EnTrends [ahn-trends] Taking a Look at How Modern Entrepreneurs Work & Live! |
| Gayle Giacomo - The Gatsby Salon - "Jerseylicious" |
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Gatsby salon was first opened in 1973 by the late Daniel (Danny) Gianfrancesco, an international award-winning stylist, whose celebrity clients included Carly Simon, Cheryl Teigs, and many others. After passing away suddenly in 1998, Danny’s wife Gayle took on the role of entrepreneur, investing her own time and money, taking on risk, and reshaping the Gatsby Salon into her own vision. EnTrends interviewed Gayle about her now famous salon and her role as an entrepreneur.
Q: Even though Gatsby Salon was originally started by your late husband, you have completely redefined the business over the past twelve years, making you an entrepreneur in your own right. What was that process like?
A: When Danny passed away, I initially tried to keep everything the same as how he used to run the business. So when I reopened and relocated the salon, it was my time to run the business the way that I wanted to run it, and take the chances that I wanted to take. A year ago, I remodeled and relocated the salon to its current location.
Whenever we had remodeled the salon in the past, my husband never really calculated how to make money based upon on the square footage. Maybe it’s because things were done differently years ago, and he didn’t really have to worry about things like that, but now days, with this economy, I wanted to make sure that every square foot of my business was making money.
Every time you remodel a salon, it takes a substantial amount of money, especially since you’re buying all new furniture. My last salon was ridiculous. It was more of a Victorian style and had an old, traditional feel. We took it to the max with the elaborate moldings and everything else. With this latest renovation, it was an easier way of doing things, even though I had to do everything from scratch – new plumbing, all new electric, etc., because it was a whole new location.
Q: How did you finance the renovation?
A: As far as financing went, I did go through a bank for a loan. I was very fortunate to be able to get just the amount of capital that I needed, especially since they were cutting back on lending at the time. I leased my furniture, and whatever extra capital I needed, I dipped into my own savings for.
A: It definitely wasn’t part if the plan. I was heavily involved with the remodel at the time, and a good friend of mine, whose husband works in the city, was approached by someone else who asked him if he knew anybody in New Jersey who would be good for the proposed show. I went into the first meeting with the show executives just for the fun of it. We made it into a fun day trip to the city. We had a good time that day, but I really didn’t think anything would come of the first meeting. So when they called me back, and said that they wanted to use myself and my daughter on the show, I was ecstatic! I thought it would be a great way to get the salon’s name out there. I mean, what better way than on TV, and for free?
But then the show’s executives came back to me and said that they didn’t want to film in our salon because of all the mirrors and the issues that they would create during filming. So I said, "I’m sorry, but I am just not interested." I had no interest in being on TV just for myself. So, after a few more meetings, they decided that they could film in our salon and they decided to move forward.
When I heard that, I felt like it was a little blessing from my late husband because he was very involved with creating infomercials for the salon, back in the day. I just knew that it was a sign that I had to do the show. But it was still a difficult decision because none of my actual employees were going to be used on the show. It’s television, and I get that, but when I started the process, I really thought that it was going to be more about my salon. Obviously, I wouldn’t have treated a lot of situations on the show the way that they were treated on TV, or even allowed situations like that to occur. That was very difficult for me, and it was difficult for my employees, who have been with me for thirty-two years, as well.
A: When we were not taping, we were open for normal business and my staff was in the salon. When we are taping, my staff was not involved. Hopefully, it’s going to be different in the next season of the show.
Q: How has the show helped or hurt your real-life salon business?
A: For many years, my husband loved doing infomercials. He thought it was great. He made them into half hour shows. He loved being recognized went he went into public because of them. The infomercials always helped the business. But, back when Danny was doing his infomercials, no one else was doing them. Now days, production costs have tripled. The show has served as a great way to get our name out there again for free. People who used to see Danny’s old infomercials on TV now say, “Oh, the Gatsby. It’s still there!”
Also, some of our past clients didn’t even know what I was married to Danny. When I was working in the salon, we kept it quiet. When he passed away, they didn’t know that I was going to continue the business. The show has definitely shown that the Gatsby is still here, we’re still strong, and we plan on being here for another thirty-two years. That has been the power of the show.
The show hasn’t really hurt the business, but I have to say that some of our loyal clients, who have been dedicated to us for thirty-two years, are sometimes a little embarrassed after seeing the show. They say, “You and your daughter are great, and you are who you are, so what is all that?” That’s where it has been very difficult, with some of the old school clientele. But our clients have been our biggest asset. We have clients who started with my husband thirty-two years ago, and I have to say, they are wonderful, dedicated people to us. We’re really like a family here. And to have employees who have been working with us since we started is just as wonderful. Without these people, I don’t know what we would have.
