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Barrera\u2019s story took a different route.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEver since I was young, I\u2019ve always wanted to work,\u201d she said. \u201cAs soon as I was able to get a job, I did. I worked at a restaurant for years, and one day, one of my old teachers came in. Originally, I was going to school for business and marketing because I at least wanted to earn an associate\u2019s degree.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But a suggestion from a mentor changed her path.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI decided to take his advice and enrolled in the program they had just started,\u201d she said. \u201cWe were the second class to go through at TCAT McMinnville. Classes at the time were held at the high school.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After finishing the program, Barrera got her start in a salon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI started at a newly opened salon, which ended up closing down a couple of months later, but that\u2019s where I began building my clientele,\u201d she said. \u201cAt that time, I was also opening a smoothie and juice bar called Fresh & Fruity.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Later, she began working for another salon in town. After a few months, she asked Ramirez to join her at that salon. That\u2019s when Barrera and Ramirez decided to create something of their own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe wanted it to be inviting and very positive,\u201d Barrera said. \u201cWe wanted people to feel confident about themselves and their nails.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Suite Nails & Spa officially opened in February 2024. The salon offers a wide range of services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe do manicures and pedicures,\u201d Ramirez said. \u201cWe also have an esthetician, Ava Barnes. She does facials, waxing, lash lifts, and brow tints.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe have three suites, but only one is available for rent if anyone is interested in joining our family,\u201d Barrera added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In terms of what sets them apart, it all comes down to relationships and attention to detail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIn my opinion, what truly sets us apart is the relationships we build with our clients,\u201d Barrera said. \u201cIt never feels like just a client-service interaction. Over time, our clients become friends \u2014 like family. I even find it strange to call them \u2018clients\u2019 because, to me, they\u2019re much more than that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cleanliness is also a core value.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe make sure that each and every time, we\u2019re never reusing the same tools,\u201d she said. \u201cEverything is double-sanitized and cleaned thoroughly after every use.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Business has grown so much that they\u2019ve added two walk-in technicians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cRight now, we\u2019re booked almost a month in advance,\u201d Barrera said. \u201cWe\u2019re pretty much maxed out. The toughest thing is fitting in clients. It\u2019s hard to turn someone away, especially when it\u2019s a client you really want to have, because we enjoy meeting new people.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n That workload comes with trade-offs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt\u2019s been more business than it has been person- al life,\u201d Barrera said. \u201cThat\u2019s something that\u2019s hard.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Still, their love for the work keeps them going.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt\u2019s the same for me,\u201d Ramirez said. \u201cSome- times the long hours get to you, but we put all our effort into each client.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Their advice to aspiring business owners?<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIf it\u2019s something you\u2019ve been wanting to do, you should just go for it,\u201d Barrera said. \u201cThere will always be people who doubt you. We lost some clientele when we left our previous salon, but you should never doubt yourself or what your dream can become.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Looking ahead, they see even more growth on the horizon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOne of our big goals is to own our own building,\u201d said Ramirez and Barrera. \u201cEventually, we want to expand our business \u2014 whether that\u2019s a bigger local space or expanding into different cities.\u201d GN<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" INSIDE THE Suite Nails & Spa, there\u2019s more than the scent of lotions and polish in the air; there\u2019s an unmistakable sense of passion, purpose, and two lifelong friends living out their dream. \u201cWe\u2019ve known each other since we were kids. We grew up together, but as you get older, you tend to drift apart. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":39,"featured_media":24148,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-24146","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-feature"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/goodnewsmags.com\/manchester\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2025\/09\/3-6-1024x683.jpg\")