Gene Juarez, The Man

If you live in the Seattle area, when you think of "Gene Juarez," your thoughts go to great haircuts, spa treatments, and for me, the best pedicures offered anywhere. But there's a man behind this chain of luxury spas and salons throughout the Puget Sound region. His name is, well, Gene Juarez.

And the new issue of 425 magazine has featured Mr. Juarez. Or perhaps, Señor Juarez. You see, Gene's family came from Mexico and started their American life as many Mexican immigrants do here in our state--in Eastern Washington fields. The article is great.

But what it doesn't mention is that Mr. Juarez is a brilliant marketer. The way I've heard the story, he got his big start downtown when he visited the Frederick & Nelson (RIP) department store across the street. He approached the elevator operators and offered them haircuts. Of course! Because from then on, when anyone asked the operator where she got that great 'do, her answer would be, "Gene Juarez!"

Mr. Juarez is also a founding director of Plaza Bank, which is one way he can reach out to families, in situations much like his own those many years ago, through business. The Bank has both commercial lending and retail banking services, and it offers financial literacy and competitive products that help people new to our way of banking in the U.S. In fact, Plaza Bank stood among very few community banks when it reported profits last quarter.

Read Mr. Juarez' story by Lisa Patterson--you'll be amazed, motivated, and if you're like me, you might just be inspired to get yourself a spa pedicure. (Ask for Mercedes at the downtown location.)