Kim Creekmore the Story
I entered the hairdressing world officially at 26 years old. By traditional standards, I started my journey late.
My first real hairdressing job was with one of San Diego top salons. I specialized in haircutting there and quickly developed a love for short precision haircutting. I was the “go to” person in the salon at that time for all pixie and stacked bob haircuts, and I couldn’t get enough. Fast forward 6 years I left to develop my own brand (HairLoveDesign). I knew that I wanted to start building a retirement and grinding away for someone else wasn’t the way I was going to get there. I had no idea at the time that leaving that job would throw me into some of the most amazing experiences I have been able to be a part of. In 2014 I founded Salon Professionals of San Diego, a local Community group. We have been involved in numerous educational and fundraising events, and the possibilities for growth seem endless. We strive to bring a large community of independent hair artist together.
Has it been a smooth road what were some of the struggles along the way?
I’m happy to report that It really hasn’t been very challenging. My husband who is the diligent one with the spreadsheets and tax reporting skills keep the money side of our business strong. I get to do what I love every day,. My best friend keeps my blog writing in check and my team creates beautiful hair and help me run our community outreach group the Salon Professionals of San Diego.
Tell us about your business/company. What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc. What are you most proud of as a company? What sets you apart from others?
I opened Cultivate in January of 2016 after working in the hairdressing industry for almost 10 years. I knew there was NOT a need for another salon in La Mesa, but I knew that WHAT I had to offer our community was missing. Cultivate was developed with the client consultation at the heart of it all. We believe that the reason most people are unhappy leaving a hair appointment is because they felt they were not listened to. At Cultivate, we put the art of active listening into motion with every single client. We sit and ask a series of questions to develop a story about the client’s hair and their daily hair care practices. I know that most people, and especially other hairdressers think that they are having a consultation, but most open the dialog with “What do you want to do today?” a habit hard to break. At Cultivate we believe these series of words hinder the ability to find out the true challenges that clients’ have. We have a proven formula to really hear and deliver the best hair you have been dreaming about.
Where do you see your industry going over the next 5-10 years? Any big shifts, changes, trends, etc?
Our industry is changing. Clients have so many options and the ability to see everyone’s work on platforms like Instagram and Facebook you have to be at the top of your game. Clients are looking, searching and reviewing looking for the best stylists out there. Groupon’s have also played a large role in the decline of client loyalty. They provide an opportunity to check someone out at a discount. Got are the day’s where you are guaranteed a client for life. Inside information: Salons often run Groupon’s to build their clientele if they are new or having a hard time holding on to repeat business.
So beware and read the reviews.
Is there any pricing information that is relevant to our readers? If so, and if you would like us to share it, please include details (in bullet form) below.
How do you, personally, define success? What’s your criteria, the markers you’re looking out for, etc?
I define success as the ability to wake up every morning do what I love and make great money doing it. There is a lot of money to be made doing hair. I like to believe that what you can dream you can achieve. However, you have to have a financial goal and the systems in place to get there. Consistency is key. There are 20+ salons in a 1-mile radius of Cultivate. How do we stand out? We listen to you.