 The number one thing that Pin claims to keep her going is her relationship with the Lord. The things that she continually nurtured in her business are fueled by her consistent involvement in fellowship and dedicating all her endeavors to the Lord. Amidst her busy schedule and various demands of her clients, she maintained her bold and unafraid stance in dealing with her work and clients. Makeover is beyond skin deep for Pin. “Gusto ko iibahin ko image mo at pagkatao mo, in and out,” she say.
Helen Mary Labao reports:
When I entered Salon de Manila for the very first time, I had apprehensions. Being a high end salon, I was conscious as I sidled up next to the celebrity in the salon's reception area in Bellagio Square along Tomas Morato. But all worries were appeased by smiling faces which greeted me and ushered me in. Soon enough, Pin Antonio, with hair coiffed as brilliantly as her personality and staff, took some time to answer our questions and reveal numerous bits and pieces about her life story and the colorful journey of success in her business.
Humble Beginnings to Flourishing Business Success
What started out as a single-chaired parlor in the Antonio family's apartment in Banawe, Quezon City became one of the best salons in Metro Manila, with celebrity clients such as Mariel Rodriguez and Gelli de Belen. But just like any other thriving businesses, this was no overnight thing. This has become a labor - a genuine labor of love that proved its mettle through the years.
Pin Antonio started out the salon business while she was studying Fine Arts in UST. With her sister spearheading the initiative, they pooled in their resources to build the business popularly known as Salon de Manila. With over six branches all over Metro Manila, Salon de Manila's success in reaching the needs of high end consumers in terms of hair care remain unparalleled.
Her initial challenges did not stop her from continuing the business. Issues such as betrayal, female discrimination and piracy are not alien to Pin as she trudged through this business. Her success story with her family unveils that anyone can still unleash their potential amidst various setbacks, if they have the right team, the right spirit and the right attitude.
With her positive outlook in life, Pin has more to hope for. From their initial branch in their first floor apartment in Banawe and their addition in LPL towers in Legaspi Village, Makati, the Katipunan branch was built ten years later. Pin did this mainly with the purpose of “reaching out to more people and providing accessibility for clientele”. After the construction of their Salcedo and Alabang branches, remaining branches were built annually until she has 6 branches with over 120 employees. Every branch has a team of about 15 or 20 members.
The Perks of the Trade
Miss Antonio claims that there are really no major hassles in her business. Some of the best perks of the trade for her include “working while meeting other people, new friends, new colleagues... There are new things all the time.” Since 1995, when her sister passed away and she took over the creative team, she still maintained her bold and inventive streak. She and her son Adlai, 21 years old and the salon's official color expert, now spearhead the Creative Team, while her husband does the operations and financing aspect.
Pin and Adlai make rounds everyday in their multiple salon branches and they are passionately committed to doing business this way to their various clients. To be able to update herself of the latest trends, Pin also goes every year to hair experts such as Vidal Sasson and Toni & Guy, both located in London, UK and in Sta. Monica, USA. Her creative team from each branch is also updated accordingly.
How She Unleashed Her Potential and Kept Her Success
The number one thing that Pin claims to keep her going is her relationship with the Lord. The things that she continually nurtured in her business are fueled by her consistent involvement in fellowship and dedicating all her endeavors to the Lord. Amidst her busy schedule and various demands of her clients, she maintained her bold and unafraid stance in dealing with her work and clients. Makeover is beyond skin deep for Pin.
“Gusto ko iibahin ko image mo at pagkatao mo, in and out,” she says.
Also she has maintained the elements of sharing and setting a good example to her staff and clients to further augment her credibility and success.
Salon de Manila in the Future
A lower end version of Salon de Manila by the name of Antonio Hairdressing is already up and running in its Sgt. Esguerra branch and a newly furnished franchise in Libis and BF, Paranaque. There are also upcoming plans to have Antonio Hairdressing branches in Pasay Road and Greenhills.
When asked how she sees Salon de Manila five years from now, Pin answered that it is all about the young generation. For her, all her efforts are nothing if she has no legacy or successor to leave it all with.
“Walang Baon!”
Adlai, Pin's son and a graduate of culinary arts, did not initially embrace the notion of continuing the legacy. But while he was waiting for opportunities in his field as a fresh graduate, he took the initiative to start working for the salon to productively make use of his time. Unknown to him, his pleased mother had been praying for someone to train and eventually pass the baton (or should I say magical scissor?) over.
While many people might think that Adlai began with an instant edge, he started from scratch and worked his way up in his one year of training. There was no favoritism whatsoever and he had the same starting salary as that of any other Salon de Manila employee. He grew to love the business which is their bread and butter and when the opportunity came for his career in culinary arts, Adlai decided to stay in Salon de Manila and continue the wonderful legacy.
Scion, Pin’s niece, and the daughter of her late sister Ruby, have also been taking her post as the make up artist of the creative team. A fresh graduate of Fine Arts in U.S.T, like Pin, Scion is a person very passionate in colors and shapes. Pin, herself also a make-up artist, greatly sees how Scion would soon become a very successful artist someday.
Just like hair that does not grow overnight, Salon de Manila did not become legendary for setting a standard in their industry in a snap.
“Don't pirate and be original. Start your business with the right attitude,” says Pin for those who are aspiring to reach the same breadth and depth of success that she is experiencing now. And I am sure Adlai and her successors in the business are all ears with these nuggets of wisdom, catching on to continue making excellent makeovers, inside and out.
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Nov.12
