“Katumba is derived from an old South Pacific word meaning beautiful. My father served there in World War II. He later named his cabinet making business Katumba’s. In honor of my father I have carried on his name to my business in hopes to give you the same breath taking service he gave to his clients. My name is Floralyn and Katumba’s Day Spa and Salon is a dream I have had since I became a Cosmetologist. I worked at the same salon for 13 years and didn’t feel like I was providing my clients everything I had to offer. After several years my husband and friends finally convinced me that I had the potential to start a salon that would be beautiful and successful. Katumba’s was founded on the idea that everyone has the ability to do whatever they put their mind to.”
When Floralyn Martinez first came into the Orem Small Business Development Center and told us about her dream, we were very anxious to assist her. Floralyn’s determination and stick-to-itiveness impressed us. There were many challenges to overcome as Floralyn began the process of starting her business. The first major obstacle was funding. As a result of some difficult personal financial hardships Floralyn and her husband had declared bankruptcy several years before and no bank was willing to fund them. However, with the assistance of the Orem SBDC Floralyn was able to successfully obtain two local economic development loans. The $40,000 she received from these loans carried her through the startup phase of her business.
The Orem Small Business Development Center also helped Floralyn with her financial projections. This included estimating her startup costs, inventory costs, monthly sales, and working capital. Once her projections were complete the center helped her write her business plan, which included multiple revisions for her different funding partners.
Since that time, Floralyn says she has learned many important aspects of being a business owner. She has learned that:
1. Everything is more expensive then you think it is going to be.
2. You have to keep a positive perspective on everything you do in the business.
3. As a business owner you need to build a good support team to assist you.
Part of Floralyn’s support team has been the Orem SBDC. When asked about her experience with the Orem SBDC Floralyn said, “Ken made me feel like I was on top of the world and that I could do anything. I also felt at peace with him immediately. The Orem SBDC has a relaxing office environment. So as a client, I didn’t feel intimidated. Ken never let me get discouraged and he is always so positive. When you start getting discouraged he tackles the issues behind the discouragement and you work together to find solutions.”