How did California Tanning Supply break into the industry?
I own tanning salons, and that’s where it all began. Back in 1988 I looked at what the suppliers were doing locally and what kind of service they were delivering to the consumer. I knew I could do a better job, so that’s how I got into the wholesale business. It took years to build it up, and I made it difficult on myself by trying to break into the industry at the hardest level–selling high-pressure beds–but it was the technology that my customers wanted. Q: How has your company evolved to meet the industry’s changing needs? A: To stay competitive I’ve moved from a distribution entity into becoming part of a manufacturing group. I did this to stay competitive and deliver the type of products that I want to bring to the market rather than what suppliers want to force me to stock. I now have a little bit more control over what we build, how we build it, what lamps we use and what components we use. Q: What do you want industry newcomers to know about California Tanning Supply? A: We a
