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Owners:Bill Ledford
Partner/Manager: Theresa Ledford
Years in Business:35
Staff: 00
Tanning Units: 2 full-time, 4 part time
Lotions: Australian Gold, California Tan,Designer Skin, Swedish Beauty, Norvell Sunless Products Software Salon Touch Pearl
Other Services: Norvell Custom Airbrush
Distributior Partners: Four Seasons and Forever Tan
Best Selling Lotion: Australian Gold Superior DHA Training Sun is Life®
Most Popular Package: Yearly Membership – All UV Levels
Web: letanlebronze.com
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This month’s featured salon really has quite a distinction! It ranks among one of the oldest continuously operated tanning facilities in the country. This month, Bill and Teresa Ledford proudly celebrate Le’ Tan’s 35th year, an amazing accomplishment. Located just below the Smoky Mountains in beautiful Asheville, NC they’ve established their tanning business as one of the largest in the southeast. I recently caught up with Teresa, and she certainly hasn’t changed much since I provided some manufacturer training on one of her new sunbeds several years ago. Read on for some insight into her longevity in the tan biz.
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Teresa, how did you get your start in the industry?
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My father, Bill Ledford, wanted to open a family business – it started as a video store with two Suntana Wolff System sunbeds – some salon operators out there will remember them! We did very well with that, and in 1986, we moved into a 1,200 square-foot location in a new shopping center. We maxed out with 12 Sun Industries Sundash 20-minute units. In 1997, a bigger space came available in the same center, so we moved again and quickly maxed out that location with 18 units. As we grew, so did the industry; with newer, stronger lamps that provided shorter tanning times. So, the journey began to get rid of the old and go with the new. In 2002, we installed two Ergoline Avantgarde 600s, and an Ergoline Classic 650. We simply kept replacing and adding the new higher-end units. In 2011, we added another 1,600 square feet and 12 more high-end Ergoline units. But, the jewel arrived in 2009: our first Ergoline Sun Angel! Joe, as you remember, you came to our salon to do our training on it. Our tanners love this bed so much, that I now have three. As for our start, we had a concrete floor! Daddy built up from there and has provided all of our build-outs, except the electrical work.
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You just completed Sun is Life® Salon Operator Training. How important is having a trained staff?
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When we first began, there was no training other than from the manufacturer of equipment we purchased, and no valuable tradeshows to speak of. It was all “self-taught” on lotions and skin care products. As training became available, I knew that in order for our business to succeed, we had to be trained. Through the years, with the FDA, state and local regulations, you really have to be on top of it. Owners need to soak up all of the education and advanced training that is available, and then, properly train their tanning consultants. Training is absolutely vital to salons and to this industry!
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What would say has been your biggest obstacle to overcome?
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Losing my mother nine years ago was hard – she was a big part of this business. We are a true “mom & pop” salon, which I’m very proud of. Her unexpected death also affected a few of our dear friends in this industry.
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It’s awful to lose a loved one, for sure. So, let’s move on a bit past your personal obstacle. What is the tanning industry’s biggest challenge?We have a couple of challenges. The Tan Tax has put so many of our fellow salons out of business and has been very unfair to all in this industry. The economy under the last administration didn’t help those who have been fortunate enough to survive the Tan Tax; however, I can say that 2017 was a much better year for us and for many others in this business. It sure makes me look forward to the 2018 season! The other obstacle: our industry leaders are letting us down on education. The recent “big show” in Nashville has not been what it was in the early 2000s. Prices go up, but the training is the same as the year before or even two years before. In January 2017, there were a lot of new salon owners at the Winston-Salem show buying equipment, checking out lotions and learning what they could. Even the industry veterans were looking at adding equipment, just getting excited. That show was the first sign of the rainbow for this industry. The “big show,” however, is the one with abundant education and where all the players in the industry come alive. This industry needs to come alive again!
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As you celebrate 35 years in business, did you ever think that you’d being running your salon that long? Where do you want to be in five years?I would have never imagined that this industry would be where it is today. We’ve been blessed with a very successful business and I absolutely LOVE what I have been doing for the past 35 years! I joke that when my son graduates from college, I’m going to be on a hammock in Key West on the beach with a Yeti cooler full of “good intentions.” Anyone who knows me, knows how passionate I am about this industry. I think I’ll stay around a little longer, enjoy my dear friends who have come into my life through this business and my dear industry friends … and open another salon in 2019!
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