By Lane Lannan, Communications & Marketing Intern, GRCA
In the world of beauty and business, few stories are as inspiring as that of an entrepreneur who begins with humble roots and builds a business.
One such story belongs to Katiria Melendez, who found a way to transform her passion for beauty into Cavas Expressions Aesthetic Beauty Spa, a beauty business located right here in Reading, all while navigating personal challenges and professional growth.
“Since I was a little girl, I always had an interest in beauty,” Melendez said. “All through high school, I did my friends’ hair for events. I knew I wanted to have my own business with beauty, but I wasn’t aware it would be more with makeup, skincare and eyebrows.”
For Melendez, beauty wasn’t just a passion but also a pathway to independence and flexibility.
“I had a sick son,” Melendez said. “I knew I had to have flexibility with my schedule that I knew would be hard to find in a normal job. That’s when I made up my mind to finally start my own business fully.”
This decision was not easy, and there was a lot that needed to be figured out. Starting in her mother’s basement, Melendez began the work to build Cavas Expressions into what she wanted it to be. What started as a solo venture soon grew into something much bigger.
“This dream and business have grown a lot. I started in my mom’s basement, just me with no other employees,” Melendez said. “Now, I have a three-floor spa with seven employees.”
It is this resilience and dedication that earned Melendez her recent award from the Berks Latino Chamber of Commerce. Melendez won the Small Business of the Year Award during the Berks County Latino Chamber of Commerce Gala, which took place on Sept. 14. The event date was no coincidence, as it was the day before the start of Hispanic Heritage Month.
The award and her business were all possible due to Melendez’s Hispanic heritage, and the values instilled in her by family members.
“The women in my family were hard workers both in the job field and at home, taking care of the house,” Melendez said. “From a young age, I helped my mother clean the house every Saturday morning while listening to Spanish music. She instilled that work ethic in me that followed me to this day.
“Having the Hispanic fire going through my veins has helped me be a strong leader. Being Hispanic has molded me in every way, and I am very proud of my heritage.”
However, despite her work ethic and the good that has come her way, her success story did not come without its obstacles.
One of the biggest obstacles Melendez faced was the task of starting a business in the first place. There were a lot of trials, including losing money and trying to add employees. Understanding her staff and finding ways to communicate with various personalities proved to be especially difficult, but, according to Melendez, time and some business courses proved extremely helpful in framing staff as a family, rather than just employees.
“I allowed my team to not only be a family, but always have their own individuality with their talents. They work at Cavas Expressions, but they can express their personalities through their work,” she said
This style is what Melendez credits with many of her employees going on to be successful on their own. Melendez views this as one of the best contributions her business has made to the community, as it not only helps the local economy, but allows for women in the community to be financially stable and happy.
This is something that has paid off and is potentially a reason why Melendez was chosen for the Small Business of the Year award. Although, according to Melendez, she did not see it coming.
“I was told about this award in July, and I was honestly very surprised because I had no idea what was happening until they started reading the letter and recording me on camera,” Melendez said. “I’m very honored, I am so happy and truly grateful to receive this award. I have always loved helping others. I never did it for acknowledgment. It was always from the heart.”
This award is not the end of the line for Melendez, as she plans to keep serving the community and being a resource. This can be attributed to her personal values in her business and her secret to success.
“I feel like the true key to success is to stay humble, always be willing to learn and grow and have healthy boundaries. I feel like there’s always areas to improve. Even when you think you’re successful and stable it can change no fault of [yours], it’s just how business goes. Be grateful for when business is doing great but always remember to get back up if you do fall. There is no quitting.”