Last Day: National Small Business Week – Classic Beauty College Tells Us Why They Love It

As we draw to a close of National Small Business Week, we’d like to thank everyone who shared their stories with us. The entries we received were compelling, insightful, and most importantly inspiring to our team as we continue in our mission to increase this critically underserved industry’s access to capital.

For our last entry, we spoke with Pearl Peschio, the owner of Classic Beauty College in Phoenix, AZ.

What is your business, and how did you get started?

Classic beauty college is a local trade school, that mentors and licenses future cosmetologists. We exist to help our students fulfill their dreams by seeking to understand them as individuals, delivering a strong technical platform and providing creative freedom.

What do you love most about being a small business owner?

We are so committed to making sure our students succeed in the beauty industry. Our success rate is in the high 90% range – which in incredible in our industry. Many of our graduates now own and operate several of the top salons in Scottsdale, Phoenix and Glendale.

3. How is your business helping your local community?

In addition to the job we’re creating, we make a huge effort to support the women in our local community. We provide services to Locks of Love, and many women’s halfway houses, shelters and scholarship programs in the Phoenix area.

4. If you could tell a new customer one thing that makes your business great, what would it be?

That we absolutely love what we do! During this tough economy, it means everything to be able to create future entrepreneurs. And, we always stay in touch with our students once they go out on their own.