Today we’d like to introduce you to Roxanne Mount.
Hi Roxanne, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I am originally from NY and spent the vast majority of my career in New York City. As a college graduate, with a BS in Communications & PR, I am one of the rare few that went on to pursue a career in the field in which I studied. I can’t brag of that same clarity when I was selecting a major as I changed at least 6 times before landing on one broad enough to give me the most flexibility! I was extremely blessed to have gotten some incredible first “grown up” jobs right out of college, which ranged from General Growth Properties, the second largest shopping center developer in the US, to NBC Sports, working logistics for the 2004 Athens Summer Games, Parlux Fragrances, marketing signature fragrances for celebrities like Rihanna and Jay-Z and for brands like Kenneth Cole and Vince Camuto. However, my most memorable experience, and the one that would ultimately be responsible for where I am today, in a six-degrees-of-separation kind of way, was with Starwood Hotels & Resorts. It was there that I fell in love with the hotel industry and was afforded the opportunity to travel to amazing destinations, staying at the most incredible resorts and working with some of the most brilliant branding minds, talented designers and influential developers.
Starwood was known for their innovation and groundbreaking approach to the space, which sparked in me a spirit of innovation and pushing boundaries from early on in my career. Being responsible for trade press and special events, during a time when they were launching two new hotels brands, isn’t something I could have ever planned on my own or dreamed of in my wildest dreams . It is THE definition of being in the right place at the right time. I was beyond fortunate to play an integral part in launching element by Westin and aloft Hotels and felt beyond lucky for the mountains of knowledge I gained from that experience and to have met a number of individuals who drastically influenced my life. They know who they are.
Even in the midst of this love affair with hotels, I did, however, feel it was necessary to explore other industries to ensure I was progressing with the changing marketing landscape, especially as digital and social were pretty much taking over the world. This took me on a hiatus from hotels for a while, but provided me with invaluable experience, on the job, self-taught social media training and much-needed perspective, which eventually led me to leave NY for Colorado and start my own creative marketing agency.
But how does this career in corporate America lead me to open a nail salon & spa in Highlands Ranch? Well it doesn’t directly, but it certainly influences all that was done to create the unique space that we have today. It honestly wasn’t something that was planned, it was another rare opportunity that my husband and I seized and, voila, I ended up here: owning 10and5 Creative Agency and Olive Juice Beauty Bar.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
If you find someone that tells you their career was a smooth, easy road, then please introduce them to me immediately! Being the stubborn person that I am, I always had to learn things the hard way. It wasn’t that I was unwilling to learn, I just needed to experience things firsthand and in my own time. One of the biggest lessons I eventually learned, is that in corporate America the keys to success, unfortunately, are not found in how many hours you put in, how exceptionally creative your ideas are, or even in proven results, but is in who you know! I didn’t want to believe that, nor did I have any interest in playing that game.
For the longest time, I was so short-sighted, wielding a giant chip on my shoulder that I was going to prove myself as a strong, independent woman, especially in very male-dominated industries, by just working hard and bringing rock-star, game-changing ideas to the table. Disruption was my middle name and I wanted to be taken seriously, however, no one was willing to give me the chance to disrupt, no one was getting out of my way and letting me prove what I knew I had the capability of doing! Because who really wants to hear about disruption from someone they don’t know? Who’s willing to take giant leaps into the unknown with their business with someone that had a giant chip on their shoulder? What I later (much later) learned was that playing that “game” wasn’t really all about buttering up to the key players. It still consisted of quality, hard work, but was a much smarter, more efficient path to the end goal. Knowing the “right people” opened doors that I didn’t even know existed. Fostering authentic relationships with the “right people” gave me a forum to be heard and got me a seat in front of the right decision makers. Knowing the “right people” also taught me invaluable life lessons so that I didn’t have to make the same mistakes.
Fortune favors the bold, not the stubborn. I wish I would have learned that a little faster!
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Olive juice Beauty Bar?
I would be thrilled to introduce Olive Juice Beauty Bar to your readers. I am the proud owner of Olive Juice BeautyBar, which is a chic new boutique nail salon and beauty studio in Highlands Ranch, CO that opened in May of this year. We took over a former salon that abruptly closed last year and completed transformed the space into an oasis where wanderlust, sanctuary and old-world charm intersect in the most imaginative way. My goal with the design of the space was to transport our guests to another world where they can’t help but daydream about their next adventure. We don’t want anyone to feel like they are in a nail salon, but as if they are relaxing at their favorite resort in their favorite Mediterranean destinations. You’ll get the distinct vibe of a swanky piano bar in Casablanca as you walk through our doors, while Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday play in the background. Clearly my deep background in hotels and my love of travel influenced this concept and I believe what makes us truly special and a one-of-a-kind experience that cannot be found anywhere else in this area.
The name, Olive Juice, bears a symbolic meaning and is a reflection of our mantra, “We love you too.” Olive Juice is a secret way to say I love you without having to say it. When mouthed silently it looks just like you are saying the words. This term of endearment evokes feelings of nostalgia and warm childhood memories within our guests while they enjoy the highest level of service and hospitality. Saying I love you is much more than mere words and our actions speak louder than our name by making every guest feel a way they haven’t before. Our commitment is to provide a warm, welcoming place to escape, to dream, to relax and be yourself. We don’t promise a one-stop-shop for everything a woman could possibly need. We won’t solve world hunger or cure cancer, although we wish more than anything we could, but where know we can make a difference is in those ever-so-small touch points that affect our well being every day. A woman, after all, is greater than the sum of her parts and it’s those little things we can do for a woman every day that will make a big difference in how she goes about her life and continues to make our world go round.
We are a member- based salon with members only benefits, discounts and perks, however anyone is welcome in for a treatment or service. We have a full menu or services that include manicures (free of harmful acrylics), pedicures, facials, waxing, massage, lashes and brow services.
Our Inner Circle Membership is only $79 per month. This monthly fee is not an additional cost but is used as payment/credits for the services you receive each month. They can also be carried over month after month if unused. The membership includes exclusive benefits, including 20% off every service, priority booking of your favorite service providers, one complimentary drink at every appointment, family sharing, invitations to exclusive members only events, referral bonuses, preferential private party room access with waived rental fee, as well as discounts and special promotions from our brand partners coming soon.
Our private event room, The Terrazza, boasts an expansive Tuscan family-style table with floor to ceiling window views of the Rocky Mountains landscape. Perfect for birthdays, showers, holiday parties, networking events and any other special occasions that calls for la dolce vita! Couple this experience with any of our services and treatments and you’ve got an event your guests will not stop talking about.
Lastly, to ensure total escape and relaxation, we offer a full menu of beverages including a selection of curated international wines and speciality beers.
Do you any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
Honestly, anything that has to do with my mother is a stand-out favorite childhood memory. She was one of those rare moms that actually loved having her children around and wanted to spend as much time with my sister and I as she could. She loved the ocean and to this day I can’t hear a wave break without thinking of her. I guess my most favorite are those summer days spent at Jones Beach in Long Island NY, with her lugging two kids and all our stuff down the mile-long sandy path to get as close to the water as possible without getting swept away with the tide! The smell of the salty air, the sounds of the seagulls & waves and the feeling of the warm sun on my face makes me feel at home- a home that still has her in it. She made everything and everyone that was in her life feel special and I’ll live the rest of mine trying to follow in her footsteps and make others feel that same way.
Pricing:
- Inner Circle Membership $79
Contact Info:
- Website: olivejuicebeautybar.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/olivejuicebeautybar/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roxannerabasco24/
