For Women’s Small Business Month, we are keen on celebrating women like Monica Gomez and Anna Gomez Akers, the sisters who own and run Cera Wax Studio in Bethesda, Maryland. The west-coasters came east to set up their wax-only business spending years first researching, study and understanding the marketplace, then setting goals and strategizing before opening in 2013 and now growing their highly successful small businesses. Monica and Anna run the downtown Bethesda-based wax studio from two quadrants – Monica “on location” and Anna from California. Strategic plans are already in the works for an expansion in the Greater DC area (Virginia, DC or another Maryland location) as well as to the west coast.
Besides the time we enjoy “hanging” with these dynamic clients, we have had business-fun meeting Cera’s goals, specific to marketing, PR and social media. For example, our agency landed, for Cera Wax Studio, what they termed their “Holy Grail PR landing” on DC’s well-known, number one morning drive radio show, The Hot 99.5/Kane Show. Their appearance was ripe with on-air banter as well as in incredible, additional PR-perk of the brand “renaming” of Cera’s Brazilian Wax as “The Intern John Wax,” after Kane’s morning show sidekick.
Monica’s and Anna’s business acumen and direction has brought their almost 1.5-year-old business to great heights (a double-entendre for those who know that the flagship studio is on the third floor!).
We pulled Monica and Anna aside and asked them a few questions starting with an update about what’s happened over the past year in business.
1) What has changed over the past year?
We have all heard or stated the cliché, “You are only as strong as your team.” Over this past year, we have really lived by and truly understood this statement. For Cera, there are different components that make up our overall team. Our strong team consists of employees, marketing, PR, legal and various mentors. It is so important to understand each member’s strengths and weaknesses not only to maximize the benefits of the overall team, but to allow each member to shine individually. We are thankful for them all!
2) Why did you decide to start/purchase your business? Owning our own business has been a dream and goal since our teenage years. We felt confident at this point that our passion, drive, and experience in the beauty industry would enable us to open and operate a successful business. Not to mention… We loved being our “Own Boss.”
3) What has the experience been like? Have you ever owned a business before? Our experience thus far from conception to execution has been a wild ride. We have had goals, expectations, and visions when we began our journey. Some evolved as planned; others had to be revised along the way. There have been celebrations, struggles, fears and champagne. We would not have traded the highs and lows for anything. It’s been amazing to share these experiences not only as sisters but as business Partners. For each of us, Cera Wax Studio is our first business.
4) Do you have any advice for women who may want to own their own business one day?Choose to do something that you are not only an expert in but also a product or service about which you are passionate. On the flip side, if you’re passionate about something, but not an expert, engage a partner who completes your vision. It will come through in your overall finished product. Gain as much hands on experience in all facets of the business you plan to open. As you begin your journey, be patient yet driven; have a plan but be flexible; be fearless yet reasonable. Always take a moment to stop and enjoy the ride!
5) What does being an American Business Woman mean to you? We are just happy to have the opportunity to be “businesswomen.” We created opportunities for ourselves when doors were “left open” just enough for us to push our way through, persevere and create success.
6) Do you believe that you are setting an example for your daughter/girls? Though neither of us have children of our own, we certainly believe that every move, every decision, every word we “speak” has the potential to influence the next generation of girls. It is important to us that we are healthy, strong, intelligent role models for young girls. The truth is, with hard work and passion dreams really can come true!
7) Has owning your own business enabled you to “have it all,” a family and work? We are bi-coastal business partners. One of us lives in Bethesda and the other in San Diego, where we were born and raised. Owning our own business has provided a measure of flexibility to “be there” for our families when the need arises, whether it’s in Maryland or California. As busy as we are now, we actually see each other and our parents even more than before, and for that we are grateful.
8) Can you give some details about the path that led you to business ownership? It’s starts with a dream, then a realistic vision, next is research and gained experience, a solid plan and finally execution.
Solid plans and execution have led American businesswomen to own 7.7 million of the 27-million small businesses in the United States. According to the National Women’s Business Council:
- Women-owned businesses make up more than half (52.0%) of all businesses in health care and social assistance.
- The other top industries for women include: educational services (45.9% of all businesses are women-owned), administration and support and waste management and remediation services (37.0%), retail trade (34.4%), and arts, entertainment, and recreation (30.4%).
- Industries with the lowest percent of women-owned businesses include mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction (15.0%), transportation and warehousing (11.4%), agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting (10.3%), construction (7.9%), and management of companies and enterprises (6.7%).
In 2014 there are 20.1% more women owned businesses than there were in 2002.
In 2018, the Center for Women’s Business Research projects that women owned businesses will account for one-third of all new jobs created in the year 2018.
The stats are encouraging.
