The Queen of Bling

Hello and welcome to this edition of Salon Stopover. Today I've popped to Bulgaria to meet Jerry Vanji. We're going to talk about her new salon space that was very recently opened, called g and d Beauty Salon, which is named after its two owners, Jerry and Diana. Hello, Jerry. Thank you so much for joining me. Hello. Hello, Alex. You do invite me, actually. Oh, it's My pleasure, Jerry, because we've, we've known each other sometime, but today we're talking to you because we want to have a look at your new salon space. So can you share with us if you could start with just telling us a little bit about your nail career and how you got into nails? I start working, uh, in, uh, the salon in 1993. Uh, that is 30 years since I've been in, in this industry. Uh, for the first three years I only did manicures and pedicures. I, in 1996, I took a course, is making artificial nails, uh, with the woman, uh, who, uh, course graduate of Star Nails, uh, north Africa. For those who don't know, star Nails is Kuchi first brand after a long period, star nails turn into [unknown]. Actually, uh, I have been in love in this brand since, uh, it's very beginning. Uh, when I started, uh, working in the salon, also have, uh, started studying my higher education in the university. Uh, and after finishing my love for nails took over and nails are really my biggest love after my family. I think I could go back in time. I would still go close this. I love everything about this industry. Okay. So Jerry, um, I understand that it, that the salon's called g and D, which is Jerry and, uh, Diana. Diana. Mm-hmm. Can You tell us about the ownership or partnership that you have in the salon? Uh, the people who stand behind this salon, uh, and manage, uh, uh, it are me and longtime partners and, uh, partner in associate Constantino. Each of us are in our, uh, own business. I am in the neo section, and she is the here section. Uh, back in the, uh, uh, 2000, uh, year 2000, uh, we both found our salon p and d. And, uh, now we have, uh, our, um, uh, our salon, uh, beauty salon, which, uh, own, I mean own beautiful, beautiful salon. Uh, we, we bought the salon, uh, which are very proud of. So this, this was a great moment. While talking to Jerry, we found out that Deanna, her partner, her salon part business partner, was on site. So just wanted to quickly say hello to Deanna. Hi, Deanna. Okay. Hello for everybody. So You're running the hair site and you two have been working together for many years, I think. Yes. All Of the fierce, yes. Yes. 22, 20, 22 years. Yes, yes. 22. So You, you must have a special magic as a partnership then? Yes, maybe. Yes. Actually, we have a special moment when decide, uh, uh, uh, uh, when I decide to take a course with artificial nails, Dana is showing my, it, uh, what is was in my salon and showing her long nails. I say, oh my God, it's long nails. I need to do, do that. And, uh, she take me, uh, to the, her manicures contacts, and I, I do discourse for the, for the artificial nails. And, uh, many years after that, uh, eight years, uh, she was in my client and my friend, uh, uh, and she sent me, why do you know Stan temper hairdresser? I said, wow, I cannot do this. Yeah. But, but now, but now she is a amazing hairdresser with, uh, with the many clients and, uh, and the amazing, amazing, uh, person. Yeah. She is amazing person. Not, not only hairdresser. Yes, yes. Shall we talk now about this beautiful salon space that you've created? So, um, I can see that it's only been open, I think a few months. Mm-hmm. Um, it's a large space. Mm-hmm. Very minimalist with mm-hmm. Beautiful accents of, I noticed you've got lots of plants in jars and mm-hmm. You've got delicate delicates, uh, beautiful areas for your retail. Mm-hmm. Um, and I see you have quite a strong flooring in the black and white checkers. Mm-hmm. Um, and then you've gone for the, the pallet of the gray and yellow, um, color scheme. So please talk to us about how the salon, uh, interior was created and, and who's behind. Uh, the interior is behind, this is designer, his name. Uh, [unknown] is a very famous, uh, designer, uh, that's, uh, in Bulgaria actually. Uh, he, she is, uh, popular in, uh, in houses, designer houses and salons to, uh, the inter style, uh, we want for, uh, is new design. Uh, the services of the salon are used by both women and men in order to create comfort for every customer. Every details is pointed