Meet Maribel Saldanha | Business Owner, Master Lash Artist and Esthetician at Mardanha’s, LLC

We had the good fortune of connecting with Maribel Saldanha and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Maribel, any advice for those thinking about whether to keep going or to give up?
When you run your own business there really is no giving up, there is only changing your strategy. Building a lash & brow beauty business is a lot of hard work, and I would be lying if I didn’t think about just dropping it all and giving up when things got hard. However, that’s all I allowed: a thought. After that it was back to work mode – instead of sulking over the issue, I brainstormed with my girls to see how we can solve the issue. We were resilient, refusing to give up, and now we are reaping the benefits of our hard work.

So my encouragement to other small businesses is to never give up. Sure, at times you will have to change your strategy and take a different course than what you expected. Sometimes, it may even be changing to a completely different business than what you started with. But as long as you keep working at it, gain more knowledge and stay on your toes, you will start to see small successes begin to happen.

What should our readers know about your business?
What sets our business apart from others is that we are more than a a place where you get a beauty service done, we offer a beauty experience. From the moment you walk in there is a pleasant aroma in the air, soothing music playing, delicious snacks and beverages, and a beautifully-designed studio. Once a client is taken to their private treatment room, they are seated on plush recliners and covered with a cozy blanket while the service is happening.

I am most proud of the environment we have created. I love when a client leaves letting us know how relaxed they felt throughout their service. We have even received comments that clients not only look forward to their beauty service but also the “most relaxing nap” they will have. It makes me proud to see the calming atmosphere we have created in a fast-paced city.

However, creating this atmosphere was not easy. It took a lot of hard work, many nights of no sleep and even tears. But we overcame the challenges by being resilient and always bouncing back after each setback. I didn’t allow much time for sulking, instead the question was, how will we solve this.

The lessons I learned along the way are that there is always another way of solving a problem and to trust in God. I grew up in a very faith-filled family. I was also a very sickly child growing up. Our faith got us through my childhood health issues and have now gotten me through my business obstacles.

What I want the world to know about our brand and our story is that we love to create a relaxing experience for our clients. We are constantly evaluating and evolving our studio to make it a better experience for those who visit us.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I am foodie, so we would eat a lot! Off the top of my head, restaurants we would HAVE to visit are Amore Di Pasta in Wynwood, Timo Restaurant in Sunny Isles Beach, and Saffrano’s Crepes in Plantation.

We would hang out at the beach a lot because I am a beach bum. I love the vibe of the beaches in Sunny Isles because they are more relaxing and laid back. Also less crowded.

An exciting event we would go see are one of the Candlelight Concerts by Fever! I have been to a couple of the Strings quartet concerts and it has been so lovely. There’s candles everywhere, local musicians and beautiful music.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like to dedicate my Shout Out to my daughter, Kimberly. This business would not be what it is without her eye for design, knowledge of business and here administrative help. From the choice of brand colors, to the website, our social media, contracts, permit renewals and more – I rely on her for all of these things and Mardanha’s wouldn’t be what it is without her.

I would also like to thank my other children, Kevin and Kiara, and the rest of my family as well. Many long nights were spent together setting up, moving things, running errands, to make sure that my business was running smoothly. I couldn’t have done it without them. And of course, God. I pray for my business every day and I have seen Him come through so many times.

Website: www.mardanhas.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mardanhas/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mardanhaslashes