Gülgün Kosmetik is a small and simple beauty salon founded in 2004 with 1 employee that offers a full roster of treatments. In the early 2000s, Gülgün – the owner who had already stayed in Tyrol for a couple of years – went back to Turkey to complete her vocational training to become a professional cosmetician. Back in Austria, she failed finding a job in this sector and hence decided to set up a business on her own which has been successful ever since.
According to Gülgün, the success of the business is due to the quality of the offered services. She uses a technique that has its roots in Turkey. Moreover, she says, women as well as men value the prices, the warm and friendly atmosphere, and her openness towards people. She describes her salon as a meeting point for women with different origins where they talk, exchange, share their knowledge – a place where people with different origins come together, cultural exchange and networking happens.
Gülgün Peker does not yet make use of any marketing or communication strategies. Since the very beginning, she has counted on word-of-mouth advertising which has worked very well until today.
This enterprise is a very good example to show that despite limited German language skills it is possible to overcome all barriers and open a successful business even with limited financial resources. Besides the common government aid and subsidies (such as housing benefit, family allowance, etc.), Gülgün Peker did not make use of any other official financial support to start her business.