by, by team minimalistic lines, and the design absorb them without Plus, but not least, we wanted to create launch where the feel comfortable. Um, standing along time with the workplace is very important, uh, that not only to customers, but also and, uh, staff and employee. Um, we need to feel, uh, ener, energy energized and, uh, pro productive coer in the interior influenced mood of the concept is tailored to achieve the sense, uh, the sense of infinity. In short, we created salon that would remind timeless and rele, uh, relevant overtime. We were our, that's the concept was quite innovative. But I think, uh, we manage to achieve, um, uh, great results. We hope our customer, customer, sorry. Feel good. In our salon. Salon, How many rooms do you have in the salon? How many, because I understand you have beauty as well. So how many rooms, um, make up your salon? There are four, um, manicure corners. Uh, one is made right, right next to here to clear dresser. Uh, we have many common, uh, customer and time is already valuable for each of them. Exactly. And while the customer is using hairdresser services, uh, we can do a manicure in the same time. Uh, the other cables are separate and located in the manicure. And the pedicure, uh, area is the, is the, um, actually in middle of the salon. Um, and the last manicure station, that's my lovely station, my, my station in, uh, set, uh, aside, uh, for the people who want to be more private in the back of it alone, we have separate, uh, cabinets for, uh, cosmetics and room for massage and kin therapy. The one is quite big, and we have placed place, uh, uh, decision in the most functional and good way for work. So, uh, we have, um, seven people working in the salon, two hairdressers, uh, three manicurists, uh, one cosmetologist, one therapist. Uh, but we, uh, offer opportunity for more hairdresser and manicurists to join us. Tell me about the salon's ethos. What's at the core of the direction of your Salon? Uh, the spirit of the salon is friendly. Uh, we treat every detail professionally. The focus, uh, is to go only forward an app. We are constantly improving the services and the salon with latest techniques and products. Uh, we have a common goal, uh, namely the success of all of us and entire team and working in it. The client is very diverse. Uh, we have clients from who, uh, whom the policies preferred. Short manicure, short, short manicure, uh, like lawyers, various bankers, et cetera. Uh, people, uh, working profession professions got require, um, elegant and grit style. Uh, also we have, uh, young girls, the teenagers, students keep long nails, um, and some of, some of them wants to, to do, loves to decoration, uh, their nails. So we have a different, uh, different, uh, clients. Uh, and that actually is wonderful because, uh, different client, client is, uh, it's uh, it is good. Uh, the Bulgarian, uh, is very well kept woman, uh, and gets manicures and pedicures in all season, uh, of the year. Uh, we have customer for both services, actually. But, uh, it seem, it seems, uh, that, uh, in the summer there is a slight increase in the pedicure service. A little bit a long software, uh, are also the medical pedicure procedure, uh, like pedicure. Uh, and there are no season for it, because when the people hurt, uh, in, in nails, we need to do something. Yes, yes. Uh, recently we also, uh, we also, um, uh, asked and make needy, uh, uh, corrective system for in growing nails. So Jerry, can you give me then, um, the secret to running a successful hair, beauty and nail business in Sophia, in Bulgaria? What's your secret? How the manager successful business? Uh, maybe my answer is, uh, patient persistence, success. Innovation, and great love what you do. Yes, definitely. You have to love what you do. It couldn't possib be a bit success if you didn't. That's, that's very, very powerful. Very, very precious. Last punctuated point there. Um, well, Jerry, thank you so much for joining me today and showing us around your salon and giving us a really good idea of how the nail market is in Bulgaria. And, and it's, I find it fascinating to find out that your typical client is so diverse and that most people are really highly groomed in Bulgaria. It's interesting cuz every country is doing this differently, all around the world. So it's lovely to get a good snapshot into the Bulgarian market today. You too. That you are inviting me. Thank you, Alex.