Tony Hartl is a bit of an icon among indoor tanning salon owners. In case you’re not familiar, he founded Planet Tan in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex in 1995, with three locations and a vision “to provide an affordable luxury where everybody can feel better about themselves." In the years to follow, the company grew into one of the most recognizable brands in the area and represented the premier collection of indoor mega-salons in the country.
By 2008, Planet Tan boasted 17 locations and 160 employees, and generated average per unit sales of $1 million, the highest in the country. That November, Hartl sold the company, moving on to other business and community endeavors.
This month, Hartl’s new book, “Selling Sunshine: 75 Tools, Tips, and Tactics for Becoming a Wildly Successful Entrepreneur,” was released, and tanning salon owners – as well as budding entrepreneurs across all industries – are giving it rave reviews.
The book is a must-read for salon owners, as it’s penned by someone who has proven himself on the front lines of tanning. In it, Hartl shares secrets for success for aspiring entrepreneurs, those who are already in the business, and employees and managers of every level. He says it’s a mix of real-life examples, instruction and inspiration.
Hartl is so passionate about entrepreneurship, that all proceeds from the book are being donated to the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE), an organization devoted to educating low-income youths about the power of business and the skills they posses to rise out of poverty through entrepreneurship.
You can win a free copy of Tony Hartl’s new book, “Selling Sunshine: 75 Tools, Tips, and Tactics for Becoming a Wildly Successful Entrepreneur.” To enter the drawing, send an e-mail to Editor Karen Butler at kbutler@vpico.com. Please put the words “Selling Sunshine” in the subject line. The deadline for entries is Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2011. The winner will be selected from a random drawing on Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2011. Only one entry per person, please.
Indoor tanning professionals are invited to participate in an additional drawing on www.tantoday.com. You must be or become a registered TanToday user to be eligible. The deadline for that drawing is Jan. 21, 2011. Click here for more information.
To purchase the book, read customer reviews, or connect with Hartl via his blog, visit www.sellingsunshinebook.com. You can talk with Hartl directly via his Facebook page or through Twitter.
