KMS Beauty Lab’s 5-Year Journey in Valley City
By Caoilainn Carlson, BEAT reporter
BRUNSWICK, OH- From brunettes to blondes to redheads, and everything in between, cosmetology is a field that takes talent and dedication. Voted top 5 hair salons in all of Medina County, KMS Beauty Salon has been providing the love and care for each client to help them express their personal identity. Owner Sasha Vilimonovic said her approach to beauty is to enhance one’s natural features.
KMS Beauty Salon first opened its doors 5 years ago in Valley City. For 10 years, Vilimonovic had worked on the east side of Cleveland in the town of Pepper Pike at Santo Salon and Spa. She mentioned she was incredibly grateful for the support from their owner, Frank Santo. When her daily commute became difficult due to heavy traffic, her husband surprised her with a new salon as a gift for her birthday, seeing the small town of Valley City as a perfect location to open it.
Vilimonovic was originally drawn to cosmetology because she always wanted to make people feel their best. She started her career in beauty at Aveda School in Strongsville. Sasha was drawn to their school because of its reputation for being helpful to stylists who are starting out. Afterwards, she went through additional skills development. “The most important thing is to go through the whole process of improvement, constant improvement,” she stated.
Now, going into her 15th year as a beautician, she is a master in the art of hair color, styling, and makeup. To extend her knowledge, she continues to attend annual training courses in cities like Chicago and New York City. KMS offers haircuts, color services, extensions, treatments, blowouts, styling, formal makeup, waxing, and nail services.
Vilimonovic said she still loves seeing the transformation pictures from before and after her services. Her favorite part of being a stylist is seeing her customers leave with a smile on their face and coming back to KMS multiple times after. “We are so grateful for our neighborhood and all the neighboring towns that support us,” she said. KMS likes to give back to the community as much as they can, and they are involved in various events the community hosts, as well as Buckeye State Wrestling Champions.
However, being a small business owner comes with its own challenges. Vilimonovic stated that making a business grow can be difficult because the things you want don’t happen overnight—the key to success is being persistent. Unfortunately, there has to be some sacrifice to create a name for yourself. However, the reward is that each day brings something new. She explained that when her clients walk out happy, she knows she has succeeded.
To learn more about KMS Beauty Lab, visit https://www.kmsbeautylab.com/.
Caoilainn Carlson, Brunswick High School, is one of over fifty student “backpack journalists” (grades 6-12) in the award-winning BEAT Video Program. The program, celebrating its 25th year, is sponsored by Donut Land, Plum Creek Assisted Living Community, MODA Gifts, Scripps Howard Foundation and the Brunswick Rotary Club. Go to https://www.bcsoh.org/community/new-beat-site to learn more about the Program, or visit https://thebeat.viebit.com/?folder=ALL to view videos produced by the students.
PHOTOS: Exterior of KMS Beauty Lab, Interior rooms in KMS, Hair dying provided at KMS