Founded twenty-seven years ago, Going Straight Salon is known to be the number one destination for Filipinos to straighten their hair.

“It was actually my Dad, Arnel and Mom, Thess who started the business back then. Currently, we have branches all over the Philippines,” Monica Manganti, President of Going Straight Salon shared.

Monica started her career as a Merchandising Manager wherein she handled local and imported brands for a renowned retail company. She eventually left for Europe to work for an IT company as an International Business Development Manager. In 2016, the then 26-year old moved back home to the Philippines to help the family business. “My dad wanted me to improve and innovate the business. He wanted me be more hands on with it,” she recalled.

Monica’s goal is to transform the business and to keep up with the changing times. Earlier this year, they rebranded their SM Megamall branch. “We wanted to cater to a younger generation and become more modern which is why we created Amavé Salon. In Latin it means to fall in love with and that’s what we want our clients to feel. We want to spark confidence and self-love,” she pointed out.

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Aside from rebranding, she also launched Going Straight Online last April 2020. “It’s basically an online platform that sells all the products that our salons offer. We want to reach out to our customers who want to experience our services in their homes especially during this enhanced community quarantine,” she shared.

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Some of the products that they offer is their famous Henna, Aloe Vera, and Green Tea line which was formulated during the nineties that helps moisturize the hair, Keratin Protein line which tames and smoothens the hair, Argan line which helps keep the hair color stay longer, Barley line which nourishes the hair with natural ingredients and more. “In our website, because it’s products for the home, we actually offer Nail Kits as well with Helios Nail Systems, a Professional brand from New York. Customers can choose from a wide variety of colors,” she added.

Since the launch of their online store, Monica has been taking orders from all over Metro Manila. “It’s only been weeks and I’m happy to say that our customers have been utilizing this platform. I’m very happy that we are able to keep up with the changes of technology. I know that we have a long way to go but venturing into e-commerce was definitely a good move,” Monica pointed out.

As for their future plans, Going Straight Salon will re-open as soon as the ECQ ends, “we are just waiting for ECQ to be lifted. While waiting, I am also exploring the idea of home service for our customers but we’ll still see.”

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Innovation is essential when it comes to handling a family business. That was one of the lessons in Monica’s journey. When asked what advice she can share to entrepreneurs during these times it would be, “Don’t lose hope! Always look for ways to recreate your brand. Stay calm and take care of yourself. It’s important to take care of yourself because it helps in keeping your mind healthy too.”

Website: https://goingstraightonline.com