Community Highlights: Meet Kaylea Cardinal of Mega Tan

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kaylea Cardinal

Hi KayLea, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
It all started when I started tanning at this facility when I was just a young girl at the age of 13. I loved the environment so much. I really enjoyed the people that worked here and I knew I wanted to work here one day too. That day eventually came about when I was 17. I learned many things over the next few years and treated it like it was my own salon. I enjoy our customers, I love to make them feel good about themselves, and hear about the stories of why they are tanning so I grew to love this place even more. Eventually, I knew I did not want to just work here, I also wanted to own it. After I got married in 2023, I was asked if we wanted to buy it starting in 2024. Still working here daily, even as an owner, I have built some of the best connections with our customers. Some of our customers and I have built personal friendships outside of the tanning industry.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It’s honestly been so smooth, I couldn’t imagine it any different. I worked for an incredible family, I learned everything I know from them. Separating from being just a worker to the owner has been a little challenging. Most of the girls I have, I also worked with before owning it so that makes it a tad bit challenging. I’m sure there will some more real challenges along the way.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
It’s a local tanning salon, there’s only one location. When you first enter you will notice the bright summery colors, there’s a theme through out the entire salon its very beach oriented. We are specifically known for a very clean salon from the actual tanning beds to everything else in general. We take high pride in gaining a personal connection with all of our clients. Most people come to us for our tanning units, most salons around us only have stands up available but, we offer beds and stand ups. Tanning isn’t the only thing we offer, we also have red light therapy and we offer airbrushed spray tanning. We offer a variety of memberships from a single day pass, all the way up to a year membership. We are very knowledgeable about what package would benefit the client the best. We are open 7 days a week and are only closed on major holidays. We also have a variety of lotions, anytime a new one comes out we try to get it. Before selling the bottle of lotion, we will try packets to ensure it’s a good lotion. We will learn about the lotions either from reading the keys facts, live webinars or sometimes we will go to in person trainings depending on location of the in person training.

What matters most to you?
A clean salon and exceptional customer service. Without our customers, it would be just an ordinary tanning salon.