“I grew up in Saint-Michel and the reason why I wanted to open a salon here was the feeling of belonging.” These are the words spoken by Ngan Julie Trinh, co-founder of Pretty Little Things Ongles & Spa — or PLT, for the regulars.
At the corner of Saint-Michel Boulevard and Émile-Journault Street, just behind the bus stop on line 67, is the front of the lounge. Through the windows, you can see the coming and going of employees and that of customers who are getting a makeover. You only have to push the door to be carried away by the hip-hop soundtrack of the 1990s and Bachata. The name of the salon — Pretty Little Thing — is written in fluorescent pink on the black wall that overlooks the common area where hairdressers and nail technicians work. At the front of the store, a lady is doing her nails, and next to her, a child is playing with a baby in her stroller. A little further on, a hairdresser and her client tell each other about their day. Seated in a director's chair, a director's chair facing the camera, the young entrepreneur shares her journey in order to encourage those who are like her to surpass themselves.
A present shaped by its past
“I come from a poor family [...], but just because you don't come from a rich family doesn't mean you can't succeed. You choose your destiny and you just have to not let go,” says the young woman.
Ngan Julie Trinh runs two businesses in addition to her salon, as well as the Pretty Little Thing Academy. Because of her background, she is a source of inspiration for young women in her neighborhood. “The fact that she was an entrepreneur at a very young age inspires me a lot,” says Arleen Cristal, 18, who works at the salon and trained at the PLT Academy.
Aged 29, Julie already has a rich career in the world of entrepreneurship. At 24, she opened her first business, a restaurant in Banh Mi, with his partner. Not everything has always been rosy for this go-getter. To the launch of this first project — La Viet Sandwichery —, Julie and her partner devoted all their savings. At that time, the young woman had to juggle a lot of responsibilities to run her business and live. “In the morning, I got up and went to work at the bank. Afterwards, I went to the restaurant, and after that, I had evening classes at the university. At the end of class, I worked in a bar until 4 am,” she says. The owner of the salon maintained this rhythm of life for two years. Despite the ups and downs, Julie was able to get up and, above all, learn from her mistakes. After selling the restaurant, she is now preparing to open another business.
Julie looks back on her childhood and her family, which are a great source of motivation for her. She knew how to appropriate her past and turn it into a strength. Life hasn't always been easy, but that's what inspires clients, students, and employees who are in situations similar to what she experienced a few years ago. “I started talking about it not long ago; I'm a reserved person,” she says. When I hear people tell me today that their family is having money problems and that they have to work to help their parents, I can tell them that I went through the same thing.” Seeing her mother working four jobs simultaneously, Julie wanted to succeed in order to offer her a better quality of life. “Unfortunately, our parents come here and live to work. I really wanted them to live,” she adds, speaking above the cry of a child who visits the living room. This is her greatest accomplishment: to have filled her mother with pride and to offer her the opportunity to give up three of her jobs to keep only one.
A neighborhood that makes its mark
Since it opened three years ago, the salon has had numerous loyal customers. This is the case of Lorie, who regularly visits PLT. Today, his relationship with the owner goes beyond a simple professional relationship. “Sometimes we go to a restaurant together,” Lorie testifies to their friendship. She believes that going to PLT not only allows her to receive beauty services, but is also “a way to encourage Julie, a successful young person like us.” And it's more than just her friend's success. “She inspires young people in the neighborhood, who find it difficult to succeed; she creates jobs and brings change and courage.”
Opening a business in Saint-Michel was obvious for Julie. She herself grew up on Pie-IX Boulevard in a Vietnamese family and lived all her youth in this neighborhood.
Naturally, when the idea of starting another business came up, she saw it as the ideal place. Julie is not distracted by the speeches that sometimes portray the neighborhood in a negative way. “A lot of people think that, because we're settling in Saint-Michel, it's not going to work,” she laments.
With her experience in business management and marketing, she was able to identify the advantages of her neighborhood. “I did a lot of calculations. [...] First of all, I am on Saint-Michel Boulevard, which is a very busy street and is very close to Highway 40. We are near a bus stop and several high schools,” she said.
The salon is also Ngan Julie's main focus and allows her to break many stereotypes associated with the neighborhood. “Just because you come from a more disadvantaged place doesn't mean you're not professional,” she says, recalling that local businesses have as good service and management as others based elsewhere. “We can also create jobs for the world around us,” adds the entrepreneur.
Julie currently has 26 employees. Among the latter, there is Arleen Cristal. “Julie, I have known her since I was 14. I went to her house to do my nails with my mom. She saw me grow up,” reveals the student timidly. The young woman tells us that she started her career as a beautician at the salon on a whim. “I was receiving a treatment when I heard Julie talk about the PLT Academy. I said to myself, “Why not give it a try?” ”, she explains.
A year later, Arleen became a beautician at the salon. Working at the Pretty Little Thing Lounge allowed him to overcome his shyness and become more sociable. Under the wing of her mentor, Arleen also had an addiction to entrepreneurship. She plans to continue her studies in business management and open her own business soon. “I am very interested in catering and in the idea of entrepreneurship,” she says.
“Whatever your past, you can always succeed” — this is Julie's message to the youth of Saint-Michel.