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A Moment With Our EDTP Graduate: Kadie-Ann Treasure

Posted on 6/30/2016 by EDTP Coordinator in LAEDA News
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Kadie-Ann Treasure is the owner and operator of Treasure’s Hair & Spa, and a graduate of LAEDA’s Entrepreneurial Development Training Program. We had a chance to sit down with Kadie-Ann, who recently opened her salon, to ask about her experience with entrepreneurship and LAEDA’s training program.

Entrepreneurship is a very challenging path to take, with many different possible directions. What made you decide to become an entrepreneur? Why did you choose the beauty industry?

“I turned my passion into entrepreneurship because I love what I do and I’m very dedicated to my craft. Also, being an entrepreneur provides more flexibility for my lifestyle. I also value the ability to touch people’s lives in a positive way.”

Tell me about your experience while attending EDTP. What have the major takeaways been from the program? Have you had any “Ah-hah!” moments? How did the program help you?

“My experience in EDTP was overall a positive experience. It allowed me to gain the foundation of how to operate a business and writing a business plan. The marketing classes were very insightful for me. It is through one of the marketing lessons that I had one of my "ah-hah" moment, when I learnt that you really have to have a defined target market. EDTP also gave me the opportunity to meet wonderful, encouraging people who motivated me during the process of starting my hair salon."

Tell me about your journey on the road to business startup. What have been some of the challenges, successes, failures, etc.?

“My journey has been a great learning experience in all aspects. Working as a beautician and getting hands-on experience has allowed for me to have a smooth transition into the business. There are a lot of challenges when starting your business, but it  has not deterred me from working toward being a successful entrepreneur. I took the leap of faith, and ran with my dream. I just opened back in April, so I'm still working on growing my clientele, but I'm working diligently toward my vision for the future of my salon.”

Could you tell me a little about where your business is today?

“I opened my salon just a few months ago, so I'm working hard to get to where I need to be. There are some challenges, which I try to take in and embrace to learn from the situations. I'm working a lot on networking and marketing the business to grow the clientele. Also, I'm working on finding quality employees to best serve my clients." 

Do you have any advice for future (or existing) entrepreneurs?

“It is really important to know your market because everyone cannot be your target market. Also, I believe it is vital to stick to the business plan. With my experience, I also advice business owners to not undersell themselves.”  

Congratulations to Kadie-Ann Treasure for completing EDTP and opening her salon in April 2016. If you’d like to learn more about Kadie-Ann's salon, follow her on Facebook at Treasure’s HAIR & SPA.

The Entrepreneurial Development Training Program (EDTP) is a free, nine-week business skills training course offered in Camden, NJ in the Winter, Spring, and Fall each year. Qualified entrepreneurs receive 72+ hours of training from industry professionals, business planning, and one year of technical assistance. Apply online at www.LAEDA.com 

  


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