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| Kerry-Ann Ashley at her ribbon-cutting ceremony for Heaven on Earth Beauty Salon at its new location in 2012. Ashley is pictured (right) with Anthony Capece, Executive Director for the CBID and (left) CBID Board Member Antoine Harris. |
Kerry-Ann Ashley opened her salon, Heaven on Earth Beauty Salon in 2004. From the start, she was a one woman hurricane, taking the beauty industry by storm.
Kerry-Ann built Heaven on Earth to be a different kind of salon, less like a girlfriend hang out and more like a sophisticated upscale get-away from the day to day …. She wanted to pamper her clients, to provide a relaxing and rejuvenating experience— right in their own neighborhood. And her business model was a huge success!
Now, she’s celebrating the 10th anniversary of her successful salon. “Kerry-Ann is a great example of a visionary business woman, who has the desire and work ethic to create a successful business,” says Anthony Capece, Executive Director for the Central Avenue Business Improvement District.
For Kerry-Ann, success like this was hard-won. Kerry-Ann emigrated from Jamaica to the United States in 1988 at the age of eight, to live with her father. She attended school in Long Island, NY, but then, at the age of 16, she dropped out. “At that time, to the world, it seemed like the odds were against me. I was kind of stuck with no schooling,” she says. “Then, an opportunity presented itself to attend Job Corps in Glenmont.” Kerry-Ann packed her bags, and headed upstate. Kerry-Ann had taken a short course in cosmetology at her high school and had liked it. In Job Corps, she was able to get further training in cosmetology, and eventually her GED and retail license. Upon graduation she took a job at the hair salon at JCPenney’s, then Fantastic Sam’s, before finally accepting a position at Smooth as Silk, a popular Central Avenue hair and nail salon. At Smooth as Silk, Kerry-Ann learned the value of teamwork, professionalism and her clientele quickly grew. When the salon closed in 2001, Kerry-Ann was suddenly without a job again. Not put off--by this time, she was used to hustling and making things work--she sought employment at another local salon. Kerry-Ann rented a booth for a time, then worked at another salon. Ultimately, Kerry-Ann went looking for another booth to rent at another local salon, but instead of renting a booth, she took over the salon. She opened her doors as Heaven on Earth in March 2004.
Kerry-Ann came from a family of entrepreneurs--her parents both owned businesses and her brothers were small business owners, too. “I felt like this was the plan laid out by God all along,” she says.
In 2012, she was one of the first entrepreneurs to graduate from University at Albany’s Small Enterprise Economic Development (SEED) program, a training and funding program. As a result of the program, Kerry-Ann was able to move into a 3,000 square foot space at 330 Central Avenue. The new space allowed her to continue to provide the same peaceful, uplifting treatments she’s become famous for, even as she expanded her client base and services.
Please join us to help Mrs. Kerry-Ann Ashley kick off the next ten years of her growing salon, and celebrate in her successes.
The 10-Year Anniversary Celebration at Heaven on Earth Beauty Salon will take place, Tuesday, August 26, 10:30am-11:30am at the salon, located at 330 Central Avenue, Albany, NY 12206
Kerry-Ann built Heaven on Earth to be a different kind of salon, less like a girlfriend hang out and more like a sophisticated upscale get-away from the day to day …. She wanted to pamper her clients, to provide a relaxing and rejuvenating experience— right in their own neighborhood. And her business model was a huge success!
Now, she’s celebrating the 10th anniversary of her successful salon. “Kerry-Ann is a great example of a visionary business woman, who has the desire and work ethic to create a successful business,” says Anthony Capece, Executive Director for the Central Avenue Business Improvement District.
For Kerry-Ann, success like this was hard-won. Kerry-Ann emigrated from Jamaica to the United States in 1988 at the age of eight, to live with her father. She attended school in Long Island, NY, but then, at the age of 16, she dropped out. “At that time, to the world, it seemed like the odds were against me. I was kind of stuck with no schooling,” she says. “Then, an opportunity presented itself to attend Job Corps in Glenmont.” Kerry-Ann packed her bags, and headed upstate. Kerry-Ann had taken a short course in cosmetology at her high school and had liked it. In Job Corps, she was able to get further training in cosmetology, and eventually her GED and retail license. Upon graduation she took a job at the hair salon at JCPenney’s, then Fantastic Sam’s, before finally accepting a position at Smooth as Silk, a popular Central Avenue hair and nail salon. At Smooth as Silk, Kerry-Ann learned the value of teamwork, professionalism and her clientele quickly grew. When the salon closed in 2001, Kerry-Ann was suddenly without a job again. Not put off--by this time, she was used to hustling and making things work--she sought employment at another local salon. Kerry-Ann rented a booth for a time, then worked at another salon. Ultimately, Kerry-Ann went looking for another booth to rent at another local salon, but instead of renting a booth, she took over the salon. She opened her doors as Heaven on Earth in March 2004.
Kerry-Ann came from a family of entrepreneurs--her parents both owned businesses and her brothers were small business owners, too. “I felt like this was the plan laid out by God all along,” she says.
In 2012, she was one of the first entrepreneurs to graduate from University at Albany’s Small Enterprise Economic Development (SEED) program, a training and funding program. As a result of the program, Kerry-Ann was able to move into a 3,000 square foot space at 330 Central Avenue. The new space allowed her to continue to provide the same peaceful, uplifting treatments she’s become famous for, even as she expanded her client base and services.
Please join us to help Mrs. Kerry-Ann Ashley kick off the next ten years of her growing salon, and celebrate in her successes.
The 10-Year Anniversary Celebration at Heaven on Earth Beauty Salon will take place, Tuesday, August 26, 10:30am-11:30am at the salon, located at 330 Central Avenue, Albany, NY 12206