Q: Has the show improved business for you?
A: Yes it has. But to say right now, on a financial level, what the percentage in increase has been, I really couldn’t say. The show has only been aired for nine weeks. It was eight weeks of taping, and we’re off for two weeks now. And a one time deal, to me, is not where you’re going to get something great. We have to give it another quarter to see if the increase in business is really here to stay.
Q: You had a salon consultant come into the Gatsby on one of the episodes. How did that come about?
A: Denise is a friend of ours who was a manager at our salon when my husband was alive. The day my husband died was, coincidentally, her last day working at the salon. But she stayed with me for a few more months after his passing to help get things situated and she came back when I was renovating the last time. She came back again during the latest renovation and helped my daughter and I run the business, since I was working as my own general contractor. She is also the one who introduced us to the show.
Q: Are there any other people who have been instrumental to your success as an entrepreneur?
A: Yes, my daughter. She has always given me the push that I needed because I am the first one to second guess whether a decision I am going to make will affect everybody else. People looked at my husband as a father, a brother, so to make big changes to the business has always been very stressful for me. Because my daughter is young, she helps me with certain things that I might have done in old-fashioned ways. She has been very instrumental with revamping our website. She is also the one who has pushed me and helped guide me through all of this and given me her support.
Q: We see from the previews of the upcoming season that your daughter and her husband are expecting?
A: Yes, I am going to be a grandma!
Q: What is a typical day like for you, if there is one?
A: Oh gosh, crazy! But if I didn’t have it that way, I would probably be lost. My day starts early in the morning. I try to do an early morning workout, but I usually get a phone call and I need to get into the salon for some reason, so I rush into work.
It’s crazy, but it’s a good crazy, and I am lucky enough to say that. We’re successful and we’re busy. The only negative part is that, when something breaks, I am the one who usually has to take care of it. For example, the central vacuum went down today and I was in back with a hanger, trying to dig things out. I am still the maintenance person changing light bulbs.
That’s one of the bad things about the show that I have brought up to them. No one sees that I am doing hair, changing light bulbs, and climbing up on ladders because I don’t have my husband here to help me. I am doing it all. But it’s still great.
Q: Are there any perks that you enjoy as an entrepreneur?
A: The perk that I enjoy most is not working for someone else. When I want things done, I want them done now. If I was working for someone else, and I kept throwing out ideas, saying we need this or we need that, and they didn’t do it, it would be very frustrating to me. If I want something done in the salon, I don’t even have to wait for one of my employees to do it. I do it.
And yes, there are other perks. If I don’t have a client until 11 a.m., and I don’t want to come in to the salon at 8:30 in the morning when we open, then I call in and let the staff know that I won't be in until later. And yes, I get to drive a pretty car, but I have worked very hard for what I have. So, I guess you could say it’s a perk, but I do work for it.
Q: What are your plans for future growth, both for yourself
A: I always thought that I would want to open up other Gatsby salons. My husband really wanted to do that, and we did have other salons, but he took on other partners that did not work out. At this point, I would have to meet somebody who is a strong, passionate person, to continue Gatsby somewhere else. If I did, then I might go further and open up other salons.
A business partnership is like a marriage. You have to have someone who shares your passion. If they don’t, then the business is not going to make it. They have to have the same passion and work ethic that you have.
We do have our own product line that we have had for many years. Even before the show, we used to send our product line all over the world. Clients who have been in our New Jersey salon and tried our product line can’t live without it. It’s true. We have fabulous hair spray. Our hair spray is our number-one-seller and we can’t keep it on the shelves. We’re really trying to grow our product line. It’s been working out really well, and hopefully we can make it even bigger. Maybe our product line will end up in Sephora, or something like that.
Q: What advice would you give to other entrepreneurs starting out?
A: I have had employees that have come to me in the past and wanted to open up their own businesses, and I wished them all the luck, and I would do anything to help them. But what I say to every one is that you have to have enough money put away to carry yourself through the process. If you don’t, you will run into trouble.
You also have to really want the business bad enough. You can’t go into a business thinking it’s going to be a quick money-making fix. A lot of people see me driving a nice car and they think that if they open a business, they can have that too. But you have to have the passion. You have to be there all the time. You can’t be a part-time business owner. You have to realize that. That’s the only way that your business will be successful. |
Q: How did you get involved with the television show? Was it part of your original promotional plan for the salon?
Q: How does that work, having a full-time staff and then the cast of the show, as well? 
and for the business?