Elana Jade Salon

Expat Women: Please tell us more about your business concept, the services your salon offers, and more about why you decided to use organic products exclusively?

Elana: The language was a major obstacle. Fortunately I teamed up with my brother Nathan, who had already set up Tokyo Fitness here and can speak Japanese. More importantly, he had contacts that specialize in foreign company start-ups and realtors.

The second major obstacle as a new and foreign-owned company was obtaining a building lease. Many Japanese landlords are very strict in who they lease to. We overcame this by shopping around until we found a landlord who was willing to give us a go. Having properly set up a joint-stock company with paid-in capital helped.

Expat Women: Who are your main customers and how do you market the concept of 100 percent organic skincare in Japan?

Elana: Our main customers are expat women, but our male membership is growing rapidly. Our customers are people who want to receive healthy beauty treatments and massage without any communication or cultural barriers.

We market our salon as "An Oasis" and "100% Organic", which I believe goes hand-in-hand: an escape from the polluted environment, to detoxify and beautify the body. Our biggest job is to convince people that organics are superior to the heavily marketed chemical-based cosmetics brands. Although organic skincare is still in its infancy, the organic food movement is now more accepted, so this makes the concept or organic skincare more appealing.

So far the reaction from customers has been great. We have re-assessed dozens of our clients in the last year and have seen some wonderful results in wrinkle reduction and skin smoothness. Clients also enjoy the fact that all the products are customized for their skin and they receive their own unique blend.

Expat Women: Can you compare your experiences of setting up Elana Jade in Australia versus Elana Jade in Japan?

Elana: Starting my business in Australia occurred rather accidentally. After completing my four year Beauty Therapy Diploma, I was working as a therapist at a salon and decided to take on some extra clients outside of work and began doing some "mobile" beauty treatments. As I got busier, I opted to quit my salon job and set up my own small treatment facility, originally in my parents' home in Sydney.

The Elana Jade Salon in Tokyo was much more pre-meditated and planned. My brother and I came up with the concept in 2008 and proceeded to draw up an Offering Memorandum and search for investors. Our Tokyo business required a lot more capital, which necessitated a more structured approach to setting up the company. This was a fantastic learning experience for me.

Australians, by nature, tend to have a very DIY (Do It Yourself) approach to business. Whether it is setting up your own accounting system (for me that was an old notebook and some glue!), or getting a "mate" to do the refurbishments, a lot of money can be saved. This is not so easy in Japan! Different laws and a lack of contacts makes it necessary to source professionals. We did however find some middle ground by sourcing our own furniture and equipment, as well as pairing with investors whose specialities (such as accounting) helped our cash flow.

One big plus for starting a business for expats in Tokyo is the support. The strong support from the expatriate community is what made it possible for us to establish and grow Elana Jade.

Expat Women: What five tips would you offer to women considering starting a business abroad?

1.	Do not be afraid to ask for help! I used every contact I had to start up the Elana Jade Salon - from professionals, to family, to friends, and more.
2.	Do your research. Things abroad are never the same as home - different demands, rules and expectations. Do your own research and ask local contacts and other entrepreneurs for their input.
3.	Allow room for the unexpected. Hidden charges, overpriced goods, international delivery costs and so on, can seriously eat into your capital. Allow a buffer zone for such unforeseen expenses.
4.	Save capital by shopping around. For example, when opening the Elana Jade Salon we designed the interior and sourced furniture and contractors, rather than use overpriced design firms.
5.	Just do it! The scariest part of starting a business abroad is the first step. If you have done your research, made good contacts and have the capital, just dive in and give it a go!

Expat Women: Elana, congratulations on successfully relocating the Elana Jade brand and salon abroad. It is wonderful to see you using your skills and passion to help others learn about organic skincare. We wish you and your salon all the very best!