Starting and building your own business is no small feat. Just ask Kathy Graybill, owner of Spa Soleil on E 3rd St in Bethlehem. It took Graybill approximately a year and a half to open her luxury spa, which offers nail, hair and massage services.
“It is not a woman’s world out there,” Graybill said as she pushed back a perfectly highlighted chunk of blond hair.
“I had a lot of contracting situations that had happened that – they took my money and they ran,” Graybill said. “It was a rough ride [to open my business], but it was all worth it in the end.”
Graybill opened Spa Soleil in 2003 with her daughter. Recognizing a need for a day spa on the South Side of Bethlehem, Graybill has successfully marketed her spa’s services to Lehigh University students and staff, as well as other members of the greater Lehigh Valley community.
Spa Soleil managed to stay afloat during these hard economic times. Many small businesses felt the blow of the faltering economy and were forced out of business, but Graybill’s spa continued to turn a profit. She believes this is largely due to Spa Soleil’s expansion into hair services. Sands Casino, only minutes away from the spa, has also brought in more patrons.
In fact, Graybill thinks her business is even more crucial given these tough economic times.
“The whole point of having a day spa is because I care about people, and it’s all about making people feel good, especially in this economy,” Graybill said as she wiggled her pink pedicured toes. Owning a spa means your job is to make people feel relaxed and happy, Graybill said.
“And [to make] them look prettier!” Graybill said. “And younger… and younger and younger!” she adds with a laugh.
Being a strong entrepreneur does not come easily. Loraylie Aguilar, manager of the newly opened Sweet G’s on E 4th St. in Bethlehem, said being successful requires patience and kindness.
"You need to be good with people. You always have to be nice. You always have to be aware of what people want,” Aguilar said, whose store, which specializes in perfumes and electronics, opened Feb. 1.
Aguilar admittedly struggles with this side of entrepreneurship. As a mother of three, Aguilar is used to respect and order. But being a mother has greatly helped Aguilar run Sweet G’s seamlessly.
“I run the store like I’m running my house: on a schedule. Everything has to be a certain way and everything needs to be done a certain way,” Aguilar said.
Juggling motherhood and her business is difficult, but her children – ages 18, 13, and 5 – all help out around the house when she’s working.
As the boss of her home, Aguilar enjoys being the boss at work, too. Her favorite thing is “not answering to no one” and being able to make her own choices and decisions.
Aguilar always wanted to be an entrepreneur. She originally hoped to open a bakery, but going through the US Department of Health and Human Services seemed too daunting of a task. As Aguilar assessed her other options, she recognized a need for a store in Bethlehem that provided lower priced electronic accessories and goods.
Aguilar prices her products by thinking of her own personal price range and whether she could afford something in the store.
“If I can’t afford to buy something here, no one else can,” Aguilar said as she fixed her oversized t-shirt with her business’s name on it. This mentality has shaped the pricing model for Sweet G’s, even if the store only makes a few dollars in profit off of a single sale.
It is inevitable that all entrepreneurs will face challenges as they operate their small business, but one of the most important things is to stick with it, said Graybill.
“Stick with it even when you’re down,” Graybill said, who also noted that she has had many moments in which she has felt defeated.
When asked what else is needed in order to be a successful small business owner, Graybill’s voice softened.
“[Go] after what you really want – not what people tell you [you want]. You really have to have it in the gut and in the heart,” Graybill said with a small smile.
“Hang in there.”
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