Building a New Business in A Tough Economy

RINCON, Ga. - With record unemployment and the economy still struggling, many would consider it a risky time to start a new business venture.

“You find places like this in metropolitan cities. It’s not something they expect to walk into in Effingham County,“ said Paula Duggar, owner of Glaze Beauty Boutique and Day Spa.

Duggar has a degree in education, but found she didn’t have a passion for teaching. Instead, she’s getting ready for the official grand opening of her boutique, salon, and day spa. She says this is a new industry she’s been learning as she goes.

“You come to the plate watching every penny that goes in and out because you don’t have a lot to work with,“ she said.

Monday afternoon, there was still some work being done inside to get ready for Tuesday’s ribbon-cutting. 

Duggar says the response from customers has been good, but there have been those who questioned her sanity. She says people in Effingham County used to have to travel Savannah to get the same services she now provides in their own backyard.
“Regardless of the economic situation, women are going to spend money to pamper themselves. It really doesn’t matter, but through it all as we were building the business I had a lot of negative feedback, a lot, and I made the choice to plug my ears and push ahead really hard,“ she said.

Though some wonder if this is the right time to start any business, Duggar isn’t letting the naysayers get to her.

“For me, I chose instead of living by fear, I chose to live day by day, and live by faith,“ she said.

Last year, the U.S. Census Bureau named Effingham County the 6th fastest growing mid-size county in the U.S.  Duggar believes her business is meeting the needs of the area’s expanding population, and other new businesses are also opening.

Glaze Beauty Boutique and Day Spa has 12 employees. The official ribbon-cutting is Tuesday at 11:00 a.m.