Going green pays off for Fancy Nails and Spa, a popular beauty salon frequented by the residents of Lake City. Since enrolling in Seattle Public Utilities’ (SPU) newly launched Get on the Map program, the salon has received a variety of free marketing tools and cost-saving tips that have resulted in a surge of new business.
Thao “Nancy” Tran founded Fancy Nails ten years ago with a desire to meld her hobbies of beauty and socializing. On a chance encounter with one of her clients, she was introduced to the Get on the Map program. She was told she would be able to receive recognition from the City of Seattle for the green practices she implemented in her salon. These include actions such as recycling and composting; purchasing and using recycled materials; and switching out her appliances to be water-efficient.
“I’ve always found it important to be green,” said Tran. This mentality led Fancy Nails to be one of the first businesses in Lake City to enroll in the City’s new program.
Resource Venture, a service of SPU, launched the Get on the Map program earlier this year in hopes of providing more education and resources to help local businesses reduce their environmental footprint. Those who qualify for the program get their businesses listed on an online map of Seattle’s neighborhoods (facebook.com/resourceventure). The map is designed to publicly recognize those taking actions to cut waste, save water, and reduce pollution. Businesses that accomplish a minimum number of green, or environmental actions will be added to the map and be ranked either: green, greener, or greenest.
Along with being recognized for taking environmental action, Get on the Map businesses are given free publicity and marketing materials such as website graphics, window clings, and a poster to put up in their place of business. Businesses also receive one-on-one technical assistance on how to continue their green practices while introducing new ways of becoming more efficient. So far, over 70 local businesses are on the map, with the City conducting a total of 250 on-site business visits before the end of the year.
Other free services include:
* Cost-benefit proposals
* Financial incentives and rebates
* Regulatory compliance assistance
* Employee training
* Educational materials
* Awards and recognition
* Environmental news updates
Since starting the program, Tran has replaced Fancy Nail’s toilets and foot massage stations so that they use less than 1.28 gallons per flush (compared to 1.6 gallons or more), saving her money on her water bill.
“I’ve noticed over twenty new clients telling me that they found me through Get on the Map,” said Tran. “I highly recommend other businesses consider becoming part of this program. I’m very proud to be green, and I love showing it.”
Tran went on to comment on how the Vietnamese community inherently cares about positive environmental impacts but are less informed on how to engage in green practices. Having a Get on the Map consultant on-site was invaluable for educating her and her staff.
Fancy Nails and Spa is open seven days a week. For more information or to book an appointment, call (206) 367-2066. To learn more about getting your business on the Map, visit www.facebook.com/resourceventure or email help@resourceventure.org.