Imagine a story that combines a passion for hairdressing, innovation and a desire to change the industry.
Today I invite you to learn about the path I traveled to create the company Shot Hair Spain.
My tireless search for healthy products to offer to the hairdressing market led me to land in this company that is now known as Shot España and which has become an indisputable benchmark in the market within the sector.
I can tell you that Shot is a benchmark in innovation, passion for the world of hairdressing and its constant evolution.
A little history
My work as a commercial and distributor of hairdressing products for many years, offering different brands, helped me to become aware of the difficulties that professionals in the sector encountered.
Direct contact with them allowed me to listen to their difficulties and made me begin to think about creating a company that would meet those needs and offer effective solutions to the difficulties that the existing market at that time was unable to offer.
This vision and passion for helping professionals in the sector led me to start travelling around Italy in 2013 looking for a company that would grant me exclusive rights to the product and that would share my decision not to sell, at least in Spain, any of the products, through online platforms or physical stores. This is how I found a family business in Arona, in the Piedmont region in northern Italy, which has been growing and now has a presence in 47 countries.
Despite the pressure from colleagues and friends who saw no future in this bet, I decided to continue with my idea, not in vain in previous years I had heard from many hairdressers about the difficulties and challenges they faced given that online sales were gaining momentum, representing unfair competition for them.
On the other hand, a new and no less important challenge was presented: the choice of hairdressing products that would reinforce my company’s commitment to safety and well-being and that could offer professionals safer and healthier products avoiding allergies, irritations and other health problems related to exposure to aggressive chemicals in the work environment, which are so frequent in this sector
Today, people’s awareness of using products that do not harm health
has grown.
Undoubtedly, this has also meant a great challenge for the Shot brand, which has not stopped researching and developing products that are more in line with the new mentality, European requirements and, in general, the commitment to products that help preserve the health and quality of clients’ hair without lowering their quality and effectiveness.
But let us go back to history for a moment. As I was telling you, in 2013 my search for a company that met the requirements and objectives that I had set for myself began. Thus, in 2014, I signed my first exclusive contract with Shot to sell wholesale in Spain.
The first location of the company was in Valencia (Spain) where I created a distribution line, with two people who covered the commercial and technical part of the use of the products, advising hairdressers on their correct and efficient use.
In 2015, while the expansion in the Levant continued, I created a new headquarters in Navarra, where we are currently. From here I opened the market to the rest of Spain, and today we have reached all corners of the country, having a loyal clientele that is satisfied with the product we offer.
The path of the entrepreneur
The entrepreneur must always be open to new challenges, this is an indicator that he is never satisfied, and he will always seek continuous improvement for himself and for the sector for which he works. In my case, these challenges have to do with the training of professionals, both in terms of knowledge related to the direct performance of their work: technique, introduction of new products, proper use of them, treatments, colour, etc. And also of course, with the management derived from your work, essential to maintain a business in optimal conditions such as price margin management, accounting, etc.
Have you ever wondered how to bring your entrepreneurial dreams to life while creating an industry difference in your sector?
Surely you know the famous phrase of Walt Disney “Everything begins with a dream”. This has been my leitmotif. I would not like to confuse or create false expectations. The path of the entrepreneur is not easy, sometimes it is full of obstacles: administrative, legal, economic and why not say it personally, from health problems that at a certain moment force us to stop, to mental limitations that make us believe that we will not be capable or that someone will always come forward in our project.
There is only one key, constancy, and constancy.
Along the way you will make mistakes, you will lose hope, and you will get up again, but all this is only part of the path of the apprentice.
I will make one last thought in case it inspires you. One of my favourite authors in the world of entrepreneurship and in turn related to personal development is Joseph Cambell in his book “Hero’s Journey” describes the different stages through which an entrepreneur goes on his way.
Cambell describes three sections in this journey: Departure, Initiation and Return.
At the OUTPUT, there is something that catches our attention, something that happens and leads us to action. After this appears the obligations, insecurity, weakness, and fear that can influence the hero to reject the call and prefer to remain still. He finally decides to embark. Here you may find a mentor, a wise man who will help you and restore your self-confidence.
The INITIATION, are the different adventures of the hero along the way. The tests that he must overcome, the mistakes and through them the possibility of recognizing his strengths and weaknesses, pleasures and rewards that make him feel like leaving, taking his dreams for granted.
The RETURN, the hero returns with what he has learned, he has grown as a person, he has faced multiple tests, even death and now he awaits the beginning of a new life.
The book describes in more detail each of these moments in the life of the entrepreneur giving meaning to the entire journey, I encourage you to read it.
If you do, perhaps you will not see in this story more than a more or less entertaining fable, however, I assure you that if at any time you have been on this path you will feel reflected and if you have never travelled it, but feel the call to travel it, it will serve as an experience and help at times when you may be tempted to give up, to throw in the towel.
The importance of financial control in the company
There is an aspect in which I have not been affected, but it is perhaps one of the most important when it comes to undertaking and it is the financial and business aspect.
It is essential to develop a comprehensive financial plan: budgeting, cash flow management and financial forecasting. By closely monitoring financial inflows and outflows, you can identify areas for improvement, allocate resources effectively, and make informed decisions that align with growth objectives.
For me, another important point has been to maintain a healthy cash reserve. Faced with unexpected expenses or economic recessions that always come, having enough liquidity can be a
life jacket. I have always tried to build a reserve that covers at least six months of operating expenses, which will allow the company to weather unforeseen circumstances and maintain operations without compromising growth opportunities.
And lastly, having a staff that shares the values of the company, that feels committed to it, rowing in the same direction.
Here is a summary of my career and aspects that I think are important. I have wanted to summarize my career up to the present moment, hoping that it will serve as inspiration for other people, but above all, do not forget that “Everything begins with a dream”
Leopoldo Ferrante
Director gerente de Shot España www.shothair.es
Sleep specialist
Using the acquired academic and professional experience, I advise patients with various complaints about mental health - depressed mood, nervousness, lack of energy and interest, sleep disorders, panic attacks, obsessive thoughts and anxieties, difficulty concentrating, and stress. In my free time, I love to paint and go on long walks on the beach. One of my latest obsessions is sudoku – a wonderful activity to calm an unease mind.
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