Inspire Hair Design
Welcome to Small Business Month! Through October, you will be introduced to some amazing local downtown Victoria business owners. We interviewed each owner to learn more about their business and what it is like to operate downtown.
Today, meet Jordan and Kristi Teyke of Inspire Hair Design. Let’s read more about what they have to say!
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Beginning of Ownership
It was during COVID that Kristi and Jordan made the jump into becoming the new owners of Inspire Hair Design. With Kristi’s 12 years and Jordan’s 10 years of hair design experience, it was always a dream for these two to own a salon! Being a part of the Inspire team for years prior made the decision all that much easier. This also made the transition easier for the two as they already had connections with the staff, clients, and business practices. It has been nothing but amazing times for both making this jump to ownership!
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Post COVID-19
“Our whole mantra going forward is adapt and overcome!”
Jordan shared that during COVID, it was important for them to figure out what their ‘new normal’ would look like. The biggest component was ensuring everyone in the salon (staff and clients) felt safe in their business. Luckily, they have a great space to work with that allows everyone to feel comfortable!
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Most Rewarding Part of the Industry
“Working with the people is the great thing about it…it’s great making them feel good about themselves when they walk out of our salon!”
Jordan shared that the most rewarding part of the hair salon industry is being able to build connections with the people that come into the salon. Sharing moments and conversations with clients is inherently enriching! Beyond this, the owners also explained that they love seeing an individual’s confidence level increase after a cut and/or colour.
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Sense of a Downtown Community
The owners shared that being a part of the Fort Commons on the Blanshard Street block has brought nothing but a family feeling! For instance, being next-door neighbours to Yalla allows Jordan and Kristi to purchase their amazing food for staff meetings and mid-day snacks! Furthermore, all the owners in the Fort Commons chat with one another daily which brings such a real sense of comradery.
“Victoria is unique in its own that way that we all support each other. It is super cool!”
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Inspire Design Team
“We think of ourselves as a little family at Inspire!”
Jordan further explained that at Inspire they love to do team getaways! This creates a chance for all the staff to become closer friends, especially if a new member joins the team! At Inspire, creating this sense of family is very important and makes for a very well-oiled machine when it comes to collaborating together.
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Eco-Friendly Salon
When Inspire Hair Design first opened its doors 9 years ago, the previous owner made it a priority to become a green and eco-friendly salon. Downtown Victoria at that time did not have very many salons with this same mission, so they made it a goal to be ahead of the times! When Jordan and Kristi took over ownership, they ensured that this same philosophy remained intact. With the business motto of “Beauty with an Eco-Conscious Mind”, both the owners believe these environmental values very important!
“We are a carbon-positive salon…and are green level with Vancouver Island Green Business Collective!”
To expand on this, Inspire Hair Design as a whole does not use harsh chemicals! For example, they ensure none of their hair colour products has ammonia that may be exposed to a client’s hair or skin. Moreover, on top of being with VIGBC for over 3 years, Inspire is also a certified member of Green Circle Salons! They are able to send this environmental program all their recycling which includes metal, plastic, paper excess hair colour PLUS all the hair that is collected after hair cuts.
Interesting Fact: These hairs that are sent off are then made into mats that soak up oil spills!
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Make sure to check out Inspire Hair Design on 1009 Blanshard Street!
Thank you to Jordan and Kristi for being a part of Small Business Month and sharing your voices as beloved downtown Victoria business owners! View our other blog posts for more incredible local business interviews.
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