Carole Kurz

If there are beauty salons in heaven, Carole Kurz' grandparents are probably running the show. And smiling down on Carole, too.

"My grandmother and great-grandmother both owned their own beauty salons," said Kurz, the owner of Blue Water Salon & Spa in Grafton. "I'm sure they'd be proud of me."

Especially her grandmother, who honed her skills cutting the hair of her nine children.

"It was like an assembly line…I'll never forget it," laughed Kurz, an only-child whose mother, Lorene, was the guinea pig for her first hair coloring and highlighting.

"I enjoyed going to the beauty salon with my mom and being pampered," she said. "I knew right away that this was something I would enjoy doing, too."

A middle school field trip to the Lorain County JVS sold Kurz on cosmetology, especially the opportunity to complete the 2,500 hours of training necessary to earn her state license and begin working in her profession immediately after graduating.

"Even my science classes pertained to my profession; we learned about the biology of bones, skin, hair and nails and related this to cosmetology," said Kurz, who estimates that she saved thousands of dollars attending the JVS Cosmetology program instead of enrolling in a private beauty school.

"I definitely saved time and money and was hired on the spot at Little Oasis Salon in Avon, after my first job interview," the 2008 grad said. Kurz cut her wings under the guidance of beautician and store owner Marian Buchanan.

And when Buchanan opened Blue Water Salon in October 2008, Kurz followed.

"I liked being closer to home and my friends, but it never crossed my mind that one day I'd be running the business," she admits.

But when Buchanan desired more time with her family, Kurz jumped at the opportunity to buy the salon. "It's a cute little place, fully furnished, and two minutes from home," said Kurz, who lives in Grafton.

"Grafton is a small town. People know what they want," she said. "So I strive to treat people with excellence and guarantee my work. If they aren't happy with their color or cut, I'll fix it."

Kurz, who attends hair shows in Columbus and Chicago to stay focused on the latest trends in cosmetology, talks candidly about future plans for her salon.

"The building next door is vacant," she said. "It won't happen tomorrow, but I want to expand."

In the meantime, Kurz plans to extend the current spa area, offer massotherapy and acrylic nail enhancements, and is also introducing a new line of hair products.

Kurz summed up her keys to success in three words: "Kindness, comfort and conversation."

"The best part of my day is seeing the glow on my customers' faces when I'm finished cutting their hair," Kurz admits. "It reminds me about why I love doing this for a living."