Salon: The Palms Tanning Resort
Owner: Keith Rodenberger
Number of salons: 2 company owned; 1 franchise
Location: Greenwood Village, Colo.
Years in business: 6 years
Q: How did you get into the industry?
A: I’ve always had a passion for indoor tanning but never understood why there was a lack of high-end, luxurious tanning salons nationwide. I believed there was a need for some type of tanning "resort," so I started my own niche in a very established tanning industry by creating The Palms Tanning Resort. The result was a bull’s-eye and The Palms Tanning Resort proved I was not the only avid indoor tanner that demanded a high-end and luxurious tanning experience. We were the first tanning salon company to use the word "resort," and that has separated us from typical salons.
Q: What is the philosophy behind your success?
A: I live by one quote from Ray Kroc (the founder of McDonald’s and one of the most successful businessmen in history): "If you work just for money, you'll never make it, but if you love what you're doing and you always put the customer first, success will be yours."
Q: What is your best advice for maintaining or growing sales in this economy?
A: I don’t want to give all of my secrets away; however, we have continued to increase the number of new clients during this rough economy by using very creative marketing. We’ve experienced 26-percent growth in gross revenues from this time last year.
Q: What advice do you have for new salon owners?
A: Avoid paying too much attention to your competitors. Instead, watch and learn from what the most successful businesses throughout the country are doing. Follow their business practices and marketing strategies, and soon your tanning competitors will be looking at what you are doing with your tanning business.
Q: What’s your favorite aspect of your job/the industry?
A: My passion for the tanning industry allows me to feel like I am never “working.” I love watching The Palms grow everyday and I sincerely appreciate every one of our clients who make all of this possible.
Q: What’s the hardest lesson you’ve learned in the industry?
A: Realizing how little buying power I had when we built our first location in 2003. I spent way more than needed on our first location because I was too naive to recognize a "good deal." I definitely wised up for our two additional locations, and I am even wiser for all the future locations that we are planning.
