Owner: Tara Smith
Location: Douglasville, GA
Years in Business: 1 Year, 1 Month
Staff Members: 4
Number of UV Units: 7
Lotions: Designer Skin, Swedish Beauty, Ed Hardy
Salon Software: TanTrack
Other Services: VersaSpa Sunless & Retail Line; Jewelry & Skincare Boutique
Salon Operator Training: Sun is Life®
Distributor Partner: Heartland Tanning
Best-selling Lotion: Designer Skin Smile You’re Dark & Smile You’re Darker
Most Popular Tanning Package: Level-4 One-Month Unlimited
To reach out and contact this month’s IST Salon of Distinction operator, I didn’t have to go far! Tara Smith’s Hawaiian Beach Tan is located in Douglasville, GA – just a “stone’s throw” from where I live in Cumming, GA.
Just like many current tanning salon owners, Tara had been a longtime tanner at the salon, and kind of fell into owning it! She purchased it in September 2015, and began the task of reviewing what worked and what didn’t for the business.
On the list of considerations was relocation – Hawaiian Beach Tan had been at the same location for over 15 years and it was natural for Tara to picture it in a bright and shiny new spot. However, much to the satisfaction of her current clientele, she didn’t do it. She looked at several possible locations, but none really seemed to offer anything that could persuade her to make the big move … she decided to stay put.
Tara then redirected her evaluation of the salon to the condition of the interior and the equipment lineup. Now, those were areas that needed some attention! She knew that she couldn’t do it all in one shot, so she prioritized her list of upgrade needs and began the selection process.
When it came to pursuing salon operator training, Tara had a much easier choice. “Sun is Life® Training and Certification absolutely blew me away!” she says. She continues, “I had no idea there was so much factual information available to offer my salon guests to fight the negative media attacks that hit our industry. The program really broke down the topics into easy-to-understand basics. I knew immediately that it was the training that my staff should have and I required every team member to take it.”
I asked Tara about her long-term tanning business goals and whether she wants to expand the Hawaiian Beach Tan concept with additional locations. “Joe, I really just want to keep it simple,” she smiles. “My goal is to make HBT the very best tanning facility in this area for my customers.”
