in particular some of the challenges of owning and operating a business before, during and after the pandemic.

In this episode, Paola and I discuss the following:

- - How she ended up in the beauty industry and how Sugarmoon Salon started
  - How first jobs can set you up for success as an entrepreneur later in life
  - Experience of working in the film industry and how it was stressful to manage expectations
  - Importance of having a memorable business name that makes sense
  - Running a small business in Canada and how some policies, taxes or access to finances make it even more difficult
  - Why small business in Canada is important and how it helps to drive the economy
  - What you should do if you want to start a small business
  - Why you should treat your customers as guests
  - Why your company values are important
  - Benefits and challenges of implementing a fair living wage
  - Sugarman’s commitment to professionalism, customer service, and ethically sourced natural ingredients when developing products for her brand
  - Value of taking risks, learning from your mistakes, and getting out of your comfort zone
  - Recognizing your role in the company and how to grow when you don’t have the expertise or experience in house
  - Why it is important to know what type of business you want to own and operate
  - The role of time and energy required to grow a business while managing personal responsibilities
  - Challenges faced by Sugarman, including a 212-day shutdown during the pandemic
  - Paola’s role in founding “Beauty United” and why it was formed to challenge government decisions affecting personal care businesses
  - Impact of women owned and operated businesses during the pandemic and of women in the workplace in general
  - Importance of finding opportunity in every day