Meet Chloe Orr | Owner of Prim and Polish

We had the good fortune of connecting with Chloe Orr and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Chloe, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
Starting my own business has always been something I’ve thought about. My dad has owned his own business my whole life so growing up I really looked up to him for that and saw the advantages that owning a business provided him. I also saw all of the hard work, risk, and dedication that went into it. When I decided to enter into the beauty industry, it became clear to me that I wanted to open my own salon. I worked for some pretty amazing and influential salon owners that helped me realize this dream and guided me along the way. However, it wasn’t until one of my clients approached me with a commercial building that she was selling that I realized I could actually just go for it. I think in the back of my mind I was always waiting for something before I felt like I could really take the leap. I’m still not quite sure what that something was, but looking at her building made me realize that if this was something I wanted, I had to just go for it.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I like to think that Prim and Polish differs from other salons in the way that we encourage our team to grow. We offer lots of continuing education opportunities for our technicians and a clear path to grow and develop within the company. I believe that it was these components that helped attract the team that we have today. Our amazing team is definitely what I’m most proud of. Everyone is so kind, ambitious, and talented. There’s such a stigma about salons being dramatic or catty, but I can honestly say that that has never been an issue here at Prim. Getting here was anything but easy, and honestly looking back on the past year is a blur of stress and hard work. However, we made it, we’re here, and it is so worth the long days and hard work. I’ve learned to trust myself, trust the process, and trust my team. Your business will more than likely not be an overnight success, no matter how bad you want it to be, but sticking to your vision will pay off.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Entertaining someone for a week in Fort Collins is definitely not a hard task. Between the beautiful natural areas and fun local businesses, there’s so much to see and do. I’d start with a full day up at Horsetooth; we’d start with a hike up to Horsetooth rock to take in some awesome views and then cool off with a visit to the reservoir. Boating or paddle boarding are my favorite ways to cruise around the reservoir and see what’s going on in all of the fun little coves. The next day, we’d head into old town for some shopping and dining. Breakfast at Snooze or Lucille’s is always a hit and the cute boutiques scattered around town are fun to browse. Kansas City Kitty always has beautiful clothing and unique Colorado souvenirs. Dinner at the Rio is a must when you’re in town and a night cap up at the Sunset Lounge at the Elizabeth hotel is the best way to see the city. A bikes and breweries day is also a must-do when in Foco. We’re consistently voted one of the most biker-friendly towns in the country with paved trails hidden all around town and wide bike lanes on most streets. Our breweries are also world famous so a stop at New Belgium, Odells, Zwei, and Stodgy’s are a must.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are SO many people who have helped me and who I genuinely don’t know where I would be without their support. I have an amazing family who has always supported me, my dad was instrumental in opening my own business as he was able to use his own experience as a business owner to mentor me and guide me through the whole process. My mom has always been one of the most supportive people in my life and she has really gone above and beyond for me since I decided to open Prim. Since opening, she has volunteered her time to help out at the front desk so that I can focus on clients, training, etc. Clients and staff love her and we don’t know what we would do without her help at the front desk. I also have some amazing former bosses who have supported me as well. Susan Hay, former owner of She She Beauty Lounge (now The Pearl Fox Company) helped me start my career and inspired my passion for the beauty industry. Bonnie O’Brien and Liz Cain, owners of Velvet Files also inspired me to open my own business and helped me further my career. I’m so fortunate to have had so much support on this journey and for all of these people I am eternally grateful.

Website: primfoeco.com

Instagram: primandpolishfoco

Image Credits
Olive Thompson Photography