Editor鈥檚 note: This is part of a series exploring how Northeast Ohio entrepreneurs and small businesses have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic and their plans for moving forward.
Maker: Monica Slayton, owner and stylist
Business: CarloMoni Hair Care, a salon and hair product line
How has the outbreak impacted your business?
鈥淏efore all this craziness had started I was doing very well. CarloMoni products were picking up, because as people come in the salon that鈥檚 where they鈥檙e mostly purchased. Financially, this has been horrific for me and my businesses. Everything I do is based off of service. Even with online sales, I would love to ship out more products, but I think a lot of people are holding onto their money. I don鈥檛 want to go into foreclosure on my building. There鈥檚 only a couple of us, I wouldn鈥檛 want anyone to have to not be there. I want the lights on, you know, I want to be able to function. I do spend a lot of time trying to figure out numbers and make phone calls to see where I can get some type of grace, because it has financially, tremendously impacted me.鈥�
How is your business adapting to this new reality?
鈥淚鈥檝e been doing more marketing for the hair products. I used to push my Hair Freshener more. And during this time I鈥檝e been pushing my Hair and Body Oil, because a lot of people are not conditioning and hydrating and moisturizing their hair as much because they鈥檙e stuck at home. The majority of my clients want moisture in their hair, and if their hair is dry, it breaks.鈥�
Talk about your personal experience during the pandemic.
鈥淚鈥檓 out of my fear space, because what can I do? I can鈥檛 sit here and stress myself into bad health or something because of the unknown. At home, it鈥檚 just me and my daughter, who also works in the salon with me. I think I more worry about my family. I do visit my mother because I help take care of her. I don鈥檛 even like going over my Mom鈥檚 house myself, because I know I go to the grocery store and I鈥檓 out and I鈥檓 exposed to people. So it鈥檚 a little scary. It鈥檚 kind of hard to process all this. I鈥檓 so used to moving around. I don鈥檛 like sitting still, especially being a hair stylist you鈥檙e used to standing up and moving around.鈥�
