Carla Olivia on revolutionizing the beauty bar experience with DashBar

Describe your business in a few words?

DashBar is beauty made efficient! We are one stop beauty and wellness for the modern woman.

What made you take the leap to start your own business?

I have been an entrepreneur since I was 22 years old. I started my first business because a great opportunity was presented to me and I took a leap of faith to provide a better future for my young daughter.

What was your background prior to starting your own business?

I worked in the real estate industry processing legal paperwork for title companies and insuring transactions.

Did you always know you wanted to be an entrepreneur?

YES! The Secret of My Success was my favorite film as a kid and growing up I always knew that I wanted to be that person to surprise everyone with my success.

Take us back to when you first launched your business, what was your marketing strategy to get the word out and did it go as planned?

Early in my career, I built great relationships with several mortgage and real estate companies who trusted me to handle all of the legal paperwork for their clients. That trust and confidence that they instilled in me gave me the confidence to go out on my own.

We always learn the most from our mistakes, share a time with us that you made a mistake or had a challenging time in business and what you learned from it?

I've learned to expect the unexpected. As a business owner, you can do plenty of planning and financial modeling prior to launching but it's not until you actually launch that you realize that you simply can't anticipate everything.

What is the accomplishment you are the most proud of to date?

Putting my daughter through College! I had a teen pregnancy and was a single mother for a very long time and my ultimate dream was to watch my daughter cross that stage as she's handed her college degree. It was the highlight of everything I worked so hard for!

How has your business or industry been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic?

We are fortunate to have launched in Miami after the first shut down and as a result have not had to suffer through a shut down like a lot of other businesses. This provided us with a great opportunity to evaluate our safety and sanitation guidelines and subsequently launched with intense covid safety features to ensure health and safety takes precedence over everything.

What's next for your business? What can we expect to see over the next few years?

We hope to expand our locations, services and product line so that we can be the modern woman's go to for everything health and beauty.

What is the biggest lesson you have learned in 2020?

Never take anything for granted! Life is a gift!

What do you know now that you wish you knew when you were first starting your business?

I wish I could have told myself that once you reach "success", it's ok to be satisfied with what you have accomplished. Take a moment and be proud of yourself. You deserve it!

How have you managed to stay grounded this year?

With all of the stress we have been dealing with, meditation has been key to my mental health.

Do you believe in work/life balance? What are some of your best tips?

I believe we all can get caught up in the day to day stress and it's important to prioritize yourself in the process. Small things like getting your nails done or signing up for that yoga class can help give us the relief we need to manage it all.

What's something our audience would be surprised to learn about you?

When I was young, I dreamed of being a songwriter  and used to write rap songs! LOL

What are your top 3 tips to stay productive each day?

Coffee, Exercise and To Do Lists!!!

What does being an Entreprenista mean to you?

Being able to blaze your own trail in your career and not letting boundaries set by others define you or what you can accomplish!