Today we’d like to introduce you to Sheri Beltran.
Trompe L’oeil Salon established in 1995 in Ponte Vedra, Fl. Began with a mother daughter team. They started out doing skincare, and quickly outgrew their tiny 900 sf space and expanded into a larger space including haircare and a day spa. Sheri and Carlos Beltran grew the business into a second location in Nocatee FL, and now a third location in downtown Miami. Their philosophy from day one has always been to surround themselves with like minded individuals. A carefully cultivated staff that is as passionate about the business as they are. Education is a top priority. All locations are Bumble and bumble salons with the exception of Nocatee, which also carries Oribe.
Aligning their salons with Bumble and Bumble and Oribe provides the staff opportunities to be on the cutting edge of haircare. Skincare has always been a passion of the company as well. Mary Lou (the mother) is known as the skincare Queen, and when they opened the salon in downtown Miami, all estheticians went through an extensive training with Mary Lou. Owners Carlos and Sheri, want to make sure the facials remain true to the original location from 1995. The products that they use during the facial may have changed but the techniques used by the estheticians are Mary Lou’s signature techniques. This family owned company cares about their employees and their clients. And it shows.
From the moment you enter any one of their locations, you feel at home. The downtown Miami salon feels like a Paris apartment. And the staff is hand selected and trained to carry on the tradition of the Trompe L’oeil name. “We are thrilled to be a part of the exciting downtown Miami growth.” said Sheri Beltran.
Trompe L’oeil has won several accolades through the years including “Top 200 Salons in the Country” by “Salon Today” magazine for four years, and the Miami location was chosen to do the Red Carpet event for the Major League Baseball All Stars Game in Miami July 11th.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Being in business 23 years of course has had some obstacles.
There is one in particular that was I would say was life changing.
In 2001 I had a manager someone I trusted, quit abruptly and open a salon 5 miles away. I had no idea she was building her own salon right under my nose with the help of my Aveda rep. (At the time, we were an Aveda Concept Salon) She took every single staff member including my receptionists. She literally took my entire salon and put her name on it. And of course, every single client. She told all the clients I was her partner. My Mom and I were left standing in an empty salon which we had just built one year prior.
We invested our life savings to move from the original location of 900 sf to this new 2400 sf space. Everything we worked so hard for was gone. She stole everything from us. We literally started over from scratch. What I learned from that bump in the road, is always to make sure I have enough money to hire an attorney to sue someone if the. occasion arises. Even though it was a difficult time, it gave me strength to face any challenges that may arise.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Trompe L’oeil Salon & Spa – what should we know?
My business was established in 1995 beginning with my Mom and I. We started with a $50,000 SBA loan. We came from humble beginnings. Prior to all of this, I was in NY with my husband (now my ex-husband). We were a professional dance team. That came to a halt when I became pregnant. That is how I ended up in Ponte Vedra, FL with my Mom and we decided to open a wellness center offering facials, nailcare and massage.
We were the first of its kind. Back in 1995, there were only hair salons. We didn’t even offer haircare in the beginning. We even had this futuristic looking massage capsule. We created facials and services that put us on the map. Word spread about how unique our services were. We even did facials in the massage capsule. Three years after we opened that business, I opened a 40,000sf dance center with a 5,000 sf salon and spa. Then two years after that we moved our original location to 2400sf. including hair and spa services. In 2014, we opened another location in Nocatee, Fl. and in March of 2017 we opened our location in downtown Miami.
I would say what I am most proud of as a company is we have managed to sustain even through the toughest of times. And the fact that I get to work with my Mom for 23 years is pretty special. My husband and my children as well. Owning a family business has so many rewards, and is something I am so proud of. It is not easy to work with family, and knowing we made it together through the toughest of times is something I will cherish forever.
What sets us apart is our hard work and determination. We are extremely hard workers and will roll up our sleeves and work side by side with all of our employees and get the job done. We put a lot of thought into each location and take pride in the decor and the feel of the place. Each employee is hand-picked and selected and trained by us. Even though our company is growing, we still want to make sure each individual that works with us fits our culture.
We are known for superior customer service and services. We are a name you can trust.
We are also known for our atmosphere being relaxing. At each location, it may be busy, but it never feels that way. Each location has the signature private room for the shampoo experience. From day one, giving the client a few minutes of relaxation is important to us. We have always used aromatherapy towels infused with essential oils in everything we do. During the shampoo experience, or a facial or a manicure. A client will always feel pampered. Not only do they look amazing, but feel relaxed.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
The quality and characteristic I feel is most important to my success is my gut instinct. I believe this is something you either have or you don’t and I feel that my gut instinct guides me.
Also hard work and determination. I pretty much am a workaholic as everyone describes me. I also have an insatiable hunger. I am never satisfied and am always striving for perfection.
Contact Info:
- Address: Trompe L’oeil Salon
One Biscayne Tower,
2 South Biscayne Blvd. #18
Miami, FL 33131 - Website: www.trompeloeilsalon.com
- Phone: 3054562404
- Email: tlsalon3@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tlsalon_miami/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tlsalonmiami/
Image Credit:
Sheri Beltran
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