Inspire Studio – The place where only YOU matter

Blog
17.03.2020
Inspire Studio – The place where only YOU matter
17.03.2020

Inspire Studio is the place where customers are the most important. Everyone who crosses the threshold of the Inspire beauty salons says that they have a wonderful experience and they always leave with a smile on their face, relaxed and full of energy. Alexandra Dumitru and Oana Bârlea are the ones who laid the foundations of these up-and-coming salons. We talked to Oana and we invite you to find out the story of the Inspire Studio salons.

1. How did the Inspire story begin and where did the inspiration for this business originate?
You know that moment when you look in the mirror and say: „I like myself!” or „I feel special!”? Those moments when you have so much confidence in yourself, moments when you appreciate yourself for what you are and what you do. In 2013 Alexandra set out with the dream of creating as many memorable moments for women as possible and so she launched Inspire Studio, which initially dealt with body remodeling. I joined the Inspire Studio team in 2015, after a conversation over tea in our living room on Christmas Eve.

2. Who are the founding members and the people behind the story?
First and foremost, we are friends! :) We met again in Avon about 10 years ago and there we reconnected. We had been classmates in elementary school. The experience in corporations and the fact that we coordinated sales teams, helped us from the beginning to have a long-term vision.
We are „a perfect couple” and we always calibrate and complement each other. Ale is calculated, balanced, she always thinks objectively about the problem. She deals with calculations and money management. I am more impulsive, but I know that I have the dose of energy and enthusiasm necessary for a proper functioning of the business.

3. Tell us a little bit about the Inspire team. How important are people in such a business?
Someone was asking me the other day what important lesson we have learned as entrepreneurs through all these years and I think the most important thing in a business are the people. That's the lesson. You can't do anything alone.
At the end of 2019 we had formed a family, a group of fine people, people who tell us today „that they have found themselves again”, that „they are part of a family”, an environment where their lives „change like they wouldn’t have dared to dream”.
This is the origin of our fulfillment as entrepreneurs and as people. We know we've made a difference in someone's life. That's why we wake up in the morning and start over and go to work excited. Because we know that thanks to us and what we have created together, a lot of people are happy. First the team and then the satisfied customers who come back and choose us over and over again.



4. What sets Inspire Studio apart from other salons? Or, more specifically, why you?
It's simple, because we care! Because we do what we do out of passion, all 15 of us! We chose to do this because beyond the financial motivation there is something even more important: the well-being that we provide to our clients and the feedbacks that they always share with us.
Customers say that Inspire is the place where they charge themselves with goodness, energy, where they learn to appreciate themselves more, where they find their moments of peace, relaxation during a hectic or stressful day, the place where they leave happy, the place where they trust the employees because they know they will receive the best solution for them whether it is body care, cosmetics, hairdressing, manicure or massage.

5. More recently, everyone is focused on an organic lifestyle, on eco, vegan products. Does this apply to your salons? How do you choose the products you use?
Yes, that's right and we're really happy about that! From the very beginning we promote a healthy lifestyle.
We protect nature and the planet and we take great care of the products we choose to use in the salon. For more than 4 years we have been using for facial and body treatments the Naturys brand, 100% biocertified and natural. About 2 years ago we have introduced Jessica, classic and semi-permanent nail polishes that do not contain 7 of the most toxic substances, and soon we will have an organic brand also for hairdressing (but until it materializes I don't wish to say more).
In 2019 we took the courage to open another path: becoming national distributors of Naturys 100% natural and organic cosmetics. Because we had been already using their products for many years, the famous Italian company Bema Cosmetici gave us this chance to create a market in Romania for products that put the health and long-term well-being of customers first.

6. Which of the services you offer is your favorite and why?
Very difficult question, because each service is unique and brings you joy and well-being. If I get up from the hairdresser's chair I say „my hair is happy”. If I just came out of a relaxation massage my back is utterly happy. After a facial treatment I feel super relaxed and I know that my whole face smiles. I always disconnect in a remodeling session after a busy week (very often I fall asleep in the sauna).
The conclusion is that I can't choose a preferred service. But if I were to land on an desert island and I had to take 3 things with me, these would be: the sauna and the three massage technicians. These are 4 things, maybe no one notices.

7. What do you like most about your job?
I am very grateful that I have the privilege of doing what I do and that I am being surrounded by so many wonderful people.
The passion to create a better world through a beautiful business, an extraordinary team that we know we can rely on 100% and a place where every customer feels special, motivate us to reach as many people as possible and to always have courage and trust ourselves!

8. What is the biggest challenge you have encountered so far in the beauty salon market?
I don't know if I could say that we have met challenges in our industry. Every business is unique and everyone tries to offer the best. But I strongly believe that regardless of the type of business, fairness, sincerity and quality are what makes a difference.
I'm glad that Ale and I are both in this together. I went through a lot and the business had ups and downs. I would have closed a long time ago if I had been alone. Together we managed to achieve what we have today.
Maybe this is one of the mistakes of the Romanian entrepreneurship. A lot of people think that it's better if you're alone, you don't share anything with anyone anymore, but the idea at the end of the day is to have something to share.



9. How do you promote the services and the products you use? Is it difficult to reach your customers through advertising?
In principle, many things happen online. We have a Facebook page and a presentation website of the salon. Both help us a lot. We are grateful that not only we promote ourselves but also our customers, because they recommend us.
We have entered partnerships with companies and thus we are part of the benefits package for employees of companies such as Continental, Stefanini, Faurecia and Group Antolin.

10. What are your future plans and what novelties have you thought about bringing to the Inspire Studio salons?
Oooo... Where should I start?
What we want in the next 2 years, and we are already taking steps in this regard, is: a larger office for the salon in Sibiu (probably in 2021) and the accreditation and equipment of a vocational training school „Inspire Academy” probably somewhere in early 2022. That's about all I can reveal, anyway it's the first time I mention Inspire Academy publicly, so I hope it brings luck! ☘

11. Very nice. Now tell us how customers can contact you and where they can find you.
Customers can find us in Sibiu or Șelimbăr daily from 9 to 21. The addresses, phone numbers and all details are available here: www.inspirestudio.ro

Finally, I want to congratulate you for such an initiative! It's a great idea and I feel privileged to be among the people invited by you to be part of this project! I'm glad I'm „People of Sibiu”. I really am! We really are and we want to make a contribution to the development of this wonderful city and to make a difference, as little as it may be, in the lives of the people who cross the threshold of our salons.
Thank you!
Photo by: Inspire Studio