When you think of a corporate environment, a spa probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. You might picture harsh lighting, office cubicles, and meetings that could have been a phone call. Yet even the salon and spa industry has its own corporate world. Paulina Lacapra began her esthetics career in a similar environment, specializing in full body waxing—day in and day out – at a large national spa chain. After nearly four years, the pandemic related shutdown was the push she needed to take the next step. It motivated her to turn her passion for connecting with clients, along with her desire to offer a broader range of services, into a new venture: Green Moon Spa.
Paulina started humbly, branching out on her own by renting a room in an existing salon, but outgrew the space in less than five years. “I love making people look as good as they feel, and it has been rewarding to find my community. I am so grateful for all of my client’s loyalty, trust and kindness, and their support is the main reason for my achievements so far,” she says of her success.
In 2024, Paulina began the process of relocating Green Moon Spa to Vernon, Connecticut. While her corporate background had taught her a great deal, she admits that “some things I had to learn the hard way, or the expensive way.” Launching a new business endeavor is no small task, and Paulina knew she needed additional guidance to move forward. With a new space secured and construction underway, she found herself struggling to organize the business in its new location and uncertain about how to scale. “Between marketing, social media, and many other challenges, I felt stuck,” she says. Like many small business owners before her, Paulina turned to Google for answers, which led her to the Connecticut Small Business Development Center (CTSBDC).
Refinancing a small business owner’s dream
Paulina was matched with CTSBDC Advisor Dean A. Schwartz, who quickly discovered Paulina was financing her dream with a personal loan, complete with a high interest rate. He knew instantly that refinancing through the Connecticut Small Business BOOST Fund could help Paulina save on interest and give Green Moon Spa more room to grow.
Supported by the Connecticut Department of Economic & Community Development, The Boost Fund provides fixed rate loans at 4.5% interest and requires no origination fees. Applying for any loan can be daunting. The process requires a lot of paperwork, solid financial projections, and a documented business plan; all things Dean and other CTSBDC advisors are highly skilled at providing. Dean helped Paulina apply for and secure a $20,000 Boost loan to refinance her dream, giving her the ability to focus on building, literally and figuratively.
Today, Green Moon Spa offers full body waxing, customized facials, lash lifting and tinting, brow lamination and tinting, and permanent makeup brows. Additionally, Paulina rents extra space in her storefront to bring in extra revenue for the by-appointment-only spa. “She has done an outstanding job strengthening her financial literacy and organizing her bookkeeping systems,” says Dean.
Continuing to scale and grow Green Moon Spa
With the financial logistics taken care of, Paulina turned to Dean for aid in growing and marketing her business, which just happens to be Dean’s specialty. “I have learned with social media that less can be more,” says Paulina. With Dean’s help during bi-weekly advising sessions, she has put internal marketing and promotional systems in place. “Promoting through existing clients is better than always trying to get new clients,” Dean advised. To that end, Paulina introduced seasonal facials, starting with pumpkin for fall and cranberry for the winter holiday season, which she says has clients coming back more often than they normally would.
“Rebooking rates continue to rise, driven by strong client satisfaction, her seasonal facials, upgrade promotions, and the exceptional experience she delivers,” says Dean. From implementing customized service categories and tracking tags within Square to tried-and-true tactics like a professional 24×36 in-spa package board that clearly outlines her service offerings, pricing tiers, and available upgrades, Dean has worked with Paulina to ensure she is marketing her business efficiently and effectively at every level.
Today, the same search engine that brought Paulina to CTSBDC is now a top source of new customers for Green Moon Spa. Dean says, “Paulina consistently ranks at the top of Google search results across Vernon, Ellington, Manchester, Bolton, and South Windsor. More than 70% of her new clients discover her through Google, demonstrating the strength of her online presence.”
With business going well, Paulina is looking toward the future. From bringing in another renter to dreams of owning her own building one day, Paulina continues to consult with her CTSBDC advisor about new ways to scale Green Moon Spa in the coming years.
