People. Planet. Profit.
Whether you’re getting your eyebrows shaped or doing a full leg wax at Sugar Plum, you will see these three core company principles shine - and in that order.
Sugar Plum is a sugaring salon with four locations throughout the Seattle area, offering hair removal services with a special method called “sugaring.” It involves spreading a paste made of sugar, water, and citric acid to lift the hair off of the skin upon removal. Sugar Plum prides itself with its inclusive mission to be the premier sugaring solution for “every-BODY.”
When Sugar Plum founder and owner, Camilla Fogle, took a couple of sugaring classes while working as a massage therapist in the early 2000’s, something sparked. After being offered the chance at a new start during the 2008 economic downturn, she chased her dream of opening a small sugaring salon in Seattle.
Camilla’s passion for pursuing a clean, healthy planet blended well with the low environmental footprint produced by sugaring, especially compared to other forms of waxing.
“The sugar paste we manufacture is organic and fair trade,” Camilla describes, “Also, the gloves we use are biodegradable, so it’s still trash, but they’re completely gone within five years. We’ve been really working on our environmental imprint by making it as low as we can.”
While Camilla is proud that Sugar Plum is successful, she realizes that the greatest asset they have is their employees. The Sugar Plum team makes a concerted effort to think beyond the parameters of what’s important for their business, focusing equally on what’s important for their people.
“You have to do what’s best for your employees, what’s best for you and your life balance, and what’s best for your community,” Camilla says. “If you can keep all of that in a balance, you’ll do much better than if you’re hyper-focused on one thing.”
Justin, Sugar Plum’s Chief Operating Officer, jumps in, “[Camilla] is a giver more than anything else. She always wants to have the best things for her staff. That’s why we try to give benefits that are focused on the type of staff we have.”
Sugar Plum’s devotion to supporting and empowering their team has an equally positive impact on their customers, creating what Camilla would describe as a community.
“The clients we have are so fun and amazing, and that social interaction is just wonderful to see,” she explains.
When asked what advice she would give to someone with similar dreams of launching a small business in the industry, Camilla states it simply.
