UNIVERSIAL COLLEGE OF BEAUTY, INC

When John Williams (323-296-8221) was 12 years old, he produced and sold shampoo for 50 cents a gallon. Today, he is the proud owner of UNIVERSAL COLLEGE OF BEAUTY, INC. in Los Angeles. He received his start in the beauty industry when he returned home from military service and began working at the family business, which was then called Henrietta’s School of Beauty. John took a position as the janitor but gained sufficient skills to eventually begin teaching classes at the school. After the Los Angeles Riots, his mother retired and John took over the business. He renamed it Universal College of Beauty, Inc. to reflect the direction of reaching all races, but John had to overcome some obstacles along the way. He struggled financially shortly after obtaining ownership of the business. Fortunately, he received assistance by working with local organizations such as the Boys and Girls Club and the YWCA. John was dealt another blow when his wife and son were killed in a car accident in 1993. But he was resilient and with the help of his son Kenneth, he persevered and he preserved his mother’s legacy by taking the business to new heights. In 2005, The Universal College of Beauty celebrates its 75th anniversary. John is hoping to open six more locations in his lifetime.

GRANDALL DISTRIBUTION COMPANY, INC
Jose Granda (www.grandall.com) risked his life to come to the United States after escaping the Castro-led revolution in Cuba. After settling in Los Angeles, Jose began making a living working in sales. He was particularly profitable in selling vitamins and minerals. When he asked for a 10% stake in the company but was denied, he then decided to open his own health and beauty distribution firm in 1965. He recognized that Mexican-American consumers possessed brand loyalty and so he built his business serving the needs of this market. He also worked with a manufacturer to develop his own products. However, the most important ingredient in his success is branding. Specifically, Jose reaches Hispanic consumers by using bilingual labels and culturally familiar packaging. In 2004, GRANDALL DISTRIBUTION COMPANY, INC. grossed $8 million. Today, the company continues to sell its products in 1,500 stores along the California coast.

In Secrets of Success, Linda Coleman-Willis (lindaspeak@lindaspeak.com) talks about ways to maintain passion for your business.

The studio guest is Caren Conrad (949-476-8167), General Manager of Boscia Skincare, who speaks about building brand identity.